Rich Smith has been promoted to President of HEI. He will serve as a liaison to HEI’s clients and will be the primary public representative of the company. As President, Smith will focus on the overall vision and brand of the company. Additionally, Smith will remain heavily involved in business development and assisting with diversifying and growing the firm.
Duane Henderson will remain as CEO. He will continue to be involved in the daily operations and help lead of the company through the transition period. Henderson has been CEO since 1988; his father Fran founded the company in 1970.
Dave Haake has assumed the role of Chief Operations Officer. His responsibilities will include overseeing the daily operations of the company, including internal design teams, specialty divisions, and branch offices.
Dana Kettle has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer; she will oversee and manage all financial aspects of the firm.
Rick Lahm has stepped down as CFO, a position he has held since 1990. Lahm will assume the role of Board Treasurer.
Tony Pianalto has assumed the role of Chief Technical Officer. He will oversee and manage the technical engineering aspects of the firm, including quality control, training, standards, building information modeling, sustainability and commissioning.
“HEI’s Board of Directors examined the roles and organization of our company and interviewed key personnel through a six month discovery period,” said Duane Henderson, CEO. “We wanted to make sure we were taking into consideration our shareholders’ thoughts and ideas with regard to the future of the company.”
“The plan presented will allow for a smooth leadership transition for our company,” said Rich Smith, President. “I’m excited about the opportunity and the changes and feel it will strengthen the management structure as our firm continues to grow both regionally and nationally.”
About Henderson Engineers, Inc.
Henderson Engineers, Inc. was founded in 1970 and provides mechanical, electrical, plumbing and refrigeration design services through its headquarters in Kansas City, as well as branch offices in Bentonville, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, New York Metro, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Tampa. Licensed in all 50 states, Henderson is comprised of over 450 employees including 150 Licensed Engineers and over 100 LEED® Accredited Professionals. In addition to its core services, Henderson Engineers, Inc. houses four specialty divisions: Impact Illumination (architectural lighting), Fire Dynamics (fire protection and code consulting), Collective Tech/ADG (comprehensive technology, security, audio visual, and acoustical design), and Outcome Cx (Commissioning). For more information visit www.hei-eng.com.
Related Stories
Retail Centers | Jun 2, 2023
David Adjaye-designed mass timber structure will be a business incubator for D.C.-area entrepreneurs
Construction was recently completed on The Retail Village at Sycamore & Oak, a 22,000-sf building that will serve as a business incubator for entrepreneurs, including emerging black businesses, in Washington, D.C. The facility, designed by Sir David Adjaye, the architect of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is expected to attract retail and food concepts that originated in the community.
Mixed-Use | Jun 1, 2023
The Moore Building, a 16-story office and retail development, opens in Nashville’s Music Row district
Named after Elvis Presley’s onetime guitarist, The Moore Building, a 16-story office building with ground-floor retail space, has opened in Nashville’s Music Row district. Developed by Portman and Creed Investment Company and designed by Gresham Smith, The Moore Building offers 236,000 sf of office space and 8,500 sf of ground-floor retail.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 1, 2023
High-rise cancer center delivers new model for oncology care
Atlanta’s 17-story Winship Cancer Institute at Emory Midtown features two-story communities that organize cancer care into one-stop destinations. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and May Architecture, the facility includes comprehensive oncology facilities—including inpatient beds, surgical capacity, infusion treatment, outpatient clinics, diagnostic imaging, linear accelerators, and areas for wellness, rehabilitation, and clinical research.
K-12 Schools | May 30, 2023
K-12 school sector trends for 2023
Budgeting and political pressures aside, the K-12 school building sector continues to evolve. Security remains a primary objective, as does offering students more varied career options.
Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2023
Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements
Phius certifications are expected to become more common as states and cities boost green building standards. The City of Boston recently adopted Massachusetts’s so-called opt-in building code, a set of sustainability standards that goes beyond the standard state code.
Urban Planning | May 25, 2023
4 considerations for increasing biodiversity in construction projects
As climate change is linked with biodiversity depletion, fostering biodiverse landscapes during construction can create benefits beyond the immediate surroundings of the project.
Contractors | May 24, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.9 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of April 2023
Contractor backlogs climbed slightly in April, from a seven-month low the previous month, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.
Mass Timber | May 23, 2023
Luxury farm resort uses CLT framing and geothermal system to boost sustainability
Construction was recently completed on a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn., that is dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable, productive land use. With sustainability a key goal, The Inn and Spa at Southall was built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, and a geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system.
Multifamily Housing | May 23, 2023
One out of three office buildings in largest U.S. cities are suitable for residential conversion
Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.
K-12 Schools | May 22, 2023
The revival of single-building K-12 schools
Schools that combine grades PK through 12 are suddenly not so uncommon. Education sector experts explain why.
