SSOE Group names next President and CEO

SSOE Group, the global A/E and construction management firm, has promoted Vince DiPofi, PE, to be its next President and CEO. He will replace current CEO Bob Howell, who will retire in the first quarter of 2020. DiPofi officially assumes his new roles on December 4, when the company will hold its shareholders’ meeting.

DiPofi, the company’s COO and Executive Vice President, is a 35-year industry vet who has been with SSOE since 2000, when he started as Business Leader for the firm’s food group.

“For a firm like SSOE, that has enjoyed continued success for over 70 years, the role of CEO is a great responsibility,” says DiPofi. “I’m confident in the entire SSOE team’s ability to work together to continue this company’s history of innovation and great client service.”

Last August, SSOE celebrated its 70^th anniversary. Howell has been with the firm since 1980, starting as a draftsman trainee. He has led SSOE since December 2014, and during his leadership tenure the Toledo, Ohio-based company has ranked among the industry’s 10 largest engineering and architecture firms, and 15 largest international engineering firms, according to BD+C’s annual GIANTS rankings.

Last December, the company stated that, since 2009—when it committed to delivering projects on schedule for lower total costs—it had saved clients more than $1 billion in project costs: at least $10 million each for 34 clients and more than $1 million each for 95 clients. The firm had also returned 95% of its fees to clients in the form of project savings over the previous five years.

DiPofi is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and has been a registered Professional Engineer in Ohio and Michigan since 1990. He received his Bachelor of Science from The University of Toledo in Mechanical Engineering in 1985.

At SSOE, DiPofi has been influential in fostering a culture of business development, having held previous roles as Director of Business Development, Chief Strategy Officer, and provided oversight of SSOE’s Mexico and China operations. He served as SSOE's Chairman of the Board until 2018. In his current capacity, DiPofi has executive level oversight over the firm's Advanced Technology Strategic Business Unit; Healthcare, Cmmercial, and Education practices; and its virtual design and construction team.