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 70th 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.
Related Stories
| Mar 5, 2014
5 tile design trends for 2014
Beveled, geometric, and high-tech patterns are among the hot ceramic tile trends, say tile design experts.
| Mar 4, 2014
How EIFS came to America
Design experts from Hoffmann Architects offer a brief history of exterior insulation and finish systems in the U.S.
| Mar 3, 2014
Negotiate your way to success
There are few business skills as important as negotiation. Many successful businesspeople pride themselves on their ability to turn a deal in their favor. Here are a few key negotiation principles to ensure you’re generally getting a good deal.
| Mar 3, 2014
5 ways to gain clients you actually like
Gaining more clients is one thing. Gaining more clients that you actually like is something else entirely. Here are some tips to perfect the art of attracting and retaining clients that you enjoy working with.
| Mar 3, 2014
Engineering and construction CEOs are cautiously optimistic about the global economy, says PwC
Firm leaders remain leery about the availability of skilled workers, the state of government debt and deficits, and rising material prices, according to PwC’s 2014 Global CEO Survey.
| Feb 28, 2014
Six finalists selected in design competition for Canadian Holocaust monument
David Adjaye and Daniel Libeskind are among the finalists for the National Holocaust Monument, planned near the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
| Feb 27, 2014
Target converts former prison dump into latest big-box store
Target's new San Rafael, Calif., location was built on the site of the former San Quentin prison dump.
| Feb 27, 2014
Coffman Engineers Kicks Off Year-Long 35 Year Anniversary Celebration
In February, Coffman Engineers, a mid-sized, multidiscipline engineering firm, kicks off a series of events celebrating the 35th anniversary of their founding.
| Feb 27, 2014
3 reasons to apply computational fluid dynamics on your next project
From right-sizing mechanical systems to understanding the impact of design alternatives, CFD offers a host of benefits for the Building Team.
| Feb 27, 2014
12 facts about heat-treated glass: Why stronger isn’t always better
Glass is heat-treated for two reasons: the first is to increase its strength to resist external stresses such as wind and snow loads, or thermal loads caused by the sun’s energy. The second is to temper glass so that it meets safety glazing requirements defined by applicable codes or federal standards.
