Sundt Hires 3 Superintendents

SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento office of general contractor Sundt Construction has hired three new superintendents for several senior-housing projects.

Ken Barnes joins Sundt as project superintendent for Valley Care Senior Living Community in Livermore. He previously worked for developer/builder Opus West in Sacramento.

Randy Shiffer is the new field superintendent for Valley Care, a senior community consisting of 190 congregate apartments and 60 assisted living units. Shiffer is providing day-to-day, on-site supervision. He joins Sundt from Vacaville-based Hearn Construction.

Chris Fischer comes to Sundt as a project superintendent, providing on-site supervision for Carlton Plaza in Sacramento, an assisted living facility at Fulton Avenue and Larkspur Lane. Fischer previously worked for Napa-based Andrews & Thornley Construction.

Dituri, Ashland, Phillips Join Willis

SAN FRANCISCO—Willis Group Holdings, a global insurance broker, has made three senior appointments to its construction practice in California.

Sue Dituri (based in San Francisco) has been named senior vice president, Janice K. Ashland (based in Los Angeles) has been named managing director for wrap-ups and William Phillips Jr. (based in San Francisco) has joined the firm as vice president for surety.

Dituri joins Willis from USI, where she was the executive vice president of the risk management department of Northern California.

Dituri has 25 years of experience in service with carriers (underwriting and underwriting management) as well as brokers (marketing and production). She has also served a number of clients in commercial and residential endeavors as well as property management and casino interests.

Ashland previously served as director of construction sales of Aon Risk Services in Los Angeles. He has 18 years of insurance industry sales experience and 10 years specializing in wrap-up programs.

Phillips joins Willis from AIG, where he served as regional surety manager responsible for the western region of U.S. Phillips. At Willis, he will be responsible for the servicing of existing clients and the production of new client relationships.

Phillips has 16 years of underwriting and management experience with industry-leading surety companies.

Rudolph & Sletten Promotes Jones

FOSTER CITY—Rudolph & Sletten General Contractors recently promoted project executive Frank Jones to vice president. He will continue to oversee the company’s San Diego office of more than 110 full-time employees.

Jones has overseen a number of key construction projects in San Diego, including the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice and the Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology.

Rudolph & Sletten’s current San Diego projects include UC San Diego’s Eleanor Roosevelt College Housing and Dining and its Electrical Engineering Building 3B; and Johnson & Johnson’s Pharmaceutical Research and Development Center.

Construction Attorney Relocates to Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES—Robert B. Thum, a Northern California construction law attorney, has relocated to Thelen Reid & Priest’s Los Angeles office.

Thum, 57, practiced in Thelen Reid’s San Francisco office for 10 years. He will also continue to serve Northern California clients.

Thum has extensive experience in engineering and construction disputes, arbitration and litigation and government contracts disputes and litigation. He has published and lectured widely on construction law topics.

Thum holds a J.D. from the Cornell Law School, where he was the editor of the Cornell Law Review. He is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Construction Arbitrators and the California Office of Administrative Hearings Public Construction Arbitration Program.

Ware Malcomb Hires 3 Staffers

IRVINE—Judie Lai, Kristen James and Sunny Johnston have joined Ware Malcomb, an architecture and interior design firm. All three work in the firm’s headquarters in Irvine.

Lai joins Ware Malcomb as a project architect in the commercial department. A registered architect in California, she has 20 years of architectural experience and has worked on a wide variety of project types. Lai received a master’s degree in architecture from Pennsylvania State University.

James joins the firm as project manager in the interiors group. She has eight years experience working in both graphic design and interior design.

Johnston rejoins Ware Malcomb as project manager in the technology group. She has four years of experience in technology, commercial, industrial and institutional projects.

Cotner Joins McCarthy

NEWPORT BEACH—McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. hired Steve Cotner as preconstruction director of mechanical, electrical and plumbing services for southern California.

A construction industry veteran of 22 years, Cotner will be responsible for developing and reviewing MEP estimates, assisting in the selection of MEP trades and aiding with systems commissioning.

Prior to joining McCarthy, Cotner served as a project manager and engineer for a mechanical contractor in Houston, Tex. Cotner is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

SGPA Promotes Ashor

SAN DIEGO—Mike Ashor has been promoted to associate at SGPA Architecture and Planning.

Ashor is a construction administrator at the firm’s San Diego home office. He has been with SGPA for 17 years and has 21 years of experience in retail, senior housing and hospitality.

Zubicki Joins Keeton as COO

SAN DIEGO—Philip B. Zubicki has joined Keeton Construction Co. Inc. as chief operating officer. He is charged with managing day-to-day operations of the company. Zubicki was chief operating officer for Turnkey Schools of America in Temecula. Other posts include senior program director of U.S. operations for Pacer International in Delray Beach, Fla., and director of national operations for General Roofing Services in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Roel Promotes Baker, Marzan

AN DIEGO—Roel Construction has promoted Patty Baker from administrative assistant to project coordinator. She has been with Roel since 2000 and is currently working on various pre-construction projects.

Roel has also elevated Paula Marzan from administrative assistant to project coordinator.

She joined Roel in 1999 and is currently working on the Faith Presbyterian Church and the Redeemer by the Sea Church projects.

DWRB Promotes 4

SAN DIEGO—Michael Asaro, Neal McFarlane, Frank Ternasky and Paul Schroeder have been promoted to principals at San Diego-based Architects Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker.

Asaro is leading the design of a 130,000-sq.-ft. biotechnology R&D building for the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology. Since joining the firm in 1994, he has managed a range of high-technology projects.

McFarlane’s projects include a 320,000-sq.-ft. laboratory/manufacturing facility for Invitrogen, a 76,000-sq.-ft. microscopy and laboratory facility for the Scripps Research Institute and the 434,000-sq.-ft. master plan for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. He received a master of architecture degree from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Ternasky is the lead designer for the new $40 million, 376,000-sq.-ft. Mira Mesa headquarters for Biosite, a biotechnology device developer and manufacturer. Recent commissions include the 973,000-sq.-ft. Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula.

Schroeder is developing the San Diego State University Foundation master plan. Design credits also include the 104,000-sq.-ft. flagship campus for National University San Diego Spectrum. The campus includes a 64,000-sq.-ft. academic headquarters and 40,000-sq.-ft. library that functions as the main library for all 26 National University campuses.

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