Gensler Names New Directors of Los Angeles Office

Principals Robert Jernigan and Nila Leiserowitz have been appointed managing directors of the san Francisco-based Gensler, an architecture and planning firm.

Robert Jernigan and Nila R. Leiserowitz, new managing directors for San Francisco-based Gensler, will direct oversee day-to-day operations of the Los Angeles office and maintain their leadership positions within a number of firm wide practice areas and committees. The pair has 55 years of combined industry experience.

As the architectural practice leader for Gensler in Southern California, Jernigan leads the buildings and campuses group in Los Angeles and is co-leader of the firm's international technical steering committee and design and delivery for the firm nationwide.

Jernigan's 25-year career includes serving as principal on such projects as 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Univision Headquarters, Broad Contemporary Museum of Art, Los Angeles Convention Center Hotel and the Arizona State University Mediated Classroom Building.

He received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee. He is a registered architect in California, a LEED 2.0 Accredited Professional, and is NCARB Certified. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute, the Construction Specifications Institute and serves on the Boards of the Los Angeles Headquarters Association, USC Architectural Guild, St. Matthew's Parish School, and the Boy Scouts of America (Los Angeles Area Council). He has been guest speaker at a number of professional and community events, including the Los Angeles Headquarters Association and NeoCon West.

Leiserowitz has 30 years of experience in interior design, including corporate and institutional work, and provides nationwide design leadership for Gensler's workplace practice. Her recent projects include work environments for McCann-Erickson, WPP, Saban Capital, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Western Asset Management Co. She has directed large-scale projects on behalf of a number of Gensler's global accounts.

Leiserowitz has been a guest lecturer at national conferences and has written numerous articles covering design topics relating to future work environment trends. At the October 2000 ASID Annual Conference, she was awarded the honor of Fellowship.

Ware Malcomb Adds to San Ramon Staff

Ware Malcomb, an Irvine-based architectural and interior design firm, has hired Kelly Leanos as a project manager and Blanca Nelson as a job captain. Both will work in the firm's interiors department at its San Ramon office.

Leanos has eight years of experience in interior design and project management in the medical, commercial, retail and high-technology markets.

Nelson has 11 years of interiors experience in the commercial, retail and medical fields.

Sims Joins Avila Design

Oakland-based Avila Design has hired Gia L. Sims as an architectural designer. She previously worked as a job captain at Alameda-based MBH Architects.

She has designed several small-and large-scale retail projects, tutored junior high and high school students while attending college and served as a tour guide for visiting students and families.

Fo Named Director at WATG

Tom Fo has been promoted to director at Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, a Newport Beach-based architecture, design and planning firm.

Since joining WATG in 1986, Fo has been a senior member of the design team on resorts in Atlantic City, N.J.; Florida; Hong Kong; Kuala Lumpur; Las Vegas; Paris; and Tokyo.

Felderman Promoted to President at Arthur Pearlman Corp.

Steven J. Felderman has been named president of Arthur Pearlman Corp., a Santa Monica-based developer of shopping centers.

Felderman previously held the position of vice president of development since 1998, and was responsible for the development and construction of such projects as the Bonaventure Center in Pomona, Porter Ranch Town Center in Porter Ranch and Sport Chalet Village in La Canada.

Prior to joining the Arthur Pearlman, Felderman was project manager for Haagen Property Management Inc.

Cornelius Joins HDR as Project Engineer

The Folosm office of HDR, a Minneapolis-based architecture and engineering firm, has hired Jim Cornelius. His will concentrate on funding and planning services.

Before joining HDR, Cornelius was chief of the regulatory programs branch for the state of California's Water Resources Control Board. He has broad experience directing watershed management, water quality protection and compliance programs, and five years of experience preparing and managing state/federal grants for Calaveras County Water District.

He earned a master's degree in public administration from California State University at Sacramento.

Sundt Promotes Messick to Project Director

John P. Messick has been promoted to project director in the San Diego office of Sundt Construction's Southern California office.

Messick joined Sundt in 1991, and has held the positions of field engineer, project engineer, estimator, superintendent, project manager, and pre-construction project manager. His project experience includes residential high-rise, office buildings, senior living facilities, retail, biomedical and medical facilities, university projects and parking structures.

He received an MBA from San Diego State University.

Webb to Lead Earth Tech's North American Operations

Long Beach-based Earth Tech Inc., a global consulting, engineering and construction services firm, appointed William D. Webb executive vice president of North American operations. He will be responsible for the company's consulting and engineering practices in the United States and Canada.

Webb previously was chief operating officer for the North American operations at ERM Group, a global environmental consulting firm. Prior to that, he was with Dames & Moore and URS in a variety of senior management positions.

Webb has more than 35 years of experience.

Sherman Named Senior Project Manager at TSA Contracting

Geoff Sherman, a 28-year construction industry veteran, has been named senior project manager at San Diego-based TSA Contracting.

He will be responsible for overseeing the construction of Faraday Spectrum, a new office complex planned in Carlsbad that involves ground up construction of nine tilt-up buildings. He previously was director of construction for the San Diego office of Excel Legacy Corp./Price Legacy Corp., where he oversaw construction operations for multi-use properties and developments for self-storage open air retail centers, hospitality and office.

He also served as a project manager for San Diego-based Roel Construction and was an owner's representative and building manager for San Diego-based Paladion Partners Ltd.

Jenkins Joins Suffolk's Irvine Office

The Irvine office of Suffolk Construction Co. Inc. announced has hired George Jenkins as project executive. Jenkins will lead Suffolk's California efforts in the automotive, clubhouse and retail construction markets.

He previously was president of Torre Construction Co. and has 39 years of engineering and construction experience.