Construction Industry Leadership Shifts: Key Hires and Promotions Shaping January 2023

The construction industry continuously evolves through the strategic movement of leadership talent across companies. January 2023 brought a wave of significant hires, promotions, and appointments that signal important shifts in how construction-related firms are positioning themselves for the year ahead. From sustainability officers to sales executives, these leadership changes reflect broader industry priorities including sustainability initiatives, technology integration, and customer success. Understanding these talent movements offers valuable insight into where the industry is heading, much like how Ai Transforming Construction Industry trends are reshaping workforce strategies across the sector.

Sustainability and Environmental Leadership Appointments

One of the most notable trends emerging from January 2023 hiring announcements is the emphasis on sustainability-focused leadership roles. Companies across the construction ecosystem are creating and filling positions dedicated to environmental strategy, carbon reduction, and sustainable product development.

Caterpillar Names Chief Sustainability Officer

Caterpillar announced that Lou Balmer-Millar would assume responsibility as chief sustainability officer in addition to her current role as senior vice president of the Large Power Systems Division. Balmer-Millar succeeds Julie Lagacy, who served as Caterpillar’s first chief sustainability and strategy officer and retired in February 2023 after nearly 35 years of service. Balmer-Millar reports directly to chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby in her sustainability capacity.

Balmer-Millar brings a strong technical background to the role, holding a doctorate in materials science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a bachelor of science in engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Her appointment signals that Caterpillar is embedding sustainability leadership within its core energy and transportation operations rather than treating it as a separate function.

CarbonCure Hires SVP of Sales and Marketing

CarbonCure Technologies appointed S. Gabriel Carrero as senior vice president of sales and marketing, bringing two decades of experience in heavy construction materials and specialty chemicals. Carrero previously served as chief commercial officer at Sysdyne Technologies and held executive leadership roles at NITROcrete, GCP Applied Technologies, and W.R. Grace and Co. CarbonCure focuses on low carbon concrete and carbon removal technology, offering the concrete industry a decarbonization platform featuring CO2 mineralization equipment, software, and carbon credits. This appointment reflects the growing convergence of construction materials expertise with sustainability technology, a theme that parallels advances in Quantum Computing in the Construction Industry for optimizing material performance and environmental impact.

NEU Concrete Center Names Executive Director

NEU, an ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete, appointed Dean A. Frank as executive director. Frank previously served as director of validation at NEU and brings extensive experience in ISO standards and certification development. His background includes work at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. Frank is a licensed professional engineer in Indiana and Colorado, positioning NEU to accelerate its validation programs for carbon neutral concrete certification.

Executive Leadership Changes Across Construction Supply Chain

Several companies made top-level executive appointments in January 2023, bringing in experienced leaders from adjacent industries and promoting from within to guide strategic growth.

Jon-Don Names New CEO and Chief Sales Officer

Jon-Don welcomed Jay Davisson as CEO and Steve Porter as chief sales officer in a leadership restructuring designed to strengthen the company’s market position serving specialty contractors nationwide. Davisson brings senior-level executive and private equity experience, having previously served as CEO at AMES Taping Tools and held progressive leadership roles at Sherwin-Williams. Porter brings nearly 30 years of sales experience, most recently as chief operating officer at Ruprecht/Kilcoy Global Foods. Prior to that, he spent nearly 25 years at Grainger leading the largest U.S. sales team in his final role. The dual appointment suggests Jon-Don is prioritizing both strategic vision and sales execution capability.

Command Alkon Appoints Three New Leaders

Command Alkon announced three significant leadership appointments strengthening its executive, customer, and services teams:

1. John Pumpelly joined as chief financial officer, bringing more than 30 years of financial leadership experience with KPMG and both private and public companies. He holds a BBA in accounting from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2. Steve Cox was appointed vice president of customer success, holding a civil engineering degree from Auburn University and serving on industry advisory boards including the RMC Research and Education Foundation Board and the Concrete Industry Management National Steering Committee.
3. Brett Bertz joined as senior vice president of global professional services, bringing over 20 years of leadership in professional services from complex technology deployments to SaaS and cloud software implementations.

Terex Utilities Promotes Senior Director of Services

Terex Utilities promoted Nick Cammisa to senior director of services, where he will lead the Terex Services team. Cammisa brings 33 years of experience in the utilities and construction equipment industry, including nearly 20 years with Terex Utilities. His background spans branch management, sales, and strategic account management.

Operations and Manufacturing Leadership Movements

Operations-focused appointments in January 2023 demonstrate the industry’s focus on quality control, production efficiency, and manufacturing excellence across construction materials and equipment companies.

Waupaca Foundry and Felling Trailers Promote Operations Veterans

Waupaca Foundry named Todd Pagel vice president of operations. Pagel is a 30-year veteran of the foundry, having started in 1993 as an operator in the molding department. He advanced through roles including molding supervisor, plant manager, and director of operations. Felling Trailers appointed Dan Klimek as quality assurance manager over both production facilities in Sauk Centre and Litchfield, Minnesota. Klimek brings more than 30 years of manufacturing and quality control systems experience, having previously served as general manager at Polar Tank Trailers.

Wells Promotes Key Operations Leaders

Wells, a prefabricated building solutions provider, promoted several veteran team members. Doug McCarthy was elevated to vice president of product development after over 30 years with the company. Chris Dewanz was promoted to director of technology integration, overseeing Wells’ newly established technology integration team. Steve Kloos was promoted to president and COO of the Mountain states region. A 27-year veteran of Wells, Kloos started in the Ready Mix division and most recently served as senior vice president of quality. These appointments show how companies are combining operational experience with technology integration to improve client outcomes, a trend that parallels how 3d Printing Construction Industry innovations are transforming manufacturing approaches.

Propane Council Hires Business Development VP

Gavin Hale joined the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) as vice president of business development. Hale arrives from Deutz Corporation, where he led development of a five-year, $400 million business growth strategy and developed Deutz’s first compact propane spark ignited engine. He holds a degree in automotive engineering and will lead PERC’s renewable fuel strategies for propane applications including port tractors and forklifts.

Industry Association and Sales Leadership Updates

Industry associations and sales organizations also announced important leadership changes in January 2023, reflecting the collaborative nature of construction industry advancement.

ACPA Announces New Board Leadership

The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) announced Steve Friess of Milestone Contractors as chairman of the board of directors for 2023, with Ernie Peterson of Ash Grove Cement serving as vice chair. Friess is vice president of concrete operations at Milestone Contractors with over 35 years of industry experience. Peterson has worked at Ash Grove for 25 years, advancing from sales representative to vice president of sales. ACPA also elected a new slate of board members:

• John Leckie, Indiana Chapter of ACPA
• Bryan Beck, GOMACO
• Jay Van Hove, Koss Construction Company
• Jake Steinberg, American Highway, a Simplex Company
• Greg Pelkey, Shafer Contracting Company
• Tim Nash, Wirtgen America
• David Loomes, Continental Cement
• Joe Finnegan, GCC America

CMA and Double Coin Announce Sales Appointments

CMA and Double Coin announced two leadership changes in their sales organization. Kevin McGuinness was appointed South Atlantic Regional Sales Manager, responsible for sales across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. Valentino Faraone was promoted to vice president of sales, having grown sales in the Northeast region by 400 percent during his time as senior regional sales manager. Faraone’s tire industry career began at Michelin after serving six years in the United States Marines.

Summary of Key January 2023 Appointments

The following table summarizes the major hires and promotions announced during January 2023 across the construction industry:

The breadth of these appointments reveals several key themes for construction industry professionals. Companies are prioritizing sustainability leadership at the executive level, investing in customer success and service delivery infrastructure, and promoting internally to preserve institutional knowledge while also bringing in external talent to drive change. The combination of sustainability-focused roles alongside traditional operations and sales appointments suggests that environmental responsibility is becoming integrated into core business functions rather than remaining a peripheral concern.

For construction firm leaders evaluating their own organizational structures, these January 2023 moves offer a benchmark for how peer companies are allocating leadership talent. The emphasis on technology integration roles, customer success positions, and sustainability officers indicates that these functions are essential components of a competitive construction enterprise. As the industry continues to evolve, understanding how Ai Transforming the Construction Industry influences workforce planning and leadership development will remain critical for companies looking to attract and retain top talent in an increasingly competitive labor market.