Balfour Beatty continues US executive appointments

London-based contractor Balfour Beatty is continuing its executive appointments in its U.S. Civils business with the appointments of two more people to key positions in the business arm, according to a Feb. 15 announcement.

The company appointed Mark Johnnie to chief operating officer of its U.S. Civils business and Kelly Phariss to vice president of west operations. The new executives will be focused on strategic planning for the company’s highways and bridges, rail and water businesses, according to the release.

Johnnie, who has been at Balfour Beatty since 1998, will now also cover the Southwest while maintaining his current role overseeing the firm’s highway and bridges work across the Southeast.

Phariss will head operations in the west managing the company’s project portfolio within the rail, highways and bridges and water sectors in California, Oregon and Washington. Phariss is a leader on Los Angeles World Airport’s Automated People Mover project, and will remain deputy director on the project in addition to his new role. 

Phariss will also support and pursue opportunities that blend scopes of work involving the company’s Buildings and Civils construction services, according to the release. 

These U.S.-based executive moves are the second in as many months — in January, the firm’s U.S. Buildings and Civils division announced top-level changes with the appointment of Eric Stenman to CEO of the U.S. Buildings & Civils business, and Mark Konchar to division president for U.S. Civils & Rail. 

Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty’s chief executive, said that the U.S. is an important market for the group in the January news, which tracks as funding from the infrastructure act rolls out to states and municipalities. Large contractors like Balfour Beatty and its U.S. Civils operation will benefit from the funds as the company’s infrastructure arm builds large highway and water projects, according to its website.

Konchar said that these new appointments will aid the division’s growth while also shoring up international strategies that engage markets around the world.

“Our Civils business continues to experience significant progress with excellent opportunities on the horizon,” Konchar said in the release.

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