Alabama

M. J. Harris Inc. of Birmingham recently announced the hiring of Syed Ali as assistant vice president of operations. Syed has more than 34 years of experience in healthcare engineering and construction. He most recently worked for Good Shepherd Health System in Longview, Texas. His responsibilities for M. J. Harris Inc. will include overseeing all operations out of the Orlando, Fla., office. 

Volkert & Associates Inc. of Mobile, Ala., recently appointed Perry A. Hand as president and chief marketing officer.

The announcement was made by T. Keith King, chairman of the board and CEO of Volkert.

Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc., an architectural and engineering firm, recently announced the hiring of John Averrett to its Municipal Engineering Division.

Averrett is a registered electrical engineer with more than 12 years of experience.  His professional background includes the design of electrical systems for various clients, negotiating industrial construction contracts, supervising engineering personnel, advising clients on OSHA safety requirements and ISO 9000 quality management guidelines, reviewing and approving process systems design, as well as supervising installation of such systems.  

Prior to joining Goodwyn Mills & Cawood, Averrett served as the vice president and engineering manager for a local firm.  He graduated from Auburn University in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and went on to obtain a master’s degree in business administration from Auburn University at Montgomery in 1997.

Averrett is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, as well as the Construction Management Association of Alabama.

His civic involvement includes the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce where he serves as an ambassador, the Family Sunshine Center and the Economic Development Association of Alabama.

Goodwyn Mills & Cawood has offices in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile and Andalusia, Ala., and Crestview, Fla. Goodwyn Mills & Cawood has more than 260 employees.

Aimee Comer has been promoted to director of human resources for Robins & Morton, a Birmingham-based firm that specializes in healthcare construction.

Comer joined Robins & Morton in 2004 as training and benefits coordinator for the corporate headquarters in Birmingham.

In that role she was responsible for the Todd Robins Education Center and employee benefits programs. As director of human resources, Comer will oversee corporate human resources functions and training at the company’s division offices in Orlando, Nashville, Dallas and Birmingham.

Comer has a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from Jacksonville State University.

Robins & Morton currently has more than 80 projects under construction or in pre-construction throughout the country. Robins & Morton’s division offices are in Birmingham, Orlando, Dallas and Nashville.

Arkansas

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has named Joey DeRoe, Razorback Concrete Co. of West Memphis, Ark., as the winner of its annual Promoter of the Year award. The award was presented in March during NRMCA’s 2007 Annual Convention in La Jolla, Calif.

DeRoe, selected from among a number of outstanding industry promoters, was praised for his tireless efforts in promoting concrete’s durability, adaptability and innovative uses to an impressive number of industry groups, fellow state promoters, homebuilders, architects and others.

In citing his accomplishments, Arkansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association Executive Director Rita Madison wrote that DeRoe “set the standard for promotion in Arkansas.”

Among his success stories, DeRoe was responsible for converting more than 3,000 yds of colored concrete in the East Arkansas markets; and more than 15,000 yds of concrete pavements in various markets, including Paragould, Jonesboro and West Memphis.

DeRoe and his Razorback colleagues were also able to convert original, non-concrete projects into more than 2,500 yds of flowable fill conversions; more than 1,000 yds of concrete driveways after meetings with a local homebuilder; more than 75,000 yds of concrete converted to fiber reinforcement and more than 700 yds of colored concrete for the City of Jonesboro.

DeRoe has also made numerous promotion presentations to specifiers, developers, contractors and concrete industry personnel; taught co-workers to give concrete presentations and arranged presentations and demonstrations at numerous Arkansas locations for local contractors and builders.

NRMCA, based in Silver Spring, Md., represents the producers of ready mixed concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the industry.

It conducts education, training, promotion, research, engineering, safety, environmental, technological, lobbying and regulatory programs.

Louisiana

Michael Doucet has been named the director of membership growth at the Pelican Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors in Baton Rouge. Prior to accepting this position, Doucet was the recruiting manager for DATACOM, a worldwide provider of telecommunications and engineering services both domestically and internationally.

Prior to DATACOM, Doucet was the senior recruiter with The Shaw Group. As director of membership growth, his primary focus is to ensure that each ABC member realizes the value of ABC’s programs and services.

Keystone Engineering Inc., a multi-disciplined engineering consulting firm with offices in Metairie and Lafayette, La., recently announced the promotions of five employees to associate partner: Adam C. Rogge, Arthur G. Bourgeois, Patrick Lyles, Richard A. Fontenot and J. Antonio Zepeda.

Tennessee

American Constructors Inc. of Nashville recently named the following promotions/additions to its staff: Ambassador Joe Rodgers was named chairman/director; Dan Brodbeck was named president and CEO; Lee Jennings was named executive vice president and secretary/treasurer; Harold Brewer was named senior vice president/director; John Madole was named vice president/director; and Margie Eblen was named controller; Angel Choate was named executive assistant and office manager.

Regional

Steve Naughton has been named southeast regional sales manager for Munters Moisture Control Services (MCS), a division of Munters AB. MCS’ global division offers complete services for water and fire damage restoration and remediation, and for temporary climate control in construction, industrial, surface preparation and coating, and preservation applications. Munters AB is a publicly owned company based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Naughton will oversee the growth and management of the company’s disaster restoration and industrial dehumidification offerings in the southeast region, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina and Virginia.

His primary responsibilities include new market development, customer service assurance, profit and loss accountability and employee management. He will be based in Munters’ Atlanta office.

Prior to joining Munters, Naughton was vice president - business development for Ark-Mark Inc., a business development firm. There he was responsible for growing the client base, hiring staff and managing the business.

Before that, Naughton was director of special markets for Boston Acoustics and served as director of business development for Bose Corp.

Naughton earned a bachelor’s degree in general engineering from the U. S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and a master’s degree in business administration from Boston University.