Forrester adds three new executives

Rockville, Md.-based company hires new director of business development and two new project executives.

Forrester Construction of Rockville, Md., recently hired three new executives. Kelly Moyer Benedict was named director of business development. Benedict has more than 15 years of business development experience in the commercial real estate industry, specifically in the architectural, construction and development disciplines. She will be responsible for business development in Forrester's special projects, interiors and base building vertical markets. Gary Dean will be responsible for large private sector base-building projects in his role as project executive. Dean comes to Forrester with more than 27 years of experience. He has been responsible for individual projects in excess of $200 million, including office buildings, hospitals, retail malls, hotels and parking garages. Mike Slattery joined the company as project executive and will be responsible for public sector base-building projects. Slattery brings more than 20 years of construction experience to Forrester. He has been responsible for private and public individual project in excess of $100 million, including office retail buildings, laboratories, and airport expansions.

Donohoe Construction Co. of Washington, D.C. recently promoted two of its executives to the role of vice president. David Petty was previously director of operations at Donohoe. He joined the company in 2000 as a senior project manager and has more than 26 years of experience in the construction industry. Francis J. Murray was previously director of operations at Donohoe. He joined the company in 1978 as a project manager and has more than 26 years experience in the construction industry.

WDG Architecture /Blue Chair Design of Washington, D.C. recently hired Howard M. Weiss as director of interior architecture. Weiss leads the interior architectural design, management and strategic services provided by WDG's interiors division, Blue Chair Design. In his new role, Weiss will lead the sales and delivery of the firm's interiors services, defining the vision of the practice, establishing long and short-term objectives and further building on the company's portfolio and client base. He brings more than 18 years of technical and management experience to the firm. Prior to joining WDG, Weiss was director of the interiors studio at Kling in Washington, D.C.

Leslie Sipes-Pachol was recently appointed executive director of the Maryland Economic Development Commission. The commission is a partnership between state government and the private sector that provides strategic advice and development of economic development policies, incentives and programs to benefit Maryland businesses and citizens. Sipes-Pachol has worked for the state of Maryland for more than 20 years. Her experience includes leading the development of Business License Information System at the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, which was the first Internet-established permitting and licensing information system in the country, and she has statewide experience in information technology planning.

The metro Washington and Virginia chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors recently announced the winners of its 23rd annual Excellence in Construction Awards. Some of the winning projects and contractors included:

Commercial (over $40 million) - Terrell Place in Washington, D.C., submitted by Clark Construction Group of Bethesda, Md.

Residential - The Bennington at Silver Spring in Silver Spring, Md., submitted by Foulger-Pratt Contracting of Rockville, Md.

Commercial/Residential Renovation - Olney Village Mart in Olney, Md., submitted by L.F. Jennings of Falls Church, Va.

Historic Renovation - Glen Echo Park Rehabilitation, Phase III Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo, Md., submitted by Monarc Construction of Falls Church, Va.

Institutional (over $8 million) - Wolf Trap Center for Education in Vienna, Va., submitted by Westport Corp. of Ashburn, Va.

Medical New Construction (over $20 million) - Expansion at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Va., submitted by Scott-Long Construction/Turner Construction of Chantilly, Va.

Medical Renovation (over $3 million) - Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md., submitted by Bovis Lend Lease of Bethesda, Md.

Retail (over $5 million) - Broadlands Village Center in Ashburn, Va., submitted by L.F. Jennings of Falls Church, Va.

Mega (over $100 million) - Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va., submitted by Hensel Phelps Construction of Chantilly, Va.