Leadership

Our leaders provide guidance and inspiration for every teammate and every project we are privileged to build.

Brian Cahill

President, California

Relentless Ally since 1993

A 40-year construction industry veteran, Brian Cahill joined Balfour Beatty in 1993 when it was known as Barnhart, Inc. in San Diego, California. In 2015, Brian was promoted to his current position as president of California, overseeing operations and business acquisitions throughout California and Arizona.

Throughout his career, Brian’s leadership skills and industry expertise have been acknowledged through several avenues including recently being named one of San Diego’s 500 Most Influential Leaders by the San Diego Business Journal for his leadership, dedication to our Zero Harm safety culture and continuous commitment to the communities where we build. He has also co-authored a book, Humanizing the Education Machine, which explores the many challenges facing public education today.

Brian is a Certified Construction Manager and a LEED® Accredited Professional: he holds a degree in aviation science from San Diego Mesa College and attended San Diego State University. He is also a certified flight instructor and served for five years in the U.S. Navy as a deep-sea diver, having graduated from the U.S. Navy Deep Sea Diver School in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In his free time, Brian is active on several Boards including Junior Achievement of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. He enjoys anything aviation related including flying the backcountry airstrips in Idaho and Montana and training his two Labrador retrievers.

Dan Novack

President, Mid-Atlantic

Relentless Ally since 2000

Dan Novack is a Balfour Beatty lifer who started his career with the company more than 20 years ago. As president of Buildings operations in the Mid-Atlantic, he provides strategic oversight for construction operations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and works with teams to sustain market growth in the healthcare, federal and education sectors.

Dan is known for his well-rounded leadership experience that includes purchasing, preconstruction, small business development, community and client relations, and operations expertise. He is also a passionate advocate of Balfour Beatty’s people-first culture embedment which embraces the essence of our teams’ Relentless Ally commitment to delivering project excellence and enhancing communities.

Novack is a graduate of Alfred State College in New York where he earned a bachelor’s degree in construction management and furthered his learning with an Master's of Business Administration from George Mason University in 2010. He is actively involved in many industry organizations and recently served on the Board of Directors for ABC Metro Washington for five years.

Daniel LaFrance

Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, US

Relentless Ally since 2021

Daniel LaFrance joined Balfour Beatty in 2021 as vice president and chief compliance officer for the company’s Buildings, Civils and Investments operations in the U.S. His role has an emphasis on legal, regulatory and operational ethics as well as compliance, internal audit functions and conducting and managing risk assessments. Dan also works in close coordination with senior leadership across Balfour Beatty’s global businesses, with particular emphasis on the company’s various U.S. geographies within its three business lines.

With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Dan embodies our people-first culture by helping team members do their jobs in a way that drives operational excellence through a culture built on compliance, integrity, and an emphasis on always doing what’s right.

He holds a law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of California, Los Angeles and is a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics. In his spare time, Dan is a die-hard New York Mets and Rangers fan, enjoys cycling and most weekend mornings can be found watching Premier League soccer. He is also working toward receiving his private pilot’s license.

David Hodnett

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, US

Relentless Ally since 2004

David Hodnett serves as senior vice president and chief legal officer of Balfour Beatty’s US operations. A Relentless Ally since 2004, David originally served four years as general counsel for Balfour Beatty, Inc. and eight years as a chief legal officer for its Mid-Atlantic Buildings operations before rejoining the company in 2018.

David began his legal career in private practice, primarily representing general contractors. Prior to joining Balfour Beatty, David worked as general counsel for Beers Construction Company.

David is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in business finance and earned his juris doctor from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law in 1992. He holds bar licensure in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia.

In his free time, David is an avid biker, skier and fly-fisherman.

Denise Hubley

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer – Buildings

Relentless Ally since 1989

Denise Hubley began her career with GMH in 1989, a company that was acquired by Balfour Beatty in 2008. Currently, Denise serves as executive vice president and the chief financial officer responsible for overseeing the financial operations of Balfour Beatty’s US Buildings operations. Denise’s previous roles include being responsible for various aspects of shared services in addition to project finance, which includes debt and equity structuring.

Denise earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a concentration in computer science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In her free time, she likes to travel and spend time with her family at the beach.

Ed Littleton

Senior Vice President, Risk Management

Relentless Ally since 2006

Ed Littleton joined Balfour Beatty in 2006 as vice president of risk management and now serves as chief risk officer, where he is responsible for the overall design, management and execution of the department’s programs and initiatives.

As a way to give back to the construction industry, Ed is involved in numerous industry leadership groups and is a past chairman of the Association of General Contractors Surety Bonding and Risk Management Forum. He is also heavily involved with United Way of Dallas, contributing to the non-profit organization’s grant review process and annual campaign cabinet.

Ed graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in business administration and accounting. He began his career with Arthur Anderson as a CPA with a focus on construction industry clients.

Away from work, Ed enjoys golfing, spending time with family and friends, and watching sporting events.

Eric Stenman

President, US

Relentless Ally since 2001

Eric Stenman began his career in construction with boots on the ground — as a plumbing contractor. He owned his own business and later became a general contractor while also putting himself through college and law school.

His tenure with the company began in 2001, when he served as vice president and general counsel for Douglas E. Barnhart. Eric’s strong leadership and construction business acumen led to his promotion to president of that business in 2007. Barnhart was acquired by Balfour Beatty in 2008 and since then, Eric has served in several national leadership roles including his current role as Balfour Beatty US president. Under his leadership, the company has achieved the leverage and scale of national capabilities, operational excellence standards, team growth and development, and industry innovation.

Some of the prestigious and award-winning projects that comprise Eric’s impressive career with Balfour Beatty include the $221 million San Diego County Women's Detention Facility, a design-build, 1,216-bed facility that, through its innovative and campus-like design, creates a rehabilitative environment that prepares inmates for re-entry into civilian life. The project has been honored with 11 industry and sustainability awards. The $103 million J. Paul Leonard Library and Sutro Library project, which earned four awards at regional and national levels including “Project of the Year” from the Design-Build Institute of America Western Region, is a beacon of information and collaborative learning for students who call San Francisco State University home. Through the addition of an automated library retrieval system (LRS), students can quickly access key research materials from the facility’s 2,000,000-item collection. Eric has also executed a vast array of mission-critical work for confidential clients in Oregon and across the United States.

Eric is a leader focused on talent, who is constantly mentoring, recognizing and appreciating those who have contributed. In fact, it’s this kind of leadership that inspired his co-workers and peers to nominate him as one of the San Diego Business Journal’s "Most Admired CEOs" in 2014 and the publication's "Most Influential People in San Diego" in 2022.

Eric holds a law degree from California Western School of Law, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from California State University, Northridge and is a licensed contractor in the State of California and Arizona. He is active at the local and national levels of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), having chaired the National Contract Documents Forum and Chair of the Building Division. Eric is currently President of AGC of America, San Diego Chapter and serves on the board of directors for the AGC of San Diego. Eric also serves as an Executive Committee member of the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

Effective 4/3/2023, Eric will assume his new position as President and CEO, US.

Kasey Bevans

Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer

Relentless Ally since 2001

Kasey Bevans joined Balfour Beatty’s Information Technology department in 2001. Since taking on the role of senior vice president and chief information officer in 2005, Kasey’s passion for developing technology infrastructure has empowered Balfour Beatty associates to deliver clients’ dreams. During her tenure with Balfour Beatty, she has been responsible for leading the implementation of several core business systems and increasing customer satisfaction and cost recovery.

Kasey earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in business computer information systems from the University of North Texas in 1992 and has completed graduate work at the University of Wisconsin. She is a member of several executive advisory boards/councils such as Procore, Autodesk and Microsoft. In 2015, Constructech magazine named Kasey to its prestigious “Women in Construction” list at the publication’s Technology Day event.

In her free time, Kasey serves as a volunteer on charity boards and enjoys golfing, pickleball, snowboarding and watching college football.

Keith McCoy

Senior Vice President, National Safety

Relentless Ally since 1993

Leveraging his nearly 30-year tenure with Balfour Beatty and his experience in nearly every facet of the company, Keith serves as senior vice president of national safety for Balfour Beatty's US Buildings and Civils operations.

In this critical role, Keith's mission is to ensure Balfour Beatty continuously improves safety practices across the company with the goal of achieving Zero Harm. He's passionate about creating a safe work environment for our workforce and the public, as well as reducing workplace injuries at Balfour Beatty and in the construction industry at large. Keith believes in supporting project teams through a servant leadership approach and helping teammates be successful not only in their projects but also in their personal and professional lives. He also leads the company’s sustainability efforts across the U.S.

Keith holds a bachelor's degree in construction science from Texas A&M University. He has served in numerous community and industry organizations, including the Texas Real Estate Council, Carson Leslie Foundation and 22Kill. He has also served on the boards of the Texas A&M Construction Industry Advisory Council and construction associations TEXO and AGC.

While not at work, Keith enjoys spending time with his children, road cycling, snow skiing and hiking.

Kelly Phariss

Vice President, West - Civils

Relentless Ally since 2006

Kelly Phariss serves as vice president of the company’s Civils operations in the West where he manages its diverse project portfolio within the rail, highways and bridges and water sectors in California, Oregon and Washington.

Kelly is a long-time Balfour Beatty Civils teammate and is a critical leader on Los Angeles World Airport’s (LAX) Automated People Mover (APM) project. In addition to his role as vice president, he will also serve as deputy director on the LAX APM project and support and pursue opportunities that blend scopes of work involving the company’s expert Building and Civils construction services.

Kelly is a graduate of the University of California, Davis where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Leon Blondin

Chief Executive Officer, US

Relentless Ally since 2001

Leon Blondin was named chief executive officer of Balfour Beatty's U.S. operations in 2020 and is responsible for the company’s US Buildings and US Civils businesses, as well as the U.S.-wide functional shared services, providing overall country leadership and coordination. Leon has been with Balfour Beatty since 2001, holding the positions of the chief estimator, vice president, senior vice president, division president of the National/Federal Group, president of the Mid-Atlantic Division, chief operating officer, Mid-Atlantic and most recently, chief executive officer, US Buildings. As a chief operating officer, of Mid-Atlantic, Leon had responsibility for all activities and construction operations, including oversight of the firm’s program management, operations, preconstruction, purchasing and estimating activities.

During his 30-year career, he has pursued projects in more than 30 states, and successfully acquired more than $7.5 billion in new work. In addition to having vast experience with federal projects, Leon has experience in the construction of healthcare, upscale lodging and convention centers. Leon is the past president of the National Capitol Chapter of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and holds an associate degree in construction engineering from Alfred State College.

Effective 4/2/2023, Leon will assume his new position as Chairman, US.

Leslee Mallinson

Senior Vice President, Communications

Relentless Ally since 2000

Leslee Mallinson is an industry veteran who joined the company in 2000 and serves as our senior vice president of communications. As an experienced and passionate communications advisor, Leslee sits on our executive leadership team and is responsible for delivering strategic communications counsel and marketing and brand management across our entire U.S. business.

Leslee works closely with our operational, marketing and shared services teams to devise impactful communications that support our overall business strategy and our most valuable asset: our people. Among her team, Leslee is known as a caring and dedicated leader whose infectious laugh can be heard from a mile away.

Leslee is a graduate of Austin College and an active volunteer in the Dallas community that Balfour Beatty has helped build. In her spare time, Leslee enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Mark Birch

Chief Financial Officer – Civils

Relentless Ally since 1997

Mark Birch began his career in corporate finance at Ford Motor Co. in the United Kingdom. He diversified his experience with positions at other manufacturing organizations before joining Balfour Beatty Rail, Ltd. in 1997. After assuming positions of increasing responsibility, Mark moved to Balfour Beatty’s US operations in 2004 to manage the financial growth of the state-side business.

Mark was appointed chief financial officer of Balfour Beatty’s US Civils operations in April 2006.

Mark earned a Business Administration degree from the University of Birmingham, U.K., and an Masters of Business Administration degree from Henley Management College, U.K. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Mark Johnnie

Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Civils

Relentless Ally since 1998

Mark Johnnie serves as chief operating officer of Balfour Beatty US Civils business where he leads the company’s commitment to operational excellence spanning across highway and bridges, rail and water projects. Mark works with leaders throughout the business to ensure consistency in execution, high quality of standards and client experiences are delivered, and industry-leading operational processes are embedded across vertical market sectors.

In addition to his COO responsibilities, Mark oversees the highway and bridges work across the Southeast and the Southwest.

After an extensive career with some of the construction industry's most successful companies, Mark joined Balfour Beatty in 1998. In his tenure with the company, Mark has managed or overseen some of our most notable projects, including the San Mateo Bridge Widening, Smith Creek Parkway, Surf City Bridge Replacement, U.S. 70 Havelock Bypass, Maysville Bypass and the Northeast Water Purification Plant.

Since 2007, Mark has served various leadership roles in the Carolinas Association of General Contractors (CAGC) and beginning January 2023, he will serve as chairman of the CAGC Board of Directors.

Mark graduated from Oregon State University and holds two bachelor's degrees in construction engineering management and business administration. Mark is a father of three, grandfather of two and loves spending time with his family. He also enjoys the outdoors, whether on a bike as president of Cape Fear Cyclists or just in his yard.

Mark Konchar

President, Civils

Relentless Ally since 1999

Mark is a driving force for progress, leading US Civils operations with an unwavering commitment to excellence. As president, he manages projects that are essential for modern life: highways and bridges in aiding transportation; water infrastructure in guaranteeing access to clean resources; vital electrification systems in powering opportunities; and advanced rail networks in connecting people across America.

Since 1999, Mark has been instrumental in the success of Balfour Beatty. In his roles as Managing Director of US Rail Operations and prior positions across procurement and project delivery, he’s nurtured strong relationships with clients, partners and team members on renowned projects such as Los Angeles International Airport's Automated People Mover, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line Extension, Caltrain’s Electrification program and numerous Federal & Healthcare developments, including the Pentagon Memorial.

Mark is a true team player who demonstrates Balfour Beatty's people-first culture daily. He always applies an innovative approach to complex issues and excels at motivating others in his workplace and beyond. In addition, Mark contributes to advancing our professional development programs by leveraging his experience and passion for learning and serves as a Pillar Member of Bridges to Prosperity - one of the most renowned industry partners and a nonprofit international mission dedicated to building footbridges across the world.

With a bachelor's and doctorate degree in architectural engineering from Penn State University, Mark brings decades of experience to the table. He has been integral in research projects that have pushed industry standards forward and authoring several articles and reports like his co-authorship on "Selecting Project Delivery Systems" and “Change Your Space, Change Your Culture.”

Marla Storm

Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer

Relentless Ally since 2022

Marla Storm brings more than 20 years of experience to her role as senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Balfour Beatty’s Buildings, Civils and Investments operations in the U.S. She oversees the development and execution of the company’s people strategy and practice, including compensation and benefits, recruiting, training, talent development and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, with an emphasis on ensuring policies and initiatives are aligned across Balfour Beatty’s three business lines.

Marla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Drury University and an Master's of Business Administration from Baylor University. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) professional and has completed The RBL Group’s HR Learning Partnership for senior-level human resource professionals from leading global companies.

In her spare time, Marla actively supports animal rescues in the Dallas area and loves spending time with her three rescue dogs. She and her husband enjoy live music events and can regularly be found attending concerts for a wide variety of music genres.

Pat Dean

Senior Vice President, National Operations

Relentless Ally since 2006

Pat Dean never imagined spending his summers framing houses as a Kansas State University student would jumpstart a career in building for Fortune 100 companies and leading teams in the delivery of industry-leading projects across the U.S.

Fast forward to today, Pat serves as senior vice president of national operations where he oversees all operations for Balfour Beatty’s Buildings business and works with teams and industry partners in providing exceptional service and operational excellence on projects such as Los Angeles International Airport’s Automated People Mover.

Since joining the company in 2006, Pat has held roles of vice president and business unit leader of the Southeast and, subsequently, president of the Southeast providing strong operational and strategic leadership. He was integral in the Southeast business’ significant growth in both the private and public sectors and becoming the largest general contractor in North Carolina and the third largest in South Carolina.

With an entrepreneurial spirit, Pat is a leader guided towards achieving sustainable business growth while fostering the talent of next-generation leaders. It is this focus on investing in others that led Pat—the son of two lifelong educators—to serve on the Charlotte board of Teach for America, an organization Balfour Beatty supports through hands-on training and mentorship opportunities.

Pat has also dedicated his time and talents as a board member for the American Heart Association, Discovery Place and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.

Pleas Mitchell

President, Texas

Relentless Ally since 1989

Pleas has been in the construction industry for more than 30 years, most of which have been spent building award-winning, profitable, landmark projects for Balfour Beatty. He has been involved in the construction of more than two billion dollars in buildings in the healthcare, corporate headquarters, educational and hospitality market sectors. He has managed every aspect of a construction project’s lifecycle, including planning, preconstruction, construction, finish work, close out and warranty.

In his role as president of the company's Texas operations, he provides continuous overall management direction for operations to ensure timely delivery of a quality product that meets the owner’s functional requirements and the architect’s design standards.

Pleas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University.

Scott Skidelsky

President, Southeast

Relentless Ally since 2012

As president of the company's Southeast operations, Scott Skidelsky is responsible for executive oversight, project acquisition, and business growth within Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Scott Skidelsky has spent more than two decades in the construction industry in a wide variety of leadership positions, serving clients across the United States throughout his career.

Well known for his unique ability to connect with and inspire teammates from all facets of the business, Scott is a Building Design + Construction “Forty Under 40” alumni and was named “Man of the Year” among the Forty Under 40 winners by the Orlando Business Journal in 2007.

Prior to his career in construction, Scott served in the United States Navy as an Officer in Charge of Construction and as a Contracting Officer. Scott also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering from the University of Illinois.

A loving husband and father, Scott celebrates three decades of marriage with his high school sweetheart and is a proud parent of two aspiring young professionals.

Troy Dickson

President, Northwest

Relentless Ally since 1997

Troy Dickson’s background includes 35 years of industry experience and 25 years of service with Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, since joining the firm as a project manager in 1997. Troy has led many of the company’s most significant projects in Oregon. From preconstruction through construction, Troy has spent his career focused on operational excellence both regionally and nationally.

Troy has overseen the successful completion of many high-profile projects in Oregon such as The Portland Building reconstruction, Broadway Tower, Museum Place South Development, Eliot Tower, the Elizabeth and ODS Tower. He also directed the pursuit and delivery of the renovation and modernization of the award-winning Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, during which he ensured the project achieved its high-performance green building goals and recognition as one of the nation’s most energy-efficient high rises. Troy’s oversight and thought leadership has resulted in heightened job safety, reduced risk for clients and partners and an efficient platform for project teams to execute.

Troy holds a degree in civil engineering from the University of Alberta and is a licensed professional engineer and a LEED® Accredited Professional. In his spare time, Troy enjoys spending time outdoors, playing golf in the warmer months and snowboarding in the winter.

Troy Gjerde

Vice President, US Civils

Relentless Ally since 2020

Troy Gjerde joined Balfour Beatty in 2020 to serve as vice president of Balfour Beatty's US Civils operations. He currently provides executive support and oversight of the Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification project in San Mateo, CA and the EchoWater Tertiary Treatment Facility in Elk Grove, CA. Troy brings 20 years of expertise in heavy civils construction for highway, rail and wastewater projects. His experience and extensive knowledge in multiple delivery methods, organizational reshaping and contract negotiating make him a key addition to the Balfour Beatty team.