New faces at HNTB, ENSCO, WSP

Consulting engineering firms HNTB, ENSCO and WSP USA have hired key personnel within the past few days.

Michael Booth, AICP, has joined HNTB Corp. as Transit Planning Group Director and Associate Vice President, Chicago. He brings more than 33 years of industry expertise, with a focus on major transportation, transit and infrastructure capital projects, including experience in project management for the Chicago Transit Authority and other transit agencies.

Booth leads HNTB’s Chicago transit planning practice, focusing on service and delivery for key transit and rail clients throughout the region in addition to serving as a project and program manager for various transit projects. He also will provide support to HNTB’s transit and rail clients nationwide.

Prior to joining HNTB, Booth worked for HDR, Jacobs and CardnoTEC. His focus was on regional and national transit projects, including serving as program and new starts manager on two major commuter rail projects in the Midwest and leading the federal grant process for Sound Transit’s Federal Way Link light rail extension in Seattle.

Booth’s transit and rail experience includes commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit and transit programs and projects in both the planning and design phases. He also brings significant experience in project compliance with the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration and other federal entities.

Booth’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in urban planning from Seattle Pacific University and certification in community planning from the University of Washington.

“Michael’s extensive experience in project and program management and knowledge of the transit market locally enables him to deliver innovative solutions to transit agencies throughout Chicago,” said Mark Becherer, P.E., HNTB Chicago office leader and vice president. “He is a proven team-builder who understands what it takes to bring together the right resources to deliver on our clients’ most complex projects and programs.”

Ben Tripousis has joined HNTB as Associate Vice President and Senior Program Manager, San Jose. He will provide leadership for HNTB’s work with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and other South Bay clients. He also will work to ensure that HNTB plays a leading role in new infrastructure projects that develop in the area.

Tripousis has served as chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Partnership Technical Advisory Committee, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee. He also has worked on transportation policy with the past three mayors of San Jose, Northern California’s largest city.

Before joining HNTB, Tripousis was Northern California Regional Director of the California High Speed Rail Authority, responsible for management and oversight of the planning, design, construction and operation of the project’s Northern California segment. He also has worked on development of the Caltrain Centralized Equipment, Maintenance and Operations Facility, the Bay Area Rapid Transit extension to San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail system.

“As a former industry colleague and client, HNTB has been working with Ben for about 20 years, and we are delighted to bring him onto our Northern California team,” said Darlene K. Gee, HNTB Vice President and Northern California District Leader. “His expertise in working with the City of San Jose as well as various Bay Area transportation agencies will be crucial in the success of our projects in the South Bay.”

ENSCO, Inc. has named Ruben D. Peña as Director of Government Surface Transportation, Applied Technology and Engineering Division. Peña will develop customer relationships and leverage the portfolio of safety and security technology capabilities within ENSCO to support clients in all modes of surface transportation.

Prior to joining ENSCO, Peña served as Director of Marketing and Business Development at TTCI (Transportation Technology Center, Inc.), Pueblo, Colo. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University and is involved in numerous industry professional associations.

“We are enthusiastic about the addition of Ruben Peña to ENSCO’s rail technology staff,” said Jeff Stevens, ENSCO Vice President of the Applied Technology and Engineering Division. “He brings more than 25 years of experience, successfully leading new programs in railway safety and security with U.S. federal agencies, and passenger and freight railways around the world.”

Robert Coakley has joined ENSCO Rail as Director of Business Development in the Applied Technology and Engineering Division. Coakley is responsible for all business development activities for ENSCO Rail in the passenger, transit and freight rail markets.

Prior to joining ENSCO, Coakley served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Nordco, Inc. in Oak Creek, Wisc. His previous experience includes sales, marketing and customer service positions at a variety of product and service companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

“Robert Coakley is a valuable addition to our rail technology business development staff,” said Jeff Stevens. “He brings more than 10 years of experience developing new business in the global rail industry work and track inspection equipment sector, which will be a major asset to our growth objectives.”

WSP USA has appointed Keith Powley as Senior Engineering Manager and Rail Transportation Construction Program Manager. He will be responsible for managing high-profile rail transportation infrastructure programs throughout the region.

Powley has more than three decades of experience in design and construction management. “He brings a unique perspective through hands-on experience as a contractor, agency manager and program management/construction management consultant,” the company said. “He has served as design manager on light rail, commuter rail and freight rail improvement and expansion projects and has provided construction management services on a range of complex infrastructure improvements.”

Earlier in his career, Powley served as Way, Power and Signal Superintendent at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in California and wrote the agency’s track maintenance and safety standards manual.

Powley holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and is a certified construction project manager. He is a director of the passenger and transit group with AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association), serves on the standards of practice committee with the Construction Management Association of America and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.