C.J. Schexnayder

United States

Editor, ENR California and Northwest at Engineering News-Record (ENR)

Featured in: Favicon

enr.com

rollbamaroll.com Favicon

dawgsports.com Favicon

constructiondefectjournal.com

Articles

Honolulu Construction Sector Looks on the Bright Side

1 week ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Tom Myers Pacific Area Leader Brown and Caldwell Honolulu’s construction sector has been busy lately, and that’s good news, according to Myers. “The construction business appears to be strong in the Honolulu area as well as in the rest of Hawaii,” he says. “We aren’t seeing a slowdown yet, with some projects locked up for the next two or three years.” The sanguine assessment counters a concerning stumble in Honolulu construction starts last year.
ENR West 2025 Design Firm of the Year: Syska Hennessy Group

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

WestWest Construction News ENR regional editors have selected Syska Hennessy Group as the magazine's 2025 Design Firm of the year for the West Region. A key element of the company's recent success in the region has been its expertise in data centers, a sector booming due to the increase in AI investment. Syska Hennessy is also focused on other key sectors such as criminal justice and aviation. The diversification is part of a strategic effort to weather the current economic uncertainty.
Two US Firms Snag Contracts for Saudi Arabia Mega-Airport Project

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

A pair of U.S.-based firms have been awarded key contracts for the estimated $7.2-billion expansion of The King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which would be the largest in the world upon completion. The King Salman International Airport Development Co., (KSIADC), part of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, announced delivery partner agreements with Bechtel and Parsons at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on May 13.
Jeff Byrne: Senior Superintendent Rises Through the Ranks

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Jeff Byrne39, Senior SuperintendentJE Dunn ConstructionBeaverton, Ore. Jeff Byrne has found success in construction by approaching every day of work with enthusiasm, embracing challenges and focusing on problem-solving. “You can have a great sense of accomplishment walking away from the job at the end of the day, leaving it different than how you found it when you showed up in the morning,” he says.
Christopher Baersten: Waste/water Engineer Protects Public Health and the Environment

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Christopher Baersten39, Vice President and Project ManagerKennedy Jenks Consultants Inc. SeattlePursuing water-wastewater work as a career wasn’t the first thing on Christopher Baersten’s mind when he began studying engineering. But as he learned more about the field he found himself drawn to it partially because of the need to integrate elements of other disciplines he was interested in such as biology, physics and chemistry. “It wasn't just like using one of those. It was all of them,” he says.
Priscilla Chavez: Transforms How Builders and Owners Approach Economic Development

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Priscilla Chavez39, Business Development ManagerPCL Construction Services Inc. Glendale, Calif. Chavez began her career in the legal industry almost two decades ago and was looking for a new opportunity when she took a job with a small woman-owned consultant based in Los Angeles. The firm specialized in community affairs and intergovernmental relations but also focused on helping small businesses access public procurement opportunities. “I had no idea that even existed,” she says.
Disney Unveils Plans for Abu Dhabi Theme Park

1 month ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

The Walt Disney Co. announced plans on May 7 to create a new theme park in the United Arab Emirates. When built, the park will be Disney’s seventh worldwide and the first–ever in the Middle East. Disney officials, including CEO Bob Iger, announced the agreement with UAE entertainment development giant Miral in a ceremony from Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
San Francisco Construction Firms Watch for Stormy Weather

2 months ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Greg Hurd CEO BKF Engineers The only thing that matches San Francisco’s unpredictable weather is the city’s equally unpredictable nature, according to writer Armistead Maupin. “San Francisco’s climate is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s keep things interesting,” he noted in his Tales of the City books. Having experience grappling with unpredictability may prove to be an asset for Bay Area businesses as financial forecasts begin to darken, particularly for the AEC industry.
Construction Weathers Uncertainty in Portland, Ore.

2 months ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

Solvei Neiger Managing Partner ZGF Architects Portland, Ore., is a continent away from Washington, D.C., but the local construction industry is waiting to feel the effects of decisions being made in the nation’s capital. “The recent federal government roller coaster is leading to uncertainty among owners, some of whom are putting projects on hold in hopes that the economy will stabilize,” Neiger says.
ENR West 2025 California Owner of the Year: The County of San Diego

2 months ago | enr.com | C.J. Schexnayder

ENR West has chosen the County of San Diego as the 2025 California Owner of the Year. The county has robust capital and major maintenance programs with about $600 million in active capital projects ranging from libraries to historic renovation, and $400 million in active major maintenance projects focusing on public safety and health and human services repairs and modernizations.