Jeff Dalton will serve as vice president and southwest division manager in the Phoenix office of JE Dunn Construction. Dalton has been with JE Dunn Construction since 1990 heading projects throughout the North and Southwest. Dalton most recently served as JE Dunn vice president of business development in Portland. He is involved in the community including the Valley Partnership and AAED. Dalton earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Management from Oregon State University.

Sheral James has been hired as director of business development for JE Dunn. She will oversee the business development and marketing for the division throughout the southwest. James had previously worked for SSJ Consulting Services, Devenney Group LTD, Architects and W.M. Grace Contractors. James also served as director of marketing for the Leo A. Daly Company. James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University.

Wood/Patel has promoted Ann Cheney to organizational development director. Cheney's role includes collaborating with the general manager and executive committee to establish long-range goals, leadership strategies, and policies for the company. As part of her new role, she will oversee 401k and insurance administration. The promotion is a result of Wood/Patel's continuing growth. Cheney has been a team member at Wood/Patel for over 10 years, and previously held positions of corporate administrator and human resource director. Cheney received her Bachelor's degree from Arizona State University, where she majored in management and minored in finance.

The PENTA Building Group has appointed Nicole Parker as contract administrator. Parker brings more than 12 years of experience in the construction industry to her new role. She will be responsible for assisting in the issuing and administration of subcontracts, processing payables, entering payroll and various other accounting and administrative duties.

Faithful+Gould's Phoenix office has appointed Ernest Picard, P.E. to its staff of construction consultants. Picard joins Faithful+ Gould as a senior project manager with more than 30 years experience in the public and private construction industry. Picard obtained his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Arizona Society of Professional Engineers, the American Institute of Steel Construction, and the Construction Management Association of America. Picard's extensive background includes aviation, commercial, hospitality, retail and education projects throughout Arizona.

Eileen Newcombe has launched a new marketing communications company, eio agency. Newcombe previously held the position of chief marketing officer and was a member of the strategic commission of DFD CornoyerHedrick. Newcombe first joined DFD in 1997 in the Phoenix office, and then worked remotely from the UK as director of international marketing and business development. Prior to DFD, Newcombe was a legal assistant for local Phoenix land-use attorneys, and later a paralegal for international law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius in London. The new agency provides integrated marketing solutions and business strategies to both existing and start-up operations; offering strategic planning, marketing, advertising/pr and communications services to both private and public sector clients.

Glenn E. Hurd, AIA, LEED AP, joins SmithGroup's workplace studio as associate and project manager. Prior to SmithGroup, Hurd worked as an assistant senior project manager at Leo A. Daly and was the managing principal of Parker Durrant Minneapolis before moving to Phoenix in 2004. In addition to Hurd's over 20 years in the architectural field, he is a member of the American Institute of Architects and has obtained professional LEED accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council. His portfolio highlights large scale public assembly projects, including convention and conference centers, airport facilities, and sports entertainment venues for clients in Arizona, New Mexico, California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Nevada.

Dennis Hugh, PE, has joined HDR as a senior water project manager for water and wastewater infrastructure projects based in the firm's Las Vegas office. Prior to joining HDR, Hugh was an associate/project manager with Carollo Engineers. Hugh has been in charge of planning, design, and construction management of water, wastewater and other public works projects since 1973. His experience includes municipal system master planning, design and construction management of water and sewer pipelines, pumping stations, water storage reservoirs, wells, surface water source development and treatment facilities. A registered professional engineer, Hugh is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Water Works Association, CA-NV Section, Water Environment Federation, Nevada Water Environment Association, and American Council of Engineering Companies. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno.

El Paso Caterpillar dealer Wagner Equipment Co. has announced several significant changes to their sales personnel. Thad Bennett, former machine sales representative, has been promoted to the newly-created position of sales manager for southern New Mexico and far west Texas. The move is in response to increasing business volume for Wagner, and will allow current New Mexico sales manager Mike James to concentrate on managing sales in the northern half of New Mexico. Replacing Bennett are two new reps, Charlie Davis and Jason Bowles. The two will split accounts in El Paso, Hudspeth and Culberson counties. Davis brings a background in equipment sales, rental operations and customer service to his new position. Most recently, he was a rental representative for Wagner Rents, Wagner Equipment Co.'s small machine sales and rental division, working out of their El Paso office. Bowles was formerly Wagner's machine product support representative covering the El Paso region, as well as southern New Mexico. He previously worked at Wagner and Rust Tractor, the former Cat dealership.

To submit personnel news announcements, please send information and color photographs to: Scott Blair, editor, at scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com