Following a successful sales year, Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire has welcomed Vicki Armitage to its sales team as Senior Sales Manager, along with four new sales executives. In the last year Harron has implemented a number of changes to improve the customer experience during the Coronavirus pandemic, including a 24/7
Grand Rapids-based Orion Construction’s CEO Roger Rehkopf has announced he is “passing the baton” as company president, while remaining CEO of the commercial construction contractor. Rehkopf has appointed VP of Pre-Construction Brad Walsh as the company’s president. In addition to Walsh, Rehkopf made the following other appointments: Kathy Ringnalda, controller
RED Construction South West has announced the appointment of two senior directors to establish the business in the region. Grant Millar has joined as Operations Director and James Devey as Commercial Director. They will work alongside Derek Quinn, who launched the business as Managing Director at the beginning of September.
There’s surely no better recommendation for the company you work for than wanting your child to join and enjoy a long and fulfilling career with them too. The North West office of national housebuilder Bellway is keeping it close to home in bringing the next generation through, with four of
A Midlands-based social landlord has appointed three new heads of service within its asset management function. Platform Housing Group – one of the UK’s largest social landlords – has appointed Samantha Evans as Head of Strategic Asset Management; Martin Woods as Head of External Contracts and Stephen Edwards as Head
Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics, distribution, manufacturing, life science and pharmaceutical sectors has today announced that it has appointed James Scott into the new role of Head of Sustainability. James will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of a robust sustainability strategy across
The growth of IM Properties’ development pipeline has prompted the appointment of Frank Fitzgerald as project director. Recruited from global construction and property consultancy, RLB, a long-term consultant of IM Properties, Frank joins the project delivery team, swapping his external role for in-house. Having worked on many of IM Properties’
RED Construction, the specialist main contractor, has announced a new group structure and two distinct operating companies to facilitate the next stage of the company’s growth. The new structure comprises RED Construction Group, RED London, and the newly formed RED South West. Founded in 2016, RED Construction Group has fast
Clara Edwards has been appointed as Marketing & Communications Manager for leading construction skills and training provider, The Skills Centre. As the marketing lead within the business, Clara will advise on strategic marketing development, as well as managing all its communications and promotions planning, brand development, internal communications and digital
A Midlands-based property and land company has strengthened its senior team with two promotions. Richard Mees has been promoted to Chief Executive at Rainier Developments Ltd and Josh Sinnett becomes Managing Director. Both have been with the company — which has its headquarters in Henley-in-Arden — since its early days,
Following a successful sales year, Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire has welcomed Vicki Armitage to its sales team as Senior Sales Manager, along with four new sales executives. In the last year Harron has implemented a number of changes to improve the customer experience during the Coronavirus pandemic, including a 24/7 web-chat function on the website, and an appointment only system to ensure customers receive the undivided attention of the sales team. With nearly two decades of sales experience under her belt, Vicki is well placed to continue developing the customer journey at Harron. From selling on site, to a management position at another housebuilder, Vicki’s experience and knowledge of the building industry will serve Harron well when it comes to selling the increased number of homes they’re expecting to have available next year. Vicki is also familiar with some of the Harron team having previously worked with Alison Taylor-Shaw, Harron’s Sales and Marketing Director. “Having previously worked with Alison, I was confident she’s leading a driven and ambitious team which I was excited to join; we’re all keen to support each other in doing the best we can for the company. I’m thrilled to be stepping into a more senior role with the opportunity to grow and prove myself through more ambitious sales targets than ever before,” commented Vicki. Anticipating a robust property market, and increasing popularity of the stunning rural locations Harron is known for, bids have been placed on 13 plots of land throughout Yorkshire while four new sites are currently awaiting planning permission to bring 671 new homes across Yorkshire. “This is an incredibly exciting time for our business with Harron having built a name for itself over the last few decades for creating spacious, quality and high specification properties in some of Yorkshire’s most sought after locations. I’m sure Vicki will be an asset to the team and lead the way as our newest developments come to fruition,” added Alison Taylor-Shaw, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire.
Grand Rapids-based Orion Construction’s CEO Roger Rehkopf has announced he is “passing the baton” as company president, while remaining CEO of the commercial construction contractor. Rehkopf has appointed VP of Pre-Construction Brad Walsh as the company’s president. In addition to Walsh, Rehkopf made the following other appointments: Kathy Ringnalda, controller and office manager, as CFO; DuWayne Johnson, senior project manager, as VP Multi-Family; and Jeff Smigielski, senior project manager, as VP Construction and Logistics. “For over a decade, I have had the privilege to be part of the driving force behind constructing many of the successful businesses, entertainment and dining establishments throughout the city of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Holland, Lansing, Flint and beyond,” said Rehkopf. “While I will continue to remain CEO of Orion Construction, I trust that, under Brad’s leadership, the company will continue to thrive in enhancing Michigan’s cityscapes well into the future.” Rehkopf joined Orion Construction as part owner in 2014. With more than 35 years of experience in construction project management and business development, he has a strong background in architectural design and design build projects. Walsh joined Orion in 2015 as project manager with multi-faceted experience within the commercial construction industry. His construction knowledge spans commercial, municipal and industrial projects comprising of government, university and healthcare projects nationwide. Under his supervision and leadership, Walsh has overseen the completion of several mid-rise, mixed-use and multi-family projects, including Heritage Place, Rivers Edge and Gateway at Belknap Apartments. Additionally, he managed the construction process of many notable restaurants in downtown Grand Rapids, such as Wheelhouse, Holiday Bar, and Linear Restaurant, and Corner Bar in Rockford. “Roger has been an outstanding company president of Orion Construction throughout the past seven years, and through his leadership and vision, has contributed to the creation of much of the region’s commercial landscape,” Walsh said. “I am honored to fill Roger’s shoes as Orion’s new company president and continue to grow our footprint in West Michigan and beyond.” Since its founding in 2000, Orion Construction has managed many distinguishable multi-family, high-rise and mixed-use construction projects in the entertainment, dining, education, community, healthcare, and hotel and conference industries. Notable projects include: The Warner Building, 20 Monroe Live, Venue Tower, Spectrum Health Bridgewater, and Arena Place in downtown Grand Rapids; Hyatt Place in Lansing; MSU Student Village in East Lansing; Blue Water Convention Center, and Baker College in Port Huron; Samvardhana Motherson Reflectec (SMR) in Marysville; and The Lodge and Alpine Student Housing in Allendale.
RED Construction South West has announced the appointment of two senior directors to establish the business in the region. Grant Millar has joined as Operations Director and James Devey as Commercial Director. They will work alongside Derek Quinn, who launched the business as Managing Director at the beginning of September. With a combined 50 years’ expertise delivering high-profile and sustainable construction solutions for the region, Grant and James join RED South West to deliver across a wide range of markets in line with regional requirements. These include commercial, residential, education and industrial buildings. Grant has spent most of his career immersed in the South West construction market. As RED South West’s Operations Director, he oversees the division’s development and high-quality project delivery. James Devey’s civil and structural design construction career has been based mainly in Bristol and the surrounding areas. He brings a wealth of regional market knowledge and complex project delivery experience to the business. “RED South West is going to be one of the major contractors in the region, one which excels in not only delivering to the highest quality but also providing outstanding customer service and communication. The strengthening of the team comes at an extremely pivotal time for the new division of RED Construction Group, and it is imperative we build a team with the expertise, reputation and passion for the industry. I have had the pleasure of working with Grant and James for many years and feel very proud to be paving the way in the South West with such a strong and committed team. Being based in an office, within an award-winning development we helped to create and in one of the most historically inventive cities in the UK, makes the beginning of RED South West even more auspicious,” commented RED South West Managing Director, Derek Quinn. Coinciding with the appointment of Grant and James, RED South West has opened its Bristol office, taking a prime position in the 235,000 sq. ft Print Hall & Unity Street development, which forms part of the 2.4m sq. ft Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone. It is one of the UK’s largest urban regeneration projects, comprising commercial, residential, leisure and retail use. In their previous roles, Derek, Grant and James worked together on the Construction Excellence Award-winning Print Hall & Unity Street project.
There’s surely no better recommendation for the company you work for than wanting your child to join and enjoy a long and fulfilling career with them too. The North West office of national housebuilder Bellway is keeping it close to home in bringing the next generation through, with four of the company’s long-serving employees encouraging their sons and daughters to start their careers with a Bellway apprenticeship scheme. Site manager Andy Blunt’s son Joseph is an apprentice plumber, chief quantity surveyor Peter Odgear’s daughter Caitlin is a trainee quantity surveyor, site manager Paul McKeever’s son Sean is an apprentice electrician and construction director Ian Hopkins’s son Will is an apprentice plumber. “At Bellway, we are committed to investing in our people and offering rewarding careers with opportunities for clear progression. Where possible, we try to promote from within and I’m delighted to see this ‘next generation’ of talent joining their parents and starting their careers with a Bellway apprenticeship,” said managing director at Bellway North West, David Williams. Long recognised as a champion of apprentices, Bellway is one of a number of companies leading the way nationally to encourage young people into the construction industry and is part of the select 5% Club, a movement of employers working to create ‘earn and learn’ experience-based training opportunities. Committed to driving the recruitment of apprentices and graduates, Bellway’s North West office at Hunts Cross in Liverpool generally employs seven or eight apprentices at any one time, many of whom subsequently remain with the company for many years to come. “Bellway is a friendly, exciting and engaging place to work, where hard work is noticed and rewarded and personal development is available for those who want to progress. I think it’s testament to the culture of the business that you would want your children to join too. There’s a great career ahead for Caitlin and all of the apprentices and it’s fantastic that they’ve chosen to follow in our footsteps. We wish them all the best,” added chief quantity surveyor Peter Odgear. With the recent resurgence in apprenticeships and the potential to gain a step-up the ladder into a career in a fast-paced and exciting industry, it’s no surprise that members of Bellway’s existing employee team have been keen to encourage their children to join too.
A Midlands-based social landlord has appointed three new heads of service within its asset management function. Platform Housing Group – one of the UK’s largest social landlords – has appointed Samantha Evans as Head of Strategic Asset Management; Martin Woods as Head of External Contracts and Stephen Edwards as Head of Sustainability. The roles – which are all new within the organisation – are part of an ongoing development of the business area. As the new Head of Strategic Asset Management, Samantha Evans’ role is to develop operational plans to future proof Platform homes; she will also be responsible for asset performance evaluation, identifying risks and areas of low performance and developing strategies and standards to address these. Sam will head up a team that is responsible for monitoring the condition of Platform’s homes and planning for the improvements that are needed to keep them safe, affordable and desirable for our customers. Prior to joining Platform, Samantha was Asset Manager at Citizen Housing for 14 years. Samantha said : “I am delighted to join Platform at this stage of its journey to deliver an ambitious programme of change. My aim is to implement an integrated active asset management approach which will place Platform as the ‘go to’ organisation for the service. Having spent my career in social housing, I am passionate about the impact our sector has on improving our customers lives. I see asset management as much more than just bricks and mortar; it is about providing our customers with desirable, safe and affordable homes, a foundation for life. Our duty is to manage our assets by being socially motivated and commercially minded in order to re-invest surpluses into delivering our social purpose and improving the life chances of our customers.” Martin Woods – who has joined Platform Housing Group as Head of External Contracts – was previously Head of Asset Management at Lincolnshire Housing Partnership where he was responsible for planned maintenance, building safety, asset management as well as development and sales delivery. In his new role, Martin will head up a team responsible for the delivery of maintenance work that is not delivered by Platform Property Care. Martin said : “It is such an exciting time to be joining Platform; the asset team is at the beginning of a journey that looks set to impact significantly on the way we work and deliver services to our customers. Social housing is more important than ever, as the population continues to grow and people find it increasingly difficult to purchase a home outright. Our role is to drive up the quality of social housing as much as possible to create communities where people want to live and feel safe. I am looking forward to playing my part and making a difference.” The social landlord has also appointed Stephen Edwards as Head of Sustainability; previously employed at Catalyst Housing Limited as Sustainability Manager, this new role at Platform will see Stephen developing a sustainability strategy for the Group, identifying opportunities for decarbonising its homes and supporting the implementation of green and emerging technologies. Stephen said : “It is a privilege to be here at Platform supporting our journey to zero carbon and creating a more sustainable future. I have always had a passion for the environment and have been embedding sustainable thinking into my work for more than 25 years. The challenge of achieving net zero carbon is huge and probably the most important challenge of our lifetimes. I look forward to helping Platform become a leading sustainable organisation.” Linda Colburn, Director of Strategic Asset Management at Platform Housing Group said : “We are thrilled to welcome Martin, Stephen and Sam to Platform. They bring a depth and breadth of expertise in asset management, delivery and sustainability that will allow us to redraw the traditional way the sector sees asset management into a much more integrated approach. They will be integral in helping set the Platform Standard from development stage onwards as well as co-designing our investment interventions with our customers. Their expertise will allow us to map out our path to zero carbon and integrate that into our investment programmes and how we manage the estate; understanding how our homes impact our customers to deliver to them increased safety, affordability, utility and pride.” Linda concluded : “We have created these roles to provide the additional focus needed to become a truly modern assets function in a truly modern housing association. The central pillars of building safety, strategic asset management, investment, delivery and sustainability will each be led by a Head of Service, forming an integrated team with a holistic view of how we improve the value of our homes to customers and achieve the highest standards of asset management.” Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19). The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past 2 years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built. Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.
Glencar, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics, distribution, manufacturing, life science and pharmaceutical sectors has today announced that it has appointed James Scott into the new role of Head of Sustainability. James will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of a robust sustainability strategy across all areas of the business, in line with Glencar’s strategic vision. Before joining Glencar, James spent over 20-years working as a Sustainability Consultant, working for Clients in the construction, retail and robotics industries on a diverse range of projects. Glencar Managing Director Eddie McGillycuddy commented: “We are delighted to welcome James into this crucial new role for the business. The construction industry has a huge opportunity and indeed responsibility to drive the sustainability agenda and we are committed to being at the forefront of this. James will have the full support of the entire Glencar team to drive this crucial area of the business forward and bring our vision for economic social governance to life. We look forward to him getting started and working with our customers and consultants on supporting their ESG strategy.” Also commenting newly appointed Head of sustainability James Scott said: “The world is facing unprecedented environmental challenges that impact all of us, in our work and our home lives. I think we all understand that the industry we work in has a significant role to play in tackling these existential threats. Glencar, as a growing and agile construction company, has a huge opportunity to make a clear, bold commitment to its sustainability position in the industry. I’m therefore very excited to be appointed in this role for Glencar. Part of my role starts with the articulation of this position, and, with the support of everyone in the company, the development of a roadmap to realise this vision. As the term roadmap suggests, this will be a journey. Key priority areas for the company are net zero carbon, climate change resilience, responsible procurement, waste and the circular economy, and delivering social value. I look forward to meeting everyone and working to deliver Glencar’s commitment to being a successful, sustainable business for years to come.
The growth of IM Properties’ development pipeline has prompted the appointment of Frank Fitzgerald as project director. Recruited from global construction and property consultancy, RLB, a long-term consultant of IM Properties, Frank joins the project delivery team, swapping his external role for in-house. Having worked on many of IM Properties’ large-scale strategic sites including Birch Coppice, Blythe Valley, Mercia Park and Peddimore, Frank’s in-depth understanding of the company and its projects makes him a perfect fit for the position. Jason Jasper, UK project director for IM Properties said: “We currently have a development pipeline of 15 million sq ft and are delivering some of the region’s most significant new manufacturing and logistic schemes. “To add capacity and the most impact to the team, we needed an individual who could hit the ground running and instantly understood us as a company, and Frank just ticked every box.” Jasper continued: “We’ve got some exciting plans coming forward and a range of sustainability targets we want to achieve over the next ten years, which adds significantly to both the planning and delivery of our schemes. “They’ll certainly be no shortage of challenges for Frank to get stuck into over the coming months and years.” Frank, who worked with Arcadis for seven years, now known as AYD, before his 10 years at RLB, added: “It’s a fantastic opportunity and natural transition for me from consultant to in-house project director. “IM Properties is such a fast-paced, innovative, industry leader, and that means that life is never dull when working for them, and you are guaranteed to always be pushing the boundaries and working on projects that inevitably turn into real career highlights.” Located in the Midlands, IM Properties is one of the UK’s largest privately-owned property companies owned by the IM Group, focused on a sustainable future in the sectors it invests and develops in including offices, logistics, manufacturing and new homes.
RED Construction, the specialist main contractor, has announced a new group structure and two distinct operating companies to facilitate the next stage of the company’s growth. The new structure comprises RED Construction Group, RED London, and the newly formed RED South West. Founded in 2016, RED Construction Group has fast become an established market leader in the London region. The company has a reputation for working in partnership with clients to deliver complex, high profile landmark projects in the capital. The new group structure creates a series of connected businesses with shared values and operating methodologies. Each is led by respected industry experts, with RED Construction Group’s main board providing strategic input. Based in Bristol, RED South West offers unparalleled expertise and market knowledge and can deliver across a wide range of markets in line with regional requirements. These include commercial, residential, education and industrial buildings. The RED South West team is led by Derek Quinn, who has been appointed as managing director. Derek has 35 years of experience, most recently as Executive Director at Bristol-based Midas Construction, where Derek worked closely alongside other key members of the RED team. Derek qualified as a quantity surveyor at John Laing, following which he worked internationally before holding a senior position at a FTSE250 construction company. Born in Bristol and with extensive experience in the South West, Derek brings a detailed understanding of construction solutions specific to the region’s needs and client base. Graham Sturge, Managing Director of RED Construction Group, commented: “Our strong, consistent and considered growth is creating a number of exciting new opportunities for the business in and out of the capital. The creation of the group structure, including the launch of RED South West and the appointment of the highly regarded Derek Quinn as MD, will allow us to continue our expansion, but without over-reaching or compromising on the quality of what we achieve with our clients. Derek and his counterparts in RED London are experts in their fields with unique insight, with the support, innovation and values that drive everything RED Construction does.” RED South West Managing Director, Derek Quinn, added: “It is fantastic to be joining RED Construction Group to lead RED South West. The new business has been created to respond to the significant need in the region for a main contractor with the depth, breadth and reliability that RED is renowned for from its work in London. I look forward to working with Graham and the board to grow another successful business as part of the Group, drawing on the team’s experience in high-profile projects in the region.” Graham Sturge continued: “We are very proud of what we have achieved as a team throughout 2021. Our new structure will continue this momentum with the focused operating companies and their highly motivated, client-focused, and effective leadership. There are very exciting times ahead for the business.” Sitting alongside RED South West in the new structure is RED London, established experts in complex construction in the capital. Current RED London projects include the restoration and redevelopment for Lore Group of 100 High Street in Shoreditch to create a new independent hotel concept, the redevelopment of 80 New Bond Street for Hines to deliver a flagship mixed-use destination in the heart of the West End, and the construction of the Brent Cross Town visitor pavilion for Argent Related and Barnet Council.
Clara Edwards has been appointed as Marketing & Communications Manager for leading construction skills and training provider, The Skills Centre. As the marketing lead within the business, Clara will advise on strategic marketing development, as well as managing all its communications and promotions planning, brand development, internal communications and digital activity. “This is an ambitious business with a genuine purpose at its core. I am already in awe of the positive impact it has on each local community it operates within, and the tangible difference The Skills Centre continues to make on the lives of the people within those communities,” said Clara of her appointment. “I hope to be able to properly tell these amazing success stories in these areas and beyond, encouraging key construction stakeholders to continue to engage with us and to attract more and more people on to our programmes. The work of The Skills Centre is truly transformational for many, and it is an inspiring place to be.” The Skills Centre is headquartered in Cardiff and provides construction training opportunities at its six centres located around London, including at Earls Court and Olympic Park, as well as a recently opened skills centre in the West Midlands. It partners with major developers and contractors such as British Land, Transport for London, JCB, Lendlease, Mace and others to offer training with direct pathways to jobs, for those looking to start a career in the construction sector. New developments include centres also being planned in the North East of England, Liverpool, the South West and in Wales; which also involve partnerships with major contractors and leading developers to help attract and up-skill the next generation of workers in the construction sector. “This is a new role for The Skills Centre at a time when it is experiencing exceptional growth. We have the opportunity to really maximise what has already been achieved and to leverage its hard-earned reputation to energise people and the sector as a whole – I couldn’t be more pleased to be here,” added Clara. The Birmingham City University marketing graduate joins The Skills Centre after working as Publicity & Events Co-ordinator for the Centre of Excellence in Emerging Tech at the University of South Wales; and has also had previous marketing roles at DevOps Group, Cerebral Palsy Cymru and Conscious Solutions. “Clara brings a wealth of experience to The Skills Centre, and we are delighted she has joined the team. She will help deliver our marketing plans with a clear vision aligned with the overall strategic vision of the business, and I’ve no doubt she will be a huge asset to our teams around the UK,” said CEO of The Skills Centre, Jon Howlin.
A Midlands-based property and land company has strengthened its senior team with two promotions. Richard Mees has been promoted to Chief Executive at Rainier Developments Ltd and Josh Sinnett becomes Managing Director. Both have been with the company — which has its headquarters in Henley-in-Arden — since its early days, with Richard previously Managing Director and Josh one of the team of Land Directors. Rainier Developments was established in 2015 by Eric Grove, one of the most successful property entrepreneurs in the country. Eric, Richard and Josh have grown the business to become a market leader in property and land development. There are currently 40 sites in its portfolio, which is managed by an in-house land, planning and development team. Richard Mees said: “Josh has been with Rainier since 2017 and was the first person we hired after I had arrived the year before, so his promotion to Managing Director is recognition of how he has helped the business grow. “He has immense experience in this sector and has a significant role to play in our strengthened senior team and as we look to match and improve on the rapid growth that we’ve seen in recent years.” Josh Sinnett, 32, said: “Rainier is a growing business and one with a strong reputation in the sector, so it’s a really good opportunity for me to step up to the role of Managing Director. “We’ve had a particularly successful 18 months, and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in both the strategic sites and the urban development work that we’re doing in the Midlands and in other parts of the country.” Rainier Developments recently secured funding from West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) to build 37 one- and two-bedroom apartments and commercial space in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
