Black & Veatch Names Executive Managing Director

Black & Veatch announced that Mike Orth has been named executive managing director for the Americas in the company's water business. He will be based in Kansas City, Kan. Orth will guide the company's growth efforts in supply, storage, treatment, conveyance and asset management, delivering projects for clients through both traditional methods and alternative solutions such as design-build and public-private partnerships.

Orth replaces Ralph Eberts, who has been selected to serve as executive managing director for integrated solutions in Black & Veatch's Management Consulting group. Orth joined Black & Veatch in 1989. He spent the previous year as the company's deputy managing director for the Americas. He has been instrumental to many of the company's growth initiatives through his leadership role on numerous water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure projects.

"Black & Veatch is committed to aggressive growth by delivering innovative, best-in-class solutions for clients across the water industry," said Cindy Wallis-Lage, President of Black & Veatch's water business. "Mike brings to his new role a deep understanding of the market and a strong client-service mentality that will expand our reach."

Orth played a principal role on the T-Bar Ranch Water Supply design-build project in Midland, Texas. Orth recently worked with the Metropolitan Water District of Greater Chicago to win a design-build contract for the world's largest phosphorus recovery project. Other highlight projects in his portfolio include several large tunnel projects across the Midwest and Great Lakes areas. He helped secure the Tomahawk Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion and nutrient removal project and leads our team's water treatment and conveyance work for WaterOne of Johnson County, Kan.

Orth is a member of the American Water Works Assn. He is currently director-elect of the AWWA's Kansas Section, an organization he has also served as Chair and Trustee. He is a member of the Water Environment Federation, and has been an active volunteer in the Kansas City area, including with the United Way of Kansas City.

Source: Black & Veatch