Blake Childress has rejoined Black & Veatch as a senior vice president and managing director of the Americas Design-Build group in the water business. He is based in Atlanta and will help guide further company expansion in a growing market.
Design-build solutions are gaining prevalence in North America. The company combines engineering, procurement and construction capabilities to give clients a single point of contact. Black & Veatch has recently completed or is currently involved in several major design-build projects. They include a well field development and water supply project in Midland, Texas; an industrial wastewater treatment plant upgrade to advanced membrane technology in southeast Missouri; and a nutrient recovery system for the world's largest water reclamation plant in Chicago.
"The water industry is embracing design-build as it creates a seamless reporting structure and streamlines the project schedule," said Cindy Wallis-Lage, president of Black & Veatch's water business. "Blake brings a wealth of design-build experience to our water business, and we look forward to working with him to expand our role in this robust market."
Childress has 40 years of experience managing water projects. He managed numerous water design-build projects while with Black & Veatch between 1996 and 2005. They include projects for the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District in Kentucky; the Hummelstown, Pa., Water Treatment Plant; and the Sixth Street Water Treatment Plant expansion in Harrisburg, Pa.
According to its Strategic Directions Report for the water industry, Black & Veatch expects design-build solutions and other alternative methods to surpass traditional infrastructure delivery options in the U.S.
Source: Black & Veatch
