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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND (May 3, 2017) — With 119 years of experience building power and public infrastructure in the United States and throughout the world, Burns & McDonnell is opening its first office in the United Kingdom. The engineering-construction firm, ranked No. 1 in transmission and distribution by Engineering-News Record, will work with utilities and other asset owners and developers to design and adapt the country’s infrastructure to meet the challenges of today and implement the visionary advancements of the future.

“Ask the leader of any major business what keeps them up at night and chances are the increasing demands on their infrastructure is on that list,” says Ray Kowalik, chairman and CEO, Burns & McDonnell. “We are committed to helping the U.K. not only solve existing challenges, but navigate new and exciting solutions necessary for meeting future challenges.” 

Jonathan Chapman will lead the UK business from Burns & McDonnell’s new office in Birmingham. Based in the East Midlands, Jonathan brings more than 25 years of experience across the infrastructure sector, leading teams in securing and delivering projects in the power, water, telecom and gas sectors. He has been instrumental in enabling businesses to deliver complex solutions to client needs, working on programs of work valued at £5 billion in the U.K.

“We are facing disruptive challenges in the electric industry here in the U.K.,” says Jonathan Chapman, Managing Director, Burns & McDonnell Europe UK. “These challenges require innovation in the types of investment and technology deployment to support renewable energy, energy storage, connection of new nuclear and the shift to electric vehicles. It's a natural evolution as resources and supporting technology get pushed to achieve even higher levels of grid performance.”

Chapman says the firm’s diverse business offerings — ranging from power and energy to aviation and water — will allow clients to receive a seamless service delivery from one team. They will also benefit from the firm’s strong service culture. Fortune magazine ranks Burns & McDonnell at No. 16 on its 2017 list of “100 Best Companies to Work For,” attracting the industry’s top talent across the globe. 

“Jonathan is committed to building the same service ethos across the pond,” says Mike Brown, president of Burns & McDonnell International. “Not only is he skilled at understanding our clients’ complex challenges, he’s a master at developing and leading teams with an entrepreneurial edge that take on each project with purpose and passion.”

Chapman’s first Burns & McDonnell Europe UK team member is business development director, Jeff Casey. Casey is a leader in the firm’s Transmission & Distribution Group that has been responsible for helping clients deliver more than $16 billion in projects over the past decade. Skilled in project development, execution and innovative technology deployments, Casey has served as an engineering lead, project manager, and business development manager on some of the largest energy delivery projects in the US. In this new role, Casey will bring his breadth of experience to the UK and will serve as a liaison between the U.S. and the UK businesses to provide seamless integration of operations and culture. 

“The level of experience and ingenuity among Jonathan and Jeff is incredibly powerful,” John Olander, President of the Transmission & Distribution Group, Burns & McDonnell. “Their team, powered by thousands of our specialists throughout the world, will open up new possibilities for infrastructure advancement in the U.K. and beyond.” 

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies made up of more than 5,700 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employees. Burns & McDonnell is proud to be No. 16 on Fortune’s 2017 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.