By Joshua Burd
GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc. has named a new CEO, tapping one of its longtime engineers and executives to oversee the growing practice.
The Norwood, Massachusetts-based consulting firm, which has offices in Fairfield, Hammonton and South Bound Brook, announced that Patrick F. Sheehan will take over as its chief executive. He succeeds William E. Hadge, who has served in the role since 2013.
Meantime, GZA has promoted John C. Murphy to the new position of chief operating officer.
“I am truly honored to be chosen as GZA’s next CEO and look forward to working with John and the rest of our leadership to further grow and evolve GZA,” Sheehan said. “Our growth and success have always been driven by our talented staff, commitment to our clients, and ability to develop innovative and practical solutions.”
Sheehan has been with GZA for 28 years, having led many of its largest and most complex geo-environmental projects, including design/build and guaranteed fixed price remediation efforts, the firm said in a news release. He most recently served as one of GZA’s four operations officers, who are responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the firm, and as a member of GZA’s executive team.
Prior to that, Sheehan was the company’s metro Boston office manager and held several other leadership positions, including member of the board of directors, member of all board committees and chair of the audit and compensation committees. He earned a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s in civil engineering from Tufts University, while having completed MBA coursework at Babson College.
Murphy, a GZA employee for more than 30 years, is a certified construction manager and has led the development and growth of the company’s construction management, remediation and demolition practices, the news release said. He most recently served as one of four operations officers and as a member of GZA’s executive team.
Prior to that, Murphy was the company’s northern New England office manager and has served on the board of directors. He earned a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
“I am excited and honored to take on this role and look forward to partnering with Pat and our talented management team to help move GZA forward,” Murphy said. “Clients can expect continuity and a continued focus on providing the highest quality service. At the same time, we recognize the need to be constantly innovating, responding to changing market needs and advancing our use of technology.
“GZA will continue to invest in the great ideas of our people while streamlining our ability to deliver practical real-world solutions every day.”
During Hadge’s tenure, GZA’s employees embraced what it calls its “One Company” mindset, which fosters interoffice collaboration and provides clients the full resources of the company no matter the location of the project, the news release said. At the same time, GZA significantly grew its operations outside New England, particularly in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Early last year, the firm announced its acquisition of Melick-Tully and Associates P.C. in South Bound Brook, strengthening its position as a provider of geotechnical services in the Garden State and the mid-Atlantic.
“I’ve worked with Pat for almost 30 years, and early on, he emerged as one of GZA’s strongest leaders and ultimately as the ideal choice for GZA’s next CEO,” said Hadge, a 39-year company veteran. “He has great humility, communication skills, business acumen, and vision that serve our clients and staff extremely well.
“I’ve known John almost as long, and he’s been at the forefront of many of the most significant projects and challenges the company has faced over that time. He is an exceptional leader and a master of operational efficiency. We are lucky to have two such strong leaders.”
GZA acquires engineering firm Melick-Tully, growing N.J. footprint
