Leadership

A team of passionate and talented executives leads CESO. With deep industry knowledge combined with years of collective experience, they have created a culture of collaboration where senior staff works closely with fresh young talent. Through their combined efforts to further the organization's mission, they ensure we strive for excellence and operate with integrity.

close Steven Olson, AIA
Steven Olson, AIA President

Steven Olson, AIA

As President, Steve leverages his 30 years of industry experience to guide our team of over 350 associates in serving clients across 15 offices nationwide. In his role, he provides executive leadership over the firm’s vision and strategy, with a strong emphasis on company culture. Establishing strong relationships is a primary focus for Steve. His collaborative nature harnesses our team’s collective talents to grow our reputation as an A&E leader that provides comprehensive solutions supporting our clients’ visions. He appreciates that our clients seek strategic partners who can act as change agents in driving innovations that address shifting market trends.

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close Lennie Arnold, PE
Lennie Arnold, PE Vice President, Operations

Lennie Arnold, PE

As Vice President of Operations, Lennie possesses over 35 years of project and operational leadership in the design and construction industry. His commitment to growth—whether through staff development, client expansion, or company advancement—is always at the forefront. Lennie’s focus on streamlining processes empowers our teams to efficiently innovate solutions for diverse client challenges. Prioritizing client satisfaction, he leads initiatives to optimize operations and enhance efficiency. Lennie fosters a culture of excellence, empowering teams to exceed expectations while aligning short-term objectives with long-term goals, propelling us toward fulfilling our clients’ visions.

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close Zachary Freshner, PE
Zachary Freshner, PE Vice President of Services

Zachary Freshner, PE

A seasoned leader, Zach leverages over two decades of experience in the public and private sectors. Championing our associates across all market specialties, he actively guides their direction and consistently drives our services to surpass client expectations with unmatched excellence. Zach utilizes his extensive expertise to initiate, develop, and oversee our team’s technical production and delivery methods while establishing rigorous quality assurance and control standards. With a commitment to continuously meeting our clients’ needs, he navigates the operational endeavors of assembling and nurturing a multi-disciplinary team aligned with their goals and objectives.

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close Andrew Hill, PLA, CLARB
Andrew Hill, PLA, CLARB Vice President of Growth

Andrew Hill, PLA, CLARB

As Vice President of Growth, Andrew leads strategic initiatives to amplify our company’s reach and impact. Drawing upon over 30 years of industry experience, Andrew navigates market trends and leverages industry insights to identify avenues for expansion within our existing markets, as well as to drive impactful opportunities in new territories. His role positions our company to make informed decisions that drive the organization forward while keeping client satisfaction at the forefront. By collaborating closely with our market leaders, business development team, and marketing leaders, Andrew ensures that our strategies remain finely tuned to adapt to evolving client needs and industry landscapes.

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close Nicholas Hershberger, PE
Nicholas Hershberger, PE Vice President & Commercial Business Unit Leader

Nicholas Hershberger, PE

Nick believes that each commercial client has a dream to be realized. He is instrumental in leading significant retail, restaurant, and automotive convenience program initiatives. Serving as a guide, making recommendations for better outcomes or optimized resources when guiding projects from A to Z, Nick provides strategic leadership and inspiration in leading the efforts of our Commercial Business Unit. Having overseen expansive roll-out, new store, and remodel programs for many renowned brands, he leads his team to bring the vision of our commercial clients to life through the inception, development, and manifestation of highly innovative efficiencies and standards.

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close Jake Bush, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Jake Bush, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Vice President & Industrial Business Unit Leader

Jake Bush, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

As our Industrial Business Unit Leader, Jake offers our clients pioneering ideas and a strong understanding of industrial demands. He has a wealth of experience delivering excellence, partnering with clients to create solution strategies that are consistent, holistic, and powerful. Jake’s motivation and leadership guide our industrial project teams through the inception, development, and construction of complex projects with successful results. For Jake, there is no such thing as a typical day. No matter what he is tackling, he looks for ways to solve problems, streamline processes, and strengthen relationships.

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close Jeffrey Miller, PS
Jeffrey Miller, PS Vice President & Infrastructure / Residential Business Unit Leader

Jeffrey Miller, PS

Jeff is committed to a rigorous collaborative approach focused on results. As someone who thrives on complex challenges, he provides clear foresight to our Infrastructure and Residential Business Units. With over 35 years of experience, Jeff brings a deep knowledge of how sites are evolving and how those changes impact design. He positions teams to leverage their individual and collective strengths to serve as trusted advisors to our clients. Exemplifying an excellent record of success, Jeff has managed notable development projects, from preliminary activities through final design and construction layout.

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close Bob Morrison
Bob Morrison Commercial - Retail Market Leader

Bob Morrison

Bob’s confident and structured personality has served him well over his 25 years of experience. From idea to implementation, his contributions have been instrumental in leading multi-disciplinary teams on a wide array of retail programs. He has successfully developed and nurtured large-scale rollout initiatives that have encompassed new stores, remodels, expansions, and conversions. The solutions he devises for his clients are informed by strategies based on best practices, client insight, and market opportunity. His ability to balance technical skills with creative aptitude in a fast-paced environment positions him to oversee the entire process of taking a vision and translating it into a concrete reality.

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close Laura Smith
Laura Smith Commercial - Retail Market Leader

Laura Smith

Laura brings over three decades of invaluable expertise in the retail sector. With a diverse background spanning both client and consulting roles, she is a knowledgeable professional committed to driving strategic growth and client satisfaction. Laura leverages her extensive experience to develop dynamic teams and innovative programs that elevate our clients’ successes, whether in multi-site national rollout programs or in unique and complex flagship stores. Her visionary leadership and deep industry insights position her as a driving force behind our firm’s commitment to excellence in the dynamic world of retail.

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close John (J.D.) Damrath, PE
John (J.D.) Damrath, PE Commercial - Automotive Convenience Market Leader

John (J.D.) Damrath, PE

With over 20 years of program management experience across a wide array of commercial projects, J.D. oversees roll-out, new store, and remodel programs for many renowned automotive convenience brands. A “big-picture” visionary, he adeptly focuses on the details with diverse stakeholders as an energetic facilitator and team builder. From site preparation to building completion, he provides direction to the broader team through an approach that identifies solutions to challenges in a practical yet innovative manner. With a focus on ensuring excellence in execution and delivery, he builds exceptional relationships with his client partners through his creativity and attention to detail.

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close Jason Longbrake
Jason Longbrake Retail Market Leader

Jason Longbrake

With 23 years of industry expertise, Jason has delivered innovative design solutions for over 750 restaurant and retail establishments, managing projects from 800 to 110,000 square feet. Renowned for his leadership in commercial rollout programs, he guides clients through every phase of site production—from concept to completion. His collaborations with leading retailers and restaurants have driven successful brand remodels and optimized multi-location management. Jason’s ability to create thoughtful, functional, and adaptable designs ensures clients’ needs are met both at initial occupancy and into the future. His deep market insights and problem-solving skills consistently deliver exceptional client satisfaction.

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close Michael Allan
Michael Allan Industrial Market Leader

Michael Allan

A big-picture visionary with more than 20 years of experience to his credit, Michael adeptly focuses on the details with diverse industrial stakeholders. Collaborative by nature, Michael enjoys partnering with clients and is passionate about helping them achieve their vision. He is an energetic facilitator and team builder who engages project stakeholders from site preparation through building completion to ensure each aspect of a project is carefully considered. His attention to each element and his fascination with the nuts and bolts of a project—from conceptual creation through final construction support—lend to his continually growing knowledge of building detail.

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close Mark Belmont, PE
Mark Belmont, PE Infrastructure - Energy Market Leader

Mark Belmont, PE

With energy systems transforming rapidly, Mark oversees critical infrastructure services and solutions for our energy clients. As a determined and dynamic leader with more than 20 years of industry experience, Mark has built a reputation for supporting our clients’ visions from inception through implementation. Known for his focus on quality, he leads a team that is adept at identifying and facilitating strategies and site innovations that address a project’s various considerations while adhering to evolving regulatory compliance.

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close Neil Schwartz, PE
Neil Schwartz, PE Infrastructure - Public Works Market Leader

Neil Schwartz, PE

As our Public Works Market Leader, Neil brings a reputation of integrity, dependability, and a team player mentality. Having partnered on projects with varying scopes and design elements, his experience covers many public works projects, from planning-level efforts to detailed site design and construction services. In addition to enjoying the problem-solving approach of site design, Neil enjoys teaming with clients and interacting with the public and municipal planning boards to drive a project to success.

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close Bernie Lappe, AIA, NCARB
Bernie Lappe, AIA, NCARB Lodging Market Leader & Interiors Technical Leader

Bernie Lappe, AIA, NCARB

Bernie ensures that a client’s vision becomes an implementable reality by bridging the gap between design and the end solution. With over 20 years of experience, he guides the design efforts for large-scale industrial projects across a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring our clients realize the most value from their investments. One of the most rewarding aspects of his role is leading projects through the challenges frequently encountered when developing industrial facilities. His approach to planning assesses the elements of a project to consider how each aspect will best fit and function within an environment.

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close Jon Buchanan, PE
Jon Buchanan, PE Residential - Midwest Market Leader

Jon Buchanan, PE

Jon works closely with our residential clients to navigate each community’s unique requirements. His broad range of single and multi-family residential experience has proven extremely valuable in providing clients with the necessary details to make informed and prudent decisions. Whether collaborating on a 100-lot subdivision or a community with 1,000 units, Jon is skilled in efficiently maximizing the use of land for the intended development and identifying resolutions to unusual challenges that arise on a site, all while maintaining the vision set forth by the client.

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close Jeff De Zort, PE
Jeff De Zort, PE Residential - Southeast Market Leader

Jeff De Zort, PE

Jeff understands that project success for our residential clients begins with precise planning. For more than ten years, he has engaged stakeholders by bridging the gap between design and the final result. He has established a strong rapport with his clients and colleagues—excelling in identifying objectives and exceeding client expectations by meeting their unique needs. Jeff inspires his team with imagination and resourcefulness mixed with a “whatever it takes” work ethic.

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close Scott Uher, AIA
Scott Uher, AIA Architecture Practice Area Leader & Industrial Technical Leader

Scott Uher, AIA

With almost 30 years of architectural experience, Scott is a results-driven, collaborative leader with a proven track record of team building and developing processes to enhance productivity, quality, and bottom-line results for our industrial clients. As Technical Director of our Industrial Business Unit, responsible for ensuring our clients’ visions are realized, Scott’s emphasis on pragmatic design and quality management results in consistent project delivery, adherence to client standards, and incorporation of industry best practices.

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close Joe Hillebrenner, PE
Joe Hillebrenner, PE Building Engineering Practice Area Leader

Joe Hillebrenner, PE

As the leader of CESO’s Building Engineering team, Joe stewards a group of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers dedicated to delivering innovative, high-performance solutions for clients. With over 15 years of experience in building system engineering, Joe excels at creating sustainable, efficient designs tailored to diverse client needs. He fosters a collaborative environment, ensuring seamless coordination between project teams and stakeholders. His leadership has been pivotal in expanding CESO’s capabilities in building engineering.

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close Matt Regenold, PE
Matt Regenold, PE Civil Engineering Practice Area Leader

Matt Regenold, PE

Best known as a problem solver who provides exceptional service to our clients, Matt has almost 15 years of experience partnering on a diverse range of civil engineering projects. Understanding how fundamental site services are, he brings a design management approach to the table that allows him to assess what is needed for each project and connect our expertise accordingly. Guiding the exploration, development, and dissemination of new technologies and innovative ideas across the civil engineering practice allows him to deliver additional value to our clients.

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close Eric Lalone, PLA
Eric Lalone, PLA Land Planning & Landscape Architecture Practice Area Leader

Eric Lalone, PLA

Eric’s design philosophy requires the designer to step out of their shoes and see the world through the eyes of others, immersing themselves in an entirely new experience to create an innately different design language and palette. With more than 25 years of land planning and architecture experience, Eric leads a team that partners on projects across all our market sectors.

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close Steven Clutter, PS
Steven Clutter, PS Survey Practice Area Leader

Steven Clutter, PS

With more than 30 years of experience in the field of surveying, Steve has established a reputation for providing precise and practical solutions to a wide range of markets. His diverse portfolio includes collaboration with clients across the commercial, residential, industrial, and infrastructure sectors. Recognized for his uncompromising dedication to excellent service and a strong work ethic, Steve’s commitment ensures our survey team’s performance consistently exceeds client expectations.

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close Brady Harding, AIA
Brady Harding, AIA Commercial Architectural Studio Director

Brady Harding, AIA

Throughout his 30-year career, Brady has appreciated the complexities, variety, and pace of retail design and the dynamics each challenge offers. Bringing a can-do attitude to projects, big and small, he views himself as a partner to his clients—working hard, listening closely, and serving as a strategic thought leader by providing recommendations and guidance when needed. Brady is a collaborative leader who has guided our multi-disciplinary teams on retail programs that span coast to coast.

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close Bryan Hall, PE
Bryan Hall, PE Commercial Technical Leader

Bryan Hall, PE

As a fourth-generation engineer with more than 20 years of experience to his credit, Bryan’s fascination with how things work helps him approach site design with a mindset of organization, sustainability, and problem-solving. An out-of-the-box thinker accomplished in all aspects of land development, his innovative approach helps him cultivate designs with purpose and intent. He has extensive experience in successfully leading projects and teams through due diligence, planning, entitlements, civil design, and permitting for commercial development projects.

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close Sara Krampe, PWS
Sara Krampe, PWS Environmental Technical Leader

Sara Krampe, PWS

Protecting the environment is a key CESO priority. In her role, Sara helps preserve natural resources for tomorrow while facilitating projects that benefit our communities today. With more than 15 years of experience, she coordinates compliance for energy, industrial, commercial, and residential projects. By utilizing both her environmental knowledge and project management abilities, Sara leads our environmental team in helping our clients manage ecological liabilities, regulatory obligations, risk management, and environmental stewardship.

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close Nick D'Urso, PE
Nick D'Urso, PE Industrial Technical Leader

Nick D'Urso, PE

Skilled in efficient communication and creative leadership, Nick taps into his ten years of site design experience when overseeing client projects in the industrial sector. He enjoys finding resolutions to unique challenges and is known for his positive perspective when faced with a difficult situation. Nick inspires and upholds technical site design excellence, along with maintaining technical standards and practices, while driving strategic alignment and practice evolution.

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close Jarrod Mahaffey, PE
Jarrod Mahaffey, PE Infrastructure Technical Leader

Jarrod Mahaffey, PE

Jarrod has been in the civil engineering field for nearly 20 years, building an extensive project portfolio supporting our infrastructure clients. As a Technical Leader in this sector, Jarrod is committed to driving success. His process involves understanding innovative civil engineering solutions, technology, and industry best practices, while adhering to jurisdictional standards and regulations to maximize our clients’ return on investment. Committed to delivering exceptional results, he plays a role in a project’s lifecycle from conception through construction, overseeing our staff’s technical development and the quality control of deliverables.

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close Michael Giuliani, LEEP AP BD+C
Michael Giuliani, LEEP AP BD+C Inspection Technical Leader

Michael Giuliani, LEEP AP BD+C

As a seasoned construction inspection leader, Mike brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to upholding a high standard of excellence, he leads our team of inspectors, ensuring they are well-equipped and working in synergy to meet project deadlines and standards. Mike also coordinates with project stakeholders to address and resolve discrepancies, facilitating project progression. He is adept at managing the complexities of public infrastructure developments as well as private programs. Regardless of the project type, his commitment to quality, safety, and efficiency remains unwavering.

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close Mike Pothast
Mike Pothast Business Development Director

Mike Pothast

As Senior Business Development Director, Mike supports the company’s client services functions by identifying, qualifying, and developing new opportunities. Additionally, he serves as a liaison between client partners and our diverse market leaders. Known for being a strategic ally, he enjoys being at the forefront of our partnerships, helping to define how the company’s innovative solutions improve our clients’ market position and bottom line.

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close Don Obermeier, CPSM, LEED AP
Don Obermeier, CPSM, LEED AP Business Development Director

Don Obermeier, CPSM, LEED AP

With over 30 years of technical, management, and business development experience, Don is well-positioned as a Business Development Director to be a resource for finding unique innovations for prospective project needs. Each of Don’s partnerships is approached with a collaborative spirit. Eager to support our team in the creation of business solutions crafted specifically for each of our clients, he thrives on being a link to our multi-disciplinary market experts.

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close Jessica Werkowitz
Jessica Werkowitz Marketing and Communications Director

Jessica Werkowitz

As the Director of Marketing and Communications, Jessica leads initiatives that support the company’s brand awareness in the marketplace. She is responsible for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating our marketing and communications programs, including thought leadership, speaking engagements, collateral development, social media content, advertising, and sponsorships. Jessica enjoys collaborating with our organization’s subject matter and marketing experts to bring content to life.

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close Kathleen Cyphert
Kathleen Cyphert Controller

Kathleen Cyphert

As Controller, Kathy leads our accounting team in managing financial operations and reporting. Her demonstrated efficiency and productivity leverage her accounting, financial analysis, and communication competencies to provide our executive and senior leadership with accurate and timely financial information and relevant operational analysis. Additionally, Kathy excels at defining best practices for the accounting department.

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