As Primera successfully expanded into new territory in 2019, it was also a prime year for outstanding employee performance and acquisitions. Exceptional client service is the motivation behind every decision we make and as we continue to invest in finding, training, and retaining the best talent in the industry, Primera continues to flourish. In addition to bringing on several new hires, we had the pleasure of promoting some of our own team members to help solidify our firm and the services we provide.

“Since 2016, Primera’s growth strategy has been to expand Nationally. In 2019, Primera made excellent progress in executing this strategy while maintaining our mission of delivering a first-class customer experience,” says President & CEO Erin Inman. “Our culture is based on being people people and expert collaborators, that is why it is so important to have the right team members in the right place doing meaningful work.” The individuals below are just a few examples of how we will continue to strengthen our unique culture and keep our clients happy for years to come.

1. John Plezbert joined Primera as Vice President, Director of Business Development. Based in Chicago, John brings 45 years of both public and private sector experience which will help continue to grow Primera’s buildings and transportation markets. John has a long-standing reputation for providing value-added solutions to major design and construction firms nationwide. As a new key member at Primera, John plays a major role in our firm’s overall strategic plan.
2. Joe Avram joined us as our new Aviation Group Manager. Based in Chicago, Joe’s 15 years of transportation experience, specifically in airport and airline operations, will help us pioneer next level solutions while developing new service lines for clients nationwide. He was also recently named as the 2019 Young Civil Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers Illinois Section.
3. Thomas Spry joined us as a highly-experienced Substation Engineer. Catering to our southern Midwest utility clients, Thomas is based in St. Louis, Missouri and primarily manages and supports major substation projects. With over 45 years of experience in the power industry, Tom’s background is key to helping us cultivate new and existing partnerships in Southern Illinois and Missouri.
4. Laura Wand was promoted to Support Services Group Manager. Laura’s hard work and commitment to deliver quality solutions will continue to advance workflow efficiency for our Utilities projects. Likewise, our Distribution team was strengthened with the promotion of Mike Deufel to Distribution Engineer Team Lead. Mike’s expertise in the design of distribution and sub transmission level, and overhead and underground power systems is key as he manages the technical aspects of our distribution projects.
5. Zaida Morillo joined Primera as our new Structural Group Manager. Based in our Lisle, Illinois office, Zaida contributes more than 15 years of experience in the structural design and analysis for new construction, rehabilitations, and movable structures. On top of leading our structural team, her main responsibility involves growing our bridge practice while continuing to connect with new and existing clients in the civil and structural engineering industry.
6. Syed Ahmed and Bimal Desai joined Primera as Senior Mechanical Engineer and Senior Electrical Engineer, respectively. Both Syed and Bimal bring extensive industry knowledge and over 30 years of experience each. Their expertise will allow us to keep pace with our clients’ needs.

Founded in 1987, Primera is a full-service, woman-owned engineering design and consulting firm dedicated to developing meaningful client relationships that allow us to provide best-in-class client service. Primera offers a wide range of business consulting and professional services in the buildings, transportation and utility environments, including: mechanical, electrical, plumbing (M/E/P), civil, structural and telecommunications engineering, as well as commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting, project and construction management.