Primera Engineers shared and celebrated the promotion of four individuals to Vice President at our all-company meeting on February 1st. The four leaders have had significant impacts on their departments and the wider organization in their time with us.

Omar Torres, MCSA, Vice President, Information Technology

In the past 17 years, Omar has continuously advocated for information security and helped keep Primera at the forefront of business technology. Over the past year, he worked tirelessly above and beyond his normal duties to strengthen and document our IT system so that our Information Security Management System could become certified to ISO 27001:2022.

“Omar’s knowledge and skills give Primera an advantage that most firms our size do not have in the IT and cyber security space,” explains Inman. “He is always calm, extremely humble, and another embodiment of our culture and values,” she adds.

Omar joined Primera in 2007. He leads the IT team from Raleigh, North Carolina. You can read more about Omar here.

Kevin Siksta, PE, Vice President, Construction Department Manager

Under Kevin’s leadership, the construction group has more than doubled in size serving a long list of transportation clients in Illinois and Indiana. Additionally, Kevin was instrumental in winning the Chicago Department of Water Management construction management services for their Capital Improvement Program as part of a joint venture with Cotter Consulting. It marks Primera’s largest contract award in our history.

“Thanks to Kevin the construction team is more cohesive and collaborative than ever before,” explains Stacie Dovalovsky, Senior Vice President and Transportation Department Manager. “He continues to take on new challenges and created an organizational structure to develop and promote leaders within the construction department,” she continues.

Kevin joined Primera in 2020. He leads his teams from Chicago. You can read more about Kevin here.

Howard Eaton, PE, Vice President, Substation Department Manager

Howard has demonstrated exceptional performance leading Primera’s substation and distribution departments since rejoining the firm two years ago. Under his leadership, our substation team has doubled in size and expanded its services to support Mid-Atlantic utility clients.

“Howard has embraced Primera’s culture and values and works to spread the culture throughout his teams,” explains Erin Inman, Primera’s President & CEO. “His depth of knowledge and responsiveness have made him a trusted partner to our clients and mentor to employees,” she adds.

Howard previously led our Distribution team from 2012 to 2015 when he moved to Tennessee with his family. He leads his teams from Nashville today.

Elizabeth Odegaard, PMP, Vice President, Project Delivery Department Manager

Elizabeth has continued to grow and excel in her role leading Primera’s Project Management team for our utility clients. She’s spearheaded the use of technology to increase efficiencies and develop utilities-specific processes, made improvements with regard to quality procedures, and significantly grown our New Business work over the last two years.

“Elizabeth’s success improving efficiencies through technology has served as a model for other groups and departments across the company today,” explains Inman. “She embraces Primera’s culture and values and embodies them in all that she does,” she continues.

Elizabeth joined Primera in 2019 as a Project Manager. She leads our team from Denver, Colorado. You can read more about Elizabeth here.

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Founded in 1987, Primera is a full-service, certified woman-owned (WBE) engineering design and consulting firm offering a wide range of professional services centered around four major areas of expertise: Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting. Primera’s core service offerings include a wide range of professional services in the disciplines of mechanical, electrical, plumbing (M/E/P), structural, civil, and telecommunications engineering, as well as commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting, transportation, natural gas, power delivery, project and construction management, and business consulting services.