Burns & McDonnell Adds Strength in Mission-Critical Market with Hiring of Leader in Design and Construction

Experienced Working with Biggest Owners and Users of Data Centers, Robert Bonar Joins Team Expected to Grow Significantly in Coming Months

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Burns & McDonnell

Sep 26, 2016, 12:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Bonar has joined Burns & McDonnell as regional global practice manager in San Francisco, where he will lead planning, design and construction projects for the company's mission-critical projects around the world. He is the first of a planned expansion of at least 50 additional team members during the next 18 months, strengthening the company's offerings in the rapidly growing market for data centers in the United States and abroad. Bonar will also focus on the Bay Area, Seattle and Portland, where he will be leading growth of multidiscipline teams serving the built environment, from environmental services to buildings to energy.

Robert Bonar is the first of a planned expansion in the mission-critical team of at least 50 additional members during the next 18 months at Burns & McDonnell.

Bonar has extensive experience in leading design, construction and planning for a wide range of mission-critical facilities. He has worked with many of the largest mission-critical clients in the market and brings that experience to Burns & McDonnell, where the mission-critical team already has grown by 25 percent during the past 12 months.

"From medical systems to online banking, this industry touches each of our lives every day with no room for error," says Mike Fenske, senior vice president for the Global Facilities Group at Burns & McDonnell. "Robert has earned the trust and respect of some of the most innovative tech companies in the world. His extensive knowledge of the mission-critical market, paired with his passion for progressive projects, makes him a driven leader for Burns & McDonnell and our clients."

Bonar looks forward to building upon the firm's leadership in design-build project delivery, providing a single point of contact for clients looking for innovative approaches, accelerated schedules and a focus on client needs. And with data centers demanding vast amounts of reliable energy, he will be drawing on the strengths, skills and experience of professionals in a firm ranked No. 1 in Power and No. 14 overall by Engineering News-Record.

"We plan to leverage our mission-critical design and construction expertise, as well as our industry-leading capabilities in energy, to provide unmatched value for our clients," Bonar says. "They want new ideas. They want innovation. They don't want to conform. We're going to give them what they need, and more."

Bonar will lead a group of designers, engineers, builders and others in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, as well as other hot spots in what has become a $17 billion industry each year for new construction as tech companies work to run enough servers to meet their multiplying needs for data storage and management. He knows industry professionals will be drawn to the employee-ownership culture at Burns & McDonnell, which ranks No. 16 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a company made up of more than 5,300 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices across the country and throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent employee-owned and is proud to be No. 16 on Fortune's 2016 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit burnsmcd.com.

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