Leveling Up: GBA's 2026 Promotions

Leveling Up

Great companies grow because their people do. These promotions recognize team members who have earned clients’ trust, inspired their colleagues, and helped shape the future of GBA. We’re proud to celebrate the following individuals as they take the next step in their careers.

“Leadership at GBA is earned through investing in our people, serving our clients and helping others succeed,” said Jim Jarrett, President of GBA. “These individuals have demonstrated what it means to lead at GBA, and I’m excited about the positive impact they will have as we continue building the next chapter of GBA.”

New Senior Vice Presidents

Sarah Doherty – Senior Vice President, Strategy and Operations

With more than 25 years of leadership and industry experience, Sarah shapes GBA’s strategic direction and drives initiatives to help keep the firm ahead of the ever-changing market. She partners with cross-functional teams to build strategic plans, championing data-driven decision-making and process improvements.

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John Cooper – Senior Vice President, Finance and Risk Management

John has spent nearly two decades at GBA and brings 30 years of engineering experience to his role leading Finance and Risk Management for the company. His unique perspective as both an engineer and business leader allows him to balance technical excellence with long-term business strategy.

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New Associate Vice Presidents

Aaron Frits – Associate Vice President, Transportation

Aaron provides strategic leadership for the firm’s transportation practice, overseeing projects across IL, KS, MO, and TX. He also plays a key role in GBA’s Leadership and Development. Since joining GBA in 2019, he has built a reputation for collaborative leadership, operational excellence, and delivering successful projects while strengthening client relationships.

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Reneé Ross – Associate Vice President, Texas Regional Leader

Reneé brings a wealth of experience to our Texas team, with over 25 years of experience in engineering, project management, and sales and operations. In her role, Reneé focuses on assessing market conditions and forecasts, as well as strategy development and execution across our Texas markets, while building and fostering a culture of quality and project excellence.

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New Principals

Brian Bosak – Principal, Construction Engineering & Inspection | Transportation

Brian’s commitment to quality has made him a trusted leader within GBA’s CE&I team. His attention to detail and dedication to delivering successful projects have helped clients and teammates succeed on projects of every size.

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Patrick Hildebrandt – Principal, Director of Operations | Life Sciences

Patrick has spent more than a decade at GBA building deep expertise in life sciences facility delivery. As Director of Operations for the Life Sciences market, he leads renovation and greenfield projects for biopharma clients, bringing the operational discipline that complex, regulated facilities demand.

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New Senior Associates and Directors

	Beth Fry – Director, Engineering \| Water Environment Since joining GBA in 2013, Beth has provided leadership in watershed planning, flood risk management, and nature-based solutions that help communities address flooding and erosion. She leads engineering teams, oversees project delivery, and applies her technical expertise to advance innovative, resilient infrastructure solutions.
	Brian Hess – Senior Associate, Water Environment With over 27 years in the industry, Brian leads the Water Group for GBA and brings broad experience across a range of water projects. His work managing and implementing projects for utilities and municipalities makes him a versatile resource for clients navigating a wide range of water issues.
	Kevin Juhl – Director, Industrial Kevin has spent nearly two decades solving complex challenges for industrial and life sciences clients. His technical expertise and collaborative leadership have made him a trusted advisor on some of GBA’s most demanding projects.
	Rodney Ranzenberger – Director, Architecture Since joining GBA in 2013, Rodney has led multidisciplinary industrial projects, delivering practical, cost-effective design solutions that meet clients’ operational needs. With more than 20 years of experience, he provides strategic leadership for architectural services, fostering collaboration across project teams to deliver successful outcomes.
	Jim Schuessler – Director, Landscape Architecture Jim is dedicated to transforming sites and communities throughout the Midwest and beyond. He inspires designers, clients, and contractors to be thoughtful and transformative, and consistently pushes toward new, progressive ways of solving design challenges.
	Jake Vestal – Director, Architecture As part of our Life Sciences group, Jacob has over 14 years of experience designing manufacturing facilities for both pharma and bio-pharma clients. He is also an integral leader in GBA’s emerging Industrial group, working closely with local developers and general contractors on speculative and build-to-suit project types. In his new role, Jake will be responsible for the overall vision and direction of the architecture group at GBA, aligning strategy with enterprise goals to deliver innovative services, operational excellence, and sustained business growth.