People on the move: New hires at Fehr Graham, promotions at Skender

Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, recently hired Aliching Marma and Farruh Nabiyev as engineers, and Micah Won as project engineer.

Marma designs wastewater treatment plant improvements, most recently for the city of Monroe, Wisconsin, and Salt Creek Sanitary District in Aurora. She designs and evaluates wastewater systems, including aeration, tertiary filtration and ultraviolet disinfection. She optimizes process configurations and makes design decisions by analyzing system hydraulics, chemical dosing and nutrient removals.

Nabiyev performs weekly odor monitoring and other testing at various locations in Mount Prospect. He writes Phase I environmental site assessments. He completed hazardous waste operations and emergency response training. He works in the Aurora office.

Won focuses on wastewater treatment projects, specializing in process design and cost estimation. He coordinates with vendors to manage sludge treatment and upgrade drying systems, as he reviews plans for handling systems and heating requirements to support anaerobic digestion.

Skender promotes key leaders

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, recently announced eight leadership promotions spanning senior project management, senior field operations and corporate support.

The promotions are:

• Jacob Boyle to project executive. Since joining Skender in 2016, Boyle has brought more than 15 years of industry experience to project delivery across tenant interiors, health care, mission critical and life sciences sectors. In his new role, he will work on client relationships and lead large-scale initiatives.

• Kevin Chan to project executive. A team member since 2015, Chan has played a pivotal role on Skender’s health care team.

• Lauren Bauer to senior project manager, team leader. With a decade of industry experience, Bauer has led several high-profile projects across Chicago since joining Skender in 2019.

• Frank Alfano to senior project manager. Alfano joined Skender in 2021. With construction experience spanning nearly 1 million square feet of projects, Alfano’s background includes work across commercial, health care and tenant interiors.

• Patrick Gately to senior project manager. Gately has contributed to a wide range of commercial and institutional projects since joining Skender in 2016.

• Mike Matyja to senior project manager. A multifamily construction specialist with 15 years of experience, Matyja has led numerous affordable, market-rate and senior housing developments across the region since joining Skender in 2021. In 2024, he was named Outstanding General Contractor Project Manager by ASA Chicago.

• Tim Gertz to senior superintendent. Gertz has been on the Skender team since 2017 and has more than two decades of industry experience and a deep understanding of field operations.

• Colleen O’Brien to director, people and culture. Since joining Skender in 2013, O’Brien has helped shape the company’s culture, talent strategy and organizational development. She has overseen recruitment and internship programs and built high-performing team training.

New Choose DuPage board member appointed

Choose DuPage recently named Karyn Charvat, executive director at PowerForward DuPage, private sector co-chair of the Choose DuPage board.

Charvat has been with PowerForward DuPage since 2014. As executive director, she represents professionals who provide skilled and highly trained electrical talent for commercial, residential, and industrial projects in DuPage County. A longtime supporter of Choose DuPage, she has served as a board member for more than 10 years and serves on several board committees, including programming & engagement, marketing, and public policy. She is also involved in numerous nonprofits in DuPage County.

Additionally, Jim Mark, managing director of private markets and chief strategy officer at Wight & Company will assume the role of vice chair of the Choose DuPage board.

2025 Fehr Graham scholarship winners announced

Fehr Graham recently announced five recipients of this year’s scholarship.

In its second year, 77 students applied for the scholarship, which awards $2,500 to five high school seniors who live near Fehr Graham’s offices in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

The 2025 winners graduated from high schools in Illinois and Iowa. Illinois recipients are:

• Stella Ristic, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora. She plans to study environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Scarlette Patricio, Wheeling High School. She plans to study civil engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

• Tej Kosaraju, Adalai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. He plans to major in earth systems sciences with a focus on computational climate and hydrogeological modeling at Stanford University.

• Gianna DeGennaro, Belvidere High School. She plans to attend Arizona State University and study environmental engineering.

The Fehr Graham Scholarship began in 2023 during the firm’s 50th year in business as a way to celebrate and support students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The scholarship is renewable for up to three years.

SIOR elects global vice president

The Chicago Chapter of The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) elected Dan Smolensky SIOR Global vice president.

Smolensky, an industrial real estate and supply chain specialist, is principal and founder of TMG Real Estate Advisors. He will assume his new role this fall.

Smolensky earned his SIOR designation in 2012 and has held several leadership roles in the organization on the local, regional and global level. He is a past president of the Chicago chapter, served as regional director of the Great Lakes region, and is serving on the global board of directors. Smolensky also has worked on several SIOR committees including the Young Brokers Group and Independent Brokers Group.

After serving a one-year term as vice president, Smolensky will serve as president-elect for one year, and then step into the global presidency in fall of 2027.

Bradford Allen names president of brokerage services

Bradford Allen, a national full-service real estate firm, has named Ben Azulay as president of brokerage services, responsible for building the firm’s tenant and landlord representation business for office, retail and industrial assets nationwide.

Azulay is based in Bradford Allen’s Chicago headquarters. Jeffrey Bernstein and Laurence Elbaum continue as co-founders and principals of the firm.

A 21-year veteran of Bradford Allen, Azulay joined the firm in 2004 as an associate and was promoted to managing director, senior managing director and principal before becoming president. He is a member of the firm’s leadership team and contributes to company business development, research, recruiting and mentoring efforts.

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association names new vice president

Elmhurst resident Margaret Battersby Black, a managing partner at Levin & Perconti, recently was installed as the third vice president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

Battersby Black will ascend to the presidency in 2028. She will be the fourth female president in the organization’s history and the 75th president.

Battersby Black has been involved with the organization for many years. She is an award-winning attorney and was a founding member and the inaugural chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Women’s Caucus. In 2023, she received the “Carole K. Bellows Women of Influence” award. She also is active in the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, the American Constitution Society, the American Association for Justice, and the Illinois State Bar Association.

Orr Fellowship announces 2025 Fellowship Leadership Team

Harrison Monteith, a graduate of Butler University and native of Glen Ellyn, has been named the new director of fellow and alumni engagement for the Orr Fellowship Leadership Team.

Orr Fellowship is an early career development program for high-achieving post-graduates and future-focused businesses in Indianapolis and Evansville.

Candidates for the leadership team are nominated and elected by their peers, while former FLT and executive team members interview each candidate.