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Keast & Hood announces the promotion of three engineers to principal. John R. Davis, PE; Denise L. Richards, PE; and Craig D. Swift, SE, LEED AP, were formerly associates. They join current principals Frederick Baumert, PE, CCS; Constantine Doukakis, PE; Thomas Normile, PE; and Matthew Daw, PE, LEED AP.

“All three new principals have demonstrated extraordinary potential to help us keep the firm moving forward,” said Baumert, acknowledging the firm’s 60-plus year legacy providing structural engineering for new and historic buildings.

John Davis, PE, has over 20 years of structural engineering experience. He joined Keast & Hood in 1998 and was promoted to associate in 2013. Davis has managed some of the firm’s most sensitive historic building and new construction projects, including the award-winning Museum of the American Revolution and the Arlen Specter Center for Public Policy at Jefferson University. Davis holds a B.S. in Structural Design and Construction Engineering Technology from the Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology, American Institute of Steel Construction, and New Castle County (Del.) Historic Review Board; member and past president of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers; and an adjunct faculty member at Delaware Technical & Community College. Davis resides in Wilmington, Del., and is based in Keast & Hood’s Philadelphia office.

“John brings his meticulous attention to detail and conscientious sense of follow-through to every project,” said Doukakis. “His contributions span both project and firm leadership and we are confident in his ability to lead our firm forward as a principal.”

Denise Richards, PE, has over 15 years of structural engineering experience, 11 of them with Keast & Hood. She joined the firm in 2005, was elevated to associate in 2013, and recognized as a Philadelphia Business Journal 40 Under 40 professional in 2015. She manages some of the firm’s largest and most complex work including the award-winning Statue of Liberty National Monument Life-Safety Upgrades and the 1.5-million-square-foot Fashion District Philadelphia mixed-use complex scheduled for completion in 2018. Richards holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is a member of the Delaware Valley Association of Structural Engineers and a mentor with the ACE Mentor Program Eastern Pennsylvania Affiliate. Richards lives in Narberth, Pa., and is based in Keast & Hood’s Philadelphia office.

“Denise’s innovative design instincts coupled with her sense of structural performance make her an integral part of project teams,” said Normile. “Her technical and communication skills will benefit our clients and staff well into the future.”

Craig Swift, SE, LEED AP, has 15 years of experience. He joined Keast & Hood in 2010, was promoted to associate in 2014, and selected to open and lead the firm’s Charlottesville, Va., office in 2015. A seismic design expert with diverse structural engineering background, Swift leads the firm’s Virginia and southeastern U.S. work, including recent and current projects for the University of Virginia, Virginia Military Institute, and the Fort Monroe Visitor Center. Swift holds a B.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science in Structural and Earthquake Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction, American Society of Civil Engineers, Society of Architectural Historians, and Construction History Society of America. Swift also volunteers with Building Goodness, presently contributing to a school project in rural Guatemala. Swift resides in Charlottesville and is based in Keast & Hood’s Charlottesville office.

“Craig has built the Virginia office into a go-to resource for historic projects and new design efforts,” said Daw. “As an engaged member of the design community, Craig will continue to propel our southern presence with enthusiasm and energy.”

The promotion of three new principals introduces the third generation of Keast & Hood leadership. Original principals Sheldon Keast, Raymond Hood, Daniel DiBona, Nicholas Gianopulos, Thomas Leidigh, and Carl Baumert pioneered techniques in structural engineering for historic preservation and new construction, working with notable clients including Louis Kahn, Robert Venturi, and the National Park Service. In the late 1990s, current principals Baumert, Doukakis, Normile, and Daw took the helm, expanding the firm to three offices.

Today’s promotion includes Denise Richards as the first female member of top leadership since the firm’s founding and the advancement of a younger group of professionals poised to become the future faces of the firm. Together, Davis, Richards, and Swift have over 50 years of combined structural engineering experience bolstered by industry leadership and engagement.

“I heartily encourage our clients and colleagues to continue to strengthen their relationships with our newest principals,” said Baumert. “John, Denise, and Craig are rising stars who continue to inspire and foster the growth of other young professionals in the office. We are thrilled to have them join the management of the firm.”