HDR promotes Jason Mikkelsen to managing principal
Jason Mikkelsen, PE, LEED AP, ENV SP, has been promoted to managing principal of HDR’s Phoenix architecture studio. He will lead a staff of 38 architects and engineers, and help further develop the firm’s presence in the Phoenix market.
With HDR for the past seven years overseeing Phoenix’s downtown location and managing the cross-sector facilities design center, he will continue to be responsible for leading multiple teams to provide outstanding client service, build excellent relationships and deliver successful projects.
Mikkelsen has successfully managed and executed projects for Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona; Pima County in Tucson, Arizona; the California Air National Guard in Mountain View, California; and the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.
“I am looking forward to leading the incredible team in the Phoenix architecture studio, and furthering our standing in the industry and community for the great work we do,” said Mikkelsen, who has 21 years of experience.
“Jason is the perfect leader,” said Todd Tierney, AIA, architecture regional director/senior vice president. “His dedication to design excellence, quality and innovation will ensure that HDR continues to be a strong partner in enhancing the local community—and beyond.”
Dr. Rachna Shroff Joins UA Cancer Center
Physician-scientist Rachna Shroff, MD, has joined the University of Arizona Cancer Center, where she serves as the new section chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology, chair of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) and associate professor at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson.
Dr. Shroff, who specializes in cancers of the pancreas and biliary tract, comes to Arizona from Texas, where she was an associate professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center. But she is not new to the Copper State; Dr. Shroff grew up in Tucson and is a 1996 graduate of St. Gregory College Preparatory School, now known as the Gregory School.
“My parents worked hard to establish a successful life here,” Dr. Shroff said of her mother, a physician, and her father, a peptide chemist. “My younger sister and I had a nice upbringing. St. Gregory gave us a great launching pad for our subsequent educations, and Tucson was a great place for my parents to raise their kids.”
Dr. Shroff’s roots in Tucson also reach the UA Cancer Center, where as a high school student she worked with Margaret Briehl, PhD, professor of pathology at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson. Dr. Briehl remembers Dr. Shroff as enthusiastic and productive.
“Based on the potential that I saw, it is very fitting that she has become a successful physician-scientist,” Dr. Briehl said. “I’m delighted she has been recruited to the University of Arizona Cancer Center.”
The time Dr. Shroff spent at the UA Cancer Center as a teenager helped shape her path forward in life.
“I think the initial work I did in the Cancer Center is what prompted me to go into oncology,” Dr. Shroff said. “It’s pretty wonderful to come full circle.”
W.E. O’Neil Construction Company hires Zach Sahlberg
W.E. O’Neil Construction announced that Zach Sahlberg has accepted a full-time position after completing his internship. Zach will serve in the role of Project Engineer in our Tucson office.
Zach is currently studying Construction Management at Pima Community College. He joins our team of construction professionals after recently completing an internship with the company where he performed the duties of a Project Engineer, while providing support in estimating and operations in our Special Projects division. Zach brings enthusiasm and experience to W.E. O’Neil with his work as a laborer, electrician apprentice, and construction manager for a custom home contractor.
