Author: paul-admin

Precis Hires Sunil Mehta, CAP, PMP as Director – Automation in Cary, NC

We are pleased to announce the addition of Sunil Mehta, CAP, PMP to our team as Director – Automation. Mehta’s hire brings high level technical expertise to the firm’s Cary office and expands their automation capabilities in North Carolina and throughout the southeastern region. “Sunil’s appointment is a strategic step forward for Precis. His expertise and leadership will anchor the automation group here in North Carolina. We see tremendous growth potential for automation services across multiple market segments and are very optimistic about the future outlook,” said John McCullough, PE, Precis Principal – North Carolina Operations. Mehta is a Certified Automation Professional (CAP) and Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 20 years of experience leading automation projects in the life science, food and beverage, and automobile industries. His expertise includes Emerson DeltaV system integration, batch solutions design, control system architecture, application development, simulation, Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) documentation, commissioning, and plant personnel training. He has leveraged his experience to serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for digital transformation initiatives at multiple client sites. In his new role, Mehta oversees automation deliverables for Precis’ Cary, NC office and develops strategies to deliver tailored automation solutions, adding value for both existing and new customers. Mehta holds a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is an active member of the International Society of Automation (ISA) Raleigh-Durham Chapter. He resides with his wife and a 15-year-old son in Cary, North Carolina.

Precis Hires Veera Ronalter, RA, LEED AP BD+C as Director – Process Architecture + Sustainability

We are pleased to announce the addition of Veera Ronalter, RA, LEED AP BD+C to our team as Director – Process Architecture and Sustainability. Ronalter’s hire brings high-level experience and leadership to the firm’s process architecture group and strengthens Precis’ commitment to environmental sustainability.  “We are excited to have Veera join our team to propel our Process Architecture and Sustainability initiatives into the future of Precis. Her vast experience is notable and well-recognized in the Life Science and Pharmaceutical market sectors, and we look forward to growing our group to support her expertise,” said Paul Salvaggio, AIA – Principal and Architecture Department Head at Precis. Ronalter has over 26 years of experience working around the world on life sciences construction and sustainability projects. Her areas of expertise include bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing and laboratories, as well as medical device production and animal health facilities. As Director of Process Architecture and Sustainability at Precis, Ronalter supports the firm’s process architecture group with the design and execution of projects and provides leadership to Precis’ sustainability approach. She assists with projects seeking sustainability certifications and leads project teams to embrace environmental responsibility, energy efficiency, sustainable alternatives, and emerging technologies to help our clients meet their goals in carbon reduction and overall sustainability. Ronalter holds a Master of Science degree in Architecture from Helsinki University of Technology in Finland, EU and currently resides with her daughter, dog, and ten chickens in Lower Gwynedd, PA.

Precis Hires Jim Napier as Cary-Based Project Manager

We are pleased to announce the addition of Jim Napier to our team as Project Manager in the firm’s Cary, NC office. Napier will leverage 30 years of experience to provide project management and on-site project oversight support. The hire expands Precis’ project management capabilities in North Carolina and throughout the southeast. “I am committed to consistently bringing solutions to client concerns from concept through operations,” Napier said. “I look forward to building the right teams to meet project goals and achieve customer satisfaction.” “We are excited to couple Jim’s construction and project management background with our engineering and architecture expertise,” said Precis Principal John McCullough, PE. “We have seen Jim in action and could not be happier to have him on the team. He cares deeply about his work and the people around him, which makes all the difference.” Napier brings more than 30 years of experience in project management and engineering design to his new role. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed numerous projects for clients within the pharmaceutical and biotech, life sciences, and higher education markets, with expertise in project schedule and budget management, and overall project oversight. As Project Manager at Precis, Napier will manage large-and-small-scale projects from concept to completion, bringing a unique perspective from his background in construction to the architecture and engineering side of facility design. Napier studied HVAC engineering at Johnston Community College. He is an active member of The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Triangle Chapter. 

Precis Receives Highwire 2024 Gold Safety Award

Highwire, the Contractor Success platform for builders and owners of capital projects, has announced the recipients of its prestigious safety awards. Precis has received the Gold Safety Award, which is presented to companies who score between 85-94 on the Safety Assessment administered by Highwire. Click here to view the Precis profile on the Highwire Network. “We’re extremely proud to be recognized with this prestigious award. Bringing the highest level of safety and quality to our staff and each project we work on is a top priority,” said Precis Founder and President, Bob Dick, PE. “I’m proud of our team for their diligence and commitment to maintaining a safe work environment for all, in and outside of the office.” The Safety Assessment Program reviews a company’s historic and current safety performance. The platform normalizes data for vendor or contractor size and type of work performed. Precis earned an overall score of 87/100, with a perfect score in the OSHA experience category. The program provides thorough, objective, and consistent evaluation of company performance so clients can identify, monitor, and manage risk smarter. The results provide a strong indicator of how a vendor contractor values safety and serves as a reliable predictor of future performance. “Management systems are critical to any company’s ability to deliver successful outcomes and, most importantly, to keep their employees safe. Precis has done a remarkable job implementing a strong safety management system resulting in exceptional safety performance and results,” says David Tibbetts, CSP, Highwire’s Chief Safety Officer. Highwire is a global SaaS company. Its cloud-based and mobile platform empowers clients to make better risk management decisions. For additional information, visit https://www.highwire.com.

Precis Announces Four Promotions: Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Controller, Director – Marketing, and Director – Mechanical Engineering

We are pleased to announce the recent promotions of Angelica Biehl to Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Colleen Gannon to Corporate Controller, Erika Kucowski to Director – Marketing, and Todd Rohn, PE to Director – Mechanical Engineering. All four individuals have been recognized for contributions and tenure with the firm. New roles became effective in February 2024. “Angelica, Colleen, Erika, and Todd have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to the firm. Each has demonstrated a commitment to improving our business, our client service, and our corporate culture,” said Precis Founding Principal and President Robert Dick, PE. “Our rapid growth over recent years has necessitated new roles and responsibilities, and we are fortunate to have a deep well of talent from which to promote. I look forward to seeing how these four individuals continue to elevate and enhance Precis.” Angelica Biehl | Chief Financial OfficerAs CFO, Biehl provides decision-making and oversight of all financial and accounting activities and leadership for Precis back-office functions including information technology (IT), human resources (HR), risk management, and infrastructure. In over 30 years of financial management experience for industries including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy conservation, and food and beverage, Biehl has supported rapid growth with stability. She has developed and formalized processes to help companies manage and adapt to change while minimizing risk. Biehl began her tenure with Precis as Corporate Controller in 2021. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from The Master’s University in Santa Clarita, CA. She lives in Horsham, PA. Colleen Gannon | Corporate ControllerAs Corporate Controller, Gannon maintains daily responsibilities for all accounting activities including accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and cash flow management. Office management reports through her, with HR investigations and conflict resolution within her purview. Gannon spent over 25 years in financial roles of increasing responsibility in the automotive industry before joining Precis as Assistant Controller in 2022. She holds a B.S. in Accounting from the Pennsylvania State University in Abington. Gannon lives in Southampton, PA. Erika Kucowski | Director – MarketingAs Director – Marketing, Kucowski provides direction and strategy for marketing efforts including digital and print collateral materials; advertising; publicity; and event management. Her position will grow to include marketing budgetary control and responsibility. Kucowski joined Precis in 2019 as Marketing Manager and has since led marketing and helped establish the firm’s industry presence through rebranding and brand elevation, proposal and qualification development, promotional content creation, and event planning. She has helped expand the firm’s portfolio through competitive project pursuits and supported overall growth of the marketing department. In over 15 years in professional services marketing, Kucowski has been an active industry presence, serving on the board of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Philadelphia Chapter, as a participant in the Joining Committee for the Professional Women in Construction (PWC) Philadelphia Chapter, and as Marketing and Communications Co-Chair for the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Delaware Valley Chapter. Kucowski holds a B.S. in Business Administration/Management from the Pennsylvania State University. She lives in Bucks County, PA. Todd Rohn, PE | Director – Mechanical EngineeringAs Director – Mechanical Engineering, Rohn provides management and quality control of the mechanical engineering department and oversees continuous improvements to the firm’s mechanical and graphical standards. He joined Precis in 2015 as a Senior Mechanical Engineer and was promoted to Mechanical Engineering Manager in 2021. Rohn has over 22 years of professional experience and expertise in mechanical systems design and construction for critical operation facilities with expertise in the design and application of complex HVAC systems for cGMP facilities and clean rooms, and in both GMP and GLP regulations and guidelines. He serves as senior oversight and lead engineer on projects, performing comprehensive engineering analyses and full mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) system coordination from planning to qualification and startup. He is a member of ISPE, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE) for which he previously served as Philadelphia Chapter board secretary. Rohn holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University and is an Autodesk AutoCAD certified professional. He lives in Montgomery County, PA.

Precis Promotes Amanda Jones, PE to Director – Project Management

We are pleased to announce that we have promoted Amanda Jones, PE to Director of Project Management. Jones joined Precis in 2017 as a Sr. Project Manager responsible for managing the firm’s projects within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, including pharmaceutical labs, packaging facilities, GMP warehouses and manufacturing facilities, vivarium, data centers, and research facilities. A mechanical engineer and project manager for more than 15 years, Amanda has led and worked on projects during all phases of design, from field investigation, lab programming, and conceptual design through construction and commissioning. She has managed numerous substantial projects at Precis; the design of a large building addition for new vial and syringe filling, being one of the most recent. As Director of Project Management, Amanda will expand her efforts to oversight of project management operations including project execution, financial performance, project quality control, and personnel development. “Amanda has a consistent track record of excellence at Precis.  Approaching her work with a unique combination of strength and grace, Amanda is able to bring even the most difficult projects to a successful finality,” said Josh Capparella, PE, CEM, Principal – PA Operations at Precis. “We have no doubt that success will continue as she expands her impact within our organization and are excited at what the future will hold for the project management team under her leadership.”    “I’m excited to work with the project management team to streamline processes and maximize project success,” said Jones. “Each member of our team comes with their diverse experience; I want to leverage that as well as our strong culture of teamwork and constant improvement to drive excellence across all aspects of our project operations. My goal is to do all of this while still maintaining the reputation we have with our customers as a trusted partner. Jones holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College and a M.S. in Business Administration from Drexel University, and membership in the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). She resides with her family in Upper Gwynedd, PA.