William Kidd was hired by B.R. Fries & Associates as a project manager. Kidd has more than 15 years experience managing interior fit-outs and infrastructure upgrades. Earlier in his career he worked at Fries for three years before leaving for positions at Builders Group, Plaza Construction and Cauldwell Wingate.

Frank Dorata joined Gazetten Contracting, Inc. as director of estimating. He was formally chief estimator for Barr & Barr, Inc. He will lead the firms estimating division in New York and New Jersey.

David C. Grider was promoted by Platt Byard Dovell White Architects LLP to associate. For the past four years Grider has served as project manager on several of the firm's new additions to historic sites among them the new mausoleum and columbarium at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Buchanan Ingersoll announced that three individuals have been elected to leadership positions at the firm. They are:
· Thomas L. VanKirk, chief executive officer and managing director
· Francis A. Muracca II, chief operating officer and administrative director
· Ronald D. Abramson, executive committee member

BL Companies have hired three staff members to its Manhattan office: Barry Leitner as project manager, Merritt Vossler as senior intern architect and Joseph DiNoto as intern architect. Leitner has more than 30 years experience in design and project management and Vossler has five years of experience in healthcare, educational and commercial architecture. Prior to joining BL, DiNoto was project manager at Warshauer Mellusi Warshauer Architects in Hawthorne, N.Y.

Jerrold S. Cohen, AIA was appointed vice president of The LiRo Group. He will be responsible for LiRo's schools and higher education projects. Prior to joining LiRo, Cohen served as assistant commissioner with the New York City Department of Design and Construction.

Daniel J. Smith was named vice president, dispute resolution services, for the northeast region for URS Corporation. Smith's primary responsibilities will include business development and operations management for professional design and construction dispute resolution consulting services for owners, construction managers, contractors, sureties, engineers and attorneys.

Antony John Biddle joined the New York office of Gardiner & Theobald Inc. as a senior project manager. He has been assigned to Burberry's and Clifford Chance US LLP as a project manager. Prior to joining the company, Biddle was a director at HLW Design/Build.

Swanke Hayden Connell Architects named Roger Klein, AIA director of architectural design and Randy Fahey and Agatha Habjan co-directors of interior design. In his new position, Klein is responsible for overseeing the design teams for architectural projects in the firm's New York office, including commercial, retail, educational and public sector projects. As co-directors of interior design, Fahey and Habjan will share responsibility for managing interior design projects in the New York office.

Fletcher Thompson hired two new people. Peter D. Ottavio joined the firm as principal, engineering group. He has more than 30 years of varied mechanical engineering and project management experience working for many diverse clients. Charles Cassidy joined the company as director of planning specialized educational facilities. With 10 years experience with the Connecticut State Department of Education, Cassidy will spear the firm's magnet school initiative.

Kenneth F. Standig, P.E., joined STV Incorporated as vice president and manager of the New York Civil Region. He will be responsible for the operations of the region's civil engineering projects which include the planning, design and construction inspection of highways, bridges, transit facilities and environmental assignments.

Susan Wedgle joined Barbara Thayer P.C. as a senior architect. Her projects include East Side Access for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Long Island Rail Road, ADA upgrades at Grand Central Terminal and the Control Center for the New York City Transit Automated Train System.

Andrew Saporito, a 22-year Port Authority veteran, has been named manager of the New Jersey Marine Terminals. He will manage the operations, maintenance, construction and tenant service activities for the terminal.