New Leadership Team at Swinterton to Drive Growth in Seattle

Swinerton has appointed a new leadership team within the Seattle, Washington Division. These individuals bring extensive experience and expertise to their respective roles, further enhancing the firm’s commitment to delivering excellence in construction services.

Nick Vovakes will lead the new leadership team as vice president and division manager. The team includes Thomas Stearns, operations manager and mass timber lead; Kelly Chalmers, senior project manager and healthcare market lead; Bret Downing, director of special projects; Ryan Weeger, director of preconstruction; Rob Mcgarry, field operations manager; and Greg Evans, Native American market lead.

Thomas Stearns brings over 18 years of construction experience with expertise in project and design development management. Stearns has mentored owners, consultants, and project teams on the benefits and implementation of mass timber structures. Notable Seattle mass timber projects include Northlake Commons and Heartwood Workforce Housing.
With 35 years in the construction industry and 15 years focused on healthcare, Kelly Chalmers brings a passion for building facilities that support the well-being of the local community. One of her most recent projects is a new medical facility providing pharmacy, behavioral health and traditional medicine services to prevent and reduce homelessness in the Seattle Urban Center. Chalmers is an education committee member for the Washington State Society for Healthcare Engineering and holds an ASHE Healthcare Construction Certificate.

With a 30-year background in construction management, Bret Downing is responsible for risk management, safety and quality oversight, preconstruction planning and schedule assurance. He is overseeing projects such as the Brooks Headquarters tenant improvement, a new retail space and amenity spaces at Bellevue Towers condominiums and Bellevue’s Eastgate Office Buildings 1 and 2. Additionally, Downing serves on the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association’s Hard Hats with Heart.

Ryan Weeger brings over 19 years of leadership and management experience in public and private general contracting environments. Weeger leads the preconstruction and estimating team to drive industry-leading preconstruction services.

Rob Mcgarry is backed by 43 years in the construction industry with knowledge in the field and administrative side of the industry. With experience in ground-up and tenant improvements, he has a reputation for high-quality workmanship, safe jobsites and a strong commitment to open communication and mentoring. In his role, he will work with the leadership team on strategic workforce planning to prepare for the future and develop strong leadership to be successful across multiple market sectors.

Greg Evans will continue in his role as Native American Market Lead. With a career spanning over 35 years in construction and an unwavering commitment to maintaining close relationships between tribes and Swinerton, Evans has established an impressive portfolio of Native American projects, such as the Muckleshoot Casino Resort Hotel, the Emerald Queen Casino and more.