Leadership

Since 2019, Kraig Abbey has managed Eichleay’s growing presence in the Mountain Region. He has over 25 years of progressive experience in project execution and operations management. After spending much of his early career in Project Controls, he went on to oversee 3 regional offices for a competitor organization. His background and current focus remains on serving clients in the midstream and downstream hydrocarbons sectors, as well as mining and minerals. Kraig received his B.S. in Engineering Science (Mechanical) with a Minor in Business Administration from Montana Tech of the University of Montana.

Samar "Summer” Adranly joined Eichleay in 1998 to lead the Civil/Structural Engineering Group. She quickly became the Director of Engineering and subsequently the Manager of Projects. As a Senior Vice President, she is now responsible for overseeing work in a diverse array of market sectors. With over 25 years of hands-on expertise, she has a deep, diverse background in a wide variety of industries. Samar has a M.S. in Structural Engineering and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a registered Structural Engineer in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington and a registered Civil Engineer in California, Michigan, Nevada, and Utah.

Kristen Airhart is responsible for Talent Management and Human Resources at Eichleay and has overseen those functional areas since 2016. Prior to Eichleay, Kristen held several positions of increasing responsibility within the field of recruiting and served as the Global Director of Resourcing for one of the world’s largest EPC organizations. With 20 years of experience in the project delivery business, she leads a team that leverages best in class practices and technologies to ensure that Eichleay is able to attract, retain, develop, and manage the best project delivery talent available in the marketplace. Kristen holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from the University of Florida. 

Anthony (Nino) Borsoni joined Eichleay in 1992 and is the Senior Vice President primarily responsible for work in the Life Sciences and High Technology market sectors. Specializing in clean facilities, he has over 35 years of design engineering, project, and program management experience. This technical proficiency extends to areas such as cGMP Parts 210 and 211, NIH 88-8395, biosafety levels BL-1 through BL-4, NRC, NEC Article 500, Title 24, and OSHPD requirements. Born in Italy, Nino received his degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florence. He is also a Certified Project Management Professional.

David Jacobsen is the Director of Technology Services at Eichleay, a new position added to our leadership team in 2018. In addition to guiding our technology strategy, he leads a talented team of network engineers, programmers, and other specialists who support the company’s IT, proprietary software, Cad, laser scanning, and other technology related assets. His diverse background includes stints in civil engineering, Cad administration, software development, and systems engineering. This experience was initially obtained while working for a large EPC and later as an independent consultant and entrepreneur. David received his B.S. in Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Jette Jensen is the Director of Administrative Services. A native of Denmark, she has been one of the key pillars of the organization since 1988. Her solid background in human resources, benefits administration, corporate policies and procedures, insurance, and accounting has been integral to Eichleay’s steady and continual growth.

Acquired through a series of domestic and international project, as well as corporate, assignments, Cathy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Eichleay. As the Director of Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality, she serves as the functional lead for each of these areas and oversees a team of professionals who are deployed on various project/client sites. She is a Six Sigma Black Belt and has received many awards and special assignments due to her problem solving and team building skills. A published author in multiple scientific journals and an experienced public speaker, Cathy received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of South Carolina-Aiken. She is also an Associate Safety Professional through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

Kara Millhollin has been instrumental in facilitating Eichleay’s expansion into the Pacific Northwest geography and now serves as our Director for that region. Having held senior level Operations, Engineering, Turnarounds, and Projects positions at several of the world’s largest energy companies, her knowledge of the wants and needs of clients is tremendous. She is particularly adept at promoting organizational effectiveness, systematic processes, and high performing teams and utilizes those skills to develop our employees and foster strong relationships, both internally and externally. Kara received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Montana State University and her M.B.A. from Western Washington University.

Since joining Eichleay in 2016, Walter Nilsen has had the joint role of providing functional oversight for our Project Managers and managing our Southern CA operation. With over 25 years of experience working on domestic and international assignments in a range of industries for several large EPC companies, his expertise includes leading large projects, as well as portfolios of smaller ones. Walter obtained his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester and his M.B.A. from Emory University.

John Sakamoto joined Eichleay in 1992 and is now the Executive Vice President overseeing all Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) operations. Beyond being a recognized expert in the field of operational risk management, he is highly experienced in regulatory interpretation, regulatory advocacy, and permitting. He is also adept in the management of complex capital projects from conceptual planning through startup and commissioning. His diverse process plant background includes project director level responsibilities on several of Eichleay’s landmark projects. John graduated from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and is a registered Civil Engineer in the state of California. He currently sits on the Western States Petroleum Association’s (WSPA) Board of Directors and is a past President.

After coming onboard in 2008, Mei Schwaninger successfully led the Project Accounting Group through several of the most significant projects ever undertaken by Eichleay. She is now the Controller responsible for the preparation of financial statements and oversight of the general ledger, cost accounting, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax compliance, budgeting, and forecasting functions. Born in Nanjing, China she immigrated to the United States as a teenager to attend school. Upon graduation she worked for a local general contractor, two regional homebuilders, and a global EPC firm. Mei holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting from San Francisco State University.

Jim Vicknair started in the building trades and has ascended to the upper levels of management during his 30 years in the construction business. As a Senior Vice President, he oversees all of Eichleay’s construction operations. The strong bonds that he has built and maintained during his career have enabled him to become a highly effective and trusted leader in the fields of labor relations, project delivery, and organizational management. He also possesses a great deal of expertise when it comes to creating and implementing world-class systems, processes, procedures, and construction tools. These unique skill sets were developed and honed through the knowledge that he gained from working in the field, participating in professional organizations such as the Construction Industry Institute (CII), and overseeing everything from key alliance relationships to megaprojects. Jim is a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and has taught Construction Management classes at the college level.