ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering and construction firm has named Adam Matthiesen as general manager for the firm’s Midwest Region which includes more than 500 employee-owners across offices in St. Louis, Missouri; Akron and Columbus, Ohio; and O’Fallon, Illinois. Matthiesen will assume the role on July 1, succeeding Senior Vice President Breck Washam, who plans to retire in early 2027 following a distinguished career with the firm.

As general manager, Matthiesen will oversee the region, which serves clients across the Central and Upper Midwest while delivering integrated engineering, construction and consulting solutions for critical infrastructure projects in energy, water, power, environmental, industrial, manufacturing and other sectors.

“Adam’s leadership, operational experience and commitment to our employee-owner culture make him exceptionally well positioned to lead the Midwest Region into its next chapter,” says Jerry Fan, executive vice president and general manager of the Americas North Region. “As he steps into this role, we are confident he will continue advancing the culture, client relationships and success that Breck helped build over nearly two decades of leadership.”

Matthiesen has more than 15 years of experience leading engineering and construction projects across the energy and infrastructure sectors. He joined Burns & McDonnell in 2009 and has held a variety of leadership roles across the company. Most recently, he served as Operations Director for the Midwest Region and was promoted to Vice President in 2025.

Prior to joining the Midwest Region in 2021 as Global Practice Leader for Transmission & Distribution, Matthiesen spent more than a decade in the Houston office managing multidisciplinary engineering and construction teams on projects nationwide.

Matthiesen holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering and an MBA from Texas A&M University and is a licensed Professional Engineer.

“I am excited and humbled to become only the third General Manager of the office since it opened almost four decades ago,” Matthiesen said. “Under Breck’s leadership, we have experienced phenomenal growth, and I look forward to continuing the legacy of unparalleled service to our clients.”

During Washam’s tenure, the Midwest Region grew more than fivefold, expanding from 100 to more than 500 employee-owners. Beyond his corporate achievements, Washam is deeply ingrained in the engineering profession and his community. He will be installed as the President of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) at the group’s annual meeting in New York in August 2026.

About Burns & McDonnell

Working from more than 75 offices around the world, Burns & McDonnell designs and builds critical infrastructure. Our family of companies — driven by engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists — delivers projects grounded in safety and a desire to make a difference as we make our clients successful. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn more.