KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering and construction firm, named Executive Vice President Jamey Bertram as general manager of its Americas North Region, where he will provide strategic leadership across the firm’s Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast and Upper Midwest regions. Bertram succeeds Executive Vice President Jerry Fan, who will retire in January 2027 after nearly two decades with the firm. The firm named Vice President Jake Merriman as general manager of its Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Group, succeeding Bertram as leader of the firm's largest business.

“As demand for resilient, reliable infrastructure continues to accelerate, thoughtful leadership transitions help position our employee-owned company to serve our clients and communities for the long term,” says Leslie M. Duke, chair and CEO of Burns & McDonnell. “Jamey and Jake bring deep experience and strategic vision to build on our leadership in the energy industry, drive continued growth and deliver integrated solutions to our clients’ most complex infrastructure challenges.”

Burns & McDonnell ranks No. 1 in Power for the 11th consecutive year by Engineering News-Record (ENR). In 2025, the firm reported $8.6 billion in revenue and contributed to more than 25,000 projects worldwide, with continued momentum in construction, data centers and electrical infrastructure.

Jamey Bertram

Bertram played an instrumental role in the continued growth of the T&D Group. Since assuming leadership of the group in 2023, he has helped expand its global reach and capabilities while supporting electric utilities on some of the industry's largest transmission, distribution and grid modernization programs.

With more than 25 years of experience, Bertram has led complex engineering and construction projects for some of the largest utilities in North America and around the world. As T&D general manager, he led more than 4,000 engineering, construction and technical professionals, along with hundreds of employee-owners across the firm who support T&D projects. The group partners with utilities worldwide to deliver multibillion-dollar programs, engineer-procure-construct (EPC) projects and more for critical infrastructure to help deliver reliable electric power where and when it is needed.

Bertram joined Burns & McDonnell in 2001. Before leading the T&D Group, he directed international project development and delivery for the business. In addition to his new regional leadership responsibilities, he continues to serve as the firm's officer-in-charge for Pacific Gas & Electric and Xcel Energy. In 2024, he was appointed to the Burns & McDonnell board of directors.

Jake Merriman

Merriman led the firm’s Environmental Services Group for the South Central Region and has served as general manager of the firm’s Central Texas offices in Austin and San Antonio since 2023 and 2021, respectively. In these roles, he was responsible for regional success, while supporting complex energy, infrastructure and environmental projects across Texas and the broader region.

Merriman joined Burns & McDonnell in 2011 in the T&D Group and has held several roles of increasing responsibility, including heading the underground and overhead electric transmission business as managing director and leading T&D services for one of the company’s major accounts, before moving to the Austin office to lead a multidisciplinary team and grow staff by 170%.

Merriman brings more than 25 years of engineering, construction and project management experience to his expanded leadership role, with an extensive background in project delivery, business growth and client engagement.

Jerry Fan

Fan joined Burns & McDonnell in 2007 after leading several large energy projects across the Northeast. He has since held several roles of increasing responsibility within the firm. After leading the successful completion of a $1 billion program management initiative for a major utility in 2014, he helped manage the firm’s Northeast Region, where he oversaw more than $10 billion in capital improvement projects throughout the northeastern U.S. and Canada. In 2020, he was promoted to lead the company’s offices across the Northeast, followed by his appointment as leader of the Americas North region in 2024 and promotion to executive vice president in 2025.

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.