HOUSTON, Texas — Burns & McDonnell, a 100% employee-owned engineering and construction firm, has selected Thomas Maples to lead the Transmission & Distribution Group for the south central region headquartered in Houston, Texas. Maples will transition into this role succeeding Woody McOmber, who retires in January 2027.

In his new role, Maples will lead more than 300 employee-owners serving clients across the south central region. The team delivers engineering, construction, and consulting services for transmission, distribution and grid modernization projects, supporting electric utilities and other clients as they strengthen and expand critical power infrastructure.

“Thomas has earned the respect of our clients and our employee-owners through the way he leads every day,” says Karen Bray, senior vice president and general manager of south central region. “He values collaboration and is committed to helping our people and our clients succeed. There is a great need for power transmission and distribution infrastructure today, and I look forward to seeing the impact we can have under his leadership.”

Since joining Burns & McDonnell in 2009 as a substation engineer, Maples has held several leadership roles. He currently serves as vice president of the Transmission & Distribution Group, overseeing project delivery for T&D projects across the region.

“I’m honored to step into this role and build on the strong foundation our team has established,” Maples says. “Our employee-owners bring incredible talent and dedication to every project, and I look forward to working alongside them as we continue delivering reliable, innovative solutions that support our clients and the communities they serve.”

Maples earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical and electronics engineering from Texas Tech University. He is a licensed professional engineer (PE) in Texas and has 17 years of experience delivering transmission and distribution projects.

Burns & McDonnell is ranked the No. 1 Power Design Firm and the No. 1 Transmission & Distribution Design Firm by Engineering News-Record. The firm was also named ENR’s 2026 Design Firm of the Year for the Texas and Louisiana region. As the firm expands, it is actively hiring to support continued growth across the region.

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.