Key employees headquartered in Philadelphia, Baltimore.

DeCocinis Promoted to VTX Vice President

Mark DeCocinis, CEI, has assumed the role of vice president of Vertical Transportation Excellence (VTX), a division of global infrastructure and engineering firm Gannett Fleming, Inc. Based in VTX’s Philadelphia o–ce, DeCocinis provides ongoing support to such clients as Liberty Property Trust, which manages the Comcast Center and Comcast Technology Center; Simon Property Group, owner of King of Prussia Mall; and PREIT, a publicly traded real-estate investment trust. He also manages projects for various universities, including Drexel, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Princeton and the University of Pittsburgh.

With more than 20 years of industry experience, DeCocinis previously worked for thyssenkrupp, Amtech Elevator Services and PATCO Elevator Installations. He also received the Delaware Valley Engineers Senior Design Award and is a past president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Widener University. David Hansen, CEI, VTX president and Gannett Fleming vice president, said DeCocinis “strengthens VTX through his continued success in building and maintaining relationships with marquee clients.”

EMR Hires Marketing Manager

Baltimore-based EMR has made Emily Martin its marketing manager. She is responsible for the public relations (PR), advertising, creative development and overall management of the brand and based at company headquarters. Prior to joining EMR, Martin served as an account director for Rooftop Communications, a Baltimore-based advertising agency, where she worked from 2010-2018. In her last four-and-a-half years with Rooftop, she worked as the account lead as EMR’s agency of record, driving public relations and advertising efforts on behalf of Rooftop. Now, “she serves a strategic role in helping EMR greatly improve market share, expand service offerings and ramp up all branding efforts through marketing and PR,” EMR said. She holds a BA in Communication/Public Relations from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Since I am new as a full-time EMR team member, but have touched the business since 2014, I have an interesting perspective. I have witnessed thoughtful change, and solid management practices and I really wanted to become a part of that,” Martin added.

Rendering Shows New Tower for Duke Energy in Charlotte

Duke Energy has released a rendering of a new tower set to rise in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the city’s South Tryon Street area, The Charlotte Observer reported in March. The 40-story, 1-million-sq.-ft. project will house up to 4,000 Duke employees and contractors and will include 25,000 sq. ft. of retail space and a seven-story parking garage. The building is being developed by Childress Klein, and construction was expected to begin in April. Duke Energy plans to occupy the building in 2022. The electric utility will retain its headquarters at the nearby, 54-story Duke Energy Center, but will use the new building to consolidate workers currently spread among three other locations.

The new building is one of several high rises planned or under construction in the vicinity, including the 26-story Ally Charlotte Center and an 18-story tower that will be anchored by Deloitte.

US$3-Million Elevator Upgrade for Downtown Memphis Tower

Jacob Sofer, the owner of the 21-story Raymond James Tower in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, said in a press release he plans to undertake a multimillion-dollar upgrade of the building’s elevator system, The Daily Memphian reported. The release came on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Raymond James that the eight elevators used by employees are “unsafe and unreliable,” demanding they be replaced or modernized. The financial-services firm, which occupies 237,000 sq. ft. on several floors of its namesake building, has a lease that extends to 2024 but an option to leave in 2021.

The source later reported the elevator work would represent “the highest level of upgrade available,” the landlord said, with a price tag of US$3 million for the upgrade’s design, manufacture and installation. The modernization package from thyssenkrupp includes its AGILE smart systems, which encompass destination controls, design and management centers, and integrated security access.

The lawsuit prompted news outlets to deduce the firm was planning to leave downtown. Indeed, The Memphian said it talked to several employees who told the newspaper they had received a memo about plans about a possible move to an East Memphis o–ce park. Sofer said he does not “believe elevator issues are the underlying reason for the possible departure.” He further stated he has been researching an elevator- modernization plan for approximately a year, that a contract will be awarded soon and that work is slated for completion by June 2020.