GZA Appoints Richard Allen as Outside Board Advisor

NORWOOD, Mass., February 7, 2019 -- GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. (GZA), a leading multi-disciplinary firm providing geotechnical, environmental, ecological, water, and construction management services, announced today that it recently selected Richard Allen, formerly Chief Operating Officer of Stantec, Inc., as an Outside Advisor to GZA’s Board.

The purpose of GZA’s Outside Advisor is to expand the Board dialogue by having an experienced industry professional who can provide an independent perspective on setting strategy and decision making, and whose experience can help achieve GZA’s vision and goals. The position was first established in 2016.

“I am pleased to be able to contribute my time and experience to helping GZA’s Board of Directors.  I’ve known GZA for a long time, and it is a company that is committed to serving its clients, the communities in which it works, and the professions of its employees, and I could not be prouder to help them in this way,” said Allen.

“Rich’s extensive engineering, consulting and legal experience and impressive track record with Stantec, and before that with Dufresne-Henry and Gadsby Hannah, were key factors in us selecting him as the Board’s newest Outside Advisor,” said Bill Hadge, CEO of GZA. “GZA looks forward to his input and guidance as we transition to a new leadership team in 2019.”

As Stantec’s COO from 2010 to 2016, he was responsible for leading the company’s global operations and business units. Prior to assuming that role, he was the regional operating unit leader for Stantec's US East Coast operations as well as a member of the Company's executive leadership team. Prior to Stantec, he served as President and CEO of Dufresne-Henry, Inc., a New England and Florida based consulting engineering firm, before it was acquired by Stantec in 2006.  Earlier in his consulting career, Allen gained experience in water resources design and construction administration on projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and New England.

Prior to Dufresne-Henry, Allen served for 17 years as an attorney at the Boston law firm of Gadsby Hannah, LLP, becoming a partner and later chairman of the design and construction law practice. He has extensive experience in dispute resolution, arbitration and litigation, as well as transaction matters. Allen is a construction dispute arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

A registered professional engineer in numerous U.S. states, Mr. Allen earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute; a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in Seattle; and his Juris Doctor from the University of New Hampshire.