Jeff Thompson, Encore Electric Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, Retires
Encore Electric announced that Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Jeff Thompson has retired after 41 years in the electrical trade.
Thompson graduated from North Dakota State College of Science with an associate degree in applied science in electrical technology. After entering the electrical industry, Jeff progressed from an apprentice to a journeyman, foreman, superintendent, project manager, operations manager, and executive vice president.
In 2003, Thompson and a close circle of colleagues founded Encore Electric with hopes to work on complex projects and contribute to the development of the Rocky Mountain Region. Throughout his career with Encore Electric and the electrical industry, Jeff has been involved in major projects throughout the western United States, including Coors Field, St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, and other major medical facilities and complex, technical projects.
While building in the Rocky Mountain West, Thompson developed a passion for people and building a team. Jeff is known and admired within Encore Electric and the construction industry for his leadership and the time he spends developing the next generation of electricians, and recently received a Legacy Achievement award from the Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountain Chapter in 2023 for these efforts.
“It has been an honor to work with Jeff and I am very happy for him as he enters this next phase of his life,” said Andy Gordon, Encore Electric president. “He has been a mentor to me and many others at Encore for the past 20 years and could always be counted on for guidance and support. The impact he has made on our industry and to Encore through his passion for development will continue to influence others for years to come.”
Norris Design Hires New Team Member in Denver
Norris Design, a national planning, landscape architecture and branding firm, has announced the promotion of Chris Shaw to senior associate in its Denver office.
Chris joined Norris Design as a graphic designer in 2021 with a passion for breathing life into the built environment. From presentation layouts to activation of brands, his work evokes emotion. Chris has a broad range of experience enriching spaces, including resorts, multifamily and master planned communities across the country. He is currently working on branding and signage initiatives for Wildroot in Missoula, Montana, Tributary in Aurora and Tribute Portfolio Peaks Hotel in Park City, Utah.
Happy Retirement Wade Gilbert
Significant upgrades to the geotechnical engineering capabilities of Kumar & Associates, Inc. (K+A) occurred with the addition of Wade Gilbert to the K+A staff in 2005. He obtained his engineering degrees from Tennessee Technological University and Arizona State University. He had 16 years of progressive engineering experience in Washington and Utah, and he obtained PE licenses in those states and Colorado. The list of projects and management experience could have gotten him a position in any geotechnical engineering company, but he landed at K+A.
When his family situation moved him to Colorado, we were very happy to have him as a senior engineer providing mentorship to the younger engineers with his knowledge and stories about interesting projects. Some of those projects included building an interstate highway on soft compressible soils in Seattle and facilities for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
In Colorado, he managed small and large projects including: Denver International Airport Concourse A & C Expansions; Erickson Wind Crest Retirement Community; North Water Treatment Facility for Denver Water; mid-rise towers in Downtown Denver and Anschutz Medical Campus/Fitzsimons; and a host of other projects. He was meticulous in his report writing and soon had a following of structural engineers seeking his opinions on difficult situations. Young engineers learned from his knowledge, and we all are better for it.
Before retiring earlier this year, Wade progressed to Manager of Engineering and Principal. Even though he announced his retirement, we continue to see him in his office often plodding on the keyboard. Wade will keep working with developers and clients who want his input and expertise on important matters. It is his nature to make sure they get the best information for the success of their projects but will be introducing the young professionals at K+A to those clients to foster his business relationships. Who would have thought working with soils and rocks could be that interesting? He does and makes it so for others working with him. Working with him is like being a part of Wade’s World of geotechnical engineering, and we just live in it.
We wish him well in his retirement and his upcoming new life. He is retired, but not gone, and will always be a part of the K+A family.
