Danforth Newsroom

John W. Danforth Company, one of the largest mechanical contractors in the northeast, announced that Raymond Rudolph, a longtime leader in the engineering and construction industry, has joined the company as executive vice president.

Over the course of his 35-year career, Rudolph has successfully led a wide variety of large-scale national and international engineering, design and construction management projects, ranging from civil, environmental and infrastructure planning and development to sports facility design. He most recently served as the managing partner of Yeháhes Advisors, an infrastructure advisory firm he founded in 2015. Prior to starting his own firm, Rudolph spent 31 years with CHA Consulting, Inc., a 1,000-person international engineering and construction management firm, including serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman. During his tenure as CEO, from 2011-2015, the firm saw a 60-percent increase in revenue, while earnings grew by more than 80 percent.

“Ray’s resume and accomplishments speak for themselves, and his deep understanding of our industry and professional acumen are second to none,” said Kevin “Duke” Reilly, Danforth CEO and Chairman. “As important, Ray’s philosophy and approach to providing clients innovative, high quality and cost effective solutions match seamlessly with how our company has operated for over 130 years. We are thrilled to have Ray join the Danforth family.”

Rudolph will be based out of Danforth’s Eastern New York office near Albany and will oversee the company’s operations and projects in eastern New York, including the North Country, the Capital Region and the Hudson Valley markets. He is a registered Professional Engineer in New York and 18 other states. Rudolph attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated from Union College.

“I have worked alongside Danforth on multiple projects for nearly 20 years, and have always been impressed with their operations and results,” Rudolph said. “What has always stood out to me about Danforth, beyond the outstanding quality of their work, is the professionalism of their team and their overall company culture, which carries through from the office to the field. I am excited by the opportunity to be part of a company of Danforth’s caliber and character, and I look forward to helping the company continue its path of growth and success.”

The Capital Region has been a strategic growth market for Danforth since the company began operations in the area in 2013. To date, the company’s growth in the Capital Region has been led by Tom Shannon, vice president – Capital Region operations, and Steven DiRaimo, vice president – business development and acquisition. Both will continue to lead various segments of Danforth’s operations and acquisitions endeavors in the region. Danforth recently completed its Eastern New York headquarters near Albany, including state-of-the-art technology, manufacturing, modularization and fabrication operations for sheet metal and piping systems. The office is part of a substantial 300,000 square-foot operational footprint that Danforth has across New York.

“Our operations in eastern New York have been a catalyst for our growing expertise in servicing and supporting the hi-tech manufacturing industry,” said Robert Beck, Danforth president. “Building the new facility in the Capital Region allowed us to expand our already substantial capabilities, as demand for these specialized services continues to grow across New York and throughout the northeast. We’re confident that, through Ray’s leadership, we will continue to build upon what Tom and Steve have accomplished to date and solidify our leadership position both in the regional marketplace and industrywide.”