Evan McKee has been hired as the new chief operating officer of Boston-based Suffolk’s Dallas-Fort Worth team.

Suffolk is one of the largest construction contracting companies in the U.S., with locations in cities across the country.

“We’re excited to welcome Evan to our leadership team in Dallas as we increase the breadth and volume of our commercial, higher education, institutional and healthcare projects in the region,” Brad Brown, president of Suffolk Texas, said in a statement. “Evan brings a unique perspective to the Suffolk team at a pivotal time for construction in the DFW metroplex. As business continues to expand in this area, so too do the needs of healthcare and higher education institutions. Evan will be an integral part in expanding Suffolk’s footprint across the area.”

Suffolk said it’s currently managing the renovations at the UT Dallas Research Operations Center, which includes interior renovation of existing labs and classroom spaces into one battery research lab, as well as the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Terminal C Renovation project

Expertise in healthcare and higher ed markets

The company said McKee will draw on his proven track record to focus on expanding Suffolk’s portfolio across commercial, higher education, institutional and healthcare projects. It said his background aligns with Suffolk’s innovative approach and will help continue to strengthen the company’s strategic growth plan in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

McKee comes to Suffolk with extensive project experience and client relationships in the healthcare and higher education markets, as well as the life sciences, adaptive reuse, occupied renovation, and general commercial sectors. 

McKee has more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry and joins Suffolk from The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.

As vice president there, McKee was responsible for group operations primarily focused in healthcare and higher education and served as the Regional Healthcare Market Coordinator. 

Throughout his career, he has managed and overseen projects including University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Radiation Oncology Campus, the Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building, a first of kind collaboration of two University of Texas System institutions in UT Southwestern and UT Dallas, and the Energy Square Repositioning project, which included the façade restoration of the historic Meadows Building in Dallas.

“I am energized to join Suffolk’s Dallas office and help lead Suffolk’s operations in this growing market,” McKee said. “Suffolk’s innovation and operational excellence makes it an attractive partner across sectors and aligns perfectly with the transformative attitude we see throughout North Texas. I look forward to building on the strong foundation already established here and helping Suffolk shape the future of Dallas-Fort Worth.”

Leveraging cutting-edge tech

On Suffolk’s recent projects at DFW’s Electric Central Utility Plant and the Mesquite Government Center, the company deployed more ongoing technology pilot programs than any other project it’s leading nationwide. 

That included drones, robotics such as “Spot” the robot dog, laser scanning, IoT sensors and AI tools, which saved upwards of $950,000 and 20 hours of work per week. Suffolk said its strategy of leveraging cutting-edge technology is helping transform the construction process for clients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and across all markets.

Suffolk is a national company with more than $6 billion in annual revenue, 2,800 employees, and offices in Boston, New York City, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa and Estero in Florida; Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in California; Portland, Maine; and Herndon, Virginia.