Skanska is reshaping leadership across its Western U.S. operations as part of a planned succession strategy aimed at strengthening regional performance and supporting long-term growth across major construction markets.
Skanska USA announced that Lew Guerrette has been appointed regional executive officer for its West Region, overseeing operations across Washington, Oregon and California. Guerrette steps into the role following the planned retirement of Jim Link, who is concluding a 41-year career in the construction industry after serving as regional leader since 2018.
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In his new position, Guerrette will be responsible for regional business strategy, operational oversight, succession planning and coordination among general managers across multiple offices. The appointment reflects Skanska’s continued emphasis on internal leadership development and long-term organizational continuity.
Guerrette has spent approximately three decades with Skanska and brings more than 30 years of construction industry experience. During his tenure, he has led major projects for clients including Microsoft, Boeing and the University of Washington, reinforcing his experience in large-scale commercial and institutional construction delivery.
At the same time, the company has promoted Don Kowalchuk to executive vice president and general manager of its Washington operations based in Seattle. Kowalchuk, who has been with Skanska for 35 years, previously served in senior operations leadership roles focused on field execution, workforce development, quality control and self-perform construction capabilities.
His portfolio includes work on major infrastructure and institutional projects involving Sound Transit, the Seattle Mariners and multiple K–12 education facilities. In his new role, Kowalchuk will oversee day-to-day operations in one of Skanska’s most active regional markets.
The leadership changes come as large contractors across the United States continue to prioritize succession planning amid an aging executive workforce and growing demand for infrastructure, commercial development and public-private projects. Firms are increasingly promoting long-tenured internal leaders with deep project delivery experience to ensure continuity in complex regional operations.
Industry-wide, contractors are also navigating heightened competition for talent, rising project complexity and increased expectations from owners for predictable delivery performance. As a result, leadership transitions are being structured to maintain stability across regions while supporting expansion into high-demand markets.
Skanska’s West Region remains a key driver of the company’s U.S. operations, encompassing some of the nation’s most active construction markets in transportation, commercial development and institutional building sectors.
More broadly, the move reflects how major contractors are strengthening leadership pipelines to support sustained infrastructure demand and ensure reliable execution capacity across key U.S. markets.
Originally reported by Skanska.
