PORTLAND, OR Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, announces the promotion of Sarah Thorson to Project Executive of the company's Special Project's Group (SPG) in Oregon, a group specializing in large and small-scale corporate facility renovations, additions and tenant improvement projects.

"We couldn't be more pleased for Sarah to take this next step," said Troy Dickson, Senior Vice President of Balfour Beatty Construction. "Her dedication, motivation and extraordinary leadership skills foster positive work environments and highly collaborative teams, both internally and externally. She is a role model for anyone in the construction industry, especially young women. We are proud to have her on our leadership team."

Thorson joined the company in 2007 as a Project Coordinator and quickly advanced within the organization, most recently serving as the first female to oversee the Oregon SPG as Senior Project Manager. In 2014, she was named one of The Daily Journal of Commerce's Women of Vision, an honor that recognizes women positively contributing to the construction industry through leadership, mentoring, community involvement, and promoting diversity.

In her new role as Project Executive, she will maintain her oversight responsibilities within the Oregon SPG and take on additional strategic company initiatives designed to foster new partnerships and growth opportunities in Oregon. She will continue to use her management skills to direct the work of multiple projects while simultaneously providing estimating and project management oversight, and leading her team to successful execution. She will also carry forward her efforts in developing and fostering long-term working relationships with clients and employees, and actively pursuing project opportunities with new and existing clients.

Thorson holds a bachelor's degree in finance and supply chain management from Arizona State University. She is a recent graduate of The Portland Business Alliance's Leadership Portland Program and a participating member of the division's Executive Roundtable, a group formed within the organization whose mission is to mentor Minority and Women Owned, and Emerging Small Businesses within the local community.