SAN DIEGO -- ETC Building & Design, a construction/architecture firm specializing in healthcare/biotech and seismic retrofit, announced  the expansion of its architecture and building divisions with the hiring of three more senior level staffers.

These key additions will help the company meet the increasing demands of its fast-expanding client base. The company, with several offices across California and clients throughout the Western United States, has continued to enjoy rapid growth despite the stall in construction during the recession. ETC has maintained growth with its focus on providing highly specialized architectural design and construction services for the healthcare and life science industries, enhanced with its unique expertise in seismic retrofit for hospitals and biotech facilities. The hires include:

• Julia Cousins AIA, NCARB, MPH, LEED AP, Senior Medical Architect
• Janis Cruz, Director of Project Management
• Neil Howry, General Superintendent of Northern California

Key Hire Biographies:

Julia Cousins AIA, NCARB, MPH, LEED AP, Senior Medical Architect -- A licensed architect specializing in healthcare for the past 15 years, Julia Cousins has joined ETC as a planner and project manager for medical projects. Her professional experience spans a wide range of architectural practice as well as teaching architectural graphics and design since the 1980s. She is enthusiastic about making an architectural contribution to the healthcare system.

Prior to joining ETC, Julia was responsible for a wide range of medical planning and design team project management of hospital construction projects for several major healthcare providers in the western US. California projects have ranged in size up to $200 million, including the UCSD Medical Center ED remodel, Kaiser San Diego Medical Center remodels, Eisenhower Medical Center tower expansion and remodels, Dignity Health (DH - formerly CHW) Marian Medical Center hospital expansion, and Oak Valley Medical Center replacement hospital. In Nevada and Arizona, her experience included work at the Carson Tahoe new Regional Medical Center in Carson City, Pacific Medical Buildings' doctor office/tenant improvements at DH St Rose Medical Center in Henderson, NV, build out of new Patient Care Units at DH Chandler Medical Center, Chandler, AZ, and the new DH Mercy Gilbert Medical Center campus in Gilbert, AZ.

Julia's academic achievements include a BS and Master of Architecture from Ohio State University, and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Administration from San Diego State University. She is an NCARB certificate holder, a member of the AIA, and also a LEED AP in New Construction.

Janis Cruz, Director of Project Management -- Janis Cruz has over 17 years of experience in project management, with seven focused on healthcare design and construction projects at Scripps Health in San Diego, CA and Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.

Having worked on the client (owner) side, Janis brings a deep understanding of the needs of clients to ETC. She has worked on a variety of acute care hospital projects (OSHPD) and medical office building projects including surgery suites, major radiology, infusion treatment centers, exam rooms and amenities. She brings an exemplary track record of directing teams to complete projects on time and on budget, often coming in ahead of time and under budget. Highlights include completing the Rady Children's New Acute Care Pavilion ($260 million, coming in below the original budget) and the Scripps Clinic Rancho Bernardo ($43 million), the WebMD Pavilion in Oceanside and most recently a UCSD research facility supporting maternal and pediatric studies. Janis was also responsible for ensuring compliance with OSHPD and other regulatory agencies. Janis' experience includes a decade of capital construction and facility management projects at SAIC in San Diego. Janis's educational achievements include a Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University and undergraduate studies at UCLA.

Neil Howry, General Superintendent of Northern California -- Neil Howry has worked in construction since 1994 when he started as a carpenter. His extensive resume includes excelling in the role of superintendent at Centex Construction in Santa Monica, CA and more recently lead superintendent at Clark Construction in Oakland, CA. He brings many years of experience working closely with owners, architects, engineers, inspectors and subcontractors to manage all aspects of construction projects and ensure they stay on time and on budget. Neil has specific experience in the education and healthcare industries. Larger healthcare projects managed by Neil include John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA ($335 million), Clovis Community Hospital ($195 million), Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, CA ($43 million) St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA, and Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, CA. Neil also worked on a renovation of Anaheim Stadium and a large student housing project at Cal Poly San Louis Obispo ($235 million).

Neil's certifications include STS (project management) and OSHA 30 hour. He's well versed in OSHPD. His varied experience also includes serving as a firefighter for four years in Orange County. He studied construction management at Cal Poly Pomona.

Source: ETC Building & Design