Burns & McDonnell Announces Key Leadership Promotion for Its Aviation and Federal Group

At a pivotal time for the aviation and federal industries, Burns & McDonnell has named Joel DeBoer, senior vice president, to lead the Aviation & Federal Group, upon the retirement of group president and board member David Yeamans.

DeBoer has spent his entire 30-year career at Burns & McDonnell, starting in 1991 as an electrical engineer assigned to both aviation and federal projects, then as a project manager before moving into leadership roles, where he served as a department manager, vice president of operations and finally senior vice president for the group.

"Over the years, the Aviation & Federal Group has grown significantly, developing the ability to shift to meet the changing needs of our industries,” DeBoer says. “I look forward to continuing to build out the team and our capabilities in my new role."

DeBoer will oversee all domestic and international aviation and federal projects for Burns & McDonnell. He will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the group. In addition, he will coordinate the activities of the group’s various production and support teams — as well as develop and execute corporate policies and goals — to maintain uniformity and consistency across both domestic and international operations.

“Joel has spent his entire career fostering our employee ownership culture and providing incredible service to our Aviation & Federal clients,” says Ray Kowalik, chairman and CEO of Burns & McDonnell. “He is an outstanding leader with natural ability to connect with people. I know our future is in great hands and he will continue helping our teams provide top-level client service.”

Yeamans retired in February. He joined the firm in 1991, becoming the leader of the group in 2003 and a member of the board in 2009. During his 30-year tenure at the company, Yeamans designed and/or managed more than 300 projects throughout the United States and in multiple countries.