As part of the firm’s succession plan, Woolpert said Cattran will take on a new role as executive chairman, continuing to lead the board.
“I am honored to take on this role and am humbled by the responsibility to carry forward our legacy of over 100 years of supporting critical programs for our clients. I’m also committed to strengthening our culture and ensuring we create a great place to work for all our global employees,” Churman said in a statement.
Woolpert said Churman’s background is in “driving strategic growth and operational excellence in the architecture, engineering, geospatial, and technology services industries.”
Cattran recruited Churman in 2022 and brought him on as the company’s first chief corporate development officer. Churman has directed five acquisitions, adding more than 800 employees and expanding the company’s presence across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, Woolpert said.
Privately held Woolpert said 2024 saw “the strongest financial performance of its 114-year history.”
When Cattran was named CEO in 2016, the company had just over 600 U.S. staff members, annual revenue of $97 million, and was ranked 135th on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms, Woolpert said.
Today, Woolpert has more than 2,700 employees across five continents, annual revenue of more than $650 million, and is ranked 47th by ENR.
Prior to Woolpert, Churman held roles at TRC Companies, 7 Mile Advisors, Morrissey Goodale, and Michael Baker International.
Headquartered near the Beavercreek-Kettering municipal border, Woolpert is an AEG and strategic consulting firm with more than 2,700 employees total, about 200 of them in the Dayton area.
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