Jason Thorne and Roger Weber join Stantec's 'urban places' practice leadership
Jason Thorne and Roger Weber have joined Stantec’s urban planning and design practice – “urban places” – as sector leaders for Canada and the US, respectively.
The interdisciplinary practice – which brings together experts in urban planning, design, sustainability, development, and real estate advisory – works with cities and suburbs to drive enhanced livability, equity, and resilience.
The new hires arrive as Nancy MacDonald, the longtime head of the practice, has transitioned to a new role as regional business leader for infrastructure in the UK and Ireland.
“From rural towns to major metros, urbanizing communities of all scales are seeking to grow sustainably, resiliently, and with affordability in mind,” said Simon O’Byrne, senior vice president. “We are thrilled to have Jason and Roger join our Urban Places practice; their global experiences and new ideas align with how Urban Places supports changing and growing communities across North America.”
Based in Toronto, Thorne brings over two decades of planning and community development experience. He spent the last decade as GM for planning and economic development at the City of Hamilton. Before that, he worked on global initiatives in the public and private sectors as a planning consultant.
“I’ve always believed that the key to great city-building and exceptional urbanism is to bring together the very best thinking and expertise in planning, urban design, engineering, mobility, and sustainability,” said Thorne. “Stantec’s Urban Places team has achieved that in communities around the world, and I am very excited to be joining the team to help create great urban places in Canadian cities.”
Based in Washington, DC, Weber joins Stantec from the US Department of State, where he served as senior master planning and real estate consultant for America's international diplomatic footprint. He previously founded the Washington, DC design practice at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
“The way Stantec’s Urban Places team integrates resources to translate visionary designs into innovative real-world transformations for clients is so impressive and clearly unparalleled in our industry,” Weber said. “I am so excited to be joining such a talented group of professionals across such diverse fields.”
The urban places practice recently advised the City of Saskatoon on a new master plan for its downtown event and entertainment district.
Stantec is headquartered in Edmonton and provides design and engineering services globally. The firm has 28,000 employees on six continents.
