Good News is Worth Sharing

January 27, 2025

LOS ANGELES – Balfour Beatty announces that Emily Kay has assumed her new role and responsibilities as president of the company's Buildings operations in California. Emily succeeds former California president, Brian Cahill, in providing strategic oversight for construction operations throughout the state and sustaining market growth in sectors such as K-12 and higher education, public/civic, aviation, hospitality and special projects.

A construction industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Emily began her career in the Nebraska jobsite trenches as a concrete laborer, advancing through various positions from field engineer to associate/senior construction administrator at an architecture firm.

She joined Balfour Beatty 11 years ago and most recently served as vice president of operations in California, where she led Los Angeles-area K-12 and County project teams, while also spearheading the expansion of Balfour Beatty's special projects group in Los Angeles and Orange County.

"I am incredibly excited to take on this new role and continue working alongside our exceptional teams across California," said Emily Kay, Balfour Beatty president in California. "Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of construction and the impact we can have on communities. As we look to expand our footprint and diversify our project portfolio in California, I'm committed to building on our strong foundation while embracing innovation and sustainable growth. I'm particularly passionate about fostering collaborative partnerships with our clients, design partners, and subcontract trade partners, as well as focusing on attracting talent and creating opportunities for the next generation of industry leaders. Our success has always been rooted in our people-first culture, and I'm dedicated to strengthening this foundation while delivering excellence for our clients, partners and communities."

Emily has also been recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the top Outstanding Women in Design and Construction. She holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management with an emphasis in Business Management from the University of Nebraska.