Black & Veatch, a global leader in infrastructure solutions, has appointed Andrea Bernica as its Chief People Officer. Bernica, who previously served as the company’s lead employment and corporate counsel, and later as Chairman and CEO Mario Azar’s chief of staff, now steps into this key role.
Bringing her legal expertise and extensive experience within Black & Veatch’s leadership team, Bernica will oversee all aspects of the company’s global human resource strategy. Her responsibilities include talent management, organizational capability development, and fostering an inclusive and high-performing work environment with professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Bernica, who has been with the entirely employee-owned company since 2011, previously held roles as vice president and lead employment and corporate counsel. In her most recent position as chief of staff, she collaborated closely with Azar on strategic objectives, tracked progress on companywide initiatives, and facilitated decisions for the Black & Veatch Board of Directors.
Commenting on Bernica’s appointment, Azar emphasized the importance of continuous evolution and growth within the business. He stated, “In her new role, Andrea will remain instrumental in keeping us on our exciting trajectory of growth, opportunity, and innovation for our clients, communities, and employee-owners.”
With Black & Veatch expanding its workforce by 31 percent since January 2022 to address global megatrends such as sustainability, water supply, connectivity, and energy transition, Bernica emphasized the significance of the company’s employees. She expressed her honor in leading a diverse workforce committed to excellence, innovation, integrity, and community engagement.
“Our strategy is more than just a plan for growth; it’s a commitment to our employee-owners,” Bernica stated. “By inspiring and elevating our talent, cultivating innovation that solves our clients’ challenges and positively impacting our communities, we will continue to attract and retain top talent that shares our values and seeks to make a positive impact on the world.”
Additionally, Katie Werner, a senior vice president with a long tenure at Black & Veatch, succeeds Bernica as the new chief of staff to Azar. Werner, who joined the company in 2000, brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as vice president and lead human resources partner for the energy and process industries business sector.
