ALBANY, N.Y. , Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CHA announced today it has named Doug Nelson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Doug brings more than 25 years of strategic financial experience and a proven track record of successfully executing operational process improvements, driving transformational growth, and providing overall financial leadership across various publicly traded and private equity-backed companies. He will be based in CHA’s Boston office.
As CFO, Doug will drive the firm’s financial performance and serve as a key contributor to CHA’s strategic planning and growth initiatives, including M&A, while overseeing corporate accounting, financial reporting, planning and analysis, treasury, and tax functions, as well as operational sector finance teams. Doug will be a member of the executive leadership team reporting to CEO Jim Stephenson.
Before joining CHA, Doug served as Chief Financial Officer at Eliassen Group, a leading private equity-backed strategic consulting firm that provides technology, clinical, and business consulting and talent solutions for clients across North America and around the globe. At Eliassen, Doug led several strategic growth initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, customer pricing, and real estate rationalization. Prior to Eliassen Group, Doug held progressive leadership positions with Agero, CVS and Staples, where he graduated from the prestigious Lean Six Sigma Black Belt program.
“We are excited to welcome Doug to CHA as our new CFO,” said Jim Stephenson, CEO. “Doug’s demonstrated leadership in diverse industries, combined with his expertise in financial stewardship in rapidly scaling companies, brings a unique skill set and perspective to the CHA leadership team. We look forward to the impact that Doug will have as we continue the next evolution of CHA’s growth with H.I.G. Capital.”
“I’m thrilled to join CHA at such an exciting time in the company’s journey,” said Doug Nelson. “The company’s commitment to strategic growth, operational excellence, and financial strength, as well as their commitment to technical excellence, high-quality outcomes for clients, and a positive employee culture is truly inspiring. I look forward to collaborating with the talented team at CHA and contributing to the company’s continued dynamic growth.”
Doug holds an M.B.A. in finance from Babson College and a B.A. in law from the University of Massachusetts. Doug will succeed Dom Bernardo, who will retire in early January after more than 15 years of service as CFO of the firm.
About CHA
CHA is an innovative, full-service engineering, design, consulting, and program/construction management firm providing a wide range of technology-enhanced services to public, private, and institutional clients. We are focused on delivering sustainable, integrated solutions to the world’s most challenging infrastructure projects across utilities, transportation, water, and other critical commercial and industrial end-markets. CHA was ranked the 65th largest engineering firm in the U.S. in 2024 by ENR, with over 2,000 employees and 45+ offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. CHA is a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management. Please visit www.chasolutions.com.
About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogotá, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $53 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at hig.com.
