We are pleased to announce that ESA has hired its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Maury Ballif. Mr. Ballif succeeds Albert Cuisinot, who has stepped down as he transitions into retirement. Mr. Cuisinot will continue to work at the firm as a senior strategic advisor through the end of the year.
With more than 25 years of experience in the AEC industry, Mr. Ballif has a proven record driving business growth, supporting team development, and delivering solid financial performance. Throughout his career, he has collaborated closely with both shared services teams and consulting-side practitioners, positioning him as a valuable addition to ESA’s Executive Management Team. Mr. Ballif’s expertise spans all core CFO functions—including financial management, risk management, facilities oversight, and mergers and acquisitions—and is complemented by outstanding communication skills and a dedication to fostering an inclusive, people-centered workplace.
“We are thrilled to welcome Maury to ESA. Continuing a strong strategic partnership with our finance team is key as we invest in building ESA’s future, particularly in our people programs, environmental science, and technology and innovation solutions, and Maury has just the right skillset,” said President and Chief Executive Officer, Leslie Moulton-Post. “I also want to thank Albert for helping guide ESA’s substantial evolution over his decade with us and for giving us ample time to execute a thoughtful succession plan and transition for this key leadership role. It’s the model for how we want to practice our leadership succession at ESA.”
Mr. Ballif comes to ESA from Degenkolb Engineers where he led the firm through an extraordinary period of growth. During his 9-year tenure with the firm, he helped to dramatically increase both net revenue and profits. Prior to his time at Degenkolb Engineers, Mr. Ballif held progressively responsible senior finance roles at URS and then AECOM for nearly two decades.
“Having previously worked with a number of ESA employee-owners at other firms over the course of my career and hearing about the benefits of being 100% employee-owned, I knew this was going to be an excellent fit for me when the opportunity presented itself,” says Mr. Ballif. “I look forward to leveraging the ESA ownership culture and mentality to help take ESA to the next level.”
Mr. Ballif holds an Executive MBA from the University of Utah and a BS in Business Administration from Brigham Young University.
