HPM on Tuesday announced that it has appointed Ryan Austin to serve as the firm’s new president, ushering in a new era of leadership for the firm which consistently ranks among the industry’s global giants.

The newly-announced appointment becomes effective October 1, 2021. Austin currently serves as HPM’s chief operations officer and executive vice president. His promotion comes on the heels of the planned retirement of current president Mike Lanier.

Austin sang the praises of Lanier and offered his appreciation to HPM for placing confidence in him to serve as the firm’s leader.

“It’s truly an honor to be appointed president of HPM and build upon Mike’s leadership, who has led the firm through many stages of growth,” said Austin. “Mike leaves an outstanding legacy at HPM and an indelible mark on my professional career. Mike has always lived out HPM’s core values and a passion for serving our clients.”

Having served HPM for over 17 years in positions ranging from vice president of finance to chief financial officer and, most recently, chief operations officer, Austin possesses more than 20 years of experience in the construction and accounting industries. He holds an undergraduate degree and master’s degree from Auburn University.

Lanier hailed the appointment of his soon-to-be successor and stated that Austin is well-positioned to lead the firm and continue its trajectory of sustained growth.

“Over the past nine years as president of HPM, I have worked to establish a strong foundation for growth and continued success on behalf of our clients,” said Lanier. “I have worked closely with Ryan, and I’m at ease in knowing I’m passing the baton to a leader with unwavering commitment to our people, our clients and our core values. In its next evolution, I’m confident HPM will thrive under Ryan’s leadership, as the firm continues to innovate and expand its offerings to better serve clients.”

Rob Burton, CEO of Hoar Holdings and co-founder of HPM with Lanier, sang the praises of both the firm’s current and future presidents.

“I’m grateful for Mike’s service and commitment over the years,” said Burton. “I now look forward to Ryan continuing to improve and build on that foundation.”

Lanier began his career at HPM in 1994 and became president in 2012. The firm says that during his time as president, Lanier helped establish and strengthen HPM’s commitment to servant leadership and adding value to our clients and the communities we work in. The company further noted that under Lanier’s leadership, HPM has emerged as a leader in program management on a national scale, and he will serve as an advisor and consultant until the end of the year to HPM and some of its clients.

As one of the industry’s leading program managers and owner’s representative companies, HPM ranked 22nd on Engineering News Record’s list of top program management firms in 2020.

Recently, HPM announced its role as program manager for several upcoming projects including an expansion of the Buffalo Rock headquarters, renovation and expansion of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, and the 2022 World Games in Birmingham.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL