At BrandSafway, environmental health and safety (EHS) is our foremost value. It's a basic right that we owe to our employees, customers and everyone we interact with. We strive to set a standard in our industry by continuously improving our safety performance.
Building an effective safety program is like building a sturdy structure; it begins with a stable foundation. At BrandSafway, our solid base is our EHS management processes, known as our five pillars of safety. These are the strong and stable foundation on which we’ve built our outstanding safety performance and culture, and they effectively drive our strategic safety initiatives globally.
BrandSafway's Employee Intervention System (EIS) was developed to stop accidents before they happen. A proactive, behavioral-based process, the EIS helps prevent poor decisions in the hazard recognition and control process. This system identifies potential hazards associated with the environment, projects and work practices, allowing us to anticipate and prevent accidents by coaching employees on correct behaviors. Through the EIS, employees are empowered and obligated to stop work whenever they think an unsafe condition exists. This employee-driven program allows us to stay on the cutting edge of safety through continuous improvement.
The Supervisor Observation System (SOS) uses peer-to-peer observation and review to promote proactive ownership, accountability and positive leadership development at the supervisor level.
Management Safety Reviews (MSRs) help engage management to develop and promote safety leadership in the field. An integral part of BrandSafway's EHS system, this interactive tool requires managers to complete field observations, encouraging a thorough understanding of safety processes in the field.
BrandSafway's Gold Link Audit System is an in-depth and multilevel internal evaluation of a jobsite's safety management system and processes. Through inspection, interview and documentation review, action items are assigned and delegated to responsible parties and then tracked.
The BrandSafway Learning Network (BSLN) is our state-of-the-art, web-based learning management system for compliance, regulatory, craft and career path training. Through the BSLN, all BrandSafway employees can easily access work-related training and education.
At BrandSafway, we are committed to developing a culture where environmental health and safety are core values, adopted and practiced throughout all levels of the organization. Our commitment to EHS starts at the top with our executive leadership team and cascades throughout our organization to include our entire network of companies, branches, locations and jobsites. Ownership, personal responsibility and the importance of following policies and procedures are consistently communicated across our company. Our leadership team believes ALL accidents can be prevented and ALL of our employees are responsible for EHS — not only for themselves, but also for their co-workers, customers and contractors on every one of our jobsites. With these core values as the focus of our industry-leading safety culture and our award-winning safety record, BrandSafway is more than a company with a great safety program; BrandSafway is a safe company.
19 Contractor Merit Safety Awards | American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers
BrandSafway Laurel | National Safety Merit Award | Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
AEP Cardinal Plant Jobsite Team | 200,000 Recordable-Free Hours
Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) Team | 27 Years of Recordable-Free Work
BrandSafway Denver | 1 Million Hours of Recordable-Free Work
Best in Class for Large Soft Craft Contractors | Houston Business Roundtable and Houston Area Safety Council
Chevron Phillips Contractor Safety Excellence Award
A leading provider of specialized services to the global industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets, BrandSafway delivers access and scaffolding systems, forming and shoring, industrial services and related solutions to more than 30,000 customers worldwide. BrandSafway was formed when Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services and Safway Group combined in 2017.
President and CEO
Karl Fessenden is the president and chief executive officer at BrandSafway. He joined the company in October 2020.
Fessenden has extensive leadership experience in complex service-based businesses, as well as a strong track record of driving commercial and operational excellence in both public and private companies.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, he served as president and chief operating officer of MB Aerospace. Fessenden has also served as CEO of CHC Helicopter and spent 20 years at General Electric (GE) in various roles for GE Aviation and GE Energy, including leading GE’s $8 billion Power Generation Services unit.
He graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and earned his Master of Science in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the Hartford Graduate Center.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Christian Garcia is executive vice president and chief financial officer at BrandSafway. He joined the company in October 2020.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, Garcia was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Weatherford International, an oilfield services company, and served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Visteon Corporation, a leading provider of automotive cockpit electronics. Previously, Garcia served as acting chief financial officer of Halliburton, a leading energy company, where he progressed through a variety of leadership positions including chief accounting officer, treasurer and senior vice president of investor relations.
He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of the Philippines and his master’s degree in business from Purdue University Krannert School of Management.
President, Industrial, Energy and Commercial
Dave Witsken is president of BrandSafway’s Industrial, Energy and Commercial division.
He joined BrandSafway in May 2005 as vice president of sales, marketing and business development. Before stepping into his current role, Witsken was president of Brand International, responsible for running all Brand operations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia as well as industrial operations in Canada.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, Witsken spent more than 17 years at General Electric (GE) in various engineering and management positions, including general manager of its Performance Services division, providing aftermarket upgrades and retrofits for the company’s globally installed turbines and generators. Witsken has global leadership and managerial experience in numerous P&L roles with increasing responsibility.
Witsken earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Business Administration from Westminster College.
Vice President, Environmental Health and Safety
Steve Wilson is vice president of environmental health and safety for BrandSafway. Since joining the company in April 1993, he has held increasing roles of responsibility in both the U.S. and Canada, including vice president of refining and petrochemical, president of Safway Group Canada, and regional vice president.
With more than 30 years of experience in the scaffold industry, Wilson led BrandSafway's entrance into the Canadian market in 2003, driving growth particularly in the Alberta Oil Sands Region. Previously, he also led all BrandSafway's oil, gas and petrochemical vertical market developments in Houston, Texas, before returning to Canada in 2012 as president of the Canada division of Safway Services.
President, Metro and Infrastructure
Art Eunson is president of BrandSafway’s Metro and Infrastructure division.
Before joining BrandSafway in 2018, Eunson spent nearly 25 years with General Electric (GE), holding several senior leadership positions spanning multiple business units. Most recently, Eunson was the general manager for GE’s Onshore Wind Services business, where he was responsible for new product development, operational excellence and overall growth for the global services portfolio.
Eunson was previously president of GE’s Bently Nevada product line. Under his leadership, the business expanded its portfolio to include advanced digital capabilities through both organic and inorganic means, with a strong focus on asset performance management (APM).
Eunson has also held numerous other roles in regional, engineering, project management and overall general management responsibilities across the fossil, nuclear, renewable power generation, and oil and gas industries.
He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University.
President, International
Gabriel McCabe is president of BrandSafway’s International division.
McCabe joined BrandSafway in 2015 as vice president of operating functions, overseeing various areas including safety, supply chain, fleet management and project controls. He has also previously served as a regional vice president for the company.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, McCabe spent more than 20 years at General Electric (GE) in positions of increasing responsibility in engineering and operations. His time at GE included serving as the company’s general manager of global fulfillment operations, where he led the GE global supply chain organization’s $1.2 billion aftermarket business in the industrial, energy, and oil and gas industries.
He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Ireland’s University of Limerick and earned his Master of Business Administration from Emory University.
Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer
Meg Newman is BrandSafway’s executive vice president and chief people officer.
Before joining BrandSafway in June 2019, Newman held several roles in human resources at various companies. Most recently, she served as chief human resources officer at Keurig Dr Pepper Inc., leading the $11 billion organization through a large and successful combination of two market leaders. Newman also served as chief people officer for 10 years at branch-based industrial distributor HD Supply, where she led change management efforts during its successful IPO event in 2013. Previously, Newman also spent time at Conseco and Sears in human resources leadership roles.
She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Coe College and a master’s degree in social psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer
Imran Hayat is executive vice president and chief legal officer at BrandSafway. Hayat joined the company in July 2021.
Before joining BrandSafway, Hayat most recently served as executive vice president, general counsel and chief strategy officer for CHC Helicopter Corporation. In this position, Hayat held global responsibility for many company functions. He was also an instrumental leader in attracting, developing, and retaining talent, and reinventing the company’s processes and procedures, while also maintaining the quality of operations, safety, regulatory compliance, and customer relationships. Prior to CHC, Hayat was in private practice with international and boutique law firms.
Hayat has an excellent track record as a global strategic general counsel and possesses extensive experience in building and managing large teams, overseeing various corporate functions, leading M&A and joint venture initiatives, and building strong partnerships internally and externally to implement global risk avoidance programs and drive enterprise and shareholder success.
Hayat earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, and he also holds a Bachelor of Arts in both economics and diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Vice President, Operating Functions
Brad Cortazzo is vice president of operating functions at BrandSafway. Cortazzo joined BrandSafway in October 2015 as the director of project controls, productivity and quality. He has worked in the scaffold, insulation and paint industry for more than five years.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, Cortazzo spent more than seven years at General Electric (GE) in roles of increasing responsibility across several of the company’s divisions, including Energy, Power Generation Services and Oil & Gas. Cortazzo was also a production supervisor at Corning Glass and served on active duty in the U.S. Army for five years.
Cortazzo earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia Tech. He is also a certified project management professional (PMP).
Chief Information Officer
Jay Fisher is chief information officer for BrandSafway. He joined the company in June 2006 as director of information technology.
Prior to joining BrandSafway, Fisher spent more than five years at General Electric (GE) in several information technology leadership roles, in which he primarily focused on enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployment and application support. He has also provided information technology consulting support to several industrial and manufacturing-based businesses. Previously, Fisher has also worked for MetalMaker, BWAY Corporation, Infor, and WMS Gaming.
Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree in business-operations management from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
Vice President, Corporate Development and M&A
Jim Rogers is vice president of corporate development and mergers and acquisitions at BrandSafway.
Prior to joining BrandSafway in July 2017, Rogers spent 16 years at Honeywell, first as a director of finance and later as vice president of business development/director of strategy and business development. At Honeywell, he was responsible for managing and executing on mergers and acquisitions of new companies.
Previously, he has also served in increasing leadership roles in finance, up to chief financial officer, at a variety of companies, including Healthy Pet Corp., Thomson Industries, Personna American Safety Razor Company and LSI Industries Inc.
Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wright State University and a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University. He is also a certified public accountant (CPA).
