Leadership Team

Karl Watson

CEO, Baker Construction Enterprises

Karl has dedicated his career to the construction materials industry and served on the Baker Construction Enterprises Board of Directors for two years prior to being named CEO in June 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from Palm Beach Atlantic University and an MBA from Rice Business – Jones Graduate School of Business.

During the past 35 years, Karl has served in senior executive roles for some of the biggest names in the construction materials industry, including Forterra, Inc.; Summit Materials, Inc.; Martin Marietta, Inc.; CEMEX; S.A.B. de C.V.; and Rinker Group Ltd. He is currently the Chairman of the Concrete Industry Management National Steering Committee and has also served previously as the chairman of the National Ready Mix Concrete Association and the Florida Concrete and Products Association, and past vice chairman of the Portland Cement Association. He has also served on the executive committees of the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association; Cement, Concrete & Aggregates Australia; and the American Concrete Pipe Association.

Karl now lives in Houston, TX. He and his wife, Michele, have five adult children and one grandchild.

Jason Uthe

CFO, Baker Construction Enterprises

As Chief Financial Officer, Jason Uthe is responsible for overseeing Baker Construction’s financial operations, ensuring the company’s fiscal health and supporting its strategic growth. His leadership covers critical areas including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and long-term financial planning. With over two decades of experience driving operational excellence at major organizations like Dover Corporation and Procter & Gamble, Jason’s strategic insights and focus on building strong financial frameworks align with Baker’s mission of improving lives through better construction.

Jason holds an MS in accounting from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from Xavier University, along with a BA in marketing and international business from the University of Cincinnati. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Throughout his career, Jason has consistently worked with executive leadership to drive growth and financial stability, making him a valuable addition to Baker’s leadership team.

Originally from Cincinnati, Jason is now based in Houston, TX. Outside of work, Jason enjoys staying active, whether it’s exploring the outdoors or spending time with his family.

Paul Amedee, CSP

Vice President of Safety, Health, and Environmental

Paul Amedee ensures every Baker co-worker has the tools and resources to be safe and successful. As Corporate Safety Director, he reinforces Baker’s safety culture, where everyone has a voice and shares responsibility for worksite safety. Paul is also responsible for Baker’s safety management system, which allows Baker to apply enterprise-level data to safety and scale the company’s safety practices as it grows.

Originally a researcher, Paul entered the safety field through training and compliance roles in the petrochemical industry, which complemented his background in education, chemistry, and biology. He believes safety is a people and culture job—and was drawn to Baker because of its people-focused culture. He joined Baker in 2023.

Previously, Paul was Director of Safety for TC Energy. He also served as Global VP of Environmental Health and Safety at BrandSafway.

Paul earned a bachelor’s degree from Nicholls State University in Louisiana, where he was born, raised, and lives today. He enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors and is an avid bow hunter and bass fisherman.

David Boulter

President, Eastern U.S. Industrial Region

David Boulter oversees Baker’s Eastern U.S. Industrial Region, which includes industrial distribution and warehousing, manufacturing, power and processing, technology centers, water and wastewater treatment, and similar project types.

David joined Baker in 2015 as Executive Vice President of Baker Construction Enterprises. In this role, he was responsible for operationalizing BCE’s strategy and overseeing the development of several companies in the BCE portfolio. Prior to joining Baker, David held COO and CEO roles for a number of global companies, including three years at Kaplan, Inc., an international education company; and eight years at Capgemini, a French management consulting company based in the UK and USA. He also spent 19 years with BP (British Petroleum) Plc in the exploration and production businesses, living in Colombia, Azerbaijan, and the UK.

David holds academic degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration and has served on numerous charity boards, including the Prince’s Trust in London.

Ken Fender

President, Eastern U.S. Commercial Region

Kenneth (Ken) Fender leads Baker’s Eastern U.S. Commercial Region, which includes projects as diverse as turnkey, high-rise frame projects; intricate design-build projects; and rehabilitation projects. Ken is vigilant in producing high-quality projects on time in a safe environment for crews, clients, and project partners. Ken also heads up Baker’s design assist efforts with valued clients and is heavily involved in various preconstruction and constructability processes.

Born and raised in southwest Ohio, Ken interned with Baker during his senior year at Bowling Green State University. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in architecture from BGSU, Ken accepted a full-time position with Baker in January 1990. He worked his way through the Baker organization, eventually relocating from the Midwest to Washington, D.C., in 2009.

Ken has served on several local construction trade industry organizations’ boards, including Associated General Contractors (AGC) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI). He lives in D.C. with his wife and two children.

Norm Holden

Senior Vice President, Great West Region

Based in Colorado, Norm Holden is responsible for operational oversight of Baker’s Great West Region and DL Baker’s business endeavors in Northern British Columbia. An authentic and passionate executive leader, Norm leverages common sense, confidence, and earned grit, which has aided in the success of several high-performing operational teams.

Born and raised in rural New Hampshire with the personal values of a no-nonsense New Englander, Norm got his start in the concrete construction industry in 1985. He cut his teeth in the residential and light-commercial concrete market before joining Baker Concrete in 1992. Norm earned his Executive MBA in 2017 from the University of Denver — Daniels College Business and has a degree in Architectural Engineering from New Hampshire Technical Institute.

Norm serves on several local construction trade industry organizations’ boards, including Associated General Contractors of Colorado and the Construction Education Foundation. Norm lives near Denver with his wife, Jean, and together they have three grown children.

Kerri Smith Petrillo

Chief Talent and Strategy Officer, Baker Construction Enterprises

As Chief People and Strategy Officer, Kerri Smith Petrillo is responsible for ensuring the right tools and strategies are in place for building teams that have the skills and knowledge to safely deliver complex projects. Her areas of responsibility include recruitment, people development and training, and related human resources functions. Her passion for and providing co-workers with the means to flourish and achieve their dreams guides her and her team.

Kerri graduated from Walsh University with a bachelor’s degree in biology. As a member of Walsh’s basketball team, she spent countless hours honing not only her athletic skills but also reinforcing the values she learned growing up on a farm in Russellville, Ohio: resilience, authenticity, humbleness, and gratefulness. After a brief foray in sales, Kerri found herself gravitating to an industry and company that shared those same values and joined Baker in 2004.

Kerri lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband and two sons and enjoys anything outdoors.