Current and former industry chiefs are eyeing the finish line as first-time Republican congressional candidates in two states seeking to unseat Democratic incumbents.

David Richter, a civil engineer, attorney and former CEO of project management and claims consultant Hill International aims to flip New Jersey's third district won by Democrat Andy Kim in 2018. He promises to lead passage of a comprehensive US infrastructure funding bill, and new incentives for entrepreneurship and assistance to small and family-owned businesses. Richter also said he would lift  state and local tax deduction caps on federal taxes that were imposed as part of President Donald Trump's 2017 tax reform law, but which have impacted residents of higher taxed states hard. He is a Trump supporter, however. The non-partisan Cook Political Report recently said the race is close but "leaned toward a Democratic victory."

Neil C. Parrott, a transportation engineer and CEO-founder of consultant Traffic Solutions Inc. in Hagerstown, Md., is vieing to unseat Denocrat David Trone in western Maryland’s eighth district. He is a former state Highway Administration manager and former deputy public works director in Frederick, Md. A ten-year Statehouse delegate, he joined an unsuccessful lawsuit earlier this year against Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, alleging that his stay-at-home order during the coronavirus was unconstitutional. One media report in Maryland said Parrott faces "an uphill battle" to defeat Trone.

Global oil-and-gas giant Royal Dutch Shell, now transitioning business to low-carbon energy projects, has hired Thomas Brostrom, North America CEO of Danish offshore wind-power developer Orsted, as senior vice president of global renewable solutions. He has been  leading U.S. offshore wind-energy growth for Orsted, a major wind project developer in Europe and Asia. Shell said Brostrom will join at an undisclosed date in 2021. Shell also said last month it would cut up to 9,000 hlobal positions, about 10% of its workforce, as part of a business refocus. Orsted named North America President and COO David Hardy to be unit CEO. He is based in Boston.

Syosset, N.Y., CM firm LiRo has elevated Joseph Massa to executive vice president and to a newly created company role as chief operations officer. A 16-year firm veteran, he had been chief administrative officer and senior vice president.

Francis Sirard has joined J.S. Held LLC a Jericho, N.Y., consultant as senior managing director-construction advisory, following its acquisition announced Sept. 25  of  Examine Construction Consultants Inc., a Canadian project management and cost consultant, of which he was president. The deal expands J.S. Held’s global construction advisory practice to 1,000 staff in 95 offices in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, the firm says.