UES Executive and Leadership Team

June, 2026

Leadership Overview

UES has 7 executives leading key functions including strategy, operations, finance, and regional management.

Driven by innovation, UES delivers technology-driven solutions for sustainable infrastructure, supporting projects across diverse sectors and combining earth sciences with engineering to foster resilient development.

Leadership Roles at UES

  • Chief Executive Officer - Sy Israel
  • Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions - Kevin Ertel
  • Chief Financial Officer, Southeast - Clint Johnson
  • Chief Operating Officer - Travis Merrick
  • President - Isidro Fernandez-Aballi
  • President & Senior Environmental Engineer - Thomas Lao
  • President Texas Region - Brian Powell
  • Sy Israel - Chief Executive Officer

    Sy Israel, the Chief Executive Officer at UES, directs the company's overarching strategy and vision. Israel guides UES in providing personalized environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical services. Overseeing the integration of technology-driven solutions, the Chief Executive Officer ensures UES supports sustainable infrastructure projects from development through redevelopment. This leadership role involves fostering innovation in earth sciences and engineering to help clients design, build, and maintain resilient infrastructure. By aligning departmental objectives with corporate goals, Sy Israel drives the company's market impact across transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. The Chief Executive Officer's focus remains on enhancing UES's position as a leader in engineering and consulting services.
    Sy Israel

    Kevin Ertel - Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions

    Kevin Ertel, the Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions at UES, manages financial operations and strategic fiscal planning for these key geographic areas. Ertel oversees budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, ensuring fiscal health and supporting growth initiatives. The Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions directs financial strategies that align with UES's mission of providing technology-driven solutions for sustainable infrastructure. This leadership position involves optimizing financial performance across transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial projects within the specified regions. By ensuring robust financial controls, Kevin Ertel supports the company's ability to deliver expert environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical services. The Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions's focus is on driving profitability and financial stability.

    Clint Johnson - Chief Financial Officer, Southeast

    Clint Johnson, the Chief Financial Officer, Southeast at UES, directs financial strategy and oversight for the Southeast region. Johnson manages all financial aspects, including accounting, financial analysis, and capital allocation to support UES's service delivery. The Chief Financial Officer, Southeast ensures that financial operations align with the company's commitment to technology-driven solutions for sustainable infrastructure. This role is critical in supporting projects across transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors within the region. By implementing sound financial management, Clint Johnson enables the effective provision of environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical services. The Chief Financial Officer, Southeast's objective is to maximize financial efficiency and contribute to the company's overall growth and resilience.

    Travis Merrick - Chief Operating Officer

    Travis Merrick, the Chief Operating Officer at UES, manages the day-to-day operational execution of the company's services. Merrick oversees the delivery of environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical services, ensuring efficiency and quality across all projects. The Chief Operating Officer drives the implementation of technology-driven solutions that support sustainable infrastructure development. This role involves optimizing processes for projects spanning transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. By coordinating departmental efforts, Travis Merrick ensures seamless integration of earth sciences expertise with engineering practices. The Chief Operating Officer's responsibilities include enhancing client support and operational scalability, directly contributing to the company's mission of building resilient and efficient infrastructure.

    Isidro Fernandez-Aballi - President

    Isidro Fernandez-Aballi, the President at UES, leads strategic initiatives and operational oversight for key business segments. Fernandez-Aballi drives the company's mission to provide comprehensive engineering and consulting services, including environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical solutions. The President ensures the effective deployment of technology-driven approaches to support sustainable infrastructure projects. This leadership role involves fostering collaboration across departments to deliver resilient and efficient outcomes for clients in transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. By championing innovation in earth sciences and engineering, Isidro Fernandez-Aballi enhances UES's market presence and client satisfaction. The President's focus is on expanding service offerings and strengthening the company's reputation for excellence.

    Thomas Lao - President & Senior Environmental Engineer

    Thomas Lao, the President & Senior Environmental Engineer at UES, directs strategic growth and technical excellence in environmental services. Lao leads the company's commitment to delivering technology-driven solutions for sustainable infrastructure, leveraging deep expertise in earth sciences and engineering. The President & Senior Environmental Engineer oversees the execution of environmental projects, ensuring compliance and optimal outcomes for clients. This role involves guiding teams on complex challenges within transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. By integrating innovative engineering practices with environmental science, Thomas Lao enhances the resilience and efficiency of infrastructure development. The President & Senior Environmental Engineer's dedication to client success drives UES's mission forward.
    Thomas Lao

    Brian Powell - President Texas Region

    Brian Powell, the President Texas Region at UES, spearheads the company's operations and strategic development within the Texas market. Powell directs the delivery of specialized environmental, testing, inspection, and geophysical services tailored to regional needs. The President Texas Region ensures that UES's technology-driven solutions effectively support sustainable infrastructure projects across the state. This leadership role involves fostering strong client relationships and driving business growth in sectors such as transportation, water, power, healthcare, education, and industrial development. By aligning regional operations with the company's core engineering and earth science expertise, Brian Powell enhances UES's impact. The President Texas Region's focus is on achieving operational excellence and expanding market share.

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    Frequently Asked Questions Regarding UES Top Executives and Leadership Team

    Who leads UES?
    UES is led by Sy Israel (Chief Executive Officer), along with executives such as Kevin Ertel (Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions) and Clint Johnson (Chief Financial Officer, Southeast).
    Who is part of UES’s executive team?
    The executive team of UES includes leaders such as Sy Israel (Chief Executive Officer), Kevin Ertel (Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions), Clint Johnson (Chief Financial Officer, Southeast) and other senior executives.
    How many executives does UES have?
    UES has 7 executives leading key business areas.
    What roles are included in UES’s leadership team?
    The leadership team of UES includes roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Texas & Midwest Regions, Chief Financial Officer, Southeast, Chief Operating Officer, President.