TORRANCE, CA–Partner Engineering & Science, a California based engineering and environmental consulting and design firm, has acquired MacLean Assessment & Consulting, Inc. (MAC), a real estate and construction consulting practice, which expands Partner's construction risk management practice on the West Coast.

As part of the agreement, Sandy MacLean, a real estate development and construction expert with 28 years of industry experience, joins Partner and fills the newly created position of West Coast technical director of construction services and will be based in the firm's Corona, CA office.
With the addition of MacLean, the construction risk management practice – the fastest growing segment of the company – is poised to serve the anticipated growth of the construction industry in the coming years.
“As the economy improves, construction and construction lending continues to increase,” said Joseph Derhake, PE, president of Partner. “Today, those involved in construction projects have a better understanding of the importance of managing potential risks. It's not the fast and loose approach to these projects that we saw in the past – there were some harsh lessons learned during the recession and now developers and lenders are taking a much more proactive risk management approach.”

For 11 years, MacLean provided real estate and construction administration to developers, lenders, architects, due diligence providers, private investors and property management companies. This included pre-construction services, property condition assessments and owner representation for clients such as Orix USA Corporation, Sun Community Federal Credit Union and KOAR Development, among others.
“Sandy is a known heavyweight and brings to the table instant credibility in this market,” said Derhake. “He is exactly the executive we need to take our construction risk management practice to the next level.”
Prior to forming his own consulting practice, MacLean served as vice president for iStar Financial, one of the largest national commercial construction lenders, where he was responsible for managing the loan disbursement group in Southern California. MacLean also previously led the construction risk management group at LandAmerica Assessment Corporation, a leading international due diligence provider, which Partner acquired in 2009. Having additionally served as a general contractor and a project manager for several construction companies earlier in his career, MacLean brings a wealth of expertise in the construction process and the risks involved at various stages of development.
“I've teamed with Partner on a number of projects for the past five years, thus it is a natural fit for me to join the firm in this capacity,” said MacLean. “Given the recovering economy, this practice group will no doubt expand further, and I'm thrilled to be part of that growth.”