Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon has hired Chris Spann to be its director of aviation. Spann comes to the downtown-headquartered firm from the local office of national engineering firm PBS&J, where he helped run the national aviation group.

Spann's career has included working on commercial, military and general aviation airports in the United States and in Egypt and Taiwan. Most recently, he worked on design and rehabilitation projects in Tulsa, Atlanta, Chicago, and St. George, Utah. At the last of those, he was the engineer of record overseeing the design of the $160 million airport.

“Our firm has provided aviation services for many years, and the demand for our services is increasing. Chris has the experience and knowledge to direct the expansion of our national aviation program,” said Bob Higgins, president and CEO of BWSC.

Spann is the third division leader named at Barge Waggoner in recent months. The employee-owne firm also has this year brought on leaders for its transportation and industrial design groups.