About Us - Leadership Team

The Leadership Team is responsible for the execution of all projects as well as the day-to-day operations of Commonwealth.  They are responsible for safety, client satisfaction, engineering excellence and overall company performance.  The Leadership Team is composed of industry veterans with diverse and complementary experience.  Their backgrounds bring an extensive record of success on both domestic and international projects. 

The members of the Leadership Team are:
 

Lloyd Kirchner is President and CEO of Commonwealth Engineering and Construction.  Kirchner came to Commonwealth early in the company’s development and has held various executive positions in Sales, Marketing and Operations. 

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Kirchner held similar positions at Capstone Turbine Corporation, including head of Engineering and Manufacturing. As a founding employee, Lloyd was part of the executive management team that took the venture capital backed, high tech manufacturing firm public in 2000.

Prior to his affiliation with Capstone, Kirchner worked for Amoco Corporation. He started his career in Exploration and Production as a drilling engineer in West Texas. From there, he moved downstream into Refining, running projects in both the Whiting and Texas City refineries. Later in his Amoco career, he was a member of the Worldwide Engineering & Construction Group and was assigned as EPC Manager on a world-scale grassroots polypropylene project in Geel, Belgium. Prior to leaving Amoco, Kirchner helped start Amoco Power Resources Corporation and was responsible for executing projects throughout the Americas.

Kirchner received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.  He is a past board member of the Engineering and Construction Contracting Association having served on the Executive Board for four (4) years, on the Executive Advisory Committee for five (5) years and as Board Chairman in 2004. Kirchner is also a Trustee and Chairman of the Post Oak School Board. He is a member of the Executive Board for the Baylor College of Medicine Partnership where he serves as the Co-Vice President for Fund Raising.

Lyle Hanna is Vice President – HR and Administration.  He is responsible for directing the human resources activities of the firm as well as overseeing administration and public affairs. Hanna has more than 30 years of professional experience including more than 20 years in the engineering and power industries.

As one of the original members of the Commonwealth team, Hanna helped create the company's unique identity and culture.  He continues to develop the brand through oversight of the company's personnel policies and corporate communications.  Hanna holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Psychology and a Master's degree in Public Affairs from the University of Iowa.  He is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Sandra P. Burckle is Vice President – Chief Financial Officer. She oversees all financial reporting and accounting functions, business tools and information technology.

Burckle was the guiding force behind the implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) infrastructure that has greatly enhanced Commonwealth’s project management and reporting systems.  She has more than 20 years of operational, financial/accounting and analysis experience. Burckle holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Texas A&M University and a Master's degree in Finance from the University of St. Thomas.

                                                                                                                                                                                    Joel Chatelain is Vice President of Operations.  He is responsible for all facets of Commonwealth’s project execution, overseeing engineering, project management and all ancillary functions of the Operations team.  Previously, he served as head of the company’s Process Department, directing conceptual process design, process supervision and client program process management in a diverse range of technology areas including refining, gas processing polymers and upstream oil and gas production/treating.   

Chatelain’s E&C career has spanned more than 30 years.  He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas.  He is also a registered professional engineer in Texas and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 

   
Amy Waldorf, CPP, CPPM is Director, Contracts and Procurement.  She is responsible for all procurement and expediting functions and the document control department.

Waldorf attended New Orleans University and is a Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP), Certified Professional Purchasing Manager, Certified International Purchasing Manager (CIPM) and Certified International Commercial Contracts Manager (CICCM).