Charlie Foushee to succeed as Executive Vice President for Commercial Development Operations in Seattle
Skanska has named Murphy McCullough as president and CEO for Skanska USA Commercial Development, overseeing its commercial and multi-family development operations in the United States.
Murphy assumes his new role August 1, 2022 and will join the Global Skanska Commercial Development Management Team and Skanska USA senior leadership team. He will report to Skanska AB Executive Vice President Claes Larsson, who oversees Skanska’s Commercial Development operations globally. Murphy will continue to be based out of Seattle.
“Murphy has been instrumental in developing our business in Seattle and Bellevue. Under his strong leadership, Skanska has successfully delivered several projects including 2+U, Skanska’s single largest commercial development investment ever. I really look forward to working closer together with Murphy to continue to grow our commercial development business in the U.S.,” said Larsson.
“Since joining Skanska, I have had the pleasure of working with remarkable colleagues that are committed to developing sustainable buildings that our customers and communities most desire,” said McCullough. “I am grateful to accept the position as business unit president and I look forward to building on our team’s past momentum and expertise to continue to create world-class spaces throughout the U.S.”
Murphy has 30 years of experience in commercial development and construction, most recently serving as Executive Vice President for Skanska USA Commercial Development in Seattle, a role he has held since 2016. Murphy, who joined Skanska in 2011, was integral in opening the company’s Seattle commercial development operations.
In Seattle, Murphy was responsible for delivering Skanska’s first development projects in the region, including Stone34, the Brooks Sports headquarters in Fremont and Seattle’s first living building pilot program participant; Alley111 apartments in downtown Bellevue, Skanska’s first multi-family development in the U.S.; and 400 Fairview, Tommy Bahama’s headquarters which includes the Market Hall in South Lake Union.
Recently, Murphy has led the development of The Eight, a new 25-story 540,000 SF Class-A office tower in downtown Bellevue, which, when completed, will be Skanska’s largest single investment globally to date. Prior to The Eight, he and the Seattle team led the 2+U project in downtown Seattle, which includes a retail Urban Village and outdoor community space that sits below 2+U’s dramatic 85-foot lift and 38 stories of office space.
Prior to joining Skanska, Murphy worked on some of Seattle’s largest scale developments, including Fourth & Madison, a 40-story Class A+ office high-rise and Harbor Steps, a mixed-use residential and hotel development adjacent to 2+U. Murphy holds an executive program in Commercial Real Estate and B.S. in Construction Management; both from the University of Washington.
Murphy is currently an active member of Seattle’s Downtown Seattle Association, ULI (Urban Land Institute), and is an advisory board member for the Runstad Department of Real Estate at the University of Washington. He was previously appointed by the Seattle City Council and served as Chair of the City of Seattle’s Downtown Design Review Board for four years. Murphy was the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Real Estate Executive of the Year in 2019 and in the Journal’s Power 100 in 2020.
Foushee to Succeed McCullough in Seattle
Skanska USA Commercial Development Vice President Charlie Foushee will succeed McCullough, moving into the role of executive vice president and regional manager for commercial development operations in Seattle. Foushee joined Skanska in 2016 and has 15 years of experience in Seattle including acquisitions, development, leasing and construction management of mixed-use, commercial, industrial and residential projects. He received a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and excited for our team to continue to pursue and execute high-quality, customer-focused, and community-centered projects such as 2+U, The Eight and The Kaye,” said Foushee.
In the U.S., Skanska's Commercial Development group invests in and develops customer-focused, highly sustainable office and multi-family properties in Boston, MA, Washington, D.C., Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, and Houston, TX. Skanska has invested a total of $3 billion in commercial and multi-family projects through its U.S. development arm. Skanska's innovative approach to development includes self-financing the majority of its real estate developments while also serving as the construction manager.