Leadership Promotions

Our industry is ever-changing and we, too, must evolve to align ourselves with the clients of the future. Over the past few months, we have been working to define our vision for future success and build a plan to make it reality. We will share the vision and plan with you at the Town Hall on February 9th.

To improve our ability to execute the plan and drive profitable growth, we are promoting Ray Cisco to Chief Operating Officer and Kate Ivanova to Executive Vice President.

Join us in congratulating Ray Cisco on his promotion to Chief Operating Officer of McHugh's general contracting operations. As COO Ray will oversee day-to-day operations of all departments while focusing on driving the quality and profitability of the company. He will partner with the executive leadership team to evaluate and evolve our current strategies to ensure ongoing success: growth within our company, acquiring new clients, and expansion into new sectors. Ray will also work with the operations team to propel continued innovation.



Starting with McHugh in 2009, Ray began his career in Chicago’s Kinzie Park where he had a role in building three of the neighborhood’s high rises, along with the community park and a bridge connecting one of the buildings directly to the neighboring Jewel-Osco. During his time leading the K2 project here, Ray developed a trusted relationship with Fifield Co. that eventually led to McHugh completing a total of seven projects with the developer. His ability to create repeat clients has been essential to the company and has also provided us the opportunity to expand our mid-rise work into the suburban market. 

Ray’s success in driving profitability and dedication to our company and clients has helped position us for success by solidifying our reputation among developers and providing better visibility in the Chicago market. 

We are excited to announce that Kate Ivanova has been promoted to Executive Vice President of McHugh's general contracting operations. In this role, she will work with the executive leadership team to further the strategic direction of the company and define and communicate corporate goals and objectives, continue to coach and develop successful teams and ensure the best possible client experience. As EVP, she will work closely with leadership to develop growth and business strategies for the organization, along with action plans and systems necessary to optimize performance, manage risk, and improve business operations. Kate has established herself as a trusted advisor for dozens of our clients, and she will continue to develop these relationships, along with promoting our community involvement in the areas in which we work.

Kate started her career in 1996 as the administrative assistant for the procurement department of McHugh International in Moscow, Russia. After moving to Chicago, and also ‘moving’ out to the field, Kate worked on a number of residential buildings before finding her niche in the hospitality market. She has since had a hand in building and renovating a majority of the hotels in Chicago, becoming known throughout the industry as one of the leading experts in hospitality construction, and one of the most respected female leaders in Chicago’s A/E/C industry. 

Kate’s proven leadership will continue to positively influence change within the company, providing guidance and a sense of direction for years to come.