H2M architects + engineers (H2M) is proud to announce that Paterson, New Jersey native and current Essex County resident, Christopher Coke has joined the firm as a Practice Leader in our Parsippany, NJ office.
Christopher comes to H2M with a background as the Director for both the Department of Public Works and Engineering as well as Executive Director to the Board of Water Commissioners in East Orange, New Jersey. In his role at H2M, Christopher will be responsible for growing, developing, supporting, and enhancing H2M’s market presence, specifically targeted toward New Jersey Municipalities and Utilities. He will provide project management expertise, business development proficiency, client relations management, and coordination of key environmental services within the firm. Christopher will be working to strategically support the ever-growing needs of municipal clients with H2Ms diverse technical competencies and consulting expertise.
As Director of Public Works and Engineering in Paterson he managed a staff of over 300 people that included various divisions and disciplines. Mr. Coke has managed capital budgets and completed projects valued at more than $60M. In his time as Executive Director, Christopher was able to engage state entities to obtain funding for over $35M in water improvement projects and successfully negotiated with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and neighboring municipalities on water issues related to ongoing litigation and water allocation. Christopher has led many notable projects throughout his career. He was responsible for the relocation of the Newark International Airport Terminal, a 5,000-ton historic building to a new site. The move of this building is the heaviest structure moved on rubber-tire dollies in U.S. History. Christopher was also the project manager in charge of developing a rehabilitation scope for the 10,000 seat Hinchliffe Stadium’s Sports and Business Academy. Additionally, he successfully executed a large-scale rehabilitation for the East Orange Golf Course and Clubhouse.
“Christopher is able to drive market awareness through a rare combination of technical savvy, client focus, and superior project management skills,” said H2M’s President and CEO, Richard Humann, P.E. “His skill set spans all markets at H2M, and we’re really excited that he has joined our team.”
Christopher received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Civic organizations and volunteer groups are important to Christopher. He has served as Planning Board Commissioner for the City of Paterson, New Jersey. He was also the President of the National Society of Black Engineers – Central/North Jersey Alumni Chapter. He is an active member of the North Jersey community and is passionate about spreading his love of the engineering field by increasing STEM participation in his local area. Early in his career he received the honor of being named American Society of Civil Engineers – NJ, Young Engineer of the Year. Now an expert in his field, Christopher is passionate about assisting men in various underserved communities, encouraging them to pursue opportunities in the technical and construction fields.
