Julie Lorenz joins 1898 & Co. as principal consultant

Julie Lorenz, former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), has joined 1898 & Co., the business consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell, as principal consultant.

Based in Lenexa, KS, Lorenz will provide C-suite-level advisory services to private and public clients, including consulting on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) deployment across infrastructure sectors.

While leading KDOT for four years, Lorenz launched the Kansas Infrastructure Hub in support of IIJA, created the $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, and led the Kansas Recovery Office, responsible for administering over $1 billion in CARES Act Covid-19 relief funding in six months.

"Working with the private sector and our KDOT team, I helped rebuild aged infrastructure and modernize how we deliver transportation," Lorenz said. "Kansas is now positioned to better seize opportunities and meet challenges today and in the future. Solutions need to work in the real world, not just exist on the drawing board. I look forward to moving vision to action for our critical infrastructure clients."

Before serving as secretary of KDOT, Lorenz was a senior strategic consultant at design and engineering consultancy Burns & McDonnell, where she worked on transportation engagements at the local, regional, and national levels. Prior to that, she spent eight years as KDOT’s director of public affairs.

Lorenz has a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business administration from Drury University.

"At 1898 & Co., we bring together a unique blend of business professionals, technologists, engineers and industry specialists, a combination that allows us to better serve our clients and deliver multifaceted solutions," said Chris Underwood, vice president and general manager of 1898 & Co. "Julie will bring her diverse experience and unique perspective to help solve our clients' most complex challenges. She will lead an industry transformation in critical infrastructure, advancing the industry to a more successful future."

Burns & McDonnell launched its 1898 & Co. sub-brand in 2019. The engineering firm’s consulting division delivers services in business strategy and transformation, financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, policy and regulatory, asset planning and management, enterprise technology, and data and analytics.

Burns & McDonnell is based in Kansas City, Missouri and has 10,000 employees globally.