PRESS RELEASES

MAYOR BILL WHITE APPOINTS BUILDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR
Acting Director to Retire at End of March

March 8, 2004 -- Mayor Bill White today named Issa Z. Dadoush, P.E., director of the Building Services Department. Acting Director Larry R. Baker will resign at the end of March to pursue other interests.

“Larry Baker has been a great asset to the city of Houston. We wish him well in his new pursuits,” Mayor White said. “We are confident that Mr. Dadoush will provide sound leadership as he takes the helm of building services.”

Dadoush is a registered professional engineer with nearly 21 years of experience in project management, the last 16 years for the City of Houston. He earned a B.S. from the University of Houston in engineering technology, with an emphasis in structural analysis and design.

Dadoush joined the city's Capital Projects Department in 1988 as a project administrator. Between 1991 and 2000, he worked as assistant project manager, project manager and senior project manager in the Public Works & Engineering Department. He was then transferred to Building Services where he became division manager in the Design & Construction Division in July 2000. In April 2001, he was promoted to assistant director and became lead assistant director and division head in June 2003.

Dadoush, previously, worked as a staff engineer and construction inspector at Geotest Engineering, Inc. He was also a contract administrator, structural analyst/designer and construction inspector for Woodward-Clyde Consultants, Shepler's Equipment Company, Inc. and Aviles Engineering, Inc. respectively.

Larry R. Baker, a 27-year city employee who was appointed Building Services' acting director in April 2003, informed Mayor White of his intentions to resign recently. From its inception in 1999 until becoming acting director, Baker headed the Department's Property Management Division, which is responsible for the daily management, maintenance and operations for approximately 5 million square feet of City of Houston real estate. This includes all General Government, Police Department, Fire Department and certain Health and Human Services Department properties.