Mortenson Announces General Counsel Transition

After 19 years of exceptional service Dwight Larson, General Counsel, will be retiring from Mortenson and, in a long-planned transition, the role of General Counsel will transfer to Kate Golden on July 1, 2023. Golden has partnered in the growth and development of Mortenson’s legal department for many years. As General Counsel, Golden will lead Mortenson’s legal department and be responsible for oversight and counsel for all legal matters and in areas of compliance and corporate governance.

“We have been incredibly fortunate to have the legal guidance and leadership of Dwight and Kate for many years,” said Dan Johnson, Chief Executive Officer at Mortenson. “Dwight has been a trusted partner and we make this long-planned transition knowing Kate’s exceptional contributions across the organization. It has been a great pleasure working alongside these two exceptional leaders.”

Kate Golden joined Mortenson in 2006. She was promoted to vice president in 2015 and senior vice president and Deputy General Counsel in 2021. Golden brings deep expertise in construction, environmental, and employment legal issues. She has been a mentor and sponsor to many Mortenson team members and has been a strong promoter of the growth and advancement of women in the organization.

Golden is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law and volunteers as a speaker on ethics for engineers. She is a past Adjunct Professor at Mitchell Hamline College of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School. Earlier in her career, Golden was an associate at Faegre & Benson in Minneapolis and served as a judicial law clerk to Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz at the Minnesota Supreme Court. She also worked as a law clerk in the Hennepin County Attorney’s office and as an associate engineer at MWH Global.

Golden holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from University of Iowa, a M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Dwight Larson joined Mortenson in 2004 and was promoted to senior vice president and General Counsel in 2016. Through the years, he led the growth of Mortenson’s legal department into a highly trusted team that provides advice and counsel across the organization.

Early on, Larson supported the company’s wind and solar businesses, helped establish Mortenson’s compliance program, helped negotiate agreements on some of the company’s highest profile projects, guided the creation of new businesses, provided thought leadership both internally and industry-wide on topics such as virtual design and construction, and, most importantly, has been a mentor to all members of the company’s legal department.

Prior to joining Mortenson, Larson served as corporate counsel for Honeywell’s building controls business in Minneapolis. He also worked as a construction lawyer at the firm of Leonard Street & Deinard (now Stinson LLP) and at BRW, Inc. as a civil engineer. Larson earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in addition to a Bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Idaho.

Larson plans to return to the private practice of law.

About Mortenson  

Mortenson is a U.S.-based, top-20 developer, builder and engineering services provider serving the commercial, institutional, and energy sectors. Mortenson’s expanding portfolio of integrated services helps its customers move their strategies forward, ensuring their investments result in high-performing assets. The result is a turnkey partner, fully invested in the business success of its customers. For additional information, visit www.mortenson.com. 

CONTACT:

Cameron Snyder
Mortenson
Cameron.snyder@mortenson.com