Current CEO Mike Santarone will transition to executive chairman role.
Stellar is welcoming a new era in the company's executive leadership. The Jacksonville-based design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm has named Brian Kappele as chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2023.
Kappele, who most recently served as president/chief operating officer under CEO Mike Santarone, began his career at Stellar in 1997 as an intern in the company’s food & beverage group. After graduating from the University of Florida Rinker School of Building Construction the following year, he accepted a full-time position as an on-site assistant project manager, taking on various roles and responsibilities throughout the first 10 years of his career. In 2009, Kappele was promoted to vice president, responsible for all operations in the Food and Beverage division, and then in 2019, was promoted to president/COO.