BakerRisk Board of Directors Appoints Karen Vilas as Chief Executive Officer

SAN ANTONIO, TX  – BakerRisk Engineering and Risk Consultants (BakerRisk^®), an employee-owned risk management consulting firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Vilas as Chief Executive Officer. Following a robust executive search process, Ms. Vilas assumed the role on April 21, 2026, succeeding CEO Quentin A. Baker. BakerRisk specializes in process safety, structural and blast effects engineering, protective structure design and construction, and research and development.

“We’re confident in her leadership and excited for the next chapter at BakerRisk, one grounded in continuity, trust, and steady progress for the future.” said Tim Tripplet, newly appointed Chairman of the BakerRisk Board of Directors.  “We firmly believe in her dedication and commitment to provide long-term strategic leadership and growth as BakerRisk’s next CEO.”

For the past 19 years, Ms. Vilas has built a formidable leadership legacy across the organization. She joined the firm in July 2007 as a Consultant in Houston’s Process Safety division, after earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina.

Over the years, Ms. Vilas served in various roles across the organization while also earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Oxford. In 2018, Ms. Vilas took on a dual role as Principal Consultant in Process Safety and Director of Business Development for North America, contributing significantly to the company’s corporate growth during this period.

Most recently, Ms. Vilas served as President of BakerRisk’s subsidiary, FORTRESS Protective Buildings, driving its financial, operational, and marketing strategies, resulting in continuous growth.

“I’m deeply honored to have the opportunity to accept this position to help lead our BakerRisk in this new chapter,” said Ms. Vilas. “Our culture is a strong foundation on which to build, and I very much appreciate Quentin and the executive team for building our foundations of hard work and expertise. Now, as we move forward, I am committed to preserving our culture and upholding our promises to our clients, partners and employees through transparency and communication.”

“Karen has proven her dedication to the company and our team members over her 19 years, and I’m excited to see her leadership and how she will continue to move the organization forward,” said previous CEO Quentin Baker. “I’m very pleased she’s been selected and BakerRisk is fortunate to have her.”

As CEO of BakerRisk, Ms. Vilas will provide executive oversight across the company’s full portfolio of businesses, including subsidiaries such as FORTRESS Protective Buildings and HFRC.

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About BakerRisk

Since 1984, Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants, Inc. (BakerRisk^®) has taken a comprehensive approach to helping clients identify hazards, manage risk, and keep people safe. Today, BakerRisk earns the trust of our clients by providing full-spectrum risk management solutions alongside transparent, data-driven advice. Our team of dedicated engineers and scientists have successfully provided risk management solutions in over 75 countries to industries ranging from oil and gas to manufacturing to agriculture.

BakerRisk’s portfolio includes FORTRESS Protective Buildings, a subsidiary specializing in portable, multi-hazard-resistant structures, and HFRC, an acquired subsidiary specializing in fire protection testing, water supply analysis, emergency response planning, and fire/explosion investigations. Together, both entities expand BakerRisk’s ability to support clients across the full spectrum of risk prevention, mitigation, and resilience.

BakerRisk is 100% employee owned. With over 200 experts/owners across seven offices globally in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, BakerRisk offers internationally renowned risk management services that prioritize hazard mitigation, personnel and property protection, and regulatory compliance.