| UES Gives Back Last week was National Volunteer Week, but Team UES gives back all year long! We’re excited to highlight just a few of the many ways you demonstrate our STRIVE values in service to our communities: |
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| Our Las Vegas team collaborated with We Together Love, an employee-run charity, to assemble Food & Thought bags for teens living below the poverty line. Each bag included essential items and meals, along with uplifting messages from writers worldwide.
Our Corpus Christi team recently volunteered at The Junior League of Corpus Christi's Touch-a-Truck event! Our team there had a blast showcasing our drill rig, trucks, and more, sparking curiosity in young minds about geotechnical engineering & construction materials testing. Making learning fun, one truck at a time! |
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Women Build, coast to coast! A few UES ladies from our Port St. Lucie and West Palm Beach branches came together to build homes alongside other incredible women in the community, all thanks to Habitat for Humanity's Women Build initiative. Area Business Development Manager Debbie Brock is also volunteering for San Diego’s Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build for the second year in a row. |
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Marianne Kelsey, Marketing Director of the UES Texas Region, recently won the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas - Sam Winstead Volunteer of the Year Award! Marianne has been a crucial part of the Richardson Family YMCA and currently serves as a Board Member and Annual Campaign Chair. |
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Southeast Team Accepts ACEC Georgia Engineering Excellence Award
As detailed in our project profile this month, our Southeast team brought home a prestigious ACEC Georgia Engineering Excellence Award for their work on The Interlock, earning first place in the Environmental category. From left to right: Principal Engineer Jeanette Hamm, PE, VP/Principal Kevin McGowan, and Jess Moore of SJC Ventures (our client). |
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| Ken MacDonald Authors Secrets of Environmental Permitting Solar Farms Regional Director of Environmental Permitting & Compliance Ken MacDonald authored a thought leadership piece, featured in Civil + Structural Engineering Magazine! Ken unlocks the "Secrets of Environmental Permitting for Solar Farms" by sharing the environmental considerations needed for new solar developments, from environmental permitting and site selection to wildlife protection and water conservation measures. Click here to read the article. |
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| UES Featured in ENR Southeast Orlando Branch Manager Guy Rabens, PE, and North Florida Region President Rick Kushner, PE, were recently interviewed for the City Scoop focus on Orlando in ENR Southeast. Check it out! |
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| UES Appreciates! Employee Appreciation Week Recap
UES offices around the country had a blast celebrating Employee Appreciation Week! From heartfelt thank-yous to tasty snacks & surprises, it was a week filled with gratitude and recognition for our incredible team. Your hard work and dedication never go unnoticed. Thank you to each and every team member across the country! You make every day brighter! |
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| Matt Laskowski Receives Florida Radon Certification
The South Florida Building Sciences and Safety (BSS) branch is very pleased to announce that Sr. Industrial Hygienist Matt Laskowski has received his Florida Licensed Radon Measurement Specialist certification. A Radon Measurement Specialist must possess at least four years of relevant radiation or radiological safety professional or work experience. The Specialist performs on-site radon or radon progeny measurements and provides professional advice on radon or radon progeny measurements, health risks, radon-related exposure, radon entry routes, and other radon related activities. Matt is also certified by the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) as a Certified Radon Measurement Professional (with Analytical Services) and is a member of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST). In Florida, certified radon Technicians and Specialists must be associated with a Florida Certified Radon Measurement Business. Unlike many of our competitors, UES holds its own license to perform radon testing throughout the state of Florida. Our certifications with NRPP have assisted us in winning additional radon testing and consulting work across the United States. The BSS branch is proud to now have a total of three Florida Licensed Measurement Specialists and two NRPP Certified Radon Measurement Professionals. We have worked with many clients over the last six years, assisting them with their radon testing and consulting needs. If you or your clients need assistance with radon testing, please reach out to Director of BSS, South Florida, Michelle McIntyre, MPH, CIH, CSP, or Account Executive, BSS, Ben Yaffe. |
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| Texas Team Members Participate in ACI Field Testing Technicians Examination Team members in Texas have been a part of the certification exams for ACI Field Testing Technicians - Grade1 for the past five years. Earlier this month, two of our Alpha technicians took the exam alongside 25 others. A group of our team members from UES Dallas helped facilitate these certification exams:
- Project/ Concrete Lab Manager Rajendra Chapagain – Examiner, Chair of certification committee, ACI Northeast Texas Chapter
- Lab Manager Chad Stettner – Supplemental examiner, ACI Northeast Texas Chapter Member
- Field Technician Jose Omar Salcedo – Supplemental examiner, ACI Northeast Texas Chapter Member
- Lab Technician Nathan Lewis – Supplemental examiner, ACI Northeast Texas Chapter Member
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| Surveying In St. Louis
Our St. Louis office hosted Geophysical Surveying for Utilities training February 21–22. This training was a great opportunity for team members to learn the latest trends, equipment standards, updates on field study practices and safety procedures in the field of Geophysics! Trainers were Project Engineer Derek Duson, Geophysicist Kiran Pandey, and Field Safety Supervisor Tim Wilson. New training attendees included: Paul Bess, Matt Edwards, Amelia Donati, Bill Losekamp, Kaleb Meyer, Alex Phegley, Ruben Portillo, Jeremy Reno, Tristen Shearer, Ryan White, and Veronica Zieman. Great job, everyone! Thank you for continuing to exceed our clients’ expectations and continue learning. |
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| Pat Donovan, PE, Named Midwest Region President Congratulations to Pat Donovan, PE, on his new role as UES’ Midwest Region President, which became effective this month. Pat began his career at the Memphis firm Hall, Blake, and Associates, which was acquired by Geotechnology in 2010. Pat has excelled in various positions in the company including geotechnical and CMT engineer/project manager, CMT group manager, Memphis branch manager, South Area (formerly Region) manager and, most recently, as President of Geotechnology LLC. Former Midwest Region President Ed Alizadeh, PE, JD, shared that, “Pat has consistently produced strong results while also being a caring and effective leader of people. He and I have worked closely together for the past 13 years, and we have been planning this transition for the last 12 months. This leadership transition will help the Midwest Region and UES continue to grow, develop, and do big things going forward!” Congratulations also to Ed who now assumes a new role for UES assisting with mergers and acquisitions, supporting the growth of UES in the Midwest and beyond. Ed joined Geotechnology in 1989, was promoted to the firm’s President in 1996, CEO in 2020, and has served as Midwest Region President since Geotechnology joined UES in 2021. We are fortunate to have these two experienced, dedicated leaders continuing to solve, serve, and succeed for the Midwest Region and UES as a whole! |
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| Welcome Jim Egger as New National Growth Leader
Congratulations and welcome to Jim Egger who has joined UES as the National Growth Leader as Ron Harris retires from the role at the end of this month. As National Growth Leader, Jim will continue to develop and refine our go-to-market strategy. He will contribute to driving business results, including sales growth and profitability, oversee National Accounts, and manage the Large Project RFP/RFQ process, working collaboratively with the Regional and Service Line leaders. Jim, who is based in Houston, has 25 years of experience, including a variety of leadership roles, most recently serving as Vice President at BrandSafway, overseeing sales and profit and loss for a portfolio of specialty businesses.
We wish our sincere congratulations to Ron as he departs UES and begins his retirement. A seasoned and accomplished leader, Ron spent the largest portion of his career working in sales and sales management for IBM solutions for major brands. Ron joined UES in July 2021, the first to serve in the National Growth role, setting us up for future success. Thank you and best of luck, Ron! |
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UES Welcomes Ted Roberts, MA, RPA Ted Roberts, MA, RPA, a Secretary of Interior qualified archaeologist and historian, has joined UES as Director of Cultural Resources, Environmental Permitting, and Compliance. With more than 23 years of archaeological consulting experience across all regions of the U.S., Ted previously led a cultural resources practice in New York and Southern California. Having managed hundreds of projects, his expertise ranges from project and program management to technical writing and cultural/heritage resource regulatory compliance at the federal, state, and local levels.
Ted’s leadership skills extend beyond successful project execution. He is an effective communicator with clients, agencies, Native American tribes, shareholders, and fellow team members and a mentor to his department staff. Author of hundreds of technical reports, he routinely presents original research at regional and national conferences and is published in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes.
Ted is based in the West Region of UES but wants to expand the Cultural Resources team nationally, providing our clients with a rapid-response approach to their projects based on local expertise. He and his team will help our clients navigate the complex labyrinth of cultural resource laws and the regulatory process for permitting, making UES a critical team member in developments from the initial stages. Ted enjoys mentorship and staff development and emphasizes the importance of field operations and training. We are excited to welcome him to Team UES and look forward to expanding this service across UES offices. |
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In this issue, we’ve shared key projects from the latest UES addition: InControl Technologies. We’re also once again sharing a bit about their key leadership. Welcome again to the Texas region of UES, InControl team! InControl Technologies is led by Founder and Senior Principal Michael Marcon, PG, CAPM. Marcon founded InControl Technologies in 1997, specializing in strategic planning and risk management for companies with major environmental liabilities, especially those linked to Federal Superfund Sites. The company soon shifted its focus to aiding real estate developers dealing with brownfield properties. Marcon created financial and environmental risk models to help investors manage liabilities of environmentally impaired properties, primarily focusing on Texas. He is a senior advisor for the InControl Technologies TCEQ Dry Cleaner Remediation Program and is a sought-after speaker on environmental issues related to dry cleaning sites. |
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Additional key leadership at InControl Technologies include: |
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Angela “Angie” Marcon originally started with InControl Technologies to manage the finances and billing, eventually becoming President in 2008, helping lead the company from a small five-person firm into the company it is today. Angie has managed the day-to-day operations, assisted with the development of the company’s major state and government contracts, helped with client management, and worked as a liaison for community involvement projects. |
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Raaj Patel, PG, serves as Principal and Senior Project Manager. He has over 40 years of experience in planning and implementing Site Assessments and Remedial Investigations and Feasibility Studies (RI/FS) for soil and groundwater for the state and federal CERCLA superfund sites, RCRA RFI, CMS, and VCP closure projects. He holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Geology from M.S. University in India. |
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Christine Peach, PG, CAPM, is a Principal Geoscientist with more than 20 years of professional experience in the environmental consulting industry. Peach serves as senior project manager and technical advisor on multiple projects. She holds a Master of Science in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Earth Science from Brock University. |
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Tom McCurdy, PE, CAPM, serves as Principal Engineer/Project Manager. Tom has more than 30 years of environmental engineering experience, with more than 22 years as part of the InControl team. He has extensive experience in soil/groundwater investigations, fuel system inspections, and remediation strategies for industrial/brownfields properties. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. |
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James Callahan serves as Senior Software Developer. James received his doctorate in Computer Science from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science in both mathematics and statistics from McNeese State University. |
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UES Principal Geologist, Rick Bean, Shares Insights in Constructor Magazine UES Principal Geologist, Rick Bean, PG, shares insights in Constructor Magazine's recent article addressing the EPA’s proposed rules on PFAS. See the article here. |
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Texas Region Project Celebrated in Civil + Structural Engineer Congratulations to Alpha Testing in our Texas Region on their project win in the Civil + Structural Engineer magazine Yearbook of Engineering Achievement contest. Bois d’Arc Lake placed in the water/stormwater category. See the page excerpted from the December edition here. |
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Zipping Up a Great Year The UES Texas Region Business Development Team recently got together for their annual retreat. They celebrated wins, strategized on effective ways to better serve clients, and engaged in team-building activities, including a thrilling zip-lining adventure. |
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Alex Rocks! Congratulations to GSI's Alex Pavlovich for passing the Fundamental Geologist exam and officially becoming an intern professional geologist! Alex is a phenomenal asset to our Wichita Environmental Team. He is a valuable mentor to the team’s new recruits and his dependability has become a staple of the team. Congratulations, Alex! |
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| A Concrete Partnership The UES Las Vegas office was honored to host University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) civil engineering students earlier this month to proctor an American Concrete Institute (ACI) exam for the class. UNLV's civil engineering coursework now includes an optional ACI Concrete Testing Technician - Grade I certification exam as a part of the junior-level course curriculum, allowing students to obtain the certification before graduating. The ACI Las Vegas Chapter, UES, and Geotechnical & Environmental Services, Inc. (GES) are honored to co-sponsor this initiative. |
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Spreading Holiday Cheer with Team UES While the holiday season can be a bit chaotic, it’s wonderful to see the UES team taking time to give back. Over the last month we’ve seen our teams STRIVE to serve as they’ve hosted toy drives, food drives, and more. We are humbled to have a caring and dedicated team that not only work hard but take a moment to better their community and the lives of others. Read more on the UES website |
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| 'Tis the Season We also love to see the many ways teams across UES are decking the halls and gathering to celebrate the season and the end of the year. Happy holidays, Team UES! |
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UES Recognized as Professional Service Firm of the Year by Nevada Contractors Association Best in the West! The Nevada Contractors Association recognized UES as the Professional Service Firm of the Year! Over the last 20 years, the team has been serving the local Nevada community and diversifying its core capabilities and end-market exposure to continue growing as a leader in the AEC Industry. Congratulations to our Nevada-based and supporting area team members for this distinguished honor! |
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GSI Celebrates 50 Years
Congratulations to GSI Engineering in the Midwest Region for reaching the incredible milestone of 50 years serving their clients. They celebrated with a well-attended open house on November 16th that honored both their past as well as today’s cutting-edge service offerings. Cheers to another 50 years of great service to our Midwest region clients! |
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Tampa’s Dan Hullett, Purple Heart Recipient, Honored by Heart Strings for Heroes Earlier this month, we were honored to share the story of Tampa CSD Field Technician Daniel Hullett receiving a commemorative guitar through the Heart Strings for Heroes Foundation. Read his story here |
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From left, Speedie's Business Development Manager Jamie Schindeldecker and Marketing and Communications Manager Bridgette Blair accept the award. |
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| Speedie Takes the Prize Speedie & Associates in the Western region does it again! The team recently received a 2023 Golden Prospector Award of Merit in the Multimedia Promotion category for “Speedie in Wonderland” from the Arizona Association for Economic Development. Huge congratulations to our wonderful team for all their hard work and success! |
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| STRIVING to Serve in South Florida Congratulations to the South Florida team for volunteering to inspect and sort 10,800 lbs of food for Feeding South Florida. Business Manager Carmen De Los Reyes Gavilan shared that, “I am beyond proud of our team and of UES for encouraging us to always STRIVE to do what’s right for our clients, each other, and our community.” They also created this incredible video capturing the day. Way to go, Team South Florida! |
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| Florida Leadership Meeting with Meaning Florida Region leaders recently gathered to focus on growth strategy for 2024 at the Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, Fort Myers, FL. As described in this issue’s project profiles, when Hurricane Ian hit in 2022, UES helped assess the damage on the Sanibel Causeway and worked closely with many construction/design teams, including FDOT, to help identify an expedited plan of action so rescue teams and other support could travel between the mainland and the island. Ft. Myers Branch Manager Kevin Mixon shared, “A little more than a year after Hurricane Ian made landfall, it was wonderful to welcome all Florida leaders back to the area. The reconstruction and redevelopment prove that the area is resilient and will come back stronger than before, and UES is honored to have been a small part of this process.” |
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Carleen Reigns Supreme
Another milestone anniversary was celebrated in Daytona Beach this month – Carleen Eberhardt, Daytona Office Manager, celebrated 25 years with UES! As a token of our appreciation for all her support over the years, Carleen was gifted tickets to see Morgan Wallen (one of her favorite singers!) perform next year. She is looking forward to the concert! We cannot thank Carleen enough for all she has done for so many over the years. |
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| The 20-Year Mark Tampa branch teammates along with members of North Florida’s leadership team, joined Mark Hardy, PE, VP, Key Accounts, Florida, in celebration of his 20th UES anniversary at Casa Santo Stefano on Friday, November 10. Many stories were shared, recognition and thanks were given to Mark for his hard work and loyalty to UES over these years, and Mark was presented with a gift from his UES family! Congratulations, Mark! |
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| Gimme Five!
Congratulations to CSD Scheduling Manager Timothy Sipper and Field Technician Victor Valdivia, both in the Fort Myers branch, on reaching their five-year anniversary with UES! |
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In addition to our Biome project spotlights, we’d like to highlight the five principals from Biome. |
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| Chris Bosso, MS Permit Team Lead
Chris has a Master of Science in Biology/Coastal Zone Studies and a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management and Planning, both from the University of West Florida. His professional environmental resource management and regulation experience dates back to 1987, including over 8 years with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the South District and Northwest District Offices. Since 1995, Mr. Bosso has been employed in the private sector and has concentrated on providing permitting assistance associated with the state and federal regulatory programs, and in the design, implementation and construction of wetland creation, enhancement, and management projects. He has a demonstrated ability to resolve complex environmental and wetland related issues and has extensive experience throughout Florida and the southeast. |
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| Patrick Imhof Principal Ecologist
Patrick holds a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management and Planning from the University of West Florida. Other professional trainings include certification as a State of Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager, and Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent. Patrick has worked in professional environmental resource management since 1988. Patrick has extensive experience with native flora and fauna within the Gulf Coastal Plain. He is an expert at evaluating altered sites that contain drained soils and hydrologic disturbances. Over the years, he has supervised the creation, restoration, and management of diverse wetland ecosystems, including storm water management systems, mitigation projects, and threatened and endangered species habitats. Patrick has performed habitat and listed species surveys across the south as well as the trapping and relocation of endangered and threatened state and federal animal species. |
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| Sean O’Toole Field Team Lead
Sean is a Certified Pesticide applicator for Natural areas and Aquatic sites and a Stormwater NPDES Inspector with experience in soil sciences, wetland permitting, stormwater, sovereign submerged lands, endangered species, invasive species studies and eradication, burn management, stream and wetland restoration, mitigation, and regulatory agency coordination. In addition to wetland regulatory duties, Sean also provides land use planning consulting for best and highest property uses, wetland creation planning and execution, monitoring of wetlands, and advises clients on regulatory compliance issues. Sean’s duties include performing ecological studies such as wetland delineation, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), wetland permitting, stream restoration, residential and commercial planning, invasive eradication, and client support. |
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| Glen Miley, MS, SPWS, CERP Director of Ecological Services
Glen has been named Director of Ecological Services at UES. He has applied ecology experience dating to 1990 as a founding principal and managing partner of Biome Consulting Group and its predecessor companies. Both positions include pioneering work in environmental regulatory compliance consulting including: implementing the first mitigation bank in Northwest Florida; first successful intra-dunal swale restoration on Santa Rosa Island; first Section 10 and Section 7 permits for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse; along with hundreds of individual permits and thousands of site surveys. He holds a Master of Science from the University of South Alabama, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama. |
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| Rayne Mattson, MS Senior Permit Manager
Rayne Mattson’s ecological and environmental experience dates back to 2000. She received early training as a field biologist in plant identification, natural resource conservation, fire ecology, and wildlife management. She spent her early career as an environmental educator and specialized in wetland techniques training. Since 2006, Rayne has been working as an ecological consultant. She is a project manager with Biome Consulting Group and is the primary supervisor for 40-50 projects. Her time is spent overseeing wetland permitting projects of all types – from small single family lots to large-scale commercial developments to mitigation compliance. Rayne is best at coordinating with the agencies and the applicant to insure a fluid, and efficient, permitting experience. Although Rayne’s daily activities include permit management, she is an accomplished field biologist and is passionate about wetland restoration and community ecology. She holds a M.S. in Environmental Biology from University of West Florida and a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Florida. |
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| Western Region Welcomes New CFO
We are pleased to welcome Ericka Robinson to UES as our new Western Region Chief Financial Officer! In her role, Ericka will be focused on leading the regional finance team, developing and implementing financial strategies within the Western Region to achieve the company’s goals and objectives, and collaborating with other executives within the organization to align financial and overall business objectives. Ericka has more than 15 years of experience, serving most recently as CFO for Tom Duffy Wholesale Flooring Products. Prior to that, she held several roles of increasing responsibility at BrandSafway including serving as West Coast Regional Controller. She holds a BS in Business Management and an MBA, both from the University of Phoenix. She lives in the East Bay area of Northern California with her husband, Nick. Together, they have three sons, Nick (25), Josiah (21), and Kendall (16), and two dogs named Abby and Cupcake. |
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NextEra Energy/United Way Golf Tournament Congratulations to our UES team for winning this year’s NextEra Energy/United Way Golf Tournament, held at PGA National. UES is proud to partner with NextEra Energy / Florida Power and Light on key projects, as well as in support of the United Way. Our team, from left to right included Brent Keller, Business Development Manager for West Palm Beach/Port Saint Lucie, FL; Matt Chaney, Inspections Manager for Port Saint Lucie, FL; Jason Dillon, UES National Fleet Director; and Norm Baker, VP of Corporate Development at FAST. |
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| Double the Win in St. Louis
Tanner Merz, Engineer, and Jonathan Urton, Engineer, out of our St. Louis office in the Midwest Region, both passed their Professional Engineering exams! Congratulations, Tanner and Jonathan! |
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This is Halloween, This is Halloween
In our Midwest Region, the St. Louis office celebrated Halloween a few days early and it's a real treat to share some of their creativity and fun! Anna Saindon, PE, was the costume contest winner (see 3rd from the left in the team photo below). She dressed up as a crazy cat lady, placing stuffed animal cats all around the office that said “return to crazy PM.” They all had name tags and were named after her projects. Adam Emerick and David Forseth were the champions of the annual cornhole tournament and are owners of the traveling trophies for the next year. |
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| Celebrating our Inaugural STRIVE Awards Winners!
We're incredibly proud of the nine team members who were awarded a STRIVE Award at our September 13 Town Hall. We received more than 100 nominations during our inaugural submission process. These individuals are recognized from around the company for outstanding contributions and the embodiment of our Values: Safety, Teamwork, Responsiveness, Integrity, Value, and Excellence (STRIVE). They went above and beyond their roles and have been recognized by their peers and UES teammates.
- Dave Edwards, PE - Safety
- Todd Brodie - Teamwork
- Lee Khan, PE - Teamwork
- Raven Smith - Teamwork
- Beth Murguia - Responsiveness
- Andy Wilderotter, PE - Responsiveness
- Matt Williams - Integrity
- Erick Rivera - Value
- Marianne Stanton - Value
Congratulations to our winners! Thank you for exemplifying our values in all you do! Click here to read a little more about what made each winner stand out. Information on 2024 awards will be coming soon! |
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| The FAST Finance Team Welcomes Two New Leaders
The FAST (Field Advisory & Support) Team continues to add key leadership to better support our regions and our ongoing system and process improvements, such as Project Bedrock, which benefit all of us throughout UES. We are pleased to welcome Carlos Sardinas and Eric Scinto to the FAST Finance Team.
Carlos Sardinas Director of Project and Cost Accounting In his role, Carlos is responsible for all project cost and accounting process and systems, including leading the forecasting process, full-year budgeting, KPI reporting, and creating new processes to improve efficiency. Carlos has eighteen years of experience, and joins us from L3Harris Technologies, where he held a series of roles of increasing responsibility, most recently serving as Director of Defense Electronic Systems - Financial Planning & Analysis. While in that role, he innovated and streamlined the forecast process and the process of collecting and consolidating data for reporting. He holds a BSBA and MBA, both from the University of Central Florida. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, traveling, hiking, and spending time with his wife and four cats. Eric Scinto Senior Manager of Project and Cost Accounting In his role, Eric is responsible for supporting the design and implementation of our project accounting methodology aligned to Deltek Vantagepoint, a large and critical portion of the Project Bedrock implementation. Eric has more than 10 years of experience, serving most recently as Business Unit Lead in the Project Management Office (PMO) at Siemens Energy. While at Siemens, he also progressed through many roles of growing responsibility providing business and financial analysis before moving into project management. He holds a BA in Accounting and Business/Economics from Randolph-Macon College and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. He enjoys golfing, attending sports events, and spending time with his wife, two daughters (ages 13 and 11), and his two dogs. Welcome, Carlos and Eric! |
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In addition to our GEO Solutions project spotlights, we’d like to highlight the following new team members from GEO Solutions. |
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| William T. Kennard, PE Principal Engineer GEO Solutions
William T. Kennard, PE, is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering. He started his career in Southern California with Ninyo and Moore Geotechnical and has spent the last 30 years in Alabama working on projects across the southeast. Mr. Kennard is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.
William has over 35 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, and materials testing. His experience includes work on roadway, multi-span bridges, multi-story buildings, heavy industry, commercial, retail, education, multi and single family residential, sewage and water treatment plants, pump stations, earthen embankments, and retaining wall projects. He is member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Construction Specifications Institute. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling with his wife Lisa, golf, hunting, fishing, and cooking. |
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| Barbara Rodkey Lehman, PE Project Manager GEO Solutions Barbara Rodkey Lehman, PE, is a native of Huntsville and received a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She has over 20 years of experience in geotechnical engineering and environmental consulting at GEO Solutions.
Barbara has served as Project Manager over residential, government, and commercial projects. Her experience includes managing and coordinating construction stormwater projects as well as developing Best Management Practices Plans for projects through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s NPDES program; conducting geotechnical subsurface investigations; designing onsite sewage disposal systems and conducting Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments. She is also an accredited asbestos and lead-based paint inspector. She is a licensed engineer in Alabama and Georgia. Barbara has been an active member in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) at the local, state, and national level. She and her husband of 30 years, Phillip, for 30 years have two sons, Robert and Mitchell. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching tap dancing at a local dance studio. |
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| David L. Martin, PE Project Manager/Senior Engineer GEO Solutions
David L. Martin, PE, has over 20 years of experience in the fields of geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing. David leads and mentors a team of engineers and staff professionals in the design of commercial, government, industrial, and residential projects. His experience includes large-scale geotechnical site evaluations, slope stability analysis, retaining walls, ALDOT bridge and material reports, sinkhole evaluation and remediation, pavement evaluation and design, full-depth reclamation (FDR), quarries, slope development, deep foundation inspections, steel inspections, wood framing inspections, and construction material special inspection programs. Additionally, he manages GEO Solutions’ drilling and test pit operations.
David is a graduate of the University of Alabama in Huntsville with a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering and is a licensed engineer in the state of Alabama. He holds certifications from ACI, NRMCA, and PTI. Prior to his career in the engineering field, he worked as a mechanic for heavy equipment and industrial plant maintenance. David’s most treasured time is spent with his wife Amber and their three children. Together, they enjoy volunteering with their local church, hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping. |
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| Brian Cook Executive Vice President/Senior Manager GEO Solutions Brian Cook is a native of Huntsville and received a B.S. Civil Engineering Technology, University of Alabama. Brian has over 34 years of experience in the field of construction materials testing and geotechnical engineering. Brian’s experience, in the North Alabama and surrounding areas, has covered a wide variety of projects including roadways, residential, retail, private development, airports, commercial, and large industry. Brian has served as the Senior Manager on several of the largest industrial and commercial projects in North Alabama. His capabilities include soil, concrete, asphalt, masonry, steel, roofing, deep foundations, fire proofing, and failure investigations.
Brian is an active member of both AGC (Associated General Contractors) and ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors). |
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| Experienced Regional Leaders Join FAST as Directors of Risk Mitigation
As our company continues to grow, it’s essential that we have the right individuals in place to provide legal expertise to our field teams. We’re excited to announce that Joe Darmody from Geotechnology and Paul Danforth from GFA will be joining our FAST (Field Advisory & Support) Legal team, both as Directors of Risk Management, reporting to Ben Butterfield, General Counsel. Joe and Paul are longstanding UES employees with decades of experience in the AEC industry. In their new roles, Joe and Paul will provide integral support to all UES regions with a variety of risk management tools and programs. This will include the identification, management, mitigation, and monitoring of projects with elevated risks. They will also collaborate with program and project managers to mitigate risk related to contractual, technical, and operational performance. Additionally, they will work with our training team to establish specific training in risk recognition, management, and mitigation for project managers. Joe and Paul’s experience and insight will enable our regional teams to minimize risk in the field, which is essential for the long-term success and sustainability of our business. By proactively addressing risks, UES can effectively navigate uncertainties and challenges, positioning our company for growth and resilience. Please join us in welcoming Joe and Paul to the FAST team! |
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| FAST Team Welcomes Two New Fleet Leaders As UES continues to grow, and the FAST Team STRIVEs to best support our regions, we’re pleased to welcome two new members to the FAST Team dedicated to Fleet support and initiatives, Jason Dillon, National Fleet Director, and Phil Tidona, Fleet Manager Florida, both reporting to John Sullivan, Director of Operations. As National Fleet Director, Jason is responsible for the strategic and tactical direction of the UES fleet of vehicles and drivers and for providing guidance to our regional fleet leaders. He’ll oversee day-to-day fleet management functions including driver safety, procurement, maintenance and repair services, license and registration, inspections, fuel consumption, etc. Jason has fifteen years of operations oversight experience, and most recently served as Fleet Manager for Allied Universal, where he managed 8,500 vehicles and conducted a global RFP for a new leasing company. Outside of work, Jason loves to play golf, watch sports, and read mystery novels. In his role, Phil is responsible for the daily operation of the UES Florida fleet of vehicles and drivers and will also provide support to the UES National Fleet Director. He has a background as a master technician as well as previous experience as a corporate fleet director. He most recently served as Director of Customer Service & Employee Development for Greenway Ford. Phil is also an avid golfer and enjoys traveling to play courses across the U.S., his favorite so far being Pebble Beach. Welcome, Jason and Phil! |
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| DC Metro Office Welcomes New Geotechnical Department Manager DC Metro welcomes Parham Safarian Bahri, PE, as their new Geotechnical Department Manager. Parham has eight years of experience in Geotechnical Engineering and has been involved in a wide array of projects such as government and federal work, energy sector, commercial, and private projects including data centers. In his role, Parham is responsible for the success of the geotechnical department, management and overseeing of geotechnical projects, engineering analysis and report preparation, mentoring staff and review of geotechnical engineering reports prior to submission. Parham's supports clients by providing site specific geotechnical and site preparation recommendations tailored for each client’s unique project needs. He also provides oversight during construction for the successful implementation of those recommendations and the required project inspections. Parham holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and an MS in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, from Southern Illinois University. |
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| A Quick Response for a Slow & Steady Friend UES Las Vegas had an unexpected visitor on one of their job sites recently - a desert tortoise! Within 30 minutes of the call, UES deployed a biologist who stayed on-site 24/7 to monitor & ensure the safety of our newfound friend. UES's environmental services include biological monitoring for endangered & threatened species. In this instance, we briefly halted construction until the tortoise escaped harm's way. Las Vegas’ Principal, Major Projects Ken MacDonald was on the scene and shared the following: “The desert tortoise is federally protected and considered threatened with extinction so, without a permit, handling one would be harassment and subject to a fine of up to $25,000 per incident – even if someone is moving a tortoise out of harm’s way. I was onsite the first day just as the tortoise showed up. We monitored as it moved under then out from under a piece of equipment it was using for shade. Being cold-blooded, they use shade to control their temperature. I will admit to ‘tortoise whispering’ and standing so the tort moved into my shadow: I shifted, and the animal followed, then I shifted and the animal followed again until it was out of the construction zone, out of harm’s way, and that piece of equipment could get back to work.” |
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In addition to our Riner project spotlights, we’d like to highlight the following new team members from Riner Engineering. |
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| Chuck Salsky, PE Sr. Vice President, CMT Riner Engineering Chuck Salsky is Riner Engineering's Senior Vice President in charge of CMT Services and is based in Houston. In addition to his 18 years’ experience in civil construction and environmental remediation, he has over 15 years of expertise in the construction materials testing industry. Chuck’s experience includes commercial, industrial, municipal, higher education, and airport-related projects. Chuck has managed some of Riner’s largest CMT projects, including Daikin’s Texas Technology Center, the world’s largest tilt-wall building. |
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| Jeanne Bassetti Jullien Vice President, Sales & Marketing Riner Engineering Jeanne Bassetti Jullien is Vice President for sales and marketing at Riner Engineering. Jeanne has 18 years of experience in Business Development & Marketing for private and public clients, specializing in Geotechnical and Materials Engineering, Testing, and Inspection services. Her responsibilities include leading the Texas sales team, cultivating new opportunities for business expansion, and maintaining a satisfied clientele for the commercial, transportation, industrial, infrastructure, and institutional industries. Jeanne has served in various industry organizations including current Treasurer of the North Houston Association, former president of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), and former president of the Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals (ACRP). |
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UES Las Vegas Welcomes New Branch Manager The UES Las Vegas branch is excited to welcome Sam Palmer, PE, CBO/CFM, F. ASCE, a well-respected and distinguished Nevada Professional Engineer, as its new Branch Manager. With over 35 years of experience as a senior executive in both the public and private sectors, Sam brings with him a robust set of skills. He is knowledgeable in the overall development and construction processes, including building and fire code development, interpretations, and ordinances, as well as design, plan review, zoning, engineering, special inspections, and code enforcement. Sam recently served as the Assistant Director for the Clark County Building & Fire Prevention Department and previously served as a Principal/Division Manager for two other national engineering firms. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of IAS (International Accreditation Service), a globally recognized accreditation organization. In his new role, Sam will lead a team of approximately 170 UES employees in Las Vegas, with more than 500 active projects in the surrounding area. “I am excited to join UES’ national team of professionals,” said Sam. “With expertise in a wide range of services, there is no limit to what we can achieve together. UES provides innovative solutions for clients from project inception to completion and beyond." "Sam will provide strong, effective leadership with a clear vision and robust goals for bringing teams together and expanding services," said Trent Anderson, President of the UES Western Region. |
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| UES Works for Me: Florida CSG On the Move Two Marketing/Proposal Specialists on the Florida CSG (Commercial Sales Group) team, Valerie Murphy and Angela Harrington, working out of the FAST office location, recently had opportunities arise to relocate. Fortunately for them and definitely for UES, they were able to retain their positions but begin working out of a different UES location. In their roles, Valerie and Angela collaborate with various Florida branches and business development representatives to create and submit detailed proposals for new contracts. Valerie joined UES in August 2021 and really enjoys her role but shared that, “I’d been thinking about moving for a while, and knew I wanted to stay with UES. I grew up in Florida, but my parents are Michiganders and most of my family is still up north. I was able to connect with our Midwest region and find a branch ‘home’ in our Cincinnati office. It took a lot of conversations - and a field trip! - to set up the details, but it’s wonderful to be within driving distance of my family. And I love knowing I’ll get all four seasons!” “I love my Florida teams and the FAST crew, but I’m grateful to continue supporting Florida from the Queen City. It’s fascinating to watch UES grow, and I’m very glad we have so many offices! I appreciate everyone’s willingness to work with me – from HR and IT to regional presidents, managers, and branch leaders. When I’m asked where I work, I am always proud to say I’m part of UES!” |
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Valerie enjoys visiting the Cincinnati Zoo in her new home city. |
From left to right: Jennifer Kunz, Regional Director – Business Development, Valerie Murphy, and Molly Kueffner, Business Development Coordinator. |
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| Angela Harrington has been with the company for less than a year, but, with nine years of experience, has already made an incredible impact, recently securing a contract worth $725k with Duval County Public Schools. She shared that “In April, my husband received a job transfer from Orlando to Atlanta, giving us just two months to relocate. My managers were not only understanding but also supportive of this new opportunity for my family and happy to hear that I wanted to stay with UES.” “What stood out was how my managers made me feel understood and valued. They promptly connected me with the closest branch to our new location and ensured I had all the necessary resources for my new workplace. Now I work in Georgia, based at Contour’s Norcross office, while supporting the Florida branches. It’s quite the mix, but it works.”
“I am beyond grateful to the company for this flexibility, allowing me to continue my career here. Their support turned a potentially stressful experience into an enjoyable journey. I am fortunate to be part of an organization that values and nurtures its employees.” |
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Angela’s son, Logan Miller, (pictured right) who recently interned for the Florida CSG team in Orlando, also applied for and secured a role as a Field Tech for Contour in the Atlanta area. We’re grateful, Valerie, Angela, and Logan, to have you with team UES, wherever you are located! |
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Speedie Team Members STRIVE for Excellence Congratulations to Jack Stransky, an engineer based in Speedie’s Phoenix office, who has recently obtained his professional engineering license. Jack holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University and has been with Speedie since 2019. With this licensure, Jack will now assume greater responsibilities within Speedie. These responsibilities encompass the signing and sealing of geotechnical reports, preparing proposals for geotechnical projects, coordinating field investigations, and maintaining client relationships by responding to technical questions. This achievement signifies a significant milestone in his career and represents a remarkable step forward in his professional development. Congratulations, Jack, on this noteworthy accomplishment! |
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The Speedie team is also pleased to announce the promotion of Nicholas Vitale, PE, from Staff Engineer to Project Manager. This promotion is a testament to Nicholas’ outstanding performance, unwavering dedication, and commitment to delivering high-quality projects that consistently exceed client expectations. In his new role as Project Manager, Nicholas will take on additional responsibilities, overseeing multiple projects and managing client relationships. Nicholas Vitale, a professional engineer licensed in October 2019, joined Speedie in 2018 as a Staff Engineer. A graduate of Arizona State University, Nicholas received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2014 and his master's degree in civil engineering in 2015. Nichas demonstrated outstanding technical expertise, leadership skills, and a passion for excellence. |
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Congratulations also to Speedie’s Daniel Stratulat, PE, geotechnical project manager, who has graduated from the Leadership in Engineering Administration Program (LEAP) presented by The American Council of Engineering Companies of Arizona (ACEC Arizona). LEAP is a comprehensive career development program for emerging young professionals in Arizona's consulting engineering industry. Daniel is a valuable member of the Tucson team at Speedie, having joined in 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona, and, in 2022, he obtained his professional engineering license. |
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| Sy Israel Celebrates His 90th Birthday at UES On May 22, Sy Israel, founder of Universal Engineering Sciences, celebrated his 90th birthday with the team members at the UES branch in Orlando. Congratulations, Sy! Wishing you a healthy and happy year! |
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Help Keep Speedie At #1! Polls are now open for Ranking Arizona: The Best Arizona Business 2024. Please take a moment to cast your votes in the following categories for Speedie & Associates, our UES company in Arizona. Vote now and vote often: the deadline is July 31! https://azbigmedia.com/vote-ranking-arizona/#// Category: Real Estate – Commercial • Sub – Category 1: Engineers: Geo/Material Testing • Sub – Category 2: Environmental Firms • Sub – Category 3: Best Workplace Culture |
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| Demonstrating Excellence in Jacksonville
Congratulations to Inspector Dagmar Pena, Project Manager Sean Leatherbury, and Staff Scientist Regan Swift for earning Exceptional Service Awards from client Atkins & FDOT District Two for their work on the urgent District Two GEC guardrail task, which entailed performing inspections to assess the integrity of existing guardrails throughout northeast Florida. Atkins’ GEC Program Director, Florida DOT Business Unit, Steve Sedwick, PE, shared the good news of the award with the team, saying that the three did “fabulous work” and that “their efforts were instrumental in our field success getting the task completed. Thanks to amazing partners like UES, we are able to help District Two meet their timelines!” |
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| UES Employee Spotlights
Mark Barton, PE Vice President Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt Mark Barton, PE, began his career at McClelland Engineers in 1981, a firm which would go through a few different changes over the years to become Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt. Mark was promoted to an associate of the firm in 1992, to Manager of Inspection Services in 1997 and is presently Vice President of Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt. Mark is responsible for the construction materials testing operations and team. He has more than thirty years of engineering and construction experience, including the supervision of testing, inspection and Q/A documentation of foundations, structural concrete and steel construction, and laboratory testing. He has supervised and directed Specialty Inspectors on numerous major projects in Arkansas. Mark has experience with a wide variety of laboratory testing experience in soil modification testing, earth fill strength parameters and related soil and aggregate tests. Mark holds a BS and a Master’s in Civil Engineering, both from the University of Arkansas. Outside of work, Mark is a passionate sailor, and has even won a few International Championships in Y-Flyer sailboat regatta races. |
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Mark Barton, PE, at the Oklahoma Cogeneration Power Plant pre-construction, 1987 |
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Mark Wyatt, PE, with a marsh drilling crew in Louisiana, 1989. |
Mark Barton, PE (left) and Mark Wyatt, PE (right). |
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| Mark Wyatt, PE President Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt Mark Wyatt, PE, joined the firm that would go on to become Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton & Wyatt in 1992. He became Manager of Geotechnical services in 1997, then Vice President, Engineering from 1998 through 2008 and became President in 2009. Mark’s expertise includes planning and supervising field operations, laboratory testing for geotechnical studies, and engineering analyses. His projects have included residential, commercial, and industrial structures; wastewater and water treatment plants; petrochemical plants, power plants, landfills, deep excavations; slope stability studies; road and airfield pavements; bridges; roadways and embankments. Additionally, Mark has experience with tunnel studies; highways, bridges, site evaluations for dams, levees and landfills; large diameter storage tanks; retaining wall design and repair; stability of earth structures; earth dams; flood-control levees: earth structures on very soft soils; retention structures for deep excavations; axial and lateral load analyses of foundations; instrumentation of earth structures; and compression, uplift and lateral load tests of deep foundations. Mark holds a BS in Civil Engineering and a Master’s in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical), both from the University of Texas at Arlington. One of Mark’s personal passions is cycling; he got his first racing bicycle in 1970 and never looked back. |
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New Hire Spotlight Agrima Poudel, DC Metro Environmental Project Manager Agrima Poudel has been involved with a variety of environmental planning, permitting, and compliance projects for federal, state, municipal and private clients over the past six years. Her experience includes stormwater planning and NPDES planning, permitting, and compliance; regulatory compliance; and contamination investigations. Additional environmental compliance experience for Agrima includes Phase I ESAs and environmental compliance audits. Agrima has joined the UES DC office as an Environmental Project Manager, and she will oversee all environmental projects at the DC office. Welcome, Agrima! |
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| Thank You, Administrative Professionals! Our teams across the country celebrated Administrative Professionals Day on April 26. Our admins bring significant value to our team, ensuring our day-to-day operations run smoothly, and we loved taking the opportunity to celebrate them. Everyone had a blast, from flowers and lunches to Geotechnology's job site tour of the new St. Louis Top Golf location! We are grateful for all that our administrative professionals do for UES. |
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| Cheers to All These Years! At UES, we are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our employees. From day one, to decades on our teams, our team members make a significant impact with their dedication and expertise. We are thrilled to highlight just a few of the milestone anniversaries being celebrated over the past month. If you or a teammate are celebrating an anniversary, please send photos and/or an email to the communications team. We would love to share these milestones with our team nationwide! The Fort Myers team has had a busy month celebrating three milestone anniversaries:
- Senior Project Consultant Reggie Snell and CSD Project Manager Adrian Lewis both celebrated their five-year anniversaries.
- Environmental Department Manager Scott McManus doubled up and celebrated his 10-year anniversary.
In Port St. Lucie, Lab Manager Ron Robinson celebrated his 10-year work anniversary with UES!
Join us in congratulating Reggie, Adrian, Scott, and Ron on these remarkable milestones! |
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Scott McManus, Fort Myers |
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Ron Robinson, Port St. Lucie |
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| Heading South for Winter When winter weather slows down projects further north, and southern regions need a hand, the Snowbird program might just be the perfect solution! Over the winter, the Midwest and Texas Region teams came together to help test out the Snowbird Program, with two available Midwest field team members, Mike Mauch and Kole Swoape, filling in on Texas projects for five weeks. Mike, one of the Snowbirds, shared that “Going to Texas was an exciting adventure. I got to explore a lot of the state, from Comfort, TX, all the way south to Corpus Christi. While there, I performed various jobs, from trench fills in dried creek bed, to masonry on coastline hotels.” The effort was supported by President of Professional Services Pat Donovan, PE, HR Director Erica O’Connor, and Cincinnati Branch Manager Kevin Weaver from the Midwest and EVP Ken Combs and HR Senior Director Karen Rodriguez from Texas. Pat Donovan, PE, said “It was awesome to see our UES Regions collaborating to provide benefit for both entities. It allowed Mike and Kole to gain valuable experience and helped fill some workforce gaps in Texas. As we improve on the process moving forward, Snowbird could be an integral program that is advantageous for our employees, our Regions, and our clients. Thank you to everyone involved!” |
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A photo from Mike Mauch's travels: the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi, TX. |
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Kudos Katie and Kelsee! Congratulations to Marketing Manager Katie Lippe, from the Texas Region, who was recently named SMPS North Texas Marketer of the Year! Katie was honored this past Friday at the SMPS North Texas Annual Meeting & Awards Event. |
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Congrats also to the Midwest Region’s Kelsee Wheeler for passing the ASBOG Practice of Geology (PG) exam and earning her P.G. license! Kelsee has also been promoted to Senior Geologist and Assistant Director of Environmental Operations. Way to go, Kelsee! |
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| Isn’t It Grand? Congratulations to the South Florida team on last week’s grand opening of the new West Palm Beach branch! The team held an incredible open house to celebrate. Business Manager Karla Gabay shared, “We truly appreciate everyone joining us for this celebration. Our team has worked extremely hard over the past couple months to make this a special night for all. We are grateful for our amazing teammates and clients that support us and helped make this day so special for our UES family. We are here and we are ready to provide our expertise, hard work and amazing service for everyone out of our NEW West Palm Beach branch!” |
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| Raising Awareness for Work Zone Safety Geotechnology’s St. Louis Office participated in (and sponsored) the 10th Annual STL Work Zone Awareness Run on Saturday, April 15, that is put on by MoDOT. Their mission is to encourage safe driving through work zones as the spring construction season kicks off. Congratulations, STL team! |
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Erlanger Team Climbs to New Heights
During National Volunteer Week last week, Geotechnology’s Erlanger, KY office, carved out time to volunteer for the Red River Gorge Climbing Coalition (RRGCC) to help build dry stack retaining walls to support belay stations for climbers and to reduce the erosional impact of the area. They used "high-lined" large rocks and sand/gravel to complete the project and rock nets to move boulders. |
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But First, Breakfast The Erlanger team also kicked off the spring season with a breakfast on April 20th, with “Chef B,” IT Manager Burcin Inanli manning the grill. |
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| Vegas Team Gives Back Also in the spirit of National Volunteer Week, Las Vegas team members recently joined forces with Los Vaqueros & other local businesses to deliver playground equipment for St. Jude's Ranch for Children. We are grateful for all UES employees and their community involvement across the nation. |
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| John Gregos, PE Vice President/CMT Manager Faulkner Engineering Services John R. Gregos is the Vice President of Faulkner Engineering Services, Inc. He has over 25 years of expertise in construction materials testing and inspection services for commercial, industrial, transportation and residential sectors. John develops client-representative relationships and leads Faulkner's CMT team of Professional Engineers, Staff Professionals, Project Coordinators, Field Supervisor, and Engineering Technicians. He is a licensed Special Inspector. John is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Florida. |
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Pavan Kolukula, PE Senior Geotechnical Engineer Faulkner Engineering Services Pavan K. Kolukula is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer with Faulkner Engineering Services. He has over 18 years of experience specializing in subsurface investigations for residential and commercial development projects, shallow and deep foundation design, bridge foundation design, ground modification and improvement, slope stability and seepage analysis, design and construction of earthen embankments, seepage barriers (soil-bentonite, cement bentonite slurry wall), retaining structures, gypsum stacks, cooling ponds, and water control structures, sinkhole investigations and remediation, and design of wetland recharge systems for phosphate mining. Pavan manages the geotechnical engineering projects and directs the field and office staff. Pavan earned a master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Nagarjuna University (India). He is a registered Professional Engineer in Florida and Arizona. |
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UES Works for Me: Advancing Your Career
One of the great benefits of being a part of UES is having the opportunity to STRIVE to learn more, earn additional certifications, and advance your career across many roles and departments. In that spirit, we’re sharing the story of how UES works for Ricky and Joe in the Florida region. |
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| Ricky Agee, Director of Code Compliance Services – UES Florida Ricky started his career at UES more than 26 years ago. Prior to joining UES, he worked as a Field Technician at PSI for four years under current UES Rockledge Branch Manager, Richard Hoaglin, PE. He joined UES Jacksonville in February 1997 as a Field Technician, working his way up through the ranks, obtaining all his ACI & CTQP certifications. He worked diligently to expand his knowledge, eventually working as a Threshold Inspector on the Adam’s Mark Hotel (now the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville). He gained his Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) license and worked as a CWI on many large Walmart jobs, and then went on to obtain his Registered Roof Observer (RRO). After many years in the field, Ricky transitioned to the office, working as the Construction Services Department Manager in Jacksonville for more than 10 years before moving to Gainesville to be a project manager, overseeing their threshold work. While working for current UES Gainesville & Ocala Branch Manager, Keith Butts, PE, in Gainesville, Ricky worked on several high-profile projects including the UF Health Shands Hospital. Ready for his next career challenge, Ricky returned to Jacksonville in May 2009 to start up the Building Inspection Department. For a while, it was a one-man show, with Ricky doing the estimating, proposals, inspections, business development, and more. Jacksonville’s Building Inspection Department is now the largest in the state, with consistent EBITDA margins around 50% and gross revenue sometimes topping $1M per month. Approximately a year and a half ago, Ricky continued to further his career here at UES by accepting the opportunity to become the Director of Code Compliance Services for the entire Florida region. In this role, he helps Florida branches expand their private provider services, develop new clientele, troubleshoot issues that may arise, and serve as a sounding board and mentor to other Building Inspection Department Managers. Outside of the office, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and being out on the river in his boat. |
| Joe Hoff, Department Manager, Construction Services Department Manager – UES Jacksonville Joe joined UES in March 2004 as a Field Technician working out of our Palm Coast, FL, office. Before coming to UES, Joe worked as a delivery driver for a restaurant supply company. Joe pursued all ACI and CTQP certifications, including Batch Plant Operator, Earthworks, Concrete, Asphalt, and is one of the foremost experts on FDOT logbooks and specifications in Florida. As Joe continued to be a reliable, driven Field Technician, additional career opportunities were presented, such as the chance to be the QC Manager of the “Big I,” the I-95 and I-10 interchange in North Florida. A lengthy project, Joe continued to excel and took on the position of Field Services Manager, supervising and mentoring the entry-level technicians. Almost 10 years ago, Joe began his current role as the Construction Services Department Manager for the Jacksonville branch. Joe oversees a department of more than 25 teammates, from field technicians and lab technicians to a dispatcher and administrative assistant and has begun covering the Energy Star and Blower Door services. In addition to his duties as CSD Manager, Joe is the Fleet Manager and Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for the Jacksonville branch. Joe is a wonderful example of someone making the most of a job opportunity and turning it into a career. In his spare time, Joe enjoys fishing and spending time with his wife, Nicole, and three kids. |
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Making an Impact Mentoring and teaching our new hires can make a huge impact on their career growth and development.
Understanding the importance of education and training within the construction industry, UES partnered with CMEC, Inc. to host two ACI concrete certification exams this past week. We had 20 eager inspectors from the South Florida branch taking the ACI self-Consolidating Concrete and the ACI Field Concrete testing courses.
“We believe that investing in the education and training of our team members is the best way to ensure successful projects and client satisfaction,” said Bobbie Villa, Miami Construction Services Department Manager. “In the end, mentoring and training the next generation of professionals is essential to our industry, and it's just as fulfilling as it is crucial to achieving our shared goals.”
These training courses are essential steps towards becoming knowledgeable and capable concrete inspectors or engineers. They provide a fundamental understanding of concrete technology, testing, and construction practices, which are key to maintaining the highest quality standards in concrete construction. |
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| Employee Appreciation Week Friday, March 3, was National Employee Appreciation Day, and that’s not enough time for us to show how much we care about our team members! We can't thank you enough for being a part of UES' journey and for all you do to STRIVE every day! Check out just some of the ways our teams across the country celebrated all week long, including this awesome video from the Rock team in Texas. |
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The Alpha team in Texas taking a board game break. |
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The Alpha team in Texas are true superheroes! |
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Port St. Lucie chilling out. |
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Port St. Lucie pausing for pizza. |
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Ft. Myers is pretty in pink. |
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Riverside, CA, knows their team is all that and a bag of chips. |
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The Midatlantic team shares appreciation on social media. |
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Geotechnology celebrated their team members during their annual award ceremony just ahead of Employee Appreciation Week. |
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Bryan Angelo attains new ACI Certification!
Bryan Angelo, Construction Materials Testing Manager for Rock Engineering, became one of the first people to earn the ACI NDT Specialist in Concrete Strength certification. This brand-new certification recognizes professionals who possess the knowledge and skills to competently perform specific tests on hardened concrete. Learn more about this new certification here: http://ow.ly/Knfa50MLOSB Congratulation, Bryan! |
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| Groundbreakings at Sunset Alpha Testing’s Tony Janish, Harsha Addula, and Jeff Wilt attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Thirty-One 11 Sunset. Alpha Testing is the geotechnical engineer of record and is currently providing construction materials testing services for the new 16-story residential tower coming soon to the Lakeside Village resort community in Flower Mound, Texas. |
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| Water for Texas Conference
Alpha Testing’s trade show season kicked off with Water for Texas in Austin, Texas. Jeff Wilt, Xavier Echendu, Caeleb Garcia, Josh Theut, and Matthew Warren were all on hand to discuss future H2Opportunities. |
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Relief for Turkey Earthquake Victims A BIG THANK YOU to the Geotechnology Erlanger, KY group for filling a van full of items for the Turkey Relief Program.
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| National Pizza Day
February 9th was National Pizza Day! Alpha Testing's Houston office fully embraced the chance to celebrate with pizza kits, extra-large sized pizza, and custom Alpha chef hats and aprons. |
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| Sharing the Love
Rock Engineering's Corpus Christi team shared their love on social media with friends at UES and beyond! Thank you for being a part of our journey; we cherish every one of you! |
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Keeping it Stress Free in Ft. Myers
Last month, the Fort Myers team threw a “Stress Free Day” celebration and encouraged team members to bring in items that help them destress. Fun de-stressors included bubble wrap, donuts, basketball, remote control bumper cars, stress balls, pop its and breaks throughout the day to unwind for the workday. |
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UES Employee Spotlights Brandon Rountree, PE President, Carmichael Engineering Brandon Rountree is a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Tennessee. He has been involved in the industry for the past 20 years ranging from residential projects to large commercial projects. Brandon joined the Carmichael Engineering team in 2003, became a partner in 2005, and President in 2022. Now as a part of the UES Team, Brandon is excited to continue providing geotechnical consulting services and construction materials testing services to meet their client’s needs. As a partner/president of Carmichael Engineering, Brandon has served as a project manager, project engineer, and/or a geotechnical engineer on over 6,000 projects. His involvement and experience in the design and construction phases helps ensure that the job quality is at its highest while working to build relationships with clients, contractors, and other team members within the project. Brandon has been married to his high school sweetheart, Kimberly, for 16 years. They have four children together: William, Ellyotte, Madyson, and Olivia. When Brandon’s not at work, you can find him traveling with his family, hunting, or deep-sea fishing. |
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Justin Baxter Vice President, Business and HR Justin Baxter, who joined DBA in March 2017, works closely with leadership and administrative staff to provide support for day-to-day operations of the firm. He is responsible for overseeing and coordinating HR activities, participating in competitive analysis and pricing strategy, supporting customer-facing operations, ensuring company policies and legal guidelines are met, all while building trust and long-term relationships with engineers, project managers, executives, vendors, and clients. Prior to joining DBA, Justin held a variety of positions that had operations, people management and motivation, and relationship-building at their core, ranging from media consultant, insurance producer and account executive, high school swim coach and director of swim program operations, and Knoxville Chamber ambassador. He holds a BS in Business Administration and Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and recently completed his EMBA at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business for Strategic Leadership. Justin has been married to Brittany for 10 years and has two children, Montgomery (5) and Carson (4). In his free time, he enjoys staying active through swimming, cycling, playing with his children, or just being outside. His goal in life is to make a positive difference in every life he comes across. |
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Dan Ding, PhD, PE Project Engineer
L: Dan Ding at the Edge in Hudson Yard New York last summer.
Dan Ding came to the US in 2008. She obtained a PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Missouri and specializes in site characterization, advanced soil laboratory testing, foundation design and analysis, and reliability analysis. Since Dan joined DBA in 2019, she has been actively working on multiple big projects, such as the I-70 Bridge in Rocheport, MO, the I-30 Crossing in Little Rock, AR, the TH84 Norway Brook Dam in Pine River, MN, the Southeast Connector Project in Texas, and more. Dan also works on DBA research projects with DFI, NCHRP, and AASHTO. She is currently a member of the technical program committee for IFCEE 2024. Outside of work, Dan likes to travel, watch musical shows, play Lego, watch movies, and play card games with friends. She is passionate and curious and enjoys learning new things. She loves to work on challenging tasks. |
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People on the Move
Congratulations Geotechnology Members! Congratulations on the recent promotions of Geotechnology's Matt Barker (Erlanger), Kevin Weaver, PE, CWI (Cincinnati), Richard Bach, PE, (Erlanger) and David Forseth (St. Louis)! Matt Barker and Kevin Weaver, PE, CWI have been promoted to the Branch Managers of the Kentucky and Ohio offices. Richard Bach, PE, has been promoted to the East Region's Geotechnical Group Manager, and David Forseth has been promoted to Senior Scientist in the St. Louis Environmental Group. Way to go, Midwest team! |
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UES West Expands Upon Environmental Team UES West recently hired Ken MacDonald to be a Principal of Major Environmental Projects. Ken has significant experience as a senior environmental scientist, including leading environmental major projects like the Hoover Dam Bypass, the Grand Canyon Colorado River Management Plan, and the Horizon Lateral. He is well respected in the industry, frequently teaches workshops on environmental permitting, and has presented at American Public Works Association annual conferences. Ken has served as the Principal-in-Charge or Project Manager for the environmental permitting and construction compliance monitoring for more than 50 square miles of renewable energy development. His expertise includes National Environmental Policy Act documentation and compliance, Endangered Species consultation, and Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting. Ken strengthens the environmental team in UES West and expands our abilities to provide clients innovative solutions in every phase of their project. |
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Spreading Holiday Cheer with Team UES
While the holiday season can be a bit chaotic, it’s always refreshing to see the UES team take a moment to give back. Whether as a business or individual, it’s each of our responsibility to ensure our community is flourishing, especially in a time that is full of joy and laughter for many, while it can be more challenging for others.
In addition to taking the time to celebrate together as a team, over the last month we’ve also seen our teams STRIVE to serve as they’ve hosted food drives, read to children, and so much more. We are humbled to have a caring and dedicated team that not only work hard but take a moment to better their community and the lives of others.
Here’s a bit of what the UES team has been up to recently. |
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| UES Jacksonville With every 1 in 8 people (42 million on average) experiencing food insecurity in the United States every day, the UES Jacksonville office hosted a food drive benefitting Feeding Northeast Florida, an organization that serves roughly 85,000 community members each day. The UES Jacksonville office came together to exceed their initial goal of 100lb of food and managed to bring in 350lbs instead! |
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Alpha Testing Kindness goes a long way every day, but something about the holiday season seems to make it even more special. Emanuel Gibson, a field technician for Alpha Testing and pastor at Bread for Life Church in Houston generously hosted a free Thanksgiving meal for the community, and was even joined by fellow Alpha Testing colleagues, Jonathan Gonzales, Isaac Macias, and Emilio Maldonado. |
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GSI Engineering Children are our future and the team at GSI Engineering, a UES company carved time out of their busy schedules to prioritize our future leaders, and maybe future engineers! Starting off strong, Professional Geologist Natalie Burris, PG, taught the students of Mead Middle School about Kansas aquifers and environmental solutions at their ninth annual B.A.S.I.C. Science Conference. Next up, Senior Vice President and Principal Engineer Dave Edwards read the classic story book, the Three Little Pigs to a class of second graders as part of Reading is Fundamental (RIF). The RIF program provides free books to children across the United States. |
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Keeping children in mind, more of the GSI Engineering team in Wichita spent a morning preparing a special brunch for families at the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). RMHC provide comfort, care, and support to families with sick children. The team had a wonderful time knowing they were warmth to those who truly needed it most, sharing “We love the work RMHC does for families in need and it was such a privilege to come alongside this amazing organization.” |
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| UES Orlando Providing hope for children, youth, and families in under resourced communities was top of mind for the UES Orlando branch and FAST office this holiday season. The team utilized their holiday party as an opportunity to give back to those in need by hosting a food drive for local non-profit, Eight Waves. The organization focuses on reading intervention, mentorship, life experiences, family stability, and more. |
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| The Wright Stuff Last month, the Gainesville office celebrated a milestone 30-year anniversary for Office Manager Carolyn Wright! For three decades, Carolyn has set a standard of excellence at UES, and, with her dedication, we’ve grown a tremendous amount in that timeframe. Thank you, Carolyn for all you do! |
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| On the Board Ashraf Elsayed, PhD, PE, D.GE, M.ASCE, Chief Engineer – South Region for Geotechnology was recently named to the Tennessee Board of Architectural & Engineering Examiners. Congratulations, Ash! Ash is second from the left. |
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| Congratulations GSI Team Members! Congratulations to Dusty Myrup, Project Geologist for GSI Engineering, for passing the ASBOG PG exam! Dusty is now a licensed Professional Geologist in Kansas and is a valuable Project Manager. Dusty started with GSI in 2018 as a field geologist, learning various drilling and sampling techniques. In 2021, Dusty received his IG and began to manage projects for GSI’s Topeka office. Congratulations to Dusty for this incredible achievement! Congratulations to Collin Metz, Staff Geologist for GSI Engineering, for passing the I.G. exam in Nebraska. Collin has mastered many field techniques and has been personally requested by clients to provide field oversight for their projects. With his I.G., Collin will continue to grow in experience and start to learn project management skills. We look forward to Collin becoming a Nebraska-licensed Professional Geologist in the year to come. Congratulations to Kelsee Wheeler, Project Geologist and GSI’s Group Leader for the Topeka branch. Kelsee recently passed the ASBOG fundamentals test and has earned her I.G. Kelsee is one of GSI’s top project and contract managers. We look forward to Kelsee becoming a Kansas-licensed Professional Geologist in the year to come. |
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UES Works for Me: Relocation Opportunities
One of the great benefits of being a part of UES as we grow are the expanding opportunities to advance your career, including the chance to relocate and continue to stay with the UES family. Field Technician Juan Garcia, has done just that, and shares his experience with us here: “My current role in UES is a Field Technician at the Sarasota branch, where my responsibilities include ensuring the client receives inspections and/or testing for materials such as soils and concrete, as well as special inspections that require that they follow specifications per the engineer’s request. I began my career four years ago in North Carolina, including two great years at SUMMIT’s Raleigh office. “What I like most about my work is that it always keeps me on my toes, traveling to various job sites, looking at different types of inspections and helping to ensure that things go smoothly. I try to learn as much as possible to climb the ladder so that I may become a Master of Special Inspections. “What made me want to transfer to Florida was mostly because I saw opportunity for advancing my career as well as to be closer to family. I reached out to HR to see if transferring was possible. I knew that UES would help support me in allowing me to expand my skills even more. “After arriving to Florida, (other than Hurricane Ian being the first thing I experienced not even a day later!), I found it to be nice change of pace from the busy city life of Raleigh, and I am enjoying the nice calm beaches here in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. I am also fitting in just great with my new team of UES coworkers since I bring four-and-a-half years of experience as well as five certifications that allow me to bring a fresh pair of eyes to help with projects. I offer my assistance without any hesitation because I am always willing to learn! “If you’re someone who is considering transferring regions or offices, I strongly promote it since everyone is very helpful with the process and will help you each step of the way. I recommend reaching out to HR and finding out which region or office would be a great fit for you, since UES is always promoting jobs that need to be filled across all its regions. Overall, it’s been a very smooth transition, and I am glad that UES offers the chance to help advance my career even further. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me and this company!” |
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| What Are You Thankful For? What are you thankful for this holiday season? Tell us in this survey! |
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| UES Attends ACI Concrete Convention UES team members, James Bristow, PE, Lee Khan, PE, Bryan Angelo and Lindsay Graham represented the company at the ACI Concrete Convention in Dallas Oct. 23-27. UES sponsored the ACI Young Professionals Mixer, attended by nearly 200 young professionals in the industry, and supported the Women in Concrete fundraiser by bidding on (and winning!) a breakfast with ACI president, Dr. Charles Nmai, PE, FACI. |
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| Green Thumbs Out West
Some of our team members in Las Vegas found their green thumbs to help clean up one of Green Our Planet's school gardens. TeamUES worked with other volunteers and students to participate in a garden refresh at Helen Jydstrup Elementary school, adding new soil and planting seeds for all kinds of vegetables and herbs. Green Our Planet has student gardens at several schools in the Valley, and UES is proud to support its initiatives to bring STEM education to young students through gardens and hydroponics. |
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| Start Your Engines!
In October, Florida Branch Managers and Florida Senior Leadership gathered to review the current state of the business, strategize for future success, and enjoy a fun outing to the Daytona International Speedway. |
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UES Team Member Emergency Relief Fund
UES has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help support team members in Florida and the Carolinas impacted by Hurricane Ian. Through October 31, UES will match any donations made by UES employees. Help us reach our goal of raising $10,000, we are more than halfway there! Your donations will go directly to fellow team members who experienced a significant loss from the storm. Thank you for your support! |
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Congratulations, Alan!
At the end of September, Geotechnology had a surprise retirement party for our Drilling Foreman, Alan Karns!
Alan retired on his 35th Anniversary with Geotechnology! We had clients, employees, and Alan’s family join the celebration filled with Alan’s favorite food (Italian) and a cake made by HR Director Erica O’Connor! |
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UES Brings Home Hot Firm Award for Second Consecutive Year!
On September 15, Dave Witsken, along with Gary Elzweig, James Bristow, and Brian Kirkpatrick, accepted the 2022 Hot Firm award at the ElevateAEC black tie awards gala, hosted by the Zweig Group. This is UES’ second consecutive year at the #1 spot on the Hot Firm List. “Our success is driven by a number of factors, including the dedication and hard work of our people, the innovative solutions and services we provide to our clients, the top-tier businesses we have acquired and the excellent leadership team we have assembled,” said Dave Witsken, UES CEO. “We’ve built a culture our 3,200 team members are proud to be a part of, where we can work on exciting and innovative projects and ultimately improve the infrastructure and the communities where we live and work.” |
L to R: Dave Witsken, Gary Elzweig, PE, F.ASCE, James Bristow, PE, and Brian Kirkpatrick. |
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UES Works for Me Featuring Gilian Diran
Gilian Diran joined UES in November of 2019 at our Miami location. He was quickly promoted to an Assistant Project Manager position in their CSD Department. He earned their office a great profit by preparing and winning project proposals to provide preconstruction surveys and vibration monitoring on FDOT projects. Gilian’s wife Nickisia "Nicki" also joined the Miami office where she advanced from Administrative Assistant to Dispatcher and then Operations Coordinator.
They decided in early 2021 that they wanted to relocate to the Orlando area. Nicki joined the Orlando FAST office as a Recruiter, and the first transfer from a branch to our corporate office, and Gil had the opportunity to transfer to Orlando CSD in May.
Gilian applied to transfer to the Orlando branch in April of 2021, and, unfortunately, at the time of applying there was not an equivalent position to his current role in Miami. Gilian chose to join the Orlando team as a Field Technician, and very quickly showed his ability to learn rapidly on the job. Gilian excelled and became skilled in FDOT Drilled Shaft Inspections, Pile driving Inspections, and Concrete Materials testing. He expressed his aspirations to become an electrical inspector and further grow within UES. Gilian’s past work history and studies in his home country were specific to the electrical engineering and inspection field.
After a year and several months of studying, Gilian took the ICC Commercial Electrical Inspector exam to become licensed in Florida and passed! “This was not an easy feat for Gil, but his hard work and dedication have definitely paid off,” CQC Manager Tyler Hammett shared. “I hope you’re proud of yourself, Gil. You’ve worked many long shifts in our department and still managed to find time to study.” Not only has Gilian passed his commercial electrical inspector course, he’s also wrapped up a large auger cast pile deep foundation project for SeaWorld. This will be a new roller coaster attraction for the theme park, which is founded on 522 foundations. Gilian has been the sole inspector for this project since the test pile kickoff in May and has ensured each foundation was installed per plan documents. This project consisted of some very long days in our summer heat, and Gilian still found time at home to study for his exams. Congratulations, Gil, we are so happy UES works for you and your family, providing opportunities for continued growth! |
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