Monday, August 29, 2011

IQ Volume 3 Issue 3

The newest issue of Garver's IQ will hit the streets soon.
This edition features:

Cars Above, Barges Below. Improving a State Highway 51 bridge in Wagoner County, Oklahoma required designing for two modes of travel: highway and waterway. The bridge crosses the Verdigris River, which is part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.

Setting the Standard. Garver's CE&I teams are expanding and keeping a close eye on construction.

Reborn in Concrete. Sulphur Springs Municipal Airport in Texas is finding new life after overlaying its aging airfield pavement in concrete.

Taking Charge of Energy Use. Proactive utility owners are making energy use more efficient at their water and wastewater treatment plants, and Garver is helping by providing energy optimization solutions and project funding assistance.

Map Quest. Certifying your levee will keep it on FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Garver is working with communities to certify and provide evidence that levees meet current design, construction, maintenance, and operation standards.

You can read this issue and past editions on our Website.

Is there a project you'd like to see featured in IQ?

Monday, August 22, 2011

Mountain Biking 100 Miles Across the Sky

With a wild look in their eyes and an unbending determination to conquer the extreme, Garver's Steve Jones and Kyle Kruger recently pushed themselves to the limit across brutal mountainous terrain.

Nicknamed the Race Across the Sky, Steve and Kyle tackled the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race in Colorado on August 13, a 100-mile course in the Rocky Mountains.

With 15,000 feet of total climbing and an ultimate high at Columbine Pass (12,424 feet above sea level), the race features forest trails and mountain roads, steep climbs and narrow descents, sharp turns and switchbacks, creek crossings, and panoramic views. With an entry field of over 2,000, less than 1,300 finished.

With arms raised high as he crossed the finish line, Steve completed the race in 11 hours and 39 minutes. Steve started near the back of the pack but passed nearly 1,000 riders to finish.

Pushing hard to the finish, Kyle completed the course in 11 hours and 58 minutes. Kyle overcame several challenges during the race to finish ahead of the 12-hour cutoff. This was his second time to complete the race; in 2008, he finished in 10 hours and 17 minutes. 

This wasn't Kyle and Steve's first experience together with long-distance mountain biking. Last year they rode with a Garver group (including President Brock Johnson, Chief Operating Officer Dan Williams, and Chief Marketing Officer Chad Clinehens) on a challenging seven-day, 215-mile hut-to-hut adventure from Durango, Colorado to Moab, Utah.

Question
Have you ever biked in a 100-mile race?

Would you try?

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Same Service, New Mississippi Location


Our Brandon, Mississippi office has moved to a new building. The office is relocating approximately one mile west. This location provides us room to grow and enhances our ability to serve Mississippi with exceptional responsiveness and professionalism. The new address is:

224 Commerce Drive, Suite 200
Brandon, MS  39042

A map and driving directions are located on our website. The office phone and fax numbers remain the same.

Monday, August 15, 2011

ACEC Oklahoma Board of Directors

Brent Schneirs, PE has been instated as an officer on the American Council of Engineering Companies Oklahoma Board of Directors.

Brent is serving as the 2011-2012 Vice Chair - Business Practice. Last year he served as the Vice Chair - Education/Public Relations. Brent is Garver's transportation team leader in our Tulsa office.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Run Safe and Beat the Heat

Like many Garver employees, Bill Ruck enjoys competing in races. He recently ran in the Big Dam Bridge Twilight 5K (finishing first in his age group), the River City 5K (finishing second in his age group), and the Firecracker Fast 5K (finishing third in his age group).

If you plan to run or exercise during the summer months (and especially during this heat wave), take precautions to avoid overheating and dehydration. Below are some running tips to keep in mind when you're having fun in the sun.
  1. Make sure to drink fluids before and after you exercise. 
  2. Avoid running in the afternoon. A good tip is to run when your shadow is taller than you.
  3. If you do run in the afternoon, be prepared to run at a reduced pace; the heat takes a lot out of you.
  4. Wear thin, synthetic materials free of cotton, including your socks. They allow moisture to escape to the surface where evaporation brings a lot of cooling.
  5. Don't forget the sunscreen. Ball caps trap a lot of heat on your head.
  6. Run with a buddy, and recognize the signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion.
  7. Unlace and dry your shoes after each run. Stuff your shoes with newspaper while they are stored in your gym bag.
  8. If you don't breathe well through your nose, a piece of gum keeps you from getting a dry mouth.
  9. Nourish yourself with a balanced diet low in fats and high in carbs, natural vitamins, and electrolytes to enable your cooling system to operate at peak efficiency.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Best Place to Work

Garver's Tulsa, Oklahoma office has been named one of the city's Best Places to Work by the Tulsa Business Journal. The ranking is determined by employees who completed a 20-question survey, and Garver received high marks for firms with 300 or more employees.

"Garver employees are young, enthusiastic, and excited about helping our clients improve the infrastructure of our surrounding community and state," said Team Leader Kelly Fincannon, PE. "It takes more than Garver's great pay and great benefits to be a great place to work. Garver also provides a place to 'work hard and play hard,' a place where everyone contributes to excellence in our work, and a place with huge opportunities for career development and advancement."

More than 700 surveys were submitted. The surveys asked questions about benefits, professional and personal growth opportunities, health programs, company communications, promotion opportunities, pay, work/personal life balance, and work culture. Garver received an employee satisfaction rating of 4.942 out of 5.

Anonymous staff comments were published in the article, such as this one from a Garver employee: "In the engineering consulting area, it is very hard to find a company that values the personal/work life balance as much as Garver."

Monday, August 1, 2011

Two Rivers Bridge: Now Open


More than an hour before the Garver-designed Two Rivers Bridge opened to the public at 7am on July 23 in Little Rock, Ark., over 200 enthusiastic bicyclists and walkers stood in line to celebrate the event. The pedestrian bridge connects the Arkansas River Trail with Two Rivers Park and provides 17 miles of uninterrupted trails. The 1,760-foot-long bridge sits nearly 40 feet above the river's high-water mark and is 14 feet wide.

This year's Big Dam Bridge 100 bike ride (September 24) has a new route for the 100-mile course that includes the Two Rivers Bridge. Register for the ride.

Transportation Director Bert Parker attended the opening and took pictures.

Workers remove the temporary barrier, allowing access to the bridge and its trail system.

The bridge remained busy for many hours.

Both walkers and bicyclists turned out to enjoy the beautiful morning and be some of the first to cross the bridge.

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