Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Garver Gives Back this Christmas


Garver has chosen Heifer International as its featured charity, and together, our organizations are providing the gift of clean water to impoverished communities overseas. With Garver’s financial support, Heifer International will help families install treadle pumps for better access to water, teach communities about managing water resources, and improve health by highlighting the importance of proper sanitation.

From the Garver Family to yours, Merry Christmas. May you have a joyous holiday season of giving.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Water Design Center Embraces Flannel Fridays



You’ve heard of Casual Friday, but have you heard of Flannel Friday? Garver’s Water Design Center in Fayetteville, Ark. implemented the new dress code for the month of December.

“Coming into December we really wanted to capitalize on the success we had with Sweatervest Wednesdays in November,” said Designer Ben Ross, who came up with the idea. “It’s something new that brings a good energy into the office.”

“Flannel Fridays embody the ‘fun’ side of work,” said Project Engineer Rusty Tate.

The argument has long been made that casual Fridays increase productivity and job performance, but given the impressive work our Water Team is showcasing, perhaps we'll soon see a trend in corporations embracing Flannel Fridays.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Garver Intern Makes a Difference in El Salvador

St. Louis native Rachel Rogers, an intern in our Norman, Okla. office, joined a group of her fellow University of Oklahoma College of Engineering students in helping build water systems in El Salvador over Thanksgiving break. The group was part of the engineering outreach group Sooners Without Borders.


The students worked with non-governmental organization EcoViva, whose mission is to work in partnership with community-led organizations in Central America to achieve environmental sustainability, economic security, social justice and peace.

Rachel and her peers installed a well and solar-paneled water tank irrigation system as a demo for the El Salvadoran community where the students worked.

“Switching from the diesel engines they use now to the solar panels will save the small farmers money in their irrigation systems over the course of the next two-to-three years,” Rachel said. The students also collaborated with another group of student engineers from Iowa City to test salt levels in a local canal and community well, which will help them determine how deep a well needs to be in the area.


“The trip taught me that classroom engineering is no substitute for real-world engineering experience—solutions to real engineering problems are interpersonal and involve on-the-spot thinking,” Rachel said. “It motivates me to return to my internship at Garver and learn as much as I can from the engineers that have tons of experience.”

Monday, December 9, 2013

Garver "Chips" In for Historical Marker




The Garver Survey Team in the Huntsville office recently participated in a Tennessee Valley Professional Land Surveyors Society golf tournament to raise funds for the replacement of a historical marker near the initial point for land surveys in north Alabama. Initial points are specifically declared points on the earth by which all surveys in the area are based.

“Many people don’t realize the significance of the public land survey system in the development and settlement of our country,” said Garver Vice President Jerry McCarley, who is a licensed land surveyor and helped organize the tournament.

“Upon the sale and transfer of land from the government to an individual, all the land within the northern one third of Alabama was referenced to the Huntsville Meridian and consequently to the initial point,” said Jerry.

Original historical marker, which has since been stolen.



The golf tournament successfully raised the funds needed for the historical marker, which will enhance the level of appreciation for the significance of the public land survey system, its history and its future.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Garver's Aviation Team Hosts FDR Lunch-and-Learn




Garver’s Aviation Team has completed two airport pavement reconstruction projects this year in Tennessee using a new technique called full-depth reclamation (FDR). Vice President Ryan Sisemore, director of the Aviation Team’s East Region, in conjunction with the Concrete Pavement Association of Tennessee, recently hosted an open lunch-and-learn regarding the FDR process. The event took place at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport, one of the two FDR reconstruction sites, in Shelbyville, Tn. Attendees included various airport management staff, Tennessee Department of Transportation Highway and Maintenance staff, Tennessee Aeronautics Division staff, city and county officials, representatives from two local universities, and fellow aviation engineering consultants. 



The FDR process reclaims old pavement and adds cement to create a new base, which makes the process extremely cost-effective, it saves construction time, and the reuse of materials adds a sustainability component. Garver is proud to lead the field in this dramatically different pavement reconstruction process and be able to offer the service to our clients. For more information, email Ryan at PRSisemore@GarverUSA.com.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Garver Publishes IQ Volume 5 Issue 3



The newest issue of Garver's IQ will be in mailboxes soon, but you can begin reading our online edition now. This edition features:

Connecting Arkansas

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department recently chose Garver to manage its Connecting Arkansas Program. The $1.8 billion transportation improvement program is the largest highway construction program ever undertaken in Arkansas by AHTD. Thirty-one projects in 19 corridors improve the intermodal transportation system and accelerate the widening and construction of nearly 200 miles of four-lane highways and interstates.

More than Meets the Eye

Garver experimented with the seal coat used on the 43-year-old asphalt at Pogue Airport, which was in bad need of repair. Garver's phased approach only required the airport to close for seven days while the seal coat was installed on the runway. This reconstruction project will leave the Oklahoma airport looking new for years to come.

If You Built It, They Will Come

The world spotlight shines on the Oklahoma River in Oklahoma City as it's now the first permanently lit river race course in the world. Top-rated canoe/kayak athletes and rowing teams have moved across the country to Oklahoma City to train at this unique venue. The recently completed project to light the river was the first of eight projects under the city's 10-year construction program, called MAPS 3, which is designed to improve the quality of life in Oklahoma City.

A Lasting Relationship

Over the years, Garver has provided the country's largest youth summer encampment with various engineering projects. With the successful completion of the camp's new state-of-the-art water treatment facility, the relationship continues to grow.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Project Engineer Nick Johnson Publishes Article in AWWA Journal



The Journal of the American Water Works Association has published an article written by Project Engineer Nick Johnson, who is located in our Tulsa office. The article entitled “Aquifer Plume Delineation of Mixed Population Nitrate Data Using ArcGIS” appears in JAWWA Volume 105 Number 9, which is also available online by clicking here.

Nick’s article discusses a study in which the nitrate levels of water samples from three aquifers in north-central Oklahoma providing water to the city of Enid were examined. These nitrate levels are important to monitor because excessive nitrate levels can lead to Blue Baby Syndrome in infants. The article reviews both the change in nitrate levels and where the changes happened, specifically since January 2000. The study set the basis for a future study that will be conducted by Nick’s co-author, Dr. Avdhesh Tyagi of Oklahoma State University, examining expansion of the well-fields to accommodate city growth.

“The article gave me an opportunity to learn how to sort large files of data that was sometimes regularly collected and sometimes intermittent,” Nick said. “The data also represented three distinct statistical populations represented by five sampling areas, which afforded me an opportunity to explore statistical spatial analysis applied to engineering and then explain it to a city board before submitting it to an academic journal.”

Congratulations, Nick! We’re proud of our engineers who lead the way in their respective research fields.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Garver Recognizes Company Veterans




On this Veteran’s Day, Garver would like to honor and give thanks to all the men and women who have served our country, as well as those who continue to serve our country through the nation’s military services. Today, we recognize those veterans who previously served our country to provide a safer nation and who now serve Garver in our mission to provide that same nation with a quality infrastructure.

Thank you, veterans.

Liz Aaron, Administrative Assistant, Administration (Not Pictured)
Raymond Akin, Construction Observer, Construction Services
John Bass, Project Manager, Energy (Not Pictured)
Wade Carpenter, Senior Project Surveyor, Survey (Not Pictured)
Guy Choate, Corporate Editor, Marketing
Darold Davis, PE, Senior Project Manager, Transportation
Michael Hall, Technician, Water
Perry Havenar, CM, Senior Planner, Aviation
Steve Haynes, PE, Senior Project Manager, Transportation
Tom Hennelly, PE, Design Build Program Manager, Design Build Services
Bobby Johnston, PS, Project Surveyor, Survey
Roger Kinney, Jr., Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services
Matt Koss, PE, Project Manager, Aviation (Not Pictured)
Jerry Martin, Project Engineer, Water
Chris Mason, Party Chief, Survey
Bryan Melton, PE, Project Manager, Facilities Design
Melissa Mixon, Technician, Transportation (Not Pictured)
Jim Morris, Senior Construction Engineer, Construction Services
Robert Mullen, Construction Observer, Construction Services
Adam Peterson, Technician, Aviation
Randall Richards, Project Engineer, Aviation
Thomas Sikora, Project Engineer, Aviation (Not Pictured)
Wallace Smith III, PE, Vice President and Director of Federal Services
Joe Sober, Project Engineer, Aviation
Kevin Sullivan, Senior Designer, Facilities Design (Not Pictured)
Bob Sunta PE, LEED AP BD+C, Project Manager, Facilities Design
John Thornton, PS, CFM, Senior Project Surveyor, Survey
Jim Ward, Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services (Not Pictured)
Chris Warren, Project Engineer, Water (Not Pictured)
Jeremy Weiland, PE, Project Manager, Transportation
Dan Williams, PE, President and CEO
Wendell Williams, Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Garver Announces Fourth Texas Office


Garver is very pleased to announce that Central Texas Aviation Team Leader Josh Crawford, PE, will lead the company's fourth Texas office.

As a licensed pilot, Josh brings with him a pilot's perspective to the design table. He has worked on various aviation projects in Texas and the region where he gained experience in the funding, design and construction oversight of airfield pavements, terminal area improvements, airfield lighting and hangar design and construction on both civilian and military airfields.

With Texas offices in Austin, Frisco, Houston, and Fort Worth, Garver now provides clients with a total of 17 offices in nine different states.

Austin Office Contact Information:
901 Mopac Expressway South
Barton Oaks Plaza One
Suite 300
Austin, TX 78746
Phone: 512.329.2708
Email: JBCrawford@GarverUSA.com

Friday, November 1, 2013

New Runway Opens at Missouri's Clinton Memorial Airport



The city of Clinton, Mo., the Clinton Airport Association, and more than 80 others recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting to mark the completion of the newly constructed Runway 18/36 at Clinton Memorial Airport, where Garver provided construction services.

"Our experience with Garver has been a very positive one. Their ability and willingness to work with contractors and others have produced many creative and cost-effective solutions to many difficult challenges. I cannot imagine working with a more professional and effective group of people," said Clinton City Administrator Christy Maggi.

The new $5.5 million runway is 1,000 feet longer and 15 feet wider than the previous runway, and it allows larger corporate jets to utilize the airfield, bringing with them business and growth opportunities.

“This is quite a milestone for the city, for the airport, and also a milestone for Garver in that it’s the largest project we’ve ever undertaken in Missouri,” said Garver Project Leader Keith Tencleve. “We were able to overcome a lot of hurdles with this project and provide Clinton with a quality runway that will assist them in their future growth and development.”

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Klement and Gran Receive Spirit of Garver Awards

As part of Summit 2013, Garver presented two employees each with a Spirit of Garver Award for their outstanding achievements and contribution to the company over the past year. Spirit of Garver nominees exhibit passion, dedication, and leadership as they aid their teams in pursuing Garver’s goals of being a strong, respected and profitable company.

The selection committee chose Lance Klement and Cindy Gran to receive the Spirit of Garver Award, which carries with it a cash prize. Ten others were chosen from among many nominees to be recognized as finalists for what is one of the highest honors within the company.

Lance serves as a project manager with the Garver Water Team in the Frisco, Texas office where he is a key team member in the coordination of spreading the Garver brand in Garver’s expanding Texas Water Market. He also has a full workload in the Oklahoma market, where he still maintains several high-profile and challenging projects.



Cindy serves as a regional marketing administrator in our Tulsa, Okla. office, where she goes beyond the expected, sometimes working long hours to ensure first-rate proposals. Since 2009, she has been recognized more than any other employee for demonstrating the call to excellence and the spirit of Garver.





    Friday, October 25, 2013

    Garver Hosts Summit 2013


    Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola welcomed Garver employees from all around the region to the city for the Garver Summit, the company’s third annual meeting.

    The mayor spoke at the Embassy Suites hotel during the Summit dinner, an event that also included Garver President and CEO Dan Williams’s discussion of the successes that shaped the company over the last year and what direction Garver will head in the future.


    “As President of Garver, I strongly believe in the importance of keeping our employees informed about our company’s goals and recognizing our collective accomplishments,” he said.

    The Summit kicked off at the Arkansas 4-H Center with a lunch, which featured a live Garver-formed band and a skit by cast members of A&E’s popular television show “Duck Dynasty” (as portrayed by Garver leadership).


    Employees also engaged in an outdoor team competition in which teams were awarded points for completing a series of challenges. One of the challenges involved coordinating several team photos of varying themes.



    For more photos, check out Garver’s Facebook page here.

    Tuesday, October 22, 2013

    Garver's Ryan Sisemore listed as 40 under 40 in Airport Business

    Airport Business magazine recently named Garver Vice President Ryan Sisemore, director of the Aviation Team’s East Region, to its list of 40 industry leaders to watch under the age of 40. The magazine cited Ryan’s work designing the reconstruction of Runway 2L/20R at Nashville International Airport. The project was selected as a finalist for the Bentley Be Inspired Awards and gave Ryan the opportunity to present the project’s details to an international audience in Amsterdam in 2010. The project also won an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Award in 2011.

    See the Airport Business feature on their website. Congratulations, Ryan!

    Thursday, October 10, 2013

    Lanny Beavers, Director of Survey, Governor of ASPS, Mayor of Hogville


    Garver Director of Survey Lanny Beavers, PS, is currently serving as Governor of the Arkansas Society of Professional Surveyors. Lanny has been a member of the SPS for eight years and previously served as president before being voted into the governorship.

    As governor, Lanny represents Arkansas in meetings of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, an organization which strives to establish and further common interests, objectives, and political effort that would help bind the surveying profession into a unified body.

    “Being the governor of the ASPS works in two ways,” Lanny said. “First, it gives me a voice by which to represent my state and profession, which I’m honored to do, and second, it brings work to Garver. I’ve had out-of-state firms decide to hire us because my governorship helps show that we’re a stable company.”

    Lanny also attracts business for Garver as the founder of a popular website, or as the Arkansas publication Sync Weekly called him in an interview, “The mayor of Hogville.”

    Hogville.net is a successful message board for Arkansas football fans to talk all things Razorbacks. Lanny started the site in 2003 and continues to manage it on nights and weekends when he’s not directing the Garver Survey Team, but sometimes it’s working for the website that yields work for Garver.

    “People see me doing things for Hogville, and then they find out I’m a surveyor at Garver,” Lanny said, “They know me and the work I do on the website, so they hire me to do survey work.”

    See Lanny’s full interview with Sync Weekly here.

    Tuesday, October 1, 2013

    Connecting Arkansas Program Website Launched




    The Connecting Arkansas Program (CAP) is the largest highway construction program ever undertaken by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). Garver is serving as the program manager, responsible for many of the roles traditionally performed by AHTD, such as design review, document controls, right-of-way and utility coordination, and construction oversight.

    As part of the program management team, Garver's marketing and communications group has developed a CAP website that provides an overview of the program and its 31 projects that widen and improve approximately 200 miles of highways and interstates.

    The website includes project descriptions, maps, and schedules. As the program progresses, additional information such as lane closure announcements, news releases, and public meeting and hearing information will be posted on the site.

    You can learn more about the program and Garver's management of the CAP by visiting www.ConnectingArkansasProgram.com.

    Tuesday, September 24, 2013

    Employee Summer Adventures...

    At Garver, we value a healthy work-life balance. We see our employees enjoying work every day, but how do they enjoy life after working hours? Now that fall is officially here, let's take a look at a few adventures our employees experienced over the summer...


     Project Manager Jenny Sallee zip-lined over alligator pits while on a family vacation in Florida.


    Project Manager Zach Moore and his wife whitewater-rafted at Yosemite National Park.


    Project Manager Mason Atkinson traveled with a group of high school students from his church to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they volunteered with an organization running programs for children.


    Project Manager Blake Staton mountain-biked from Durango, Colo. to Moab, Utah, a ride that lasted a total distance of 215 miles from start to finish. He was part of a group that also included Garver employees Steve Jones, Kyle Kruger, Jerry McCarley, Kevin Mullins, and Jeff Sober.

    For more of our employees' summer adventures, check out the rest of the photos on our Facebook page.

    Friday, September 20, 2013

    Garver's Dr. Michael Watts publishes article, presents at IOA and IUVA World Congress



    Garver has hired Dr. Michael Watts as Water Team senior process engineer to serve in our Water Design Center. Michael is proficient in cutting-edge physical-chemical water and wastewater treatment. His experience includes training and supervising future engineers in their research and coursework on water treatment unit process and plant design, water conveyance, water reclamation, and publication in respected journals for water treatment engineering and environmental science.

    Michael earned both his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Carolina and Duke University, respectively. He holds his professional engineering license in Florida, where he taught at engineering at Florida State University. Michael is an active member of the American Water Works Association, the Association of Environmental Engineering Scientists and Professors, the International Ultraviolet Association, and the Water Environment Federation.



    He has published articles in multiple peer-reviewed journals, the most recent of which is the current edition of Environmental Technology. The article, entitled “A bench-scale assessment of ozone pre-treatments for landfill leachates,” discusses how low doses of dissolved ozone (less than the instantaneous ozone demand) were applied to stabilized landfill leachate (a.k.a. ‘garbage juice’) prior to anaerobic biological treatment (bench-scale laboratory testing). The concentrations of three organic micropollutants common to landfill leachates were monitored through both treatment processes. Significant improvement to the rate of biodegradation of a known endocrine disrupting compound, ethinyl estradiol, was observed in ozone pre-treated leachates vs. leachates that did not receive pre-oxidation. This work has implications for design of small-footprint, advanced chemical-biological water reclamation processes for on-site treatment of landfill leachates.

    Ultraviolet Bulb

    Michael has given presentations and lectures at various conferences and for a variety of organizations. He’ll be presenting next week in Las Vegas at the 2013 World Congress of the International Ultraviolet Association and the International Ozone Association. If you plan on attending the conference, we’ll hope you’ll stop in to meet Michael and hear him discuss “O3 and O3/H2O2 Oxidation of Piroxicam, Ketoprofen, and Naproxen in Surface Waters” on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 11:30 a.m.
     
    Ultraviolet Collimated Beam

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