Thursday, December 21, 2017

Gran elected president of Oklahoma chapter of SMPS

Garver Regional Marketing Administrator Cindy Gran has been elected President of the Oklahoma Chapter for the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS). Gran, who has been a member of Oklahoma’s SMPS chapter since 2006, began her one-year term on Sept. 1.

“I’m honored to be selected to lead an organization that has proven to be so vital to our industry in Oklahoma,” said Gran. “Over the next year we hope to continue the steady growth of SMPS membership, while providing even more support that allows us to better serve our clients and enhance our marketing and business development professional growth and opportunities.”

Identified as the leading organization dedicated to creating business opportunities in the AEC industry, SMPS counts more than 6,000 businesses and professionals as members. The Oklahoma chapter, formed in 2001, aims to strengthen the AEC industry in the state through networking, educational programs, certification, and national exposure.

Gran has served previously on the National SMPS Marketing for Communications award selection jury for SMPS, as the Oklahoma Chapter Membership Chair and President-Elect, and as President of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Tulsa Post, which honored her with the distinguished Regional Vice President (RVP) coin in recognition of outstanding service to the organization in 2013.



Thursday, December 14, 2017

GarverGives donation aids school garden program

A recent donation from Garver’s Norman, Oklahoma office will help advance the mission of Earth Rebirth, a nonprofit organization that aims to educate the community by creating sustainable food, energy, and water.

Earth Rebirth’s award-winning Garden Your Own Growth program uses its various education programs to spark economic improvement within its community by using the food it produces. The Norman-based organization now reaches 17 schools, 15 of which are in Norman, including an aquaponics system at Norman High School that supplies its cafeteria, a food pantry program, and a local farmer’s market. Garver gladly supports the hands-on, STEM-based curriculum that allows up to 300 students maintain the gardens themselves.
The $1,500 GarverGives donation will support Earth Rebirth as it increases the number of school gardens; helps purchase winterization supplies for school gardens, and materials to construct hoop housing for raised garden beds and in-ground garden beds while funding transport to each of the 17 partner schools.

“We wanted to work with Earth Rebirth because it represents so many of Garver’s values by using innovative thinking to make an impact on our community,” said Garver Project Engineer Amanda Way. “We’re excited that this donation will allow them to continue the important contributions they’ve already made.”

To learn more about Garver’s charitable giving, visit www.GarverUSA.com/GarverGives.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Garver adds Gorsegner to Wellness team

Over the last decade, Garver has experienced unprecedented growth, expanding our services into new markets and adding expert professionals who aid clients like never before.

But Garver takes seriously its commitment to maintaining a healthy workplace and a positive company-wide culture, and with that effort in mind, Garver is pleased to announce the hiring of Wellness Coordinator Whitney Gorsegner, who will help advance its award-winning, employee-focused Wellness Program.

“No matter how much we continue to grow, promoting a health-conscious workplace will always be one of our top priorities,” said Wellness Team Manager Sarah Palmiero. “Whitney’s experience as a dedicated advocate for a healthy lifestyle will be a welcomed addition, and will provide even more support to our employees and their families.”

Gorsegner comes to Garver with experience in developing personal training, group fitness, and health education curriculum, while serving as an advocate for healthy eating as a foundation for quality life. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and a certified personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise.

“I firmly believe that lives can be changed simply by showing people of any age how fun being healthy can be,” Gorsegner said. “I’m positive that we’ll continue to create an environment in which our employees continue to discover the benefits of healthy lifestyles.”

As part of Garver’s People Services Team, Palmiero and Gorsegner will work together in advancing the award-winning Wellness Program with continued support of its employees and families in achieving overall physical, mental, financial, and social well-being. In 2017, 99 percent of 
Garver employees participated in the Wellness Program, with almost 40 percent earning financial rewards for hitting established benchmarks. Garver was named earlier this year a Gold Well Workplace by the Wellness Council of America and was named among the Top 100 Healthiest Employers at FitBit Captivate 2017.

As Wellness Team Manager, Palmiero will continue to direct overall programming, while concentrating on disease management efforts and total rewards support, while Gorsegner will focus on health promotion, employee engagement, and program administration.

To learn more about how Garver’s Wellness Program contributes to its award-winning culture, visit, www.GarverUSA.com/JoinUs.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

MDOT opens stretch of I-269 in north Mississippi

Garver joined representatives from the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and several elected officials this week to mark the opening of a section of I-269 in Marshall County, Mississippi southeast of Memphis, Tennessee. The four-lane controlled access interstate extends I-269 from just east of U.S. Highway 78 to State Road 302 and is the second leg of the ongoing project. 
Garver provided engineering services for Phases A, B and C of the project, which included surveys, roadway, traffic and bridge design. Garver’s section of the project, which opened this week, covers 6.3 miles and includes one interchange, several grade separation structures, and a 4,000-foot bridge over the Coldwater River.

“We knew from the beginning that this would be a huge economic benefit to north Mississippi, providing another route around one of the region’s largest metropolitan areas,” said Garver Senior Project Manager Steve Haynes. “It’s rewarding to see this stretch of interstate open and to know that the citizens of Mississippi and Tennessee, and those traveling through it, will be taking full advantage.”
Eventually I-269 will provide an interstate loop around Memphis, providing easier access into Memphis while opening up additional areas to further development. From Hernando, Mississippi, the interstate will travel along Memphis’s eastern edge to Millington, Tennessee.

To learn more about how Garver’s Transportation Team can help you, visit GarverUSA.com/Transportation.

Photos courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Garver adds landscape architecture to available services

Garver has always strived to be a full-service engineering and consulting firm that provides solutions throughout the life of a project. With that effort in mind, it has added landscape architecture to its list of varied capabilities, providing clients with services related to all aspects of site planning and design.
From its office in Wichita, Kansas, Garver’s registered landscape architects have the ability to improve and enhance municipal streets, educational facilities, bicycle and pedestrian trails, retail facilities, park and recreational facilities, and medical buildings. They’re also capable in land planning, streetscapes, and wayfinding for projects throughout Garver’s 10-state footprint.

“Anything outside of the structure, we can come up with a plan that creates a vibrant, more attractive space for our clients,” said Landscape Architect Brent Thomas, a member of Garver's Federal Team who will help deliver projects across all available services. “Our plans will improve the curb appeal and really make these projects something our clients can be proud of.”
Garver’s landscape architects are currently working on projects in Alabama, Kansas, and Texas; while past projects include a church expansion master plan, a cemetery design, a streetscape design that reinvented two streets in downtown Wichita to spark further redevelopment; entry signage for a residential development; and a retail concept planning project at a 25-acre aviation campus.

To learn more about Garver’s landscape architecture capabilities, visit GarverUSA.com/Federal.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Radar approach facility renovation awarded Gold Medal

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas recently honored a Garver-led project that turned one of the U.S. Army’s most complicated radar approach control facilities into a modern and updated operation focused on efficiency and safety.
A full-scale renovation of the Army Radar Approach Control building at Robert Gray Army Airfield at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas was awarded a Gold Medal in the Building/Technology Systems category by ACEC-Texas, the result of a combined effort between Garver’s Aviation, Facilities Design, and Federal teams. The project completely reorganized a control facility that has been in use since 1975 and currently services eight civilian and four military airfields in central Texas.

“Because of its importance, we had to come up with a plan to keep the ARAC operational during construction," said Project Manager Josh Crawford. "It was a difficult task, but we're proud to say it didn't miss one day of operations."

Garver’s plan provided a temporary and transportable facility, which required coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, Fort Hood Directorate of Aviation, and the City of Killeen Department of Aviation, to keep operations going during the renovations. The new facility, which opened earlier this year, now has a free-flowing floor plan concentrated to enhance operations, maintenance, administration, and general areas, to more efficiently service up to 10,000 flights per year.

To learn more about what Garver's Aviation Team visit GarverUSA.com/Aviation.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Garver project wins DBIA merit award

A Garver design-build project that provided the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with a state-of-the-art canine training facility has earned one of its industry’s top awards.
The Design-Build Institute of America awarded the Canine Training Facility at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, with a National Award of Merit in the Educational Facilities category at its annual awards dinner last week in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Garver provided design project management, design quality control, and architectural, civil, communications, mechanical, plumbing, and fire protection design services.

Garver was joined on the design-build team with The Ross Group and HDR for the 25,000 square-foot-facility that includes classrooms, offices, and large gathering spaces. The LEED Silver facility is equipped to educate around 230 canine-handler teams per year.

“We were proud and honored to work on a project that is so important to the TSA’s mission,” said Greg Archer, Director of Architecture at Garver. “The finished product was exactly what we envisioned – an open design that is as elegant as it is functional and will be of use for a long, long time.”
The DBIA said the academy provides the National Explosives Detection Training Program with “an optimal educational environment for the critical training functions of the men, women, and explosives detection canines who protect and serve our country.”

To learn more about what Garver’s Facilities Design Team can do for you, visit GarverUSA.com.

Garver drive contributes to Arkansas Children's Northwest

Garver affects its communities on a daily basis through improvements to airports, roads, and water treatment plants. But Garver’s Fayetteville, Arkansas office recently impacted a vital addition independent of infrastructure design.

About 60 employees in the Fayetteville office united last week to raise more than one-third of what resulted in a $30,000 donation from GarverGives, the company’s corporate giving arm, to Arkansas Children’s Northwest, a state-of-the-art pediatric care center scheduled to open in January 2018 in Springdale.
To raise the money, Garver employees made donations that came with perks, such as shoving a pie in the face of their manager, making their manager lip sync, and some agreed to shave their heads if the 
employees met a fundraising goal.

“It was important to us for our employees to have fun with this campaign,” said Project Manager Adam White, who helped organize the drive. “But the most important part was the impact this will have on the new hospital, which will impact Northwest Arkansas for generations. To be a part of that is a true blessing.”
Arkansas Children’s Northwest will be the first freestanding children’s hospital in the area, which will aid Garver’s employees and their families along with the rest of the community.

“With this coming here, that’s going to allow Northwest Arkansas families to stay close to home during some of the most difficult times when they otherwise would have had to go to the hospital in Little Rock for an extended period,” White said. “That was something we really wanted to get behind.”

To learn more about Garver’s charitable giving, visit GarverUSA.com/GarverGives.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Garver honors America's veterans

Garver is eternally grateful for the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our country, as well as those who continue to do so. On Friday, we will recognize those veterans who provided a safer nation by serving the military and who now serve Garver in our mission to provide that same nation with sound infrastructure.

More than 20 current Garver employees served in various military branches – a group that touches multiple business lines and Garver offices – and to them we say thank you for what you’ve done for our country and continue to do for our company. 


Wade Carpenter, Senior Project Surveyor, Survey, Huntsville, Alabama
Guy Choate, Communications Team Manager, Communications, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Colin Cordell, IT Intern, IT, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Darold Davis, Senior Project Manager, Transportation, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Michael Hall, Software Support Analyst, IT, Norman, Oklahoma
Steve Haynes, Senior Project Manager, Transportation, Jackson, Mississippi
Bobby Johnston, Project Surveyor, Survey, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Matt Koss, Project Manager, Aviation, Franklin, Tennessee
Jerry Martin, Project Manager, Water, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Bryan Melton, Project Manager, Facilities Design, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Melissa Mixon, Technician, Transportation, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Jim Morris, Senior Construction Engineer, Construction Services, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Robert Mullen, Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Randall Richards, Project Engineer, Aviation, Huntsville, Alabama
Lucio Rivas, Construction Observer, Construction Services, Austin, Texas
Jennifer Russell, Senior Project Manager, Transportation, Overland Park, Kansas
Wallace Smith, Director of Federal Services, Federal, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Kevin Sullivan, Senior Designer, Facilities Design, North Little Rock, Arkansas
John Vernor, Designer, AssetMax, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Jim Ward, Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services, Conway, Arkansas
Jeremy Weiland, Project Manager, Aviation, Norman, Oklahoma
Dan Williams, President and CEO, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Wendell Williams, Senior Construction Observer, Construction Services

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Dusek, Luna, Snyder win Spirit of Garver Awards

Each year, Garver Summit is held to celebrate company achievements and the employees who helped make them possible. That’s why, one of the features of each Summit is announcing the Spirit of Garver Awards, which go to the individuals who best exhibited dedication, passion, and leadership toward the company's mission over the previous year.

Kaylee Dusek
This year, for the first time ever, three were announced as Spirit of Garver winners. Kaylee Dusek, Edoardo Luna, and Andrew Snyder each won the award, which comes with a cash prize and recognizes their achievements in best displaying Garver’s values.

Edoardo Luna
Dusek is a project engineer on the Water Team in the Frisco, Texas office. Luna is a Regional Finance Leader in the Frisco, Texas office. And Andrew Snyder is a Project Manager on the Transportation Team in the Tulsa, Oklahoma office.

These three were joined by 10 others as finalists, which came from a collection of nominees recommended by their colleagues.

Andrew Snyder



Congratulations to our winners, our nominees, and finalists. To see more photos from Summit 2017, visit our Facebook Page.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Employees travel to Oklahoma City for Garver Summit 2017

Each year, Garver employees gather in one location for presentations, company meetings, awards, and team-building exercises in what has become one of its most anticipated events. Garver Summit 2017, held recently in Oklahoma City proved no different.



Nearly 300 employees from across Garver’s 10-state footprint gathered in central Oklahoma recently for the seventh annual event. This year’s Summit was hosted by Garver’s Norman, Oklahoma office, which has been a part of the Garver family since 2004. One of its largest offices, Norman has provided clients with water, transportation, aviation, facilities design, and construction services for more than a decade. It was the second Summit to be held in Oklahoma, after Garver’s Tulsa office hosted the event in 2014.


Like in years past, the team-building competition was a highlight. More than 35 teams traveled the streets of Oklahoma City in an Amazing Race-style event that sent them through the city’s underground walkways, and required them to maneuver a Segway through the concourse of Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, navigate a white-water rafting course, and zip line over the Oklahoma River.

Summit concluded at the Chevy Bricktown Events Center, where employees participated in presentations, company awards, and a message from CEO and President Dan Williams, who highlighted the company's growth over the last decade and a plan for it to continue.

"Give yourselves a goal," he told employees. "Say it out loud. Refine it. Write it down. That's what we did in 2006. I'm here to tell you, and you can see the proof in Garver's history, establishing a goal is the first step toward achieving it."


For more photos of Garver Summit 2017, visit our Facebook page.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Kansas City Business Journal honors two Garver offices

In a reflection of Garver’s already-decorated company-wide culture, two Garver offices were recognized recently for their workplace environments.
The Kansas City Business Journal named this month Garver’s Overland Park, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri offices as “Best Places to Work” in the small business category at a luncheon at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City.

“We pride ourselves in providing excellent services, but being a place that the most talented employees want to continue to work at is just as important,” said Garver Senior Project Manager Mark Williams, who is based in the Overland Park office. “We’ve been able to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time in this market, and our workplace culture is a big part of that.”

Flexible work schedules, competitive benefits, and an administration that seeks out employee feedback are fundamental in what makes Garver a "Best Place to Work." But, the Kansas City and Overland Park offices expand on those tenets with mentoring programs for young employees to meet with office leaders, a book club that sparks discussion among co-workers, and a ping pong table available to all.

The two offices were also named earlier this year as Platinum Level Healthy KC Certified by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the highest level of certification.

Garver opened both offices in 2013, from which it has since served aviation and transportation clients. Garver provided design services for the U.S. 69 Missouri River bridge design-build project, is leading the design of SW Route 65 in Springfield, Missouri, has served as construction manager for runway status lights installations at airports in New York and San Francisco, and is currently working with the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to expand its general aviation apron.

To learn more about Garver’s award-winning culture, visit GarverUSA.com/JoinUs

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Garver helps local charity raise more than $3,000

A pair of Garver-sponsored events held in Tulsa recently assisted a charity aimed at helping those with developmental disabilities raise more than $3,000 as part of a months-long fundraising effort.
Ten volunteers from Garver’s Tulsa, Oklahoma office hosted a pancake breakfast followed by a four-on-four sand volleyball tournament last month. All proceeds from both events went directly to A New Leaf, a Broken Arrow-based organization that provides those with developmental disabilities with life skills and job training through horticulture and community-based vocational placement.

Garver’s pancake breakfast, assisted by volunteers from a local Chili’s restaurant, where the event was held, the Civitans from Tulsa Community College, and The Eagle, KJSR-FM, 103.3, raised more than $2,000 by selling tickets at $10 each. After additional tips and donations, the breakfast averaged more than $25 per person. Then, a 10-team volleyball tournament, assisted by the Tulsa Volleyball League, provided even more assistance to the organization. Both were held as part of A New Leaf’s “Grow Together” campaign to raise funds and awareness through a variety of events spread over multiple months.

“From raising funds to awareness, we learned a lot about planning and operating these types of events,” said Garver Project Engineer Jordan Jones. “A New Leaf is a vital part of our community here, and we look forward to continued work with them, and their 'Grow Together' campaign.”

To learn more about Garver's charitable giving, visit www.GarverUSA.com/GarverGives.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Garver acquires Wichita, Kansas-based firm


In a continued effort to spread its quality services, Garver announced today that it has acquired Ruggles & Bohm, an engineering and design services firm based in Wichita, Kansas. A trusted company with roots in Kansas for almost a quarter-century, Ruggles & Bohm has created its reputation by providing valued results based on sound relationships, which will only be enhanced by its transition into a Garver footprint that includes nearly 500 employees spread between 24 offices in 10 states.

“The core values and vision for how we want to service clients have been almost identical between Garver and Ruggles & Bohm for decades, and neither of those will change as we continue to grow together,” said Garver President and CEO Dan Williams. “Bringing this accomplished team into the Garver family will only strengthen us both as we continue to expand our services and provide our employees with the quality benefits they deserve.”

Ruggles & Bohm’s 12 employees will transition immediately to Garver, while President Chris Bohm has been named Transportation Team Leader and will continue as point of contact for the Wichita office.

“As a founding partner, I can say that this is a great day for a firm that started with just four employees back in 1992,” Bohm said. “This transition combines our local expertise with a staff of nationally recognized engineers that will provide our clients with a level of service not before possible, and our employees with unparalleled benefits and growth opportunities.”

Since 1992, Ruggles & Bohm has provided its clients with civil engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, and government services, growing with a philosophy rooted in valued results, clear answers, quality customer responses, and meaningful relationships. It has included the Wichita Airport Authority, McConnell Air Force Base, and the Kansas cities of Andover, Bel Aire, Maize, Newton, and Wichita, on its varied list of clients.

Garver, which is already working with the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, now has three Kansas offices – two in Wichita and one in Overland Park – among its 24 spread across the country.

To learn more about Garver's variety of services, visit GarverUSA.com.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Garver picked to assist Texas Military Department with hurricane damage assessments

The impact of Hurricane Harvey has left more than a million residents of southeast Texas without homes, and even more facing a long recovery period. The Texas Military Department (TMD) is leading that recovery effort, with about 12,000 guardsmen deployed to assist those in Houston and surrounding areas who were impacted from the Category 4 storm that made landfall on Aug. 25.

While the TMD, which heads the Texas Army and Air National Guard, focuses on that effort, its own installations were also affected by the storms and are in need of repairs. Garver, which counts Houston and eight others in Texas among its 23 nationwide offices, has been contracted by the TMD to assess 21 installations in the state that have suffered damage because of the storm that created 130 mph winds and 40-52 inches of rainfall.

The installations are located in 16 different Texas cities – as far west as San Antonio,  as far north as Huntsville, as well as La Marque and La Porte along the coast – and the work will be used to establish plans for future projects for facility maintenance, repairs, and updates for the installations to return to operational readiness. The completed work will provide a thorough evaluation of facility condition, and specific damage that resulted from Hurricane Harvey.

Work is scheduled to begin this month.

“The Texas Military Department is doing important work in helping the citizens of Texas recover from this devastating storm,” Garver Director of Federal Services Wallace Smith said. “To make sure that they’re able to continue to do this work, their installations need to be fully operational. Garver is proud to assist the Texas Military Department in this effort.”

To see how Garver’s Federal Team can help you, visit GarverUSA.com/Federal.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Garver ranked among Top 100 Healthiest Employers

Garver's good year in wellness has continued, as it has once again been recognized as a leader in corporate wellness. Named recently among the Top 100 Healthiest Employers at Fitbit Captivate 2017, a conference held in Chicago at which corporate wellness leaders gathered, Garver ranked 45th while being recognized for its ongoing commitment to employee health and comprehensive Wellness program.

Wellness Coordinator Sarah Palmiero accepted the award presented by the Healthiest Employer, LLC, which received more than 1,800 applications.

“I am continually seeking out ways to ensure that all of Garver’s employees are prepared for success in meeting their personal wellness goals, no matter if they are competitive or simply routine,” Sarah said. “This award further proves Garver’s status as an innovative leader in workplace wellness, and its continued campaign to deliver true work-life balance improves each year.”

Garver, which was named a “Gold Well Workplace” earlier this year by the Wellness Council of America, earned its place on the list after being evaluated for its culture and leadership, foundational components, strategic planning, communications and marketing, programming and interventions, and reporting and analysis.

Garver’s Wellness Program is modified annually based on collected biometric and insurance data, employee feedback, and current industry trends. The program repeatedly receives feedback from executive leadership, employee surveys and focus groups, and is routinely used as a recruiting and onboarding tool.

To learn more about how Garver’s Wellness Program contributes to its award-winning culture, visit www.GarverUSA.com/JoinUs.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Tuscumbia WTP project selected for induction into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame


One of Garver’s signature projects has earned one of its highest honors.

The Tuscumbia Water Treatment Plant and Supply Improvements project is being inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, joining less than 50 other projects in achieving the recognition since its inception in 1987. The plant, which in 2012 began treating the city's raw water supply from Big Spring, was the first in the state to use a blended series membrane process.

The project won the Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama in 2013, was a finalist for a national award, and now is being recognized by the Hall of Fame for the significant impact it has made on the region’s technological and economic development. The induction ceremony will be held Feb. 24, 2018 in Huntsville, Alabama.

“This was a landmark project for both Garver and for the City of Tuscumbia,” said Garver Senior Project Manager Kevin Mullins. “When the local utility was having a hard-water condition, we worked together to correct it with the most advanced technologies, and it’s been benefiting its residents ever since.”

Dr. Steve Jones, Garver's Director of Water Services and its Membrane Technologist, said that the state-of-the-art, award-winning process train includes high-rate clarification pretreatment to handle seasonal suspended solids loadings, ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for turbidity and microbial control, slip-stream nanofiltration (NF) membranes to trim dissolved solids, and free chlorine disinfection for primary and secondary disinfection.

Garver provided project design, funding assistance, bond issue assistance, construction management, and operational support in replacing a 60-year-old plant that had outlived its usefulness. The new plant is almost double the size of what it replaced, and outfitted with raw-water pumping, pretreatment basins, membranes, disinfection, high-service pumping and a 500,000-gallon clearwell.



The filtration technology was the centerpiece of the 4 million gallons-per-day treatment plant, which purified and softened the city’s water that was high in alkalinity. The blended series membrane process meets all filtration requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and reduces the raw water’s hardness.

"The city knew improvements were needed to address aging equipment and to accommodate increased peak demands and future growth," said Garver Project Manager Kyle Kruger. "Our design approach not only utilized advanced treatment specific to their needs, but it also provided infrastructure for current demands, readily expandable to meet future capacity."

Learn more about Garver’s Water Team by visiting GarverUSA.com/Water.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Garver Publishes IQ Magazine Volume 9, Issue 2


Read the online edition of the newest IQ, which features:

Director's Insight
Maintaining Sustainability, Promoting Safety
This much is clear: Water is essential to life. How to provide sustainable, safe, and cost effective water to all communities in the most efficient way possible is something Garver aims to make just as clear.

Broadway Bridge Over the Arkansas River
Remaking a Landmark
Garver has been designing innovative river crossings from a headquarters in Little Rock or North Little Rock, Arkansas, for almost a century. So, it was most fitting for Garver to take the reins on designing the replacement of an iconic Arkansas River crossing that connects the downtowns of both cities.

Nashville International Airport Hangar Development
Expanding The Possibilities
Garver has had a working relationship with Nashville International Airport for more than a decade. But the recently completed maintenance, repair, and overhaul hangar development broke new ground when Garver provided services well beyond that of a traditional airfield design project.

Water & Energy Sustainable Technology Center
Devoted to DPR Advancement
The availability of freshwater is diminishing, while increasing demand has created an urgent need for alternative water supplies. Because of this, Garver is committed to the development of sustainable water supplies via the advancement of Direct Potable Reuse (DPR).

Fort Sill Low Water Crossing
Year-Round Accessibility
Fort Sill was established by the United States Army in 1869 and has been used as a training ground for much of its history. But an insufficient crossing over the East Cache Creek made it so a portion of the long-used installation for weapons training was inaccessible during heavy flooding.

To subscribe to the print edition of IQ, click here.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Palmiero named president-elect of nutritional organization

Garver Wellness Coordinator Sarah Palmiero was recently named president-elect of the Central Arkansas District Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (CAD-AND), a subgroup of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
A member of Arkansas AND since 2011, Sarah has aimed to be an active member of her professional community. In this new role, Sarah, who also serves on the Arkansas AND Board of Directors, will lead the Central Arkansas district for the state-wide organization that aims to optimize the health of Arkansans through food and lifelong nutrition, while empowering its members to be leaders in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

“The Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics represents registered dietitians who are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of fellow Arkansans,” Sarah said. “By acting as the nutrition leaders and reinforcing the importance of nutrition in a healthy lifestyle, we can make a positive impact on the lifelong health of the people with whom we are closest.”

As corporate-wide Wellness Coordinator based in its North Little Rock, Arkansas office, Sarah leads Garver’s effort in providing its employees with a quality work-life balance. Named earlier this year a Gold Well Workplace by the Wellness Council of America, Garver puts an emphasis on its Wellness program that strives to improve the financial, mental, occupational, physical, and social well-being of its employees.

To learn more about how you can become a part of Garver's award-winning culture, visit www.GarverUSA.com/JoinUs.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Garver employees enjoy the summer

Garver has always placed an emphasis on a healthy work-life balance. Our employees work hard year-round, but they still find time to let loose during the summer. This year, employees from across the Garver footprint took advantage of their vacations in a variety of ways. Some went fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, some took cruises and road trips in Alaska, some ventured across Europe, and others spent time with their families.

Technician Priscila Almeida jumped from the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas.

Chief Operating Officer Brock Hoskins and Director of Construction Services Earl Mott went hiking in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Project Manager Rick Kingery went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with his family.

Project Engineer Joe Kaminski got engaged at Perdido Key, Florida.

Check out all of Garver's summer photos in the Facebook gallery.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Hadley named to TAA Board of Directors


Garver Senior Aviation Planner Benson Hadley was recently named to the Tennessee Aviation Association Board of Directors. Benson, based in Garver’s Franklin, Tenn., office, will serve on the 10-member board that represents Tennessee’s system of airports to promote communications among its members, government entities, and the public.

Benson has been with Garver for 10 years, with expertise in planning and design, project coordination, airport master plans, airport layout plans, and capital improvement plans.

Other Garver Aviation Team members serving on various boards include:

Bart Gilbreath, a Project Manager in Garver’s Fayetteville, Arkansas, office, serves on the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association planning committee.

Ryan Sisemore, Garver’s Aviation East Region Director based in its Franklin, Tenn., office, serves on the Kentucky Aviation Association conference planning committee.

Jordan Culver, a Project Manager in Garver’s North Little Rock, Arkansas, office, serves on the Arkansas Airport Operators Association’s conference committee and scholarship committee.

Courtney Tomberlin, a Project Engineer in Garver’s Huntsville, Alabama office, serves on the Aviation Council of Alabama’s website committee and scholarship committee.


To learn more about Garver’s Aviation Team visit GarverUSA.com/Aviation.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Garver encourages donations to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts

Thoughts and prayers from across the Garver footprint are focused on Houston, Texas and surrounding areas this week. Hurricane Harvey has driven citizens from their homes, schools, and places of work, and everyone affected faces a long road to recovery.

In assistance with that relief effort, employees of Garver, which has a Houston office along with eight others in Texas, and its corporate giving arm, GarverGives, will be making donations to credible hurricane relief efforts, including the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Garver encourages all to contribute what is available to those outlets and others, by visiting redcross.org and helpsalvationarmy.org.

Learn more about GarverGives by visiting GarverUSA.com/GarverGives.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

ODOT decreasing deficient bridges at nation-leading pace; Garver an extension of its staff

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been better than any of its peers at repairing and replacing structurally deficient bridges over the last decade, according to a recent study by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

According to the study, 5,928 of Oklahoma’s 23,528 highway and local bridges had been deemed structurally deficient in 2007, which ranked second highest of all states. By 2016, that number had been reduced to 3,460 deficient bridges, meaning there were 2,468 fewer deficient bridges in 2016 than there were in 2007, accounting for a 41.6 percent reduction in deficient bridges, the largest reduction in the country.

Garver came to Oklahoma in 1993 and has offices in Tulsa and Norman, and is a longtime consultant with ODOT. The company's Transportation Team aided in the reduction of deficient bridges by leading several projects that have provided Oklahoma with new highway bridges.

“Garver and ODOT have had a great working relationship over the years,” said Garver Bridge Team Leader Jason Langhammer. “We’re thrilled to see it making such great progress on these projects that are so important to the daily lives of all Oklahomans, and we’re proud that we’ve played at least a small part in that.”

Examples of Garver’s contributions to ODOT's reduction of deficient bridges include:

Load-posted bridge replacement program

Garver provided design plans for six projects included in ODOT’s load-posted bridge replacement program. The work included survey, grading, drainage, and roadway design, traffic control, hydraulic analysis, geotechnical investigation, and design to replace bridges on offset and existing alignments. The project included replacing highway bridges in three different counties over Big Cedar, Spencer, Gaines, Dry and Mud, Walnut, and Albion Creeks.

Various bridge replacement projects, Ottawa County, Oklahoma

Garver contracted with ODOT to reconstruct three bridges in Ottawa County. The scope included the reconstruction of a rural two-lane highway and bridge over Sycamore Creek, to produce a conceptual design study for the interchange and bridge at the U.S. 60/U.S. 59 interchange, and to replace the U.S. 69 bridge over Tar Creek in Ottawa County. Design services included survey, bridge hydraulic analysis, roadway and traffic design, and bridge design. In replacing State Highway 10 over Sycamore Creek, Garver provided bridge hydraulic analysis, roadway and traffic design, and bridge design, while upgrading the bridge to 12-foot lanes and eight-foot shoulders. Garver also provided a preliminary engineering study, roadway, traffic, and bridge design for the U.S. 60 bridge over U.S. 59.

Various bridge replacement projects, Grant County, Oklahoma

Garver provided a preliminary engineering and final design services for three bridge replacement projects in Grant County. U.S. 60 over Pond Creek was replaced with a curved four-span, prestressed beam structure, U.S. 81 over Polecat Creek and one unnamed creek was replaced with a three-span beam bridge, and U.S. Highway 60 bridge over Boggy Creek was widened for 12-foot driving lanes with eight-foot paved shoulders.

Interstate 44 interchange at 165th East Avenue, Phase 1, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Garver provided design services for one mile of Interstate 44 over N 165th East Avenue in Tulsa, which included grading, drainage, surfacing, erosion control, traffic control, bridge widening, traffic signal warrants, level of service analysis, highway signage, and pavement markings. Garver also worked with ODOT to determine future roadway capacity requirements for 165th East Avenue and surrounding roadways.

State Highway 51 over Cottonwood Creek, Creek County, Oklahoma

Garver provided design services for ODOT's first accelerated bridge construction (ABC) project that was required to match the existing bridge and roadway alignments. Two bridge alternates were designed for final plans, after which a transverse, sliding/skidding bridge move was selected to replace the existing bridge on the existing alignment after it was constructed on temporary supports adjacent to the existing structure. A track system was used to move the bridge into position atop new piers and abutments, allowing the existing bridge to stay in service while the new bridge was being constructed.

I-244 multimodal bridge over the Arkansas River, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Garver assisted ODOT in preparing conceptual design data for inclusion in a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant application. After selection, Garver prepared a preliminary engineering report, preliminary engineering plans, and final plans, specifications, and estimates within an accelerated nine-month schedule. And while not structurally deficient, the project replaced what had been a structurally deteriorating bridge. The completed I-244 westbound multimodal bridge that spans the Arkansas River in Tulsa, includes four lanes of highway traffic on one level, and one High Speed Rail Line and pedestrian traffic on another level. The eastbound bridge is currently under construction.

To learn what Garver’s Transportation Team can do for you, visit GarverUSA.com.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Broadway Bridge finalist for national AASHTO awards

In being named a finalist for an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) America’s Transportation Award, a Garver-led project nominated for its use of innovation is being considered for the top transportation project over the last year.
The Broadway Bridge over the Arkansas River, designed by Garver for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, is one of 12 finalists for the 2017 competition. It is eligible for the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award, which will be decided by an online vote.

Votes can be cast once per day through Sept. 21. Along with AASHTO, the award is sponsored by AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Opened to traffic in March 2017, the new Broadway Bridge connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas, replaces one that had been in use since 1923, providing an improved route for up to 24,000 vehicles per day through the state’s most populated area.

“In almost a century of existence, Garver has been based in both Little Rock and North Little Rock, so we took very seriously this project that connects those two cities,” said Garver Bridge Design Manager John Ruddell. “It was essential for us to not only minimize closure time, but to deliver a project in which both cities could be proud.”

Garver provided design services for the replacement bridge, which was designed for cost effectiveness and minimal closure time. Twin 448-foot basket-handle network tied arches are its most visible feature, and it includes four traffic lanes, and pedestrian and bike lanes. Garver also provided design services for the roadway approaches and provided traffic analysis.

The American Transportation Awards are in its 10th year, and recognizes bridges for Quality of Life/Community Development, Best Use of Technology and Innovation, and Operations Excellence. The winner of the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice awards receive $10,000 for a charity or transportation-related scholarship of its choosing.

Visit GarverUSA.com to find out what Garver's Bridge Team can do for you.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Garver basketball team gathers to aid charity

Engineers from Garver offices in three different states gathered to participate in a charity basketball tournament the effects of which will be felt all the way to central America.
Garver Project Manager Matthew Youngblood, who is on Garver’s Transportation Team in its Tulsa, Oklahoma office, was joined by colleagues from Garver’s Dallas, Texas; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Norman, Oklahoma offices to form a basketball team that participated in a tournament in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma recently. The Garver team competed against 10 other teams from A-E industry companies in the tournament organized to benefit Potter’s House, a Wisconsin-based charity that aims to curb poverty in Guatemala by providing community centers, meals, and education programs.


And while the Garver team did not bring home a trophy – that went to a team from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, a Garver client – Garver’s team helped raise more than $3,000 for Potter’s House.

“It was rewarding to see how many engineers from across the Garver footprint were so eager to participate in such a fun and worthwhile event,” Matthew said. “We all had a great time competing with our peers, and it meant even more considering it was for such a great cause.”

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