Thursday, April 27, 2017

Sober takes over as WEAT president

Garver’s Texas Water Team Leader Jeff Sober was elected recently as the 2017-2018 Water Environment Association of Texas President at the annual Texas Water Conference in Austin, Texas.

Jeff, who served the past two years as WEAT’s President-Elect and previously as its Vice President, began his term on April 12, when he assumed the role at the largest regional water conference, hosted by WEAT and Texas Section of American Water Works Association. WEAT is the Texas member association of the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

During the one-year term, Jeff hopes to grow the organization by advancing its operator training programs, continuing its efforts in public outreach, membership growth, and business practices. Jeff continues to serve as the Operations Challenge Competition Coordinator and is passionate about the career growth for operations and maintenance staff in the water industry.

“I have seen firsthand the benefits WEAT has for members within the water industry,” Jeff said. “Our focus on education, public outreach, regulatory affairs and our significant activity in the Texas legislature and political arena has made WEAT the preeminent water quality organization in Texas.”

WEAT was established in 1928 with a mission to promote the growth and development of its members, while educating the public on water environment issues and benefiting society through the protection and enhancement of the water environment.

Learn more about what Garver's Texas Water Team can do for you by contacting TexasWater@GarverUSA.com.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Henkhaus named Member of the Year by local WTS chapter

Dr. Rachel Henkhaus' involvement with the Greater Kansas City chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar began three years ago as a way to familiarize herself and Garver with a new community.
Garver established its Kansas City, Missouri office in 2013, Rachel arrived in 2014, and since then has helped the still-growing chapter expand while serving currently as its Programs Chair. Rachel was recognized for her continued commitment to the chapter's evolution when she was named Member of the Year during its annual scholarship and awards banquet last week.

Rachel, a project manager on Garver's Bridge Team, has helped attract locally-recognized speakers to chapter events and established the first scholarship and awards banquet for the chapter, which aims to advance the inclusion of women in the transportation industry. Rachel "exemplifies the mission and vision of WTS and what the organization tries to accomplish," a nominating letter for the award said.

“Being involved in WTS over the last four years has helped me in more ways than I could have imagined,” Rachel said. "Being exposed to differing leadership styles has strengthened me as a leader in the profession and has provided an environment in which partnerships are created with others through the goal of growing WTS."

In addition to Henkhaus’ honor, Garver, a platinum corporate sponsor of the program, was named the chapter’s Employer of the Year.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Kaw Lake project draws attention

The City of Enid, Oklahoma recognized in 2009 that its traditional groundwater supply was diminishing. To replenish that supply, it looked to a lake 70 miles northeast of the city that officials expect to produce water for municipal and industrial users for up to 50 years.
Faced with the task of replacing an old system that relied solely on groundwater, Enid chose to mix surface and groundwater, highlighted by the construction of a 70-mile pipeline that will carry water from Kaw Lake to a new water treatment plant on the city’s west side. The current groundwater supply comes from wells located inside city limits, or just west of the city, some of which feature piping that was installed in the 1950s. The project was highlighted in the February issue of Municipal Water Leader, a national trade publication based in Washington D.C. that covers the water industry. It called the project “grand in scope.”

Garver is providing program management, environmental services, and lead design for the project. Phase One took all design aspects to 10 percent completion and was completed in July 2016. Phase Two, which will take all project components to 30 percent completion, began in January.

Michael Graves, a vice president and Garver’s Central Region Water Director, told the magazine that it is a “once-in-a-generation type” project for Enid and that Garver is “honored to be a partner in development of this regional water supply solution.”

To read more about what Garver’s Water Team can do for you, visit GarverUSA.com/Water.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Garver opens eighth Texas office in San Antonio



Garver is excited to announce the opening of its San Antonio office, the company’s eighth Texas location and 22nd nationwide.

Aviation planning director Tim O’Krongley and Greg Swoboda, a senior project manager on the Water Team, will be among those based in the office that will primarily serve Garver’s aviation, water, and transportation clients in south Texas.

Tim is a former Deputy Aviation Director for the City of San Antonio with 24 years of aviation experience. He will head Garver’s Aviation Planning Team.

“Garver has brought a lot of great projects to life in this state,” Tim said. “But San Antonio is my home and more than anything, I’m looking forward to the relationships we’ll build there and the extraordinary things we can accomplish as a result.”

Greg will serve as Water Team lead in San Antonio, adding more than 25 years of industry experience to Garver’s strong reputation for delivering successful water and wastewater projects in Texas. 

“It only makes sense for our rapidly growing company to have a presence in one of the nation's fastest-growing cities,” Greg said. “We’re excited to help San Antonio and south Texas through successful growth by providing it with water and wastewater infrastructure needs.”

Garver’s Transportation Team will assist the Texas Department of Transportation in key bridge replacement projects in San Antonio, the nation's seventh-largest city, and 11 surrounding counties. 

“South Texas is well known for its flash flooding concerns and the stress that heavy rainfall events place on creek and river crossings,” said Blake Staton, Garver’s local Bridge Team Leader. “We are happy to have the privilege to assist the San Antonio District in improving the region’s aging infrastructure to provide safer routes for its residents.”

The opening of a new office, located at 13750 San Pedro Ave., continues Garver's extension into Texas, which now includes thriving offices in Athens, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, Houston, and Round Rock. 

To learn more about what the San Antonio office can do for you, call 210.447.6250.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Airport lighting system update recognized by ACEC

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Arkansas recently awarded Garver with an Engineering Excellence Award in the Building/Technology Systems category for its work on updating the North Little Rock Municipal Airport’s lighting systems to LED equipment.
Garver researched design options and assembled cost estimates to assist the airport in multiple projects required to install the new equipment and infrastructure. The airport was the first in the state to install LED taxiway edge lights in 2003, and the airport wanted to completely rehabilitate all of its lighting systems to LED equipment. That work included replacing runway lights, taxiway lights, guidance signs and visual navigational aids (NAVAIDs).

The complete transformation required Garver to design three separate projects, which included discussion with the airport regarding ways to minimize disruptions to those who utilize the airport most frequently. Garver, the Federal Aviation Administration and nearby Camp Robinson, also worked together to establish a new frequency for the airport, which matched that of nearby Camp Robinson Army Airfield to minimize confusion for pilots. Garver also helped identify and remove obstructive trees to the runway.

The new LED airfield lighting equipment will provide the airport with cost savings from reduced energy and maintenance, while also improving the safety of those who use the airport.  

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

Monday, April 10, 2017

Garver Helps High School Students Develop STEM Skills

One teacher’s desire for his students to receive hands-on education, and Garver’s continued dedication to help usher more students into the engineering field has sparked a new program at a Kansas high school.
Engineers in Garver’s Overland Park, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, offices have been working with students at Blue Valley Southwest High School this academic year to further advance their STEM education beyond what they would learn in a traditional curriculum. Mark Williams, Aviation Team Leader in Garver’s Overland Park office first spoke with Cody Parks’ A&E Design class, which sparked an even more involvement between the class and Garver. This school year, Garver has adopted the class while helping them advance in various fields.

“This program provides them with a unique experience to work hand-in-hand with Garver’s engineers, while receiving insights into possible futures in engineering,” Mark said. “We want to encourage as many young students as possible to further their interests in engineering fields.”

Blake Blakemore, Bridge Team Leader in the Kansas City office, was joined by engineers Rachel Henkhaus, Ruili He, and Derek Butler, in helping students prepare for the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers model bridge building competition. Students spent a month constructing their bridge prototypes, then tested them to failure while receiving feedback from Garver’s engineers.

Senior project manager Jennifer Russell then worked with the students to develop a re-engineered classroom space. Students considered the needs of others students in each class that used the room, the existing furniture, and the physical limitations of the room. Based on those elements, the students created a new room design using their CAD Skills to present the results. Parks and the school’s principal, acting as the clients, then decided on the best design to use for their new environment.

Learn more about Garver Gives at GarverUSA.com/GarverGives

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Bryant Pedestrian and Bike Trail Honored by ACEC

Decreasing roadway congestion while increasing mobility and transportation options to promote a greater quality of life was the goal that eventually led to Walk Bike Drive Bryant. The end result was a marriage between the city’s master street plan and its master trail plan that the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arkansas recently awarded with an Engineering Excellence Award in the Studies, Research and Consulting Engineering Services category.
Previous biking and walking possibilities in Bryant were blocked by Interstate 30, the railroad and an incomplete regulatory policy that led to roads being built without bike and pedestrian options. Garver’s plan emphasized connectivity and mobility by integrating bike and pedestrian paths, and also focused on development of the roadway system by creating links to help disperse traffic loads. The plan incorporated street and trail cross sections modeled on street standards that will promote design for future improvements.

The new master transportation plan solved plenty of issues for the city. Its infrastructure had been stretched by fast-paced growth and poor connectivity, funneling traffic onto a few main corridors that led to congestion and frustrated motorists. The new system took strides in meeting the infrastructure wants and needs of Bryant’s residents.

Learn more about Garver's urban planning services at GarverUSA.com.

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