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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.