Garver's work with small businesses at BNA recognized

In more than a decade working various projects at the Nashville International Airport (BNA), Garver has routinely partnered with smaller companies to develop and deliver successful projects. This commitment recently helped Garver earn the Large Business of the Year award from the Metropolitan Nashville Authority’s Business Diversity Department, given to the company that best works with small businesses owned by women and minorities. Ryan Sisemore, director of Garver Aviation's East Region accepted the award earlier this month from Rob Wigington, president and CEO of Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, and Davita Taylor, the airport's chief of staff.

“I remember when we did our very first job out there,” said Sisemore, “I know what it feels like to break new ground and to take on new things. I believe that has created a strong desire to work with the smaller firms and be a part of their similar development.”

During a recent project at BNA, Garver had the opportunity to serve as a subconsultant to the smaller, Nashville-based construction firm, Blakely Construction Services on a design-build project.  Blakely excelled in its leadership and innovation and paired this with Garver’s developed knowledge and familiarity with the airport. Garver has also worked with a number of other small businesses at BNA, assisting in geotechnical investigations, surveying, cost estimating, and design.

That’s not the only award Garver’s Tennessee Aviation Team has won for its work at BNA. Garver’s role in a geothermal cooling system converted from an old rock quarry earned the Grand Award in the Water Services category during the ACEC of Tennessee’s Engineering Excellence Awards banquet last week. Garver designed a pipeline corridor and worked with the airport to schedule construction phasing in helping the airport turn the quarry into the largest geothermal cooling system of its kind in North America.

Mach, Odegard-Begay to represent Garver at Water Leadership Institute

Mary Elizabeth Mach and Andrea Odegard-Begay, two of Garver’s leading water engineers each with over a decade of experience, were selected recently to participate in the Water Leadership Institute, a not-for-profit program that provides technical education and training for water quality professionals supported by the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

Mary Elizabeth and Andrea will be the first Garver engineers to participate in the Institute, providing them with opportunities to further their education and training as emerging leaders in the water industry. The program allows its participants to engage in management training and leadership development while examining the complex challenges facing the water and wastewater industries. The Institute’s curriculum includes web and face-to-face sessions, including June sessions at the WEF in Alexandria, Va., and a September appearance at the WEF's Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference in Chicago.

Mary Elizabeth has been with Garver in several capacities since 2006. She has served as a design engineer, project engineer, project manager, and in January was picked to lead Garver’s Oklahoma Water Team, leading the team in pursuit and execution of all projects that include water and wastewater treatment plants, distribution system and sewer lines, water reuse, and master plans.

“I am very excited to have been selected for the Water Leadership Institute; improving leadership and management skills specific to the water industry will benefit me as well as Garver’s Oklahoma Water Team," Mary Elizabeth said. "But more importantly my goal is to apply these skills to further enhance water and wastewater solutions for our clients.”

Odegard-Begay has almost 17 years of experience in the industry and has been with Garver since 2013. Her most significant work has involved the design of water and wastewater systems, including treatment facilities, pump stations, ground and elevated storage tanks, and water and wastewater pipelines. At Garver, her responsibilities include project management, planning, utility coordination with local and state agencies, and technical design.

"Participation in the Water Leadership Institute will provide me the opportunity to gather the skills and connections necessary for innovative, value-added solutions, to preserve and enhance water resources for our current generation, as well as future generations," Andrea said. "I anticipate the interaction with public and private sector members of the water industry from across the country, who will provide different perspectives on the issues facing the industry, and this collaboration and be the catalyst to effect change."

To find out what the Garver Water Team can do for you, visit GarverUSA.com.

U.S. 69 Missouri River bridge opens in Kansas City

Garver has been designing bridges and roadways for nearly a century, but it’s still identifying and meeting new challenges. A much-needed replacement for two outdated Missouri River bridges will serve as a benefit to motorists traveling between two states while also marking the culmination of Garver’s first major transportation project in the area.

Representatives from Garver joined those from the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Kansas Department of Transportation, American Bridge, and others during a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to mark the opening of the new U.S. 69 Missouri River bridge that connects Kansas and Missouri.

The design-build project awarded to the American Bridge/Garver team replaced two deficient bridges, the northbound Platte Purchase Bridge and the southbound Fairfax Bridge, with a new, low maintenance, four-lane structure that connects Platte and Wyandotte counties. The new structure has a 100-year life expectancy and provides updated access to the Fairfax Industrial District, one of the United State’s oldest located in Kansas City, Kansas.

Numerous challenges were overcome working with so many agencies, including coordination with the department of transportation from two states, two levee districts, two municipalities, Union Pacific Railroad, and numerous utility providers. Because of the fast-track design schedule, Garver engineers Adam Hall and Dustin Tackett temporarily relocated to the Kansas City area to make sure that the project was completed on time.

Find out what Garver's transportation team can do for you by visiting GarverUSA.com.

Garver helps kick off Gilcrease expansion

Garver representatives were on hand as Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and others announced recently the Gilcrease Expressway expansion in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The expansion is the latest project in the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s Driving Forward campaign. Garver will be providing traffic analysis and design, roadway and bridge design and environmental services for the Gilcrease Expressway project.

Brent Schniers, Garver’s Oklahoma Transportation Team Leader, and Kirsten McCullough, Garver’s Environmental Team Leader, were at Tulsa’s Chandler Park as Gov. Fallin, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, and Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation Gary Ridley revealed details of the $240 million project.

The expressway, one of six Driving Forward projects, will connect Interstate-44 with Highway 412 and will relieve traffic congestion and improve access to the some of the city’s parks and schools, officials said.

Driving Forward was announced by Fallin in 2015 with an aim to improve the state’s highway system. Garver has a wide-ranging role in the program, providing plans and permitting for widening of the Turner Turnpike, and utilizing our project controls team to provide scheduling, cost, risk, and document control to help the program stay on task and on budget.

Find out what Garver's Transportation Team can do for you by visiting GarverUSA.com.

Garver, students work together at science event

Elementary school students recently got to enjoy hands-on experiments relating to science, technology, engineering, and math topics thanks to the help of Garver during a recent event at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas. Garver’s Austin and Round Rock offices volunteered to staff creative and interactive stations throughout the museum for Science Thursday, which is put on each month by Central Texas Discover Engineering.

Around 1,000 students traveled through the museum and learned from activities performed by STEM experts. The stations included learning from a Van de Graaff generator, how to make slime, and how to make music with a theremin.

At Garver’s station, conducted by engineers Keri Burchard-Juarez, Josh Crawford, Blake Staton, Pedro Maltos and Wendy Travis, students were able to make musical instruments out of cardboard boxes, rubber bands, yarn, tape and other items. Then Garver helped students connect their instruments to an electric amplifier using a piezo disc to detect the vibration of the sound waves. It was the second time that Garver has volunteered to work this event, but it is expected to become a regular occurrence.

Learn more about Garver Gives at garverusa.com/garvergives

Grace Creek WWTP receives ACEC honor

Garver was recently awarded an Engineering Excellence Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas for its work at the Grace Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant for their Solids Improvements project in Longview, Texas.

Garver developed innovative solutions that focused on optimizing anaerobic digestion performance, increasing biogas production, and alleviating operations and maintenance challenges at Grace Creek WWTP. The city saved millions by converting an existing tank into a digester in lieu of constructing new digester space. The project also included the construction of a new grease receiving facility. This facility provides a new revenue steam to collect tipping fees from local grease haulers, while providing local grease hauling businesses a significant reduction in the cost of grease disposal. The grease will provide an increase in methane production which can be utilized in the City’s existing electrical turbine. The project resulted in significant energy, cost, and labor savings for the City while increasing sustainability by implementing a brand new technology and process.

Garver provided planning, engineering, and construction services for the project.

“By converting the digesters rather than constructing additional digester space, these much-needed improvements saved the city millions,” said Texas Water Team Leader Jeff Sober. “And the construction of a grease receiving station will provide the city with a new revenue stream through tipping fees.”

Energy-saving project honored by ACEC

The Fort Hood Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA) WWTP Energy Reduction Project has earned a National Recognition Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards competition.

The BLORA WWTP was chosen for improvements by the American Water Military Services as part of an energy efficiency initiative. While working alongside Garney Construction in an alternative delivery teaming arrangement, Garver developed an innovative approach to downsize the plant’s blower sizing and implement an advanced aeration process, while also identifying and implementing multiple process flexibility improvements throughout the design evaluation.

The project required an energy reduction of 20 percent through evaluation of the equalization basin and replacement of the existing aeration basin control methods. Garver’s design led to energy savings of 50 percent in the aeration basin and approaching 50 percent in the equalization basin aeration system. The plant activated sludge system is also now able to operate in series or parallel, providing a significant upgrade to the WWTP’s operability, sustainability, and social impact on the service area.

“It is a great honor to receive national recognition for this successful alternative delivery project,” said Lance Klement, project leader in Garver’s Frisco, Texas office. “Through exceptional team effort and an innovative approach, we were able to far exceed the energy savings goals.”

Garver Celebrates Engineers Week

Members of the engineering profession recently celebrated Engineers Week with events across the country. Employees in Garver offices celebrated by encouraging the next generation of engineers.

Employees in our Kansas City area offices purchased a table at the Kansas Society of Professional Engineers/Missouri Society of Professional Engineers E-Week Luncheon, where Garver engineers got the opportunity to eat lunch with high school students and discuss what the profession entails.

Employees in our Dallas office hosted two interactive stations at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field. The event gave Dallas Independent School District students the opportunity to engage in hands-on engineering activities, demonstrations, and presentations led by Garver and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) partners.

One table offered a Garver-designed airfield navigation simulation to explain the importance of air traffic controls and signage at airports. At another table, Garver’s Hydrology and Hydraulics Team provided students the chance to understand the critical role that floodplains play in the life of a watershed and the impact of development and human activity through using an innovative, hands-on flood simulator.

To see more photos of how Garver employees celebrated E-Week, visit our Facebook page here.

Garver Named Arkansas Philanthropic Business of the Year

Arkansas Business recently presented Garver with an award for Arkansas Business of the Year in the Outstanding Philanthropic Corporations (medium-sized business) category through the Arkansas Community Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that promotes smart giving to improve communities. The publication noted that the award “simply confirms a company tenet: Helping others is good for the community and good for the firm.”

Photo courtesy of Arkansas Business

It was with that understanding that Garver launched GarverGives in 2015 as a way to be more intentional with how it gives back to communities. Through that initiative, Garver matches employees’ volunteer contributions—both time and money—to the organizations they choose, and donations to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) organizations are matched at $150 for $100 in donations. 

“We chose to prioritize STEM, specifically organizations influencing career exploration, because of the potential to directly contribute to our pipeline of future engineers and strengthen our community’s workforces,” said Communication Team Leader Laura Nick. “We wanted to be purposeful with our giving. We are really supporting what our employees want to support, and our leadership recognized that we want to make our culture responsive to needs.”

“At the root of this award is that our employees care enough about the communities where they live and work that they will make an effort to give something back,” said Garver President and CEO Dan Williams. “It’s because they care that we formed GarverGives, and it’s because they care that GarverGives has been as successful as it is.”