A newborn planet has been observed for the first time by astronomers. The planet was discovered by a team from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany using ESO's SPHERE instrument. Called PDS 70b, the young world can be identified as the bright spot to the right of the blackened center of the image above.
The SPHERE instrument equips one of the four telescopes of the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory (VLT) in Chile. This tool was designed to find exoplanets around stars near the Sun. Commissioned in 2014, SPHERE uses extreme adaptive optics: it has a mirror that corrects the effects of atmospheric turbulence more than 1,200 times per second and at a nanometric scale. It is also equipped with a coronograph that masks the light of the observed star and thus reveals its close environment usually masked by its brightness. This observation technique allowed after some tests to make images of the young planet.
This planet, not yet completely formed, revolves around its star PDS 70 three billion kilometers away. Almost the distance between Uranus and the Sun. This star bud is clearly visible in this image obtained by SPHERE: a luminous point, to the right of the center of the image, where the star is masked by the coronagraph. Analysis of the data indicates that PDS 70b is a giant gas planet with a mass of several Jupiter. The surface of the planet has a temperature of about 1000 ° C and the study of its spectrum reveals the presence of a turbid atmosphere encircling it.
The SPHERE data have also allowed scientists to study in detail the protoplanetary disk that surrounds PDS 70. It is a temporary structure composed of gas and dust from which the planets are formed. The PDS 70 disk has a very special structure with a giant hole inside. For a long time, astronomers suspected that such holes are caused by the interaction between the disk and a planet in formation. They have finally gotten the proof. These results will help refine the search for new exoplanets and better understand the process of their formation.


Patrick L. Acker, P.E., joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a senior project manager. In this role, he will provide quality control and technical oversight for the firm's water and waste water projects in North Texas. He will also play a key role in mentoring employees in the region. Acker has 37 years of experience as a civil engineer.
Structure Tone Southwest has promoted John Halpin to Director of Human Resources. In his role, Halpin leads strategic staffing plans, compensation, benefits, and training for Structure Tone Southwest's four offices across Texas. A retired Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps, Halpin is passionately committed to giving back to the community and spearheads much of Structure Tone Southwest's community service work.
Michelle Alvarez, EIT, recently became a full-time civil designer at Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, office. She will provide services for water resources projects.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., welcomes JaNette Bridgewater as the firm's new Human Resources Director. Bridgewater's experience in the design and execution of innovative global HR strategies will strengthen Freese and Nichols' ability to continue its regional and national growth. Bridgewater will play a key role in recruiting and retaining top talent to enhance companywide capabilities to serve clients. She also will help engage employees and reinforce the firm's core values and culture.
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) announced the formal launch of its Facilities Program Management Business Group. JP Grom, AIA, LAN's vice president, will lead the group.
The group will initially help K-12 clients implement all phases of a school bond program, including project identification, planning, design, construction and close-out. Over the next two to five years, the group will expand these services to clients in other markets such as higher education, federal and healthcare.
Moss Construction, a national General Contractor, is pleased to announce that Michael Monsalve has joined the Dallas-Fort Worth office as Director of Business Development.
He earned his bachelor's degree in architecture from Texas Tech University and dedicated his entire career to the design and construction industry. Monsalve is active in the community, including affiliations with The Real Estate Council, Urban Land Institute, ICSC, and National Investment Council.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has promoted Bob Austin, P.E., to vice president. Austin has 36 years of experience managing and designing transportation projects. During this time, he has performed feasibility studies, preliminary engineering, and plans, specifications and estimates (PS&E) for new toll roads, interstate and rural highways, interchanges, farm-to-market roads, urban arterials, and railroad and river bridges.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has promoted Jeff Thomas, P.E., to vice president. Thomas has more than 26 years of experience as a project manager, energy manager, and electrical engineer. He joined LAN in 2008 as a senior project manager and was subsequently promoted to facilities team leader. He is responsible for managing facilities projects for healthcare, institutional, municipal, and food distribution markets.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., enhances its services in the Greater Houston area with the addition of David Munn, PE, as Group Manager for the Southeast Texas Treatment Group. Over 17 years, Munn has managed multidisciplinary teams for water and wastewater treatment projects in South Texas and Louisiana. His experience includes designing facilities to treat and transfer both water and wastewater for municipal and industrial customers.
Dominique Wermine, civil designer, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, office. She will assist with various roadway projects.
Leading construction software developer HCSS announced the promotion of JP Giometti to Executive Director, Global Strategy and Business Development. Giometti joined HCSS as Director of Strategic Product Management in January 2015 and has seen the company grow from 150 employees to 300 today. In this new role he is responsible for the Caterpillar, Trimble, and Microsoft relationships. He oversees the company long term strategy, strategic partnerships, technology scouting and innovation.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., welcomes Tulsa native Kyle Cortiana, PE, CFM, as Stormwater Discipline Leader in Oklahoma. Cortiana's experience in hydraulic and hydrologic computer modeling and longstanding relationships within the community will enhance the firm's ability to provide stormwater solutions for municipalities in the region. He is poised to support large-scale stormwater initiatives companywide, and his skills complement the firm's water/wastewater and transportation projects.
Alexandra Harmon, environmental scientist, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, office. As part of the environmental group, she will assist with design, permitting and compliance activities relating to landfills, municipalities and industries.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., has strengthened its corrosion protection services with the addition of corrosion specialist Ron Deal as a senior designer. Deal will leverage his expertise to develop cathodic protection programs for clients in the water/wastewater, transportation and energy industries. Deal, who is based in the firm's Austin office, has more than 15 years of experience managing and designing large-scale corrosion control projects in Texas and nationally.
Freese and Nichols Chairman Bob Pence is being honored with a Leadership Excellence Award from the Baldrige Foundation, supporter of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. This distinguished award recognizes individuals in business, government, health care and the nonprofit world who provide exceptionally outstanding support to Baldrige and the Foundation's mission.
The Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) named Mathew Busby, P.E., as its 2019 Young Engineer of the Year. Busby will be presented the award at the TSPE Engineer's Week Annual Awards Luncheon on Feb. 20, 2019, at the Plano Event Center.
Busby, who serves as a project manager for civil engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), has worked on municipal infrastructure projects for more than 10 years.
Dan McKenzie, PE, a veteran of the oil and gas industry, has joined Freese and Nichols, Inc., as an Oil & Gas Group Manager and Practice Leader. Based in the firm's Dallas office, McKenzie has spent almost four decades developing broad and deep experience in gas processing, treating, gathering, compression design, construction, operation and optimization. He has led a variety of multimillion-dollar projects in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, and on the Upper Louisiana Gulf Coast.
John Clint, P.E., project manager, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Brownsville, Texas, office. He will serve as the project lead for the infrastructure group in the Rio Grande Valley and the office manager for the Brownsville office.
Freese and Nichols has expanded its Urban Planning + Design Group with Eleana Tuley who will be based in the firm's Dallas office. She has more than six years of experience in both the public and private sector. She worked for the City of McKinney and City of Fort Worth and was a land development consultant for a civil engineering consulting firm in Dallas. She will be a key asset in development review and staff augmentation for clients.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., has expanded its municipal planning expertise with the hiring of Dawn Warrick as a project manager in Tulsa. She has more than 23 years of municipal planning experience, including seven years as the City of Tulsa's planning director. She also has had senior planning roles for Louisville Metro Government in Kentucky and for the city of Fayetteville, Arkansas, giving her an understanding of large urban cities as well as smaller communities.
Chance Sparks has joined Freese and Nichols as a project manager based in the firm's San Marcos office. He has more than 15 years of planning and management experience and has worked for the cities of Buda, San Marcos and Bulverde in Central Texas in addition to the Texas Department of Rural Affairs Disaster Recovery Program. Most recently, he spent eight years as assistant city manager and planning director for the City of Buda.
Donald R. Stevens joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as director – healthcare facilities. Stevens will provide engineering and operational solutions to healthcare clients to improve the efficiency and lower the operating costs of their facilities. Stevens has 33 years of experience managing the construction, maintenance, and operations of healthcare facilities. Previously, he served Kaiser Permanente for nearly a decade.
Krista Bethune Melnar, PE, an accomplished project manager experienced with large federal contracts as well as state and local resiliency projects, has joined Freese and Nichols as its newest Stormwater Practice Leader. She also will manage the Central Texas Stormwater Group, including the Austin and San Marcos offices, to support the needs of clients in that region. She has more than 19 years of experience providing innovative solutions that address water resources challenges.
Bruce Dinkheller, P.E., joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a senior project manager. In this role, he will manage construction phase services for the firm's projects nationwide. Dinkheller has more than 40 years of experience as a civil engineer. His expertise includes management and inspection, as well as intelligent transportation system development and implementation.
TranSystems Corp., a national transportation consulting firm that provides engineering, architectural, planning and construction solutions, welcomes Kevin Hicks, PE, as Vice President and Freight Business Leader. Hicks brings more than 25 years of experience working for Union Pacific Railroad with expertise in new design and construction as well as maintenance of existing infrastructure. Hicks most recently served as Assistant Vice President of Engineering Design with Union Pacific Railroad.
TranSystems names Michael Hobbs, PE, of the firm's Fort Worth, Texas, office, assistant vice president and senior professional. Since joining TranSystems more than 20 years ago as an intern, he has worked his way up taking on various positions, including civil engineer, design lead, group leader, and his current role as senior project manager and team leader for the Fort Worth office.
TranSystems names Chad Gartner, PE, of the firm's Fort Worth, Texas, office to vice president and senior associate. Gartner has more than 28 years of experience in the design and project management for collector, arterial, and neighborhood streets throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and North Texas, including street and utility reconstruction requiring close coordination with neighborhoods, storm drainage studies and replacements, cost estimating, specifications and contract documents.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., welcomes Jimmy Gibson, PE, a nationally experienced environmental services senior manager, to lead the firm's Environmental Practice. His role will include expanding FNI's capabilities to provide full-service environmental consulting services to clients. Gibson has more than 27 years of experience developing solutions for some of the most difficult environmental projects in Texas and across the United States.
Burns & McDonnell promoted Parker Gregg to director of business development for the firm's Oil, Gas & Chemical Group in Houston. Gregg will oversee sales and marketing efforts to drive growth throughout the Gulf Coast region. From modernizing plants and terminals in the oil and gas industry, to capitalizing on the domestic chemicals feedstock advantage, he will help clients uncover safe, creative and cost-effective capital project solutions to establish mutually beneficial partnerships.
Gina M. DeLellis joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as Human Resources (HR) Manager. In this role, Gina will be responsible for recruiting, overseeing the firm's HR team, implementing HR policies and practices, employee relations, performance management, talent management, employee engagement, and investigating workforce claims. Gina has more than 20 years of HR experience.
Colton Phillipp, P.E., an engineer intern at Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, office, has earned his professional engineer license in Texas.
Burns & McDonnell announced David Kinchen has joined its team in Texas to expand the firm's water services in the region. Kinchen will grow the team of engineering, construction and design professionals to deliver water and wastewater solutions for municipalities, utilities and industrial clients. With more than three decades of experience, Kinchen has managed nearly $1 billion in projects across multiple industry sectors including municipal and industrial water and wastewater.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., continues to enhance its water conveyance capabilities in the Southeast Texas region, welcoming tunneling expert Brian C. Gettinger, PE, as a Tunneling Services Leader. Brian will leverage his expertise to expand the firm's capabilities on complex underground excavation projects, including water, wastewater and stormwater engagements, and transportation and other initiatives requiring trenchless technology. He will serve as a project manager based in Houston/Pearland.
Tala Matchett has joined Structure Tone Southwest as its new Vice President of Business Development in Austin. While her background extends across sectors, Matchett is especially experienced in the design and construction of healthcare facilities in both urban and rural Texas communities. She is also active in the Austin community, serving on the boards of RMHC of Central TX, Rawson Saunders School, ULI and LCI. She was also selected for Leadership Austin's Essential Class of 2018.
Blair Haynie joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a regional transportation manager. In this role, he will be responsible for expanding the firm's transportation practice in Houston. Haynie has more than 35 years of experience as a transportation executive in the public and private sector. He has managed all types of transportation projects, including highways, bridges, safety and public facilities.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., welcomes Karen G. Perez, PE, to lead the firm's water, wastewater and stormwater expansion efforts in the El Paso metropolitan area. As a former Doña Ana County Commissioner in neighboring New Mexico, Perez has deep-rooted relationships with public officials and firsthand experience prioritizing infrastructure developments, which will enhance Freese and Nichols' ability to create unique solutions for regional partners.
Murali Erat, PE, was named an Associate in Freese and Nichols' Pearland office. He has led several Houston projects during his 12 years with the firm and has become well-known in the area for his water/wastewater treatment expertise. He also has been innovative in developing new tools for the Treatment Group and has become expert in design of water resource recovery facilities and Industrial Pretreatment Programs. Erat received his MS in Environmental Engineering from Oklahoma State University.
Jason Ward, PE, has been designated Transmission Discipline leader in Freese and Nichols' Houston office. Currently an Associate at the firm, Ward has 12 years of experience, primarily handling pipelines and pump station projects for Texas municipalities, water districts and river authorities. He has led projects for clients including the West Harris County Water Authority and San Jacinto River Authority. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Freese and Nichols' Treatment, Transmission & Utilities Group added Dustin Pope, PE, an 8-year U.S. Army veteran who most recently managed facilities at Fort Hood. Pope, who has experience managing multimillion-dollar military construction projects throughout the Middle East, is being trained as a project manager based in Houston. He received his BS in civil engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Carlos Quintero, PE, an expert in large-diameter pipelines, has joined Freese and Nichols as a senior project manager in Houston. Quintero has spent more than 25 years in project management, design and procurement, the vast majority of it in Texas, and he has experience handling large projects. He is licensed as an engineer in Texas, Louisiana and Colombia. He holds master's degrees from the Institute for Hydraulics and Environment in The Netherlands and Universidad De Los Andes in Colombia.
Freese and Nichols welcomes David Hunn, PE, as a Senior Project Manager for water and wastewater treatment projects, based in Pearland, Texas. Hunn has more than 32 years of experience handling water and wastewater projects for public and private clients. He has been a senior project manager for design and construction services across Houston and Southeast Texas. He received his BS in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. welcomes back Theo Chan, PE, as a senior project manager in the Transmission and Utilities Group. Chan rejoins the firm's Dallas office, bringing extensive experience managing water/wastewater treatment and utilities projects from conceptual planning through construction. Well known for his work with river authorities, water districts and municipalities, Chan will enhance the firm's ability to provide solutions involving large-scale water/wastewater conveyance projects.
Skanska USA has announced that Benjamin Llana has been promoted to vice president of development for its Commercial Development operations in Houston. Llana, who most recently served as director of development, will continue to lead projects including the design, leasing, and construction phasing of Capitol Tower, a 35-story Class-A office development currently under construction in the Central Business District, as well as new land pursuit opportunities.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., announced that Adam Conner, PMP, has joined the firm as a member of the Water Resources Planning Group serving the Central Texas markets. Conner's decade of experience working for the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will bolster Freese and Nichols' ability to provide and implement solutions to complex water supply issues throughout the state. Conner is well-versed in groundwater law, policy and regulation and has built a robust network of colleagues across the country.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., has added Funding Specialist Mark Evans to help public entities throughout Texas identify funding sources for capital improvement and infrastructure initiatives. Leveraging his experience working for state government agencies and commercial financial institutions, Evans will help clients pursue grants, low-interest loans and other options for water/wastewater, stormwater and water resources projects.
Primus is pleased to announce the addition of Robert Ulliman to our team. Robert is a seasoned construction professional with extensive experience leading complex food distribution and cold storage construction projects. He will serve as a project executive and lead Primus's projects in Texas and the Midwest. Before joining Primus he served as the director of construction at Ben E. Keith Foods for 15 years. "Robert's expertise is a perfect fit for our team," said Primus President Matt Hirsch.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., has welcomed Jorge A. Arroyo, PE, an international authority on alternative water supplies and innovative water treatment, to expand the firm's work in helping meet Texas' future water needs. Arroyo has extensive experience in the United States and abroad in water planning and management and innovative water technologies.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., has enhanced its presence in Oklahoma with the addition of Keith Beatty, PE, who is leading the firm's Tulsa office. He will support the firm's existing transportation and water/wastewater projects and help expand the firm's footprint by serving local governments throughout the state. He has more than 20 years of experience developing and managing a variety of projects, including roadway design, water/wastewater, stormwater, site development and structural forensics.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has promoted Jeremy N. Nakashima, P.E., to lead the firm's wastewater practice. In this role, he will be responsible for building client relationships and expanding the firm's wastewater practice around the country, ensuring the design quality of the firm's wastewater projects, and mentoring the engineers in the group.
Bryan Floth joins Burns & McDonnell in Texas as a senior project manager. Bryan has more than 25 years of experience in architectural design, project and program management. Throughout his career, he's led various multimillion-dollar, award-winning, higher education, commercial, industrial, institutional and mission-critical facilities across the U.S.
Freese and Nichols, Inc., announced that Naveen Chillara, PE, has joined the firm's Water Resources Design Division as a senior project manager and water resources design engineer serving the Southeast Texas and Louisiana markets. With more than 16 years of experience in water resources projects and coastal engineering services, Chillara will play an integral role in supporting existing client needs and expanding Freese and Nichols' services to a diverse client base throughout the region.
Abe Bekele, P.E., joins civil engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a senior project manager. In this role, he will be responsible for expanding the firm's transportation practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. He has more than 25 years of experience designing and managing transportation projects. His expertise includes the design of freeways, interchanges, vehicular tunnels, managed lane facilities, urban storm sewer systems, and traffic operational analyses.
Ricky Corona, technician, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Austin, Texas, office. He will provide computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) and develop plans and documents for a variety of transportation, railroad and aviation projects.
Burns & McDonnell has named Dana Steph principal, a prestigious leadership position in the company.
As manager of business development in Burns & McDonnell's Houston Transmission & Distribution division, Dana oversees the growth and development of a diverse client base. Successful in both business development and project management, Dana has experience working on a variety of Transmission & Distribution projects with clients nationwide.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. welcomes back Jim Keith, P.E., CFM, as stormwater manager in its Dallas office. Keith rejoins the firm's established stormwater team, bringing a wealth of technical leadership skills and in-depth expertise in water resources planning and design projects. Keith has national-level proficiency in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs, which will bolster the firm's ability to support a variety of North Texas municipalities and water districts.
Alfred Vidaurri Jr., FAIA, NCARB, AICP, a Freese and Nichols, Inc., vice president, was elected treasurer of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) at the group's 99th Annual Business Meeting. Alfred previously served terms as secretary and director of NCARB's Southern Conference (Region 3), which encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Jason Martwig, P.E., joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a senior structural project manager. In this role, he will be responsible for the technical design and management of bridge structures in highway and transit projects.
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) is pleased to welcome Melanie Sarzynski to the firm's metallurgy and applied mechanics group in Houston as a senior associate. Dr. Sarzynski comes to WJE from Stress Engineering Services Inc., where she worked for more than ten years as a senior associate, leading a wide variety of engineering design and development projects in both upstream and downstream oil and gas segments.
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) is pleased to welcome Scott Bouse to the firm's metallurgy and applied mechanics group in Houston as a senior associate. Mr. Bouse previously worked at Stress Engineering Services Inc., where he accumulated a decade of experience providing advanced analytical and modeling engineering services to the refining, petrochemical, and exploration industry.
Adriana Alvarado has joined the fire protection practice of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) as a senior associate. Ms. Alvarado is an industry expert with twenty-two years of experience in fire and life safety consulting. She will be located in WJE's San Antonio office, providing code consulting services to current and new clients in Texas and supporting life safety efforts nationally and globally.
Kimberly Hickson, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, has joined the Houston office of architecture and design firm Perkins+Will as principal. With over 25 years of diverse, cross-industry experience and a career of dedicated education and civic experience, Hickson will oversee and provide strategic leadership in the design, planning and delivery of projects in the higher education and civic studios. Across the board, Hickson's work is notable for its leading green design and emphasis on resilient design.
Veteran transportation engineer Michael Brown, P.E., has joined Freese and Nichols, Inc. as senior project manager in the firm's Austin office. With more than three decades of experience in project management and coordination for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Brown will strengthen the firm's ability to provide municipal and state partners with complex transportation infrastructure expansion and improvement projects.
Victor De la Garza, P.E.
Victor De la Garza, P.E. is now Managing Director, El Paso Traffic/ITS Engineering Services, responsible for managing operations and staff for Walter P Moore's El Paso office, an expansion of his former role. He is an Electrical Engineer with vast experience on traffic management projects encompassing ITS planning, design, deployment, integration, operations, and maintenance. A firm Principal, Victor holds a patent on methods for detecting and tagging changes in software test patterns.
Thomas Duncan, P.E., PTOE is now Director of Traffic Engineering Services, responsible for overseeing Walter P Moore's traffic groups with more than 16 years of experience in traffic design, analysis, planning, and operations for local governments, highway departments, and metropolitan planning organizations. Thomas has successfully managed numerous complex projects encompassing data collection and forecasting, traffic simulations, and the design, planning, and development of road realignments.
Jamie Koenings joins Burns & McDonnell to support industrial water and wastewater permitting projects across the U.S. She brings more than a decade of environmental consulting experience, specializing in wastewater and stormwater permitting and regulatory compliance. Her experience includes National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System applications for industrial facilities, and working with the EPA, TCEQ and other state environmental agencies on wastewater regulations and permitting terms.
With more than 20 years of environmental consulting experience, Holly Fults joins Burns & McDonnell to lead the firm's industrial water and wastewater permitting team in Texas. She will manage water quality, industrial wastewater permitting and regulatory compliance projects. She's worked extensively with the Clean Water Act regulatory programs for industrial and governmental agencies (local, state and federal).
Rafat Elahi joins the Burns & McDonnell Energy group in Houston as a senior instrument and controls engineer. He has more than 12 years of experience in industrial and power plant engineering consulting, detailed technical design, construction, commissioning and engineering management. Rafat's experience includes power and Air Quality Control System (AQCS) projects, ranging from small retrofits to large EPC projects.
Engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) has promoted Mackrena L. Ramos, P.E., to the position of program manager of City of Houston's Surface Water Transmission Program (SWTP). Ramos will be responsible for meeting program budgets and deadlines as well as tracking performance measures. She will supervise the work of design consultants, professional and technical personnel, review and approve designs and related construction changes, and will serve as the client's liaison.
Nathan Sims, a leader in operational airport systems, joins Burns & McDonnell as an aviation systems project manager. Nathan joins the aviation specials systems team to focus on systems integration, wireless networks, baggage handling program management and design services. Throughout his career, Nathan has specialized in automated material handling solutions, including delivering and operating ramp technology such as baggage handling and baggage reconciliation systems.
PBK is proud to announce the promotion of Ron Bailey, AIA to Partner.
Ron has been with PBK for over 33 years, during which time he has worked in master planning, design and project management of education, religious and public works facilities. He is a registered architect in the state of Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma and is a proud member of AIA both Nationally and the local Houston chapter.
Dally + Associates is excited to announce the hiring of Project Executive, and seasoned structural engineer, Brian Ellestad. Brian has over 21 years of experience working with a variety of clients on higher education, mixed-use/retail, parking, healthcare, and office/corporate projects. A Registered Professional Engineer in Texas, Brian has partnered with numerous high-profile clients including Memorial Hermann, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Marriott, Dell and the University of Texas system.
Thomas Newsom, AIA, CDT, LEED AP, has been promoted to associate principal in the Houston office of Perkins+Will. He has over 25 years of experience in the planning, design and construction of healthcare projects, ranging from physician office spaces to large academic medical center expansions. As a senior project manager, Newsom is involved in all phases of project development. Notable clients include the University Hospital System, Midland Memorial Hospital and CHI St. Luke's Health.
Gerald van Benschop has been promoted to associate principal in the Houston office of Perkins+Will. With more than 18 years of experience serving the IT needs of architecture firms, he serves as the Director of Global Technology Services. Van Benschop supports all 24 Perkins+Will global offices, focusing on service and project management of IT deliverables.
Angela Whitaker-Williams, AIA, LEED AP, has been promoted to principal in the Austin office of Perkins+Will. The practice leader for the Austin office, Whitaker-Williams has more than 20 years of architectural planning experience in the K-12 market. Her leadership has been a driving factor in the success of projects like Austin Community College's Highland Mall campus, Manor Senior High School and a district-wide facility and educational suitability assessment for Austin ISD's 2017 Bond program.
Jordan Thompson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, has been promoted to associate principal in the Dallas office of Perkins+Will. As the director of operations for the offices in the firm's southwest region, Thompson coordinates internal resource management to deliver outstanding client service. His role is particularly focused on strategic growth, successful team structures, and balancing resources and financial metrics.
Julie Frazier, AIA, ACHA, RELi AP, LEED AP, has been promoted to associate principal in the Dallas office of Perkins+Will. With over 15 years of architectural experience and a vast depth of knowledge in healthcare planning, she has worked with numerous hospitals and health systems, specializing in market analysis studies and strategic facility plans. Her noteworthy work includes CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.
Ian Sinnett, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, CDT, has been promoted to principal in the Dallas office of Perkins+Will. An architect and senior healthcare planner with extensive experience in the design of complex healthcare and institutional projects, he's managed projects ranging up to $750 million. Sinnett's leadership has been a driving factor in the success of a variety of projects, including Baylor Scott & White Health, University Hospital System and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Structure Tone Southwest has hired Adam Kohler as the new Director of Operations for its Austin office. Kohler has nearly 15 years of experience in the construction industry, particularly in commercial corporate interiors, healthcare and higher education. His projects range from high-end interiors projects to college campus building renovations to medical and lab facilities.
Principal Vicki Ford, a structural engineer at Walter P Moore since 1998, has assumed the role of Managing Director of the firm's Dallas office and structural engineering practice. Vicki has led the firm's efforts on several notable projects across Texas. Her structural design of the Texas Center for Proton Therapy achieved the highest honor for engineering excellence in the state, the Eminent Conceptor Award by ACEC-Texas.
Jennifer Peek, P.E., PTOE, PTP, Senior Principal, assumes the Executive Directorship of Walter P Moore's Infrastructure Group, overseeing the various regional, national, and international practice areas and directing strategic, long-term initiatives. Over her 20 years with the firm, Jennifer has served on the firm's Operations Council and Board of Directors and has been involved in major projects such as the George R. Brown Convention Center/ADLA Improvements, Allen Parkway, and METRORail.
Edwin Friedrichs, P.E., PTP, Senior Principal, who has led the firm's Infrastructure Group for the last 34 of his 41 years at Walter P Moore, is transitioning to focus more on his roles as Director of Transportation Engineering and as Vice President of the firm. This transition allows Edwin to engage more deeply with clients and within the community, and to mentor the multiple generations of future leaders at Walter P Moore.
Ashley McDade, formerly a market manager at Bisnow Media, has joined WiredScore as Head of Dallas to lead the expansion of Wired Certification in the regional office market. At Bisnow, McDade spent much of her career exposed to conversations among leading office owners and their tenants about the gap in digital infrastructure and the advancement of the average building's reliance on connectivity.
(DALLAS, TX – April 23, 2018) – Skiles Group, a DFW-based construction firm recognized for its healthcare, education, and faith-based facility expertise and its process innovation, announces two executive team changes: Keyan Zandy, previously Director of Operations, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer, and Michael Blakemore has joined the firm as Senior Vice President.
Justin Goodman has joined Structure Tone Southwest as Director of Business Development for its Houston operations. Goodman comes to the company from AECOM, where he led the healthcare, higher education and social infrastructure sectors. As Structure Tone Southwest's Director of Business Development in Houston, he will continue to pursue those sectors and others for the company as it continues to grow in the Houston market.
Construction management firm Structure Tone Southwest has added Saleem Qassem to its Houston office as Director of Operations. Qassem has over 18 years of experience in delivering both mid-scale and multi-million-dollar construction projects for public and private sector clients.
Commercial construction and real estate professional Fred Noblett, III has joined Structure Tone Southwest to lead its Austin, Texas operations. As the new Regional Vice President of the Austin office, Noblett will oversee the office's strategic growth, business development, client relationships and overall operations.
Alfredo Valadez, a leader in industrial automation, has joined Burns & McDonnell as a project manager. With more than 20 years of experience in warehouse and manufacturing automation, Alfredo will design and implement innovative industrial automation solutions for clients across the U.S. Throughout his career, he has developed state-of-the-art technology to advance industrial automation, including a robotic truck loading and unloading system and a confined spaces robotic palletizing system.
Susan Davis, P.E., was named Member of the Year by the Oklahoma Chapter of WTS International for her extraordinary contributions to the successful creation of the WTS Oklahoma Chapter and her dedication to building and expanding the Chapter's programs. Davis is a project manager and civil engineer with Triad Design Group and has more than three decades of experience in highway design and project management.
Commissioner Cindy Bobbitt was named Woman of the Year by the Oklahoma Chapter of WTS International for serving as an outstanding role model in the transportation industry, contributing to the advancement of women and minorities in the transportation field and advancing the reputation and credibility of women in transportation. She serves on the Grant County Board of Commissioners and is a member of the board of the National Association of Counties.
Crystal Baird received the Sharon D. Banks Scholarship Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of WTS International for her accomplishments while pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Baird is a non-traditional student and a single mother who has worked in the transportation industry for over two years with a goal of earning a professional engineer license and becoming a resident engineer with a bridge engineering and construction firm.
Lilker Associates Consulting Engineers has named Robert Trovato, PE, LEED AP, Director of its newest regional office in Dallas, TX. Trovato has been with the firm since 2004 in increasingly demanding roles. He will oversee all mechanical and electrical design, energy services, technology solutions and lighting design projects in the Dallas area.
JE Dunn Construction is pleased to welcome Patrick Dennis as the new Houston office leader. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University and brings over 22 years of construction experience to the Houston team. As a dynamic and creative leader, he is actively involved in the Houston community on both a business and personal level. JE Dunn Construction is the 11th largest domestic general building contractor in the United States.
Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. (APAI) announces the selection of Chris Young, PE, as the firm's President/CEO, effective January 15, 2018. Coinciding with APAI's 40th year of business, Chris joins the firm with a professional commitment aligned with APAI's corporate culture and vision of providing quality engineering with integrity and respect for employees and clients. His 23-year career includes proven abilities in engineering planning, design, construction management, and company operations.
Mark Hall, P.E., senior project manager, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Austin, Texas, office. He will provide business development and manage water infrastructure projects. Hall has extensive experience with financing and completing capital water and wastewater improvements through the Texas Water Development Board and other financing agencies.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. has announced that James Naylor, P.E., has joined the firm as Water Treatment Discipline Leader serving the North Texas, West Texas and Oklahoma markets. His extensive experience in planning and design will play an integral role in providing solutions for municipalities facing complex water treatment plant projects. Dedicated to assisting clients with their technical water treatment issues, James has provided customized solutions to several municipalities in the region.
Jason Jernigan, RPLS, has joined McKim & Creed as regional manager of geomatics services in Texas. He has nearly 20 years' experience with design-build, oil and gas, and commercial improvement survey projects in Texas and Louisiana and is an adjunct professor of land surveying at North Lake College in Irving. As Texas regional manager, Jason will focus on expanding McKim & Creed's geomatics services and technologies in Texas.
Burns & McDonnell has named Christine Wood the Regional Global Facilities Group Manager in Dallas-Fort Worth. Christine came to Burns & McDonnell in 2016 with nearly 15 years of project management and engineering experience. She manages complex, multimillion-dollar, design and design-build, aerospace, manufacturing and mission-critical projects with accelerated schedules. She leads a team in Texas working to solve difficult problems with unique engineering and construction solutions.
TranSystems welcomes Jim Dubea as Vice President and Ports and Maritime lead. Jim is a 22-year veteran of the United States Coast Guard and culminated his service in 2012 as the Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Base, Port Canaveral. He previously served as Deputy Executive Director of Government and Strategic Partnerships with the Canaveral Port Authority. He brings strong leadership and practical experience in all aspects of ports and maritime operations.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is pleased to announce Wayne Swafford, P.E., SE, as its new president. Swafford, who joined LAN last April as the firm's executive vice president, will be responsible for the firm's direction and operation. Dennis Petersen, who served as the firm's president for the last 20 years, will continue to serve as the president of LEO A DALY, LAN's parent company.
Grace Souder, EIT, engineer intern, recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.'s Corpus Christi, Texas, office. She will provide engineering design support to senior project managers, with a focus on water and wastewater design projects. Prior to joining Hanson, Souder was an engineer intern for a firm in Metarie, Louisiana. She also was a science teacher for Fathers HARBOR Academy in Jacksonville, Florida.
Hanson Professional Services Inc. has hired Greg Staff to serve as a vice president in Houston. He will be responsible for business development for private industry clients, predominately in the crude oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries. He will concentrate on projects for industrial environmental, industrial processes, material handling, pipelines and logistics. Staff brings 35 years of engineering experience to the firm.
Balfour Beatty has promoted Ed Prendergast, Jr. to vice president and business unit leader for its buildings operations in central Texas. Having previously served as vice president of business acquisition for Texas operations, Prendergast's promotion is aligned with Balfour Beatty's commitment to meeting the expanding needs of its clients in the high-growth central Texas market.
The Brazos Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) named Jacob Torres, P.E., as its 2017 Young Engineer of the Year at its 67th annual banquet. The award, given by TSPE since 1970, recognizes individuals for their technical ability, professional achievements, and civic and humanitarian activities. Torres serves as a project manager for civil engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc.
Jack Otteson, PE, owner of JAX Engineering, a solutions-oriented civil engineering and construction management services firm, has received verification from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). Jack is a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and Service-Disabled Veteran. His 29-year career includes 7+ years' active service in the U.S. Army as an engineer officer and 22+ years with professional consulting firms.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. is pleased to announce that Charles Gaddy, P.E., P.G., has joined the firm as a senior environmental project manager in Fort Worth. With more than three decades of experience in environmental consulting, Gaddy will strengthen the firm's ability to deliver large-scale capital improvement programs for public- and private-sector clients throughout the state.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. has expanded its asset management services with the addition of industry veteran Michael Carter, senior asset management project manager in Fort Worth. Leveraging 23 years of national experience in information systems and public sector asset management, Carter will play an integral role in Freese and Nichols' services for cities, utilities and other public clients throughout the life cycle of their assets.
Crimson Building Company, LLC is proud to announce that Chet Farnsworth has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer. Chet started out his career at Crimson Building Company as a Project Manager and since 2015, he has served as Vice President - Pre-Construction and Estimating. In his new role, Chet will be responsible for the Estimating/Pre-Construction, Business Development, Commercial Development and Marketing aspects of the company.
Crimson Building Company, LLC is proud to announce that Chad Little has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Chad started out his career at Crimson Building Company as a Superintendent and since 2015, he has served as Vice President - Operations. In his new role, Chad will be responsible for the Field Operations and Project Management aspects of the company.
Crimson Building Company, LLC is proud to announce that Kyle Hege has been promoted to President. Kyle started out his career at Crimson Building Company as a Superintendent and since 2015, he has served as Vice President - Project Management. In his new role, Kyle will be responsible for the Accounting, Operations and Marketing aspects of the company.
TranSystems announces the promotion of Chad Gartner, PE, of the firm's Fort Worth, Texas, office to Associate and Assistant Vice President. Gartner has 26 years of experience in the design and project management for wide range of transportation projects including; highways, rural and urban roadways, bridges, traffic, passenger rail, and municipal projects throughout the DFW area and Texas. Gartner currently leads TranSystems' Fort Worth operations.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. welcomes industry veteran Jeff Scarborough as an account director in its Houston office. In this role, Scarborough will leverage 20 years of business development expertise to help expand the firm's capabilities to support federal and state agencies.
John Bush, P.E., has joined Freese and Nichols as a senior aviation project manager in the firm's Pearland, Texas, office. With more than 35 years of experience in civil engineering, John has spent the last 28 years specializing in airport development projects and serving in a variety of roles ranging from program manager to design engineer, and construction manager to field inspector.
GE Johnson Construction Company announces the hire of Randy Nance in the role of general manager to manage operations, preconstruction, and business development efforts for the Oklahoma City market.
Randy brings more than 30 years of experience in nearly every facet of construction, most recently as division manager for a national construction firm and in roles from director of business development to project manager.
The Dallas office of Perkins+Will, a global architecture and design firm, has hired Vandana Nayak to lead the K-12 and Higher Education practice in Texas and the Southwest U.S. Nayak, who brings more than twenty years of experience delivering next-generation educational environments, will lead regional strategy and client engagement in education across Texas, and will oversee the Dallas office's education studio.
Like many at the firm, Erin has spent her entire engineering career (now 12 years) at Walter P Moore. Dedicated to mentoring others — both within the firm and in the community — she manages a variety of complex structural projects in sports, education, commercial, and healthcare. In 2014, Erin received the firm's Horvilleur Award, which is presented annually to one young structural engineer at the firm who has best exemplified excellence in technical design, client service, and business acumen.
Ricardo actually began his studies in architecture, completing two years before realizing it was too "artsy" and he was more interested in the science behind how buildings stand. Now 12 years in the industry, he is a Principal and the Operations Manager for the Houston Structures group. He manages a range of commercial project types, including office and mixed-use developments, healthcare, sports, parking garages, research facilities, and high-rise luxury residential.
Susendar grew up in south India, where engineering and medicine were the most coveted career paths. His strong dislike for biology made the choice easy. Having been in the AEC industry since 2004 and now a Principal and Senior Engineer, he specializes in advanced structural modeling, steel design, post-tensioned concrete, vibration analysis, and performance-based engineering. He enjoys mentoring junior engineers across the firm and excels at technical writing and custom software development.
During his 15-year career, Thomas has led numerous successful projects ranging from traffic simulations to traffic design for a variety of both public and private clients. His diverse portfolio also includes data collection and forecasting, as well as designing, planning, and developing road realignments and improvements throughout Texas and elsewhere. He also serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Pearland.
Having originally joined Walter P Moore as an intern in 1999, Daron rejoined in 2007 and is now a Senior Principal and the Director of Operations for the Diagnostics Group. He specializes in solving structural, façade, and waterproofing issues, and routinely conducts assessments, develops repair documents, and performs construction administration services for a variety of clients.
As Senior Principal and Managing Director of the Houston Diagnostics group and the Restoration/Renovation Practice Leader, Mark brings an inclusive and collaborative approach to repairing and restoring the built environment. He specializes in rehabilitating critical structures that are often exposed to aggressive environments such as bridges, hyperbolic cooling towers, stadiums, parking structures, and building enclosures.
The Beck Group announced that Scot Bennett was promoted to regional director of the architecture and construction firm's Fort Worth office. Until recently, Scot was director of client services where he led strategic relationships and pursuits in Fort Worth. In his new role, Scot will oversee all design and construction for Fort Worth, and guide the growth of the office's integrated team.
Engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) and its parent company LEO A DALY are partnering to expand their food distribution and manufacturing services in the southern United States. LEO A DALY and LAN will provide facility master planning, design, site selection and construction administration services to clients in the food distribution and manufacturing industry. Leading this effort will be LEO A DALY business market manager Chas Courtman.
Alfred Vidaurri Jr., FAIA, NCARB, AICP, vice president of Freese and Nichols, Inc., has been elected as secretary of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) board of directors. Each year, the NCARB's member board members from all 54 licensing jurisdictions across the country elect its five executive leaders to lead the organization. Prior, Vidaurri served as director of NCARB's Region 3: Southern Conference, which comprises 12 states and territories.
Freese and Nichols, Inc. has announced that Mike Hagen, P.E., has joined the firm as a senior project manager in the Transmission and Utilities Group in Dallas. Leveraging nearly three decades of experience in water and wastewater infrastructure, Hagen will play an integral role in building and supporting large, complex projects for both public and private sectors throughout the region.
Skanska USA has announced that Matt McCaffrey, PE, LEED AP, has been promoted to project executive in Houston. Serving recently as senior project manager, McCaffrey has been a part of the management team on several large projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in San Antonio and on complex hospital renovations in Michigan. In this new role, he will continue to oversee construction of Skanska's recently announced Capitol Tower, a 35-story Class-A office development in Downtown Houston.
Bryan Hodnett has been named Director of Business Development for DonahueFavret Contractors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors and most recently was Senior Project Manager. He joined DonahueFavret in 2012 as a Project Engineer. Bryan earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management in 2012 from Louisiana State University.
Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) is expanding its healthcare services in Texas. To lead this effort, the firm hired R. Gregg Moon. Moon has more than 30 years of experience as a planner and project manager in healthcare design and architecture. He has planned and developed acute care and specialty departments for hospitals throughout Texas, including University Health System, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and the University of Texas Medical Center, Galveston.
Construction veteran Juan Rodriguez has joined Structure Tone Southwest's Dallas office as Vice President of New Construction. In this role, Rodriguez will oversee the strategies, partnerships and operations of the company's large-scale projects across North Texas.
Jeremy Gaston, P.E., has joined Freese and Nichols as a senior project manager for the Southeast Texas Treatment, Transmission and Utilities Group located in Pearland, Texas. Gaston's experience will enhance the firm's ability to provide water and wastewater treatment solutions for municipal clients in the greater Houston area by offering a new level of national insight.
Commercial real estate professional Jeffrey Brown has joined the Dallas office of Structure Tone Southwest as Director of Business Development. In this role, Brown will be helping the firm continue to develop its client relationships and projects throughout North Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Brown comes to STSW from CBRE, where he specialized in office tenant representation. Brown is a member of UT's alumni club, Texas Exes, as well as Dallas' TouchDown Club.
Thomas T. Davis, Jr. joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as a program manager for the Aldine ISD bond program. In this capacity, he will ensure the success of the program by scoping projects, developing budgets, acquiring consulting resources and manage the construction activities for Aldine ISD.
Yates Construction has hired Glen Young as Project Executive in San Antonio. With over 35 years of industry experience, Glen will serve as the primary point of contact for clients, and provide leadership and oversight for the day-to-day operations for all construction, project management and project administration activities associated with all Yates' South Texas Division construction projects.
Ravikanth Varanasi joins Burns & McDonnell to lead a regional business consulting team and support utility clients across Texas. Varanasi has more than 15 years of experience in transmission planning and development, utility system planning, transmission studies consulting, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance, energy policy, transmission regulatory affairs, energy price forecasting and power markets modeling.
Skanska USA has announced that Matt Daniel, LEED AP, a construction industry veteran with more than 36 years of experience, has rejoined the company as senior vice president of business development for Texas, based in Houston. Daniel, who previously served as senior vice president at Skanska from 2004 to 2012, will be responsible for the leadership and oversight of all business and client development efforts across Texas.
Sage Diller, PE was appointed Associate Vice President of Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT), a leading civil, environmental and geotechnical engineering firm in Texas, with headquarters in Abilene and branch offices in Granbury and Lubbock.
Joshua Berryhill, PE was appointed Associate Vice President and Technical Director of Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT), a leading civil, environmental and geotechnical engineering firm in Texas, with headquarters in Abilene and branch offices in Granbury and Lubbock.
Jordan Hibbs, PE was appointed Associate Vice President of Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc. (eHT), a leading civil, environmental and geotechnical engineering firm in Texas, with headquarters in Abilene and branch offices in Granbury and Lubbock.
Wayne Swafford joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as executive vice president. In this role, Swafford will be responsible for the direction and operation of the LAN brand. Swafford will report to Dennis Petersen, who will continue as the firm's president.
Matt Cunningham has joined the Austin office of Structure Tone Southwest as an Account Executive to manage the company's relationships and projects with its Austin clients, which include both interior renovations and new construction. Cunningham has spent the last 16 years in the construction business after serving in the US Air Force. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and Construction Documents Technologist and an active member of several industry organizations.
Data center construction expert Scott Rugen has joined Structure Tone Southwest as an Account Executive. Based in Dallas, Rugen joins Structure Tone Southwest's expanding Mission Critical team of 40. This team builds new, ground-up data centers, as well as expansions to existing facilities, across the Texas and Southwestern US markets. A mission critical industry veteran, Rugen has over 22 years of experience in building data centers, both brand new and renovated in a live environment.
Michael Schroeder serves as the General Manager of Amtech's Austin office. In addition to overseeing and managing office operations, Michael also leads business development and client management efforts in the Central Texas Region.
After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Cincinnati and Master's degree in Business Administration from the Xavier University. He is currently licensed as a PE in 18 states and has taught numerous training courses.
Sarah recently joined H2B, Inc. and has demonstrated expertise in both Structural Engineering and Project Management, is an energetic leader and is a registered engineer in the state of Texas. Sarah has over 12 years of experience, and boasts a unique architectural background.
Wendy Travis, AICP, has joined Garver as a vice president and is its new Texas Planning and Environmental Team Leader on its Transportation Team in our growing transportation infrastructure practice.
At Garver, Travis will lead multi-disciplinary teams of transportation planners, modelers, GIS specialists, public involvement specialists, document control specialists, design engineers, and procurement engineers to deliver high-quality projects that satisfy all types of transportation needs.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) promoted its vice president E. Tyson Thomas, P.E., to the position of office infrastructure leader and regional manager. As the leader of LAN's San Antonio infrastructure team, Thomas will be responsible for expanding the office's water, wastewater and drainage services.
Pond is pleased to announce the hiring of B.J. Bridges as program director for the Woodlands/North Houston, Texas office. As program manager, Bridges manages the day-to-day operations of the office, including increasing Pond's presence in the midstream oil and gas market, and growing this regional office through new client relationships and adding to its staff of engineers.
Brian Broussard, P.E., joins Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as its regional water resources manager. In this role, Broussard will serve as a technical advisor for LAN's water and wastewater practice, assist with project pursuits, mentor the firm's water and wastewater engineers, direct and coordinate production and operations, and provide quality assurance on projects. He will also help lead LAN's Montgomery County office located in the heart of Conroe.
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has appointed Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) engineers Christine Kirby, P.E., and Justin Reeves, P.E., as voting members to various standards committees. Kirby will serve on the Ball Valve, Knife Gate Valve and Protective Interior Coatings for Valves and Hydrants Committees while Reeves will serve on the Fiberglass, Weirs, Troughs and Baffles Committee as well as the Grooved and Shouldered Joint Committee.
John Kabouris has joined Garver's Water Technology Team.
Somnath Chilukuri, P.E., has joined Freese and Nichols as a senior project manager for the Southeast Texas Treatment, Transmission and Utilities Group. Based in Pearland, Texas, Chilukuri will help the firm expand its ability to serve municipalities throughout the region with a wide range of water and wastewater infrastructure services.
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) promoted its senior associate and director of marketing, Kerry L. Gregg, to the position of vice president. Gregg, who joined LAN in 2012, leads the firm's marketing team in developing and implementing corporate and proposal marketing, media relations and social media initiatives companywide.
Corbet Design + Build, a boutique design build firm based in Dallas, recently announced Travis Walker as the company's new director of business development. In this position, Walker will oversee external marketing efforts, new projects and client acquisition.
Gensler announced today the addition of three new Principals. With 20+ years of architectural experience, Jonathan Kelley, AIA, LEED AP, focuses on the design and design management of sports stadia and arenas. His project involvement spans virtually every aspect from early-design decisions to opening day ceremonies. Jonathan's experience ranges from large, high-profile projects for professional sports teams to smaller facilities serving colleges and universities.
Gensler announced today the addition of three new Principals. Byron Chambers, LEED AP, serves as a Firmwide Leader of Gensler's Sports Practice Area. Having designed everything from NFL stadiums and major league ballparks, to minor league facilities and collegiate venues, Byron's wide portfolio of work spans the globe and includes La Rinconada Stadium in Venezuela, the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center, Louisiana Tech Joe Aillet Stadium renovations, and Texas A&M University projects.
Gensler announced today the addition of three new Principals. Brooks W. Howell, AIA, serves as Firmwide Leader for Gensler's Residential Practice Area in addition to directing one of Gensler Houston's Lifestyle Studios. An experienced project director, Brooks has spent his 24-year career leading mixeduse, residential, retail and hospitality projects of every scale across the country. Brooks also has a broad base of knowledge regarding development and regulatory review processes.
TranSystems Corp., a consulting firm that provides engineering and architecture solutions to the transportation marketplace, names David Maas, PE, as Senior Vice President of its freight rail and intermodal sector. Maas, a Principal with the company, will assist the Market Sector Leader Tim Rock grow the overall practice. He specifically will lead efforts related to industrial development, intermodal facility development, technology and operational planning and analysis nationwide.
Debbie Anders has joined McKim & Creed as regional business development director for the Texas region. Ms. Anders brings 35 years' experience in business development, sales, marketing, and client management. She is actively involved with political and community outreach throughout Texas and other regions, as well as numerous organizations. She also serves as a lifetime member for HLSR, Houston Farm & Ranch, and High Bidders organization.
McKim & Creed has expanded its subsurface utility engineering (SUE) services into Texas. Leading McKim & Creed's SUE services is Gregory Jeffries, a 30-year veteran of the industry and a multi-state licensed contractor who specializes in underground utility location, 3D utility mapping, utility construction and surveying. He is on the executive board of the Underground Utility Location Contractors Association (NULCA) and is active with ASCE's Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute (UESI).
Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) made two key additions to its stormwater group. Burton Johnson, P.E., CFM, will serve as the director of stormwater programs in Houston while Brian Reis, P.E., CFM, will lead the firm's stormwater management efforts in Central Texas as its infrastructure manager.
Matthew W. Gould, RPLS, has joined McKim & Creed, Inc., as the new office manager in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Gould brings more than 25 years of land surveying experience and a proven track record of successfully managing multi-million-dollar contracts. He has provided surveying and mapping services for clients such as Texas Department of Transportation, NTEMP, University of Texas, Texas A&M University,, the City of Dallas, TRA and NTMWD.
Hospitality leader Steven Upchurch's roots are embedded in Texas. He began his 33-year architectural career in Dallas, where he gained experience with RTKL and ClubCorp before he joined Gensler's LA office in 2007. During his tenure at Gensler, he has completed high profile projects including the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, the Master Plan for Queen Mary Island Entertainment District, and the award-winning restoration of the Belmond El Encanto Resort and Villas in Santa Barbara.
With the start of the New Year, Steven Upchurch will join Cindy Simpson as Co-Managing Director of Gensler's Dallas office. Together, they will guide a robust office that has experienced significant strategic growth.
Skanska USA has announced the addition of Bill M. Brown, a civil engineer with more than 22 years of experience in commercial construction, to its building unit in Houston. As senior project manager, Brown will be responsible for overseeing daily construction operations and the workforce for projects managed by the Houston office, focusing on safety, schedule, contract management and quality control.


We are Crisafulli's Cheese Shop, a grandmother, mother, & daughter, who started this business to share our passion for cheese. Our goal is to share our passion with you, so that each cheese lives its final days with honor, nobility, and respect. We love cheese, and we want you to love it too!


At Appilogics we are giving people the freedom to work well, to grow and earn their rewards. Appilogics concern for creating an atmosphere that build self-confidence, self-motivation. People always learn from practice, so our organization provide the better career for best skills.
Skills: Good knowledge of Microsoft office, maintain files and records. Good Communication Skills.
Skills: Good knowledge of C#,.NET Framework, OOPs Concept, Web Services, ADO.NET, ASP.NET, MS SQL etc.


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Q: iOS6 - MKMapView current location blue dot In iOS6 (Google map) I am not seeing the current location which should be marked by a blue dot.
When I run the same code in ios5.1 and previous versions, i am getting the blue dot marked in my current location.
When I was searching for a solution, I discovered that the following line need to be added to get the blue dot, and I am using the same,
mapInstance.showsUserLocation = YES;

But I still didn't get the blue dot. Is there anything that needs to be added in my code?

A: Try the following; switch to the Maps Attributes inspector and click the checkbox for Shows User Location.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Tamil Nadu (Tamil: தமிழ்நாடு) is one of the states in the south of India. The capital of this state is Chennai. Tamil is the language spoken in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli, Salem,Madurai, Tirunelveli,Thanjavur and Thoothukudi are other large cities of Tamil Nadu. It is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Indian Ocean on the south. And also the Arabian Sea in the west for a smaller area. Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are its neighbouring states. The Tamilians are very proud of their language and heritage. In traditional Indian geography it falls under the South Indian zone.
The eastern and western tips of the state are defined by the Point Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries while the southernmost tip is Kanniya Kumari, also called Cape Comorin, the Indian peninsula's southernmost point. With an area of 130,058 km2 and over 62 million people, Tamil Nadu is the 11th largest state in India. The major river is Kaveri which meets the needs of agriculture and drinking water to a large extent. The other important rivers are south Pennar, Palar, Vaigai, Tamira bharani, Manimuthar, Noyyal and Bhavani.
Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Sivaganga, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Dharmapuri, Nilgiris, Dindigul, Theni, Erode, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Tiruppur, Thoothukudi, Kanchipuram, Tiruchirappalli, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Karur, Tiruvallur, Krishnagiri, Tiruvannamalai, Madurai, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Vellore, Namakkal, Viluppuram, Perambalur, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram.
Overflowing during cooking of Pongal indicates overflowing of joy and prosperity.
Megalithic Sarcophagus burial from Tamil Nadu.
Virampatnam jewellery from funerary burial, 2nd century BC, Tamil Nadu.
Souttoukeny jewellery, 2nd century B.C. Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.


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The inconvenient truth remains: President Obama is responsible for perpetrating jaw-dropping, job-killing scientific fraud.
White House lied, jobs died
While the White House and its media water-carriers try to distract the American public with gay-marriage talk and half-century-old tales of Mitt Romney's prep school pranks, the inconvenient truth remains: President Obama is responsible for perpetrating jaw-dropping, job-killing scientific fraud. And his minions are still trying to cover it up.
New internal e-mails disclosed by the House Natural Resources Committee this week show that a supposedly exculpatory report on the administration's doctored drilling moratorium analysis — issued by the Department of Interior's Inspector General's office — was itself incomplete, misleading and unsubstantiated. Even more damning, the documents reveal that the White House actively blocked investigators and refuses to comply with subpoenas.
Now, as one senior IG agent warned his bosses, "the chickens may be coming home to roost."
A quick refresher: After the BP oil spill in 2010, the White House imposed a radical six-month moratorium on America's entire deepwater drilling industry. The overbroad ban — inserted into a technical safety document in the middle of the night by Obama's green extremists — cost an estimated 19,000 jobs and $1.1 billion in lost wages.
The anti-drilling administration based its draconian order on recommendations from an expert oil spill panel. But that panel's own members (along with the federal judiciary) called out then-eco czar Carol Browner for misleading the public about the scientific evidence and "contributing to the perception that the government's findings were more exact than they actually were." Browner and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar oversaw the false rewriting of the drilling ban report to completely misrepresent the Obama-appointed panel's own overwhelming scientific objections to the job-killing edict.
Federal judge Martin Feldman in Louisiana blasted the Obama Interior Department for defying his May 2010 order to lift its fraudulent ban on offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf. He called out the administration's culture of contempt and "determined disregard" for the law.
Ever since, GOP watchdogs have attempted to hold administration officials accountable for the drilling ban fraud. In November 2010, the DOI Inspector General issued a report cited by Salazar to argue that any editing of the drilling ban report was unintentional and mistaken. But e-mails from IG senior agent Richard Larrabee released by the House Natural Resources Committee flatly contradict Salazar.
"I truly believe the editing WAS intentional — by an overzealous staffer at the White House. And, if asked, I, as the case agent, would be happy to state that opinion to anyone interested," Larrabee wrote.
He noted that the IG report failed to mention that investigators were unable to independently validate e-mails supplied by Salazar's office — and that the report was "simply silent" about how the White House blocked investigators' attempts to interview one of Browner's chief henchmen, Joe Aldy. "Well, it will be interesting to see if anyone picks up on these things, or cares about them," Larrabee wrote.
Well, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., cares. In a letter to the DOI Inspector General's office, Hastings blasted the stonewallers who have hid in the dark for more than a year. "The IG report is being used by the Obama Administration and others as a defense that this matter has already been investigated and resolved. These emails contradict that claim and raise new questions on whether the IG's investigation was as thorough and complete as it should have been," Hastings wrote.
The actual drafts of the drilling moratorium report and the communications between senior Interior Department officials and White House political appointees remain out of public view. "To date, the Interior Department has never had to disclose documents to the IG or to Congress," Hastings noted. "Despite the President's pledge of transparency, this Administration has not answered questions by anyone on how this decision was made that forced thousands of Americans out of work and cost millions of dollars in lost economic activity."
This election isn't just about jobs, jobs, jobs. It's about the lies, lies, lies that have led to massive job destruction — and the ruthless corruptocrats using our tax dollars to whitewash their radical green agenda.
Radio Alert: Adam Tragone on America's Radio News Network Friday morning
Time for Republicans to take the offensive
Written By Michelle Malkin
Mrs. Malkin is author of Unhinged (Regnery) and "Culture of Corruption: Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks & Cronies" (Regnery 2009).

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Published: May 27, 2021, 4:45 PM
Updated: May 27, 2021, 8:19 PM
Tags: Patrick Mahomes II, Orlando Brown, Andy Reid, Tyrann Mathieu, Sports, Kyle Long
Reid: Chiefs QB Mahomes 'full-go' during voluntary workouts
Published: May 27, 2021, 4:45 PM Updated: May 27, 2021, 8:19 PM
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid watches practice during the NFL football team's organized team activities Thursday, May 27, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been "full-go" during the first week of voluntary workouts, three months after surgery for turf toe and a full month ahead of the original schedule.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday that Mahomes has been "doing everything" while players worked out in shorts at the team's facility near Arrowhead Stadium. Players aren't allowed to wear pads or hit, but the very fact that Mahomes is back on the practice field bodes well for his availability for next month's mandatory minicamp.
"He's still working with (team trainer) Rick Burkholder and that toe, so we'll utilize this more as more of a passing camp," Reid said. "We don't run the ball much in this thing, so he's been good in that way and his toe is doing well."
Mahomes was hobbled by the toe throughout the playoffs, though he never acknowledged the severity of the injury. And his inability to move coupled with a makeshift offensive line made him a ripe target for Tampa Bay in the Super Bowl.
Mahomes, who had indicated last month that he was ahead of schedule in his recovery, has been joined at OTAs by just about everybody on the roster. That robust attendance stands in stark contrast to a number of teams, including the AFC West rival Broncos, that exercised their rights in the collective bargaining agreement to skip voluntary workouts.
"We love having the guys back on grass. That's a good thing," Reid said. "It's hard to teach the fundamentals of the game virtually. It's great we have the tools, I'm not saying that, but it's great to teach the fundamentals on the field."
The extra on-field workouts are especially helpful for Kansas City given huge changes to the roster, particularly along the offensive line, where not a single player that started in the Super Bowl could be a starter Week 1.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who was acquired in a trade with Baltimore, and right guard Kyle Long, who was lured out of retirement with a free-agent deal, are among those who have been working with the first-team line.
"Especially up front and maybe for the quarterbacks as well, it's important to get that live timing against a real body, a real defensive end," Brown said.
"I think I'm at a point in my career where these types of offseasons and being able to practice against live personnel, it helps me a lot. I'm able to focus on things I may not have been able to focus on last year."
In other news, All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu said he's not worried about whether the Chiefs will agree with him on a long-term deal with him, even though he's entering the final year of a $42 million, three-year contract.
In a since-deleted tweet, Mathieu had indicated that an extension was "probably not" happening in Kansas City.
"The negotiation process is tough on anybody, especially a player," Mathieu said, "but like I said, I try not to focus on it too much. I think I'm a fairly optimistic guy. I try my best to look out the bright side of the window. This is my third franchise so I understand the business. I've grown enough to understand it. I'm mature enough to understand it."
That doesn't mean Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has given up on signing one of his defense's premier players.
"Last year we were able to get a lot of our veteran players done during the summer," Veach said shortly after the NFL draft. "Enough can't be said about Tyrann and how we feel about him and his role both on and off the field."