Engineering Week 2.18.19
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL<br />
ENGINEERS<br />
WEEK<br />
February 17-23, 2019<br />
In 1951, the National Society of Professional Engineers founded National Engineers <strong>Week</strong> in<br />
conjunction with George Washington’s birthday. The week is a time to recognize the contributions<br />
to society engineers make, and for engineers to emphasize the importance of learning math,<br />
science and technical skills.<br />
Here are some of the companies and organizations with a presence in the region that are focused<br />
on developing education and careers within the engineering industry. >>
10 Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 Corridor Business Journal<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
A prestigious engineering program<br />
is nothing without passion —<br />
inspiring future engineering<br />
leaders, pursuing groundbreaking<br />
research, transforming technology<br />
to make a difference, celebrating<br />
diversity of thought and culture,<br />
and creating solutions to make<br />
Iowa and the world a better place.<br />
» 13 engineering majors and 6 minors<br />
» 9,530 student enrollment<br />
» Average 95% placement rate six<br />
months after graduation and average<br />
starting salary of $63,500<br />
» Assisted 1,705 Iowa businesses<br />
generating an economic impact of<br />
$621 million and 4,954 jobs added<br />
or retained<br />
» 300+ faculty dedicated to teaching,<br />
research and student achievement<br />
» Provide statewide K-12 STEM outreach<br />
and training programs<br />
» More than $105 million spent on<br />
externally sponsored research<br />
» Internships, learning communities, study<br />
abroad, 80+ engineering organizations<br />
and hands-on experience help shape<br />
student success
Corridor Business Journal Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 11<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
ESCO<br />
Group<br />
ESCO Group’s three business units<br />
are fused together by collaboration.<br />
The company specializes in automation,<br />
electrical and power to provide<br />
comprehensive expertise to its clients.<br />
Launched in 2018, its OneESCO initiative<br />
is an internal push to thoughtfully<br />
and strategically eliminate team silos.<br />
Based in Marion, ESCO Group works<br />
with businesses across 47 states and<br />
multiple countries. Its services range<br />
from plant automation and electrical<br />
construction to electrical and power<br />
engineering. In order to serve its commercial<br />
and industrial clients, ESCO<br />
employees are encouraged to cultivate<br />
partnerships outside of their immediate<br />
team.<br />
“Leveraging our subject matter expertise,<br />
our goal is to know your facilities<br />
and processes as well as you do. We<br />
not only have intimate knowledge of<br />
your site’s requirements and technologies,<br />
but that information is shared<br />
across our groups,” explained Michael<br />
Azevedo, business unit director for<br />
ESCO Automation.<br />
On a traditional jobsite, separate<br />
companies are hired to perform individual<br />
services. But each firm only<br />
has a narrow viewpoint based on their<br />
specialty area. They also may not have<br />
open communication with the other<br />
project partners.<br />
“Charity has<br />
been part of<br />
the company’s<br />
DNA since it<br />
was founded in<br />
1964.”<br />
Stacy Cannoy,<br />
Director of Marketing,<br />
ESCO Group<br />
“This can result in anything from<br />
project inefficiencies like electrical design<br />
changes due to physical worksite<br />
constraints to protective device coordination<br />
issues that impact a facility’s<br />
overall Electrical Safety and Risk Mitigation<br />
Program,” noted Azevedo.<br />
ESCO recognizes that collaboration<br />
is the key to safer, more efficient projects.<br />
Each project includes numerous<br />
kickoff, coordination and alignment<br />
meetings to ensure every team member<br />
is fully briefed.<br />
With 250 employees, ESCO Group<br />
frequently hosts events such as holiday<br />
dinners and family baseball nights to<br />
bring together employees.<br />
“It’s important for everyone to have<br />
the chance to socialize and make connections<br />
outside of the normal work<br />
day. We even have a golf outing where<br />
every team has people from different<br />
divisions,” said Stacy Cannoy, director<br />
of marketing.<br />
ESCO’s philanthropic work is another<br />
avenue for employees to form relationships.<br />
“We are only as strong as our community.<br />
Charity has been part of the<br />
company’s DNA since it was founded<br />
in 1964. An opportunity like<br />
>><br />
Contents<br />
ESCO Group 11<br />
FOX <strong>Engineering</strong> 14<br />
HR Green 14<br />
McClure 15<br />
Miron Construction 13<br />
MMS Consultants 15<br />
Nelson Electric 16<br />
Shive-Hattery 13<br />
Shoemaker & Haaland 16<br />
Snyder & Associates 17<br />
Stanley Consultants 17<br />
Terracon 18<br />
Veenstra & Kimm 18<br />
PROSPECT MEADOWS BASEBALL<br />
& SOFTBALL COMPLEX<br />
MARION, IA<br />
BUILDING A FIELD FOR DREAMS<br />
Once complete, Prospect Meadows Baseball & Softball Complex will feature 16 baseball and<br />
softball fields of various sizes to accommodate different skill and age levels. The complex will<br />
also house a Miracle Field, which is designed for individuals with special needs.<br />
This, is Building Excellence.<br />
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE AT MIRON-CONSTRUCTION.COM
12 Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 Corridor Business Journal<br />
Turning<br />
SOLUTIONS<br />
into Reality<br />
Specific Expertise in Three Business Units<br />
The Full Spectrum<br />
AUTOMATION<br />
Automation consulting<br />
Project management<br />
SCADA/PLC/HMI<br />
Material handling<br />
Plant services<br />
Front-end engineering<br />
Electrical engineering<br />
Software development<br />
Advanced Manufacturing<br />
Enterprise Solutions<br />
ELECTRIC<br />
Complete installations<br />
Process electrical<br />
Special systems<br />
Fire/security/fiber optic<br />
Lighting projects<br />
Turnkey projects<br />
Instrumentation<br />
Design and build<br />
24/7 support<br />
Prefabrication<br />
POWER<br />
Arc flash analysis<br />
Arc flash signage<br />
implementation<br />
Infrared field work<br />
Data collection<br />
Grounding studies<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> and design<br />
Power drafting<br />
Electrical safety training<br />
OSHA/NFPA 70E training<br />
Safety program<br />
development/audits<br />
One of the Midwest’s Best Kept Secrets<br />
ESCO Group is a full-service Electrical Construction, Plant Automation, and Professional Services organization<br />
focusing on exceptional results and long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. They have performed work in 47<br />
states and more than a dozen countries where they are Turning SOLUTIONS into Reality. With a high performing<br />
team of experienced professionals, craftsmen, and subject matter experts, they pride themselves on being<br />
Responsive and Reliable and leaders in their marketplace.<br />
www.theESCOGroup.com<br />
HEADQUARTERS | 3450 3RD ST | MARION, IA 52302<br />
CENTRAL IOWA | 4905 HUBBELL AVE, #2, DES MOINES, IA 50317<br />
DENVER-AREA | 357 S. MCCASLIN BLVD., #200, LOUISVILLE, CO 80027<br />
INDIANAPOLIS-AREA | 550 CONGRESSIONAL BLVD, #115 | CARMEL, IN 46032<br />
VERSATILE, RESPONSIVE, AND RELIABLE
Corridor Business Journal Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 13<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
United Way’s Day of Caring helps unite employees<br />
from all parts of the company,” Cannoy explained.<br />
Internal communications also promote cohesiveness.<br />
ESCO emails a company-wide Project Spotlight<br />
every week. The newsletter is so popular that it averages<br />
a 70 percent open rate.<br />
“In addition to celebrating recent successes, Project<br />
Spotlight helps employees learn about services in another<br />
division,” Cannoy said. “They can use this information<br />
to direct clients to the right resource. We think<br />
of every employee as a member of our sales force.”<br />
ESCO Group also shares a bulletin called Near Misses,<br />
which discusses how to learn from close calls in the field.<br />
“We have improved our safety rating by 14 percent<br />
in the past year by being transparent about safety situations<br />
and providing employees with actionable takeaways,”<br />
Azevedo noted.<br />
Even office staff participate in safety training. Called<br />
4 Hours to Save a Life, it covers first aid, CPR and vehicle<br />
safety. The company also purchases all employee<br />
safety equipment. Every piece of safety gear is then<br />
tracked, especially as flame-resistant items must be replaced<br />
after the expiration date.<br />
ESCO started as a family company and that spirit<br />
continues today. All non-union employees<br />
are ESOP (employee stock ownership plan),<br />
owning 40 percent of the company.<br />
“We are proud to have an employee-first<br />
mentality,” said Cannoy. “When you take<br />
care of your employees, they will take care<br />
of your clients.” •<br />
Miron<br />
Construction<br />
For Miron Construction, the credo “You Are Where You<br />
Live” is more than words; it is standard.<br />
“This is great place to live and work,” said Michael<br />
Muhlenbruch, Miron’s vice president of business operations<br />
in Cedar Rapids. “And this is a great company to work<br />
for. We might be a big company, but we are still primarily a<br />
family business and that’s what makes us special.”<br />
In recent years, Miron has constructed a number<br />
of notable projects in the region including the Hotel<br />
at Kirkwood Center, Paramount Theatre, University of<br />
Iowa Mary Louise Petersen and Elizabeth Catlett Residence<br />
Halls, University of Iowa Visual Arts Building,<br />
Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center and the<br />
Westdale Mall Redevelopment.<br />
They are also deeply involved in the community.<br />
“We are heavily involved locally with great organizations<br />
like the United Way and Green Square Meals,”<br />
Mr. Muhlenbruch said. “At the university we support<br />
Summer of the Arts, loaning them scaffolding for<br />
the shows, putting up signs, things like that. We encourage<br />
our entire to team to work on these. And if<br />
they have service projects that aren’t on our list, we<br />
encourage our team members to bring them to us<br />
and we’ll help too.”<br />
Miron is always looking for great candidates to join<br />
their team, but Mr. Muhlenbruch said that in one area,<br />
those candidates are getting harder to find.<br />
“Lots of people want to get into construction but they<br />
end up wanting to be in the office more than out doing the<br />
heavy work,” he said. “There’s a real shortage of carpenters,<br />
sheet metal workers and other skilled laborers. We are<br />
running out of people to do the quality work that we need<br />
done and that’s really unfortunate. As an industry we need<br />
to go out and find those valuable individuals.” •<br />
“We might be a big company, but<br />
we are still primarily a family business<br />
and that’s what makes us special.”<br />
Michael Muhlenbruch, Vice President of Business<br />
Operations, Miron Construction<br />
Shive-Hattery<br />
With nearly 900 years of celestial wisdom under his<br />
fictional belt, Yoda taught us, “Always in motion is<br />
the future.” The constant evolution and ubiq-<br />
>><br />
SQUAW CREEK CROSSING<br />
Marion, Iowa<br />
IOWA CITY: 319.354.3040<br />
CEDAR RAPIDS: 319.364.0227<br />
WEBSITE: SHIVE-HATTERY.COM
14 Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 Corridor Business Journal<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
uity of technology are changing the way we approach<br />
solutions and influence success for nearly all of today’s<br />
businesses.<br />
Technological advancements in graphic virtualization<br />
and real-time engineering simulation are transforming<br />
the design process for buildings and infrastructure.<br />
At Shive-Hattery, our architects and engineers<br />
understand that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality<br />
(VR) are natural extensions of building information<br />
modeling (BIM). They have embraced the benefits<br />
of transforming traditional two-dimensional drawings<br />
into interactive 3-D digital models.<br />
How do our clients benefit from this technology?<br />
Providing detailed and accurate visualizations transforms<br />
your project into a living, breathing representation<br />
of a building or site. Clients and designers can<br />
take a 3-D walking tour of the project and will see its<br />
physical and functional characteristics — before it is actually<br />
built. By bringing projects to life, it helps everyone<br />
understand the project better (seeing is believing),<br />
promotes better communication and decision-making,<br />
helps minimize construction challenges and reduces<br />
change orders during construction. Post-completion,<br />
these models can assist with maintenance and facilities<br />
management and could be used for future expansion<br />
projects.<br />
While VR provides a fully-engaged experience allowing<br />
for elevated understanding of aesthetic appeal and<br />
intuitiveness of design, AR can overlay a 3-D model<br />
onto our real-world project site to allow for a detailed<br />
examination by future building occupants. It is a fantastic<br />
tool to get your employees excited about the project.<br />
To see firsthand how BIM, VR and AR could help<br />
your next project, feel free to contact Mark Seabold<br />
(Iowa City) or Garret Meierbachtol (Cedar Rapids) and<br />
we will be happy to give you a demonstration. •<br />
FOX <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
FOX <strong>Engineering</strong> specializes in water and wastewater<br />
solutions that help cities and industries provide clean water.<br />
They are celebrating their 25th anniversary, and according<br />
to company Vice President Steve Troyer, one key<br />
to success is finding the right people.<br />
“The market requires that engineers have more advanced<br />
training in specialty areas and be open to new<br />
solutions,” he said. “There are no standard answers to issues,<br />
and more research is required to provide the best<br />
solutions. This leads to a demand for highly trained engineers<br />
who can adapt to each situation. We support events<br />
like Iowa Children’s Water Festival and MATHCOUNTS<br />
to encourage young people to find their strengths in math<br />
and science.”<br />
FOX <strong>Engineering</strong>, located in Ames, has worked on numerous<br />
projects in the Corridor in recent years:<br />
North Liberty:<br />
– 2018: New 6 MGD Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment<br />
Plant<br />
– 2018: Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase II, a $15.5<br />
million expansion<br />
Cedar Rapids:<br />
Wastewater Treatment – projects include improvements<br />
to disinfection, sludge thickening, grit and the primary<br />
sludge screen process.<br />
– 2012 to 2019: East Growth and West Growth Areas<br />
Water and Sewer Extensions<br />
Washington:<br />
New wastewater and water treatment plants for<br />
this Iowa community of 7,400. •<br />
HR Green<br />
Cedar Rapids-based HR Green, Inc. has a long history of<br />
promoting opportunities for future engineers. According<br />
to Erin Dusil, the company’s director of human resources,<br />
that begins before graduation.<br />
“The focal point of our educational outreach is our<br />
internship program,” Ms. Dusil said. “We bring in 20<br />
interns per year — company-wide — and have been successful<br />
in converting roughly a third of those annually<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Solutions<br />
Since 1961<br />
www.v-k.net<br />
800.241.8000<br />
Civil Environmental Structural Transportation<br />
Responsive.<br />
Resourceful | Reliable<br />
Your goals are our goals. Terracon collaborates<br />
with engineers, architects, and contractors<br />
to deliver cost-effective solutions to achieve<br />
success. We are honored to be a part of<br />
Cedar Rapids' thriving economy, and proud to<br />
call this city home.<br />
Offices Nationwide<br />
(319) 366 8321<br />
terracon.com<br />
Coralville Cedar Rapids Dubuque Rock Island, IL<br />
West Des Moines Mason City Sioux City<br />
Springfield, IL Liberty, MO Rochester, MN<br />
Env ironme nta l Faciliti es G e ote chnic a l M a t e rial s
Corridor Business Journal Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 15<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
(into permanent employees). It’s really the crown jewel<br />
of our program.”<br />
“We don’t just bring in interns to do leftover tasks or<br />
menial duties,” she said. “We put them on consequential,<br />
meaningful projects that give them responsibilities<br />
for the project.”<br />
For example, Ms. Dusil talked about an intern — a civil<br />
engineering student at Iowa State — who was able to work<br />
on project for a community in southeast Iowa that was in<br />
the process of revitalizing its downtown, while preserving<br />
its historic look.<br />
“She was able to work on the cityscape, designing sidewalks<br />
and things like that,” Ms. Dusil said.<br />
In addition to the college outreach, HR Green also<br />
works at the high school level.<br />
“We annually host an ‘Exploring <strong>Engineering</strong> Day’<br />
for students in a seven-county area,” she said. “It’s part<br />
of Kirkwood’s Workplace Learning Program; they get the<br />
chance to work on some real-world projects.” •<br />
McClure<br />
For McClure, the vision really says it all:<br />
“Making lives better.”<br />
According to Jenna Nelson, the company’s Marketing<br />
and Business Operations Lead, that is the mantra the<br />
company lives by both for its clients and employees.<br />
“We work every day to create an environment that allows<br />
us to give our best to our clients,” she said.<br />
McClure is dedicated to finding the best new talent and<br />
is constantly on the lookout for individuals who fit the<br />
McClure core values and have a passion for making lives<br />
better. The company recruits from colleges like Iowa State,<br />
the University of Iowa and Missouri for interns who they<br />
hope turn into employees. But keeping that talent is not<br />
easy, as the reputation of quality Midwestern engineering<br />
students is not a well-kept secret.<br />
“We used to go to career fairs at places like Iowa State<br />
and find that most of the firms were pretty much local,”<br />
Ms. Nelson said. “Now we see companies from out East<br />
and the West Coast there; Iowa State now has a waiting list<br />
for engineering firms that want to come to its career fair.<br />
“We want to keep that talent, which is why we work so<br />
hard to make McClure a great place to be!” •<br />
MMS<br />
Consultants<br />
“We are homegrown and we like it that way!”<br />
That pronouncement from MMS Consultants’ Marketing<br />
Director Tim Crosby best sums up his firm’s<br />
>><br />
TOP ENGINEERING<br />
OCCUPATIONS IN IOWA<br />
(Based on 10,281 engineers in the state)<br />
Industrial Engineers 35.86%<br />
Mechanical Engineers 15.48%<br />
Electrical Engineers 12.44%<br />
Engineers, All Other 9.98%<br />
Civil Engineers 8.71%<br />
Electronics Engineers 4.37%<br />
Environmental Engineers 3.38%<br />
Health and Safety Engineers 3.00%<br />
Materials Engineers 1.75%<br />
Aerospace Engineers 1.34%<br />
Computer Hardware Engineers 1.26%<br />
Source: EMSI<br />
Source:<br />
SNYDER-ASSOCIATES.COM<br />
WATER<br />
Providing innovative design solutions<br />
for the Cedar Rapids flood wall<br />
Local professionals solving Iowa’s<br />
biggest engineering challenges<br />
MUNICIPAL<br />
ENGINEERING<br />
TRANSPORTATION<br />
LAND DEVELOPMENT<br />
PUBLIC SPACES<br />
STRUCTURAL<br />
ROI<br />
REALIZATION<br />
OF IMPACT<br />
319.432.6910<br />
www.stanleyconsultants.com<br />
Small things.<br />
Big difference.<br />
#eweek2019<br />
ENGINEERING ■ SURVEYING ■ PLANNING ■ DESIGN
16 Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 Corridor Business Journal<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
philosophy. From the majority of the company’s projects<br />
being located within 100 miles of its headquarters in Iowa<br />
City, to its recruiting goals, MMS has a definite local focus.<br />
“We draw people from a diverse talent pool,” Mr. Crosby<br />
said. “Environmental engineers are in high demand,<br />
and we are lucky to have some potential candidates right<br />
in our backyard.”<br />
MMS brings in two summer interns annually with a<br />
goal that of hiring at least one of them.<br />
“It’s always a goal,” Mr. Crosby said, “but it’s easier<br />
said than done.”<br />
“Environmental engineers<br />
are in high demand,<br />
and we are lucky to<br />
have some potential<br />
candidates right in our<br />
backyard.”<br />
Tim Crosby, Consultants Marketing<br />
Director, MMS<br />
He said that in the past students like to get out into the<br />
world and staying “home” isn’t always palatable. However,<br />
that trend could be changing.<br />
“We were at a recent career fair at the University of<br />
Iowa and many of the students we talked to seemed to<br />
want to stay right here,” he said. “We hope that trend<br />
continues.”<br />
MMS also likes to get that trend started early, beginning<br />
with presentations to STEM programs at area schools.<br />
“Della Caldwell, one of our engineers, goes out and<br />
does the presentations,” he said. “She loves doing it.” •<br />
Nelson Electric<br />
Education and outreach are essential for Nelson Electric of<br />
Cedar Rapids as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in business.<br />
TJ Meiners, Nelson Electric Vice President, is on the<br />
board of the Eastern Iowa ACE (Architecture, Construction<br />
and <strong>Engineering</strong>) Mentoring program.<br />
“The program works with local high school students,<br />
giving them a chance to do real hands-on projects that<br />
develop skills for the future,” he said.<br />
Through the National Electrical Contractors Association,<br />
Nelson Electric works closely with Iowa State University<br />
on the NECA’s Green Energy Challenge. Student<br />
chapters of NECA from across the country are invited to<br />
conduct an energy audit and retrofit proposal of a building<br />
on their campus or in their community.<br />
“It’s been very rewarding,” Mr. Meiners said. “Iowa<br />
State has won five years and it has been great to have been<br />
part of that.”<br />
Nelson Electric has also had great success recruiting interns,<br />
which has two-way benefits.<br />
“We have hired engineering students from both Iowa<br />
State and the University of Iowa,” Mr. Meiners said. “One<br />
thing for sure is that having them [the interns] really gets<br />
our existing staff to step up their game. Those kids come<br />
in with new ideas and new technologies and remind us<br />
that we need to keep up.” •<br />
Shoemaker &<br />
Haaland<br />
Shoemaker & Haaland provides Civil <strong>Engineering</strong>, Structural<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>, Land Surveying and 3-D Laser Scanning<br />
throughout the country.<br />
Company president Doug Weihe said the company is<br />
committed to working with schools to groom a new generation<br />
of engineers.<br />
“We work closely with Kirkwood’s Workplace Learning<br />
THE M C CLURE MISSION<br />
› Building relationships for success. We are in<br />
the business of helping clients be successful by<br />
providing and executing innovative engineering,<br />
surveying, and planning services to our industry.<br />
mecresults.com | making lives better | SINCE 1956
Corridor Business Journal Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 17<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
Connection,” he said. “Two or three times a year we bring<br />
in high school students for half-day job shadowing experiences.<br />
We also have 40-hour high school summer intern<br />
positions. Those students are about to go out to job sites,<br />
work with surveyors and even attend meetings.”<br />
At the college level, the company offers internships for<br />
both two- and four-year students.<br />
“We offer internships with Kirkwood’s Architectural<br />
Technologies Program,” Mr. Weihe said. “It’s a twoyear<br />
degree for drafting technicians — 120-hours total.<br />
We have hired several of them. It’s hard to find experienced<br />
production technicians because of the changes<br />
in technology, but the students going out of this program<br />
are prepared.”<br />
The company also has interns annually from Iowa<br />
State and the University of Iowa.<br />
“We have a young lady from Cyprus who came to us as<br />
an intern from Iowa State we are sponsoring,” Mr. Weihe<br />
said. “We are very happy to have her with us.” •<br />
Snyder &<br />
Associates<br />
“Mother Nature<br />
cannot be controlled,<br />
which is why we work<br />
in tangent with her to<br />
provide sustainable<br />
engineering.”<br />
Dave Moeller, President,<br />
Snyder & Associates<br />
In 2018, Central Iowa experienced a 100-year flood event,<br />
putting Fourmile Creek in jeopardy and Snyder & Associates’<br />
engineering design to the test.<br />
Prior to the flood, Fourmile Creek experienced severe<br />
streambank erosion that left sanitary sewer infrastructure<br />
at risk for exposure. Using natural channel design concepts<br />
and integrating ecological lift techniques, Snyder’s<br />
design team transformed an environmental liability into<br />
a community asset. Stabilizing the banks provided additional<br />
benefits including improved water quality, increased<br />
safety and reduced flood risks.<br />
“We are proud of the restoration and overall improvement<br />
to Fourmile Creek,” said Dave Moeller, president of<br />
Snyder & Associates. “We don’t always have the opportunity<br />
to see our designs pushed to their limits. Realizing<br />
the profound impact of our engineering brought fulfillment<br />
for the entire team.”<br />
Supplying their employees with opportunities for Realization<br />
of Impact (ROI) on projects provides the clients<br />
of Snyder & Associates the ability to overcome evolving<br />
21st century challenges.<br />
“As our firm evolves, we continue to provide solutions<br />
that make a big difference for our clients,” shares<br />
Moeller. “Mother Nature cannot be controlled, which is<br />
why we work in tangent with her to provide sustainable<br />
engineering through a mix of hard and green infrastructure<br />
improvements.” •<br />
Stanley<br />
Consultants<br />
Stanley Consultants, a Muscatine-based consulting engineering<br />
firm, has recently formed a Young Professionals<br />
Group (YPG) to empower, connect and engage its youngest<br />
professionals.<br />
This self-governing group is creating programs >><br />
Reputation Means Everything<br />
CORALVILLE | CEDAR RAPIDS | KEOKUK<br />
Innovative <strong>Engineering</strong> Solutions Since 1976<br />
STRUCTURAL • CIVIL • LAND SURVEYING • 3D SCANNING<br />
50 YEARS STRONG
18 Feb. 18 - 24, 2019 Corridor Business Journal<br />
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT<br />
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK<br />
focused on employee development (both personal and<br />
technical), networking and mentoring. Ultimately, the<br />
group’s goals and initiatives benefit all employees, as evidenced<br />
through two mentoring programs.<br />
The YPG’s traditional mentoring program, launched in<br />
January, paired senior mentors with junior mentees. Applications<br />
were used so pairs could be formed based on<br />
goals and mutual interests. For six months, each pair will<br />
meet at least monthly to create an action plan focused primarily<br />
on the development of the younger member.<br />
The YPG’s innovative reverse mentoring program<br />
will kick off this spring. Senior staff will be paired with<br />
young employees based on random selection. This program<br />
will focus on recruiting and retention, company<br />
culture and use of technology and social media. Meetings<br />
will focus on what skills the company’s senior leadership<br />
can learn from its youngest employees, as well<br />
as teach participants how to switch roles in the conversation.<br />
Participants will learn that the ability to reverse<br />
the direction of the conversation is just as important<br />
to building skills as the topics they discuss. •<br />
Terracon<br />
Terracon’s Cedar Rapids office is one of more than 150<br />
offices where career opportunities are available to work<br />
“We are growing because<br />
of the passion and<br />
innovation of our employee<br />
owners.”<br />
Guy Johnson, Cedar Rapids Office<br />
Manager, Terracon<br />
on rewarding and exciting projects. We seek people who<br />
are passionate about what they do and get excited about<br />
solving challenges, being there when clients need us and<br />
working together to make great things happen in our<br />
communities.<br />
“We are growing because of the passion and innovation<br />
of our employee owners,” said Guy Johnson, Cedar<br />
Rapids Office Manager. “We bring value to our clients by<br />
providing responsive, resourceful and reliable service.”<br />
The importance we place on our employees makes<br />
us an employer of choice in the engineering consulting<br />
industry. In Cedar Rapids, our more than 40 employee<br />
owners focus on projects related to environmental, facilities,<br />
geotechnical and materials engineering. The range of<br />
clients we serve include architects, engineers, contractors,<br />
local, state and federal government, school districts, utilities<br />
and energy companies, financial and more. •<br />
Veenstra &<br />
Kimm<br />
West Des Moines-based Veenstra & Kimm — with offices<br />
in Cedar Rapids in Coralville — is ramping up its dedication<br />
to education. Vice President Steven Thompson said<br />
that while the company has made an effort to generate<br />
more interest in the industry, a formal plan is already in<br />
the works.<br />
“For a long time, no one was available to really be able<br />
do this,” he said, “but we’re looking at having a formal<br />
program within the next 12 to 18 months. We’re excited.”<br />
Mr. Thompson has given presentations over the years<br />
for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)<br />
programs at junior and high schools, but he hopes to<br />
expand that program soon. The same goes for the firm’s<br />
internship programs at area universities.<br />
“We’ve had informal internships at our Coralville office<br />
with University of Iowa students or our West Des<br />
Moines headquarters with Iowa State, but it’s never really<br />
been formalized,” he said.<br />
“Internships are great for both the students and the<br />
company,” Mr. Thompson added. “It’s like a paid job<br />
interview and we use them as recruiting tools. But we<br />
have to really fight for that talent. Firms from all over the<br />
country recognize that we have great talent right here in<br />
Iowa; we want to keep that talent right here at home.” •<br />
A proud supporter of MathCounts<br />
and Children’s Water Festival, FOX<br />
encourages young people to<br />
explore one of the most<br />
exciting careers in the<br />
world – engineering.<br />
Proud to Celebrate Engineers <strong>Week</strong>!<br />
Join us in thanking engineers for making<br />
a difference in our communities.<br />
See our project work in North Liberty, Cedar Rapids, Hills, Washington<br />
and other cities across Iowa.<br />
8710 Earhart Lane SW Phone 319.841.4000 HRGREEN.COM<br />
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Fax 319.841.4012<br />
TRANSPORTATION + WATER + GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES<br />
LAND DEVELOPMENT + ENVIRONMENTAL + CONSTRUCTION<br />
800.433.3469<br />
www.foxeng.com<br />
WATER • WASTEWATER • MUNICIPAL