GBA President Matt Moler, P.E. (S&ME)

As I continue my GBA presidency, I reflect on the role GBA has played in my life over the past 15 years.I first crossed paths with GBA back in 2007 – it was still known as ASFE at this time. My employer,S&ME, asked me to enroll in the Fundamental of Professional Practice (FOPP) course, where I was exposed to numerous business optimization and risk mitigation measures (topics I never learned in engineering school!) and I soaked up the new knowledge like a sponge.

What really hooked me was GBA’s concluding FOPP seminar held outside Denver. There, I encountered a tremendous network of fellow geoprofessionals – classmates and practitioners giving back to their profession – from across the country.  I left the seminar eager to delve further into GBA so I could continue to improve my business acumen and expand my professional network. It was exactly what I was looking for at that point in my career and served as a launchpad for the next 15 years. I had a taste of the GBA “special sauce” and I was hooked and craving more.

About two years later, GBA was preparing to launch its second class of Emerging Leaders, and S&ME’s then-President, Randy Neuhaus graciously nominated me for the class.

Each class of GBA Emerging Leaders chooses a project to collaborate on from inception to completion. Class 2’s project was focused on several recently launched social media platforms (such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram). GBA wanted our class to help them get engaged with this new technology. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine a time these platforms weren’t part of many people’s daily lives and a cornerstone of business communications and marketing.

Our class members bonded quickly and with our collaborative spirit and zeal, we raised awareness on these exciting new social media tools to promote our individual businesses, and to promote the many benefits of GBA. Our Emerging Leaders Class completed its tenure after two years, after which many class members became engaged with serving on GBA’s Committees.

I was immediately intrigued by and joined GBA’s Business Practices Committee, which discussed the many business-related subjects that directly impact our firms. I came away from each meeting with information to improve my own business practices, as well as ideas that could be implemented across S&ME.

At one of my first meetings, Committee members talked about creating a cell-phone-use-while-driving policy at their firms. I mentioned some things my company was doing and before you know it, I was asked to prepare a Best Practices document on the subject (funny how that works!). I was thrilled to be able to contribute to the organization that had given me so much and play a small role in creating safer practices for geoprofessionals.

I gradually stepped into leadership roles in the Committee and every experience filled me with more opportunities, challenges, and benefits from active involvement with other geoprofessionals from across the country.

Woody Vogt, GBA’s President at the time, asked me to join the GBA Board of Directors in 2018. The GBA Board is the first I’ve served on in any organization, so learning the role of a Board and how I could best serve the organization were paramount. I believe our profession is worth fighting for and worth the time and effort to make it better, so I accepted the nomination and was ready to take on new challenges.

My efforts on the Board have varied over the years, but consisted of the following:
• Board Liaison for several Committees,
• Program Committee member responsible for planning several wonderful conferences,
• Mentor to the Emerging Leaders Class 4,
• Champion of several GBA Strategic Plan objectives,
• Secretary Treasurer,
• President-elect, and now
• President.

My GBA journey has been a fulfilling experience so far and the rest of my time as President is likely to be full of rewarding opportunities, as well. I have benefited tremendously from GBA’s many resources (publications, webinars, conferences, podcasts), Committee and Board leadership opportunities, and close friendships.

Speaking of close friendships, I have developed some of the most meaningful personal connections over the past 15 years with numerous individuals across GBA. Not only have we attended conferences and worked on the Committees/Board together, we’ve fished, golfed, biked, ridden ATVs, boated, swam, honky-tonked, and visited some of the most amazing places across this great country of ours. Our family members know each other as well.

To sum things up, I love it that our members come together regularly and talk about the best practices, the wins, the scars – it’s all on the table. There is no other organization that combines such value and opportunities to help improve ourselves and our business. It’s what makes up GBA’s Special Sauce!

I’ve shared my GBA journey with you in the hope that it inspires you to get involved in GBA. Volunteer for leadership opportunities. Speak up and share your opinions. Meet others that are passionate like you. And try to make an impact!

GBA gives so much, but you’ve got to give a little. You’ve got to be willing to join a Committee or go to a conference. Take notes and ask yourself, “What’s the one cool thing I learned from this presentation that I can apply at work tomorrow?” Be active, because then you get more out of it. It’s like a cup that keeps overflowing – that’s what GBA is. They continue to fill up my cup. So, I keep giving because I know I’m getting a two- or three-fold return.

GBA has been a wonderful organization for me over the past 15 years, and I’m very grateful for those experiences.

Thank you, GBA, for this amazing GBA journey!

Editor’s note from GBA Executive Director Joel Carson:
“Having worked with Matt for several years and now more regularly as he has been GBA’s President, I admire his          sincerity and thoughtfulness as a leader. He makes sure everyone’s voices are heard and can build consensus on issues by bringing different perspectives together and focusing on the GBA’s strategic direction. He is also very creative as evidenced by his bringing GBA’s Special Sauce to reality, something none of us will forget. All that being said, Matt is simply someone everyone enjoys spending time with because he contributes positively in all situations.”

Cassandra Langley, GBA Communications Specialist

Broadcast events may seem like the holy grail for multitaskers – you can theoretically maintain your regular, full workload, while also soaking up new information from speakers. You can keep one eye on your emails,  one ear on the current conference speaker, and one foot out the door for your next on-site meeting.

However, fragmenting your focus doesn’t do yourself or your firm any favors. Conference organizers and event venues go to great lengths to ensure meetings can take place with minimal interruption, but broadcast events lack the spatial control to do so. It’s important to implement a few best practices for attending a broadcast event so you can make the best use of your time and get the most out of the conference. Here are some ideas:

Make a pre-event plan. What are your goals for the event? Do you want to make connections? Get new ideas to present to your firm? How do your personal goals for the event fit with your career aspirations?

Tell your supervisor, coworkers, and/or mentor you’re attending a broadcast event and show them the agenda. Your supervisor can help you align your event goals to your career path. They may encourage other employees to register to attend with you.

Consider leaving your office to go to a favorite local remote working spot. A quiet corner of your local library will have minimal distractions and will take you out of your familiar setting (without having to completely leave town) just enough for you to remember what you’re supposed to be focusing on.

Set busy time on your calendar so no one requests meetings. In many cases, event platforms will integrate with your work calendar so you can add sessions seamlessly, but you can also do this manually by blocking out the entire day or just the times you will be actively attending a session.

Share on social media that you’re attending the event, along with a link to the event’s webpage for more information. Ask event organizers if they have a graphic they can send you or if you can use the event logo to go along with your post. Not only will this help support the organization and event, but it will also make it easier to connect with others in attendance and strengthen your professional network.

Explore the event platform or website before the event begins. Get familiar with where to find speaker information, session descriptions, the agenda, discussion groups, and resources. Many times, we plan to circle back to resources after the event but quickly get swept away with other duties and demands.

Close your office door and place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the outside, or at the entrance to your cubicle or workstation. An open door invites visitors and allows outside noise and activity to pull your focus.

Here’s a sign we made for GBA Fall Conference attendees.

Use headphones. Even if your surroundings are quiet, headphones help narrow your focus and stay engaged during the broadcast event.

Take notes during sessions. You can write down notes in a notebook (plan this beforehand so you’re not scrambling for sticky notes as a speaker is presenting). Start with a fresh, blank page and pen ready to go. Studies have shown that we remember things better when holding a writing utensil!

However, with handwriting going the way of the mechanical pencil sharpener, taking notes on your laptop or other device is better than not taking notes at all, so type away.

Create a new Word document dedicated to your event notes and list out the sessions you’re attending in advance, along with the speakers. This makes it easy to follow up with questions or comments during or after the presentation. You can also use the built-in notes apps on macOS and Windows for easy recordkeeping. If you have dual monitors at your workstation, have one screen dedicated to your event notes and the other dedicated to the presentations and sessions.

Silence notifications. You can silence all notifications on your phone or select apps. Here’s how to do this on an iPhone and an Android. You can set a schedule or set them to remain silent until you turn them back on.

Get up and walk around between sessions. Many broadcast events leave time between sessions, like in-person events do. Take this time to pop out of your office and do a lap around the building or your home. Grab a snack. Getting your blood flowing will help restore your zeal for the next session. Both broadcast and in-person events can be draining as you try to retain so much new information.

After the day or each session, make a note about your favorite thing from the day – what was most relevant to your job? What’s one thing you can take away and start using immediately? What’s something you need to tell a coworker about that may help them? How can you apply the new insights gained within your firm?

Participate in the chat sessions so other people see your name and can connect with you, too. Treat the event like the interactive experience that it is.

Don’t shortchange yourself because you’re attending an event online rather than in-person. You can get just as much value out of the educational sessions, group discussions, and networking opportunities as you can attending an event in a physical location in the company of others. Use a few or all of these ideas to maximize your time and financial investment.

GBA’s Fall Conference – a broadcast event –begins October 17 and it’s not too late to register! Learn more.

GBA is committed to promoting the value of geoprofessionals and for our 2023 photo contest we asked members to share: “How do you depict a day in the life of a geoprofessional?”

Sixty photographs were submitted this year and through the images captured, the pride of geoprofessionals was on full display. We think you’ll agree: These vibrant photos capture members in field activities, meeting with colleagues and clients, and observing safety in some amazing locations.

All winners’ photos will be featured during the 2023 Fall Conference in October.

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos this year!

                                                                                                   Grand Prize Winner

Photographer: Jack Powell, PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc.

Location: Salt Creek Falls, Lane County, OR

Caption: PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc. (PBS) teamed with Bratslavsky Consulting Engineers, Inc. to support the US Forest Service in evaluating and designing improvements to the Salt Creek Falls day-use area. This included characterizing subsurface conditions to develop recommendations for anchoring new handrail posts at the main waterfall viewpoint area as some of the existing, wooden posts had begun to decay. PBS also helped develop recommendations for mitigation of localized erosion beneath the pedestrian railing just beyond the waterfall overlook. Due to the late season snow and limited access, PBS subcontracted with PLI Systems of Hillsboro, Oregon to use a small drill rig capable of maneuvering in tight spaces that was able to collect rock core.

                                                                                                  Overall Runner-Up

Photographer: Gyan Bade, Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates

Location: Frederick, MD

Caption: This is a picture from The Frederick News-Post job site. Early morning concrete pour; 370 cubic yards.

                                                                                                       Category Winners

                                                                                                            Safety Category

Photographer: Sam Venable, P.E., Earth Systems

Location: Santa Barbara Airport, Santa Barbara, CA
Caption: Geotechnical engineering investigation and recommendations provided for development of project plans and specifications for the planned improvements of Santa Barbara Airport taxiways.

Client Collaboration Category

Photographer: Will Jones, G.I.T., ENV SP, ANS Geo, Inc.

Location: West Camp Wind Farm, Holbrook, AZ
Caption: Discussing the day’s work as the sun sets

 CoMET Category

Photographer: Luke Morrell, P.E., Blackburn Consulting

Location: Folsom Lake EID Intake Project, Folsom Lake, CA
Caption: Installing drilled shaft piles through rock to support a new intake pipeline.

                                                                                               Environmental Category

Photographer: Torre Davy, Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc.

Location: Hoosic River, Adams, MA
Caption: Surface water sampling in the Hoosic River

                                                                                         Geotechnical Category

Photographer: Bruce Jackson, Jorgensen Geotechnical

Location: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Rendezvous Mountain, Jackson, WY
Caption: Geotechnical drilling to assess rock quality at the top of the aerial tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Cassandra Langley, GBA Communications Specialist

No matter the level of AI adoption in your firm, you’re likely encountering it on a day-to-day basis, whether you know it or not.
With more AI-written content feeding online news sources, it’s become important to distinguish between what’s written by something like ChatGPT and what’s created by humans.

This is not to say that AI-written content can’t be educational and useful – only that it’s important to know the source of information you’re digesting, especially if you plan to disseminate it to a wider audience of industry experts, like we do with NEWSlog. When content makes our AI-detecting “spidey sense” tingle, we use a free online AI detector tool to contribute to the decision-making process of which articles to include in the newsletter.

Using this article as an example, SEE A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION OF  HOW WE DO IT. (*Not an endorsement of copyleaks.com)

Multimedia Delivery Committee

As geoprofessionals, owners rely on our oversight to ensure that projects go according to plan. But too often, we encounter obstacles that can potentially derail operations, jeopardizing partnerships and public safety in the process.

In the latest installment of the GBA Podcast – the Audio Education Series – hosts Tiffany Vorhies, NACE CIP2 (SME) and Ryan White, P.E., G.E., F.ASCE (PBS Engineering + Environmental) address some of the most challenging aspects of field representation. From navigating business relationships to forming prudent field reporting habits, this series contains helpful insights for the novice and seasoned pro.

Episodes in the Audio Education series include:
• Briefing and Being Briefed
• Safety
• Personal Diplomacy
• Effective Reporting
• The Duty of Care
• Field Representatives and the Law

Beyond the Audio Education series, GBA Podcast episodes also include fresh looks at Case Histories, a series on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and other important topics for geoprofessionals presented in an accessible, portable, and engaging format.

START LISTENING NOW

GBA Business Practices Committee

Attracting top-flight, entry level talent remains a key objective of most GBA Member Firms. An effective internship program can play an important role in achieving that objective. GBA’s Business Practices Committee has updated these guidelines to help firms develop an internship program “from scratch” and improve those that already exist.

This comprehensive document provides resources including:
• Sample intern orientation checklist
• Intern recruitment ideas
• Suggested assignments for a 12-week program
• Sample student internship program agreement form

This is the updated version of a previously published Practice Alert.

The GBA Best Practices series of documents, available to members only, provides guidance on geoprofessional business-practice issues. As indicated by the name, Best Practices is a combination of great ideas and proven actions our members have gathered through collaboration into one document.

GBA Best Practices documents are free for all members.

DOWNLOAD UPDATED BEST PRACTICES: ESTABLISHING AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN YOUR FIRM

William S. “Bill” Zoino, P.E. passed away on Saturday, July 22, 2023. Bill was a geoprofessional industry leader, GBA past-President (1981-1982), and co-founder of GZA GeoEnvironmental.

Of his time in GBA leadership, Bill said, “GZA owes a lot to GBA for the many years of most valuable services it provides to its members. For me it was most rewarding to be in the presence of the giants in our field… During my active participation in GBA, both Limitation of Liability and Peer Review were fully adopted by GBA.”

Here is more information about the life and leadership of Bill Zoino from a GZA internal announcement on his passing:

“A dual graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bill began his career primarily as a dam engineer. In 1964, Bill and his MIT classmate Don Goldberg started a consultancy based on the belief that if you provide quality science and engineering services, operate with integrity, and create a collegial environment in which your employees feel appreciated and empowered to develop innovative solutions for their clients, the firm will be successful. They were right, and here we are thriving almost six decades later.

While Bill was dedicated to the development of GZA and its people, he was also a significant contributor to the engineering community, serving as President of the Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA) and as President of the American Society of Civil Engineers –
Massachusetts, now the Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCE).

When asked by BSCE several years ago to provide a perspective on his career and the founding of GZA, Bill said, ‘Together with Don Goldberg, we provided jobs for over 2,500 people. But I’m most proud to tell you that those people were people-servers. In my view, that’s what life is all about. It’s a philosophy that Don and I share. Our employees count. Their families count first, their profession counts second. We shared that goal, and we also believed in quality in our projects.

Professional quality, service, family first. For all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with Bill, those three terms capture the essence of Bill’s long and illustrious career and legacy.”

By: Victor “Vic” R. Donald, P.E., Senior Consultant (Terracon)

  I have strong Southern roots that spread across three states – Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. My family was in a new place every two or three years, due to my dad’s job at a natural gas pipeline company. That kind of  childhood forced me – a young introvert – to continually adapt and make friends. I felt that survival demanded that I become more outgoing in those junior high and high school years, especially. I gained a tremendous appreciation for the deep South, and I feel blessed to have those Southern roots.

As a teenager, I started working for a bridge manufacturer and it was during this time I discovered my calling for engineering. I encountered engineers on the job and started to learn about the complexities of civil infrastructure and how much goes into it. My initial aspiration was to be a structural engineer, but an inspiring talk by a geotechnical engineer named John Grosch redirected my path.

John informed me and my classmates in our first geotechnical course about what it means to be a geotechnical engineer and two things he said stick with me to this day. One was, “You’re going to have to continue to get dirty because we deal with soils in every way, including on our clothes.” And the second was, “You’re going to need a graduate degree.” The first one I was good at – I’d been getting dirty since I was a kid. But the second one intimidated me.

I dove into both. I stayed in college at Louisiana State University and got my Master of Science in Civil Engineering, while working in the soils lab, behind drill rigs, and on construction sites. I went to work for a local geotechnical practice in Baton Rouge while in grad school. Those were two of the hardest and perhaps the most educational years of my life. I was learning from great mentors at work and would take questions back to the classroom. Those experiences gave me a jump start at being a businessman in the geotechnical profession.

With that jump start, I didn’t waste too much time starting my own business. When I was 28, I ventured into a partnership with a firm out of Mississippi and launched an operation in Baton Rouge. I sought out people that I needed to learn from—not just engineers; I learned from bankers, attorneys, and accountants. It all came together in that practice.

Early in my career, I recognized the value of collaboration within the industry. I became involved with GBA (at the time, ASFE) and attended their conferences, immersing myself in a community of like-minded professionals. GBA has taught me that there is a great coalition of people out there that are looking out for the best interest of the profession. I support that in any way that I can.

Over the years, I bought, sold, and merged companies as I navigated the dynamic landscape of the geoprofession, eventually becoming president of Aquaterra Engineering, a firm that traversed the paths of my childhood, practicing throughout the south. In 2009, after much consideration, we decided to merge our rapidly growing practice into Terracon’s. I like to call it the second-best decision I ever made, with my proposal to my wife of 44 years being the first.

Throughout my career, my gift, and perhaps my fault, could be described as my insatiable desire to innovate. I always wanted to find a better way to approach our work. As I experienced success with innovation, I began to use such ideas to differentiate our practice and help overcome the commoditization that threatens our profession. Terracon allowed me to ask questions, explore ideas, and invest in innovation, and I’m continuing that as a senior innovation consultant with the firm.

Advice to Those Entering the Geoprofessions

There is a lot of change going on right now in the geoprofessions. I’ve seen more change in our profession in the last four years than I saw in the entire first 40 years of doing this. Discovering data, digitization of our services, the rise of geotechnical specialty contractors, the impact of artificial intelligence—just dramatic, quick change that leaves one breathless. So, when I’m talking to a young professional, I’m saying, “You can thrive in change or you can suffer in change. And it’s your choice. Be proactive and run TO the change and be a part of making it work in a way that serves you, your profession, and your clients well.” That benefits the profession and the individual.

I’d tell them, “Think about being a coder and what it means to code in the geotechnical practice. Think about discovering data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and maybe go back to school and get that type of education instead of an MBA. GBA can give you the business acumen to understand how to run a business or how to be a strong principle in a business.”

Family and Hobbies

My wife, Diana, comes to as many GBA events as she can. That has been one of the highlights of my profession – being able to enjoy these professional experiences and colleagues with her, share in conversations, and even plan trips together.

We have four kids – three boys and a girl, none of whom decided to be engineers, but all went into professions that have allowed frequent dialogue about many of the key aspects of the geoprofession.

Something we all enjoy as a family is LSU athletics. I’m amazed how sports brings people together. We’re all LSU grads and we have a group chat that blows up during the games. We just followed the College World Series together, for example.

I miss the days of working with the drill rig, and all the perils of that work. I suppose that’s why hiking is a favorite hobby of mine and that’s why I moved to Nashville. I like to spend time in the hills and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains and plan to do more of that.

Closing Thoughts

   I’m known to complain about commoditization, our fees being too low, and that it’s not worth the risks we take, etc. But, complaints aside, when I look back, I have to think, “I’ve been blessed financially, socially, and creatively by a profession that recognizes and rewards good work delivered with an innovative mindset.”

As I continue to explore new horizons and contribute in innovative ways to our profession, I look forward to witnessing the continued evolution of our practice and supporting the next generation of professionals in embracing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Multimedia Delivery Committee

Thorough field reporting and regular briefings safeguard geotechnical teams from project setbacks and liabilities. While field notes can help inform decisions and keep everyone on the same proverbial page, they also serve as a fail-safe in the event of worker absence, equipping interim field reps with insights to seamlessly keep projects moving.

In the newest episode of the GBA Podcast Audio Education Series, hosts Tiffany Vorhies (SME) and Ryan White (PBS Engineering + Environmental) examine what we risk when we fail to prioritize daily field reporting.

Start listening now

More About GBA Podcasts
GBA podcasts present information and expertise from geoprofessionals around the globe to provide you with wisdom and insight to help in your pursuit of knowledge. Other episodes in the Audio Education series cover topics like personal diplomacy, effective reporting, the duty of care, and field representatives and the law. Tiffany and Ryan cover each topic thoroughly, with candor, expertise, and personal anecdotes from their geoprofessional careers.