Leo Titus, Jr., P.E. (ECS Group of Companies) is the new President of the Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA), a not-for-profit association of geoprofessional firms. Mr. Titus took office during ceremonies at GBA’s annual meeting held on April 8, 2022, in San Diego, California.

Mr. Titus will serve as GBA’s president and chair the group’s board of directors.

Other directors who will serve during GBA’s 2022-2023 fiscal year are:

• President-Elect: Christopher Matthew “Matt” Moler, P.E. (S&ME.)
• Secretary/Treasurer: Guy Marcozzi, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, F. ASCE (Verdantas)
• Victor R. Donald, P.E. (Terracon)
• Martin LaRoche, P. Eng., M.Sc. (Kiewit)
• Bradley M. Melocik, P.E., P.H. (DOWL)
• Teresa L. Peterson, P.E., C.M.E., LEED AP O+M, ENV SP (Gannett Fleming, Inc.)
• Dan Schaefer, P.E. (Froehling & Robertson)
• Steve Wendland, P.E., R.G., D.GE (GeoEngineers, Inc.)

During GBA’s 2022 Spring Conference, Mr. Titus thanked the Association Members for their confidence in his leadership and shared his plans to support GBA’s 2024 Strategic Plan, elevate the committee experience for volunteers, and improve engagement of members.

GBA Environmental Business Committee

Authored by Margaret Panatera, P.E. (GZA GeoEnvironmental)
Reviewed/edits by Daniel Gradishar, P.E. (Terracon) and Victor Barchers, PE (Kleinfelder)

1. What is Environmental Justice?

Environmental justice (EJ) involves the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income as it relates to development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. No group bears disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences. Groups and individuals have an opportunity to participate in decisions and voice community concerns as it relates to EJ.

EJ impacts site locating, permitting, and conditions for new development or redevelopment.

2. What do Federal Regulatory Agencies Recommend?

Several Federal regulatory agencies and state agencies recently made EJ a priority in future strategic planning. Specifically, Executive Order 12898 in 1994 started the EJ movement.  EJ integration at the EPA has occurred with every regional and headquarter office having an EJ coordinator. The EJ coordinators have a suite of programs in specific areas of interest such as air quality, drinking water, hazardous waste sites, and lead.

3. What are the Potential Business Opportunities for Geoprofessional Consulting Firms?

GBA firms provide assistance with permitting considerations during hearings, on submitted plans, and through various other outreach channels. With more focus on EJ, public outreach and community learning becomes a valuable input for regulatory agencies. Experience with managing EJ concerns in our projects can be a significant competitive advantage to GBA members

Learn More About Environmental Justice: HERE

GBA Nominating Committee

GBA’s Nominating Committee has announced its slate of officers and directors for the May 1, 2022-April 30, 2023 fiscal year.

 GBA President-Elect and Board Chair-Elect, Leo Titus, Jr., P.E. (ECS, Ltd.) will become President and Chair of the GBA Board of Directors

 Those nominated for the other two officer positions are, for President-Elect and Board Chair-Elect, Christopher Matthew “Matt” Moler, P.E. (S&ME, Inc.), and Guy Marcozzi, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, F.ASCE (Verdantas) for Secretary-Treasurer.

 Those nominated to serve as Directors-at-Large are: Victor R. Donald, P.E. (Terracon) Martin LaRoche, P.Eng., M.Sc. (Kiewit Engineering); Bradley M. Melocik, P.E., P.H.(DOWL); Teresa L. Peterson, P.E., C.M.E., LEED AP O&M, ENV SP (Gannett Fleming); Daniel. K. Schaefer, P.E. (Froehling & Robertson, Inc.) and Steve Wendland, P.E., R.G, D.GE (GeoEngineers).

GBA’s Current Board of Directors

Recently, GBA created and delivered customized engagement reports to all members to help you evaluate the value of membership and identify ways to receive more value in the future.

It is important to us that you receive full value from your membership. Engagement of your employees is often a good indicator of the value of your investment.

Below are a few key indicators of your firm’s engagement in GBA during calendar year 2021.

• Your Ambassador to GBA.
• Your Employees in GBA’s Database
• Your Offices in GBA’s Database
• Your Employee Downloads
• Your Employees Participating in Committees

The feedback from our members was outstanding!

“Kudos on a really great membership engagement report. I think that is a cool outreach to members and a helpful way to drive further engagement. Good stuff!”
“Very helpful.”
“Thank you very much for sharing our 2021 Customized Engagement Report. We greatly appreciate your efforts in sharing this information!”
“Great report! No other association does this! Love it!”
To review your customized engagement report, please check with your Ambassador to GBA or contact our staff.

GBA is excited to announce the 2022 Outstanding Project Award. With this prestigious award, GBA will recognize some of the most outstanding projects by its members who live and demonstrate the vision of GBA to great accomplishment. Winners of this award will truly showcase their hard work and contributions to society in front of all of their peers, clients and other professionals from across North America.

Winners will receive a plaque, will be recognized at GBA’s Annual Awards Ceremony in April 2022, and present their project at GBA’s 2022 Fall Conference.

Deadline for applications is January 31, 2022.

More Information HERE

By: W. Jerrold Samford, P.G., F.GBA                  

ASTM has revised the “Phase 1” standard practice, E1527. The revised standard should now be cited by consultants as E1527-21. While it has been submitted to EPA for review, EPA has not issued a statement concurring that the revision meets the minimum performance requirements of the AAI process and consequently is not technically suitable for use in asserting the various “due diligence” defenses to CERCLA liability. EPA representatives were intimately involved in the revision process, and it is very unlikely that EPA will not concur. We don’t expect to see their official concurrence until sometime in the middle of 2022 at the earliest. Nothing in the revised standard reduces the level of effort, or eliminates elements of the process, compared to the previous version; consequently, a consultant complying with the requirements of the revised standard will have complied with the previous version as well. There should be no reason to avoid citing the revised standard even in the absence of formal concurrence by EPA. Additionally, because the federal “All Appropriate Inquiry” rule is a performance-based test, rather than a prescriptive procedure, EPAs concurrence states that using the ASTM standard is one method, but not the only method, of complying with AAI.

Changes made to the standard practice fall into the category of clarifications rather than substantive changes. ASTM has included examples of recognized environmental conditions (RECs, HRECs, and CRECs) that are designed to reduce perceived ambiguity in the definitions. The consultant is now also specifically required to provide not only his/her opinion of the impact of a particular situation, but also explain the logic behind the determination.

The standard has always contained the requirement that “The report shall describe all services performed in sufficient detail to permit another party to reconstruct the work performed. (Sec. 12.4).” The revision has taken this concept and embedded it within other sections of the standard, providing emphasis to the requirement. For example, Sec. 12.3 emphasizes that “A site plan showing the approximate location of features, activities, uses, and conditions …shall also be included.” This requirement, while previously unstated in the standard, was always implied by the Sec. 12.4 requirement, but too often omitted by consultants. Because there is now an explicit statement, we would expect to see better compliance.

Sections throughout the standard have been updated and clarified. For example, the list of government records has been updated to reflect the various changes in environmental databases that are available to be reviewed and changes in the names of the databases. Most of the consultants use commercial database search firms for their research. Those firms have always updated their lists as the lists evolve; consequently, this change has no real material impact on what is actually done.

Lists of historic resources have been explained in more detail while retaining the underlying requirement that research sufficient to determine the history of the Site to 1940 or first developed use is the fundamental requirement of the process.

Sec. 4.6 clarifies the viability time-frame for the Phase 1 report. Historically, the standard noted that a report completed within 180 days prior to the close of the transaction was presumed viable. EPA has previously indicated that the 180-day time period was to be measured from the completion of the critical components of the study, not from the date the report was issued. The logic behind that is clear. The revised standard now states clearly the procedure for determining the viability of a report.

Mr. Samford serves on the Environmental Business Committee and as the Chair of the Council of Fellows. He may be reached at jerry.samford@troutman.com

Summary

In this episode of the DEI series, we will be discussing allies in diversity, equity, and inclusions. Allies can be essential to drive systemic improvements to workplace policies, practices, and culture. But what does it mean to be an ally? How can allies impact the recruitment process? What effect does allyship have on the retention of employees? And what can we do to create more allies?

Our Guest

Charlie Head, PE, PG Founding Principal / Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc. 

Charlie is a co-founder of Sanborn Head. He serves as the Chair of the company’s board of directors and oversees the implementation of the firm’s strategic plan.

Charlie actively steers initiatives related to the expansion of the firm’s services and markets. Charlie remains active in Sanborn Head’s professional practice, with particular emphasis on environmental assessment and remediation, including due diligence for clients globally. Charlie received his bachelor’s degree in geology from St. Lawrence University, a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of New Hampshire, and a master’s degree in civil and groundwater engineering from Colorado State University.                                             

For Charlie, the real thrill of working at Sanborn Head is the creative problem solving and collaboration that fosters deep relationships—among staff and with clients. In his current role, Charlie enjoys focusing on the growth and sustainability of the company and helping to create opportunities for the next generation.

Charlie is a Professional Engineer in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia; he is a Professional Geologist in New Hampshire.

Topics for discussion include:

• What does it mean to be an ally?
• Addressing the “leaky pipeline”.
• How DEI can affect the recruitment process.
• The effect an ally can have on the retention of employees.
• Recruiting more allies.

Lessons Learned:

• Understanding and evaluating our own biases.
• DEI initiatives should go hand in hand with the recruitment process.
• There’s no shame in making mistakes.

Calls-to-action:

• GEOSTRATA: The Pipeline to Diversity and Inclusion in the Geoprofessions
• Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.
• Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com for future Podcast Episodes
• Contact us at info@geoprofessional.org with any podcast-related questions or comments

Subscribe

• Subscribe to the GBA Podcast https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe
This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:
• Veronica DeFreitas, PE (host) – Geotechnical Department Manager/Universal Engineering Sciences
• Ryan White, PE, GE – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc.

Listen to Podcast: HERE

GBA Geotechnical Business Committee

New language in the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) will explicitly mandate how under-slab plumbing is to be protected from expansive soil, reducing professional liability risk for geotechnical engineers. Rather than wait for local building codes to adopt the 2024 IPC (which will take several years), the Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA) recommends that member-firms address this issue now for project sites with expansive soils and start referencing the new 2024 IPC language now in their geotechnical reports. Details of the code change and GBA’s recommendations are provided below.

Background for Code Change
Geotechnical engineers occasionally get tangled up in litigation related to leaky plumbing. While plumbing design and construction are not within the geotechnical scope of work, when expansive soils are present at a site the geotechnical engineer will need to address potential problems with foundations, floor slabs, and other structures. Water from leaking plumbing can cause expansive clay soils to swell much more than anticipated.

That increased swelling can compound the issue by making leaks even worse, potentially leading to failure of the plumbing and/or structural damage to a building. This damage can be greater, and more expensive to repair, when the floor slab is isolated from expansive soil but the plumbing is not. When these plumbing failures occur, the resulting litigation is often unfairly targeted at the geotechnical engineer of record by association due to the role of expansive soils.

IPC Code Change
To reduce the risk of plumbing failures and resulting litigation, changes in the next edition of the IPC have been made that prohibit the use of plumbing that is directly or indirectly in contact with soil in the active zone below floor slabs that are isolated from expansive soil (e.g., slabs that are over a crawlspace or voidforms). In these cases, the plumbing below the structure must be entirely isolated from contact with the soil. Prior to this code change, plumbing that is only partially isolated (i.e., proprietary products are used to create indirect contact between the plumbing and the expansive soil) has been allowed by building officials. However, there are concerns about those products failing because they do not actually isolate the plumbing from expansive soil movement. The full text of the new code requirements is provided below.
These improvements to the IPC were proposed by the Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT). SEAoT also submitted to the IPC a 14-page rationale statement for the change which was based on a review of the state of the art, recent litigation, a publication from the Foundation Performance Association, and various products on the market. SEAoT’s proposal was supported by GBA, the American Institute of Architects, the American Council of Engineering Companies – Texas, and several individual engineers from various design disciplines. A representative of GBA testified during the International Code Council’s hearings on these changes earlier this year. GBA’s tehttps://www.aia.org/stimony was provided by Steve Wendland, PE, PG, DGE, a member of the GBA Board of Directors, who summarized the litigation experiences of GBA member firms that had dealt with this problem.

Reduce Your Risk – Take Action Now
New editions of codes are typically not put in force by local governments until a few years after their publication, but GBA member firms can act now to reduce their risk as the standard of care changes. Rather than waiting years for these new plumbing code provisions to be enacted by the local government, GBA recommends that member firms act now for project sites with expansive soils. Taking this action now will also be beneficial for projects where the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) is in force; the UPC will not be making similar changes. For geotechnical reports on projects with expansive soils where the floor slab will be above a crawlspace or void forms, GBA recommends that the reports include recommendations that are consistent with this new section of the 2024 IPC, regardless of whether the IPC or the UPC is locally adopted. Specifically, the following (or similar) text could be used in a geotechnical report:

•      The expansive soils at this site will undergo shrink and swell with changes in moisture content. This soil movement can damage plumbing below the structure, especially where it connects to or penetrates the structure. Damaged plumbing will leak, causing significantly more swelling of the soils, leading to possible failures of the plumbing or structural damage to the building. The project mechanical engineer should account for this concern in their designs.
•      Where slabs are isolated from expansive soils by an under-floor voidspace, such as with a crawlspace or a space created by voidforms, under-slab plumbing should be suspended so that plumbing, hangers, and supports are isolated from the expansive soil by a voidspace. The void space should be a minimum of [insert dimension] inches vertically clear above the subgrade and a minimum of [insert dimension] inches horizontally clear between the subgrade and any plumbing, hangers, or supports. To protect and maintain the voidspace, soil below it should be sloped or benched on a minimum of [insert number] units horizontally for every 1 unit vertically, or structurally retained in accordance with an approved design methodology that accounts for lateral expansion of expansive soil.
•      It should not be permitted for the plumbing, hangers, and supports below the slab or below the framing to be in contact with soil or any assemblage of materials that is in contact with soil within the active zone. As a clarifying exception to this recommendation, it is acceptable for plumbing to be suspended by a deep foundation system. These recommendations for isolation of plumbing can be met by installing anchors and plumbing within a crawlspace after an isolated slab is installed. It should not be permitted for a slab and plumbing to be lifted off the subgrade as an assembly to create the voidspace unless the under-floor space is a crawlspace with access to allow inspection of plumbing after lifting. At each location where a plumbing line transitions to a buried condition beyond the perimeter of the foundation, an adequately flexible expansion joint should be provided in the plumbing system to accommodate the effects of expansive soil swelling and shrinking. The flexible expansion joint should also be isolated from soil and accessible for maintenance. These recommendations for isolation of plumbing do not apply to the portions of a plumbing system that provide drainage of an under-floor space.
•      Several proprietary or patented systems are available on the market which are intended to isolate plumbing from expansive soil subgrades. However, many of these systems do not meet these recommendations. The project mechanical engineer should only use plumbing isolation systems on this project that are compliant with these recommendations.

Here is the final text of the new section that will be added to the 2024 IPC. The code changes are published on the International Code Council (ICC) website at https://www.iccsafe.org/products-and-services/i-codes/code-development-process/2021-2022-group-a/. Please note that the section numbers that are shown below may change before final publication:

               305.8 Expansive Soil. Where expansive soil is identified under buildings in accordance with Section 1803.5.3 of the International Building Code, but not removed in accordance with Section 1808.6.3 of the International Building Code, plumbing shall be protected in accordance with Section 305.8.1 or 305.8.2.

             305.8.1 Non-Isolated Foundations. Under foundations with slabs that are structurally supported by a subgrade, it shall be permitted for plumbing to be buried.

            305.8.2 Isolated Foundations. Under foundations with a slab or framing that structurally spans over an under-floor space which isolates the slab or framing from the effects of expansive soil swelling and shrinking in accordance with Section 1808.6.1 of the International Building Code, the plumbing shall be suspended so that plumbing, hangers and supports are isolated, by a voidspace, from the effects of expansive soil swelling and shrinking.
Exception: It shall be permitted for plumbing to be buried if the plumbing provides drainage of an under-floor space.
To protect the voidspace, soil shall be sloped, benched or retained in accordance with an approved design methodology.
It shall not be permitted for the plumbing, hangers and supports below the slab or below the framing to be in contact with soil or any assemblage of materials that is in contact with soil within the active zone. It shall not be permitted for a slab and plumbing to be lifted as an assembly to create the voidspace unless the under-floor space is a crawlspace with access to allow inspection of plumbing after lifting.
Exception: It shall be permitted for the piping, fittings, hangers, and supports below the slab or below the framing to be
in contact with structural elements of the foundation that are designed to resist the effects of expansive soil swelling
and shrinking in accordance with Section 1808.6.1 of the International Building Code.
Organic materials subject to decay shall not be used for hangers, supports and soil retention systems. Materials subject to corrosion shall not be used for hangers, supports and soil retention systems unless protected in an approved manner.
Where plumbing transitions to a buried condition beyond the perimeter of the foundation, an adequately flexible expansion joint shall be provided in the plumbing system to accommodate the effects of expansive soil swelling and shrinking.

Summary
Expansive clay soils can be even more challenging when mixed with leaky plumbing. Such a failure and the resulting litigation was documented in GBA Case History 108 (podcast here). Changes that will be made to the 2024 IPC will reduce the risks caused by this situation. Until that new code is in force, geotechnical engineers should consider adding guidance on the topic, as summarized above, to their geotechnical reports.

Forward
For more than 50-years, GBA has delivered two conferences annually, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. This will not change because GBA conferences provide timely and valuable information that our members use to manage risk and optimize business performance and our conferences promote networking to enhance collaboration and lessons learned.

Background

During the COVID pandemic, GBA held three Conferences and  one Winter Leadership Summit using virtual platforms. This was a “silver lining” for GBA and our member firms as the virtual environment delivered high-value content deep into our member firms. In fact,  the attendance of GBA Conferences during the pandemic far exceeded  our expectations with more than twice the number of people attending virtually as normally attend a GBA conference in person.

GBA’s Board of Directors is continuously looking for innovative ways to provide value to our members in support of our purpose and strategy, and one way is to build on the success of virtual conferences.

A New Direction

Building on the successes of the virtual platforms and in support of GBA’s purpose and strategy, the Board of Directors has chosen to hold the 2022 Spring and 2023 Spring Conferences as hybrid events, which will include both in-person and virtual attendance options on our normal Friday/Saturday schedule.

Additionally, the Board decided the 2022 Fall Conference will be delivered entirely as a virtual event, with the goal of delivering high-value presentations, collaboration opportunities, and networking events to a larger audience of GBA members and avoiding travel and a weekend commitment by attendees.

All involved in these decisions recognize this is not how we have normally held conferences, and the new format may be difficult for some. This will be an opportunity to try a new approach that we hope will benefit more employees of member-firms, have a greater impact on your risk management and loss prevention, all while elevating our profession.

Looking to the Future

GBA will evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual 2022 Fall Conference before making decisions about future Fall events.

Please Join Us:

Please plan now to join your geoprofessional associates at our future conferences:

GBA 2022 Spring Conference
April 7-9, 2022*
Marriott Marquis, San Diego Marina Hotel
San Diego, California
A Hybrid Event

GBA 2022 Fall Conference
October 25-27, 2022**
A Virtual Event

GBA 2023 Spring Conference
April 20-22, 2023
Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
A Hybrid Event

* registration (both live and virtual) will be available January 24, 2022
** tentative conference dates to be confirmed by January 1, 2022

Surveys indicate most GBA Member-Firms do not have a formal process for validating software or spreadsheets before they are used. This Best Practices document reviews the risks of using commercial software and spreadsheets blindly or without validation which may lead to inaccurate results and exposure to loss and litigation. It also provides recommended practices to manage risk by increasing accuracy of spreadsheets and software that you can start implementing now.

Read More:  HERE

                                                                                                          YOU ARE INVITED!

                                                                                          Toddies with Tom ~ November 12, 2021

You are cordially invited to join GBA’s President Tom Blackburn for a casual afternoon of information and social networking with friends and colleagues from across GBA. Tom will introduce you to friends as we wind down the week and toast the weekend with a seasonal beverage.

Please join us for a fun and informative hour.

Date: November 12, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM Eastern

Request Link: HERE

Topics will include:

Double Down on Risk Management and Loss Prevention – David L. Coduto, President and CEO (Terra Insurance Company). Investment in risk management and loss prevention provides significant ROI. Mr. Coduto will share risk management and loss prevention tips and claims statistics with the audience to illustrate the benefits of proactive risk management.

Introduction to Peer Groups – Stu Thompson, P.E., (CTL Thompson, Inc) Chair of the Peer Review Committee. GBA created Peer Groups for CEO’s to share information and support one another while confronting the challenges of leading in their respective firms. It is an opportunity to both give and receive best practices and solve common problems together. GBA has expanded this effort by forming Peer Groups for Chief Operating Officers (COO’s), Chief Financial Officers (CFO’s) and Human Resources Managers of Member Firms. Each Peer Group is limited in size and GBA provides a facilitator. Topics are selected by the participants and focus on the most pressing issues.

What’s up with EIT? – Jeff Gebhard, P.E., (Braun Intertec) Chair of Emerging Issues and Trends Committee Fresh off Halloween, join us as we peer into our crystal balls and decipher the issues that may impact our profession in years to come! We’ll review some of the trends discussed during our recent meeting held concurrent with the Fall meeting. We’ll also share highlights from our last Crystal Ball Workshop as we prepare for our next Workshop in 2022. We want to hear what you think will most impact your operations as we consider issues of staffing, supply chain, engineering education, client management, work-from-home, artificial intelligence and more!

Tom’s Toddy Toast: Spiced Citrus Mulled Wine
As winter weather sets in for most of the country, and we gather with family and friends for the holidays, mulled wines have been a favorite since the 2nd Century AD when Romans created the drink to fortify themselves against the cold.

Ingredients:
• 1 bottle cheap red wine
• 1 shot of Port
• 1 orange, cut into wedges and pierced with cloves
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon **
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg **
• 1-3 tablespoons of brown sugar (based on preference)

Mixology Instructions: Heat all of the ingredients together on medium for 20 minutes. DO NOT BOIL! Remove from heat and serve warm.

**Ground spices can make the wine gritty. Use whole spices when possible or remember to strain the mix before serving to improve the look**

For those in a more festive mood, cranberries, cherries, pomegranates, apples and pears may be switched in to enhance the flavors.

Food pairings: Stilton or cheddar cubes and grapes make a great snack, but lately my go-to has been cucumber slices with a drop of cream cheese and topped with smoked salmon. For the more adventurous, figs wrapped in bacon is a perfect compliment for this strong flavored cocktail.

History of Mulled Wine: While some thought the spices carried medicinal benefits, the drink was created to help extend the life of lesser quality wines. Long before the Clean Water Act and disinfection processes changed our life expectancy, it was safer to drink wine than water. But what to do with the “bad” batches? Ancient Greeks devised a way to upcycle the wine by adding spices to improve the flavor. I suspect any medicinal value was derived from the vitamin C and antioxidants in the oranges, apples, pears, and pomegranates. Heating the mix helped blend the flavors and warm your guests before sending them out into the cold. While freezing may be less of a concern to modern consumers, mulled wines live on for their storied history and association with our fond memories of holidays spent with good company.

Bonus Info: Can you reheat leftover mulled wine? Yes! Just remember not to boil it

Those that attended GBA’s 2021 Fall Conference agreed that the presentations were educational, entertaining, and inspiring. Now you can watch, listen to, and learn from these speakers too, on your own schedule.

These videos are available for all GBA members on-demand at your convenience.

Watch Now

Download the handouts

Recordings Include:

FA21-01 Lessons Learned from the FIU Bridge Collapse

On March 15, 2018, six people lost their lives after the partially  constructed pedestrian bridge at Florida International University in Miami collapsed. This case study presented by Aaron J. Mann, Esq., explores the evolution of this project, including decisions made and discussions that took place in the crucial days and hours before the collapse. Rather than a purely technical discussion about the structural shortcomings of the bridge, this presentation focuses on the ethical issues encountered in the final days of the project, the investigations and lawsuits that followed, and the impact to the project team. It is our hope that we can all learn from this tragedy. (58 minutes)

FA21-02 West Fork Upper Battle Creek Diversion

Jason Thom, P.E. (DOWL) Project Award of Excellence Winner, presents this project.  The WFUBCD construction project consisted of three miles of new access road, two miles of large diameter pipeline, a concrete core rockfill diversion dam, and the pipe outfall channel. It began in 2018 and was completed on time and 1% under projected cost of $47,782,000 in 2020, despite logistics challenges and because of innovative technologies. (48 minutes)

FA21-03 Emerging Leaders Class Outro:

Vice-Chair Tiffany Vorhies, NACE CIP-2 (SME) moderates this full force  team of ELC panelists, who share how being a part of this class has brought value to their firms and enhanced their personal and professional development through connection, problem-    solving, and leadership opportunities. As expected, these emerging leaders bring energy, enthusiasm, and a few surprises. (37 minutes)

FA21-04 Emerging Leaders Class Recognition Ceremony:

This conference is a reunion for us all. And it’s a special reunion for our Class 4 Emerging Leaders  who,
having worked closely together for two years, almost completely remotely. We celebrate their  accomplishments         
as a team and recognize each of them individually. (13 minutes)

FA21-05 Instant Memory Training for Success: The ABC’s and 123’s for Developing a Powerful Memory

Learn from the world’s leading memory skills expert! In this fun and interactive presentation, U.S. Memory Champion Chester Santos (International Man of Memory) helps you develop life changing skills. Learn how to easily remember names to facilitate building better relationships. Chester also helps to fuel your professional and personal development by unlocking your mind’s hidden power to easily remember facts/figures, processes/procedures, famous quotes, foreign languages, exam/training material, and much more. This is an entertaining, educational, and “memorable” program! (72 minutes)

FA21-06 Joining Forces in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Conversation Among Consultants

Diversity, Equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an important topic in our industry, especially in light of changing demographics and the competition for talent. In this panel discussion moderated by  Veronica De Freitas, P.E. (Universal Engineering Sciences, LLC), a geoprofessional industry leader, Michael E. “Mike” Hutchinson, LG, LHG (GeoEngineers, Inc.), joins a DEI professional consultant, Jahmad Canley (Potential Unleashed), to discuss the challenges and opportunities they have encountered while working together to create a sustainable and inclusive culture; their experiences in executing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies in a technical organization; success stories; and ideas for how each of us can help foster a more inclusive working environment at our own firms. (51 minutes)

FA21-07 Communicate with Strength: Key Words That Undermine Your Effectiveness

Got the right words? Laugh and learn in this session filled with the latest solutions in effective communication, based on neuroscience principles. What are you saying that’s causing your staff and clients to subtly feel uncooperative or defensive? Karen E. Purves, M.A.(Innovative Impact) tells you and gives you replacement words and phrases that lead to more efficient messaging and smoother collaboration. Her goal is to educate and inspire geoprofessional leaders to communicate in a more effective manner with employees, clients, and family/friends and to leave you with an immediate, specific action plan. (50 minutes)

FA21-08 Business Effects of Shifting Cannabis Rules and Regulations

With even more states trending towards the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis, the rules and laws related to cannabis use in the workplace are also evolving, causing employers to face a host of challenges in response. Rochelle Doyea, Esq. (Cairncross & Hempelmann) and Terence Scanlan, Esq. (Cairncross & Hempelmann) discuss significant changes made to several  states’ anti-discrimination laws; how these changes impact employers’ obligation to accommodate cannabis medical treatments; best practices for employers’ drug testing procedures and policies in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements; and the employers’ duty to accommodate on- or off-duty medical or recreational cannabis use. (49 minutes)

FA21-09 Engineering Challenges of the 21st Century :An Overview of Engineering Change Lab-USA

The world is facing an unprecedented wave of change. Accelerating technological progress,  rapidly evolving societal needs, and growing environmental imperatives (including climate change) present significant, existential challenges and opportunities.

This presentation by Michael P. “Mike” McMeekin, P.E., ENV-SP (Engineering Change Lab-USA) provides an overview of ECL-USA, its history, vision/mission, and key learnings about the future of engineering. We also focus on the topics of ECL-USA’s most recent summits: the future of engineering licensure, climate change and the future of engineering, and the engineering firm of the future. (51 minutes)

FA21-10 Dam Safety, Dam Politics: An Historical Perspective:

Drawing from the author’s award-winning book “Heavy Ground: William Mulholland and the St. Francis Dam Disaster,” this provocatively illustrated presentation by Donald C. “DC” Jackson, Ph.D. (Cornelia F. Hugel Professor of History, Lafayette College) provides an account of how and why the St. Francis Dam came to be built, its relationship to LA’s municipal water supply system and California’s 1917 dam safety law, the geological  character of the site and the cause of the dam’s tragic collapse, political factors influencing post-failure investigations, and how these investigations related to the impending Congressional passage of the Boulder Canyon Project Act (which authorized what is known today as Hoover Dam). (62 minutes)

Watch All the Presentations HERE

GBA is committed to promoting the value of geoprofessionals and for our 2021 photo contest we asked Members to share: “How do you depict the day in the life of a Geoprofessional?”

With over 90 photos submitted this year, the pride of geoprofessionals was on full display.

We think you will agree, these vibrant photos capture our members in field activities, meeting with colleagues and clients, and observing safety in some amazing locations.

All winners’ photos will be featured on our website and during the 2021 Fall Conference in October. Thank you to all who submitted photos.

And the winners are:

Grand Prize Winner

Photographer: Luke Ducey (Geotechnolology)
 Description: Drilling piers for the St. Louis Arch Grounds early morning. Museum renovation and expansion. Downtown, St. Louis, Missouri.
Congratulations Luke Ducey . Luke will receive a $100 gift card, Grand Prize winner’s plaque and be recognized during GBA’s 2021 Fall Conference.

Overall Runner Up:

Photographer: James “Jim” Potts, EIT (DOWL)                                                                         

Description: DOWL Geologist, Paul Pribyl performs peat probes in a wetland along the proposed Sterling Highway MP 45 to 60 Project. Jim will receive a plaque, $50 gift card and be recognized during GBA’s 2021 Fall Conference.

Overall Second Runner Up:

 Photographer: Paul Glasser, CPG (SME)

Description: Barton Malow/Homrich demolishing former Premier Parking Deck to make way for new skyscraper at the former J.L. Hudson’s Site. Hardman Construction installing  additional bracing/rehabilitating existing tiebacks. Paul will receive certificate, $50 gift card and be recognized during GBA’s 2021 Fall Conference.

Geotechnical Category Winner:

Photographer: David A. Belcher, P.E.   (Terracon)

Description: A 60-inch diameter auger drilling into bearing material (gray shale) for a bridge crossing a shallow creek onsite.

Amazon DDX3 site at DFW Airport Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.

Environmental Category Winner:

Photographer: Eric Nunn, P.E. (Inberg-Miller Engineers)
Description: Inberg-Miller Engineers performed an environmental and geotechnical investigation at a proposed commercial development in Casper, Wyoming.IME advanced 12 test borings at the proposed site and collected soil samples.

Construction Materials Testing and Inspection Category Winner:

Photographer: Travis Wambeke, P.E., P.G. (GeoProfessional Innovation)
Description: Early morning Concrete placement; this crew amassed at 3am, 500+ cy concrete slab placement, the future home of a 155,000+ ft2 manufacturing facility.

Safe Working Practices Winner:   

Photographer: Luke Ducey (Geotechnology)
Description: Wearing a beekeeper’s hat as PPE to try and avoid  getting stung by wasps that made nests in well caps while sampling groundwater.

Client Collaboration Category Winner:

 Photographer: Ennis Smith (SME)
Description: Ean White explaining Army Corp DCP results and hand auger findings at                                                                                            the I-75 project on Corporate Drive in Troy, Michigan.

General Interest Category Winner:

Photographer: Courtney Leigh Newcity (ECS Southeast, LLP)                                                                         
Description: Courtney, a geotechnical engineer loves to explore places before they are built on. This is one of her series of photos called “Abandoned Georgia”.

Thank you to all who submitted photographs and to the photo contest selection committee:

Saiid Behbodi, P.E., G.E. (PBS)
Jeremy L. Larsen (Kleinfelder)
James Landrum, P.E. (Ollson)
Sara Menase (GBA)
Lindsay Pearsall, CPC, CTS (Aspect Consulting)
Fernando Pons, P.E., LEED AP (PONS&ASSOCIATES)
Mitch H. Quick, P.E.(STRATA)
Jeff Stewart (O’Neill Service Group)

You are cordially invited to join GBA’s President Tom Blackburn for a casual  afternoon of information and social networking with friends and colleagues from across GBA. Tom will introduce you to friends as we wind down the week and toast the weekend with a seasonal beverage. Please join us for a fun and informative hour.

Date: September 17, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM Eastern
Register: E-mail GBA Here

Topics will include:

Welcome Tom Blackburn (Blackburn Consulting) GBA President

“What Makes Consulting Firms More Valuable?” Rebecca Zofnass, (EFCG)

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Geoprofessions” Veronica DeFreitas, P.E., (Universal Engineering Sciences, Inc.) Chair of DEI Committee. Ms. DeFreitas will share the results of GBA’s research regarding the pipeline of the profession, recent GBA podcast episodes on the topic, and our planned initiatives to help Member-Firms promote DEI best practices. Our most recent initiative includes a Best Practice document for promoting DEI in your organization.

“Post Graduation– What’s Next for GBA’s Emerging Leaders Class?” Tiffany Vorhies, NACE CIP-2 (SME) and Ryan White P.E., G.E. (PBS Engineering + Environmental) Vice Chairs of Emerging Leaders Class 4
As Class 4 prepares to graduate, we will learn from the Emerging Leaders Class Vice-Chairs about the future of podcasts, graduates participation in DEI initiatives and plans to deliver GBA’s message to the geoprofessional community. Tune in for an update on what the future holds for this outstanding class of emerging leaders.

Tom’s Toddy Toast: Summer Rye                                                                                                                     
This month Tom suggests we all enjoy the refreshing taste of the Summer Rye as the days get shorter and we gather enjoy each other’s company.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz your favorite rye whisky
• ¾ oz elderflower liquor (optional)
• ¼ oz simple syrup
• 1 oz apple juice
• Splash of champagne (optional)
• Add: apple slices to garnish

Mixology Instructions: Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add rye whisky, elderflower liquor, syrup, and juice. Shake and strain into a champagne glass. Top up with champagne. Garnish with apple. Let the sweet apple flavors and hints of spice prepare you for the cool fall nights.

Food pairings: Dark Chocolate is a favorite food to pair with anything. Lucky for us it’s also a good pairing for the full-bodied flavor of rye whisky. For those who want something more substantial, consider a strong cheese or smoked meat board. Keep it rich and bold to complement the flavor palate of the whisky.

History of the Rye Whiskey: Rye whiskey was historically the prevalent whiskey in the northeastern states, especially Pennsylvania and Maryland. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was the center of rye whiskey production in the late 1700s and early 1800s. By 1808, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania farmers were selling one half barrel for each man, woman and child in the country. By the 1880s, Joseph F. Sinnott’s distillery, Moore and Sinnott, located in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, was the single largest producer of rye whiskey, with a capacity of 30,000 barrels a year.
Rye whiskey largely disappeared after Prohibition. A few brands, such as Old Overholt, survived, although by the late 1960s former Pennsylvania brands like Old Overholt were being distilled mostly in Kentucky.

Differences between rye and bourbon: Rye grain is known for imparting what many call a spicy or fruity flavor to the whiskey. Bourbon, distilled from at least 51% corn, is noticeably sweeter and tends to be more full-bodied than rye. As bourbon gained popularity beyond the southern United States, bartenders increasingly substituted it for rye in cocktails such as the whiskey sour, Manhattan, and Old Fashioned, which were originally made with rye. All other things being equal, the character of the cocktail will be drier (i.e., less sweet) with rye.