Kleinfelder GBA Emerging Leaders Program Graduates
Kleinfelder’s Wesley Willow and Matthew Monteith Graduate GBA’s Emerging Leaders Program
During the annual Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA) Conference, Wesley Willow (Riverside, CA office) and Matthew Monteith (Denver, CO office) officially graduated from GBA’s Emerging Leaders Program as part of Class 5 (ELC5).
GBA’s Emerging Leaders Program spans two years, focusing on leadership skills in business, risk management, and business performance optimization. With a cap of 20 participants per class, the program offers virtual sessions and in-person gatherings, providing exposure to GBA’s network and resources while nurturing leadership competencies.
“Participating in the Emerging Leaders Program was a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with other geoprofessionals on real-world challenges. The group consisted of diverse individuals from the geotechnical, materials, environmental, and legal disciplines of the profession. One common challenge shared by the group was finding and retaining qualified individuals once hired. Exposure to industry insights from these disciplines provided excellent ideas and strategies for attending career fairs, recruiting, and retaining staff,” remarked Wesley.
In addition to educational and networking opportunities, each class of the Emerging Leaders Program undertakes a research project addressing a pertinent challenge within the geoprofessional field. Class 5 identified the pressing need to expand the geoprofessional workforce to meet current and future demands. Their collective effort culminated in the creation of a GEOKIT, an innovative classroom demonstration kit aimed at sparking interest and awareness among students about geoprofessional careers.
Reflecting on his experience working on the project, Matt shared, “Addressing the challenge of attracting interest and talent to the geoprofessional field is crucial to our future success and business sustainability. Collaborating on the GEOKIT project not only allowed us to tackle pressing industry attraction issues but also provided insights into the complexities of talent acquisition. The ELC5 wholeheartedly and passionately agrees that it has never been more important than now to educate students at all levels about the geoprofessions as well as mentor students interested in S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). Looking back, the collaborative project completed with many of our competitor firms stands out as a highlight, offering invaluable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and improving our industry as a whole while still competing with each other in day-to-day business.”
Kleinfelder is proud to support and encourage the development and advancement of our employees, as it not only enhances Kleinfelder’s capabilities but also advances the industry and benefits our communities. By supporting employees’ participation in programs that build expertise and inspire collaboration, we ensure a brighter future for both our organization and the geoprofessional field as a whole.
