Author: Cynthia Hopkins

Oakland, California—​Kleinfelder announced today that Glen Gorski, PE, LG, was named a Life Member of ASCE at a ceremony on March 4, 2017 hosted by the Los Angeles chapter of ASCE. ​

Glen joins the ranks of other ASCE Life Members at Kleinfelder, including Charles Sacre (Cambridge, MA), Richard Wells (Greensboro, NC), Art Spruch (Cambridge, MA), Bart Patton (Irvine, CA), Ron Heinzen (Stockton, CA), Ray Ferrara (Princeton, NJ), and Mark Thompson (Cambridge, MA).

“I have always valued my membership in ASCE as a significant part of my professional career,” says Glen. “They have provided me with a strong nationwide network of associates and friends that are all working to improve our constructed world. Upon attaining Life Member status, I am reminded of all the projects that I personally contributed to and all the people that helped make me a better engineer and builder.”

Glen graduated from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1974. He later received a Bachelor of Science in Earth Science in 1975 and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering in 1977, both also from Notre Dame. His professional expertise is in Specialty Ground Improvement.

Glen joined ASCE in 1974 and participated in the North Central/Indiana Branch. He continued his affiliation with ASCE when he moved to southern California in 1997 by joining the Santa Barbara/Ventura Chapter of the Los Angeles Section.  He has also been active in the San Francisco Section while working in the Bay Area and was recognized for Outstanding Geotechnical Project by ASCE Region 9 for the San Pablo Dam Remediation project in 2009.

Glen has had the opportunity to provide construction management work on numerous significant dam remediation and dam replacement projects, including the San Pablo Dam (El Sobrante, CA), the Snoqualmie Falls Hydro Power restoration project (Snoqualmie, WA), and the Calaveras Dam Replacement project (Fremont, CA). Glen also served as the project manager for the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study of the Peak Oil/Bay Drum Superfund Site in Tampa, FL.

Glen joined Kleinfelder in 2008 and primarily works in the field on large-scale construction management projects.​

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

San Diego, California—​Kleinfelder mourns the loss of company founder James H. Kleinfelder who passed away March 5, 2017.

“Jim was truly a pioneer,” says Kleinfelder President and CEO George J. Pierson. “He established this company from scratch which speaks highly of his skills as an engineer as well as his character, leadership, and business acumen.”

Education and Early Career
Mr. Kleinfelder received his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in 1956 and his Master of Science in civil engineering in 1964—both from UC Berkeley. In 1961, while working as a resident engineer for the City of Stockton, he recognized a need for a local materials testing firm. With little more than $1,500 to his name, Mr. Kleinfelder founded a small testing firm. He utilized the testing equipment at the University of the Pacific, and in 1962, the firm came to be known as Stockton Testing and Controls, Inc.

Company Growth
In the first several years, Mr. Kleinfelder secured some large local contracts, which allowed him to invest in his own laboratory equipment and eventually open three additional offices in California, including Merced, Fresno and Sacramento. In 1966, the firm’s name was amended to J.H. Kleinfelder and Associates (Kleinfelder).

Throughout the late 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Mr. Kleinfelder pursued acquisitions and global ventures throughout North America and the Middle East while expanding the company’s capabilities into a diverse set of engineering services. By the end of the 1980s, Kleinfelder had grown to more than 600 employees and $37 million in annual revenue. Mr. Kleinfelder retired as President and CEO of the company in 1993.

Industry Involvement
Throughout his career, Mr. Kleinfelder remained very active in the industry. He was a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and has served terms as president of both the Hazardous Waste National Coalition and the Associated Soils and Foundation Engineers (now known as ASFE/The Geoprofessional Business Association).

Commitment to University of California, Berkeley
In 2010, Kleinfelder developed the James H. Kleinfelder Fellowship in Geotechnical Engineering—a monetary award which is given annually to a graduate student in the civil engineering master’s program at UC Berkeley. Faculty at the University select one student to receive the award each year based on a number of academic and financial factors.

The Kleinfelder family has chosen to have a private ceremony with family to celebrate Mr. Kleinfelder’s life.

Biographical information courtesy of the UC Berkeley Civil Engineering Department.

Boston, Massachusetts—​Kleinfelder is pleased to share that Michael Epp (Cambridge, MA) has been named to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).

This distinction is given to approximately 3% of the AIA’s 88,000 members. Each year, AIA members are nominated by their peers for consideration to be named to FAIA.

The nomination and selection process is rigorous. An AIA member must be sponsored by an FAIA Fellow and five other FAIA architects. Nominees may also be nominated by their local AIA chapter. Michael was nominated by the Boston Society of Architects in addition to endorsements from five other FAIA architects.

Michael’s career focuses include transportation and mixed-use development, and community stewardship and organizations. His most significant projects include the Boston South Station Bus Terminal, Charles/MGH Red Line Station, and the MBTA Green Line Extension.

“The opportunity to start with a blank piece of paper and a team assembled to solve a client’s challenge is truly an amazing process,” says Michael. “The best part of being selected to FAIA is more than just the projects; it is remembering all of the people that I have had the honor to work with over the years.”

Michael will receive his commemorative medal and officially be elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architecture on April 28, 2017 at the National AIA Convention in Orlando, FL.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Kleinfelder announced today that Jeffrey Hale, PG has received a Special Service Award from ASTM International (ASTM) for his outstanding leadership as the Chairman of Subcommittee D18.26 on Hydraulic Fracturing.

The ASTM Executive Subcommittee on Soil and Rock unanimously approved this award at its January 2017 meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. The award will be presented at the June 2017 ASTM Committee Meeting on Soil and Rock in Toronto, Canada.

“The Subcommittee on Hydraulic Fracturing plays an important role in merging sound practices for energy development and environmental protection,” says Jeff. “I appreciate the recognition for bringing multiple perspectives and expertise to bear on such an important societal topic.”

The Subcommittee on Hydraulic Fracturing consists of over 200 members representing the oil and gas industry, academia, government agencies, consulting firms, laboratories, equipment suppliers, and other industry associations.

As Chairman, Jeff was responsible for organizing and directing multiple disciplinary task groups including: Site Investigation and Monitoring; Site Infrastructure and Construction; Materials Characterization; Reporting; and Terminology.

Under Jeff’s leadership, the Subcommittee on Hydraulic Fracturing hosted multiple technical workshops, including: Site Characterization and Monitoring Related to Hydraulic Fracturing; Water Quality Monitoring and Environmental Characterization Related to Hydraulic Fracturing Activities; and Assessment of Air Quality Related to Hydraulic Fracturing Activities

Jeff was a principal author of the first standard published by the Subcommittee on Hydraulic Fracturing, titled Standard Guide for Sampling and Analysis of Residential and Commercial Water Supply Wells in Areas of Exploration and Production (E&P) Operations.

Jeff’s three-year term as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Hydraulic Fracturing concluded on January 1, 2017.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

Corona, California – Kleinfelder received an Engineering Excellence Award for their contributions to the Auto Center Drive Grade Separation Project in Corona, California. The project constructed a four-lane overcrossing above operational Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks, and improves vehicular and pedestrian safety by separating trains from highway and foot traffic. The overpass was designed with future enhancements in mind and allows for the addition of two more active railroad tracks, which would increase the total rail capacity from two to four tracks.

The new overcrossing also benefits daily commuters with improved travel times that are up to 10-15 minutes faster by eliminating the need for motorist to wait for passing trains, which could cause up to 25 minute wait times at the  previous at-grade crossing.

“I was honored to participate in the Auto Center Grade Separation ribbon cutting event,” said Eric Linder, Assembly Member, 60th Assembly Distric. “I cannot count the number of times I’ve been late to a meeting because I got stuck at this crossing.”

Kleinfelder provided a combination of Construction Management and Public Outreach services to complete the four-lane overcrossing. The firm helped save the City of Corona $1.3 million and reduced the contract time by two months with proposed changes to the staging and construction before the contractor bidding process began and vigilant project oversight throughout construction. The team worked to ensure the busy Auto Center Drive remained open to the traveling public, train services were uninterrupted, and impacts to surrounding businesses and communities were minimized throughout the life of the project.

By the end of the project, Kleinfelder advanced contract time by two months, maintained zero contractor delays, ensured uninterrupted access to businesses, communicated with over 100 businesses before and during construction, and developed and distributed project maps and detours.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

Denver, Colorado – Kleinfelder announced today that Dirk Applegate has joined the firm as Regional Manager for Colorado.

Dirk has 26 years of experience in consulting, 19 of which have been in senior operations and business development roles. Dirk has served in executive positions at Brown and Caldwell, ARCADIS, and Tetra Tech.

With a successful track record of developing businesses of varying size, from start-ups to mid-size firms, Dirk has managed hundreds of multi-discipline staff in numerous locations, and has been responsible for all aspects of strategic planning and implementation, operations management, staffing, business development, and marketing.

“We are privileged to have Dirk bring his passion for the consulting field and his depth of experience to Kleinfelder,” said Ashraf Jahangir, Private Sector Market Manager. “We look forward to great things in the Colorado region.”

Originally from New York state, Dirk holds a Bachelor of Arts. in Chemistry from Colgate University. He relocated to Colorado to attend postgraduate training in Environmental Sciences at Colorado School of Mines and has remained in Denver for 27 years. He enjoys swimming, biking, camping, and hiking, and especially enjoys experiencing Colorado’s great outdoors with his family.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

District of Columbia (DC)  – Kleinfelder has partnered with Area Research and Perkins+Will to develop a vulnerability assessment and a resiliency action plan, called “Climate Ready DC,” that will inform current and future planning decisions, capital investments, city-wide policies, and programs to help prepare the District of Columbia (DC) for climate change. Climate Ready DC was developed in alignment with the strong sustainability program that DC has already adopted city-wide.

The Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) has taken a proactive stance and committed to identifying, prioritizing, and addressing critical needs associated with climate change resiliency. Kleinfelder’s team collaborated with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe to develop downscaled climate data for precipitation and temperature, integrated with newly released sea level rise and storm surge climate data, to assess the overall risk to the District. Working closely with infrastructure owners and operators at the federal, state, and municipal levels, the team developed a risk-based, prioritized plan for adaptation that lays out the framework for future resiliency actions.

“It has been Kleinfelder’s privilege to be part of the team establishing DOEE leadership in developing the DC Climate Ready Plan,” says Kleinfelder Project Manager Nathalie Beauvais. “The plan provides for a shared regional framework for adaptation planning leading to concrete actions.”

The District received a blueprint for capital improvements, policies, and programs, integrated with Sustainable DC initiatives that will promote urban resiliency within the built and natural worlds as well as for the District’s citizenry.

The adaptation plan will allow the District to hone the focus of its initiatives based on the most at-risk assets, resources, and populations, which is crucial since need will likely overwhelm available funding. Informed with real-world expertise in buildings, infrastructure, urban ecology, and human populations, this actionable plan has achievable goals and provides DDOE staff, external stakeholders, and decision-makers with a roadmap for adaptation.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

San Diego, California – Kleinfelder is pleased to announce that Amanda Lai, PE has been named one of ACEC’s Young Professionals of the Year for 2017.

Each year, ACEC selects five professionals under the age of 30 from across the nation who represent the best and brightest in their field and use their technical skills and knowledge to positively impact society. Amanda will formally accept the award at ACEC’s 2017 Fall Conference.

As a water and wastewater engineer with Kleinfelder’s Southern California water team, Amanda’s work focuses on water infrastructure challenges, including water reclamation and sustainable drought solutions.

“Amanda is a poster child for this award,” says John Moossazadeh, Kleinfelder’s Southern California Coastal Regional Manager and ACEC National Director. “She combines great engineering skills and work ethic with a passion for making the world a better place by using her technical and leadership skills. She has accomplished a great deal during her short career and has a lot to look forward to.”

Amanda graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. She currently serves as President of the San Diego Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) where she oversees three active international projects: a water project in El Salvador, a water and housing project in India, and a sanitation project in Senegal—collectively serving more than 5000 people.

In addition to her work with EWB, Amanda is also involved with ACEC, ASCE, and APWA. She also volunteers her time at a local middle school with a high number of immigrant and refugee students, introducing the next generation to the opportunities a career in a STEM field can provide.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

San Diego, California – Kleinfelder is pleased to announce that Laura (Robinson) Nolan, PE has been named a winner of ENR California’s Top Young Professionals Competition, formerly known as the Top 20 Under 40 List.

Laura is one of 20 winners selected from a pool of 70 applicants from across ENR’s California region. Her profile will appear in the February 2017 print issue of ENR California.

Laura is a project manager and team lead for Kleinfelder’s Water Practice. With eleven years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of water-related utilities, she has significant experience in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of sewer, water, and stormwater systems. Laura has designed over 42,000 linear feet of pipelines up to 42 inches in diameter, has become an expert in trenchless rehabilitation, and has managed over $50 million in construction—keeping all projects on-schedule and on-budget.

“Laura has a rare combination of technical expertise, business development and client relationship savvy, and team leadership skills,” says John Moossazadeh, Kleinfelder’s Southern California Coastal Regional Manager. “She has achieved a lot of team success in a short time, while she continues to grow. We are elated that the judges recognized her accomplishments with this exceptional honor.”

Laura graduated from the University of Delaware in 2005 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, and holds a certificate in Community Environmental Studies from Tufts University. She completed her graduate studies in August, 2016, receiving her Master of Infrastructure Planning and Management from the University of Washington while also working full-time.

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.

San Diego, California – Kleinfelder announced today that it has been selected by a Fortune 500 petroleum client to serve as the prime vendor overseeing a $125 million environmental clean-up program at a major petrochemical facility in New Jersey. Through this contract Kleinfelder will provide soil and groundwater remediation, including the closure of multiple landfills and remediation of tidally-influenced estuaries at the oil refinery.

Oil refinery with tube and oil tank along twilight sky

“We are excited to work with this important client to drive its assessment and remediation strategy with regulators,” said George Pierson, Kleinfelder’s President and CEO. “This is a historically significant site that dates back over a century. This project will provide important benefits to both the property owner and the community.”

Kleinfelder will conduct a wide range of environmental remediation services, including environmental engineering, environmental permitting and planning, preparation of bid specifications, contractor selection, construction management, operation and maintenance of remediation systems, and regulatory reporting and negotiations

Kleinfelder. Bright People. Right Solutions. Founded in 1961, Kleinfelder is a leading engineering, design, construction management, construction materials inspection and testing, and environmental professional services firm.  Kleinfelder now employs more than 2,200 professionals and operates from over 75 office locations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.  The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.  Poised for growth, Kleinfelder continues to provide high-quality solutions for our diverse client base.  Visit Kleinfelder.com or follow us on LinkedIn/Kleinfelder.