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Greater Kansas City Post
SAME Newsletter |
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Winter Newsletter |
December 2012 |
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Upcoming Events | |
January Luncheon
11:30 a.m.,
Wednesday, Jan. 9, Location: Cascone's,
3737 North Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, MO
5th Annual Industry Day
Feb. 25-27,
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center |
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Annual Sponsors 2012 | |
Affinis
Black & Veatch
Burns & McDonnell
Cabrera Services
Coastal
HDR
HNTB
JE Dunn
Louis Berger
Mark One
Poole Fire Protection
SAIC
Terracon
Wilson & Company
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 Dear Greater Kansas City Post Members:
I hope this update finds our Greater Kansas City Post members and your families well as we enter 2013! I want to personally thank everyone for their total dedication to our GREAT Post. It has been a privilege to serve as your Post President and I look forward to making meaningful contributions in the future. It has often been said that the truly best organizations do "routine things routinely". This is certainly the case with the GKC Post. Serving as your President has provided me an inside look into what makes this Post tick and the personal time and effort of our truly "heavy-lifters" has not gone unnoticed. You are a special group of leaders who simply get it done. My compliments to you all as we continue to promote the mission of SAME.
January will mark a time of transition for our Post. With the annual transition of the Post President as well as numerous Board of Director positions, this time of transition is a fairly routine process for us. Great organizations remain great through orderly transitions - thereby allowing experienced personnel to continue their positive contributions as well as others to step into leadership roles and add a fresh set of eyes. This combination makes us an even stronger organization that is prepared for the future. This year, the transition is even easier with Matt Metcalf taking over as Post President after two years as Vice President. Thank you Matt for your enthusiasm, leadership and dedication to our Post!
Our committee members have continued their work on our Streamer submissions and are on track to meet these requirements. Other recent events this past quarter included the annual Sporting Clays, a very successful event for the Post. On that note, I am happy to report that there were no "Dick Cheney" incidents involving live ammunition.
The November Strategic Planning Meeting was a huge success and serves as a starting point to posture the Post for the immediate future. It is no secret that the playing field has changed with respect to various governmental challenges (conference attendance changes, declines in military programs and an overall air of uncertainty to name a few). These challenges are not new to the Post and the old adage "failing to plan is planning to fail" is even more applicable to the current environment. Our Strategic Planning Meeting provides the start of a roadmap for success. The financial stability of the Post, continued GREAT leadership by our awesome members and an overall Midwest mentality of rolling up our sleeves and addressing challenges head-on will ensure the Post is successful well into the future.
Special thanks to Jerry Adams and Yaeger Architecture for hosting yet another superb Young Member and Small Business Holiday Party on December 19. Likewise, I want to point out the continued support the Post provides to the Nation's Wounded Warriors. Jackie Hacker has taken lead in coordinating our contribution to the Fort Riley Warrior Transition Unit. I have personal testimony of the POSITIVE impacts these contributions make to our Warriors in transition. These Patriots want to continue to serve and our Post contributions allow them to do just that.
Finally, there are a few key calendar events right around the corner. In addition to our transition luncheon on Jan. 9, 2013 the GKC Post will engage with the incoming Command and General Staff College (CGSC) class on Jan. 24-25, 2013 at Fort Leavenworth. Likewise, numerous members of our Post continue to plan for our Industry Day events Feb. 25-27, 2013. Please keep apprised of the numerous events associated with each of these.
Finally, I want to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy 2013. Like you, I'm looking forward to another successful year for our Post. My best to you all!
Sincerely,
Colonel Tony Hofmann, PMP
Post President, Greater Kansas City Post |
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SAME Holds National Board Meeting
By Ann Ewy
The Society's National Board of Direction holds two annual meetings, o
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ne of which took place on Thursday, December 13, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, TX. This 'fall' board meeting was held at the tail end of the successful Small Business Conference. National Board of Direction meetings are open to the seven National Officers, 16 Regional Vice Presidents, eight National Committee Chairs, three National Council Chairs, and 12 Elected Directors. This year's meeting was again full of meaningful discussion, changes, and genuine compassion for improving the Society. full report will be presented to the Greater Kansas City Post Board, and expanded on in the next newsletter. For now though, here is a summary of some of the key points I wanted to share:
- Nominations for National Board Members are due January 15. For more information on this please contact me as soon as possible, or be looking for an email to the Post in the next few days.
- The 2013 Small Business Conference is slated to be in KANSAS CITY!
- A new class of Fellows was voted on and approved.
- Three streamer changes were made for 2013, none of which have a major impact on the GKCP based on our current Strategic Plan.
- Focus on Cyber Infrastructure continued to increase.
- Lots of Posts are having a problem with the Membership Streamer requirements. The Board spent a large amount of time on this topic, and is still working on a solution.
- The dollar amount of and type of stipends offered by HQ is drastically increasing. This is great news and provides numerous opportunities for Posts and members to get assistance in attending events.
- SAME Executive Director will be sending a white paper on conference/travel restrictions out to Post Presidents. The Society is actively working this concern with various agencies and services.
I am coming into the final stretch of my National Board appointment. I have enjoyed this opportunity so much so that I can't really put it into words. I will continue to work actively with the National Board for the next six months and will pass on any pertinent info I have. Don't hesitate to contact me ([email protected]) if you ever have concerns or questions that you'd like me to pass on.
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GKC Post to Host Fifth Annual Industry Day
By GKC Post Information
The Greater Kansas City Post is hosting the 5th Annual Industry Day. The event will be kicked off Monday, Feb. 25 at the renovated Sheraton Kansas City Hotel linked to Crown Center. The education and training workshop is a full program offering Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Federal Program Briefings. For complete infomation and updates regarding the Industry Day and to register, please click here.
The event also featues One-on-One meetings that will directly follwing Industry Day. The meetings will include the Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District Contracting Officers and Program Managers from each of the district's three program areas: Military, Civil Works, and Environmental as well as representatives from NOAA, EPA and GSA will be available on Wednesday, Feb. 27. This is an opportunity to build personal relationships, expand individual knowledge, or increase company visibility. Look forward to a full educational and technical program.
There will be sponsorship opportunities and more exhibit spaces than previous years. Information regarding sponsorship and exhibition space will be available soon and interested participants are encouraged to check the web site for updates.
The following people can contacted for specific issues or questions.
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GKC Post Hosts Sixth Annual Sporting Clays Challenge
By Ann Ewy
The Greater Kansas City SAME Post held its Sixth Annual Sporting Clays C hallenger on Oct. 11. The Greater Kansas City Post is proud and appreciative of the over funds that were raised to support the Post's Education & Mentoring Fund. More than $2,000 was raised this year.
The Sporting Clays Challenge was held at Powder Creek Shooting Park in Lenexa, KS. The course at Powder Creek allows for 12 teams of five people each and this year we had a full house. Firms may sign up for a team that includes five individuals, or we offer the option to sign up as an individual and be placed on another team. The teams this year enjoyed the benefit of upgraded equipment at Powder Creek, with fully automated station, and, as always, a great BBQ dinner. This event is also supported by our 2012 Annual Sponsors of the Post.
The continued success of this event had earned it a spot on the 2013 calendar so keep your eyes peeled for a Save-The-Date to come out in August 2013 for the fall event. Thank you for all the support that you all continue to provide. The annual event was developed and established by the 2007 Post Fundraising Committee. The committee wanted a fun and casual event, and something different than what had been done in the past. Offering a networking capability was also a key in planning this event.
 
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November Luncheon Focuses on Levee Safety Portfolio Risk Management Process
By William Yord, P.E.
For many decades the Corps of Engineers has primarily been in an Operations & Maintenance phase of the flood risk reduction infrastructure (AKA levees) life-cycle. Until recently, the approach that the Corps takes towards infrastructure in the O&M phase has not changed significantly from the approach originally developed in the hey-days of design and construction.
The Levee Safety Portfolio Risk Management process is the Corps' new approach to managing a portfolio of over 2,000 levees nationwide.
The approach is based on some fundamental concepts: that infrastructure performance does change over time, as does the likelihood of occurrence of the flood hazard; that floodplain development has continued to occur following construction of levees (often accelerating); and that evaluation of flooding risk is incomplete if it does not consider the potential consequences of non-performance.
The SAME November luncheon highlighted this new approach and provided an overview of how the USACE is managing their Federal Levees.
The November presenter was Eric Shumate, PE, whoserves as the Chief of the Hydrologic Engineering Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. The Hydrologic Engineering Branch is responsible for the daily and flood control operation of eighteen Kansas City District reservoirs and the flood control operation of eleven US Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs. The Branch is also responsible for river engineering along the Missouri River and its tributaries, as well as, local flood risk reduction studies.
Shumate joined the Kansas City District in 2004 and has served much of that time as a regional technical specialist in hydraulic engineering. He has served on numerous national teams for the evaluation of dam and levee safety. Prior to joining the Kansas City District, Shumate worked in private civil engineering consulting for eight years.
Shumate holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering-Hydraulics from the University of Iowa. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Missouri. |
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SAME GKC Post Supports Wounded Warrior Program
By Jackie Hacker
The SAME GKC Post proudly supports our soldiers through the Ft. Riley Wounded and Ill Soldiers Program. As a result of contributions made, the P ost recently donated $2,500 to the Ft. Riley Wounded and Ill Soldiers Program in December.
This upcoming year, the GKC Post is working to include beneficiaries of the Wounded and Ill Soldiers Program at a Post Monthly Luncheon. Our organization welcomes the opportunity and honor to support our soldiers.
The Ft. Riley Wounded and Ill Soldiers Program and other Wounded Warrior programs are one of the many ways we can give back to those men and women who have sacrificed standing watch for our safety and freedom and support our troops and their families. The Ft. Riley Wounded and Ill Soldier Program includes proactively helping the Soldiers and families with managing current issues as the Soldier is being treated, plans of action through the phases of rehabilitation and transition, counseling, holding special events, providing travel for Warriors and their family members, educational items, to name a few of the committed efforts to embrace Soldiers who have returned home.
Additionally, the Ft. Riley Wounded and Ill Soldiers Program provides a host of support mechanisms to the Soldiers and their families throughout their recovery and transition process. This program "strives to foster the Soldier's independence" through a lifecycle from beginning treatment and rehabilitation, to successfully transitioning into the next phase of their lives. The Soldiers' families are included in this program because they, too, have been impacted standing steadfast behind the Soldier's brave service and dedication to our country. |
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SAME Provides Growth Opportunities for UMKC Student Chapter
By Samantha Baker
As the Fall semester has come to an end, I realize I have found a great passion for
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the SAME Student Chapter. This year our goal was decided to inform students about the program and show that it is more then just the name, and from my viewpoint I believe this to be true. Throughout this past semester we have had multiple meetings for students, attended events with the professionals, and also completed our Resume Review Workshop that went better then any had hoped.
For the Resume Review Workshop, our mission was to assist students in perfecting their resumes and help them stand out above the others applying for internships and/or jobs.
This provides a fabulous opportunity not only for students, but also chapter members. We had a record-breaking total of 55 resumes submitted compared to our 12 we had last year. The process began with the students submitting their resumes for submittal to the GKC Post. The resumes then were distributed to volunteers who volunteered to provide revised versions. As resumes were revised they were then redistributed with comments on ways to improve them and the option to meet with the reviser. The opportunity to meet with the reviser allowed for additional insight and allowed students to establish a professional connection with a possible advisor for future endeavors.
As the Spring semester approaches, plans are in the works for the few months ahead. We are hoping to plan a Student/Professional event that would consist of not only a meet and greet, but also involve helping students with preparing for interviews and career fairs. Along with this we are weighing the options for field trips and setting dates for future meetings and as always continuing to spread the word about SAME and all the great opportunities it has to offer.
For a final thought, I would like to open the opportunity up to the professionals to get involved with our chapter. As students, we appreciate advice and/or opportunities to volunteer for events.
I personally would like to thank all of those who volunteered for our Resume Workshop as well as those who make our Student Chapter happen because none of it would be possible without our Professional Chapter behind us every step. |
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GKC Post Sponsors Resume Review for UMKC Students
By Neeli Langdon
The SAME Greater Kansas City Post was pleased to sponsor a student resume review this fall to assist University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) engineering students who are preparing to apply for internships and professional career opportunities. Board members representing both the public and private sectors volunteered their time to review the resumes, provide comments and schedule times to talk about their feedback with the students by phone or in person. In addition, some board members went beyond their resume assignments, taking the time to connect students with colleagues whose work was linked directly to the students' career goals or courses of study as a way to foster meaningful connections and networking opportunities between the students and the professional engineering community.
The students are revising their resumes based on the feedback they received from board members. Once complete, the students will submit their resumes to Sam Baker, UMKC SAME Student Chapter president, and Neeli Langdon, GKC Post college outreach chair, for distribution to the more than 100 sustaining members of the GKC Post. The Post's intent was to make the resume review an activity beneficial to the students and to sustaining members in search of future candidates for internships and employment from the diverse and talented pool of students we are fortunate to have in this region. |
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October Luncheon Showcases GKC SAME Projects
By Jackie Hacker
The SAME GKC Post October Luncheon showcased the quality, successes, and
membership opportunities that are extended through the GKC Post. COL Anthony Hofmann presented Chris Prinslow with a plaque for his successes as the past Post President. The luncheon presentations featured information and achievements on the Post's Education and Training Committee. Jason Meyers explained the process for the PE Refresher Course; and, when and where it is offered to Post Members. This course has grown in attendance each year and has been very successful. Ted Hartsig discussed the opportunities provided to students to attend Engineering Training Camps. GKC Post has sponsored selected students annually. Student feedback has been outstanding on what they learn and experience at these camps. Neeli Langdon discussed the SAME GKC Post Student Chapter at UMKC. These students are the future engineers and our future SAME members. Neeli explained the activities and events that the Student Chapter has been involved in due to GKC Post support and mentoring. Rob Rastorfer provided an overview on GKC Post Scholarship program and the efforts that we extend to K-12 to educate and encourage students to pursue their interests with science and math ultimately considering engineering as a profession.
The members were very impressed with the successful activities and events that the Post has achieved through mentoring and educating our membership and investing in the students of our future. The members learned more about how to get involved with the Post and actively serve our community through education and mentoring. |
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Greater Kansas City Post SAME Teams with Army CGSC students
By Merrill Watt. PE
Put realism in training!
How many times have we heard this?
The Greater Kansas City Post (SAME GKC), in cooperation with U. S. Army Command and General Staff College Ft. Leavenworth (CGSC), is undertaking a realism-in-training pilot program. Engineer Officer Professional Development Training With Industry (TWI) initiative links CGSC engineer student officers with USACE or local engineering firms to discuss best practices and project management.
The Goal of the GKC SAME / CGSC TWI initiative is to enhance the CGSC engineer officer student's knowledge of project management processes and to improve engineering firms understanding of military engineers. This aligns with the synchronization of Academia - Military - Industry strategic goal of CGSC. At end state the CGSC Engineer Student and engineering firm both benefit by an improved understanding each other's role. Engineering firms include the sustaining members of The Greater Kansas City Post.
Typically, an internship experience involves combination of project site visits and office visits totaling approximately 24-30 contact hours. Students may work on more than one area / operation with the host firm or organization during the internship. Students will also share their military engineering / construction experience with their host organization.
The students and engineering firms will share information on topics such as: Project Management process, Design - Build process, Economic feasibility studies, Government regulatory permit approval, design / analysis, budget and cost estimating, Quality assurance, environmental concerns, Facilities O&M, risk management, and other related topics. At the end of the program the students will provide executive summary that addresses their experience with civilian engineering firm and highlight best practices and lesson learned during the training. In addition, the students will submit a journal of their experience with the engineering firm. Students may also author articles for publication and make presentations about their industry experience.
This pilot program will between SAME GKC with CGSC will be tested in early 2013. CGSC student candidates and potential engineer firms have been identified. The actual performance period will be April/ May 2013 which is in line with the student's elective period of instruction.
This initiative should be a WIN-WIN experience for the CGSC student and the local Engineering firm We anticipate success and encourage more engineering firms to participate in future years. |
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New Pictures Posted on SAME Web Site
From the GKC Post
Photos from previous GKC Post SAME events can now be found our web site by clicking here. Some of the recently added photos are from the following:
- 2012 Sporting Clay Challenge
- 2012 VP Dinner
- 2012 Industry Day
- 2011 VP Dinner
- 2011 Industry Day
- 2010 Sporting Clay Challenge
- 2010 Small Business Conference
- 2010 Industry Day
- 2010 Community Service
- 2009 VP Dinner
- 2009 Networking Social
- 2009 Industry Day
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Treasurer's Report
January-November 2012
Net Income: $83,467.05
Expenses: $60,519.19
Net Income: $22,947.86 |
President COL Anthony Hofmann, USACE Vice President Matt Metcalf, Tepa Secretary Jackie Hacker, HDR, Inc. Treasurer Al Osborne, A/E/C consultant Immediate Past President Chris Prinslow, USACE Board of Directors Larry Myers, USACE Rex Ostrander, USACE Amy Lines, Kleinfelder Dave Howe, Black & Veatch Rob Rastorfer, HNTB Corporation Brent Ferguson, JE Dunn Rich McCollum, HDR Jason Meyers, Burns & McDonnell Melissa Kelley, SKW, Inc. |
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Auditing |
Rob Rastorfer | |
Education & Mentoring/Summer Camps |
Ted Hartsig | |
Education & Mentoring/College Outreach |
Neeli Langdon | |
Education & Mentoring/PE Refresher Course |
Jason Meyers | |
Education & Mentoring/Scholarships |
Rob Rastorfer | |
Individual Memberships |
Ron McCutcheon | |
Memberships/Sustaining |
Doug Dreiling | |
Nominating |
Tom Kirkwood | |
Assistant Programs and Meetings |
Clif Rope | |
Programs |
Bill Yord | |
Small Business |
Arthur Saulsberry | |
Strategic Planning |
Matt Metcalf | |
Student Chapter (UMKC) |
Christy Cooper | |
Young Members |
Amy McCurdy | |
AD HOC COMMITTEES | |
Assistant Treasurer |
Garrett Cross | |
Awards |
Tom Poer | |
Communications |
Amy Lines | |
Co-Communications |
Mandy Shields | |
Council of Fellows |
Dave Howe | |
E&M Endowment |
Dave Howe | |
Fort Riley Field Chapter |
Scott Randle | |
Whiteman AFB Field Chapter |
Christopher Prinslow | |
Historian |
Tom Poer | |
Joint Engineering Council (JEC) |
Joseph T. Davis | |
Post Chaplain |
Larry Myers | |
Readiness & Homeland Security |
Jason Davis | |
Council of Fellows & E&M Investment |
COL Don Curtis (retired) | |
Senior Advisor |
Jerry Adams | |
Senior Advisor |
John Brake COL (Ret) | |
Senior Advisor |
Merrill Watt |
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Advertise in the SAME Newsletter and Web site!
The Greater Kansas City Post offers advertising space for quarterly newsletters and on the home page of the Web site. Your business card size advertisement or company logo can be added for a cost of $250.00 per year. Please send your artwork and check to:
Jason Sweet, GISP, PMP, CFM
Greenhorne
Once your check is received your ad will begin in the following issue. |
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Place your article in the newsletter!
If you have articles you would like published in the quarterly newsletter, please send them to
our new editor, Alicia Houston, HNTB at [email protected].
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Sustaining Members
AECOM � Affinis Corp. � AMEC � ARCADIS/Malcolm Pirnie � Arrowhead Contracting, Inc. � ASSET Group � Barr Engineering Co. � Bay West, Inc. � Bhate Environmental Associates, Inc. � Bibb Engineers � Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp. � BMK Corporation, Inc. � Brown and Caldwell � Burns & McDonnell � Cabrera Services, Inc. � Caedmon Construction & Electrical Co., LLC � CAPE � CDM Smith � CH2MHILL � Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. � Coastal Environmental Group, Inc. � Conti Federal Services, Inc. � Continental Mapping Consultants, Inc. � CSI General Contractors � CTI and Associates, Inc. � Cyntergy AEC � DLR Group � EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. � Eaton Corporation � ECC � Ecology & Environment, Inc. � EMR, Inc. � Foth � FutureNet Group, Inc. � Geotechnical Services, Inc. � GLMV Architecture, Inc. � Greenhorne & O'Mara � Greenleaf Construction Co., Inc. � H.W. Lochner, Inc. � Hanson Professional Service Inc. � HDR � Health Facilities Group, LLC � HMN Architects � HNTB � Horner & Shifrin Inc. � HydroGeoLogic Inc. � Jackie Hacker & Associates � JMD Enterprises, LLC � Kaw Valley Engineering � Kennedy/Jenks Consultants � Key Construction � Kleinfelder � LMG Construction Services LLC � Los Alamos Technical Associates, Inc. (LATA) � Mark One Electric Co., Inc. � Mason & Hanger � Massman Construction Co. � McCownGordon Construction, LLC � McTech Corporation � ME Group, Inc. � Mead & Hunt, Inc. � Midland Surveying, Inc. � MKEC Engineering Consultants, Inc. � Multivista-Kansas City � MW Builders � Olsson Associates � P/Strada, LLC � Parsons � Patti Banks Associates � Poole Fire Protection, Inc. � Professional Environmental Engineers Inc. � Professional Services Industries, Inc. � Project Management Services Inc. � Remediation Services, Inc. � Rosemann & Assoc. PC � S. M. Stoller, Corp. � S.M. Wilson & Co � Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Inc. � Science Applications International Corp. � SCS Engineers � Sealaska Constructors � Seneca Companies, Inc. � Sevenson Environmental Services Inc. � Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. � SHE � Siemens Industries, Inc. � SKE International � Smith & Boucher, Inc. � Smith Seckman Reid Inc. � Soil- Tek of Mid America, LLC � Spica Consulting � Stanley Consultants Inc. � Stantec, Inc. � Strategic Value Solutions, Inc. � T.S.I. Engineering, Inc. � Tepa, LLC � Terracon Consultants, Inc. � TerranearPMC, LLC � Tetra Tech, Inc. � The Louis Berger Group, Inc. � The Ross Group Construction Corp. � The Shaw Group, Inc. � The Walsh Group � Tidewater, Inc. � Tompkins Architects � TranSystems � Tri-State Engineering � URS Corporation � Walbridge � Walton Construction-a CORE Company, LLC � Wilson & Company, Inc. � Woolpert, Inc. � Xylem Inc. | |
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