Sunday, September 27, 2015

Mehmet Boz to lead KCI’s civil engineering practice in Central Texas



KCI Technologies, a multi-disciplined engineering firm with offices throughout the eastern and central United States, welcomes Mehmet Boz, PhD, PE, ENV SP to the firm as civil practice leader and San Antonio office manager. His responsibilities include operational oversight and business development with a goal of growing the firm’s civil engineering practice in Central Texas.

Boz has over 10 years of experience in civil development, municipal and utility infrastructure projects, as well as green building and sustainable infrastructure rating systems. He has been actively involved in a wide range of sustainability activities throughout South Central Texas. Prior to joining KCI, Boz served as a project manager for national engineering firms, where he managed water-related civil infrastructure projects and helped lead and influence strategic planning.

“KCI is committed to expansion in the four major market areas within Texas—San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas,” says Vice President and Texas Market Leader Michael Perez, PE. “Mehmet comes from a large architecture-engineering firm environment and has amassed extensive municipal and water/wastewater experience within the San Antonio market. His established relationships and recognized leadership will be the catalyst that helps us build and expand on the utility and mechanical/electrical services that we already offer locally.”

Boz holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in civil engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Norwich University, and Mississippi State University, respectively. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Louisiana and earned his Envision Sustainability Professional accreditation from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure. Boz is involved in low impact development as chair of the Texas Land and Water Sustainability Forum and a number of committees, including serving on the board of directors for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Central Texas – Balcones Chapter, Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) - Technical Committee, and as secretary of the American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Residuals Management Committee. He was just recently elected vice president of the San Antonio Chapter of the Water Environment Association of Texas, and serves an advisor to the buildingcommunityWORKSHOP (bcWORKSHOP) on low impact development matters in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region in South Texas.

KCI Technologies' 1,100 employee-owners support clients from more than 20 offices, offering environmental, transportation, telecommunications, construction, facilities and land development services to government, institutional and private-sector clients. For more information, visit www.kci.com

Friday, September 18, 2015

Civil engineers launch nation’s first utilities pipeline and surveying institute


With the premier of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) new Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI), civil engineers have one more reason to “dig” their profession. ASCE President Robert Stevens, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE and inaugural UESI President Randall Hill, P.E., F.ASCE unveiled the new institute at the association’s 2015 Pipelines Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.    

ASCE’s 9th technical institute, UESI will be the first national organization designed to embrace professionals engaged in utility and pipeline infrastructure engineering regardless of the products they transport, as well as surveying professionals. Once fully operational in October, the institute will establish standards and manuals of practice that reflect state-of- the-art engineering practices including planning, design, construction, operations, and asset management for utility infrastructure and surveying.  

The vision of Robert Stevens, whose leadership path began in ASCE’s technical institutes, UESI will provide a home for pipeline and utility infrastructure engineers and surveyors where they can collectively work to strengthen the two professions. “Technical excellence has always been at the heart of ASCE and its mission, says Stevens. “The establishment of UESI will give our members working in these fields an organization focused on their needs and unique opportunities to work together using ASCE’s brand to push for innovations.” 

UESI is led by a 10-member board of governors from a variety of utility pipeline and surveying disciplines. As the organization evolves, it is expected to draw up to 8,000 members. 

Monday, September 7, 2015

Entech Engineering opens sixth PA office



Entech Engineering has opened a satellite office in State College, Pennsylvania, the firm's sixth office location in the state. The office is located on College Avenue across from Penn State’s Blue & White Golf Courses and near downtown State College.

According to Entech’s Vice President Robert Weir, P.E., “State College was strategically selected for an office location so we could better service nearby long-standing municipal clients and continue to grow our clientele in the region by helping clients make more informed decisions as they invest in their buildings and infrastructure. Technology has greatly improved our ability to meet and interact with clients online, but there is still no true substitute for face-to-face meetings; having staff nearby will increase the efficiency and frequency of these meetings.”

Michael Daschbach, P.E. will serve as office manager for the State College office. He is a former principal at Entech and recently returned to the company, having moved back to State College after a brief departure to pursue other interests.

Entech's engineering, consulting, and architectural teams specialized in facilities and infrastructure. The firm's six offices we employ over 100 professionals, serving the municipal, higher education, manufacturing, and natural gas markets. 

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

ACE Mentor Program of America to increase student enrollment


The ACE (architecture, construction, engineering) Mentor Program of America, America’s workforce development organization encouraging youth to pursue STEM-related careers, is poised to enroll and mentor even more students during the 2015 - 2016 school year.  This is the 21styear of ACE offering opportunities for students to prepare them for college and beyond, and the organization is making exciting new changes. ACE has launched a re-designed website, hired a new president and CEO, added new national sponsors, welcomed a new affiliate in Utah.

“The ACE Mentor Program attracts students to its 35-40-hour after-school program who want to reach beyond textbooks and understand real world applications of their studies,” states Thomas Gilbane, Jr., chairman of the board, ACE Mentor Program and chairman & CEO of Gilbane, Inc.

According to Jack Kalavritinos, named president & CEO of ACE in January, quantitative results from two 2015 ACE studies show that:
·         63% of ACE seniors were minority students vs. the national average of 44.3%
·         98.6% of ACE high school seniors graduate from high school vs. the national average of 80%
·         92% of ACE seniors entered college directly from high school vs. the national average of 66%
·         70% of college-bound ACE seniors major in architecture, engineering or construction management
“Survey results reveal and validate the work ACE is doing through its extensive network of affiliates and mentors across the U.S.,” states Tony Guzzi, ACE vice-chairman of the board and president and CEO of EMCOR Group. “The data helps define the value of this unique program for high school students, many of whom might not otherwise pursue a college education.”
“The secret of the ACE Mentor experience is that students and construction and design professionals work as a team to develop a realistic project that often relates to an actual site. This is possible thanks to the myriad design and construction industry companies supporting ACE,” comments Peter Davoren, ACE vice-chairman of the board and president and CEO of Turner Construction Company.

The ACE Mentor Program of America was founded in 1994 by the principals of design and construction firms under the leadership and guiding force of Dr. Charles H. Thornton. Its mission is to engage, excite, and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry.  ACE’s 63 affiliates in 34 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico organize 2,000 mentors to deliver a 15-session after-school program to almost 8,000 students.  ACE’s sponsors include many of America’s companies in the design and construction industry. For more information visit: www.acementor.org.