News

Adams Joins Terracon's Chicago office as National Accounts Manager

CHICAGO, Ill. --- Sheila M. Adams has joined Terracon as a National Accounts Manager. She is based out of Terracon's Chicago office. She is responsible for select accounts that have national needs and high volume. Adams will coordinate national clients' projects among the more than 140 Terracon offices for efficiency. Adams will also act as liaison between the client and internal personnel to ensure that the needs of the client are consistently met, on time.

Adams has more than 25 years of environmental health and safety and consulting experience. Her experience also includes evaluating and supervising property acquisitions exceeding $10 billion. She has managed remediation strategies throughout the U.S. for properties totaling $50 million. Adams has experience in compliance auditing and management of manufacturing facilities and regulatory permitting. She has provided risk-based consulting services in 43 states, working with developers, manufacturing companies, contractors, and consultants. Adams has also developed health and safety training programs for domestic and international clients.

Adams earned a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,000 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 140 offices in 40 states nationwide. Terracon currently ranks 38th on Engineering News-Record's List of Top 500 Design Firms. For additional information about Terracon, please visit terracon.com.

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Finn Celebrates 35 Years at Terracon

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- Gerald (Gary) Finn, P.E., is celebrating his 35th year at Terracon. Finn is a vice president, senior principal, and senior consultant based in Terracon's Oklahoma City office. In his current role, Finn serves as a third-party independent technical reviewer of major projects, provides technical oversight and review of projects in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, and is a national account manager for a large retailer.

For more than 19 years, Finn served as division manager responsible for the technical and administrative oversight of Terracon offices in Little Rock, Ark.; Wichita and Garden City, Kan.; and Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla. During that time, he also served on Terracon's Board of Directors and served terms on Terracon's operations committee and geotechnical services committee.

Finn began his career with Terracon as a project engineer in the Wichita, Kan., office before moving to Oklahoma City in 1981 to open the new office.  Finn served as office manager of Terracon's Oklahoma City geotechnical office for 10 years during which he helped establish in-situ testing with the Menard pressuremeter and soil stabilization using Class C fly ash and cement kiln dust as common practices in central Oklahoma.

He is a registered professional engineer in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Finn holds a Master of Science in civil engineering from Kansas State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,000 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 140 offices in 40 states nationwide. Terracon currently ranks 38th on Engineering News-Record's List of Top 500 Design Firms. For additional information about Terracon, please visit www.terracon.com.

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Terracon Foundation Announces Grant to the Texas Conservation Fund for Trash Bash

HOUSTON -- The Terracon Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 community grant to the Texas Conservation Fund to help fund "Trash Bash" cleanup activities along the Texas coastline.

Terracon Foundation community grants support local nonprofit programs that Terracon employees are actively involved with, in the communities where they live and work.

The Texas Conservation Fund sponsors several programs including "Trash Bash," which promotes environmental stewardship of the Texas watershed through public education, hands-on participation, and partnerships between environmental, governmental, and private organizations.

Brittany Brownlow Tones, regulatory compliance group manager in the Terracon Houston office, applied for and presented the grant to the organization. Lori Traweek, president of the Texas Conservation Fund, expressed her appreciation to Terracon.

"Trash Bash is a community cleanup that relies on support from local sponsors and volunteers for its success. Last year, more than 5,000 volunteers collected almost 50 tons of trash along 167 miles of shoreline," said Traweek. "Terracon supported Trash Bash last year and we are so very grateful that they are continuing their support in 2014."

The grant will be used to help cover the overall costs of the annual Trash Bash event, which includes bus transportation and lunch for volunteers, safety supplies, trash bags, gloves, trash removal, portable toilets, hand washing stations, and signage.

The Terracon Foundation was established in 2008 and expanded considerably during 2012 to provide a broader range of grant opportunities. The Terracon Foundation also provides national partner grants, university grants, and employee dependent scholarships. During 2013, the foundation awarded grants of more than $375,000.

"I am so grateful that Terracon continues to support this great organization that provides environmental stewardship of our waterways," said Terracon employee, Brownlow Tones.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,000 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 140 offices in 40 states nationwide. Terracon currently ranks 38th on Engineering News-Record's List of Top 500 Design Firms. For additional information about Terracon, please visit www.terracon.com.

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Terracon Foundation Announces Grant to the St. Paul Rotary Foundation

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. -- The Terracon Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 community grant to the St. Paul Rotary Foundation that will be used to fund expansion of a local learning program for high school students.

Terracon Foundation community grants support local nonprofit programs that Terracon employees are actively involved with, in the communities where they live and work.

Rotary Club's motto is, "Service above Self."  As a component of service, The St. Paul Rotary Club, one of the oldest clubs (Club No. 10) in Rotary International, sponsors several service projects; the largest of which is the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). This program sends approximately 100 high school students from the St. Paul-Minneapolis area to a five-day learning event at YMCA, Camp St. Croix.

At the camp, students go through an intensive, experiential education program where they learn about themselves, leadership skills, public speaking, and public service through a group service project. The program provides a fun educational atmosphere for students to learn from, while making long-term friendships.

Jim Kosmo, president of the St. Paul Rotary Club, accepted the Terracon grant that was presented by Steve Gerber, P.E., geotechnical engineer in the Terracon White Bear Lake office, and current chair of the local RYLA program.

"This Terracon Foundation grant will be used to expand RYLA enrollment by paying the tuition for additional students within the district," Gerber said. "Students are not charged for the program as RYLA is entirely funded by local Rotary Clubs and their partners."

The Terracon Foundation was established in 2008 and expanded considerably during 2012 to provide a broader range of grant opportunities. The Terracon Foundation also provides national partner grants, university grants, and employee dependent scholarships. During 2013, the foundation awarded grants of more than $375,000.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,000 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 140 offices in 40 states nationwide. Terracon currently ranks 38th on Engineering News-Record's List of Top 500 Design Firms. For additional information about Terracon, please visit www.terracon.com.

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Terracon Foundation Announces Grant to the Dream Center, e3 Mentoring Program

CHARLSTON, S.C. -- The Terracon Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 community grant to the Dream Center to support the organization's e3 Mentoring Program for local middle and high school students.

Terracon Foundation community grants support local nonprofit programs that Terracon employees are actively involved with, in the communities where they live and work.

The e3 Mentoring Program was founded in 2009 to address the needs of at-risk youth in the community. At the time, there was a 30 percent graduation rate at North Charleston High School, based on the SC Annual Report Card Summary. There was also a lack of mentoring programs specifically focused on middle and high school students.

Annually, e3 matches 50 to 70 at-risk middle school and high school students with professional and community mentors on a one-on-one basis. The mission of e3 is to help students become productive citizens by engaging, educating, and empowering them to make positive contributions and choices.

The e3 Mentoring Program has been successful and is making a difference in the lives of students and the community as a whole. Overall, students enrolled in e3 have a graduation rate of 85 percent compared to the local high school at 43.5 percent, based on the SC Annual Report Card Summary 2011.

The Terracon grant will be used to support part of the general operating costs for the program that include mentor trainings, supplies, student awards, exposure fieldtrips, volunteer appreciation, mailings, communications, and marketing/print material.

Lori Rogalski, administrative manager in the Terracon Charleston office, applied for and presented the grant to the organization. Sam Lesky, executive director of the Dream Center accepted the check.

"The students in this program continue to amaze me. While they are struggling each day to get their basic needs met, the students are still committed and empowered to staying in school and becoming success stories," said Rogalski. "We are thrilled to be part of a program that exposes the e3 student to activities, educational opportunities, and life experiences that most have not been exposed to otherwise."

The Terracon Foundation was established in 2008 and expanded considerably during 2012 to provide a broader range of grant opportunities. The Terracon Foundation also provides national partner grants, university grants, and employee dependent scholarships. During 2013, the foundation awarded grants of more than $375,000.

Terracon is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm with more than 3,000 employees providing environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services from more than 140 offices in 40 states nationwide. Terracon currently ranks 38th on Engineering News-Record's List of Top 500 Design Firms. For additional information about Terracon, please visit www.terracon.com.

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