Tag Archives: Engineering

Raba Kistner, Inc. announces Enterprise Quality Officer, Amanda S. Barber

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raba kistner logoGary Raba, D ENG, PE, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Raba Kistner, Inc., announced today that Amanda S. Barber has taken the position of Enterprise Quality Officer for the firm and its subsidiaries, including 14 offices across the state of Texas, Utah, Mexico and New York. Ms. Barber is responsible for the implementation and management of the firm’s Quality Management System (QMS) consistent with the baseline requirements defined within ISO 9001. The goal of the system is to achieve consistent and predictable outcomes across all services and all companies.

Amanda BarberAmanda comes to the firm with over 15 years of managing Quality Management Programs for the manufacturing and nuclear power industries. She has an extensive background in quality assurance systems and processes, including ISO 9001, quality auditing, environmental consulting, power generation and process engineering.

Ms. Barber has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University, a B.A. in Chemistry, and is an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor.

About Raba Kistner, Inc.
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner, Inc. is an Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in ten different markets in Texas, Utah, New York and México. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Raba Kistner provides program management, building envelope and roofing/waterproofing, environmental engineering and consulting, infrastructure engineering, geotechnical engineering and testing, construction materials engineering and testing, and pavement consulting.

Raba Kistner announces new Chief Operating Officer of Infrastructure: Russel W. Lenz, P.E.

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raba kistner logoLenz, Russel 8-21-14Raba Kistner, Inc. is pleased to announce that Russel W. Lenz, P.E. has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Raba Kistner Infrastructure, Inc. (RKI).  Russel has over 34 years of experience in the development, design, construction, maintenance and operation of transportation projects. He has served in executive level leadership positions within TxDOT as the Director of the Construction Division, Corpus Christi District Engineer, Abilene District Engineer, Waco Deputy District Engineer and South Travis/Hays County Area Engineer.  In 2013, he served as the Director of Heavy, Municipal and Utilities Divisions for the Associated General Contractors of Texas. Having expertise in managing activities associated with transportation planning, operations, right-of-way, design, construction, inspection, maintenance, safety, environmental, ferry operations and administrative support functions adds significantly to the body of knowledge within RKI.

Raba Kistner would also like to announce that Robert L. Wilson, P.E. will be stepping down from the COO role of Raba Kistner Infrastructure as of September 30, 2014.  Robert was the second employee hired to join Raba Kistner Infrastructure in 2002 and has been instrumental in its growth and national recognition in the transportation Design/Build industry.  He has served as Project Manager on over $5B of design/build quality programs across the U.S. and has served as COO of the firm since 2013.  Robert will remain an employee of RKI, assisting with project pursuits, project development and project management.

About Raba Kistner, Inc.
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner, Inc. is an Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in ten different markets in Texas, Utah, New York and México. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Raba Kistner provides program management, building enclosures rehabilitation, environmental engineering and consulting, geotechnical engineering and testing, construction materials engineering and testing, and pavement consulting, in addition to transportation consulting.

Raba Kistner Infrastructure, Inc. (RKI), the leader in Quality Management Programs, is heavily impacting how tomorrow’s transportation needs will be addressed.  We specialize in providing unique approaches that successfully deliver roadway, rail and transit projects. RKI has industry-leading program managers, project delivery specialists, consultants and construction managers on staff.  RKI has created a comprehensive menu of solutions in the development, engineering, financing and management of transportation facilities and its services are tailored to help each client achieve their mobility goals. RKI has been and is currently involved in planning, design and construction projects worth more than $8 billion.

David White, Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc., earns rare designation for Building Envelope Services

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raba kistner logoPortraitsPaul Lampe,  Executive Vice President of Raba Kistner Consultants (RKCI), has announced that David White, RRC, RRO, CDT, CEI, CIT, RWC,  Senior Roofing Consultant and Manager of Building  Envelope Services for the firm, has earned the title REGISTERED WATERPROOFING CONSULTANT (RWC) from RCI, Inc.*  White qualified for this designation by meeting the requirements of a rigorous two-part program based on verifiable levels of education, ethics and experience, and successfully completing a challenging examination.

“David is one of about 70 Registered Waterproofing Consultants in the U.S. and Canada who have this certification,” said Lampe. “We are pleased to be able to offer this level of experience, training and confidence to our building envelope clients.”

David has been with Raba Kistner since 2011. As Senior Roofing Consultant, Mr. White is responsible for Raba-Kistner’s Roofing Inspection, Surveys, Design and Consulting capabilities. His primary duties consist of facilities project management with emphasis on scope development, budget estimates, roofing inspection reports, surveys, roofing redesigns, and engineering solutions with attendant specifications.

David graduated from Southwest Texas University in 2001.

About Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc.
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner Consultants Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raba Kistner, Inc., and is Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in eleven different markets in Texas, Utah, and México. Raba Kistner Consultants provides Geotechnical Engineering, Testing, Pavement and Foundations Design, as well as Construction Materials Engineering, Testing and Construction Inspections. Raba Kistner also provides program management and project management services, environmental engineering and consulting, building envelope and infrastructure services.

The RWC registration is administered by RCI from its international headquarters in Raleigh, NC and is rapidly gaining recognition throughout North America as a key element preferred by building owners, public and private, when retaining the services of a waterproofing consultant. RCI was founded in 1983 as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization and its professional members offer unbiased design, repair planning, quality assurance, legal testimony and general roofing, waterproofing, and exterior wall services. RCI’s waterproofing consultants adhere to a strict code of ethics that offers unprejudiced professional services without affiliation with any product or manufacturer.

Raba Kistner Environmental announces hire of Dr. Steve A. Tomka, Senior Archaeologist

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PortraitsSteve Jones, CHCM, Senior Vice President and COO of Raba Kistner Environmental, has announced that Raba Kistner has hired Steve A. Tomka, Ph.D. to develop and manage Cultural Resources projects for the firm. As the Senior Archaeologist, Dr. Tomka is working closely with Prehistoric and Historic Project Archaeologists and Field and Laboratory Technicians at Raba Kistner Environmental on several new and exciting projects in the San Antonio area and around Texas.

Dr. Tomka has over 30 years of experience in Texas archeology.  In San Antonio and its immediate vicinity, Dr. Tomka has accumulated over 18 years of experience and knowledge working on archaeological projects.  His particular areas of expertise include Archival Research, Historic and Prehistoric Archaeology, NRHP Eligibility Testing and Data Recovery Excavations.

He has worked on prehistoric archaeological sites dating to 10,800 years before the present (BP), as well as 18th and 19th century Spanish Colonial missions and 20th century residential complexes in downtown San Antonio.

“We are very excited that Dr. Tomka is joining our Environmental group,” said Jones. “His very distinguished career, including serving in a voluntary capacity with many historical oversight groups, brings relationships and a level of knowledge about Texas archaeology that is unmatched in our industry.”

Dr. Tomka maintains a strong working relationship with all clients including architectural and engineering firms and City, County, and State agencies.  He has served on the State Board of Review for National Register of Historic Places nominations, and was the Chair of the Antiquities Committee of the Texas Historical Commission, where he served as Commissioner.   In these capacities, he acquired in-depth knowledge of the Antiquities Code of Texas as well as the processes and procedures associated with Section 106 compliance of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Dr. Tomka served as Director, Center for Archaeological Research, University of Texas at San Antonio, for 12 years before coming to Raba Kistner. He received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Texas in Austin in 1994, and his M.A. from there in 1985. He received his BA in Anthropology from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1980.

Dr. Tomka is pre-certified to conduct TxDOT archeological surveys (2.10.01) and has served as a Principal Investigator on multiple TxDOT statewide general services contracts.

About Raba Kistner
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner, Inc., parent company to Raba Kistner Environmental, Inc., is an Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in eleven different markets in Texas, Utah, and México. Raba Kistner Environmental is recognized as one of the Southwest’s leading firms offering environmental consulting services. Our technical team consists of archeologists, biologists, engineers, environmental specialists, geologists, GIS analysts, and planners.

Global data center solutions provider CyrusOne launches new CyrusOne solutions product for large-scale customers

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Cyrus One logoGlobal data center solutions provider CyrusOne announced the launch of the CyrusOne Solutions product line, created in response to the growing customer demand for large-scale and innovative build-to-suit deployments. CyrusOne Solutions offers customers the flexibility to engineer larger-scale data center solutions at a range of power densities and resiliency levels with robust connectivity options to meet their specific business requirements.

“CyrusOne Solutions meets demand for custom deployments ranging from 30,000 square feet of raised floor space up to an entire greenfield data center build,” said Kevin Timmons, chief technology officer at CyrusOne. “A growing number of customers have come to associate the CyrusOne brand with a high-level technological prowess at this scale. For example, we created our geophysical computing center of excellence in Houston with an ultra-high-density infrastructure that supports up to 900 watts per square foot, and we recently deployed a large data center environment in our Phoenix facility for a customer that uses liquid submersion technology. There are many other ways CyrusOne Solutions can help customers who need creative solutions to meet their data center needs for large-scale deployments of mission-critical gear. We’re just getting started.

CyrusOne Solutions is a custom option for companies needing expert help with facilities that can house their mission-critical IT assets. Customers can use their own custom design or work with CyrusOne’s experienced design team to build a solution that’s tailor-made to a company’s specific current and future requirements. CyrusOne Solutions includes quality planning and design to optimize space, power, cooling, and connectivity for current and future needs. Customers can choose from various cooling system options, a range of power-density choices, and robust connectivity options.

Delivering Best-in-Class Enterprise Facilities, Connectivity, and Open-IX Certification
CyrusOne specializes in highly reliable enterprise data center services and colocation solutions, and it engineers its facilities to include the power-density infrastructure required to deliver excellent availability, including an available highest possible power redundancy (2N) architecture.

Customers have access to the CyrusOne National IX, which marries low-cost robust connectivity with the massively scaled data centers that the company is known for by creating the first-ever data center platform that virtually links a dozen of CyrusOne’s enterprise facilities in multiple metropolitan markets.

The CyrusOne National IX, coupled with the company’s multiple dispersed locations and available 100 percent uptime, enables Fortune 1000 enterprises to implement cost-effective, multi-location data center platforms that can help meet their internal disaster recovery requirements and applicable regulatory or industry-specific requirements such as Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, and PCI.

CyrusOne was also recently the first to receive multi-site data center certification from the Open-IX (OIX) Association. The OIX Association has a mandate to promote resilient interconnection in hub cities to facilitate a more resilient Internet.

With 25 carrier-neutral data center facilities across the United States, Europe, and Asia, CyrusOne provides customers with the flexibility and scale to match their specific growth needs. The company is renowned for exceptional service and for building enduring customer relationships and high customer satisfaction levels. CyrusOne’s more than 630 customers include nine of the Fortune 20 companies and more than 135 of the Fortune 1000.

For more information about CyrusOne, call 1-855-908-3662 or visit www.cyrusone.com. Connect with us on Google Plus, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

About CyrusOne
CyrusOne (NASDAQ: CONE) specializes in highly reliable enterprise-class, carrier-neutral data center properties. The company provides mission-critical data center facilities that protect and ensure the continued operation of IT infrastructure for more than 630 customers, including nine of the Fortune 20 and more than 135 of the Fortune 1000 or equivalent-sized companies.

CyrusOne’s data center offerings provide the flexibility, reliability, and security that enterprise customers require and are delivered through a tailored, customer service-focused platform designed to foster long-

term relationships. CyrusOne’s National IX platform provides robust connectivity options to drive revenue, reduce expenses, and improve service quality for enterprises, content, and telecommunications companies. CyrusOne is committed to full transparency in communication, management, and service delivery throughout its 25 data centers worldwide.

Raba Kistner, Inc. appoints new Vice President – Joe A. Irizarry, Corporate Development

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raba kistner logoSan Antonio. Raba Kistner’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotion of Joe Irizarry to the position of Vice President, Corporate Development. Joe has been with Raba Kistner in Corporate Development for more than nine years, serving as an Associate for the last five years.

Joe IJoe is responsible for managing the Corporate Development Department: leading the firm’s business development efforts; establishing and managing client relationships; developing and facilitating training and coaching; coordinating annual planning and facilitating departmental growth planning.

Previous to working with Raba Kistner, Joe spent most of career in sales, sales management and internal consulting with Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) and its successor, Allied Waste. As a divisional sales manager, he oversaw the management, hiring and training of five sales managers and over 30 sales representatives selling multiple services in Central and South Texas with over $125M in annual revenue.

Joe is very involved in professional organizations, including serving on the Board of the Associated General Contractors (AGC); as Past President of the Council of Education Facilities Planners International (CEFPI)/ South Texas Chapter; Second Vice President of CEFPI/ Southern Region; and the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS)/Program Committee.

About Raba Kistner
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner, Inc. is an Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in ten different markets in Texas, Utah, New York and México. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Raba Kistner provides program management, building enclosures rehabilitation, environmental engineering and consulting, infrastructure engineering, geotechnical engineering and testing, construction materials engineering and testing, and pavement consulting.

Raba Kistner, Inc. appoints Preston Parker as Vice President, Construction Materials Engineering/Testing

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Parker_PrestonRaba Kistner’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotion of Preston Parker, PE, PMP to the position of Vice President effective January 1, 2014. Preston Parker has been with Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raba Kistner, Inc., since 2008. He has 17 years of experience and is responsible for overseeing Construction Materials Engineering and Testing (CoMET) projects in the San Antonio area.  He has earned this promotion in recognition of his important contributions to the firm over the last five years, but also for his role already supporting the firm’s growth into the future.

“Preston has been a great leader for CoMET since he joined us six years ago,” said Paul Lampe, Executive Vice President of Raba Kistner Consultants.  “He is recognized for his technical skills and shares his knowledge with others within the company.  He has a nice leadership style, his employees respect him, and he has a great level of urgency needed for this job.  Clients like and respect him because they know he takes care of their needs.  I know that I can rely on him to continue to manage and grow Raba Kistner Consultants in San Antonio.”

Mr. Parker manages and performs engineering investigations and studies dealing with construction related issues including analyzing and providing solutions to engineering problems and preparing forensic, engineering and testing/inspection reports. While responsible for total project management, he assists his team members by analyzing field data and laboratory test results, performing engineering calculations, and providing opinions and recommendations for the completion of engineering reports. Mr. Parker is also responsible for the training and mentoring of staff engineers and construction materials technicians.

SAWS M/WBE Program disparity study

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180x150-SAWSSan Antonio Water System is currently embarking on a Minority and Woman-owned Business Disparity Study to help determine its utilization of Minority and Woman-owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs). This study is part of the ongoing effort by the Board of Trustees and SAWS staff to ensure proper minority representation in contracts of all types that are awarded by SAWS. The Disparity Study will help to determine the availability of M/WBE businesses in the San Antonio area that are ready, willing, and able to contract with SAWS, and determine whether there are any gaps between M/WBE availability and the percentages of these firms utilized by SAWS.

To conduct this study effort, SAWS selected MGT of America. This firm will conduct telephone interviews with engineering firms, construction companies, and trade organizations in the San Antonio area. Here’s where we need your assistance: Starting the week of November 18, 2013, MGT of America will begin these telephone interviews. The interview will consist of 11 short questions that are critical to the success of this study, and will help gauge whether M/WBEs may be experiencing any barriers in doing business with SAWS. When a representative from MGT of America calls, we ask that you help us by participating in this short survey. Your honest feedback is critical, and the survey is completely confidential.

If you should have any questions regarding the survey or SAWS M/WBE Program Disparity Study, please contact Marisol Robles, SMWB Program Manager, at 210.233.3420 or Marisol.Robles@saws.org

Alex Bartos has joined Raba Kistner as an Environmental Professional/Project Manager

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Bartos_AlexAlex Bartos has joined Raba Kistner as an Environmental Professional/Project Manager in the areas of Environmental Site Assessments, hazardous materials evaluations and subsurface investigations. Mr. Bartos brings more than 12 years of applicable experience and technical expertise in the environmental consulting field. Mr. Bartos’s experience includes managing environmental site assessments and remediation projects for oil and gas, pipeline, utilities, developers and industrial clients. His current responsibilities include planning and directing Phase I ESAs, conducting subsurface soil and groundwater assessments, remedial strategies, and regulatory review, and reporting for projects under the purview of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Rail Road Commission of Texas.

In addition to providing environmental site assessment services, Mr. Bartos has completed spill prevention, control and countermeasure plans (SPCC), storm-water pollution prevention plans (SWPPP), pollution prevention plans (P3), and Tier II reporting for industrial clients’ compliance requirements.

He has directed projects and coordinated activities in compliance with ASTM standards, TCEQ Innocent Owner/Operator Program (IOP), Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), Dry Cleaner Remediation Program (DCRP), and the RRC Operator Cleanup Program (OCP).

Raba Kistner Environmental announces return of Sam Blanco Jr., AICP as Senior Environmental Planner/Project Manager

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RK Environmental_cmykSam Blanco, Jr. has rejoined RABA KISTNER Environmental, Inc. in the position of Senior Environmental Planner. He is responsible for supporting a successful business practice in the Environmental Planning and Permitting field, business development, and the management of assigned technical projects and personnel. The position recognizes Mr. Blanco’s advanced technical skills and complex project experience, staff development and mentoring, and financial business and management ability.

Sam Blanco_High Res_ ColorMost recently, he served as Senior Environmental Project Manager for the City of San Antonio’s Capital Improvements Management Services (CIMS) Environmental Management Division, where he supervised a team responsible for environmental permitting and compliance for city-wide projects approved under the City’s $596 million 2012-2017 Bond Program. He also oversaw NEPA compliance for federally-funded and Local Agency-Managed (LAM) projects for the City of San Antonio.

Mr. Blanco earned a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University – Kingsville in 1998, and M.S. in Environmental Science from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi in 2002. He is an American Institute Certified Planner (AICP).

Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner, Inc., parent company to Raba Kistner Environmental, Inc., is an Engineering News-Record “Top 500 Firm,” operating in eleven different markets in Texas, Utah, and México. Raba Kistner Environmental is recognized as one of the Southwest’s leading firms offering environmental consulting services. Our technical team consists of archeologists, biologists, engineers, environmental specialists, geologists, GIS analysts, and planners.