WSB Named Finalist for the 2022 Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure

WSB was named a finalist in the Enterprise Engineering category for Bentley System’s 2022 Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure. The projects nominated for the Going Digital Awards in Infrastructure are judged by an independent panel of jurors, using criteria specific to each category. The finalists demonstrate excellence and digital advancements in their respective award category. Bentley Systems is a software development company that develops, manufactures, licenses, sells and supports computer software and services for the design, construction, and operation of infrastructure.

The Enterprise Engineering category recognizes organizations that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in digital collaboration, information management, information mobility, or content management through implementing digital workflows for improved outcomes on a specific design project(s) or broadly across the organization.

The Project

As part of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT’s) TH 169: Redefine Elk River initiative to support the roadway’s lifecycle management and long-term maintenance, the project team wanted to share complex 3D model information between design, construction, and asset management teams. The team faced challenges updating the design model with the construction data, as well as integrating the information with asset management systems. They needed an open digital platform to integrate all data without losing valuable information.

Leveraging Bentley’s solutions WSB imported the data from MnDOT and other asset management systems into the design models and integrated them with the construction process data. Bentley applications reduced costs and resource hours while delivering the as-built model. The proof of concept demonstrates the value of a digital twin, providing teal-time insight on the performance of 12 MnDOT asset classes for easier lifecycle maintenance and saving millions on project scoping assignments by identifying asset needs.

Check out the full list of finalists here: 2022 Going Digital Awards Finalists | Bentley Systems

WSB hires Andy Kaiyala to oversee the firm’s construction technology and project control efforts

As vice president, Kaiyala will work across divisions and regions to support the firm’s growing project controls team and digital delivery efforts.

Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Andy Kaiyala has joined the organization as their vice president of construction technology and controls. Kaiyala will oversee WSB’s project controls team and will support the firm’s advancement of digital delivery in the contractor market across regions and divisions.

The role was developed in response to the growing availability of project delivery methods, including Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) and progressive design build.

“The entire AEC Industry is recognizing the value of a more transparent process that is being driven by digital delivery,” said Jon Chiglo, chief operating officer at WSB. “With Andy’s expertise, WSB will guide our clients through a process that mitigates risk and reduces conflict for all stakeholders throughout the project.”

Kaiyala was most recently with The Lane Construction Corporation, a construction engineering company specializing in large, complex civil infrastructure, where he served as the vice president of bid development. In this role, he oversaw bid development from coast to coast. Throughout his 20+ year career, Kaiyala has gained insight from working for contractors, managed field operations, oversaw contract negotiations and led client engagement.

“WSB is uniquely committed to advancing innovation while understanding that a highly skilled, qualified individual is still needed to properly employ technology,” said Kaiyala. “The beauty of digital delivery is that it’s inherently transparent. The momentum in our industry will continue to advance and will result in many benefits for contractors, owners and engineers.

Kaiyala will support WSB’s construction division that offers many services including design-build, alternative project delivery, contractor modeling, pavement management and surveying.

WSB announces expansion of forestry management services, hires Emily Ball as forestry program manager

Today WSB, a leading engineering and consulting firm, announced the expansion of their Forestry Management services along with the hiring of Emily Ball as forestry program manager.

The expanded service area of Forestry Management will support clients to maximize their forestry efforts by leveraging all available resources from technology and grants to industry standard best-management practices. Clients will benefit from proactive, long-term planning related to available forestry resources including forest and urban forest management planning, emerald ash borer prevention and planning, and wildfire and community forest storm mitigation.

“There is so much potential that comes with the expansion of this service area for our firm, and most importantly, for our clients,” said Ball. “The future of our industry is about sustainability, community well-being, and being proactive in management and planning of our green infrastructure. WSB is leading the way within the industry, and I look forward to creating a significant, positive impact in my new role for clients and communities.”

As Manager, Ball will help lead the expansion efforts. Ball has nearly 20 years of experience working as a city forester, and previously worked for the city of Lakeville to spearhead the creation of a forestry division for the city. In this role, she will support WSB clients to provide a more sustainable forestry resource plan and help them achieve their long-term goals.

“Emily is a perfect fit for this position,” said Andi Moffatt, vice president of environmental services at WSB. “She is passionate about helping to make a difference for communities. She has great experience working within and managing various forestry projects. Beyond that, Emily has the heart and the drive to create a huge difference within the industry, and we are thrilled to have her on our team here at WSB.”

WSB supports clients in the government, commercial and energy markets with their infrastructure needs. Ball joins the firm’s environmental division. The division provides environmental compliance, natural resources, water resources, investigation and remediation, water reuse and sustainability services throughout the country.

Zweig Group honors WSB with Marketing Excellence Awards

The Zweig Group, the leading research, publishing and advisory services resource for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, has honored WSB with three awards in marketing.

Every year, the organization offers an awards program that specifically recognizes outstanding work within the AEC industry throughout North America.

Marketing Excellence Awards

Zweig recently announced winners for the 2022 Marketing Excellence Awards for outstanding, results-driven marketing. Zweig awards the top three firms in each possible category. WSB ranked first place in two categories and second in another.

Award entries are judged by a team of marketing professionals and evaluated based upon overall creativity, messaging, results achieved by the campaign, and level of design.

New Hire Box | Recruitment / Retention Communication | First Place and People’s Choice Award

At WSB, we have six main divisions that our services fall into. Rather than get into the weeds of the 30+ different services we offer and overwhelm our audience, we focused on our divisions to help guide the content. Within the new hire box, there are six items that each represent a division at WSB. To help tell the story, we created a new hire booklet that is included in each Welcome Box. The book also includes a welcome message from our CEO with tips on how to be successful at WSB, our mission and our values. Not only do the items help us communicate our divisions, but they also help the new hire already feel part of the WSB community when they walk through the door on their first day for onboarding.

2021 Year In Review | Internal Newsletter | First Place

Since 2009, WSB has published our annual Year in Review The goal is simple – to tell the story of WSB to our staff. In recent years, we have grown significantly both in staff size and geography. The stories of how we’re building what’s next in infrastructure across the country are important for our staff to hear.

Every year, we explore a different way to tell WSB’s story of the last year. We’ve told our story through our geographies, divisions, service areas, etc. We rebranded in 2018 and since then, our five values have become a strong communications tool. This year, we wanted to tell the WSB story through these five values to reinforce that we bring our values into our work. We are Bold, Visionary, Optimistic, Authentic and Passionate. The content was guided by these values.

Special Edition DigitalPlus | External Newsletter | Second Place

Twice a year, WSB publishes an external newsletter. For over 10 years, WSB has mailed a newsletter highlighting projects, innovations, techniques and news. We feel there is still value in a well-done printed piece. Our WSB External newsletter typically follow a standard content format. With the introduction of DigitalPlus, we created a special edition because we’re introducing a new brand, while also straying from our typical standard format. The special edition newsletter allows us to plant a flag in the ground and tell the story of our commitment to advanced project delivery.

People’s Choice Award

WSB was awarded the People’s Choice Marketing Excellence Award at the Zweig ElevateAEC Conference in Las Vegas for the firm’s New Hire Box. The People’s Choice Marketing Excellence Award is chosen by conference attendees and is based on votes received for all first place Marketing Excellence Award winners in every category.

The complete list of Marketing Excellence Winners can be accessed here: Marketing Excellence Award (zweiggroup.com)

WSB named one of the Top 200 Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune

WSB is honored to be named one of the Top 200 Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune – ranking #52 on the top Midsize Employers list. For nine years, we have received this prestigious honor, recognizing the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health, and satisfaction.

From the beginning, we’ve been firm believers that culture drives results and we’re proud of our staff who continue to help us forge ahead. We want to take a moment to publicly thank our staff for strengthening our culture.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to creating an environment where our staff feel valued, have fulfilling work, and feel like they belong. Together, we look beyond the needs of today to the opportunities tomorrow.

Join our Top Workplace! Learn about our career opportunities here.

WSB places #42 on Zweig’s Hot Firm List

WSB was recently named a 2022 Hot Firm by the Zweig Group for the ninth consecutive year. The list honors the fastest growing firms in the AEC industry in the U.S. and Canada. Firms are ranked based on three-year growth in revenue, by both percentage and growth. WSB ranks #42 on this year’s list, climbing 16 spots from 2021.

Hot Firm #42

The Zweig Group is the leading research, publishing, and advisory services resource for firms in the AEC industry. The Zweig Group’s awards programs recognize and celebrate top AEC industry firms in several categories. Winners will be recognized at the 2021 Elevate AEC Conference in November.

View the complete list of Hot Firm Winners.

WSB Announces Promotion of Do Nam to Director of Traffic Modeling and Technology

Nam will expand the use of artificial intelligence within the traffic analysis industry for the firm.

Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Do Nam has been promoted to director of traffic modeling and technology. As director, Nam will lead and grow the new traffic modeling team by providing services to government clients. Nam joined WSB in 2018, and in his time with the firm has driven the use of artificial intelligence for traffic analysis.

“WSB is on the cutting edge when it comes to developing traffic models that simulate the flow of traffic under different staging scenarios,” said Nam. “These models are being used to determine if there are improvements that need to be made on any surrounding routes to allow for better operations throughout construction. I am excited to continue to work alongside an amazing team in my new role, bringing value to our clients and partners, and helping ensure WSB continues to lead and innovate in our industry.”

In his new role, Nam will focus on expanding the possibilities of artificial intelligence within the industry of traffic analysis. He will oversee his team and help direct and enhance client technological experiences.

“Do is extremely gifted at modeling traffic patterns. He has successfully managed over 30 major transportation and research projects, utilizing traditional macroscopic travel demand forecasting modeling, and state-of-the-art microscopic traffic simulation modeling techniques,” said Travis Wieber, WSB’s vice president of transportation. “Beyond his technical skills and ability, he is a true leader. This promotion is well-deserved.”

WSB’s transportation division supports clients in the government, energy and commercial markets to shape the infrastructure in our communities. WSB’s transportation services include bridge and structure design, intelligent transportation systems, traffic engineering, transportation planning, roadway design, right-of-way services and transit planning.

WSB Announces Paul Sandy as Senior Project Manager in Baxter Office

In new role, Sandy will help expand WSB municipal services in Central Minnesota

Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Paul Sandy will be the new Senior Project Manager in WSB’s Baxter, Minnesota office. The former City Engineer and Public Works Director for the City of Brainerd, Sandy will help expand WSB services in the Central Minnesota market and deliver technically excellent projects for municipal clients.

“With most of my career spent in the public sector, I am excited to bring my skills and experience to WSB. I believe in connecting communities to projects that positively impact the people who live there and the places we call home. I am looking forward to serving clients in my new role and to supporting projects that grow and benefit Central Minnesota,” said Sandy.

Sandy will well-known amongst City Engineers throughout the state, having been elected the 2022 President of the City Engineer’s Association of Minnesota (CEAM).

“A big part of what we do at WSB is partner with our clients to create, grow and manage the spaces and places that support communities and residents. Paul understands the importance of advancing projects that are not only technically excellent, but that also connect with the community and its needs. We are excited for Paul to join WSB in Baxter! I know he will bring his meaningful experience and skillset learned in the public sector to help grow our services and offerings in Greater Minnesota in a way that benefits clients, communities and our state,” said Monica Heil, Vice President of Municipal Services at WSB.

Sandy joins WSB’s municipal division where he will focus heavily on supporting the firm’s government clients. WSB’s municipal team works with cities, counties and agencies with their varying infrastructure needs including city engineering, water, community development, landscape architecture and public engagement.

WSB Promotes Ryan Spencer to Director of Environmental Investigation and Remediation

In his new role, Spencer will help lead and grow the EIR team, providing services to government, energy, and private clients throughout WSB’s footprint.

Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Ryan Spencer has been promoted to director of environmental investigation and remediation (EIR). In his new role, Spencer will help lead and grow the EIR team, providing services to government, energy, and private clients throughout WSB’s footprint. He has more than 14 years of industry experience, including nearly a decade at WSB.

“At WSB, our directors are not only technical experts in their field, but they also bring meaningful leadership to our business development work. Ryan Spencer has been an outstanding resource for our internal and external staff related to brownfield clean up and securing critical grants to fund these projects,” said Andi Moffatt, vice president of environmental services at WSB. “This is a well-deserved promotion, and we know he will continue to provide unparalleled service to clients and guide creative solutions to contamination issues.”

Ryan has led numerous successful environmental due diligence/remediation projects at WSB for government and private sector clients. He is also an active member of Minnesota Brownfields where he serves on their Program Committee.

“I am passionate about investigation and remediation efforts that enhance our communities and protect our environment. I am excited to bring that passion to my new role at WSB and continue to serve clients and guide our EIR team,” noted Spencer.

WSB’s EIR services include brownfield and greenfield project development for commercial, industrial, and residential use, phase I and phase II environmental site assessments, grant funding application assistance, and more. You can learn more about WSB’s EIR services at wsbeng.com/expertise/environment/investigation-remediation.

WSB Announces Two Key Director Promotions in Oil & Gas Services

Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today two key director promotions within their Oil & Gas services. Jayson Honer was promoted to director of field services and Nate Osterberg was promoted to director of strategic growth – oil & gas. WSB’s Oil & Gas team provides comprehensive, in-house services for clients that ensure compliance to design standards, procedures, and regulations for safe construction, rehabilitation, and replacement of pipelines.

Jayson Honer
Director of Field Services

Nate Osterberg
Director of Strategic Growth – Oil & Gas

“We are very excited to promote two talented employees within WSB’s Oil & Gas service area to director. Both Jayson Honer and Nate Osterberg are outstanding leaders and team members who will help provide instrumental leadership, direction, and growth for WSB while ensuring unmatched service for our clients,” said John Gerlach, vice president of oil & gas.

As director of field services, Honer will plan, direct, and oversee the operations of oil and gas field services across all regions of WSB. He will coordinate the ongoing management of operation, direction, and coordination of services while driving strategic field service initiatives, process improvement, and client relationship management.

“Ensuring top client service – from pipeline engineering and design to environmental compliance – is important for our clients, and that means efficient, thorough processes and management of our teams,” said Honer. “I look forward to serving in my new role at WSB, continuing to grow our world-class oil and gas services.”

As director of strategic growth – oil & gas, Osterberg will help launch new partnership opportunities that will drive expansion and engagement and grow partner-driven revenue. This role requires a deep understanding of the industry landscape, sound business judgment, and leadership to develop and grow in start-up regions.

“WSB’s oil and gas business is growing and expanding, and I look forward to working collaboratively to further expand opportunities for our business and industry as a whole,” said Osterberg. “Our industry is constantly evolving and changing, so thinking strategically about future trends, partnership opportunities, and how to support WSB’s staff in start-up regions is vital to the success of our industry and ensuring we are continuing to provide top service to our clients.” Learn more about WSB’s oil & gas services here.