Nelson’s background in community enhancing, sustainable solutions will guide the firm’s innovative approach to water/wastewater solutions.
Engineering and consulting firm WSB announced today that Steve Nelson has been promoted to director of water/wastewater. In his new role, Nelson will lead and grow the firm’s water/wastewater team, support business development and lead the firm’s biological filtration and water/wastewater innovation efforts. Nelson joined WSB last year as a senior project manager and since then has worked to elevate the firm’s water/wastewater services throughout Minnesota.
“Steve has over 30 years of water and wastewater industry experience,” said Monica Heil, WSB vice president of municipal services. “His deep understanding for clients’ operational needs is unmatched and his ability to apply his subject matter expertise with our staff will allow us to continue to deliver innovative water and wastewater solutions across all our markets.”
Throughout his tenure, Nelson has led several successful water and wastewater projects and has made several industry contributions. He has led the development of water treatment plant design and renovations, water treatment plant process optimizations, filter maintenance evaluations and biological treatment. He played a leadership role in the Approval of Biological Treatment in Minnesota and helped the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) develop its protocol for Biological Pilot Testing.
Regarding PFAS contamination, Nelson served as the primary contributing author of the report for the Minnesota Attorney General, for several east metro communities and continues to help communities with PFAS related planning and removal. Nelson served two multi-year terms as the chair for the Minnesota AWWA Research Committee, and currently serves on the AWWA Water Utility Council (WUC).
“WSB is providing industry leadership in customer focused environmentally friendly solutions like softening, biological filtration, and PFAS removal. Such solutions are imperative to protecting our natural resources and supporting sustainable communities,” said Nelson. “The engineering behind water/wastewater will only become more valuable as our communities’ face water related demands. I’m looking forward to taking on a new leadership role at WSB and believe in the firm’s commitment to building what’s next in infrastructure. It’s this kind of approach that will better arm our communities for the future.”
WSB’s water/wastewater services include wastewater treatment facility design, expansion and rehabilitation, water studies, system modeling and analysis and more. More information about WSB’s water and wastewater services can be found here.
The fast-growing design and consulting firm first entered the Houston market in 2019 and will open two additional offices in Texas this year.
WSB, a design and consulting firm, announced today that they have expanded their Houston office to the Energy Tower professional office building on 11700 Katy Freeway. The over 6,000-square-foot expansion represents a continuation of WSB’s geographic growth strategy.
“The Houston community and surrounding areas are investing heavily in their infrastructure and WSB’s offerings are well suited to support these needs,” said David Balmos, WSB’s vice president of strategy. “We’ve seen an increasing interest from our clients and partners in our digital delivery services. Our approach to project delivery is disrupting the industry and the Houston area needs a more innovative approach to infrastructure development. It makes sense to expand our operations and presence in the area.”
WSB, which provides engineering, community planning, environmental and construction services to the public and private sector, established a Houston presence in 2019 through the acquisition of Nathelyne A. Kennedy and Associates (NAK). Since then, the firm has invested heavily in strategic hires and has grown their local expertise substantially.
The counties surrounding the Houston area recently approved more than $3 billion for projects related to infrastructure improvement. As a firm that focuses on providing advanced project delivery for the government, commercial and energy markets, WSB will bring a forwarding-thinking mindset to their client’s project approaches.
“Our expertise, combined with our innovation is what differentiates us from others in the market,” said Jay Kennedy, WSB’s vice president of Texas operations. “We look forward to continuing our strategic expansion plans across the state of Texas through our commitment to building what’s next in infrastructure.”
WSB first entered Texas in 2017 with the establishment of their Austin office. Since then, the firm has established a presence in Dallas and will also open offices in Round Rock and Tyler later this year. The Houston office will support full-service infrastructure needs throughout the state.
WSB is proud to announce our newly promoted staff. Annually, we recognize the staff who display leadership, determination and expertise in their field. Each staff member consistently brings different elements of our values, results and leadership into their work. We are dependent on the continual development of new talent and leadership to build our success and support our growth. We are fortunate to have such strong and committed leaders at WSB that have chosen to invest their careers with us. Each of the staff members below have made a commitment to the company, clients and each other to lead by example and help us improve each day. Congratulations!
Principals
Bill Alms, Water Resource Project Manager
Dan Rogers, Director of Transportation Design – Texas
Eric Eckman, Municipal Project Manager
Senior Associates
Alyson Fauske, Municipal Sr. Project Manager
Dallas Westerlund, Survey Project Manager
Dustin Tipp, Municipal Project Manager
Janele Taveggia, Land Development Sr. Project Manager
Jayson Honer, Oil & Gas Director of Field Services
Justin Bossert, Scheduling and Project Controls Manager
Nate Wingerter, Project Engineer
Associates
Alex Johnson, GIS Solution Architect
Behnaz Beladi, Director of Renewable Energy
Brandon Reese, Survey Technician
Chris Kester, Estimating Manager
Evan Schnitker, Design Project Engineer
Frank Schill, Pipeline Inspector
Gus Perron, Traffic Project Manager
Jesse Sievers, Talent Acquisition Manager
Jolene Rieck, Director of Landscape Architecture – Western Region
Jon Christensen, Water/Wastewater Professional Engineer
Jordan Wein, Environmental Scientist
Katie Koscielak, Municipal Project Manager
Kendra Fallon, Water Resources Project Engineer
Kevin Kruger, Municipal Project Manager
Mark Osborn, Geotechnical Professional Engineer
Matt Schulz, Water Resources Project Engineer
Michael Nelson-Ostrowski, Design Project Engineer
Ray Theiler, Water/Wastewater Professional Engineer
Opportunity+ is a free civil engineering career training program that opens up career opportunities for underrepresented persons in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry.
March 30, 2023
Design and consulting firm WSB announced today that the company’s fourth Opportunity+ class graduated 11 participants this month – the largest class to date. Opportunity+ is a workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry.
“We build the places, spaces and systems that shape our world, and it’s so exciting to help program participants pursue careers in the exciting field of civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “As we strive to build a workforce that accurately reflects the communities we serve, I’m proud to see the largest Opportunity+ cohort to date graduate. What’s more, this year, we placed a special emphasis on recruiting veterans to our program and helping translate their meaningful skills into training for a career in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.”
The Opportunity+ program prioritizes training a diverse participant pool to ensure every person has the opportunity for advancement in engineering. In the past, the program has focused on recruiting women and people of color. While still a major focus, this year, the program put an emphasis on recruitment efforts in the veteran community, with 56% of this year’s class identifying as veterans.
Over the course of January to April, program participants underwent intensive training through evening and weekend sessions designed to provide hands-on experience. The program’s flexible schedule enables participants to continue their daytime employment while completing the training. As a result of Opportunity+, participants are now fully equipped with the necessary skills to pursue a career as engineering technicians, a versatile position within the civil engineering industry that can lead to many different career paths.
Will Provide Digital Integrator and Advisory Services for Construction Digital Twins Running in Bentley Infrastructure Cloud
Bentley Systems, Incorporated (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced a collaboration initiative with WSB to lead civil infrastructure owners and contractors to adopt and use infrastructure digital twins. WSB has launched a new digital construction management solution and advisory service, based on Bentley’s SYNCHRO, to help the civil infrastructure market overcome challenges of adopting model-based digital workflows and leveraging the power of construction digital twins. WSB is the first firm to join the Bentley Digital Integrator Program for construction to provide programmatic go-to-market support and knowledge transfer to eligible engineering and project delivery firms and system integrators creating and curating digital twins for their clients’ infrastructure assets.
SYNCHRO simplifies the delivery of infrastructure construction projects.
Construction work is too often based on 2D drawings, spreadsheets, and document-based workflows resulting in errors, waste, and rework that cause most projects to be over budget and schedule. Bentley and WSB will lead firms in transforming construction by adopting technology and digital delivery.
“Owners and construction firms realize that new digital workflows are needed to meet infrastructure demands. Applying these digital workflows successfully requires a deep understanding of technology, processes, and data,” said Carsten Gerke, senior vice president of strategic partnerships with Bentley Systems. “The Bentley Digital Integrator Program is built around combining technology with subject matter expertise for improved infrastructure. WSB joining the program provides a leapfrog opportunity for all our transportation users.”
Through a combination of industry-leading software, expertise, and innovation, Bentley and WSB’s digital construction management initiative is helping to shape the way infrastructure projects are delivered. Key services include enabling a single source of truth by connecting project, contract, and document management to the future of design—a 3D/4D/5D constructable model—as well as the ability to create constructable models from current 2D plan sets, which allows the transition to a single source of truth for all stakeholders. This initiative is committed to putting the industry-leading model-based construction management tool in the hands of those who build the work. WSB promotes advanced project delivery and knows how to apply the right technology and expertise to support their clients’ aspirations for a digital future.
“WSB is committed to delivering innovative, reliable, and secure solutions through the use of advanced technology. We believe the successful deployment of an operational 3D model drives transparency, maximizes return on investment, makes possible true lifecycle planning, and drives collaboration to connect and align all stakeholders,” said Jon Chiglo, chief operating officer of WSB. “We have an entire organization that is leading, creating, and innovating into our digital future. Our partnership with Bentley is an important part of this vision and we are excited to bring this digital construction management service to market.”
SYNCHRO, Bentley’s construction management software that supports the entire civil construction lifecycle with simple office-to-field workflows and gives firms insight into project performance, productivity, and financial health, is the foundation for WSB’s offering. SYNCHRO is the construction service of the Bentley Infrastructure Cloud leveraging digital twin technologies, powered by iTwin.
Together, Bentley and WSB are meeting the market where it is and providing the tools, training, education, and support required to make the digital leap. Project teams will realize the value of model-based digital delivery for better project efficiency and outcomes. Civil infrastructure owners and contractors will overcome barriers to technology adoption to drive efficiencies from preconstruction planning through construction execution. Skills will improve as more projects adopt model-based delivery, resulting in it becoming the common standard.
“Owners and construction firms realize that new digital workflows are needed to meet infrastructure demands, but they often face issues when determining how best to adopt technology,” said Rich Humphrey, vice president of construction with Bentley. “In civil infrastructure, they also face unique challenges related to the nature of the design information they receive, and the spatial logistics involved. Bentley with WSB is the perfect combination to enable project teams to resolve adoption hurdles and ensure that technology results in a step function improvement in the way projects are delivered from design through construction execution.”
About Bentley Systems
Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY) is the infrastructure engineering software company. We provide innovative software to advance the world’s infrastructure – sustaining both the global economy and environment. Our industry-leading software solutions are used by professionals, and organizations of every size, for the design, construction, and operations of roads and bridges, rail and transit, water and wastewater, public works and utilities, buildings and campuses, mining, and industrial facilities. Our offerings, powered by the iTwin Platform for infrastructure digital twins, include MicroStation and Bentley Open applications for modeling and simulation, Seequent’s software for geoprofessionals, and Bentley Infrastructure Cloud encompassing ProjectWise for project delivery, SYNCHRO for construction management, and AssetWise for asset operations. Bentley Systems’ 5,000 colleagues generate annual revenues of more than $1 billion in 194 countries.
WSB, a design and consulting firm providing engineering, planning, environmental and construction services. Its staff improves the way people engage with communities, transportation, infrastructure, energy and our environment. WSB offers services in more than 30-complementary areas to seamlessly integrate planning, design and implementation. Its coast-to-coast client base is served from 15 offices in five states. WSB’s staff is inspired to look beyond today and capitalize on the opportunities of tomorrow. Guided by a strong vision and an authentic passion, WSB is a company that strives to forge ahead. To learn more, visit wsbeng.com.
Jennifer Edison, WSB Municipal Project Manager, was elected to join the 2023 City Engineers Association of Minnesota (CEAM) Executive Committee as an Associate Member-Private Sector. Her role on the committee is an important leadership position and her primary responsibilities will include helping the Executive Committee through active participation, leadership, and organizational oversight. Jennifer will represent private sector consultants by providing municipal engineering services for municipalities in Minnesota. Jennifer’s work with CEAM will help advance the field of engineering across the state of Minnesota through education, communication, and advocacy.
Jennifer has over 15 years of experience in civil engineering, client development, and project management. Jenn’s expertise lies in the management of complex projects that involve street reconstruction and preservation, storm water management, water distribution systems, sanitary sewer systems, municipal state aid systems, construction management, and development review.
The targeted workforce training and development program aims to diversify the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry.
Design and consulting firm WSB today announced that the company has launched its fourth Opportunity+ cohort. Opportunity+ is a workforce training and development program designed to prepare participants for long-term careers in the civil engineering industry. The program, first launched in January 2020, is a free and fast-paced training course led by experts from throughout the AEC industry. This year’s cohort has 17 participants enrolled.
From January through March, program participants will receive accelerated training through evening sessions. The flexible schedule allows participants to continue working during the day while completing the hands-on program. Upon completion of the program, participants will be prepared for careers as engineering technicians, survey crew members, construction materials technicians and site inspectors – all high-demand positions in civil engineering.
“This is our largest cohort to date, and I’m thrilled that we’re making real progress in building opportunities for all people interested in civil engineering.”
Bret Weiss, WSB President and CEO
“This is our largest cohort to date, and I’m thrilled that we’re making real progress in building opportunities for all people interested in civil engineering,” said Bret Weiss, WSB’s president and CEO. “We are committed to actionable change and to diversifying our industry. While many companies have a focus on diversity and inclusion, we’re creating real opportunity and it’s been incredibly rewarding to watch our participants build their careers both inside the walls of WSB and with our partners.”
In 2023, Opportunity+ expanded recruitment efforts into the veteran community with 56% of this year’s cohort identifying as veterans. The veteran community is another untapped talent market with a diverse population. Many veterans have skills that lend themselves well to civil engineering careers.
New this year is the addition of Opportunity+ hiring partners including Frattalone Companies, a construction firm specializing in civil site construction, James R. Hill, Inc., a full-service land development consulting firm, GeoWall Designs LLC, a retaining wall design company and Westwood Professional Services, a multi-disciplined land surveying and engineering company. Expanding and growing the program outside of WSB has been a long-term goal. In its fourth year, the program’s curriculum was at a place where it made sense to expand its reach across the industry to broaden hiring options for participants.
“Joining Opportunity+ as a hiring partner made complete sense,” said Nick Frattalone, Frattalone Companies’ Chief Executive Officer. “In today’s labor market, finding skilled workers is a challenge across our industry. The types of skills that are learned through the program are not only relevant to supporting our business operations, but also represent our commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts.”
Since the program’s inception, 17 participants have graduated. Opportunity+ was built to provide a pathway into the AEC industry for those that are generally underrepresented in it, specifically women and people of color. The intent of the program is to reduce and remove some of the barriers to a successful career in civil engineering.
“The current demand for civil engineering technicians far exceeds the available talent, and many qualified candidates don’t have the time or resources to complete formal education in this field,” said Julie Thiel, WSB’s vice president of human resources. “This year, we expanded our recruiting efforts and felt strongly about welcoming more partners into the fold. Building a more diverse workforce is not just one firm’s responsibility, but rather our entire industry’s and I’m looking forward to the future of this fast-growing program.”
Opportunity+ officially launched on January 24. The intent is to connect every cohort participant interested in pursuing a career in the industry to full-time positions following the program. They will be invited to interview for open positions with WSB and its hiring partners that can lead to greater responsibility and lifelong careers.
The American Public Works Association – Minnesota Chapter (APWA-MN) recently announced that Monica Heil, WSB’s Vice President of Municipal Services, will serve as chapter President beginning in January 2023.
For the past 12+ years, Monica has been actively involved with the APWA-MN Chapter serving as the Director-Consultant (2018-2019), Chair of the Education & Training Committee (2014-2020), Chair of the Chapter’s Underground Utilities Construction Inspector School (UUCIS) Subcommittee (2012-2019), and a member of the 2016 PWX Technical Tour Planning Committee (2015-2016). Monica served as the Secretary/Treasurer of APWA-MN in 2021 and served as the Vice President and Co-Chair of the APWA-MN Conference Planning Committee in 2022.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 2023 President of APWA-MN. It’s an honor to be part of a profession that works tirelessly to maintain the quality of life for residents across the State of Minnesota,” said Heil. “I look forward to continued opportunities to support those who operate, improve and maintain public works and infrastructure.”
Heil brings nearly 20 years of experience serving Minnesota communities. In her role at WSB, she leads the delivery of Municipal Services in the Upper Midwest market, developing technical expertise, improving project management processes and creating efficiency among teams.
Formed in 1946, APWA-MN currently includes over 1,000 public works professionals throughout the state of Minnesota. Members represent both the public and private industry and all work together to advance the public works profession. The chapter’s mission is to advance the theory and practice of the design, construction, maintenance, administration, and operation of public works facilities and services. Learn more here: American Public Works Association – MN Chapter :: Who We Are (apwa-mn.org)
WSB, a Twin Cities-based design and consulting firm specializing in engineering, community planning, environmental, and construction services announced Jake Newhall’s promotion to director of water resources.
As director, Newhall will assume day-to-day operations of the water resources group as well as focus on strategy, business development, and setting operational goals with company leadership.
“We continue to see an increased need for robust water resources services in the communities we support,” said Andi Moffatt, WSB’s vice president of environmental services. “Expanding our water resources leadership and focusing responsibilities ensures our team is positioned to deliver exceptional services for our clients. I have no doubt that Jake will thrive in this leadership role and will continue to help our team develop and drive our business forward.”
Throughout his tenure at WSB, Newhall has been instrumental in shaping the growth of WSB’s water resources team. His well-rounded skills and experience have allowed him to solve some of the firm’s clients most complex stormwater management challenges.
“I am proud that I have the opportunity to grow my career at WSB,” said Newhall. “For more than 16 years, I have worked at WSB with a focus on solving complex stormwater and water resource related problems. I look forward to serving in this new leadership position, advancing strategic initiatives to expand our firm and delivering unparalleled results for our clients.”
WSB’s water resources services balance engineering, ecosystems and social impacts to create sustainable water infrastructure. The firm offers services in stormwater, floodplain management, lake and stream habitat restoration, water quality monitoring and more. Additional information about WSB and its services are available at wsbeng.com
On Thursday, October 27, the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal (MSPBJ) announced their 2022 Fast 50 List, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the Twin Cities. Landing at #46, this marks the second year that WSB was included on the list with a revenue growth of 29.86%. In 2021, WSB ranked #47.
The Fast 50 awards recognize the region’s 50 fastest-growing, privately held, for profit companies. To be eligible for the Fast 50, companies must show year-over-year revenue growth for each of the past three completed fiscal years, be headquartered in the Twin Cities 24-county metro area and have revenue of at least $1 million in the first fiscal year.
