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Ed Ellinger Named Assistant Vice President

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Edward A. Ellinger, P.E.Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is pleased to announce that Edward A. Ellinger, P.E., has been named assistant vice president of HRG’s Harrisburg office, a position that was introduced as part of HRG’s succession plan and organizational changes that were announced in October and go into effect in January 2019.

Currently a practice area leader in charge of the firm’s water and wastewater services, Ellinger will transition to new duties managing the firm’s operations throughout the Harrisburg region. This includes ensuring the continued delivery of high quality service to its public and private sector clients across all divisions, supporting business development, and encouraging the growth and development of nearly 100 employee-owners based in the firm’s Harrisburg location.

Ellinger joined the firm in 2001 as a project manager and has contributed greatly to the growth of its water and wastewater service group. He was previously promoted to regional manager of water and wastewater services for Harrisburg in 2003 and practice area leader in charge of the water and wastewater service group companywide in 2010.

Jason Fralick, who was recently named HRG’s company president beginning in January 2019 says:

“Ed is recognized by his peers in the industry and at HRG for his technical expertise and his leadership ability. He has their respect and trust, and I know he will do a great job positioning HRG for continued growth and success in the Harrisburg area.”

 

Ellinger holds a bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

HRG Announces Leadership Promotions and Organizational Changes

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HRG has conducted a strategic succession planning initiative and is pleased to announce several leadership promotions and organizational changes.  Effective January 1, 2019, Jason A. Fralick, P.E. will assume the position of President.  The current President & CEO, Robert C. Grubic, P.E. will remain with the company as CEO and Chairman of the Board, allowing him to focus on HRG’s long-term vision and strategic objectives.

In addition, Grubic will continue to support the company’s clients and participate in all phases of project development.  Grubic has been with HRG for 45 years and has served as President & CEO for the past 29 years.  Based in Harrisburg, HRG has expanded to strategic locations throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia under Grubic’s leadership.

Fralick, who joined the company in 1991 as an intern, has held various leadership positions and served clients across all of the company’s geographic markets and service areas.  A native of Dauphin County, Jason currently serves as Western Region Vice President, which includes locations in State College, Lewisburg, Pittsburgh and Morgantown, WV.

“Jason has a 27-year history with HRG and is highly regarded across the company for his leadership and relationship skills.”

–Robert Grubic

As President, Jason will lead HRG operations and supervise the development and implementation of the company’s strategic business plans.  His responsibilities also include initiatives that encompass employee development, marketing and business development, as well as financial and administrative operations.

“It has been my privilege to spend my entire career at HRG, and I’m both humbled and extremely excited about this opportunity.  HRG is where I began my career, and it is where I intend to finish it.”

–Jason Fralick

HRG’s leadership team will also include the newly created position, Chief Operating Officer, which will be filled by Andrew M. Kenworthy, P.E.  Currently serving as Eastern Region Vice President, Andrew has spent 23 of his 25-year career with HRG.  As eastern region vice president, Andrew oversees HRG’s locations in Harrisburg, York and Shippensburg.  As COO, Andrew will direct all technical and project delivery operations and oversee all HRG locations.

“Andrew is a trusted leader who is respected by his colleagues.  He has a keen understanding of HRG’s operations,” said Grubic.

Brian Emberg, P.E., who has served the company for 30 years, will continue as Senior Vice President, a position he has held for the last seven years.  In his role, Brian will focus on strategic business development and client engagement.

“During his career, Brian has amassed vast and diverse experience through the successful delivery of hundreds of infrastructure projects, enabling him to forge strong relationships with HRG clients and business partners,” according to Grubic.

In addition, HRG has also elevated marketing to a higher level in the organization to reflect its integral role throughout the company and in accomplishing short- and long-term goals.  Corporate marketing, led by Ryan A. Albright, will report directly to the president.

Finally, Bruce A. Yerger will continue as chief financial officer and vice president of administration, a position he has held for the last ten years.

The company’s succession plan is comprised completely of internal employees who have a long history with the company, which Grubic attributes to the quality and strength of the HRG team and its commitment to developing and promoting from within the organization.

In addition, members of the leadership team, including Grubic, Fralick, Kenworthy and Emberg, will continue to serve clients as they have in the past.

“HRG is embarking on an exciting future under Jason Fralick and our leadership team.  We are committed to ensuring our vision, mission and core values remain unchanged as HRG continues to deliver quality, cost-effective design solutions for our diverse public and private sector clients,” said Grubic.

 

Erin Threet Receives High Hat Award from the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association

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News: Erin Threet Accepts High Hat AwardThe Pennsylvania Water Environment Association honored Erin Threet with the Ted Moses High Hat Award at its annual award ceremony Monday night. The award is given each year to individuals who have excelled at promoting the association and its programs.

Threet manages the Lewisburg office of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., and serves the firm’s water and wastewater system clients as a project manager. She is also currently the president of the Central Pennsylvania Water Quality Association, a local chapter of the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association.

Threet has been an active member of the organization since 2006. Over the years, she has served on various committees as the local level, including the Young Professionals, Electric Communication, and Awards committees.

“Being involved with these organizations has given me the opportunity to work with some of the brightest and most passionate professionals in the water quality industry,” Threet says. “I’m very humbled to be chosen for this honor from such an esteemed group of my peers.”

Each year, the names of the High Hat award winners are added to a hat, bearing the names of all the previous years’ winners. The original hat was purchased in a pawn shop in 1935, but a second hat was purchased for the addition of new names when there was no longer room for recipients to sign the original hat. The recipients of the award are officially initiated into the “Sludge Shovelers Society” as part of the ceremony.

The award is named after Ted Moses, the first secretary of the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association.

 

ABOUT THE PENNSYLVANIA WATER ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATION

The Pennsylvania Water Environment Association was founded in 1926 to advance the preservation, protection and improvement of water resources. It provides accredited training to industry professionals and publishes a quarterly magazine spotlighting industry news, noteworthy projects, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit the association’s website at pwea.org

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.  For more information, please visit the website at https://hrg-inc.com/hrgtemp/.

HRG Receives National Award for Communications Excellence from ESOP Association

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HRG wins ESOP Association Annual Award for Communication Excellence

Jason Fralick, Kara Smith, Bob Grubic, and Laura Williams attended the ceremony to accept the award.

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) was honored last night at the ESOP Association’s Annual Awards for Communications Excellence (AACE) ceremony in Washington, D.C. HRG received an award for employee ownership marketing.  This award recognizes achievements in advertising the benefits of employee ownership to customers, the community, and the general public.

HRG became an employee-owned company in 2008. The firm has an ESOP Advisory Committee that engages employee owners in decision-making and actively promotes the benefits of ownership to both internal and external audiences. Our status as an employee-owned company is listed on our logo, business cards, letterhead, and corporate brochure.  The benefits of employee ownership (to our employees and to our clients) are touted on our corporate website, intranet, and social media channels. The firm even produced a video in which employees explained what HRG and employee ownership means to them.

“Employee ownership is key to HRG’s identity,” according to company president Robert Grubic. “We believe employee ownership motivates our employees to innovate and continuously improve the quality of our services and our operational efficiencies. It also creates an atmosphere of equality among all team members that fosters cooperation instead of competition.

AACE Award winners are chosen by a panel of five judges made up of both management and non-management employee owners, each of whom has demonstrated active experience and interest in the field of ESOPs and employee ownership communications. Awards are based on: overall quality and quantity of employee owner education, contributions of employee owners, integration of the ESOP into company culture, frequency of ownership communications, involvement of employee owners, encouragement of ownership attitudes, clear explanations, creative ideas, graphic design, and technical quality.

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.  For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

ABOUT THE ESOP ASSOCIATION

The ESOP Association is the national trade association for companies with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and the leading voice in America for employee ownership. The core belief of the ESOP Association is that employee ownership will improve American competitiveness, increase productivity through greater employee participation, and strengthen our fee enterprise economy.  For more information about the ESOP Association, visit their website at www.esopassociation.org

 

HRG Moves Up 26 Spots on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms List

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) continued its rise through the rankings of the nation’s top design firms this year. The firm will be listed at number 408 in Engineering News-Record’s annual list, which hits newsstands this week. HRG will be listed at number 40 in Engineering News-Record’s Mid-Atlantic Region top design firm list, which is up three spots from the previous year.

Engineering News-Record (ENR) is a leading trade journal for architects, engineers, and contractors. It compiles its Top 500 Design Firms list annually based on the revenue that firms earned in the preceding year.

This is the third year in a row that HRG has increased its ranking on the list, thanks to steadily increasing revenue. The firm grossed more than $30 million for the first time in 2017 and is on track for continued growth in 2018.

Bob Grubic quote about 2018 ENR Top 500

 

ABOUT HRG

 

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.  For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

 

 

Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Wins Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence

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The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) received the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence at a ceremony in Harrisburg on April 11, 2018. WVSA was honored for spearheading an innovative, regional approach to stormwater management that is saving municipalities in Luzerne County millions of dollars on their regulatory compliance and pollutant reduction efforts.  Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) helped WVSA develop this approach.

 

Hundreds of communities across Pennsylvania are required to apply for a permit under the state Department of Environmental Protection’s MS4 program. This program is designed to manage stormwater runoff to prevent pollutants from entering our watersheds and reduce the risk of flooding. The latest round of permitting requires many communities to cut the level of pollutants they discharge to a particular watershed by as much as 10% over the next five years. The cost of producing and implementing these pollutant reduction plans can be too much for many local governments whose budgets are already stretched thin.

With that in mind, WVSA asked HRG to prepare a feasibility study focused on whether regional cooperation among all the municipalities in the county could lower the cost of compliance.  According to HRG’s study, the approach will indeed save participating municipalities more than $200 million over the next 20 years.  Some savings come from sharing the cost of planning and other fixed expenses, but the biggest savings come from the construction of best management practices meant to help the communities reach their pollutant reduction goals. Working together, the municipalities can construct fewer, more effective projects that do a better job of reducing pollution for a lower cost than municipalities would be able to achieve on their own.

 

 

Toby Creek Impoundment

How Municipalities in the Wyoming Valley are Cutting Stormwater Management Costs by up to 90%

Learn more about this excerpt from an article about WVSA’s stormwater program in The Authority magazine. The first in a series of articles on WVSA, this piece discusses the many ways regional cooperation will save municipalities money over the next five years.

 

ABOUT THE WYOMING VALLEY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) has been providing wastewater treatment service for residents of Luzerne County since 1962. WVSA’s service area includes 35 municipalities from Harveys Lake to Pittston to Newport Township. Learn more about the authority and its services at www.wvsa.org

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

Park Boulevard Realignment and Fort Hunter Park Enhancements Honored as Premier Projects by Dauphin County

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is pleased to announce that two of our projects have been selected by Dauphin County in its annual Premier Projects award program.

Since its inception six years ago, the Dauphin County Premier Projects program has honored more than two dozen projects that promote smart growth and spark revitalization throughout the region. Among this year’s honorees, HRG provided engineering services for two of them: enhancements to Fort Hunter Park and realignment of Park Boulevard.

Park Boulevard

A broad range of local leaders from Derry Township, Dauphin County, and area businesses worked together on the realignment of Park Boulevard to support future economic development in Hershey.  The new roadway provides several safety improvements:

  • It replaces a 60-year old bridge over Spring Creek, which was structurally deficient and weight-restricted.
  • It converts a narrow roadway beneath the Norfolk-Southern underpass from two-way traffic to one-way traffic. This reduces the potential for vehicular accidents and allows for the installation of a sidewalk that is segregated from through traffic.
  • It improves emergency response time by adding a roadway connection from northbound Park Boulevard.  (Previously, first responders had to drive a circuitous route through several intersections to access this area. Now crews can reach the area 2-3 minutes faster.)
  • It provides a new shared-use sidewalk that will enhance safety for pedestrians traveling to Hershey’s attractions from downtown.
  • It adds a safe zone for people boarding and exiting buses at the Hershey Intermodal Transportation Center. This zone is physically protected from through-traffic.

Park Boulevard realignment wins Premier Project award

Front Row: Chuck Emerick, Matt Weir, John Foley, Susan Cort, Justin Engle
Back Row: Chris Brown, Patrick O’Rourke, John Payne, Brian Emberg, Tom Mehaffie, III, Matt Lena, Lauren Zumbrun

Fort Hunter Park

Fort Hunter Park seamlessly blends new amenities with environmental protection and a celebration of the area’s history and wildlife. The enhanced park includes two new boat launches that provide access to Fishing Creek and the Susquehanna River, new pedestrian paths, new seating to enjoy the scenic views, and new outdoor gathering spaces to accommodate park festivals.  It also includes expanded parking to make it easier for locals to access and enjoy these new park features.

To protect the scenic and tranquil environmental setting, engineers used innovative techniques to collect and treat stormwater like porous pavement. They also replaced two paved median areas with soil, stone and native plantings to retain and filter stormwater runoff while enhancing the appearance of the roadway. A new basin for collecting stormwater is designed to blend with the adjoining woodland edge, and herbaceous plantings and indigenous trees help to improve a local habitat area.

Signage in the enhanced habitat area describes local wildlife for park users, while other signs in the park inform visitors of past river activities such as Native American gatherings, early transportation, and coal reclamation.

Fort Hunter Park wins Premier Project award

Chad Gladfelter, Carl Dickson, John Hershey, Matt Bonanno, Steve Deck

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.  For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

HRG Named One of Central PA’s Top 100 Privately Held Firms

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) has been named one of the top 100 privately held companies in Central Pennsylvania again, according to the Central Penn Business Journal.  The list is compiled annually by the publication based on total companywide revenue.

The journal noted that almost 40% of the firms on this year’s list saw revenue decline in 2016, but HRG’s revenue in 2016 increased almost 5 percent over 2015 numbers.

“HRG continues to experience solid, steady growth,” according to company president and chief executive officer, Robert Grubic. “By continually improving key financial metrics and emphasizing client satisfaction, we’ve been able to establish a firm foundation for the company to flourish.”

 

ABOUT HRG

Founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

Adrienne Vicari Named One of Central PA’s Top 40 Under 40

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Adrienne VicariThe Central Penn Business Journal named Adrienne Vicari to its 23nd annual Forty Under 40 list, which honors individuals for their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and the Central Pennsylvania community.  She and the other honorees will receive their award at a banquet on October 2 at the Hilton Harrisburg.

Adrienne is the financial services practice area leader at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. She has more than 15 years of experience in financial consulting, project management and engineering design for municipal wastewater, water and stormwater clients. In her current role with the firm, she uses asset management and capital improvement planning as tools to complete long-range strategic financial planning for her clients.

But she began her career at HRG in a very different role: as a professional engineer designing water and wastewater treatment facilities. She quickly developed an interest in helping her water and wastewater clients obtain and manage their funding for capital improvement projects and transitioned into the firm’s financial service group. As communities have developed a growing need for increased stormwater management funding and utility valuation, she has become an industry leader in these areas, as well.

Russ McIntosh, a vice president of HRG, says:

“Adrienne is an unstoppable force. When she sees something needs done, she dives right in and gives it everything she has. She is extremely knowledgeable of the issues municipal water quality professionals face and very creative in addressing those challenges. There is nothing she can’t or won’t do to help her clients succeed.”

Adrienne Vicari volunteers for STEM educationThis dedication extends outside the office to the Central Pennsylvania community, as well. Adrienne encourages young people to achieve success in science, technology engineering, and math related fields by participating in STEM-related events like the “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” at the Whitaker Center. She also serves as a board member with the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania organization and takes part in their annual STEM expo. In addition, she coaches Central Penn Mini Sticks field hockey and a Cumberland Valley softball 10U team.

She also co-founded a women’s volunteer group for West Shore mothers that encourages them to pursue diverse volunteer opportunities with their children. The group has had a significant impact on mid-state organizations such as Caitlin Smiles, Leg Up Farm, Ronald McDonald House, Dress for Success, and others.

 

ABOUT HRG

Originally founded in 1962, HRG has grown to be a nationally ranked Top 500 Design Firm, providing civil engineering, surveying and environmental services to public and private sector clients. The 200-person employee-owned firm currently has office locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

Park Boulevard Realignment in Hershey Honored with Safety Award

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PSATS-Road-Bridge-Safety-Award-2017_Park-Boulevard_733x548 

Representatives of Derry Township in Dauphin County accept the first-place roadway award in the Road and Bridge Safety Improvement Awards at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ (PSATS) 95th Annual Educational Conference April 23-26 in Hershey. Sponsored by PSATS, the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association (PHIA), and the state Department of Transportation, the award recognizes townships for their extensive contributions to making roads and bridges safer. Participating in the presentation are, from left, PennDOT Director of Planning and Research Laine Heltebridle; Matthew Lena, P.E., transportation team leader, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.; Derry Township Chairman John Foley; PHIA Managing Director Jason Wagner; and PSATS Executive Board Member Bill Hawk. (Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors.)

 

The realignment of Park Boulevard has been honored with a Road & Bridge Safety Award from the Pennsylvania Highway Information Association, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and PennDOT.  The award was presented to Derry Township officials at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Conference at the Hershey Lodge on April 24, 2017.

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. designed the project for Derry Township and devised a creative funding strategy that expedited the project schedule.

A broad range of local leaders from Derry Township, Dauphin County, and area businesses worked together on this project to support future economic development in Hershey.  The new roadway provides several safety improvements:

  • It replaces a 60-year old bridge over Spring Creek, which was structurally deficient and weight-restricted.
  • It converts a narrow roadway beneath the Norfolk-Southern underpass from two-way traffic to one-way traffic. (The roadway is not wide enough for two opposing lanes of traffic to safely pass each other, so switching to one-way traffic will prevent vehicle conflicts.)
  • It improves emergency response time by adding a roadway connection from northbound Park Boulevard.  (Previously, first responders had to drive a circuitous route through several intersections to access this area. Now crews can reach the area 2-3 minutes faster.)
  • It provides a new sidewalk that will enhance safety for pedestrians traveling to Hershey’s attractions from downtown.
  • It adds a safe zone for people boarding and exiting buses at the Hershey Intermodal Transportation Center. This zone is physically protected from through-traffic.

The realigned Park Boulevard was completed and opened to traffic in the fall of 2016.  View a slideshow of project photos below.

 

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