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Adrienne Vicari and Staci Hartz Honored at Women of Influence Ceremony

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Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to attend the Central Penn Business Journal’s Women of Influence ceremony and celebrate an impressive group of accomplished and community-minded women from across the region.  They were chosen among more than 130 nominations because of their professional achievements, community involvement, and inspiring nature. We’re in awe of all of them but especially happy to see three in particular receive this recognition: Adrienne Vicari, Staci Hartz, and Mary Wagner Fox, all members of HRG’s extended family.

 

Staci Hartz, Chris Hartz, Ed Ellinger, Josh Fox, Mary Fox, Adrienne Vicari, and Pat Dennis celebrate at the Central Penn Business Journal Women of Influence award dinner.

(L-R) Staci Hartz, Chris Hartz, Ed Ellinger, Josh Fox, Mary Fox, Adrienne Vicari, and Pat Dennis

 

Staci is an engineer in our water and wastewater group who designs water distribution systems. She is also the group’s leading expert on hydraulic modeling and closely monitors drinking water regulation to advise her colleagues on impacts to our clients. Her empathy and strong communication skills make her a go-to source for information and fuel her passion for community service with her church, local food bank, and various tree planting events. She was honored as a Woman to Watch.

Adrienne is the practice area leader of our Strategic Management & Capital Solutions group and an innovative thinker whose work has received local, state, and national awards.  She is also chair of the board of directors for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania and actively involved in the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association Women Innovation Networking Group, two groups that give her the opportunity to support and mentor women of all ages.

Mary is the first female executive director of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission and wife of our water & wastewater group manager, Josh Fox.  She investigates violations of the State Ethics Act and educates local governments on how to comply with the act.  She previously served as the assistant chief counsel for the state Department of General Services, the state Office of Inspector General and the state Ethics Commission, but she is particularly proud of her work implementing PA’s Small, Small Diverse, and Veteran Business programs.

Both Adrienne and Mary were honored as Women of Influence.

Please join us in congratulating Adrienne, Staci, Mary, and all of this year’s honorees.

Krauter and King Honored by Pennsylvania Water Environment Association

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Caleb Krauter and Alex King were both honored by the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) at their annual PENNTEC conference this week.

Caleb Krauter and Alex King both received awards from the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association at the 2023 PENNTEC conference.

 

Caleb is a team leader in the Harrisburg Water & Wastewater Group.  He received the Ted Moses High Hat Award for his work promoting the association and its programs.

Caleb joined the Harrisburg-area chapter of PWEA, also known as the Central Pennsylvania Water Quality Association (CPWQA) early in his career and began serving on committees right away. He is currently president of CPWQA and a member of its Bylaws and Special Events committees. He is also a vocal advocate for involvement in the organization, encouraging others to attend and actively participate in events.

Alex is an assistant project manager in the King of Prussia Water & Wastewater Group. She received the Golden Manhole Award for her work to advance wastewater collection system operation, maintenance, and professional development.  Alex is a member of the PWEA Collections and Young Professionals Committees.  She helps plan the collections system presentation sessions and organizes local networking and outreach events throughout the year.

Congratulations to Caleb and Alex on this recognition from their industry peers, and thank you both for representing HRG and our clients so well in these important organizations.

Cory Salmon Recognized as Top Young Professional by Wastewater Digest

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Cory Salmon is featured in the latest issue of Wastewater Digest as one of the industry’s “Top Young Pros.” (Read the article here.) Wastewater Digest is a national magazine covering news and trends in the municipal wastewater industry.

Cory was one of nine men and women selected by the publication because of their accomplishments at such a young age. He is also the second youngest person on this year’s list.

Cory is a  group manager in our King of Prussia office. He played a leadership role in opening this office in 2019, representing us at numerous events and developing relationships that helped us exceed sales goals by 47% in the region last year. He is also managing the firm’s work with Pottstown Borough Authority to replace 21,000 linear feet of Lead Service Lines.

 

Regional Stormwater Collaborations Win Governor’s Awards

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We had the pleasure of attending a ceremony yesterday day for this year’s recipients of the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence.  Two of our clients were being honored for regional stormwater management collaborations we helped them develop.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission’s Water Resources Enhancement Program (WREP) was recognized as an “Innovative Community/Government Initiative.”  This program brings Dauphin County and its member municipalities together to pursue regional water quality goals, reduce flooding, and lower the cost of stormwater management for participating communities. It is voluntary and flexible: local governments can choose from one of three levels of participation based on their own unique needs. Participating municipalities are estimated to save between 60 – 90% through their involvement, depending on which level they choose.

Erin Letavic joins the team accepting its award for the Dauphin County Water Resources Enhancement Program on stage.

The Southwest Butler Stormwater Planning Group was recognized for “Innovative Planning and Sound Land Use Practices.”  This group is a collaboration between Butler County and ten municipalities to reduce historic flooding in the Lower Conoquenessing Creek Watershed.  HRG conducted a study to identify problem areas and recommend strategies to reduce flood risk.  We worked with the county and municipalities to develop an equitable cost-share agreement and are currently working on design and permitting for several of the suggested projects.

The Southwest Butler Stormwater Planning Group accepts their Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence.

These programs show the benefits of regional collaboration, and they also show how flexible it can be.  We worked extensively with participating communities to design unique programs that met their needs. Kudos to Butler and Dauphin Counties, the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, and all of the participating municipalities for their ability to work together for the betterment of the entire region.

And congratulations to the other winners at today’s ceremony!

HRG Wins Top Prize at ESOP Association Annual Awards for Communications Excellence

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HRG received the top prize at the ESOP Association’s Annual Awards for Communications Excellence last week.  The award recognizes our Total Communications program extolling the benefits of employee ownership to our employees and to the public, and we were honored to receive it because ownership and communication are very important to us.

Raj Moola and Laura Williams accept HRG's award for Total Communication at the ESOP Association's Annual Awards for Communication Excellence

Employee ownership is more than a retirement plan to us; it’s the foundation of our company culture. As equal partners in HRG’s success, we’re committed to an open and honest exchange of ideas at all levels of the organization. Leadership shares a wealth of information about the company’s performance and goals in monthly emails from our president, videos, livestream announcements, and quarterly reports from our CFO. But, most importantly, they listen, too.

Employee-owners can offer their input through our suggestion program, online surveys, and town hall meetings.  They can play an advisory role on the ESOP committee or OPT IN team (which focuses on operational innovations). Or they can just start a conversation with a manager in the hall or break room.  Everyone – from our front desk to the CEO’s office – is friendly and accessible.  Our managers travel to each office regularly to get to know staff one-on-one and hear from them directly, and we plan fun events to build internal relationships across service groups and offices.

Communication may be formal – like our quarterly ESOP reports of financial metrics – or fun: contests and celebrations for Valuation Day and ESOP Month.  The underlying message is always the same: We are a team; we share the responsibilities and rewards of ownership equally.

Thank you to everyone on the team for your contribution to our success: Everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts and ideas for innovation. Everyone who has shared their feedback through surveys and town hall meetings.  Everyone who has read the financial reports and strategic plans and thought about how they can use their work to help HRG reach its goals.

And thank you to the ESOP Advisory Committee – past and present members – who have done a fantastic job building our program and championing our ownership culture.

HRG wins ESOP Association Annual Award for Communication Excellence HRG was also recognized at the ESOP Association Annual Awards for Communication Excellence in 2018.  We won the award for employee ownership marketing.

Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Honored by American Water Resources Association

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James Tomaine accepts an award for Integrated Water Resources Management at the American Water Resources Association national conference, November 2022Congratulations to the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA), who received an award this week from the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) for Integrated Water Resources Management.  The authority’s executive director Jim Tomaine accepted the award at a luncheon during AWRA’s national conference in Seattle.

The Integrated Water Resources Management Award honors exemplary teamwork on a complex water resource challenge.  WVSA received the award for their work creating a regional stormwater authority to help communities in Luzerne County reduce watershed pollution and comply with MS4 requirements. The project is noteworthy because it was the first regional stormwater authority in Pennsylvania, and it blazed a trail for others to pursue regional stormwater solutions. WVSA partners with more than 30 municipalities in Luzerne County on a joint Pollutant Reduction Plan and BMPs.  Working together, they are able to address pollution on the watershed scale, producing better results than small, uncoordinated projects could.  They are also able to achieve economies of scale that reduce the overall cost burden on individual communities.  The collaboration does not end there, however.  WVSA and its member municipalities work with Luzerne County and its flood protection authority on stream restoration and partner with private landowners, who install BMPs on their property in exchange for reduced stormwater fees.

HRG helped WVSA develop and implement this innovative program, and we are proud to have worked with their passionate and visionary leaders:  Jim Tomaine, Jeff Colella, Sandy Bartosiewics, Sam Guesto, Gerry Cross, and the entire WVSA board. This program also received the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence in 2018.

Chris Dellinger Named Leader in Construction & Real Estate

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Chris Dellinger accepts an award for his leadership in the construction and real estate industry from Ernest Long, editor of the Central Penn Business JournalChris Dellinger was recently honored by the Central Penn Business Journal as one of the region’s Leaders in Construction & Real Estate.

The journal recognized 20 individuals and companies that its editors say are “changing the landscape of Central Pennsylvania through design, construction, engineering, lending, and innovation.” Dellinger and the other honorees were featured in the September 30 issue of the publication and received their award at a ceremony on October 27th.

Dellinger is a licensed professional engineer and a land development group manager at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc (HRG).  His imprint is all over residential and commercial development throughout Central Pennsylvania and can be seen in recent projects like Meadow Lane Farms in North Cornwall Township, Heritage Business Park in Manchester Township, and the Hearthside at Cross Keys Senior Living in Oxford Township. He has also played a key role in the development of many of the warehouses and industrial developments along the I-81 corridor.

Andrew Kenworthy, HRG’s chief operating officer, has worked alongside Chris for more than 20 years and says this recognition is well deserved: “Chris approaches his role with pride and integrity. He understands the impact of construction on neighboring real estate and tries to provide solutions that accomplish the goals of the individual owner and the community as a whole. He always takes the natural environment into account, striving to avoid negative impacts to natural resources and complement local ecosystems.”

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is an employee-owned, nationally-ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia

HRG Named One of Pittsburgh’s Top Work Places

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HRG has been named one of Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces list this year!  We accepted our award at a ceremony last week and were featured with other winning firms in a special section of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday.  HRG ranked #10 out of 70 firms in the Small Business category (based on the number of people working in our Pittsburgh office).

Since our founding 60 years ago, we have tried to be a fun and supportive workplace: an environment that gives people the freedom and opportunity to achieve their personal and professional goals.  This award, which is based entirely on employee feedback, is validation that we are succeeding.  Thank you, team! It’s #Good2bHRG

Viazanko Honored by Whitaker Center with Women in STEM Award

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Please join us in congratulating Andrea Viazanko, who was honored as a Woman to Watch at the Women in STEM Awards this week in Harrisburg.

The Whitaker Center named Andrea Viazanko a Woman to Watch at their annual Women in STEM Award ceremony in 2022.

Andrea was one of 12 women selected by the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts because of their significant contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Andrea is a GIS Analyst who works in our Harrisburg office.  She helps our clients use geospatial technology to make decisions about infrastructure, land use, and stormwater management.  Prior to joining HRG, she worked with PennDOT on transportation planning initiatives and PADEP on mapping for the state mine subsidence insurance program. When she’s not working, Andrea volunteers her time as president of the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club.  She also previously volunteered with AmeriCorps and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

 

HRG to Receive PSMJ’s Premier Award for Client Satisfaction

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HRG is one of 10 firms across the country receiving the PSMJ Premier Award for Client Satisfaction this fall. The award is based on feedback from our clients, who rated us as excellent in all categories:

  1. Ability to solve problems and meet goals
  2. Responsiveness
  3. Quality of deliverables
  4. Accuracy of schedules
  5. Success in managing budgets
  6. Overall value

This is our second time receiving this award; we were similarly recognized in 2015.

We’re honored and excited to receive this award from PSMJ, a global leader in the management of architecture, engineering, and construction firms, and we’re grateful: to the clients who rated us so highly and to our team members who work  hard every day for the communities we serve.  Thank you!  You can read more about the award and the ceremony scheduled for September in Nashville on PSMJ’s blog.   (Link opens in new tab.)

PSMJ Premier Award for Client Satisfaction - 2022 Winner