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Michael Smetana Named Chief Innovation & Technology Officer at HRG

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Portait of Mike Smetana wearing a dark suit coat, white shirt, and red patterned tie.HRG has chosen Mike Smetana for a newly created position as Chief Innovation & Technology Officer.  He will be responsible for developing new technology service offerings for the firm’s clients related to infrastructure planning, design, and management.

Mike has 21 years of experience helping AEC consultants and their clients use information technology to optimize operations and support growth strategies. He has deployed artificial intelligence and automation technologies to reduce costs and increase efficiency, implemented data analytics to enhance decision-making, and managed the adoption of solutions to increase scalability.  He is an expert at aligning technology with organizational objectives and can leverage relationships with many leading technology providers for his clients.  He also has extensive expertise in cybersecurity and risk management. He was honored by the Pittsburgh Technology Council as a CIO of the Year finalist & Tech Visionary in 2020.

HRG president and chief executive officer Jason Fralick is excited about the potential technology presents for managing communities and their facilities, and he believes Mike will provide expert guidance to the firm and their clients. “HRG goes beyond design and construction to be true partners with our clients, helping them reach organizational goals, reduce costs, and optimize operations,” he says.  “Technology is rapidly expanding possibility in these areas and becoming more complex by the day. We want to help our clients understand and harness that potential for their organization and their stakeholders.  Mike has deep and broad-ranging knowledge, but, more importantly, he has vision. He understands how technology works, and he knows how to apply it to help organizations accomplish their goals.  We’re very excited to work with him and witness the value he can create for our clients.”

Mike is also excited about the opportunity and says, “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to guide HRG and our valued clients on their transformative journey towards digital excellence. What immediately captivated me about HRG is its remarkable people-centric approach and unwavering passion for enhancing communities. I am eager to collaborate closely with our clients as we jointly explore strategic insights, deploy innovative solutions, and leverage emerging technologies, unlocking their full potential, and propelling them to new heights of success.”

 

ABOUT HRG

HRG assists with the planning, design, and management of community infrastructure. They optimize places for health, prosperity, and enjoyment with a focus on long-term value. The foundation of their work is civil engineering, but the firm has diverse expertise in community planning and management, landscape architecture, environmental compliance, and sustainability. For more information, visit their website at www.hrg-inc.com.

Duk Shin Joins HRG as Senior Quality Engineer

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Portrait of Duk Shin wearing a gray suit coat, light blue shirt, and dark blue tie.Hyon Duk Shin has joined HRG as a senior quality engineer in their water and wastewater group.  In addition to his role as a client manager, he will manage technical design standards and staff training related to wastewater treatment, collection and conveyance facilities, and combined sewer modeling and optimization. He will also enhance the firm’s expertise in water facilities planning as well as PFOS/PFOA treatment and distribution facilities.

Duk Shin is a registered professional engineer with more than 25 years of experience in the planning, permitting, design, construction, and financing of water and wastewater infrastructure.

Water and wastewater practice area leader Josh Fox says, “I am excited to welcome Duk to HRG.  His experience and knowledge will greatly enhance the strengths of our team.”

 

ABOUT HRG

HRG assists with the planning, design, and management of community infrastructure. They optimize places for health, prosperity, and enjoyment with a focus on long-term value. The foundation of their work is civil engineering, but the firm has diverse expertise in community planning and management, landscape architecture, environmental compliance, and sustainability. For more information, visit their website at www.hrg-inc.com.

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 Helps Clients Obtain $12M+ in 1st Round of Local Share Account Statewide Grant Awards

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The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) announced their first round of grant awards for the Local Share Account – Statewide program last week, including more than $12.9 million for HRG’s clients!

We helped 27 municipalities and municipal authorities successfully apply for funding for a wide variety of projects, including parks, wastewater treatment plant improvements, equipment purchases, water and sewer line rehabilitation, flood mitigation, and downtown revitalization. We’re proud to be helping these important projects move forward.

The CFA also announced funding awards for the Multimodal Transportation Fund, and two of our clients received funding for streetscape and revitalization projects.  The CFA Multimodal Transportation Fund is designed to promote economic development and safety through transportation enhancements. Eligible projects include streetscapes, lighting, sidewalks, and transit-oriented development.  If you have projects like this in mind, reach out to us! The new funding round just opened with a deadline of July 31st, and we’d love to help you develop a grant application strategy for your community’s needs.

Lauren Zumbrun Promoted to Group Manager

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Lauren Zumbrun has been promoted to Group Manager in the strategic management and capital solutions service group of HRG.

Lauren has deep knowledge of funding programs and more than 15 years of experience in community planning and economic development.  She puts this expertise to work to help communities optimize operations and proactively manage their infrastructure. She is a strategic thinker who excels at helping communities define their goals, prioritize projects to meet those goals, and develop funding strategies to support them.  Before joining HRG, she served as executive director of a non-profit downtown revitalization organization.

 

ABOUT HRG

HRG assists with the planning, design, and management of communities throughout Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. They optimize places for health, prosperity, and enjoyment with a focus on long-term value. The foundation of their work is civil engineering, but their team has diverse expertise in community planning and management, landscape architecture, environmental compliance, and sustainability. For more information, visit their website at www.hrg-inc.com

Construction Executive Devin Dunwoody Joins HRG’s Civil Group

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Devin Dunwoody is wearing glasses, a blue sport coat, and tie in front of cubicle walls in an officeDevin Dunwoody has joined the Pittsburgh office of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) as a senior project manager in their civil group. Dunwoody is a senior executive with more than 10 years of experience in construction at every level: from operating heavy equipment and installing infrastructure to monitoring company operations, managing client relationships, analyzing financial performance, and developing strategic goals. He’ll provide valuable insight on constructability and cost-effectiveness for HRG’s clients on sanitary and stormwater infrastructure, roadways, and other civil construction projects.

Dunwoody worked four years as a construction laborer, installing pipelines and utility structures for land development projects, while earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering technology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.  After graduation, he began performing field surveys for construction layout, calculating earthwork volumes, and generating as-built plans. Over the years, he worked his way up to project manager and then executive vice president at a regional construction firm specializing in highways, bridges, commercial buildings, and excavation.

HRG civil group manager Ben Gilberti says, “HRG has always been focused on ensuring our design plans are practical and cost-effective for our clients to construct. Devin’s dual expertise as a licensed professional engineer and highly experienced contractor will further enhance our ability to meet that goal for our clients.  We’re all very excited to work with him.”

Ben Burns Promoted to Senior Quality Engineer

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Ben Burns is wearing a gray suit coat and blue plaid shirt in front of a conference room doorBen Burns has been promoted to senior quality engineer in the water and wastewater group at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG)  He will manage technical design standards with a specific focus on innovative wastewater process solutions, biosolids management, and energy production from wastewater.

Burns joined HRG in 2007 and previously served as both a project manager and team leader. He is a licensed professional engineer with certifications in odor assessment and construction document technology.

Water and wastewater practice area leader Josh Fox says, “Ben has demonstrated his knowledge and application of engineering principles on some of HRG’s most difficult projects over the past 15 years.  His passion for sustainability and renewable energy will greatly benefit our team and our clients.  I am extremely excited for Ben, HRG, and our clients.”

Garrett Stoy Joins HRG as Water/Wastewater Group Manager in State College

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Garrett StoyGarrett Stoy has joined Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) as a group manager in their State College office. Stoy will oversee a team of 11 professionals who design water and wastewater systems for public and privately owned utilities. He will also assist with sales and business development.

Stoy has eight years of experience creating engineering solutions related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, flooding, roadways, and solid waste. He works with clients to develop a long-term capital improvement plan and obtain funding to implement the plan.

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked, employee-owned, design firm providing civil engineering, planning, surveying, and environmental services to public and private sector clients throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 300 people across eight office locations. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

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.