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Jim Feath Named Vice President of Operations

HRG has promoted Jim Feath to vice president of operations.  This is a key role in the firm’s organizational re-design initiative, which seeks to build a foundation for aggressive growth while maintaining the company’s reputation for exceptional quality and client service.

Ed Ellinger“To achieve our growth goals, we need to anticipate and offer the services our clients will need most in the coming years. Yet, even as we expand our service offerings, we must continue to deliver our services with the same quality, creativity, and attention to detail that our clients have always relied on,” Chief Operations Officer Ed Ellinger says.  “Our technical service experts will determine what services we offer and the quality standards for delivery. Jim will work with the operations leaders in each office to build capacity for those service offerings at the local level so that we can deliver projects to our high-quality standards while maximizing efficiency and operational excellence.”

Feath has managed operations for HRG’s Pittsburgh office since 2018 and has more than 25 years of experience with the firm.  He began his tenure with HRG as an intern shortly after the Pittsburgh office opened and has played a key role in its growth over the past two decades.  During that time, he amassed experience as a designer and project manager before taking a leadership role in regional operations.    He is a registered landscape architect with vast expertise in site planning and development, particularly in the areas of parks and recreational facilities, trails, and public spaces.  He is active in the industry as a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society, but he is also actively engaged in the local community in Pittsburgh as a board member with the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Cranberry Township Environmental Advisory Committee.  His vast experience with HRG and knowledge of regional operations make him ideally suited for this role as vice president of operations.

HRG Named One of Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces for 2023

HRG has been named one of Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces for the second year in a row! (Link opens in new window.)  Kara Smith, Mark Maguire, and Clayton Whitlach accepted an award on our behalf over the weekend, and we were featured with other winning firms in a special section of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday.  HRG ranked #8 out of 61 firms in the Small Business category (based on the number of people working in our Pittsburgh office).

This award is based entirely on employee feedback, so we are especially proud. Thank you, team!

HRG's team holds a banner celebrating their inclusion on the 2023 list of Pittsburgh's Top Workplaces

Regional Stormwater Collaborations Win Governor’s Awards

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!

Construction Executive Devin Dunwoody Joins HRG’s Civil Group

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.”

HRG Named One of the Largest Engineering Firms in Pittsburgh

Point State Park Fountain Rehabilitation

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) has been named one of the largest engineering firms in Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh Business Times.  The firm is #31 on the most recent list published by the business journal on February 17, 2022.  The rankings are based on local engineering billings for 2021.

HRG opened an office in Cranberry Township in 1994 and currently has almost 60 employees living and working in the Pittsburgh region. Its service offerings include the design of water and wastewater treatment systems; roadway, bridge, and traffic engineering; land development and site design; surveying; stormwater management; and municipal engineering.

“HRG has a great group of professionals and a loyal base of clients that continues to grow each year,” assistant vice president Jim Feath says. “Our success in this region belongs to them, and we thank them for continuing to work with us in this great city of ours!”

ENR Names Liz Lackey Top Young Professional in Mid-Atlantic Region

Congratulations to Liz Lackey, who has been named one of the Top Young Professionals in the Mid-Atlantic Region by Engineering News-Record magazine (ENR)! She is one of just 20 professionals selected in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

At only 32 years of age, Liz has already built an impressive resume of experience in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining HRG, she worked as an environmental engineer at IBM Microelectronics and as a water treatment process specialist for the City of Thornton in Colorado. She is a talented engineer with a passion for data analytics, an innovative thinker who continually improves processes, and a trusted mentor to her fellow team members. She’s also actively involved in the industry (as a member of the young professionals and communications committees at the Western Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Association) and an avid supporter of her community (contributing time and money to numerous conservation groups).

We are lucky to have her on our team and so happy to see her being recognized alongside such talented, accomplished professionals on this list.

You can read the full list of this year’s honorees on ENR’s website.

(Liz is the most recent in a long line of HRG employee-owners who have been recognized by ENR.  Read about our other honorees here )

Liz Lackey Recognized as Top Young Pro by Water & Wastes Digest

Our team leader Liz Lackey is one of only 10 water and wastewater professionals across the United States chosen by Water & Wastes Digest for its 2021 Young Pros list. This list is published annually to recognize rising stars in the water and wastewater industry for their role as leaders, influencers, and advocates.

Liz and the other honorees are featured in the May issue of the magazine. (Read the Water & Wastes Digest Young Pros profile here.) Liz is also featured in a video interview on the magazine’s social media channels. (View Liz’s video interview with Water & Wastes Digest here)

At just 32 years of age, Liz has already built an impressive resume of experience in both the public and private sectors.  Prior to joining HRG, she worked as an environmental engineer at IBM Microelectronics and as a water treatment process specialist for the City of Thornton in Colorado.  She is a talented engineer with a passion for data analytics and a trusted mentor to her fellow team members.  She’s also a member of the Western Pennsylvania Water Pollution Control Association, where she chairs the young professionals’ committee and serves as a member of the communications committee.

We want to congratulate Liz and all of the other men and women on this list for this well-deserved honor.

Laura Ludwig Joins HRG as a Community Planner

Laura Ludwig portraitLaura Ludwig has joined the Pittsburgh office of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) as a community planner.  She will assist HRG’s municipal clients with zoning, ordinance amendments, and requests for land development plan approvals and permits.  She will also act as a liaison between community groups, government agencies, developers and other stakeholders in developing neighborhood plans.

She has extensive experience as a community organizer, municipal government employee, and consultant.  Prior to joining HRG, she served as the director of community development for North Fayette Township.  Her responsibilities included guiding residents and businesses through the subdivision and land development review process, ensuring local construction project comply with codes and ordinances, and implementing the community’s comprehensive land use plan.  She also worked as a private consultant, drafting a comprehensive plan for South Beaver Township and assisting dozens of municipalities with their zoning and land use programs.

Ms. Ludwig earned her master’s degree in urban and regional affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners

 

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.

 

Mark Maguire Joins HRG as Senior GIS Specialist

Mark MaguireMark Maguire has joined the Pittsburgh office of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) as a senior GIS specialist. He will help local governments, public authorities, and private sector clients implement geospatial technology to inform infrastructure, land use, and environmental decision-making. His skills include desktop and web-based GIS analysis and production, enterprise database design, field data collection system development, and software implementation.

Maguire has a bachelor’s degree in environmental analysis and policy and a master’s degree in geography. He currently serves on the executive board of the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium (PaMAGIC). He has almost 20 years of experience developing GIS products for civil infrastructure, stormwater, waste management, oil & gas, and regional planning projects. He has worked closely with clients in building web-based environmental compliance and asset management systems.

 

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.

Ginny Loaney Promoted to Land Development Group Manager

Ginny LoaneyHerbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is pleased to announce that Virginia Loaney has been promoted to Land Development Group Manager in our Pittsburgh office.

Loaney joined HRG in 2016 as a landscape architect and has 15 years of experience in the healthcare, education, recreation, government, commercial and residential markets.

In her new role as group manager, Loaney will take on additional supervisory and business development responsibilities, striving to expand the presence of HRG in the land development market and build lasting relationships with clients and teaming partners.

HRG Assistant Vice President Jim Feath says, “Ginny skillfully balances rigorous engineering standards with creativity and collaboration to achieve her client’s aspirations. She brings diverse stakeholders together to achieve the most complex goals, thanks to her outgoing, conscientious personality and brilliant, purposeful approach to planning and design.”

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.

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