News @ EQ
Best Small Business for 2011
EQ received an award for Best Small Business for 2011 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Louisville District. Jim Zody of EQ received the award from Brian James, President of the Kentuckiana Post of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).
2011 Pillars of Success Award
Congratulations are extended to the 2011 Pillars of Success Award winners. This award is voted on by the entire staff of EQ to recognize those individuals who have consistently taken extra steps to not only make EQ a great work environment but to offer the highest quality of service to our clients. Last year’s winners were:
- Innovative Business Development – Tom Gerstle
- Uncompromising Quality – Kent Berry, John Kominsky, Karol Mastalski
- Technology – Shalena Pritchett, Laurie Telin
- Total Virtuality – Jerry Day
- Personal Excellence – Jill Binzer, Mike Arozarena, Robert Crawford, Mary Childers
- Sustainability – Annette Rich, Tom Robertson
- Safety – Ken Hardesty
How to Select an Environmental Consultant
(published in Government Engineering, November-December 2011; excerpt from article by Doug Brown)
Organizations work with environmental consultants because they value outside expertise and often need another set of eyes when solving environmental challenges. Environmental consultants bring specific expertise that clients may not have internally. Because environmental consultants are solely focused on environmental matters, they can normally complete a project in less time, and accordingly at less expense, than an organization may be able do in-house.
In addition to prequalifying a consultant for errors and omissions insurance, applicable skill sets, competitive fees, and references, the following practical tips will help you be an informed decision maker when selecting an environmental consultant. Look for a consultant with the following traits:
- Returns phone calls and emails within 48 hours.
- Is focused on mitigating your risks and expense as opposed to trying to expand the project tasks and fees.
- Is “pleasantly aggressive” when representing client interests with regulators.
- When identifying recognized environmental conditions, does not automatically recommend a soil and/or groundwater investigation unless there is a potential due care similar concern.
- Provides newsletters and other marketing material containing meaningful information on the latest regulatory changes or market developments that their clients can use.
- Discusses results with their client and furnishes a draft report before recommending additional work.
- Connects their client to business opportunities and seeks to form long-term partnerships that can move their business forward.
- Communicates technical findings in plain English to enable the client to make informed decisions.
- Doesn’t play lawyer.
- Excels at forming public/private partnerships and works collaboratively to meet the needs of diverse project stakeholders.
- Has senior directors who approve all reports, although junior associates may do the bulk of the field work to meet budgetary requirements.
- Refuses to let environmental challenges kill a deal.
For help with your environmental consulting needs, contact Laurie Buckman or call 1-800-229-7495.
EQ Helps Clients Remain Storm Water Compliant
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) will soon issue the new “Authorization to Discharge Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activity” permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Although this may or may not require immediate action depending on your location and facility, EQ would like to remind our clients that we offer expertise in the area of storm water data collection, sampling, storm water design, discharge limits,and permitting.
EQ has helped numerous clients on both a large and small scale meet discharge permit requirements by implementing and designing custom user-friendly solutions to meet each individual need. From sites containing numerous outfalls to facilities with one discharge location, we have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you operate within the parameters of your discharge permit as well as update your permit as needed.
Our most recent storm water project included multiple outfalls where EQ collected flow rate data, established design parameters, coordinated with regulatory agencies concerning the permit process, designed a storm water system at multiple outfalls, developed construction drawings, and concluded with as-builts.
For more information regarding storm water regulation, contact Mike Arozarena at 1-800-229-7495. For development and implementation of engineered controls, contact John Wentz, P.E., at 1-800-229-7495.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Mike Arozarena and Tom Gerstle for their promotions at EQ in Cincinnati. Mr. Arozarena is now vice president of the Engineering & Consulting division, and Mr. Gerstle is now managing the Air Compliance & Emission Measurement Group. Short summary resumes can be found in the Employee Spotlight section of the Newsletter.
EQ Expands Emission Measurement Services to the Chicagoland Region
EQ has opened an office in the Chicagoland region to expand our emission measurement services to better serve our existing and potential new customers. The new office is staffed by experienced personnel, a large inventory of emission measurement equipment, and a strong reputation of quality testing to support almost any project. If you have any emission measurement needs, please contact Mr. Karl Mastalski at (219) 944-2281 (Chicagoland), or Mr. Dan Scheffel or Mr. Tom Gerstle at (800) 229-7495 (Cincinnati).
EQ Highlights - July
EQ’s John Kominsky presented two papers at the AWMA Annual Convention in Orlando (June 21-24). See the links to these papers here:
- XRF Analysis of Strontium in Drywall and Effects of Drywall Finish on Strontium Measurement
- Field XRF Analysis of Drywall and Effects of Drywall Finish on Strontium Measurement
EQ-Missouri Golf Outing
On June 11, 2011, EQ-Missouri held its second annual golf tournament in support of handicapped children in Fredericktown, MO. It was a successful day with 11 teams from the local area, and as far away as northeast Indiana, participating. The day was perfect, and prizes were awarded.
The first place team was headed by Doug Lawson, an EQ employee. Second and third places were local Legion teams. All winners returned their cash prizes to help the charity. EQ was able to present Fitness for All Children with a check for $2,500 toward their goal of a park for the handicapped. [photo by Alan Kopitsky]
