Engineering Firm Magazine/Newsletter

U

PD

STAY IN TOUCH

Follow us on social media to keep up with all things PD!

22

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

To be the most respected engineering firm in our geographic and technical areas of practice, Pape-Dawson Engineers, LLC will continue to:

• Emphasize character and moral integrity

• Develop solutions in the best interest of the client and public

• Constantly re-evaluate and sharpen our engineering skills

• Provide an environment that encourages employee development and satisfaction

• Actively participate in professional, religious, and civic associations

• Nurture trusting relationships

• Offer services only in our area of technical capability

@papedawsonengineers

@papedawson

These principles, in turn, create a mutually beneficial relationship with our clients, our employees, and our community.

Newsletter Info & Submittal Process

We’d like to celebrate your big life moments with you! Please tell us about weddings, births, and professional or civic community awards. Submit relevant information with a photo to Whitney Schrader.

A MESSAGE FROM CARA TACKETT, P.E., LEED AP

MANAGING PRINCIPAL, WATER RESOURCES

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” -Jimmy

Dean

The year 2023 has proven to be all about change. Almost every branch is in a new or expanded space. In Land Development, we’re dealing with the economy and rising interest rates affecting development timelines. In Transportation and Water, we’re striving to keep up with phenomenal growth. In our administrative teams, such as Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing, the demand and flexibility required to manage acquisitions and maintain internal operations is increasingly challenging. And all of us are waiting to see what Pape-Dawson will look like with acquisitions achieved alongside our new financial partners. We have welcomed Costello and Poulos & Bennett to the family, and maybe in the very near future, we will have expanded even more. Are we ready for so much change? Are we willing to adjust our sails?

In 2017, as our Water Resources leader was retiring, I was asked to lead the group and “go grow it.” Frankly, I didn’t jump at the opportunity immediately. Each chapter of change, and the path forward, can be a bit scary. I took on the challenge (with a little convincing from Gene) because I could see the opportunities the change would bring both me and the firm. Sydney J. Harris said, “our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.” I’ve been at Pape-Dawson for 24 years, and my current path is far from the Environmental team where I started. I’ve touched almost every service area, with the exception of Survey and Transportation (I’m okay with leaving some things left undone). The changes I’ve experienced at Pape-Dawson have always provided me the chance to make things better by diversifying my experience and bringing new ideas to an existing team.

I encourage all of you to adjust your sails to push through whatever change is happening around you by considering how you can make it a change for the better. Streamline plan production by implementing new technology, use resources outside your team for billing and contracting support, or maybe discover something entirely new.

In life, change is inevitable. In business, change is vital. If we aren’t growing as a company, we will lose our opportunity to responsibly grow and develop to a level that exceeds our top competitors. We have each chosen to be a part of PapeDawson for individual reasons. Many of those reasons are rooted in the culture we all work hard to maintain through working together, supporting each other, listening to other’s opinions, and recognizing the value of diverse lines of thinking and problem solving.

Now more than ever, teamwork and showing grace for our mistakes are central to navigating the changes ahead. Remember, the officers are people too and will make mistakes along the way. Let us know when we are off course and when we need to adjust our sails.

After all, without change, there would be no butterflies.

- Cara Tackett, P.E., LEED AP

COMPANY UPDATES

ENR Texas and Louisiana Top Design Firms 2023

Pape-Dawson continues to rank as one of the top design firms in Texas and Louisiana! Congratulations to everyone who contributed to making this happen. Thank you for keeping us strong in the marketplace. Our 2023 rankings include:

Top Design Firm (Texas and Louisiana) Overall Ranking: #11

Texas: #8

Environmental: #20

Civil Engineering: #7

Retail: #6

Surveying and Mapping: #2

Multi-family: #6

Commercial: #5

Distribution and Warehouses: #4

Pape-Dawson is a PSMJ Resources, Inc. Platinum Award Winner

Management consulting firm PSMJ has named PapeDawson a 2023 Platinum Award winner. Pape-Dawson is among 24 AEC firms across the United States and Canada— and one of just two in Texas—to receive the honor.

A leading industry resource, PSMJ provides counsel and training to AEC firms and their personnel. Among PSMJ’s key initiatives is its A/E Financial Performance Benchmark Survey, which firms are invited to complete once a year.

The survey gauges a company’s performance in categories that include, “profitability, overhead management, cash flow, productivity, business development, staff growth, and turnover.”

Firms with survey scores in the top 20% become part of PSMJ’s annual Circle of Excellence, and firms that have been named to the Circle of Excellence at least 4 out of the past 5 years become Platinum Award winners.

Pape-Dawson has been a Circle of Excellence winner for 8 out of the past 10 years.

State Highway 211 Project Awarded Gold Medal by ACEC Texas

The State Highway 211 (SH 211) project was named a Gold Medal winner in the 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards by The American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas (ACEC Texas). SH 211 was recognized in the Transportation category based on innovation, future value to the engineering profession, design, complexity, and ability to meet client needs.

Leveraging a Pass-Through Financing agreement between Bexar County and TxDOT, the project connected two previously completed segments of the highway and filled a 7.6-mile gap that had existed for decades. Pape-Dawson designed the roadway to weave around the critical habitats of karst invertebrates. And we worked with landowners to create a 40-acre preserve, the first of its kind in Texas, to further protect the endangered species.

Congratulations to the Transportation and Environmental teams for their excellent work.

COMPANY UPDATES

Costello and Poulos & Bennett Have Joined the Pape-Dawson Family

As announced in April, to continue to thrive and provide stability and opportunity for Pape-Dawson employees, the next phase of company expansion includes continued organic growth bolstered by strategic acquisitions.

As we grow, we are looking for companies that share similar values and commitment to culture above all else. Costello and Poulos & Bennett emerged as natural fits for partnership not only because of our alignment in culture, but also because they bring additional service lines and expertise. We are excited to strengthen our network of professionals while creating opportunities and stability for our employees as we expand our industry-leading practice across the United States.

These partnerships are an important milestone in Pape-Dawson’s history, marking the company’s initial step toward growth outside of Texas.

The Pape-Dawson family is growing, but our mission will always remain the same: To be the most respected engineering firm in our geographic and technical areas of practice.

The integration of Costello into the PapeDawson family represents the strategic addition of 200 professionals specializing in civil engineering, structural engineering, and landscape architecture in Houston and Austin. Since 1991, the Costello team has cultivated a reputation for unwavering commitment to

excellence and integrity. These 200 team members are significantly contributing to our expanding footprint in the Houston market, while concurrently reinforcing our steadfast dedication to client satisfaction.

Pape-Dawson welcomes 60 land planning and civil engineering professionals through the acquisition of Poulos & Bennett. Serving Florida clients since 2009, these team members have delivered high-quality services for commercial, residential, healthcare, municipal, and higher education projects. Their specialized expertise will enhance Pape-Dawson’s capabilities in civil engineering, specifically within the power/energy, water resources, roadway, and utility sectors.

“I am so excited to be a part of this new chapter in the PapeDawson story. I continue to be impressed by the Pape-Dawson team members that I meet, and am excited to have a much larger work family to support. I look forward to contributing my best to our collective success, and can’t wait to see the amazing opportunities that lie ahead for all of us.”

- Dustin O’Neal, P.E., Managing Principal, Houston

Mildred and Oscar Ehrenberg Humanitarian Award

On March 30, 2023, with more than 500 in attendance at its For Hope For Humanity Benefit Dinner, the Holocaust Memorial Museum honored the Dawson Family with the inaugural Mildred and Oscar Ehrenberg Humanitarian Award.

The Dawsons exemplify the values of living a life of honesty, integrity, and responsibility. They believe in the importance of fighting injustice and unfairness, leading by example, and creating a legacy of “Upstanders,” standing up and promoting the welfare of every person throughout our community. These are the lessons that the museum strives to impart to all students and visitors, educating based upon our past and working to shape a brighter, more inclusive future.

Pape-Dawson’s Fort Worth Office

Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Pape-Dawson’s Fort Worth office recently celebrated its 10year anniversary and hosted an open house at our new space to commemorate the occasion. Over the past 10 years, Pape-Dawson has been at the forefront of the city’s development with innovative projects, including numerous residential, multi-family, and retail developments, and working with clients like TxDOT, the City of Fort Worth, and D.R. Horton. We are grateful to our amazing Fort Worth team who have been with us over the last decade and helped us establish an invaluable connection with the community. We couldn’t have done it without you!

SERVICE LINE UPDATES

LAND DEVELOPMENT

From restaurants to hospitals, schools, and more, Pape-Dawson’s Land Development teams are helping Texas thrive.

EDUCATION

The Austin office is working on almost a dozen K-12 projects between the City of Waco and Hays County. And the Houston team has issued 100% plans for La Porte ISD’s new, 9,000-seat, $56-million Bulldog Stadium.

MULTI-FAMILY

The multi-family development sector has experienced a slight slowdown, with fewer inquiries about potential sites to be developed. Despite demand for multi-family housing, high

interest rates are making it difficult to secure financing. Plus, supply-chain woes persist, as transformers are becoming harder to find. “We have several projects started, but now we’re in a waiting phase before we can finalize things. They’re basically done until the developers can get financing and power,” Tom Carter, P.E. said. Despite the slowdown, work has been steady in 2023. In addition to the standard multi-family concept, some of our projects are in the affordable housing market, and some are being planned for and marketed to retirees. Travis McCoy, P.E.’s team has worked on over 3,500 units this year, through successful collaboration with Thompson, Lincoln Avenue Capital, Wood Partners, and Sovereign. David Martinez, P.E. highlighted the exceptional partnership between Pape-Dawson and Oden Hughes, expressing satisfaction with the successful completion of recent projects at SL 1604/Bulverde Road in San Antonio. And Lee Mangum praised Koontz Corporation for their luxury apartment building (The Savoy) on Vance Jackson Road where the Fiesta Stadium 16 movie theater once stood. Our DFW teams have also seen a few multi-family developments get back on track this year following delays primarily caused by COVID supplier-delay issues.

FAST FOOD

Pape-Dawson’s recipe for success includes well-known brands and newcomers throughout Texas. Active DFW food clients include Starbucks and Whataburger, for whom Pape-Dawson has completed close to 150 concept plans and overseen construction on almost a dozen locations.

Nathan Billiot, P.E.’s team is working on a Love’s Travel Stop convenience store in Katy and has five Chick-fil-A projects underway in Greater Houston and the Rio Grande Valley. New client Bojangles, a Charlotte, NC-based chain of fried chicken restaurants, has tasked Pape-Dawson with design for one of its new locations in the same Houston-area shopping center as a Chick-fil-A.

COMMERCIAL

Fiesta Demo at Savoy

HEALTHCARE

The Westover Hills community, home to SeaWorld San Antonio, is experiencing a “mini hospital boom,” according to Tom Carter, P.E. University Health, Methodist Healthcare, and Baptist Health System have all tapped Pape-Dawson for projects near SL 1604 and SH 151. The existing CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital is expanding as well. Adam Rademacher, P.E.’s team has hit the ground running on the platting, permitting, and design for these projects.

NONPROFIT

Two of Mark Ramseur, P.E.’s Austin-based, nonprofit projects are reaching milestones. Phase 1 has opened at Camp Esperanza, a community of tiny homes on land donated by Gov. Greg Abbott. Design is in progress for Phase 2. And in Georgetown, Phase II is launching for The Brookwood Community, an organization that helps special needs adults find housing and employment.

LAND COMMERCIALDEVELOPMENT

OTHER NEWS

• Steady work continues for legacy mixed-use redevelopment projects that include San Antonio’s Pearl and Austin’s Domain.

• Andrew Belton, P.E., Tyler Kozma, P.E., and team are wrapping work on a high-tech distribution center for H-E-B.

• Stacey Weichert, P.E., LEED AP, CFM’s team is currently working on several large industrial projects along the IH 35 corridor in San Antonio, China Grove, San Marcos, Temple, and Lancaster.

• Aimee Chavez, P.E.’s team is initiating additional infrastructure improvements for the SH 130 corridor consortium.

SBC Memorial Hermann

Whataburger

RESIDENTIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICE LINE UPDATES

As Texas keeps growing, Pape-Dawson keeps building. Read about projects that are launching, wrapping, and everywhere in between.

METROPLEX

It’s safe to say that there are no concerns about a slowdown in DFW residential. The Liberty Trails development in North Fort Worth has finally closed, with the fifth phase completed in early 2023. D.R. Horton has purchased additional property adjacent to Liberty Trails and has proceeded with the first phase of nearly 600 single-family homes, twice the number of a standard development phase.

Collin County remains a very strong market. The Plano office is designing the final 311 lots in Star Trail, a Town of Prosper master planned community. This 1,734-lot

development is for Jerry Jones’s Blue Star Land real estate venture. Lexington Parks in the City of Frisco for Landon Development continues to develop quickly. With 474 lots on the ground, 464 lots near completion, and 231 in design, pace has been quick. This 2,000-lot development is on one of the last remaining tracts in the heart of Frisco, which sits at 80% build-out.

LAND DEVELOPMENT

Travisso master planned community in Leander

CENTRAL TEXAS

New homes keep popping up throughout Greater Austin as well. In Leander’s Travisso master planned community, construction has begun on Phase 3, Section 10; Phase 4, Sections 7 and 8; Phase 5, and Section 3; plus the Greenbelt Park around Nameless Valley Ranch Dam. Pape-Dawson is negotiating a water quality agreement between the Lower Colorado River Authority and the community, which features homes by Toll Brothers and Taylor Morrison. Leander projects that are wrapping include Pulte’s Horizon Lake subdivision and city park improvements. And projects that are getting started include Phase 3 of Brightland (formerly Gehan) Homes’s Hawkes Landing North, where preliminary platting has just begun.

Pape-Dawson is also collaborating with Brightland Homes in Taylor, where construction and roadway improvements have launched for Phase 1 of the Spring Creek Development. In Georgetown, regional water quality and detention pond construction for the Wolf Lakes master planned community is complete.

In Jarrell, Jennifer Franklin, P.E.’s team continues to develop relationships with both Lennar and LGI Homes through the next phases of their large, master planned residential communities. Phase 1 of Canyon Ranch includes water quality/detention, an irrigation pond, regional lift station and force main crossing at IH 35. The Rancho del Cielo subdivision also continues to grow, with the next steps focusing on design and construction of the community’s main amenity center.

Steve Crauford, P.E.’s team continues development and planning in San Marcos’s Kissing Tree subdivision, and Dustin Goss, P.E., LEED AP and team continue to develop projects in Pflugerville, as Pape-Dawson

works to strengthen its relationship with Lennar Homes Central Texas. Chris Kowalski, P.E.’s team is currently working at the front end of several large master planned communities located near Seguin. These projects are expected to have a positive impact in a growing area.

HOUSTON

Pape-Dawson’s single-family residential teams continue to support some of the largest homebuilders in Greater Houston. The team led by Jordan Konesheck, P.E. has 11 developments for LGI Homes with projects in the design phase or construction services phase. One of the projects, Cypress Trails at Bauer Landing, is LGI’s second expansion to the Bauer Landing development, one of the Houston office’s first master planned projects. The addition brings the development in Cypress to a total of approximately 484 acres and over 1,800 lots. Additionally, it is the second annexation into the Bauer Landing Water Control & Improvement District (WCID), one of the first special districts created by Pape-Dawson’s Houston team. The project has incorporated multiple disciplines provided by Pape-Dawson, which include H&H services, boundary and topographic surveys, as well as TxDOT coordination in conjunction with traffic signals and roadway improvements.

Bryan Sheppard, P.E.’s team is completing design and construction-phase services on the last sections of development for Ashton Woods and Rausch Coleman within the Wayside development. His team is also continuing design efforts on follow-up sections within an ongoing development for Pulte, and they are actively developing their relationship with Lennar by focusing on feasibility efforts for a new acquisition.

DEVELOPMENT

Wolf Lakes master planned community detention pond in Georgetown

TRANSPORTATION SERVICE LINE UPDATES

Two wheels, four wheels, or no wheels at all: Pape-Dawson’s 120 Transportation professionals keep our communities on the move.

Roadway improvement projects are taking PapeDawson all over Texas.

Schematic and environmental planning for FM 812 near Austin is nearing completion and will soon be ready to advance to design and construction when funding becomes available. Mashhood Shah, P.E.’s team dealt with typical issues that accompany widening/reconstruction projects in rapidly developing areas, including having to adjust roadway alignments around new Bastrop ISD schools. This locally significant project will enhance access to the Circuit of the Americas racetrack and the growing SH 130 corridor.

Luke Reed, P.E., CFM, LGPP’s team recently finished design work on 22 replacement bridges for the TxDOT Yoakum District. One of the largest bridges of the contract, FM 766 at the Guadalupe River, recently finished construction. This project has a new 900-footlong bridge over the river that replaces the previous, 65-year-old structure.

In Corpus Christi, Pape-Dawson was recently awarded a project to design improvements to McCampbell Road from Agnes to Leopard Street. Stephen Skrobarczyk, P.E. will lead efforts to convert a two-lane section with roadside ditches to curb and gutter with sidewalks and underground drainage. Master planning work also continues in Corpus Christi, with Jake Powell, P.E., CFM leading drainage and Justin Clark, P.E., PTOE in charge of roadway.

Active projects in Central Texas include planning and/ or design for Beback Inn Road in Hays County, Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Williamson County, Old Lockhart Road in Travis County, Memorial Drive in Georgetown, Old Stagecoach Road and FM 150 in Kyle, plus several intersection/turn lane projects throughout the area. Also, construction has begun on expansion of the C. Bud Stockton Loop in rapidly growing Jarrell, where Pape-Dawson’s team took great care not to encroach upon an adjacent cemetery.

ADA & TRAILS

Tyler Dube, P.E.’s team alone has more than 20 pedestrian-focused TxDOT projects in various stages of progress (PS&E, schematic, construction) throughout the Abilene, Austin, Beaumont, Bryan, Corpus Christi, Houston, Paris, Pharr, Tyler, and Waco Districts.

Tyler has also served as The University of Texas’s oncall civil plan reviewer since 2019, and just hit his 50th plan review! Additionally, he leads four design projects on the UT main campus and the Pickle Research Campus, addressing ADA violations and improved pedestrian access.

In Central Texas, Heather McNeal, P.E., PTOE, CFM, LGPP’s team is designing a 7-mile hike-and-bike trail along Gilleland Creek. Subject to potential bond approval, the trail would connect Northeast Metro Park in Pflugerville to Ben Fisher Park in Manor.

Statewide, the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) initiative continues to keep the team busy. From guiding local governments on how to apply for the nonvehicular transportation alternative set-aside funding, to reviewing and critiquing grant applications, to designing safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists once projects are awarded funding, Pape-Dawson has met and offered support to more than 100 municipalities.

TRANSPORT ATION

TRAFFIC & INTERSECTIONS

In the Metroplex, Christine Graygor, P.E.’s team is coordinating with the Land Development team on dozens of intersection improvement projects throughout Plano, a milestone endeavor for Pape-Dawson, as we are making our quality services known to the City of Plano.

Elsewhere, Dan Thoma, P.E., LEED AP, LGPP and team are strengthening their reputation as roundabout experts. While there are guidelines that dictate roundabout design, according to Dan, designing one that actually works is more of an art. In New Braunfels, Dan’s team is working on a

two-lane roundabout, which will serve as a gateway entrance to the Mayfair residential development, as well as a couple roundabouts within nearby Veramendi, where their services also include traffic calming and landscaping. Although a separate civil engineering firm was responsible for the residential design, a Cedar Park private developer reached out to Dan directly to design the development’s urban compact roundabout at the community’s entrance.

Justin Clark, P.E., PTOE’s team members are supporting transportation efforts statewide and are providing staff augmentation to our clients to keep projects moving forward. Courtney Clark, P.E., PTOE travels to TxDOT’s Bryan District biweekly to meet and work with district personnel, and Raymond Guerra, P.E. is leading digital, collaborative SOP development for the City of San Antonio. Our traffic team is also supporting the San Antonio Public Works Department through quickturnaround assignments dealing with standards and specifications development, and review of citizen 311 complaints.

SUCCESSES & SURPRISES

TRANSPORT

• For a turn-lane project in Montgomery County, Brian Zhang, Ph.D., P.E.’s civil design team obtained TxDOT approval in just 3 months: a record! Client Chick-fil-A had been expecting approval to take a year.

• Not long after learning TxDOT’s OpenBridge, Arthur Vidales, P.E. is now training the agency’s Beaumont staff in the software’s use.

STAFFERS MAKING AN IMPACT

• Jackie Hohenstein, P.E. recently led a presentation with Texas Christian University and was pivotal in positioning Pape-Dawson to win work with this new client.

• Danielle Middleton, EIT and Brandon Essler, P.E., RAS are taking on leadership roles in the Austin chapter of ASCE.

• Andrew Salazar, EIT recently returned to his alma mater, Texas A&M, to tell civil engineering students about his experiences in the workforce.

• Dustin McKinney, PMP has been nominated to serve on the ACEC TxDOT liaison committee.

• Yanfen Zhou, P.E., PTOE, PTP is serving on committees for WTS Houston chapter and TexITE.

• Courtney Clark, P.E., PTOE is ITE South Texas President this year, and on the group’s state visioning committee.

• David Morua, EIT is treasurer of Engineers Without Borders in San Antonio.

• Arthur Vidales, P.E. is participating in the TSPE leadership program.

TxDOT Yoakum District replacement bridge on FM 766 at Guadalupe River

C. Bud Stockton Loop in Jarrell

WATER RESOURCES SERVICE LINE UPDATES

Ambitious endeavors. Organizational restructuring. Here’s the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Water Resources.

We’re not dividing, we’re multiplying! Responding to annual double- and triple-digit growth each of the last five years, and with an increasingly diverse portfolio of work statewide, Water Resources reorganized into four groups offering distinct service lines, and a fifth group that supports them all.

The first two groups are the traditional work PapeDawson has historically provided: Hydrology and Hydraulics (H&H), led by Zubin Sukheswalla, P.E., CFM (DFW); and Water/Wastewater, led by Kim Keefer, P.E. (Austin). The next two groups are developing business lines:

Project Delivery, led by Chris Noe, P.E., PMP (San Antonio), which includes Construction Management, Program Management, Land Acquisition Services, and Project Controls; and Community Infrastructure, which focuses on local governments and cross-selling all of Pape-Dawson’s services, led by Alisa Max, P.E., ENV SP (Houston).

Immersed in these groups is an internal Business Development Team, comprising Matt Garcia (DFW) and three Client Service Managers: Angela Murry, ENV SP (Houston); Stephanie Winquest (DFW); and Bobby Mengden, P.E., CFM (Central Texas & Coastal Bend).

H&H

A resilient H&H team is taking shape across the state thanks to the ongoing commitment of supervisors and employees. Completed projects include Urban Flood Risk Mapping in Fort Worth, Community Development Block Grant assistance in Harris County, as well as drainage evaluations for Katy Hockley Cut Off Road and Spring Stuebner Road, Bulldog Stadium drainage analysis in La Porte site-civil services on five gas engineering and two power generation facility projects for CPS Energy in San Antonio; and scour and on-site sewage analyses for Lower Colorado River Authority facilities.

Ongoing projects include the flood warning system expansion study and emergency/reactive task orders in Fort Worth, Tivoli Way and Dietz Elkhorn Road drainage design in Fair Oaks Ranch, Annie Street drainage improvements in Austin, Lehman Road extension drainage in Kyle, the stormwater master plan for the City of Corpus Christi, and Marquis Circle and Shorewood Drive Improvements in Arlington.

The team has also been notified by the Cities of Corpus Christi, Fort Worth, and Weatherford of project selection for the Oso Creek channel bottom rectification project, Lakes of River Trails drainage design, and on-call drainage design services, respectively.

WATER/WASTEWATER

TxDOT’s massive IH 35 CapEx Central project through the heart of Austin will begin construction south of Lady Bird Lake in 2024, bringing to fruition years of work by Paco Guerrero, P.E.’s team. In June, they submitted 60% milestone design documents for water and wastewater infrastructure that will complement the roadway improvements. Unique design features include a water transmission main attached to a new pedestrian bridge spanning the lake, several trenchless crossings across and along TxDOT ROW (some as deep as 70 feet!), and several deep large-diameter sewer manholes.

Farther north, the Dallas team has

overcome several challenges on the City of Sherman’s reverse osmosis water treatment plant concentrate discharge line—including easement acquisition, outfall location changes, and design considerations for various flows. Despite these challenges, the team led by Santosh Gunavante, P.E. worked tirelessly to meet its 90% design deadline.

In Wylie, Randy Haney, P.E., CFM, PMP’s team encountered a surprise during construction of the East System Control Valve project for the North Texas Municipal Water District: a 12”-wide sludge line that had to be relocated to allow for construction to proceed. Another challenge was the long lead time for ductile iron pipe, which threatened to delay construction; to maintain project schedule, the team made a strategic decision to use PVC instead.

In Boerne, Paco’s team is helping the Miralomas Municipal Utility District address water quality issues in its

potable water system by implementing improvements to an existing water plant. Miranda Jennings, P.E. has taken over daily coordination with the client and responsibility for implementation of these improvements.

The E-54 sanitary sewer trilateral project with the San Antonio Water System has made significant strides in its construction phase, with approximately 55% of the 25,320 LF of sanitary sewer completed. Notably, a 1,964 LF, 84” diameter bore via a tunnel boring machine (TBM) and a 230 LF, 72” diameter tunnel via hand mining under a San Antonio River Authority dam have been successfully constructed through solid limestone. Construction begins this fall on the 5,140 LF dual 20” force mains, along with the E-54 14-MGD regional lift station, which will be SAWS’s second largest lift station in its system.

Finally, in Corpus Christi, work is wrapping up on the $3.7M master plan. Impact fee discussions began in August. After several intense capital

improvement advisory committee meetings, project personnel made recommendations to City Council regarding future improvements.

PROJECT DELIVERY

The Program Management team is busy with two major projects. Outside Texarkana, Kim Keefer, P.E.’s team has a happy client in the Riverbend Water Resources District (RWRD), for whom Pape-Dawson is overseeing a $370-million regional system. This success is due in large part to critical coordination with Pape-Dawson’s Environmental, Program Management, and Right-of-Way teams. With selection of a design consultant set for this summer, RWRD is extending PapeDawson’s contract 4 more years.

Meanwhile in Sherman, the team is 1 year into a 2-year contract for infrastructure improvements to support major industrial investments. This work includes upgrades to a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, pump stations, pipelines, storage tanks, and roads. Because so many large, complex projects are being developed simultaneously, the City of Sherman is using Pape-Dawson’s Program Management team to track project status, manage risk, and anticipate challenges.

Last December, our Construction Management team was awarded a $6.4M contract to continue providing services on the 85-mile Alliance Regional Water Authority pipeline. The treatment plant, booster pump station, and elevated storage tanks currently are 70% complete, and the primary pipeline from the CarrizoWilcox Aquifer to San Marcos is 83% complete. The team is charged with ensuring contractors adhere to highquality standards and achieve schedule milestones. In March, they achieved a significant internal goal with the

WATER RESOURCES

Alliance Regional Water Authority Treatment Plant

WATER RESOURCES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

successful implementation of a new Leica GPS/ArcGIS integration platform, further enhancing their abilities to manage this massive undertaking.

The Land Acquisition team received its first work order to provide right-of-way (ROW) services under a TxDOT IDIQ contract worth up to $10M. Work began in April to secure 48 parcels along IH 35 in Austin. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, Pape-Dawson provided land acquisition services to secure 19 easements for 24,000 feet of pipeline for the Medina Stonehill Special Improvement District.

COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE

The Community Infrastructure (CI) team has been hard at work strengthening relationships and promoting Pape-Dawson’s services to local government agencies. CI keeps a singular point of contact for clients across service lines, “directing traffic” by engaging the appropriate internal technical teams to fulfill various assignments.

CI proactively engaged the City of Killeen and established a relationship through close collaboration and by staying abreast of its challenges. Karen Pollock, PMP, R/W-NAC, RWP’s team has helped with ROW acquisition of several tracts for design-complete projects, allowing for construction of a new sanitary line serving a fire station. Pape-Dawson is also providing development plan review services. The CI team’s dedication to fostering a long-term partnership based on trust helped in the award of a $2-million contract for the Stagecoach Road and Drainage Project.

In Harris County Precinct 3, CI continues to cultivate the client relationship, which recently afforded Pape-Dawson’s H&H team the opportunity to complete a drainage study for Farm League Park and the surrounding area. Pape-Dawson was also selected to provide environmental support services for the expansion of South Diamondhead Boulevard in northeast Harris County.

Over the past 6 months, the CI team has undertaken several projects in collaboration with Houston-area municipal utility districts (MUD). These include evaluating options for conversion of groundwater to surface water to reduce subsidence, facilitating GIS data management for asset management, reviewing development plans, preparing bond applications, analyzing sewer systems for maintenance needs, and providing infrastructure recommendations and designs. Each project, no matter how small, contributes to the overall improvement and growth of the MUDs and the communities they serve.

PEOPLE NEWS

• Lonnie Anderson, P.E., CFM has been given special recognition from the Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA).

• Steven Dean, P.E., CFM was elected TFMA Region 6 (greater San Antonio area) Director.

• Miranda Jennings, P.E. was named treasurer for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) San Antonio Chapter.

• Kim Keefer, P.E. and Anthony Schepis, EIT presented at the Texas Chapter of the American Public Works Association conference in June.

• Kim Keefer, P.E.; Matt Garcia; Alisa Max, P.E., ENV SP; Chris Noe, P.E., PMP; and Toby Flinn, P.E., PMP have led successful Super Awesome WR trainings and Public Pursuit trainings for the department.

• Lorraine Liu, EIT was named Texas American Water Works Association Chapter Communication Chair.

• Alisa Max, P.E., ENV SP was appointed to the Texas Water Development Board Region H (upper Texas coast and southeast Texas) Water Planning Group.

• Karen Pollock, PMP, R/W-NAC, RWP has been named a recipient of the 2023 International Right of Way Association 2.0 Scholarship.

• Anthony Schepis, EIT and Ben Setterbo, P.E., CFM presented at TFMA’s annual conference.

• Zubin Sukheswalla, P.E., CFM was named Board Director and Education Committee Chair of Texas Society of Professional Engineers –Preston Trails Chapter.

• Chris Noe, P.E., PMP presented on benefits and challenges of public-private partnerships at the Nueces River Authority’s Nueces Basin Summit.

GIS SERVICE LINE UPDATES

GIS

Training and upgrading are key themes for Pape-Dawson’s GIS team.

Unlocking the full potential of GIS is a priority for PapeDawson. That’s why a companywide upgrade from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro is underway, alongside an update to our entire GIS enterprise system.

The update, “will provide new capabilities and more capacity in terms of what we can offer our clients,” said Lauren Cardona, GISP, who is working with consultant Axim Geospatial on the rollout.

With new software comes training, which is why Pape-Dawson turned to consultant TeachMeGIS to kick off an introduction to the new enterprise system with a group of 40 GIS power users in January.

In addition to training, the GIS team is sharing its expertise by relocating some of its members to different offices. Alexis Cole now works in the New Braunfels office, and Noah Taylor is in Austin. That means four Pape-Dawson locations now have at least one GIS specialist embedded in their office.

data, such as utilities and environmental constraints. The sites let users interact with the MDP based on existing and future development and provide our clients with quick information in an easy-to-access location. One particular website, built for greater:SATX, shows the locations of large tracts and can help in recruiting major companies to the Alamo City, and clients to Pape-Dawson.

The GIS team is also busy with projects for Harris County, the Alliance Regional Water Authority, the City of Sherman, and TxDOT. For the Ellington Spaceport in Houston, Lauren continues to support project efforts through webmap training. New work also continues to flow in, including a project for CPS Energy and a study on the East End Rail District to map railroad crossings and address traffic congestion near the Houston Ship Channel.

The GIS team provides support to all Pape-Dawson disciplines, especially Land Development. Websites built by the team are proving useful to master development planners and economic growth agencies. The sites provide a clear picture of master development plans (MDP) alongside key

GIS map screenshot of Stevens Ranch MDP

Map built for greater:SATX

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE LINE UPDATES

New discoveries. New hires. New laws?

Change can’t faze Pape-Dawson’s Environmental team.

HIGH COURT RULING

Valerie Collins, AICP, has had a lot of homework throughout 2023, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court. Within a day of the Court’s May 25 decision in Sackett v. EPA, at least 15 clients reached out to Valerie asking how the ruling would impact current or future projects. And people were still asking, weeks later. “Pretty much every day, I get forwarded an email from someone seeking guidance,” she said in June.

By September, her office had turned into a war room as she and her staff worked through the ramifications of the Court’s decision. Valerie has also brought the nation’s top environmental attorneys on board to guide the advice she gives to clients.

At issue in Sackett v. EPA is the balance between private property rights and public waterways. After purchasing a lot 300 feet from Idaho’s Priest Lake, Michael and Chantell Sackett had begun adding gravel and dirt to their property when the EPA threatened them with steep fines for what the agency said was a violation of the Clean Water Act.

Ruling in the Sacketts’ favor, the Court sought to clarify elements of the 1972 legislation. In particular, the phrase, “waters of the United States,” appeared throughout the text of the Clean Water Act but wasn’t clearly defined by it.

What, exactly, are the waters of the United States? Federal agencies and lower courts have disputed the term’s definition over the years.

And the Supreme Court’s ruling this year determined that “waters of the United States” does not include the Sacketts’ property, which drained into a ditch that fed into a creek that emptied into the lake.

In response to the Sackett decision, the EPA in August issued further guidance. But much remains unclear. “I’m talking to the USACE to determine what effect that has on Texas at this point, if any,” Valerie said regarding the EPA guidance.

The Sackett v. EPA majority opinion also reminded states that they have much leverage to determine rules for waterways, meaning the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality may one day modify the Texas Water Code. In 1977 the Federal Clean Water Act was amended to allow state administration of the Section 404 program. Where the federal government leaves off jurisdiction, the states may begin, or may jointly govern the Section 404 program.

“A lot of our clients are watching this with bated breath,” Valerie said in June, as this decision will likely result in an overall reduction in federal jurisdiction over certain waterways, and significant project savings. But, Pape-Dawson is using caution in advising clients on how to proceed, case-by-case. “Some of our clients are asking for us to obtain Approved Jurisdictional Determinations from the US Army Corps of Engineers right now so they can catch this wave before the political tides change again,” she said, “and that is a move we recommend for many.”

TXDOT

In addition to taking a deep dive into environmental case law, Valerie and her team are helping TxDOT look out for taxpayers and other creatures. While verifying a subconsultant’s noise study for FM 812 expansion, the team uncovered mistakes in the analysis that would have led to installing a

noise barrier costing the taxpayers millions. The FM 812 project is one of several for which Pape-Dawson provides in-house environmental services as well as QA/QC on subconsultants’ work.

Another initiative involves Valerie’s team training construction crews for TxDOT projects regarding what to do if they encounter certain caves that may contain federally endangered species.

Waller Creek in Austin

UTSA’s

ENVIRONMENTAL

GEOSCIENCES

Heather Johnson and team have completed a report documenting oversight of excavation of affected soils and confirmation sampling in support of a major land sale to a high-profile, confidential client. The follow-up report commenced after Heather’s team found evidence of a diesel spill during Phase I ESA activities at the 738-acre Medina County site. Submittal of the report was completed early, which facilitated the property closing by the seller and buyer. New work includes creating a plan to address contamination at Houston’s

North Canal flood control project. PapeDawson will help the City of Houston review another consultant’s report and build a work team to include EPA, TCEQ, and the City. Other projects include numerous Phase I ESAs mainly for commercial projects in the San Antonio area, but also to include the Rio Grande Valley

UNCOVERING HISTORY

Near the entrance to the San Antonio Zoo, Pape-Dawson has found some of the city’s earliest civil engineering. The acequia system was a series of artificial canals that delivered water to 18thcentury San Antonians. Parts of that system, including the piece near the zoo, were used until the early 20th century. Karissa Basse, Ph.D., RPA anticipates the zoo might create an exhibit around the discovery.

Karissa’s team is also working with The University of Texas at San Antonio on its “new” Southwest Campus. Although new to UTSA, the campus has had a long history of providing education. Some structures on site date to the 1850s and were originally part of the Ursuline Academy, a Catholic girls school. After the Ursulines left, the buildings were restored and by 1998 had become the Southwest School of Art and Craft. In 2022, UTSA acquired the independent art school and is merging it with the university’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts. UTSA is aiming to improve the campus and continue arts education, expanding programs for students and community members throughout the city.

Elsewhere in San Antonio, Karissa’s team is making sure no archaeological sites are disturbed during citywide fiberoptic installation or during tree planting at Maverick and Roosevelt Parks. “There is potential for acequias and other significant resources, like artifacts and

foundations related to 1700–1800s homesteads, to be present buried beneath the ground,” she said.

In Austin, a new phase has launched for work at Waller Creek. Known as The Confluence, this segment runs from 4th Street to Lady Bird Lake and is part of the 1.5-mile Waterloo Greenway. The linear park, once complete, will connect Waterloo Park/Moody Amphitheater to the lake. The cultural resources team is monitoring for deeply buried precontact (Native American) archaeological sites, which may still exist along the creek’s edge even after almost 200 years of urban sprawl and historical flooding.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• The environmental team has two new hires. Kallista Karastamatis, RPA is a specialist in bio-archaeology. And Fernanda Flores, who just earned her bachelor’s from UTSA, will be working with her alma mater on its habitat conservation plan.

• Pape-Dawson is launching a project in Lubbock: the Texas General Land Office and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are sponsoring an environmental assessment for a new veterans cemetery.

• Karissa recently spoke at San Antonio’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy about higher education and careers in archaeology, and she was a guest lecturer at UTSA to inform archaeology students about the nuances of public archaeology and cultural resource management.

Upper Labor Acequia at the San Antonio Zoo

UTSA’s Southwest Campus

SERVICE LINE U

SURVEY

Airports expand. Highways stay safe. Kids get to play. And Pape-Dawson Survey goes up, up, and away.

AUSTIN

Pape-Dawson is reaching new heights—literally. Geospatial specialists David Trotter and Kyle Garcia have completed the firm’s first-ever helicopter-based LiDAR scan. The chopper and its pilot were rented and hired from Seguin-based Veracity Aviation to fly over Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch development. “We chose to use helicopter because of Wolf Ranch’s size and the proximity to the Georgetown

airport,” said Angela Livingston, CP, CMS-Lidar, GISP. “FAA requires drones to remain within line of sight of the pilot, which would have been very difficult on this project.”

Back on the ground, residential and commercial are keeping Austin busy.

Projects wrapping include the Cadillac Apartments east of Austin plus Phases 3, 4, and 5 of the 383-lot Grove at Blackhawk in Pflugerville. Nearby, Valerie Zurcher, RPLS and team just finished 250–300 acres of commercial off Wilke Lane.

The Austin office is also supporting a 3.2-mile force main wastewater pipeline near Pflugerville that will connect the communities of Meadowlark Preserve and New Sweden. The pipeline is part of the New Sweden lift station, which collects wastewater and pumps it through the force main to a treatment plant.

Finally, a complete topographic survey has launched for Austin ISD’s Mariposa Family Learning Center.

SURVEY

If you find yourself having a little more fun next summer, you may have San Antonio survey crews to thank. Survey Project Manager Tony Palomo’s team just completed a 9-acre design topographic and tree survey for Sesame Street® Bay of Play® at SeaWorld San Antonio. And at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Pape-Dawson survey work is paving the way for replacement of bumper cars with the new KID FLASH™ Cosmic Coaster.

Downtown, Tony’s team is completing a design topographic survey near the Tower of the Americas plus staking for the water features at Hemisfair’s Civic Park, which opened in September.

At the San Antonio International Airport, Angela Weller, RPLS’s Survey team combined efforts with Angela Livingston’s Geospatial team to contribute to the facility’s expansion. Their topographic survey deliverable, using drone-based LiDAR and conventional survey methods, will help airport management redistribute employee parking to make room for the new terminal. “We saved so much crew time by using a combination of drone LiDAR and on-the-ground survey supplementation,” Angela Livingston said. The project also required collaborating with air traffic control to schedule the drone flights around

Geospatial specialist Kyle Garcia mounts the scanner to the chopper’s nose prior to flying over Georgetown’s Wolf Ranch.

SURVEY

takeoff and landing of airplanes. The effort has resulted in two task orders for Pape-Dawson’s design team. Plus, PapeDawson is using the project as a learning tool for collaboration between Survey and Geospatial.

DFW METROPLEX

While it’s mostly fun and games in South Texas, recent Metroplex work has focused on driver safety. Survey Manager Marcos Madrid, RPLS recently oversaw an erosion control topographic survey of SH 161 at Forum Drive in Grand Prairie. Rainwater seeping through columns of the elevated highway was creating 6’-8’-deep cracks in the ground. To measure the problem, “We used everything: GPS, level, digital level, and our robots,” Marcos said.

DFW offices are also surveying traffic signals at SH 26 in the Mid-Cities as well as the FM 1123 and FM 219 bridges in TxDOT’s Waco District. The Waco work marks the first time Pape-Dawson has submitted a deliverable using TxDOT’s new OpenRoads software. Transitioning from MicroStation to OpenRoads is “akin to the leap that AutoCAD took

from LDD [Land Development Desktop] to Civil 3D,” said Angela Weller. She praised Marcos and his team for how quickly they’ve mastered OpenRoads. “Big, big kudos to Marcos’s team,” she said, noting they will soon begin training other Pape-Dawson staff in how to use the software.

HOUSTON

In Houston, schools and flood control are emerging as key themes.

Survey Manager Austan Lupher, RPLS and his team just completed four intersections for the City of Conroe, plus the abandonment survey for Rogers Road in Montgomery County.

New projects include full boundary topographic surveys for Fort Bend ISD’s Briargate Elementary and YES Prep’s West Brey site, a 200-acre boundary survey in support of drainage easement for Pulte, plats for CenterPoint Energy substations, and lift stations for the Porter Municipal Utility District.

ELSEWHERE IN TEXAS

TxDOT continues to rely on Pape-Dawson for projects statewide.

Just east of Kerrville, Angela Weller’s team is supporting Mashhood Shah, P.E’s project at IH 10 and FM 783, which may result in “flipping the stack” because of low clearance, Angela Weller said. She noted TxDOT indicated they want to use this project as a model for how to address additional low bridges for the San Antonio District.

Survey continues at Veramendi, Meyer Ranch, and Mayfair residential developments in New Braunfels; plus US 281 in Comal County; Loop 410 in San Antonio; FM 150 and Stagecoach Road in Kyle. Smaller projects include surveying sidewalks and doublechecking construction grades at new developments.

Finally, just south of the Red River, along US 83, Angela Weller’s team is supporting a 42-mile US 83 highway improvement project for Steven Tate, P.E., CFM and James Lutz, P.E. To expedite progress and perform on an accelerated timeline, crews converged from San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. “Although we began this project well into spring, it snowed on us at least twice!” Angela Weller said.

Google Earth image of the San Antonio International Airport. The hot pink border represents the project limits, where Pape-Dawson is combining conventional methods with drone-based LiDAR to create one unified detailed design survey. This work will help designers relocate employee parking to make way for a new terminal.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

LEADERSHIP PROMOTIONS & NEW HIRES

MICHAEL PREISS, P.E. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS HOUSTON

MATT B. GARCIA SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT DALLAS

Michael Preiss has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Operations. Michael has been instrumental in growing Pape-Dawson’s presence in Greater Houston, from a single employee in September 2009 to nearly 300 today. In his new role, he will oversee corporate functions such as Human Resources, Learning and Development, Talent Acquisition, Information Technology, Budgeting and Metrics, and Acquisition Integration.

Michael coordinates our annual Operations Plans and provides insight through his analysis and reporting on various key performance indicators.

Matt B. Garcia has been promoted to Senior Vice President. Matt joined Pape-Dawson in June 2018 and has 30 years of experience in business development for global engineering and construction firms. His leadership at Pape-Dawson can be measured by the new clients we have added, especially in North Texas, and the large signature projects and programs he has successfully captured. They include the $52M Riverbend Water Resources District program and the $11M Sherman Infrastructure Program for Texas Instruments.

EXCELLENCE

Keith Ikels has been promoted to Chief Information Officer.

Keith joined Pape-Dawson in February of this year, bringing 36 years of information technology experience with him. His areas of expertise include information security, program and change management, regulatory compliance, and financial management.

In his role as Chief Information Officer, he will lead our Information Technology department in the management of critical functions including system administration, help desk operations, system security, applications, and technology assets.

Join us in welcoming Thomas Ruschkewicz as Senior Vice President, Survey/Geomatics.

Thomas joins Pape-Dawson with 30 years of experience in the survey and geospatial industry. In his most recent role, Thomas managed a geospatial division with over 400 staff that provided traditional surveying, subsurface utility engineering, hydrographic surveying, photogrammetric mapping, and mobile/aerial/terrestrial LiDAR services.

He will provide operational oversight and support for the Survey and Geospatial groups throughout Pape-Dawson and will be an integral part of our growth strategy.

Join us in welcoming Raymond Suire as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Raymond joins Pape-Dawson with 29 years of experience. As General Counsel, Raymond will provide corporate governance, litigation management, enterprise strategic planning, and risk management to ensure success on projects as Pape-Dawson continues to expand in size and depth of professional services.

His experience includes deal formation, partnership development, and negotiation of industrial-scale engineering and construction projects throughout the United States and abroad.

Ricardo Gomez has been promoted to Managing Vice President, Corpus Christi.

Ricardo joined Pape-Dawson in August 2012 at our headquarters in San Antonio and began managing the new Corpus Christi office last summer. He has been instrumental in growing Pape-Dawson’s presence in the Coastal Bend and developing client confidence. Since moving to the Water Resources team in 2018, Ricardo has managed multiple special districts and has led the design of water and wastewater pipelines and facilities.

EXCELLENCE

RICARDO GOMEZ, P.E. MANAGING VICE PRESIDENT CORPUS CHRISTI

THOMAS RUSCHKEWICZ, RPLS, PLS

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SURVEY/GEOMATICS AUSTIN

RAYMOND SUIRE, JD

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL SAN ANTONIO

KEITH IKELS CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER SAN ANTONIO

GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE OF PD

JENNIFER FRANKLIN, P.E. ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT AUSTIN

Q

What do you do for fun?

Q

Who would you most like to meet and why?

Chris Hadfield. I’m currently reading his biography An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.

Q

What is the best meal you have ever had?

Lunch buffet at El Ceviche De Waldito on Evers Road in San Antonio! I still try to go as often as I can.

If you could learn any skill, what would it be?

I just got my scuba certification last year and I’m looking forward to trying more things like night and cave diving.

Play with my 8-month-old son. Watching him discover new things is a blast!

Q

Q Q

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.

What is an interesting fact about you that most people don’t know?

My ancestors were the very first settlers of my hometown of Plattsburg, Missouri in 1830.

Where did you meet your spouse?

MySpace! My carefully crafted profile layout was the bomb.

LUCY FERNANDEZ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DALLAS

Q Q Q

ANGELA LIVINGSTON, CP, CMS-LIDAR, GISP VICE PRESIDENT, GEOSPATIAL SERVICES AUSTIN

What was your favorite TV show when growing up? Daffy Duck cartoons.

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?

Lord of the Rings is my go-to. I even received the cookbook for my birthday!

What is an interesting fact about you that most people don’t know?

I come from a migrant family and grew up in the fields picking cherries, apples, pears, and more!

What is something you’re particularly proud of (outside of PD)?

My three beautiful and funny daughters.

What do you do for fun?

I love family time. I’m blessed with a wife and four kids (7, 6, 3.5, and 18 months) that make for a full life of puzzles, Magna-Tiles, movies, forts, games, outside time, sports, and more!

Your favorite Pape-Dawson memory?

The Real Estate Council of Fort Worth Dodgeball Tournament in 2022 and/ or the daily conversations that go down rabbit holes and lead to getting to know more about my colleagues.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I’d say yes…because I haven’t found them.

What are three things still left on your bucket list?

Climb a mountain that exceeds an elevation of 14,000 feet above sea level, take my kids fishing, and make more memories with my wife and family.

What character trait(s) do you most admire?

Trust. Being trustworthy and dependable goes a long way. It doesn’t matter if it’s family, friends, or co-workers. Trust is one of the most important characteristics to have.

What show are you binge watching right now?

I just finished Jury Duty. It was a great mockumentary show that I highly recommend. The last episode was amazing, and we don’t always get that kind of behind-the-scenes insight.

What is an interesting fact about you that most people don’t know?

I am licensed and know how to ride motorcycles. I just haven’t owned one since high school.

Q

Your favorite Pape-Dawson memory?

I have a lot of great memories at Pape-Dawson and often look back fondly on sitting in the break room during lunch with my fellow new engineers and playing UNO! I think our obsession with playing UNO actually was the reason why board games got implemented into the break room.

What’s something new you enjoy learning about?

Sounds a bit weird to say since I grew up here, but San Antonio! The city has a lot to offer, and I feel like I have been rediscovering it recently through trying out new places, learning about the city’s history, or discovering what could be developing here in the future. Being at PD certainly encourages this as we get to see a lot of what’s coming before it really hits the ground!

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?

I have a group of friends from middle school that I have been playing video games with for a decade. We live all across the U.S. now but connect over nerding out on PC gaming!

MATT MENDEZ

ENGINEER IV HOUSTON

TYLER KOZMA, P.E.

PROJECT ENGINEER SAN ANTONIO

MATT MALY, P.E.

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FORT WORTH

GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE OF PD

Q

What’s something new you enjoy learning about?

I enjoy learning about different ways to cook. Whether it is grilling, smoking, or deep frying, it is fun to try different methods to make some delicious food. My most recent discovery is cooking steak in an air fryer. It is surprisingly fast and tasty.

What was your favorite TV show when growing up?

I can’t pick a favorite, but two shows that come to mind are Walker, Texas Ranger (Chuck Norris does not do push-ups... he pushes the ground down) and Saved by the Bell.

Do you have any strange phobias?

Snakes! This is not necessarily a strange phobia, but it is ironic since I am a land surveyor and usually encounter them while in the field. I also enjoy being outside in general, so my head is always on a swivel.

What character trait(s) do you most admire?

Sense of urgency and drive to accomplish intrinsic goals.

Q

Q

Q Q

Your favorite Pape-Dawson memory?

Developing proposals with our Marketing team. They are rock stars!

What is the best meal you have ever had?

My wife will read this... so anything she cooks!

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Always be yourself. If your values do not align with the situation, evaluate why and gain an understanding to help grow intrinsically.

Q Q Q Q

What show are you binge watching right now?

The Sopranos. I find myself eating pasta and drinking a lot of wine because of it.

Where did you meet your spouse?

We met when we were both serving in the Air Force and stationed in Honduras. We were engaged after three months, married after six months, and will be celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary this year.

What are three things still left on your bucket list?

1. Retire

2. Buy land

3. Open a dog ranch rescue

What is an interesting fact about you that most people don’t know?

I grew up in “The Carrot Capital of the World” – Holtville, California

CHRISTINA PALACIOS

PROJECT CONTROLS MANAGER SAN ANTONIO

ANDREW EDWARDS, P.E., LGPP

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER SAN ANTONIO

JON COOPER, RPLS

SURVEY DEPARTMENT MANAGER SAN ANTONIO

PEOPLE, PLACES, PICTURES, AND PARTIES

Fore!

The Annual Pape-Dawson Fall Golf Tournament was held at the Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio on Saturday, October 14th. Golfers had some great weather and had a great view of the solar eclipse! Congrats to the winners, and thanks to all who came out to enjoy a great day on the course.

1st Low Gross: Dan Thoma, Steve Tate, Grant Wuebben, Justin Clark

2nd Low Gross: Ben Hurkett, Hayden Fowlkes, Marco Lopez, Trey Martin

1st Low Net: Bart Lamond, Rob Lamond, Kara Tschirhart, Gary Tschirhart

2nd Low Net: Lee Niles, Courtney Clark, Carlos Rodriguez, Wesley Hawkins

Just Gross (Most Honest): Johnny Martinez, Matthew Hernandez, Manuel Hernandez, Jonathan Valles

Long Drive Winner: Trey Martin

Closest to the Pin: Kara Tschirhart & Krishan Bhardwaj

Halloween

PD staff had a spooky good time celebrating Halloween! We had employee appreciation lunches, games and contests statewide!

College Colors Day

PD employees showed up and showed out for National College Colors Day wearing their alma mater attire!

Pink!

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and PD wore pink to show our support for all those who have been impacted by this disease. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Remind your loved ones to schedule preventative screenings - early detection saves lives!

New Braunfels

Christmas Party

December 1 • McAdoo’s Seafood Company

Corpus Christi

Christmas Party

December 15 • Katz’ 21

Dallas

Christmas Party

December 1 • PD Dallas Office

San Antonio

Christmas Party

December 9 • Hyatt Hill Country Resort

ChristmasParty December9•HyattHillCountryResort San Antonio

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Thank you to all Pape-Dawson employees for volunteering your time to local nonprofits in your communities that provide vital services to those in need year-round. The Pape-Dawson Charitable Foundation donated $280,000 in 2023 because of you!

IN OUR COMMUNITY AUGUST FUNDRAISING

Each year, August at Pape-Dawson is a FUN time filled with treats, games, and events to benefit the Pape-Dawson Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 to provide employees the opportunity to make a positive impact through local charitable organizations.

Throughout the state, offices embraced the PD Grand Prix theme by hosting Mario Kart tournaments, bingo, car wash competitions, office Olympics, a dunkathon, and so much more!

Through FUNdraisers, donations, and pledges, we raised a historic amount; $329,000! These funds will be donated to employee-selected nonprofits across the state. A huge thank you to everyone for participating. Because of you, we are able to make a difference in our communities!

TWINS!

PhoebeRaine Andoh-Dontoh February9,2023 5lbs.12oz.|19inches

CongratulationstoKennethAndoh-Dontoh (Houston)andhiswife,ElsieAntwi!

CristianoSanchez August22,2023

Congratulations to Lauren Moran (Austin)

7lbs.15oz.|20.75inches

CongratulationstoSelinaSanchez(San Antonio)andherhusband,Daniel!

LucyKateLaster May8,2023 5lbs.14oz.|20inches

CrewBouquetAlexander June 9, 2023 8 lbs. 6 oz. | 21.5 inches

CongratulationstoJeremyLaster(San Antonio)andhiswife,Leah!

Congratulations to Josh Bouquet (Houston) and his wife, Kaitlin!

Justin James Bjornstrom June 7, 2023 7 lbs. 14 oz. | 21 inches

Congratulations to Erik Bjornstrom (Dallas) and his wife, Stephanie!

Celebrations

MerrittJacksonDooley

May7,2023

8lbs.3oz.|21.5inches

CongratulationstoJoeDooley(San Antonio)andhiswife,Deborah!

Aylin Lori Ulusoy

May 5, 2023

7 lbs. | 20 inches

Congratulations to Sarah Ulusoy (Austin) and her husband, Eren!

BABIES

Adelaide Ritzell

April 10, 2023

6 lbs. 13 oz. | 18.75 inches

Congratulations to Nic Ritzell (Dallas) and his wife, Breanne!

Nicole Elizabeth Garza

Emilia Rose Adame

March 8, 2023

8lbs.12oz.|21inches

Congratulations to Alberto Gomez (North Houston) and his wife, Alexis Trejo!

Eloise Elaine Shelton

February 22, 2023

8 lbs. 6 oz. | 20.25 inches

Congratulations to Jacob Shelton (Dallas) and his wife, Kylee!

Pierre Ian Libebele

September 15, 2023

7lbs.8oz.|19Inches

Congratulations to Christian Libebele (Dallas) and his wife, Jessica!

Adelaide Faye Keith

CelebrationsWEDDINGS

Matt Walker (San Antonio) and Elizabeth Sanchez were married on August 19, 2023, at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort in Boerne, TX. The couple “mini-mooned” in Fredericksburg, TX, and are planning a European honeymoon in the spring.

Brandon Breazeale (San Antonio) and Luisa Garcia were married on June 25, 2023, in Helotes, TX. The couple honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Jared Weyer (Houston) and Samantha Harris were married on May 20, 2023, in Franklin, TX. The couple honeymooned in Costa Rica.

Travis Krause (Austin) and Lauren Johnson were married on September 15, 2023, in Dripping Springs, TX. They are planning a Caribbean cruise for their honeymoon.

Jackie Hohenstein (Fort Worth) and Justin Barla were married on May 20, 2023, at St. Thomas Becket Catholic Church with their reception at Lucky Spur Ranch in Justin, Texas. They went on a Mediterranean Cruise to Italy and Greece for their honeymoon in June.

WEDDINGS

Roxanne Torres (Houston) and Mynor Vasquez were married on April 21, 2023, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Knox Theus (San Antonio) and Gabrielle Fitzpatrick were married on September 9, 2023, in Woodbine, GA. The couple honeymooned in Key West, FL.

Chase Visina (Fort Worth) and Tiffany Mittendorfer were married on June 3, 2023, in Leonard, TX. The couple honeymooned in the Dominican Republic.

Pamela Canales (San Antonio) and Franklin Robert Massey were married on September 30, 2023, in Tequila, Mexico. They are planning to honeymoon in Europe next summer.