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AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK | FEBRUARY 18-24, 2018
Sustainable building materials benefit the planet
Omaha firm takes being green to heart
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Engineers mentor high school students
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ACE Mentor Program puts engineers into classrooms By Kevin WarneKe WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT
Jenna Reynard didn’t think finding ways to improve a parking lot could be so interesting. The Omaha North High School senior spent last semester creating a plan to make the Norris Middle School parking lot and its student drop-off process more efficient. The project was part of the ACE (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Mentor Program, which was incorporated into the Project Lead the Way engineering class at North High. The national mentoring program brings architects, construction managers and engineers into high school classrooms to spark interest in their professions. The program brought Reynard and Doug Walter of E&A Consulting Group together to work on the parking lot project. “At first, he scared me,” said Reynard, who plans to study engineering in college. “Then I realized he was only trying to challenge me, to make me better.” Reynard’s engineering teacher at North, Shanna Sedlacek, said the program has helped her students understand the complexity of architecture, construction management and engineering. “Some students, for example, thought being a mechanical engineer means you work on cars,” she said. “They may. But they may also work on an HVAC system in an office building or on a piping schematic or an industrial plant.” Or they may learn that there’s more to designing a restroom than placing the fixtures, she said. Students initially don’t realize that bathrooms must be accessible, which dictates how high those fixtures can be and how wide the doors must be. Mike McMeekin, chairman of the ACE Mentor Omaha board, said the program grew from a challenge issued by City of Omaha and Omaha Public Schools officials to impact inner-city Omaha communities in a meaningful way. “We asked firms like ours what we could do to influence young people into the professions,” said McMeekin, who also is Lamp Rynearson’s board chairman. “We took a longer-term approach.” McMeekin issued a call to local industry professionals to work with OPS high school students interested in careers in architec-
Engineer Doug Walter and student Jenna Reynard work on a project in an Omaha North High School engineering class. Walter is a mentor in the ACE Mentor Program. BRAD J. WILLIAMS
ture, construction management and engineering. The request drew enough response to start ACE programs in OPS and at Westside High School and Creighton Prep. Their charge: “Make a connection with young people. Help them accomplish something and learn how to solve problems — and make a career out of it.” The program, which features 45 industry professionals from 25 local companies, awarded five $4,000 scholarships last year to program participants, with plans to increase that support this year. Two of last year’s recipients are studying engineering at Nebraska universities; the others are still in high school. Mike Holton, a design engineer at Ehrhart Griffin & Associates, had heard of the mentoring program before it came to Omaha. He said his company wanted to get more in-
volved in the community, and the program presented the opportunity. Holton, who worked with Omaha North students weekly last semester, currently visits every other week as part of a rotation of program participants. Holton admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect regarding the students’ interest and knowledge. He said he was surprised. “I’ve been amazed at how far along these students are. It’s great to see how interested they are,” Holton said. He worked with students to develop land for a restaurant. The students decided whether to use an existing site or find an open lot. He taught them about the need for proper drainage and the importance of properly situating utilities and parking. Holton said he has benefited from his program involvement and expects that his company also will at some point.
“I always felt teaching and telling others how things work in your profession, explaining things in layman’s terms, helps your own understanding,” he said. McMeekin said the strong response by students and mentors has him thinking about expanding the program’s reach. Typically, ACE mentors work with students who already are interested in architecture, construction management and engineering. “We want to reach students who don’t know anything about us,” McMeekin said. “We’re not on their radar.” Reynard, the Omaha North student, said engineering is definitely on her radar, and that participating in the program has reinforced her interest. “At one point I’m arguing with my classmate, then I’m talking to a professional engineer,” she said. “I’m learning while I participate.”
engineers A special advertising section of the Omaha World-Herald, produced in conjunction with the American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska. Special sections editor: Chris Christen, 402-444-1094, chris.christen@owh.com // Project editor: Howard K. Marcus, 402-444-1397, howard.marcus@owh.com Designer: Kiley Cruse // Contributing writer: Kevin Warneke // Advertising coordinator: Anita Powley // Cover photo: Farris Engineering For special section advertising information, contact Dan Matuella, 402-444-1485, dan.matuella@owh.com •
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Sustainable products, systems a ‘win, win, win’ for environment By Kevin WarneKe WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT
Though it may not be top of mind, sustainable materials and systems in building projects can have a positive environmental impact. Making energy recovery units, cross-laminated timber and clay pipe part of building projects is worth considering, said three Omaha-area experts. “In my mind, pushing the envelope and learning more is always important. Some of these options may not have been possible five years ago. Because Trevor of advancement in Larsen technology, we have new tools for making buildings more sustainable and better overall, said Trevor Larsen, a structural engineer with Thompson, Dreessen & Dorner Inc. Cross-laminated timber: Picture layers of wooden boards stacked in alternating directions, bonded with structural adhesives and pressed, forming a plank 16 inches thick. “You create layers, which can be used to make roofs, floors and walls — anything that is flat,” Larsen said. An environmental benefit of using
cross-laminated timbers, or CLTs, is that they are made of wood — a renewable resource. “Grow a tree, you harvest it and turn it into a product,” he said. Another benefit is that consumers like the look of wood in their homes. “They like the grain,” he said. Larsen said that although he had heard about CLTs only in the past two years, his company has used them in several projects, including Papillion’s new recreation center. The cost of using CLTs is comparable to other products, he said. Larsen recently suggested CLTs to an architect who wanted to put a wood veneer roof on an administration building in Georgia. “I told him ‘you get the finish you want, and we can get the structure we want,’ ” he said. Energy recovery units: At its core, the concept of an energy recovery unit is simple. Buildings must bring in outdoor air to meet ventilation code, and must offset the air exhausted from spaces such as restrooms and kitchens. Typically, energy in exhausted air — which has been heated or cooled, with moisture removed or added — is lost to the atmosphere. “At some point, someone identified that as a waste,” said Sarah Gude-
A benefit of using cross-laminated timbers, or CLTs, is that they are made of wood — a renewable resource.
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man, mechanical project manager and energy analyst for Morrissey Engineering. Energy recovery units, or ERUs, capture that lost energy (and humidity) from exhaust and reintroduce it to the ventilation air coming into a building, Gudeman said. Though their use isn’t visible or noticeable, she said, ERUs are especially worth considering for new construction. Because ERUs require sepaSarah Gudeman rate air ducts, incorporating them in retrofits can be challenging, Gudeman said. She said ERUs have become more common in the past decade and provide benefits beyond eventual cost savings and minimized use of natural resources. “People are starting to be more aware of the concept of wellness of the people in their buildings,” she said, noting that studies indicate, for example, that schools with better ventilation systems have lower absenteeism rates among students, who earn higher test scores. She called ERUs a “win-win-win.” Clay pipe: Use of clay pipe in construction is experiencing a renaissance, thanks to an improved manufacturing process. Modern clay pipe is produced using high-powered presses instead of steam equipment, which makes them two to three times stronger than the pipe produced in the late 1800s. Joints are made
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What is ACEC Nebraska?
of rubber and factory-applied, which prevents leaks. Joints previously were applied in the field and often involved tar or mortar. “Longevity is the key for using clay pipe,” said David Gill of Logan Clay Products in Blair. “The initial cost to install clay pipe may be more, but with clay pipe, first cost is last cost.” Some cases in point: 4,000-year-old clay pipe has been found in Turkey. Some Omaha sewer pipes made of clay date to the 1880s and remain in service. Clay pipe is worth conDavid sidering, Gill said, because Gill it is a fired ceramic made of clay and water. The properties of ceramics do not break down over time. “That’s why grandma’s fine china gets passed down through the generations,” he said. Gill provided two additional reasons to consider clay pipe: Cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco use clay pipe in their sewer systems, which allows use of higher pressures and aggressive mechanical tools to keep the lines clean. Modern clay pipe is the predominant pipe type used with the Guided Boring Method, a tunneling process for installing sewer lines without digging a ditch.
By Jeanne Mcclure The American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska (ACEC Nebraska) is the only organization devoted exclusively to the business and advocacy interests of engineering companies. Our 50 member firms employ more than 3,000 individuals across NebrasJeanne ka — firms that McClure are engaged in a wide range of engineering projects that propel the nation’s economy, and enhance and safeguard America’s quality of life. As a professional business association, ACEC Nebraska’s role is to assist member firms with opportunities to shine. We think it very important to celebrate and honor outstanding engineering projects and engineers from Nebraska. Nebraska is home to engineering firms whose work touches a range of construction and renovation
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Innovative Engineering //
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projects, from bridges and prisons to water-purification plants and energy generation and distribution systems. The firms figure out how to suspend bridges, purify rainwater, build earthquake-resistant buildings, heat and cool 40-story buildings and renovate wastewater treatment systems. They design and construct the components of our “built environment” such as roads, bridges, tunnels, buildings, sewers, water-treatment systems, hazardous-waste disposal systems and more. Each February our industry celebrates engineering, and our Engineering Excellence Awards recognize the innovation and creativity that keep our communities working. Engineers are problem-solvers. They investigate the challenge, then develop the best, most innovative and effective solutions possible for their clients. Engineering makes all the difference in our world. The author is executive director of ACEC Nebraska.
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42nd and Q Street Intersections Improvements Felsburg Holt & Ullevig and HGM Associates for the City of Omaha Category winner: Transportation South Omaha is known for its vibrant, culturally diverse neighborhoods built on proud traditions and a history of hard work. However, the failing bridge and outdated intersections at 42nd and Q Streets were not reflective of that pride and tradition. Built in 1961 over BNSF rail lines, the bridge’s structural deficiencies nearly forced its closure to vehicular traffic. The intersections had higher than average crash rates and were dangerous for pedestrians. In 2009, the City of Omaha hired Felsburg Holt & Ullevig and HGM Associates Inc. to update the intersections and bridge to current design and safety standards. The project area has since been transformed for the 46,000 daily drivers it serves. The new Q Street bridge is a spacesaving, single-span structure that safely meets the needs of the vehicular and pedestrian traffic traveling on top and the BNSF Railway below. The two outdated signalized T-intersections were replaced with a modern, efficient multilane roundabout on the west side of the new bridge and a single-lane roundabout on the east side. Together they reduce speeds through the intersections and the potential for high-speed, right-angle crashes. The project provides a safe, pedestrian-friendly gateway to South Omaha businesses, schools, parks and neighborhoods.
Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy Farris Engineering for CHI Health Category winner: Building/Technology Systems Relocation of a Level 1 trauma center and academic medical center to a new area within a busy working hospital in Omaha required extensive collaboration and project phasing. The project evolved as new services and functions were added. The extensively renovated campus includes new emergency and trauma suites with 21 examination rooms; safe hold, isolation and sexual assault treatment rooms; a helipad; clinic spaces; classrooms; intensive care units; laboratories; and offices.
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Kapi’olani Medical Center NICU/PICU Add HDR Engineering for Kapi’olani Medical Cen Hawaii Category winner: Structural Systems The Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)/Pediat Care Unit (PICU) Tower, which opened in spr first major hospital project on the center’s c the early 1970s. The new tower provides an 200,000 square feet in a six-story structure has the potential for future vertical expansi additional floors. The project involved many high cost of construction in Hawaii, high win forces, and a tight project site. By using an structural system, all challenges were met effective way. The result is a new hospital t quintupled the size of the previous NICU an outpatient, education and support functions front door to the hospital surrounded by an representing the welcoming of new life.
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dition nter, Honolulu,
n and Children tric Intensive ring 2017, is the campus since an estimated e. The tower ion with three y challenges: the nd and seismic n innovative in a costtower that nearly nd provides s; and a new n open “lei”
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Great Salt Lake Causeway Improvements HDR Engineering for Union Pacific Railroad Transportation After a railroad causeway across the Great Salt Lake created one of the world’s most unique ecological marvels, a team designed a new bridge opening and performed water quality modeling to maintain the rare environment. Salt and water transfer between the two lake arms had been reduced after the structural deterioration and closure of two culverts. Performing the first extensive lake modeling since 1997, the team updated and recalibrated the water and salt balance. The new 180-foot-long bridge enables lake managers to adjust salt and water transfer between the lake’s north and south arms. Designing a stable bridge structure proved challenging, given the area’s soft sediment and two tectonic faults. To mitigate these conditions, the bridge was constructed in a geologically stable area, with additional stability provided by 40 piles driven more than 200 feet deep — unusual for a 35-footdeep lake. Project completion marks renewed cooperation among all stakeholders to protect and preserve the assets of the Great Salt Lake. The project is valued by Union Pacific, which can continue to operate safely; state officials, who have a long-term lake management solution; and environmental groups, who see the lake’s ecological resources continuing to thrive.
Fort Omaha Campus Expansion Morrissey Engineering for Metropolitan Community College Building/Technology Systems Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus Expansion includes three new-construction buildings pursuing LEED Gold certification, along with a new central utilities plant. The buildings are designed to create a new, application-based teaching model and achieve a high degree of student retention and success by focusing on skilled trade and technology-based degrees. The buildings immerse occupants in the building systems, making the structures an extension of the syllabus. Each building has a different design aesthetic, along with different architectural lighting concepts incorporated into each public space.
Jackson Dinsdale Art Center Thompson, Dreessen & Dorner Inc. for Hastings College Structural Systems Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, is home to the new Jackson Dinsdale Art Center. The $6.8 million, 24,600-square-foot facility was inspired by the life of Jackson Dinsdale, a young man passionate about art. The building design represents the art instruction areas of ceramics (brick façade), glass blowing (glass curtain wall) and metalworking (steel). The building includes classrooms, galleries and studios for glass blowing, metal sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography. Support areas include an office suite, permanent collection storage space and wood shop. Inclusion of two geometric scrim structures and several steel canopies gives the building a sculptural appearance and adds to a visually stimulating design that serves as a learning opportunity for art students.
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2018 ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS MerIT aWardS
I N T E G R AT I O N O F R C R A C O R R E C T I V E A C T I O N
U P P E R S N A K E R I V E R WAT E R S H E D S T U D Y
Studies, research and Consulting engineering Services
C H I L L E D WAT E R E X PA N S I O N F O R K A N S A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y
environmental
OMAHA SIGN MANAGEMENT INVENTORY
Integration of RCRA Corrective Action * Burns & McDonnell for Loveland Products Inc.
Surveying and Mapping Technology Omaha Sign Management Inventory * Olsson Associates for the City of Omaha
168th Street Environmental Assessment * Alfred Benesch & Co. for the City of Omaha
OPPD Midwest Transmission Project — Nebraska Transmission HDR Engineering for OPPD
Upper Snake River Watershed Study Olsson Associates for Wyoming Water Development Commission
Water System Study Olsson Associates for the City of Fairbury, Nebraska
Chilled Water Expansion for Kansas State University * Olsson Associates for Kansas State University St. John Paul II Newman Center Alvine Engineering for the Archdiocese of Omaha
Blair Water System Modeling and Master Plan HDR Engineering for the City of Blair, Nebraska
The Management Action Opportunity Toolbox Olsson Associates for Lower Republican NRD
energy
Solar Array Shade Canopy Morrissey Engineering for Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium Y O R K B A L L PA R K C O M P L E X
Special Projects
U T I C A WAT E R S Y S T E M I M P R O V E M E N T S
Metro Community College Fort Omaha Campus Redevelopment * Lamp Rynearson for Metropolitan Community College
Water and Wastewater Utica Water System Improvements * Olsson Associates for the Village of Utica, Nebraska
York Ballpark Complex Alfred Benesch & Co. for the City of York, Nebraska
* Denotes category winner
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DODGE STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE R E H A B I L I TAT I O N
H O WA R D L . H AW K S H A L L AU D I O V I S UA L DESIGN
NORTHWEST 48TH STREET IMPROVEMENTS
Water resources
Small Projects
building/Technology Systems
Transportation
Kramper Lake * Olsson Associates for the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District
108th and Charles Emergency Repairs * Olsson Associates for the City of Omaha
Howard L. Hawks Hall Audiovisual Design IP Design Group for the University of NebraskaLincoln
Q Street Improvements Alfred Benesch & Co. for Douglas County, Nebraska
Howard L. Hawks Hall Acoustics Design IP Design Group for the University of NebraskaLincoln
Capehart Road — 81st to 60th Streets Lamp Rynearson for Sarpy County, Nebraska
Ash Hollow Dry Dam Olsson Associates for the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District and the City of Waverly, Nebraska
Dodge Street Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation HGM Associates for the City of Omaha Sandy Pointe Bridge Olsson Associates for Sandy Pointe Lake Development LLC
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Northwest 48th Street Improvements Olsson Associates for the City of Lincoln, Nebraska
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Aviation Bridges Buildings Construction Services Cost Management Environmental Geotechnical Highways Landscape Architecture Local Roads MEP Railroads Stormwater Survey Transportation Value Engineering Wastewater
AECOM connects the knowledge and experience of our experts to help clients solve complex challenges, such as high-performance buildings, infrastructure and environments. We are proud to support Engineers Week.
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Being green Morrissey Engineering is serious about sustainability By Kevin WarneKe WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT
Morrissey Engineering’s headquarters building includes a variety of environmentally friendly features.
Motion detectors at workstations enhance the building’s efficiency.
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Tiny trash cans inside recycling cans are designed to promote recycling.
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Preferred parking for carpools and fuel-efficient vehicles. Tiny trash cans to encourage recycling. A concrete conference table and countertops made of recycled materials. And soon, an interior plant wall to bring the outdoors into the office. Morrissey Engineering takes sustainability seriously, said founding principal George Morrissey. Its company office at 4940 N. 118th St. in Omaha — known as the 4940 Building — is filled with the features above and many more. “When we decided to build new in 2008, we knew that sustainability had to be featured throughout the building,” Morrissey George said. Morrissey The return on that investment came when the company earned platinum, or top, certification for its environmental performance from the U.S. Green Building Council. The council awards LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — certification at four levels: certified, silver, gold and platinum. LEED is a globally-recognized symbol of excellence in green building design. The 15,580-square-foot 4940 Building was the first project in Nebraska to earn platinum certification. It remains one of five in the state. Sustainability is part of the company culture for its 58 employees. “The way the building performs across a variety of sustainability metrics is what we work on every day,” Morrissey said. “Not just energy, but also indoor environmental quality, recycling and overall occupant wellness.” Morrissey Engineering has designed other buildings that incorporate sustainability principles. Those projects have included the TD Ameritrade headquarters, which also earned LEED platinum certification. Recognition of all clients who have earned LEED certification can be found in the 4940 Building entryway, which is another example of the company’s focus on sustainability. Every energy-efficient measure introduced in the 4940 Building can be replicated for clients, Morrissey said.
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A conference table of concrete blends seamlessly into the décor at Morrissey Engineering.
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said. The building currently gets 20 percent of its energy from onsite renewables. Though the sustainability measures Morrissey Engineering has used in the 4940 Building were not without cost, Morrissey said the company has more than recouped the investment. He added that the measures save, on average, $2 per square foot annually in reduced energy costs. The firm constantly monitors how its building performs. “Buildings can drift out of tune, similarly to a piano, if people aren’t diligent,” he said. Conversely, the building has become more energy efficient during the past decade. Though LEED certification doesn’t need to be renewed, the company uses the Arc platform to monitor real-time data for energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience. The company also participates in the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification program for buildings, first earning the annual award with a score of 89 (out of 100) in 2009, then improving to its current score of 99. Performance scores and other information are shared on a video wall in the building entryway and on the company website. “In many ways,” Morrissey said, “we’re more platinum than we were 10 years ago.”
A geothermal system is one of the building’s many sustainable features.
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2018 RECOGNITIONS
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo Solar ar Array
2018 things 2 come >>>
AARON GROTE, PE ACEC Nebraska Young Engineer of the Year
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ACEC NEBRASKA ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD Metro Community College Campus Redevelopment ACEC NEBRASKA ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD Capehart Road – 81st to 60th St
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Such features include: Workstation motion sensors that turn off desktop devices when the employee is away. Daylight harvesting, which automatically dims lighting to take advantage of sunny days. Advanced electrical submetering, which analyzes energy end-uses such as lighting, heating/cooling and hot water. The largest energy conservation measure was installation of a geothermal heat pump system that moves fluid through a series of wells in a closed loop under the adjacent parking lot. The loop circulates throughout the building to 13 heat pumps, drawing heat into the building from the earth and dispersing heat to the earth at other times. “It’s incredibly energy efficient,” Morrissey said. To provide clients with data that support high-performance design recommendations, Morrissey Engineering uses such features in its own operation. For example, the firm tested three types of wind turbines and photovoltaics (solar panels). Though the wind turbine experiment didn’t perform well, the solar panels generated enough power to sell back to Omaha Public Power District at times, Morrissey
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nebraSKa yOunG PrOFeSSIOnaL OF THe year
Gorman honored for professional, community involvement
For Grote, contributing to change is pride point
The 2018 Charles Durham Achievement Award recipient is Mike Gorman, executive vice president and Great Plains regional manager of Alfred Benesch & Co. Gorman’s career began at the Iowa Department of Transportation after he earned a Mike bachelor of science Gorman in construction engineering from Iowa State University. He also earned a master of science in transportation engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. •
At the Iowa DOT, Gorman was drawn to the fast pace and human element of traffic engineering and transportation planning, and made those disciplines the focus of his professional career. Before moving to the private sector, he held public sector engineering positions with the City of Omaha and the City of Casper, Wyoming. Gorman’s current position began with the former HWS Consulting Group as transportation services manager. In 2010, as president of HWS, he helped guide the company through a merger with Alfred Benesch & Co., which is headquartered in Chicago and operates 30 offices in 16 states. Gorman oversees Alfred Benesch & Co.’s business development and operations in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Colorado, and serves on the company’s board. His service to the profession has included board work and leadership
positions with industry-related organizations including the Institute of Transportation Engineers, American Public Works Association and Omaha Engineers Club. He was president of ACEC Nebraska in 2005-06. The Charles Durham Achievement Award was created to honor Durham’s leadership in the engineering profession and his community stewardship through civic involvement. Durham, a civil engineer who died in 2008, was chairman and CEO of Henningson, Durham and Richardson (HDR), the international engineering and architectural firm headquartered in Omaha. Through the years, Durham and his wife, Margre, served in leadership roles with many community organizations and donated millions of dollars to worthy causes. — ACEC Nebraska
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From the start, traffic engineering and transportation planning have been his focus
Aaron Grote, a professional engineer with Omahaheadquartered Lamp Rynearson, has been named 2018 Young Professional of the Year by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska. Grote, a senior project engineer with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska, has worked on a variety of projects during his 14-year career, including those involving housing, safe drinking water, parks and sanitary sewers. “As project delivery methods evolve, it is critical that engineers be kept up to date regarding new data and information to better prepare us for the future of our industry. I’m fortunate to be able to see projects Aaron I designed being built in the real world. SeeGrote ing the impacts of my work is awesome,” he said. “I’m part of a team, of course, but I know I’ve contributed to change that matters.” Grote’s civic and industry involvement includes membership on the Commercial Real Estate Summit Planning Committee. He is president of the Design Build Institute of America’s Nebraska Chapter and a co-leader of Lamp Rynearson’s Early Career Professionals group. He has volunteered for the Food Bank for the Heartland, area park/trail cleanup days and for Habitat for Humanity of Omaha homebuilding events. — ACEC Nebraska
Ideas transform communities We’re proud to celebrate Engineers Week with our employees and our community partners—people who make great things possible.
Celebrating Engineers Week February 18-24, 2018
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