JOINING THE NORTHWEST PIPE FAMILY: AN INTERVIEW WITH ERIN CORNWELL Erin Cornwell
I
n July 2018, Northwest Pipe Company acquired Ameron Water Transmission Group, reinforcing its position as the United States’ largest manufacturer of water transmission steel pressure pipe. Erin Cornwell is an engineer who worked in a number of different departments at Ameron Water Transmission Group and now works for Northwest Pipe. In this interview with Municipal Water Leader Managing Editor Joshua Dill, Ms. Cornwell discusses her work, developments in the steel pipe industry, and her experiences during the recent acquisition.
Joshua Dill: Please tell us about your background and your current position.
36 | MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Joshua Dill: How big is the facility in Tracy? How many people work there? Erin Cornwell: The Tracy plant spans 85 acres and currently employs about 100 people. Joshua Dill: How big is the department you direct? Erin Cornwell: I currently oversee five people at the Tracy office. Joshua Dill: Would you tell us about the projects you are currently working on?
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWEST PIPE.
Erin Cornwell: I graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, with a bachelor of science in civil engineering. Upon graduating, the country was in a slight recession, so there were relatively few jobs available. I answered a job listing in the local newspaper and was hired by Ameron as a layout engineer. I evaluated contract plans and documents in order to develop engineering designs that were used as shop drawings for manufacturing. I was promoted to the Estimating Department, where I used the contract drawings and specifications for prospective jobs to calculate their costs and identify production-related issues prior to bid. The majority of our work is done through the public bid process, so the estimates are used to determine how to price our proposals. My next step brought me into the Project Management Department, where my primary duty was ensuring that contract requirements and customer expectations were met. Essentially, I was responsible for the coordination of shop drawings, submittals, deliveries, and invoices; I was also the single point of contact for
our customers for any issue that might arise. Next, I was promoted to director of project administration, overseeing both the Estimating and the Project Management Departments. Around that time, Northwest Pipe acquired Ameron. Northwest Pipe put me in the position of engineering manager for the Tracy, California, plant. As engineering manager, I continue to manage projects with our customers and I oversee the Engineering Department.
