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ON THE MOVE THOMAS MOUNTZ JOINS LAN AS SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Thomas Mountz, P.E., D.WRE., CFM, joins planning, engineering, and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. as a senior project manager. In this role, Mountz will manage flood control and drainage projects throughout central Texas. Mountz has more than 46 years of experience as an engineer and project manager. He has expertise in several areas, including water resources management, master planning, floodplain and dam breach modeling, design, stormwater quality analysis, stormwater management ordinance development, best management practices, FEMA map revisions and studies, fluvial geomorphology, stream restoration, grant applications and management, and construction inspection and oversight. Mountz has managed stormwater management projects throughout Texas. Some of the notable projects he has worked on include a roller-compacted concrete dam within the Trinity River, Lake Casa Blanca Dam Repair, and river modeling for building and bridge structural improvements in the Rio Grande floodplain in Laredo, Texas. He also served as the lead hydrologist for the $150 million San Antonio River Restoration project and as project manager for the post- Katrina update of hydrologic and hydraulic models of the hurricane protection system in Orleans and Jefferson Parish for the Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. “Tom has a unique blend of leadership and technical skills, as well as extensive experience working with clients at the local, county, and federal levels,” said Matt Manges, P.E., LAN’s stormwater practice leader. “His addition will further strengthen the firm’s stormwater expertise.” Mountz is recognized as an expert witness in stormwater management and floodplain issues and has provided reports and testimony for clients in Travis County, Cameron County, and Webb County. He has presented on
stormwater-related topics to school classes, peer organizations, civic groups, televised public hearings, and local governing bodies. Mountz received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Florida. A certified floodplain manager, Mountz served as a treasurer for the Texas Floodplain Management Association two years ago. He also is certified as a diplomate in water resources engineering by the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. LAN is a full-service consulting firm offering planning, engineering and program management services for the nation’s heavy civil infrastructure needs. With more than 350 employees across the United States, LAN is a national leader in the engineering industry and is consistently ranked among the “Top 100 A/E Firms” according to Engineering News- Record . LAN is a LEO A DALY company, an international architecture and engineering firm. RINCON CONSULTANTS, INC. NAMES JOHN DREHER AS NEXT PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER John Dreher has been elected by Rincon ’s board of directors as the next president and CEO. In his role as chief operating officer, Dreher has worked closely with Michael Gialketsis (president and CEO since 2012) to ensure this smooth transition as Gialketsis steps into a strategic advisor role within the company. Dreher started with Rincon in 2002 as a regulatory permitting specialist to support a growing environmental compliance and regulatorypermittingservice line.Over theyears, Dreher played an integral role in developing many long-term client relationships that helped Rincon diversify its clients and services, including public agencies, utility, renewable energy, and transportation infrastructure clients, and strategically partnering with other environmental, engineering, and design firms. He pursued his interest in driving the business and played a significant role in business
planning efforts over the last decade, which led to him to becoming COO in 2014. Dreher has pushed to evolve Rincon’s foundation by building a strong and nimble platform to allow our professionals to perform at a high level to lead the environmental consulting industry. His vision that Rincon is never quite “there” and that there is always opportunity to improve helps Rincon provide client services that consistently exceed expectation. Dreher along with other leaders have been instrumental in pushing the firm to be a leader in the environmental consulting industry. In 2019 Rincon ranked as No. 11 as both a Zweig Group’s Best Firm to Work for and Hot Firm. Dreher’s transition into president and CEO will continue Rincon’s investment in the value offering to its employees and clients. The Best Firms to Work For competition ranks firms in the AEC industry based on workplace practices, benefits, retention rates, and more, and Hot Firms ranks the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms in the U.S. “This is an exciting transition of leadership for the firm,” says Gialketsis, “and through John’s evolution and growth at Rincon, I am confident that his leadership, with the support of all members of the Rincon team, will continue our vision of achieving a powerful healthy culture and leading professional excellence.” Rincon Consultants, Inc. is an environmental science, planning, and engineering consulting firm with thirteen offices throughout California. Founded in 1994, the firm has emerged as a statewide leader in environmental sciences, urban planning, biological resources, cultural resources, water resources, sustainability services, soil and groundwater assessment, and remediation. Rincon’s wide breadth of expertise and qualifications are mirrored by the diversity of projects they manage, serving both public and private entities.
students from many backgrounds to pursue careers in our fields. We believe diversity and nondiscrimination to be basic premises so we focus on hiring hard-working, driven, intelligent, good people without regard to race or gender. While not a specific goal in hiring, our staff happens to be around 6 percent minority (by Federal definition). “While we embrace cutting edge technology in the AEC industry, it’s often over-promised and under-delivered. For the near term, there really is no substitution for a good engineer who is a problem-solver and listens to our clients.”
DRIVEN TO DO GOOD, from page 7
SB: They might just throw a big party. The first time I came back from a lengthy trip, my office was turned into an employee lounge. The foosball table was nice, but I had a hard time getting to my desk. TZL: Diversity and inclusion is lacking. What steps are you taking to address the issue? SB: Waiting until recruiting time to ensure a diverse workplace is too late. That is one reason why BASE supports and has been actively involved with the ACE Mentor Program. ACE not only exposes students to the AEC industry, but also helps ensure there is a diverse and talented pool of potential employees by encouraging
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THE ZWEIG LETTER September 16, 2019, ISSUE 1312
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