8
BUSINESS NEWS DEWBERRY’S JERRY MRYKALO RECEIVES WTS- DC CHAPTER’S HONORABLE RAY LAHOOD AWARD Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that Senior Associate and Department Manager Jerry Mrykalo, PE, PTOE, has been recognized as the recipient of the Honorable Ray LaHood award by the Women’s Transportation Seminar Washington, D.C., Chapter (WTS- DC). Mrykalo was recognized during the virtual WTS-DC holiday party on December 8. The award is presented annually to a man who is a leader in transportation, has contributed to the advancement of women and minorities in the transportation field, has led by example seeking out opportunities to advance and advocate for women in his own firm, and has advanced the reputation and credibility of women in transportation through his support and career achievements. “Jerry models a work environment where women are not only welcomed but are considered valued members of the team,” says Dewberry Transportation Engineer Shelley Wynne, PE, PTOE. “Jerry has a solid reputation of supporting women at the hiring and promotion level at Dewberry and encouraging leadership roles for women on projects.” “Jerry has been a leader within our mid- Atlantic transportation business unit for many years, working hard to lead and promote our traffic engineering capabilities and team not only in the mid-Atlantic, but throughout the company,” says Dewberry Vice President and Business Unit Manager Steven Kuntz, PE, DBIA. “We are excited for him to receive recognition in being named the recipient of the 2020 Honorable Ray LaHood award from the WTS-DC Chapter.” Mrykalo obtained his bachelor’s degree in
civil engineering from the Pennsylvania State University (2005). He is a licensed professional engineer in Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. Mrykalo was named 2018 Rising Star by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). He is also a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide. DEWBERRY WELCOMES LAND PLANNING EXPERT MELISSA CURRIE Dewberry , a privately held professional services firm, has announced that Melissa Currie, Ph.D., RLA, has joined the firm as a project manager and senior planner based in the Daphne, Alabama, office. Currie has more than 30 years of experience in site selection and planning, landscape architecture and design, project management, and urban design. In addition to managing the planning department in the Daphne office, she will serve as a national planning resource for the firm. Currie is an expert in U.S. housing policy and has conducted research exploring how neighborhoods and communities respond to stressor events, including natural disasters and economic downturns. She has spent the last several years working as a professor, conducting research, managing external
grants, and worked with communities to rebuild following major natural disasters. “I am thrilled to join Dewberry’s team of exceptional planners and serve clients across a variety of markets,” says Currie. Dewberry Associate Vice President Jason Estes, PE, adds, “Melissa’s background in site/civil design and land planning, along with her career in academia, is an asset to our team and our clients. We’re very excited to have her on board.” Currie earned her Ph.D. in geography and urban regional analysis from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2015), and her master’s degree in urban design (2008) and bachelor’s degree in sustainable development (2006), both from Cornell University. Currie is a member of the American Planning Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Urban Affairs Association. Currie has authored numerous peer- reviewed articles for academic journals and professional publications, including the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Applied Geography, and the Journal of Urban Affairs. Dewberry is a leading, market-facing firm with a proven history of providing professional services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients. Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’ most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than 50 locations and more than 2,000 professionals nationwide.
your firm? Are you naming principals in their 20s or 30s? DG: We are a fairly young company. Most of our principals are in their late 30s or have aged into their early 40s. You obviously need some level of experience and expertise to become a leader, but that is secondary. There are no magic numbers set on years of experience or dollars generated. Character comes first. “We try to operate by the core values of honesty, humility, self-control, and generosity. When all of our team members are in accord to live out those values and work together, growth and positive economic outcomes will typically follow.”
ONE THING EVERY DAY, from page 7
DG: Do not put someone into a position that is not aligned with their gifts. You both will be miserable, and it is a lot more difficult to undo it than to avoid it in the first place. TZL: Research shows that PMs are overworked, understaffed, and that many firms do not have formal training programs for PMs. What is your firm doing to support its PMs? DG: We have a class for new project managers or those that are soon to get into it. We cover everything from business development to budgeting, scheduling, pricing, communication – you name it. After a few years of that, we are starting to develop some follow-up classes for those a little further along. TZL: How many years of experience – or large enough book of business – is enough to become a principal in
© Copyright 2021. Zweig Group. All rights reserved.
THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 25, 2021, ISSUE 1376
Made with FlippingBook Annual report