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November 05, 2007
IAQ, AST/UST, and Remediation Education
CSI's Pabitra Rijal, Industrial Hygienist, recently attended an ASHRAE IAQ "Healthy and Sustainable Buildings" conference in Baltimore, MA.
Also Wilson Bull, MPH, Craig Little, and Paul Osley, CIH, CSP, attended the Florida AST/UST Conference, as well as the Florida Remediation Conference in Orlando, FL.
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November 02, 2007
Ongoing Wetlands Education
Art Wade recently completed two Society of Wetland Scientists sponsored courses. The first, Federal Wetlands/Waters Regulatory Policy, provided an overview of the US Army Corps of Engineers permitting process, as it relates to recent legal challenges and policies. Another two day session covered in detail the various Nationwide Permits (NWP) and ways to expedite the permit application process.
A second course, GIS for Wetlands, provided an intensive, hands-on introduction to using GIS technology and its application to wetlands using ArcGIS 9 from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). Art is now eligible to submit his application for certification as a Professional Wetlands Scientist.
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October 23, 2007
Karvazy Teaches at Tampa Bay Area SWE Program
CSI’s Karen Karvazy, PE, recently donated her time to assist the Tampa Bay Area Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in their efforts to introduce young women to the career opportunities of engineering. During an event called “Wow! That’s Engineering!” Karen assisted 70 middle school girls with an engineering project in which they created a Thumb Piano, explaining the engineering principals to them as they proceeded.
A variety of recent studies show that over the next decade the retirement rate of experienced engineers will far outpace the rate of new engineers entering the field, particularly in the United States. SWE hopes that events such as this one will both inform and encourage young women to pursue career opportunities in the engineering field. Response to the program was very positive as many of the girls requested additional information about engineering careers.
More information about the Tampa Bay area SWE can be found at www.swetampabay.org.
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August 29, 2007
Chastain-Skillman Announces New COO
Chastain-Skillman, Inc. is pleased to announce that Chuck Roberts has joined the firm as Chief Operating Officer. Chuck holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia and has 28 years professional experience providing a broad array of infrastructure and environmental engineering, design, permitting, and construction services to private and government sector clients nationwide. He has held significant management roles with nationally recognized firms and most recently served as CEO for the US subsidiary of an international engineering firm. Chuck will be based at Chastain-Skillman’s headquarters in Lakeland, Florida.
“Chuck’s appointment to the newly created COO position is an important step in the implementation of our firm’s strategic plan,” said President & CEO James R. Chastain, Jr. “This plan is designed to ensure continued high quality services to our clients while increasing professional opportunities for our staff through well-managed, sustainable growth. Chuck will be instrumental in sustaining our unique company culture while integrating additional best practices into our operations. His focus on operations management will also facilitate my increased attention to further strengthening of our firm’s professional development and training programs, which will benefit both clients and employees.”
Chastain-Skillman was recently identified by industry expert PSMJ as among the nation’s top performing engineering consulting firms and admitted to the industry’s 2007 Circle of Excellence. This distinction was achieved by the firm’s outstanding performance in the area of 13 key performance benchmarks.
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August 29, 2007
Dr. Noreen Poor to Spend Sabatical with Chastain-Skillman
Dr. Noreen Poor, long time Professor of Public Health at the University of South Florida in Tampa, has chosen to join Chastain-Skillman, Inc. during her current sabbatical. Dr. Poor will assist Chastain-Skillman by bringing the most current research information to practical solutions. Her areas of expertise include: Environmental engineering design; measurement of environmental pollutants; fate and transport of pollutants; and environmental data mining. This opportunity is the result of Chastain-Skillman's on-going partnership with the University of South Florida.
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August 23, 2007
We're Growing Again - New Employees
Over the past few months Chastain-Skillman has increased our staff to a record 135 employees. We would like to welcome the following to the team:
In Lakeland -
Robby Brady - Project Designer;
Tavi Fontana - Engineer Aide;
Ed Munson, PE - Sr. Project Manager;
Jerry Handley - Project Designer; and
Gil Harris - Survey Crew Supervisor.
In Orlando -
David Breitrick, PE - Sr. Project Manager; and
Corbett Watson - Construction Project Representative.
In Tampa - David Edmunds - Project Designer; Sal Albustami - Engineering Intern,
and in Tallahassee - Tom Lewis, PG - Hydrogeologist.
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August 23, 2007
Staff Members Earn Professional Engineer Designations
Dr. George Anipsitakis, P.E., has recently been authorized by the State of Florida as a Professional Engineer. Joining him in that honor is Yunxiang "Phil" Fan, P.E. Phil previously held a P.E. in Illinois. Congratulations to George and Phil.
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August 23, 2007
Three New Principals Appointed
Chastain-Skillman has appointed three long-time employees, Keith Dodds (Controller), Robert Du Bois (Director of Survey), and Cindy Duhm (Chief Administrative Officer) as Principals of the firm. Congratulations to Keith, Robert and Cindy.
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April 13, 2007
CSI's Dr George Anipsitakis to Present at FWR Conference
Chastain-Skillman's Dr. George Anipsitakis, PhD to present at the Florida Water Resources Conference in Orlando in April. He will speak at the workshop on "Advanced Oxidation for Potable and Non-Potable Water Treatment". The full Power Point presentation may be viewed in our white papers section.
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April 02, 2007
Pearce Barrett Chairs Keep Tallahassee-Leon County Beautiful
Pearce Barrett, manager of our Tallahassee Regional Office, has volunteered his time and talents to Chair the Board for the Keep Tallahassee-Leon County Beautiful organization. For information about how you can participate in this effort, visit www.keeptallahasseeleoncountybeautiful.com.
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April 02, 2007
CSI Sponsors World Water & Environmental Resources Congress
Chastain-Skillman is a Platinum Sponsor of the upcoming World Water & Environmental Resources Congress 2007, to be held in Tampa, Florida - May 15-19. This congress has become an important annual opportunity for the best minds at work in water and environmental fields to convene and focus on topics of the day. In this era shifting coastlines, urban sprawl, raging storms, and extreme acts by humans and nature, it is imperative that those working on the front lines -at the environmental/water nexus- share insights from research and case studies in the field, to generate best practices for the future. EWRI invites your full participation! Our own Paul Bizier, Director of Environmental Engineering, is the General Chair for the event, while staff members Karen Karvazy, Sheila Carpenter-van Dijk will serve as SWE Liaison and Local Arrangements Chair respectively. For Congress information please visit http://content.asce.org/conferences/ewri2007/.
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April 02, 2007
New Civil Engineering Staff
Lakeland’s Civil Engineering department welcomes Tim Dear, David Kleine, and Tom Kaenrath. They combine to bring us roughly 40 years of drafting and design experience in support of the Civil department. We also welcome Kevin McDowell, P.E. Kevin will be filling the roll as Senior Project Manager, and brings 10 years of civil site development experience to the firm.
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April 02, 2007
Tib Tiblier Joins Our Orlando Environmental Team
Orlando’s Environmental Engineering department has welcomed Fernand “Tib” Tiblier, PE to their staff. Tib has a MS degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida, and will be working as a Senior Project Manager.
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November 05, 2006
Welcome Senior Project Manager, Phil Fan
Chastain-Skillman welcomes Senior Project Manager Yunxiang "Phil" Fan, PE to the civil engineering staff. Phil earned his Masters Degree in Civil Engineering at Louisiana State University, and brings to the firm a broad range of experience in transportation, civil, environmental, water resources engineering, project implementation, and business development in both private and public sectors. Phil enhances our ability to meet our clients growing needs.
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October 16, 2006
Staff Growth Hits Exponential Proportions!
The past six months or so has seen perhaps the most significant influx of new (and needed!) talent in the company’s history.
Welcome to the following new additions to the CSI team in Lakeland:
Cyrus McKinnie – New Construction Representative and Cum Laude graduate of Florida A&M University;
Tim Dear and David Kleine - Civil Engineering Draftsmen / Designers, bringing a total of 40 years of combined experience to the firm.
Leslie “Les” Dean – Survey Crew Supervisor / Assistant Project Manager.
In Orlando we welcome Fernand “Tib” Tiblier, PE to the engineering staff (MS University of Central Florida, Orlando). Tib will serve as a Senior Project Manager.
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October 16, 2006
CSI Supports Engineering Education
Working with local schools and universities as time and openings allow, CSI has for years worked with student to help develop future engineers, with some of them even returning after graduation to become full time employees. High School job shadowing and college internships have been integral parts of this program. Currently three interns work with the firm, including Karla Delgado (environmental department / USF Master’s candidate), Cassie Hancock (marketing major assisting in the environmental department) and Whitney Bloome (environmental engineering student at USF, Tampa) assisting on numerous projects.
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October 16, 2006
Chastain-Skillman Wins Award of Two New Continuing Contracts
Englewood Water District has selected CSI to provide professional engineering services in support of the District’s water, wastewater and reclaimed water operations. The City of Lakeland has once again selected CSI to provide professional municipal engineering services on an on-going basis to the Departments of Public Works, Electric, Water and Wastewater, and Water Operations.
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August 10, 2006
Paul Bizier Honored by ASCE
Chastain-Skillman, Inc. is pleased to announce that W. F. Marcuson, III, PhD, P.E., President Elect of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), has named CSI's Paul Bizier, PE, DEE to be the President's Representative to the governing board of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI). The ASCE represents over 40,000 civil engineers across the nation and throughout the world and has done so for over 50 years. The World EWRI Congress will be held in Tampa, FL in 2007.
A Winter Haven native, Mr. Bizier received his M.S. degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, 1997 and is a Dipolmate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. Paul serves as the Director of the Environmental Engineering Department at Chastain-Skillman and is based out of the firm's corporate headquarters in Lakeland, Florida.
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August 09, 2006
Chastain-Skillman Adds Fourth Ph.D.
The firm is pleased to announce that Darwish Q. El-Hajji has successfully completed all requirements and has received his Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida. The focus of his research studies was geotechnical/environmental related. Darwish has over 21 years of experience and he serves in the capacity of Senior Engineering Consultant. He previously received his Master's degree in Environmental Engineering from USF in 1997. Within the Civil and Environmental Engineering disciplines, he provides feasibility and rate studies, data collections and analysis, engineering report preparation, design of water/sewer, roadway drainage and bridge hydraulic studies, earthwork design and preparation of master plans, and contract administration. Please welcome us in congratulating Darwish on this fine accomplishment.
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June 22, 2006
CSI's New Lakeland Environmental Facility Opened
While the ribbon cutting ceremony was postponed due to the first tropical storm of the 2006 hurricane season, Chastain-Skillman's environmental staff has now occupied our roomy new facility in Lakeland. We look forward to the additional efficiency that our new "elbow room" will allow all of our Lakeland departments to pass along to our clients.
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June 08, 2006
Sheila Carpenter-van Dijk Joins the Firm
Sheila Carpenter-van Dijk, EI, has joined the firm as project manager for the growing Environmental Engineering group. Her experience includes bridge and roadway construction and inspection, as well as environmental and solid waste engineering. Sheila will ultimately be based in our Tampa office.
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June 08, 2006
Jim Fortner Joins Sebring Branch
James “Jim” Fortner, Project Designer, has joined the firm and will apply his AutoCad experience working primarily out of the Sebring branch.
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June 08, 2006
Three New Field Technicians
Jacob Bell, Timothy Magee and Nicholas Greives have joined the firm’s Lakeland Surveying group and will serve as Field Technicians. Welcome aboard!
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June 08, 2006
2006 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress
Paul Bizier, Doug Jones, Karen Karvazy and George Anipsitakis attended the 2006 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress of the Am. Soc. of Civil Engineers in Omaha, NB. Topics covered in sessions attended included hydrology, hydraulics, stormwater, groundwater and several other areas of interest.
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June 08, 2006
Publix Projects
Our structural staff has been busy with Publix Super Market projects, the most recent being a roof cover for a chemical storage facility, and a catwalk plus catwalk cover at the industrial center milk plant.
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June 08, 2006
Natural Gas Pipeline Project
In Highlands County, FL, Chastain-Skillman’s Civil Engineering group has begun engineering on the newly awarded Natural Gas Pipeline project, to carry gas to the Sebring Airport.
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June 08, 2006
Rembrandt Complex Asbestos Project
In Tampa, FL, the School District of Hillsborough County awarded the Occupational Health and Safety group a major asbestos survey, abatement and demolition project of 21 buildings at the Tampa Housing Authority Rembrandt Complex. Future plans for the site will be a new school facility and public recreation area. Project activities commenced on 5/23/06 and project completion is scheduled for 9/06.
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June 08, 2006
Eustis Race Trac
Chastain-Skillman’s Orlando Engineering Office has been awarded the site engineering design work for a Race Trac Petroleum convenience store/gas station in Eustis, FL. Race Trac has over 500 such convenience stores throughout the southeast. The Orlando office has also begun engineering design for a major utilities relocation project along County Road 540-A in Polk County.
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April 03, 2006
Richard Noland Rejoins Chastain-Skillman
John "Richard" Noland, PSM comes to us from Polk County, rejoining Chastain-Skillman in the Lakeland Survey group as Senior Project Manager. We're excited about his return.
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March 31, 2006
Tom Jackson Joins Environmental Risk Group
Our Environmental Risk group in Lakeland has added Thomas E. "Tom" Jackson, PG. Tom was formerly with SWFWMD in their Bartow office as a Professional Geologist. Here at Chastain-Skillman, Tom will be filling the role of Senior Project Manager.
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March 02, 2006
Darwish El-Hajji, PE Joins Firm
Joining the firm is Senior Consultant Darwish El-Hajji, PE. Darwish brings extensive civil and drainage engineering experience to Chastain-Skillman. He earned his Master's Degree in environmental engineering from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he is also a Ph.D. candidate.
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March 01, 2006
Keisha Tipton Joins CSI as Engineering Intern
Keisha Tipton has joined Chastain-Skillman and will be working as an Engineering Intern in the Lakeland Environmental Engineering department. She comes to us from Illinois DOT with significant experience in water resource engineering.
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February 27, 2006
Bill Hartmann Joins Firm as Senior Engineer
William (Bill) Hartmann, PE, has joined the firm as a Senior Engineer and Principal. He brings 21 years of experience to the firm, and comes to Chastain-Skillman from SWFWMD where he managed the review of most stormwater projects in Polk County. Bill will work out of our Lakeland office and will oversee our stormwater design group.
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February 15, 2006
CSI tabbed by Polk County Solid Waste Division for Lake Hancock Impact Study
Plans are being proposed by SFWMD to raise the level of Lake Hancock in Polk County in an effort to improve the health of the headwaters of the Peace River. With the County's North Central Landfill located adjacent to the lake, the solid waste division has contracted with Chastain-Skillman to review the potential impacts/mitigation measures on the flood plain, wetland, and groundwater as related to the change in water elevation of the lake. The services are expected to extend over an approximate three year period.
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February 15, 2006
Dr. Anipsitakis Presents at AiChE
Dr. George Anipsitakis of the Lakeland office recently gave a review presentation on sulfate radical-based Advanced Oxidation Technologies (AOTs) at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AiChE) meeting in Cincinnati, OH. His latest research findings were also featured at the 11th International Conference on AOTs, and he was an invited speaker at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Pacifchem Conference in Honolulu, HI. For additional information on advanced oxidation technologies, contact Dr. Anipsitakis at ganipsitakis@chastainskillman.com.
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February 15, 2006
Tampa Staff Grows
Craig Little, Laura Totten and Nathan Rath have joined Chastain-Skillman's Tampa team. Each will serve as Industrial Hygienists for the office. Also the office welcomes back industrial hygienist Elizabeth Blackman following her brief hiatus to Wisconsin.
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February 15, 2006
Sebring Update
Sebring welcomed Doug O'Laughlin, PE, to their team recently. Doug will serve as a Senior Project Manager. Karen Osgood has joined the firm and will handle receptionist duties, as Stacy Mahoney has moved into the drafting department. Jeulene Jones, Ralph Whisler and James Smyth have joined the staff of the Sebring Surveying department.
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February 15, 2006
Lakeland Staff Update
Sherry Windsor, EI, has joined the civil engineering staff and will concentrate on stormwater engineering for that group. We also welcome George Anipsitakis, PhD, EI, to the environmental engineering team. George's expertise is in the area of wastewater processing. Tom Cowan has recently come on board as a construction project representative, bringing considerable experience and increasing our number of representatives to five. The Survey Department welcomes Jill Ziegler to their internal office staff as well as Kyle Griffin and Stuart West as field surveyors.
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February 15, 2006
Additional Lakeland Staff News
The environmental engineering group welcomes project engineer Keisha Tipton, EI, and congratulates Foster Chatham, PE for successfully passing his PE exam.
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January 26, 2006
New Year Brings New Growth!
Growing pains usually accompany success, and this is certainly the case with Chastain-Skillman. Our Sebring office has already outgrown its office space and looks toward expansion, and our Tampa office has expanded its leasehold for the third time adding an additional 1,600 s.f. In Lakeland we’re excited about the addition of a long anticipated new building on the Corporate Headquarters campus. This facility will add approximately 18 office spaces and will house all of our Lakeland environmental engineering staff, allowing much needed breathing room for those remaining departments (Civil, Structural, Environmental Risk, Survey and Administration) in the other three buildings. Plans are to occupy the new facility around July 2006.
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September 30, 2005
Connecting Counties
The firm has been retained by TWA (Tohopeliga Water Authority) to provide engineering for a Polk County and TWA wastewater interconnect. TWA operates in Osceola County.
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September 30, 2005
Providing for Pinecrest
In Avon Park engineering services are being provided for Pinecrest Master Development Plan for water and wastewater.
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September 30, 2005
Tampa School Demo
In Tampa, Florida, Asbestos Abatement Air Monitoring services are being provided by our Occupational Health and Safety Department for the demolition of a building at an elementary school site.
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September 30, 2005
Asbestos Surveys for Publix
In Georgia, we’re providing Asbestos-Containing materials (ACM) surveys for numerous future Publix Super Markets stores.
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September 30, 2005
Winter Haven Phosphorus Project
Chastain-Skillman will evaluate short term and long term phosphorus removal alternatives for the City of Winter Haven WWTP #3. The plant is a 7.5 mgd biological treatment plant using the modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process for nitrogen removal. Chastain-Skillman will evaluate metals addition and modifications to the biological process for phosphorus removal. As the City has less than a year to meet reduced effluent phosphorus limits, it is anticipated that a short term removal system using metal salts will be required. The project includes a conceptual design of a metal salts addition system for interim use. The study report will assist the City in meeting their immediate requirements of submitting a plan of study to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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September 30, 2005
Blacks Ford Expansion Continues
In Jacksonville, Chastain-Skillman, Inc. is providing additional design services to JEA as support for submittal of a Special Use Permit (SUP) for St. Johns County. The services include a protected species survey of the complete 30 acre site. Site evaluation included protection of existing trees to meet the county's landscape requirements. This work is all part of our aggressive expansion project at the Blacks Ford facility, increasing capacity of the treatment facility to a 10 to 12 mgd processing rate.
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August 08, 2005
Paul Osley Selected for Advisory Committee at USF
Paul Osley, Director of Environmental and Occupational Health, has been selected to serve on the Sunshine Education and Research Center External Advisory Committee, specifically on the subcommittee for the Industrial Hygiene Program, at the University of South Florida, Tampa.
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August 08, 2005
Chastain-Skillman gets Hillsborough County Schools Contract
Chastain-Skillman Awarded Indoor Environmental Quality Contract for Hillsborough County Schools.
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August 08, 2005
Chastain-Skillman (Sebring) Designs Highlands County Sports-plex
The firm is providing Civil and Architectural services for this new Highlands County sports complex. Located on a 60-acre site near the second phase of the Sebring Parkway, It will host five softball fields and three soccer/football fields. It will be centered around a two-story concession stand/scorekeeper's building and will also have a separate maintenance building. The project will involve the rerouting of Sheriff's Tower Road.
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August 08, 2005
Mold in the News
The Governor has vetoed the Florida Mold Legislation (HB 315) that was due to become effective on October 1, 2005. At this time, there is no indication as to when this may reintroduced.
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August 08, 2005
Chastain-Skillman prepared to launch Internet web-based Asbestos Database/ Management Program
This program will enable our clients to log on to their secure website to review and manage their asbestos programs. The firm provides the server equipment and database data entry/management services for our Client. This same database can be customized to a Client's needs to incorporate a whole host of Environmental Management needs, such as but not limited to; asbestos, lead-based paint, IEQ, radon, Safety, ergonomics, etc.
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August 08, 2005
Lakeside Village on Schedule for 2005 Opening
Chastain-Skillman provided surveying and site work engineering for this new “open air” shopping village in Lakeland, FL. Located just off the Polk Parkway at Harden Blvd. one entrance will feature an elegant European style arched bridge across the waterway which separates Frontage Road from the village.
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August 08, 2005
Chastain-Skillman Providing Consulting Services for Pinellas County
Chastain-Skillman has been selected to provide Professional Consulting services for Pinellas County under their Brownfields Program as the Public Works/Economic Development group moves forward on Phase I and Phase II Environmental Assessments. Professional services shall include all aspects of Phase I, Phase II, and Limited Environmental site assessments, Asbestos and Lead based paint surveys, Development of Quality Assurance Project Plans, and Community Participation/Stakeholder Involvement. The firm has provided Industrial Hygiene services for the County for many years.
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August 08, 2005
Chastain-Skillman was selected to provide Surveying services for Lake County Public Schools
Primarily the firm will supply these services to schools in the southern part of the county.
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Recruiting Position Filled
Karla M. Gibson has joined the firm and will dedicate her efforts full time towards recruiting professional engineers and scientists, as we continue to grow in order to meet the growing needs of our clients. Karla may be reached at (813)621-9229.
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