GeoEngineers, Inc. continues to grow its Environmental Services Group in the Midwest with recent hires and new projects. Joining the Springfield, Missouri office are Perry Friedrich, Chuck Kroeger, CHMM and Rita Wiggin as environmental scientists and John Carter, PE, RG as a senior engineer. These hires bring the Springfield Environmental Services Group to eight employees.
In addition, GeoEngineers recently started work on a large-scale Missouri mine remediation project as well as continuing work on multiple other environmental-services projects already underway across the Midwest.
Environmental services, including environmental investigation, remediation design and construction management, have been a core discipline for GeoEngineers since its founding in Washington state in 1980. Currently, GeoEngineers has more than 275 active environmental remediation and environmental testing and analysis projects firm wide. The Springfield office of GeoEngineers, founded in 2004, also offers geotechnical, geological and geophysical engineering with a specialty in the oil and gas pipeline industry.
New Staff Bring Impressive Experience
New hire Perry Friedrich joined GeoEngineers after leading the environmental department at Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) in Vinita, Oklahoma since 1989. He also worked in the laboratory at GRDA before building the utility’s environmental department from the ground up. He helped the utility remain compliant with state and federal regulations regarding hazardous waste minimization, management and disposal; stormwater permitting; aboveground and underground storage tank installation, compliance and closure; Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC) development at the facility level; industrial waste water permitting; and Clean Air Act permitting and recordkeeping.
Before joining GeoEngineers, Chuck Kroeger had a 29-year career at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). In addition to hazardous waste compliance and technical assistance activities, Kroeger directed the MDNR’s regional activities related to solid waste management, underground storage tanks, air pollution control and environmental emergency response. He also spent four years as the director of environmental management at Missouri State University, where he provided regulatory compliance, health and safety leadership, and cost savings through waste minimization and improved waste management and characterization.
Rita Wiggin has approximately 12 years of professional environmental consulting experience, including due diligence; asbestos inspections; tank compliance, removal and closure; and waste management. Wiggin also has significant experience with Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) as well as Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans, and her permitting experience includes Land Disturbance and Stormwater permits. Wiggin has performed more than 700 ASTM-compliant Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), Transaction Screens, Targeted Environmental Assessments and Phase II Subsurface Investigations. Wiggin also provided technical review for more than 400 ESAs while managing a team of assessment professionals.
John Carter has been working as a geological engineer and environmental compliance manager in the mining industry for more than 30 years. He has a diverse track record with a range of environmental services, including regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, project management, mining engineering, process improvement and strategic planning. His experience includes 18 years of hands-on experience supervising in-house and contractor crews performing mine remediation work as well as 30 years of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) experience. His most, recent position before joining GeoEngineers was managing environmental compliance issues for Doe Run’s Southeast Missouri Mining and Milling Operations, which required compliance with Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations. He has participated in drafting and commenting on proposed environmental regulations and legislation, particularly water issues, and he oversaw participation in industry associations that tracked and commented on environmental legislation and regulations. Carter has also served as an expert witness in environmental litigation cases.
Gary J. Pendergrass, PE, RG, principal and Environmental Services Group leader with GeoEngineers’ Springfield office, commented, “The energy, experience and relationships that Perry, Chuck, Rita and John bring to GeoEngineers boost the Springfield office’s expansion and enable us to continue our growth in the water and natural resources, energy, federal, transportation and development markets.”
