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			<title>Mead and Hunt Newsfeed</title>
			<link>http://www.meadhunt.com/</link>
			<description>Mead and Hunt Newsfeeds</description>
			<language>en-us</language>
			<copyright>Copyright 2010 www.meadhunt.com</copyright>
			<lastBuildDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:04:15 CST</lastBuildDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt recognized with top honors</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. was named the &quot;Best Architectural Firm&quot; and a top three contender for &quot;Best Engineering Firm&quot; by Corporate Report Wisconsin, the state&apos;s most widely read business magazine, at an awards banquet June 18.Mead &amp; Hunt was selected by the readers of Corporate Report Wisconsin magazine as a winner in the premier &quot;Best of Wisconsin Business&quot; competition.  More than 2,600 subscribers cast ballots online taking the time to rate Mead &amp; Hunt as one that delivers outstanding performance.Corporate Report Wisconsin is a statewide magazine, with readership largely composed of owners, presidents, CEOs and board members. About 40 percent of these readers lead firms who gross more than $20 million annually.Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure and water resources engineering to clients throughout the U.S.  The corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current national ranking of 171.  Mead &amp; Hunt was named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation.  The firm is employee-owned with more than 425 people in offices nationwide and of those about half are employed in Wisconsin.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=108</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:44:34 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>ACEC recognizes Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s engineering as exemplary</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. accepted American Council of Engineering Consultants (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Awards at both the state and national level for the emergency restoration of State Trunk Highway (STH) A and Lake Delton.The restoration was in response to the catastrophic flooding in June 2008 in southern Wisconsin. The highway and lake were completely restored within a record breaking 12 months.  A large and diverse team of consultants, state and local agencies, and key stakeholders came together to see this project to success.&quot;Lake Delton was re-filled ahead of schedule, the dam was renovated for greater safety, and STH A was re-opened for the public, restoring access to crucial public services,&quot; said Jim Borg, Mead &amp; Hunt Water Resources Business Unit Leader and project engineer. &quot;None of this could have been accomplished in this short time frame without the collaborative and determined efforts of all those involved.&quot;The STH A-Lake Delton project was awarded Best of State from a pool of 22 nominations, thus enabling it to be nominated at the national level.  Of the 163 nominated at the national level, eight received Grand Awards and 16 received Honor Awards. This Wisconsin project received an ACEC Excellence in Engineering Honor Award during the 2010 Awards Gala in Washington DC on April 27.  These prestigious distinctions represent an acknowledgement from the engineering community of the skill, collaboration, and efficiency that facilitated this singularly impressive feat of design and engineering.Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US. Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 171. Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 425 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=103</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 10:35:14 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Eugene Airport recognized for sustainability efforts</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Eugene Airport air cargo building was awarded LEED&#xae; certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the first LEED Certified building constructed by the City of Eugene,and is currently home to Horizon Air Cargo, Lawrence Air Service and several air cargo shipping companies.LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO&#xb2; emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.&quot;It was a real pleasure to work with a community as committed as we are to sustainability,&quot; said Jeff Mason, project manager at M &amp; H Architecture, Inc. &quot;We are excited to bring our green design capabilities to the Eugene Airport.&quot;  He went on to say this is an excellent example of practical sustainable design that could be applied to virtually any facility in the United States.The $3.1 million air cargo building was part of a $6.2 million project that included the aircraft ramp area and other infrastructure needed on the south end of the airfield. Construction of the 11,000-square-foot building was completed in June 2008. Funding came from a ConnectOregon grant, a Federal Aviation Administration grant, and Eugene Airport funds.&quot;Significant in this project was material resource conservation.  For example, more than 90 percent of construction waste was re-used or recycled and the new building materials had more than 25 percent recycled content,&quot; said Mason.  &quot;The wood used in the air cargo facility was 100 percent certified by the Forest Stewardship Council&#xae; as sustainably harvested.&quot;Sustainable design and construction concepts incorporated in the air cargo building include a 17 percent reduction in total building energy use through increased building insulation, high reflectivity roofing, and more efficient HVAC systems. Water efficiency and indoor air quality efforts on the project included reduction of water use by 35 percent by use of low-flow plumbing fixtures.  The design team also incorporated low emitting materials, such as sealants, paints, adhesives, and carpets.The LEED certification process was achieved through a combined effort between the Eugene Airport, M &amp; H Architecture, Inc. and Essex Construction. The certification effort supports the City of Eugene&apos;s longstanding commitment to sustainability. The city&apos;s Sustainable Buildings policy, adopted in July 2006, directs use of the LEED rating system as a guide for sustainable operation and maintenance for both existing city buildings and for new construction. The city&apos;s leadership in all three aspects of sustainability - social equity, environmental health and economic prosperity - is evidenced in many other ways including Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy&apos;s Carbon Challenge and the work of the Eugene Human Rights Commission and Eugene Sustainability Commission. &quot;The LEED Certification of the Eugene Airport&apos;s air cargo building sets the tone for future buildings constructed by the City of Eugene,&quot; said Piercy. &quot;The extra effort to achieve certification reinforces our work to advance sustainable practices within our community.&quot;The Eugene Airport has provided air cargo service since the start of commercial air service in 1943. Since that time, air cargo needs have increased significantly, and airport has continued to be home of a thriving air cargo industry. In 2009, about 1.4 million pounds of air cargo was flown out of Eugene.M &amp; H Architecture, Inc. is a Mead &amp; Hunt company.  Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. providesprofessional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure and water resources engineering to clients throughout the United States. Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 171. Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 425 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=102</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 01:40:46 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Historic bridge rehabilitation wins award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was recently awarded the Wisconsin Builder 2009 Top Projects award for the rehabilitation of the North Lion Bridge in Milwaukee&apos;s Lake Park. Through the Top Projects award, Wisconsin Builder recognizes projects of all types and sizes that are valuable to Wisconsin communities, or have reached a successful completion in spite of significant obstacles. Mead &amp; Hunt is one of 30 winners from the highest number of submissions ever received for this award.&quot;The completion of the North Lion Bridge project required the contributions and combined expertise of several Mead &amp; Hunt specialties, most notably our historians and our structural engineers group.  The result is a beautiful, lasting rehabilitation of a beloved historic structure,&quot; said Julie Hoppe, the project manager from Mead &amp; Hunt.A multi-disciplinary team of Mead &amp; Hunt structural engineers and historic preservation specialists collaborated on the rehabilitation of the North Lion Bridge. This project was initiated by Milwaukee County and driven by the bridge&apos;s importance to the community as well as its overall historic value to the city of Milwaukee. The county also secured funding for this project. Pedestrians flock to the bridge year-round to enjoy the vistas provided by the nearby bluffs. Summer bridal parties frequently use the bridge as a setting for wedding photos, with the lion statues and the North Point Lighthouse providing a picturesque background. The popularity of the bridge created a high level of visibility for this project. Significant community outreach was performed to ensure the bridge was rehabilitated to retain its original historical appearance. Specialized design techniques were implemented to preserve the bridge&apos;s historical appearance while avoiding damage to the structure during rehabilitation. These innovative and carefully applied construction techniques facilitated a successful and lasting rehabilitation of this important historic property. &quot;The historic importance of restoring the Lion Bridge&apos;s unique 1896 open spandrel steel arch, its remote location in the middle of Historic Lake Park east of the Lighthouse on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, and its funding presented unique, complex and interesting challenges to Milwaukee County staff. These challenges played a role in selecting the engineering consultant Mead &amp; Hunt to provide the design and construction bid documents. Mead &amp; Hunt is an integrated multi-discipline engineering consulting company with experienced and dedicated bridge designers and historians. This quality of diverse professional staff was thought to be the best fit for the success of this project. Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s dedication to producing high quality results surpassed our expectations. Their project team paid close attention to our needs, the needs of the community and the needs of the bridge. The depth and breadth of knowledge Mead &amp; Hunt staff demonstrated was a perfect fit for this complex, unique project,&quot; said Mack Malas of the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation and Public Works.This award was presented to Mead &amp; Hunt at the Wisconsin Builder Top Projects awards dinner in Waukesha, Wisconsin on April 21.Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US. Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 171. Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 425 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=101</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 06 May 2010 09:03:04 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt assists the City of Manitowoc in obtaining grant funds</title>
			<description><![CDATA[With its recently received Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant, the City of Manitowoc will soon begin reconstruction of the 10th Street Corridor, a gateway to downtown and integral connection between the Port of Manitowoc and I-94.    Mead &amp; Hunt assisted the city in obtaining $384,000 in grant monies by conducting an income survey and administering the grant application process that connected the proposed physical improvements to neighborhood revitalization. Manitowoc proposed a complete street reconstruction with new storm sewers, sanitary sewer, water main, curb and gutter, sidewalks, and lighting at a cost of $1.9 million. The grant awardcovers 20 percent of the total project cost. The improvements will enhance the appearance of the corridor, immediately stabilize property values, lead to housing reinvestment, increase neighborhood livability, and supplement public safety. Improvements to the corridor will also improve future economic development opportunities for the downtown. The Department of Commerce commended the City of Manitowoc for its &quot;substantial financial commitment to repair and upgrade the 10th Street corridor&quot; and awarded $384,000 to assist with financing these improvements. The Department further stated, &quot;...the completion of the project will contribute significantly to enhancing the quality of life in Manitowoc for its residents and businesses.&quot;For more information, contact Dustin Wolff, at (608) 273-6380 or by e-mail at dustin.wolff@meadhunt.com.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=100</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:23:20 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Wisconsin Rest Area 11 wins award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[From hundreds of submitted projects, only the best have been selected as Building of America award winners. The award honors the country&#xe2;€™s most innovative, unique and challenging projects &#xe2;€&quot; projects that are particularly noteworthy and/or that give back to their respective communities.  The Wisconsin State Rest Area 11 project is available for viewing online.The Building of America award-winning projects represent the best in new construction and renovation in a wide variety of categories, including commercial and retail, mixed-use, multifamily residential, government, transportation/infrastructure, health care, education, religion, historical restoration, and more. Submitted projects are reviewed by a selection committee that is looking for projects with unique design or construction elements; innovative solutions to challenges, including financing, environmental, zoning, etc.; efficient and cost-effective methods of planning and execution; and/or that have a significant economical impact on the region, among others. With more than a decade of experience, The Building of America Network in partnership with Construction Communications, based in Southfield, Michigan, has been publishing since 1996.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=88</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:21:02 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Upward move from 240 to 171 in ENR design firm list</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt Inc. has been ranked this year on the Engineering News Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms list at No. 171. In a message to all employees, President Raj Sheth said, &quot;Congratulations to all!  Thanks your hard work.  We moved to 171 in 2010, from 240 in 2009 and 300 in 2008!&quot; The list of all firms in the ranking The index of frims ranked on the Top 500  The cover story that accompanies the Top 500 Design Firms ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=82</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:04:15 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Historic preservation team adds a new member</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm adds a new member to the historic preservation team in Madison, Wisconsin.Phillip Barlow is an historic preservation specialist responsible for identifying and evaluating historic resources for Section 106 compliance, preparing reports, and preparing National Register nominations.  Barlow has a bachelor&apos;s degree in anthropology and a master&apos;s in historic preservation, and is a board member of the Western Great Lakes chapter of the Association for Preservation Technology International.  Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest growing architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=77</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:49:05 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Transportation team continues to grow</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm adds new transportation team leaders.  Kay Van Sickel is the new Transportation Department Manager and Ki Bealey, P.E., is the new Transportation Assistant Department Manager in the Vancouver, Washington office.

Van Sickel is leading the professionals supporting Mead &amp; Hunt project teams in the Northwest and all across the country.  She manages transportation projects, specializing in urban and regional planning and transportation engineering for highway, bridge, and transit projects.  In her 40 years working with transportation, Van Sickel has managed an expansive range of projects including financial planning, capital development, grant procurement, transit planning for metropolitan areas, and implementing computerized geographic mapping for highway planning and location design.  She will also lead Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s business development efforts.  She was the Oregon Department of Transportation Region Director in Region 1 (Portland area) prior to becoming a consultant for the last six years.  Van Sickel has a master&apos;s degree in both transportation and urban and regional planning.  Her staff management experience encompasses small and large offices, numbering from six individuals to more than 600.  

Bealey is providing management and business development support for the department manager and professionals in the Washington office.  He manages business development and various transportation projects, also working with clients and overseeing staff.  Bealey has more than 12 years of experience managing projects, leading marketing efforts, and developing employee relations.  He holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest growing architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=76</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Sacramento office adds new team members</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm adds new water resources team members in Sacramento, California.

Christopher Stepper, P.E., will design water resources structures, such as pump stations, canals, and pipelines, and will be involved in task planning, project coordination, field inspections and construction supervision.  Stepper is a registered professional engineer with over eleven years of experience in project engineering and construction management in the environmental field.  

Al Alcala, P.E., R.L.S., will be involved in site surveys, civil design, cost estimation, bidding support, and construction administration.  Alcala is a registered civil engineer and land surveyor with more than 30 years&#xe2;€™ experience in civil engineering and construction management. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest growing architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=78</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Nine new employees join architecture and building engineering team</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, adds new members to their architecture and building engineering team in Wisconsin.

Jeff Sorenson, CFM, is the new Business Unit Leader for Federal Programs in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s architecture and building engineering group.  He is leading more than 100 staff members in various disciplines at Mead &amp; Hunt offices nationally.  A Certified Facility Manager, Sorenson has more than 25 years of experience leading and managing large and diverse public and private sector facilities projects, specializing in Army, Navy, and Air Force facilities.    His position&apos;s main focus is to ensure that quality and cost&amp;ndash;effective professional services are provided to an increasing number of federal clients.  Retired from the US Air Force, Sorenson brings a new perspective to Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s leadership team.

Herbert Jensen, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP  ,  the new Architecture Department Manager, is leading the architects and engineering professionals supporting Mead &amp; Hunt project teams all across the country.  He manages the operations of the department including overseeing all building projects and staff.  Jensen brings more than 25 years of leadership experience coordinating multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary teams including clients and other consultants for architectural projects.  He has led teams completing projects for institutional, public, industrial, commercial, office, and historical architecture buildings.  Jensen&apos;s project experience includes college campus facilities, government offices, medical facilities, churches, hotels, retail buildings, and financial institutions.  Jensen is a registered architect in 11 states, National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) certified, and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professional (LEED AP  ).  

Brian Dunn, P.E., brings more than a dozen years of on&amp;ndash;the&amp;ndash;job experience to his new position as an electrical engineer.  His responsibilities include industrial electrical power distribution systems design, lighting design, and the design of other special systems including process controls.  Dunn brings experience in engineering design, design&amp;ndash;build, and energy consulting.  He has a master&apos;s degree in electrical engineering and in business administration.  

Sar Schnucker, AIA, NCARB, CCS, CCCA, is a project architect whose responsibilities include producing architectural construction documents and coordinating multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary construction documents.  In the past he has managed projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Navy, Air Force, Army, and Air National Guard.  Schnucker has bachelor&apos;s and master&apos;s degrees in architecture.  He is a Certified Construction Specifier (CCS) and a Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA).

Robert Lux, P.E., joins the team as an electrical designer specializing in communications, audiovisual, and security systems.  He designs industrial electrical power distribution systems, lighting, and other special systems associated with industrial buildings, such as process controls.  Lux has more than 25 years of experience in designing communications, audiovisual, and security systems

Peter Leoschke, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP  ,  an architect with more than 20 years&apos; experience, is a new project manager.  Leoschke will be responsible for planning and organizing projects, and managing project staff, schedules, and budgets.  He has led multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary project teams from up to 12 different offices on projects ranging in size up to $44 million.

Richard Sorensen, P.E., LEED AP  ,  joins the team as a senior site designer specializing in aviation architecture.  With almost 30 years of experience, he has a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil and environmental engineering.  Sorensen provides building site design, design and construction documents, survey coordination, and construction support for a wide variety of projects.  

Jason Pelletier, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP  ,  joins the team as a project architect.  He has a bachelor of design degree as well as a master of architecture.  Pelletier produces architectural construction documents and coordinates multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary construction documents.  

Tess Anderson is a new administrative assistant in charge of coordinating contracts and project documents, as well as providing general support for the Federal Programs Business Unit.  

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest growing architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=70</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Dam inspections make the news</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Fear can be a friend. Perched on the edge of a 317-foot-high dam with water rushing furiously below, Kim Hansen was afraid, and it kept him cautious, he said. &quot;If you aren&apos;t scared, it&apos;s dangerous,&quot; said Hansen, 54, senior engineer with Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., Madison. &quot;When I get out on a very large dam, it still gives me the willies.&quot;Although unusual in Wisconsin, dam inspections that require engineers strap on safety gear and climb onto the dams in search of cracks and other damage can be unforgettable experiences for the men and women involved. &quot;It can be a strange feeling knowing you&apos;re somewhere where other people haven&apos;t been for five years or more,&quot; said Jeff Anderson, senior engineer with Mead &amp; Hunt. &quot;It keeps you on your toes.&quot; These three paragraphs begin the story.  To read the full article go to this  Wisconsin Builder ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=73</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:37:38 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Midwest Construction recognizes Mead &amp; Hunt for project management and civil works</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Midwest Construction magazine announced the winners of its Best of 2009 competition. The annual contest recognizes excellence in heavy construction and design in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri, as well as Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Mead &amp; Hunt won two of the top awards:
Civil / Public Works Project of the Year: Reconstruction of County Hwy A and Refilling of Lake Delton
Outstanding Project Management: Reconstruction of County Hwy A and Refilling of Lake Delton
 
In mid&amp;ndash;September independent experts judged the 128 projects entered in the competition&apos;s 20 classifications. Eligible projects were completed in 2009 or fall, 2008.  The entries were sorted into categories so judges could compare similar projects by key criteria, such as quality, project management, innovation, challenges overcome, and safety. Outstanding projects were given an award of merit. In nearly all categories, the most outstanding project was given a project-of-the-year award.
 
The judges also selected winners of five special awards, including overall project of the year, project owner of the year, outstanding project management, outstanding architectural function and aesthetic, and outstanding engineering function and aesthetics.

Midwest Construction&apos;s project-of-the-year winners will compete against winning entries from other regions in the National Best of 2009 competition.

Read full article Midwest Construction article]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=65</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>CE News recognized Mead &amp; Hunt as best firm to work for</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is 7th best mid-size firm to work for.

Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, was recently ranked by CE News as seventh among the mid&amp;ndash;size civil engineering firms to work for in 2009, and 14th overall out of the 100 firms that competed this year. 

Firms apply for these honors annually, with a portion of the information collected from anonymous employee satisfaction surveys.  

&quot;We applied because we are confident that Mead &amp; Hunt is a great place to work,&quot; said Raj Sheth, CEO.  &quot;Still, it is rewarding to have our employees confirm our success in meeting our goals for client service, business practices, and the way that we care for our employees.  The survey also presents us with a great opportunity to identify areas where we could make some improvements.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt employees enjoy a company culture that is client-focused, team&amp;ndash;oriented, and collaborative, enhanced by a family atmosphere.  Employees gave the firm highest marks in the areas of leadership through the present challenging economy, ethical business practices, and communication of the firm&apos;s business goals and strategic plan to the employees.  A remarkable 95 percent of Mead &amp; Hunt employees would recommend the company to a friend who is looking for a job.

Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt is employee-owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.

CE News magazine is a trade publication specializing in issues relevant to the civil engineering industry.  CE News leads the industry by providing news, business advice, how&amp;ndash;to information, and management tips that engineers can use in their day&amp;ndash;to&amp;ndash;day operations.  It is produced in print and electronically by Stagnito Media.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=72</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Stillwater Historic Lift Bridge project wins top FHWA award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Stillwater Historic Lift Bridge Management Plan and Repair Project was recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as being one of the Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives (EHEI) for 2009.  The project required development of a management plan to address conversion to a pedestrian and bicycle bridge linked into a major trail system.  The plan was praised for employing an innovative approach that emphasized Universal Design to foster access for pedestrians of all ability levels.  Mead &amp; Hunt provided historic preservation services and was the principal author of the management plan, in collaboration with URS Corporation.

The goal of the EHEIs is to improve the public&apos;s transportation experience while remaining conscious of any environmental consequences.  The EHEIs recognize and publicize outstanding examples of transportation projects that either create or improve conditions for human activities while protecting the natural environment. 

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt did an excellent job on this very complex project.  They dealt with issues not typically associated with cultural resources reviews, such as endowment funds and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) access, and really sought solutions and creative ideas to address the differing viewpoints and needs.  All in all, an excellent performance that helped bring to completion this very critical aspect of the St. Croix River Crossing project,&quot; said Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) Project Manager Kristen Zschomler.

Mead &amp; Hunt was also named in the FHWA&amp;lsquo;s 2009 awarding of the Excellence in Cultural and Historical Resources honor to Mn/DOT&amp;lsquo;s Historic Bridge Management Program.  The Stillwater Historic Lift Bridge is one of 24 state&amp;ndash;owned historic bridges addressed by this program.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=71</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Borg and Chesmore also drive results working solo</title>
			<description><![CDATA[When heavy rains caused Lake Delton to breach Highway A and empty into the Wisconsin River in summer 2008, estimates were it would take two years to restore the popular tourist destination. But Madison&amp;ndash;based Mead and Hunt Inc. engineers Jim Borg and Rusty Chesmore carefully balanced the project&apos;s many players - federal, state and local agencies as well as contractors and subcontractors - to get Highway A repaired in time so the lake could be refilled in spring 2009.  Under Chesmore, who served as project manager on the job, and Borg&apos;s leadership, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Baraboo&amp;ndash;based MSA Professional Services Inc. and Mead and Hunt teamed up to repair the road while increasing Dell Creek Dam&apos;s capacity so the entire project was completed within six months.

&quot;They brought a lot to the table and were able to provide us with what we needed to get the project done,&quot; said Bill Oliva, WisDOT&apos;s project manager for Lake Delton.  &quot;They were so responsive and just excellent to work with.  It wasn&apos;t easy what we did, but we were able to start the permanent road in September and have it open in November.  No one thought we could do it.&quot;

Oliva said Chesmore and Borg were an essential part of getting the project finished ahead of schedule.  While the two don&apos;t normally work together, the scope of the Lake Delton project requires both men&apos;s attention.

Borg and Chesmore also are drawing praise for their solo work.

Chesmore&apos;s contributions to another WisDOT project - new rest areas in Portage along Interstate 90/94 - have been invaluable, WisDOT project manager Dave Simon said.  The $22 million project includes construction of the state&apos;s largest rest areas and a bridge connecting the two.

&quot;He&apos;s a tremendous leader and has done so much on this project, Simon said of Chesmore, who is also vice president of Mead and Hunt and Business Unit Leader for the firm&apos;s transportation department.  &quot;From helping us communicate with property owners to figuring out the engineering needed to make this project possible, he keeps it rolling along.&quot;

Borg also is praised for his ability to keep projects on track, even when it requires creative solutions.  His expertise in hydrology was essential for North American Hydro LLC to increase the amount of water flowing through some of its dams, maximizing productivity, said Scott Klabunde, generation asset manager for the Schofield-based company.

&quot;It&apos;s a clich&amp;#233; term, but Jim really thinks out of the box and came up with some creative answers and fixes,&quot; Klabunde said.  &quot;He has a great personality and is wonderful to work with.&quot;

reprinted from Newsmakers of the Year / November 2009 Wisconsin Builder]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=67</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>I-94 value engineering team wins top AASHTO award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Darrell Berry was the leader and facilitator of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) team that was recognized with the 2009 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Value Engineering Award for their work on the Interstate 94 Value Engineering Study.  This prestigious award was presented at the AASHTO National Value Engineering Conference in San Diego, California.  The winning team conducted a value engineering (VE) study for the improvement of 33 miles of I-94, a busy interstate connecting Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The study corridor begins just east of Madison and extends to the Jefferson/Waukesha County Line.  Darrell Berry is now employed with Mead &amp; Hunt.&quot;This study resulted in significant cost savings and operational improvements as compared to the original plan,&quot; said Berry, who facilitated the weeklong study.This segment of I-94 needs repair, and traffic projections warrant an expansion from four to six lanes by 2026.  The WisDOT Southwest Region Planning Section commissioned a VE study to aid in deciding how to best program future rehabilitation and reconstruction projects.  VE study process follows a systematic methodology and a multi-stage job plan.  The goal is to increase the value of products and services by improving their function or reducing the costs.   As federal, state, and local governments make every effort to obtain the greatest value for their tax dollars, value engineering is becoming a major part of the transportation industry.  More and more projects go through a VE study in an effort to produce innovative, high-quality infrastructure improvements cost effectively.  The I-94 VE Study developed and evaluated six pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction alternatives in addition to the original baseline alternative.  The baseline alternative had a life-cycle cost of $195 million.  The recommended alternative had a life-cycle cost of $147 million, resulting in $48 million saved (24.6 percent).  In addition to the cost savings, the recommended alternative employs simple traffic control and does not require temporary widening to add and remove lanes.  The short duration of interim work using standard construction techniques eases the construction of the project.  It also minimizes user delays and impacts during construction, improves shoulders and flattens or shields steep side slopes, corrects cross slope on the mainline, and provides capacity when needed.  WisDOT adopted the VE team&apos;s recommendation and is proceeding with implementation of this best value solution. &quot;The award was well deserved.  The study was performed well with a team comprised of highly skilled and capable professionals, and results were very useful to the State DOT,&quot; said Peter Garcia of FHWA&apos;s Wisconsin division.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=66</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:34:35 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Lisa Kinsman recognized by UW Platteville</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Ten years ago, Lisa (Belanger) Kinsman graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.  She landed a job with Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural and engineering firm specializing in planning, design, and construction management, right after graduation and now works in the Aviation Department as a civil engineer.  To read the full story.

Lisa also assisted UW Platteville with a student recruitment video.  To watch it on Youtube.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=64</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>STH A / Lake Delton project and Yiying Xiong recognized</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, accepted two awards at the Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on September 11 in Oconomowoc.

The Wisconsin Section of ASCE awarded the Restoring STH A and Refilling Lake Delton Project the Category B Individual Project Award for 2009.  Scott Hasburgh, Mead &amp; Hunt project team member, made a short presentation about the project and accepted the award plaque for the team.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Freese &amp; Nichols, Hoffman Construction, MSA Professional Services, and Staab Construction also received award plaques in recognition of their significant role on this project.

&quot;This engineering project demonstrates excellence in engineering skills, and represents a significant contribution to engineering progress and society primarily due to the unique process and schedule under which it was completed.  While there are a few innovative design concepts, what is truly amazing is the number of federal, state, and regional agencies working with multiple engineering firms, contractors, subcontractors all while the local government, chamber of commerce, visitors&apos; bureau and the media from throughout the nation were watching,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;It is doubtful that anyone who watched the television footage of those five homes being washed down the river ever thought Lake Delton would be up and ready for business for the 2009 summer tourism season.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt project manager Yiying Xiong, P.E., was chosen to receive the Young Civil Engineer Award from the Wisconsin Section of ASCE for 2009.  

&quot;Yiying is a valuable member of Mead &amp; Hunt, exhibiting leadership and high ethical conduct in her work,&quot; said Kim Hansen, Mead &amp; Hunt, in his nomination of her.  &quot;She exhibits both excellent management skills and strong technical skills.  She has been and continues to be an active member of both ASCE and many other professional organizations.&quot;

Xiong is an active member of the Association of Chinese Scientists and Engineers (ACSE) and HHEOA (the Tsinghua Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering Overseas Alumni group), devoted to building a strong tie among overseas Chinese as well as promoting friendly relationships between Chinese societies and other societies such as SWE (Society of Women Engineers), NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers).  After the tragic earthquake that occurred in Sichuan, China, Xiong took the initiative and organized a very successful fundraising event at Mead &amp; Hunt.

Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current rank of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 146,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America&apos;s oldest national engineering society.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=63</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Team continues to grow</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning professional consulting firm, adds new team members.

Bill Ropposch, P.E., is an airfield electrical engineer whose responsibilities include designing airfield lighting systems, navigational aids, security systems, and other special systems associated with airfield improvement projects.  He brings more than 20 years of project management experience that includes planning, fee preparation, contract negotiation, proposal writing, preparation of construction schedules, cost estimates, plans and specifications.  He is experienced with various facets of airfield electrical design such as airfield lighting, navigational aids, power distribution, area lighting, communication systems, and security systems.  Ropposch is also experienced with construction management on projects such as aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) buildings, snow removal equipment (SRE) buildings, instrument landing system (ILS) installations for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) takeover, and office renovations for Transportation Security Administration (TSA).  He has a bachelor of electrical engineering degree from University of Detroit (MI).

Craig Guse is an architectural CAD technician on the Architecture and Building Engineering team.  His responsibilities include preparing architectural and structural engineering documents, assisting with design computations and quantity estimates, and assisting with preparation or modification of reports and specifications.  He will also work on plans and schedules for design projects while working closely with the design team on a variety of projects.  He is proficient using AutoCAD and is well experienced with architectural drafting.  Guse is knowledgeable about building construction materials and methods and preparing cost estimates.  He is adept at AutoCAD and Revit software, as well as building information management (BIM) technology.  He has a bachelor of science degree in the Recreational Leadership Program from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and an associate degree of applied science in the Architectural Technician Program from the Madison Area Technical College (WI).  Guse is also active in the Madison Revit Users Group and the AutoDesk Users Group International.

Shane Riphenburg joins the Architecture and Building Engineering team as a Mechanical&amp;ndash;Plumbing Designer.  His responsibilities include assisting with preparation of plans, specifications, and other documents for building projects.  His project experience includes commercial buildings, health care facilities, restaurants, and tenant build-out design.  As a plumbing designer, he is familiar with piping, locating equipment, local codes, and creating full construction drawings and specifications from project programming through final construction administration.  He graduated with an associate of science degree in CAD drafting from Herzing College of Technology (Madison, WI).

Kamal Gautam, civil engineer specializing in hydropower, joins the Water Resources team.  He has more than 15 years&apos; experience in design and construction management of hydropower, water resources, roads, and railroad engineering projects.  He has worked on project planning and implementation including feasibility studies, detailed design, construction supervision, contract management, and commissioning of hydro-power plants.  Gautam researches and develops alternative and green power solutions.  Gautam has a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the Odessa Civil Engineering Institute with a specialization in hydraulic construction of river structures and hydroelectric power stations.  He has a master of science degree in hydraulic engineering from UNESCO&amp;ndash;IHE Institute for Water Education (Delft, Netherlands) where he studied river engineering and river basin development.  He has a Ph.D. in civil engineering with a focus on construction and engineering management from the University of Hawaii.

Michael Lynch, Assoc. AIA, is an architectural CAD technician in the Architecture and Building Engineering group.  His responsibilities include preparing CAD drawings and working with project teams to resolve design issues.  In addition, he will assist with construction administration, design computations and quantity estimates, and preparation and modification of reports, specifications, plans and schedules.  He brings over a dozen years&#xe2;€™ experience in AutoCAD, BIM and ReVIT software.  He has worked on a variety of building types including, corporate facilities and master planning, various commercial &amp; financial projects, health care facilities, community centers, aviation projects, mixed&amp;ndash;use developments, residential hi&amp;ndash;rise construction and residential care facilities.  He is a member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Scott Brabender, E.I.T., is a mechanical engineer in the Architecture and Building Engineering group.  His responsibilities include assisting with load calculations, sizing and selecting mechanical equipment, and preparation of construction documentation for building projects.  He is familiar with American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air&amp;ndash;Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) testing standards.  He will be working on food, industrial, and military facilities across the nation.  Brabender&apos;s new graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a bachelor of science in engineering physics. Brabender is currently pursuing his Professional Engineering (P.E.) and Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design  - US Green Building Council (LEED AP  ) certification.

Colleen Herron, P.E., LEED AP  , is a mechanical engineer in the Architecture and Building group bringing more than 15 years&apos; experience to the position.  This experience in mechanical building HVAC systems includes piping design for wet side mechanicals and process piping.  She has design, project management, and construction administration experience with institutional, industrial, and commercial facility projects.  She has thorough knowledge of American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air&amp;ndash;Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, as well as a working knowledge of Trane Trace 700, AutoCAD, and Microstation design software.  She has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University (Postdam, NY) and is Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design  - US Green Building Council (LEED AP  ) certified.

Catherine Wilson joins Mead &amp; Hunt as a CAD Technician.  She will assist engineering and planning staff with a wide variety of projects related to airports, highways, bridges, and site design.  Wilson graduated with honors from Clark College (Vancouver, WA), with an associate degree in engineering. She has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Portland State University (OR), having graduated in the top ten percent of her class.  

Andy Olson, AICP, brings more than a decade of experience to his new position as a senior airport planner on the Mead &amp; Hunt Aviation team.  His responsibilities will include managing facility and environmental projects for airports throughout the U.S.  He will organize and attend client and public meetings, and research aviation issues related to client projects.  He will also mentor less experienced planning staff.   Olson served as project manager on numerous airport master plan and airport layout plan projects.  He is an expert in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) environmental guidance.  He works effectively with city, county, and regional planning officials on land use compatibility planning at airports.  Olson has a bachelor&apos;s in history from Saint John&apos;s University (Collegeville, MN), a master of arts in Latin American studies, and a master of community and regional planning from the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque.

Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=157</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Engineer balances multiple projects while keeping environment front and center</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Laura Morland&apos;s job requires juggling. But she&apos;s not a member of the circus; she&apos;s an engineer. 

The aviation services planning department manager for Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., Madison, typically has several projects on her plate and is responsible for handling the multiple needs of each project while keeping them all on track. Since engineering projects can last a few years, Morland is often working on many at once.

To read full article]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=43</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>CE News Top Performers 2009</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Growth, profitability, and innovation propelled these firms to peak performances, even in an unstable market

But at a time when the definition of performance is evolving as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, CE News chose to spotlight firms that have maintained, or even improved, their financial performance during these trying times. Some of these notable firms are the nation&apos;s top revenue&amp;ndash;producing companies - large, multidiscipline civil engineering service providers -  while others are small firms, carving out a healthy business by providing a niche service.

&quot;The definition of performance changes from firm to firm or individual to individual,&quot; observed Rajan Sheth, president, CEO, and chairman of Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., Madison, Wis., who added that despite the global financial meltdown, a confluence of factors can lead to a firm&apos;s general stability or success.  &quot;There will be firms that are able to grow because of their market mix, strategies, or blind luck.&quot;  That fusion is evident in a recent Mead &amp; Hunt project: the restoration of Lake Delton, a popular tourist lake in the Wisconsin Dells that emptied to the basin after severe flooding caused a break in a highway dike wall.

Read reprint of article]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=44</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>New employees join team</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning professional consulting firm, adds new team members.

Colin Hanley, E.I.T., is civil engineer in the Water Resources group.  His responsibilities include performing engineering calculations and designs for large water resources projects such as dams, levees, floodwalls, conveyance canals, pipelines, pump stations, and powerhouses.  He is working with project managers to complete design tasks, prepare plans and specifications, and prepare supporting engineering documentation for projects. Hanley is familiar with fluid mechanics, open channel hydraulics, concrete design, steel design, civil design, and foundation design.  For example he worked on the St. Helena Comprehensive Flood Protection Project (CA).  He is also experienced with AutoCAD Civil 3D.  Hanely has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from University of California-Davis and a study abroad program at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Dave Cockrum, P.E., is a structural engineer with great analytical skills and design talent in the Architecture and Building Engineering group.  Currently he is preparing building structural analysis, calculations, and construction documents.  Cockrum will assist project managers in execution of project assignments.  With nearly a decade of experience, he designs and details steel, poured in place concrete, plain and reinforced masonry, and dynamically loaded structural building systems.  He is also experienced with new construction, as well as renovation projects.  Cockrum is knowledgeable of codes, statutes, and laws related to building design and construction. He has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and a master of science in civil engineering (structures) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  While at the university he completed two research projects - Metal Cladding and Trim Construction Tolerances, and Camp Randall Stadium upper deck vibration.

Greg Barry, P.E., brings more than 15 years experience to his position as a senior project manager on the Water Resources team.  He is managing project budgets, schedules, and resources.  He is also responsible for overseeing staff on multiple projects, providing quality assurance for projects, and developing and maintaining client contacts.  Barry is experienced with pump station design, hydrologic and hydraulic models for flood insurance studies, drainage plans, flood studies, and storm water plans.  He is also experienced with civil design of irrigation, drainage, and flood control facilities.  Barry is familiar with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements.  He has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and a master of science degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment from Arizona State University.

Scott Kroeger, P.E., joins the team as a Transportation engineer.  His responsibilities include preparation of highway construction plans, design reports, specifications, quantities, and cost estimates.   He is experienced with the design of geometric features of highways using Wisconsin department of transportation (DOT) facilities development processes.  Kroeger has used Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Microstation V8 to design and draft. He has prepared and provided quality control for design reports, environmental documents, right-of-way plats, and Plan, Specification, and Estimates (PS&amp;E).  He has worked on large state DOT highway projects and smaller municipal or regional road projects.  Kroeger has helped develop work orders and contracts and monitored project budgets.  He has also led review meetings and pre-construction meetings.  He has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Valparaiso University (IN) and a master&apos;s degree in business administration from Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI).  He is active in both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors.

Shawn Montieth joins the Water Resources team as a structural CAD technician.  He is responsible for the preparation or modification of plans, schedules of projects, and quantity estimates.  Montieth is familiar with building construction material and methods.  He has used AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and BIM software for drafting and design, and has attained a Precision Technical Institute certificate for completing 900 hours of CAD technology training.  Montieth has been involved in defining and establishing corporate CAD standards, and will continue that effort within Mead &amp; Hunt.

Nick Hathaway, E.I.T., is a civil engineer specializing in hydraulics on the Water Resources team.  His responsibilities include helping with analysis and preparation of reports, specifications, plans, studies, permits, and estimates.  He will also assist with design documents for various water resource projects.  He is familiar with open channel flow analysis, watershed studies and modeling, and flood routing models.  He graduated with honors from Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI) with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering.  While at the university Hathaway took part in a senior design project to conduct an environmental and hydrologic analysis of Crystal Lake in Iron Mountain, MI.

Justin Zampardi, P.E., LEED AP  , is a civil design AutoCAD manager in the Information Technology Department.  His responsibilities include developing, implementing, and updating civil engineering design and CAD processes using AutoCAD Civil 3D and overseeing Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s civil CAD user group.  Zampardi has used AutoCAD daily for nearly ten years and Civil 3D for about three years.  He has developed company drawing standards, organized and provided orientation, mentoring, and training of staff for Civil 3D.  He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Wisconsin and LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP  ). Zampardi has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin&amp;ndash;Platteville with an emphasis in geotechnical and structural engineering.  He is knowledgeable about hydrology as it applies to water systems and storm sewer design.  He also is well versed in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering as it relates to earthwork, foundation analysis, and retaining walls.  Zampardi is capable of directing complex civil engineering projects from conceptual design through construction completion.

Eric Love, P.E., brings more than a dozen years&apos; experience to his new position as a senior project engineer in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Water Resources group.  His background also includes forensic structural investigations, construction administration, design&amp;ndash;build projects, and coordination of meetings.  Love will be responsible for the design of buildings and hydraulic structures.  He will also lead task planning, project oversight, and field inspections.  He is experienced with concrete, steel, masonry, and timber structural design.  He has designed and overseen numerous projects from conceptual design through final design and construction.  Love has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from California State University (Sacramento).

Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=53</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt assists community in obtaining grant funding</title>
			<description><![CDATA[With its recently received Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant, the City of Marinette will soon break ground for the construction of a new raw water transmission line from Lake Michigan to the City&apos;s water treatment plant.  

Mead &amp; Hunt assisted the Marinette utility commission (Utility) in obtaining this $750,000 grant by conducting an income survey and administering the grant application process.  With an estimated project cost of more than $1.6 million, the grant erases nearly half the Utility&apos;s bill.  The City of Marinette has water utility needs and without assistance from the Community Development Block Grant, the project could have impacted the residents by significantly raising their water utility bills. 

The grant will allow the City to upgrade its raw water main to address deficiencies due to the age and condition of the pipe, performance of the intake structure, and will help reduce icing problems with the existing intake.  Most importantly, the project will add a second pipe required by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to independently provide two sources of raw water to the treatment plant.  While continuing to provide enough water to the plant to meet the City&apos;s future demands, these improvements will also help reduce operational costs.  Without these improvements, the City risks a catastrophic situation in the event that the raw water main fails.  The existing intake and raw water main provide the only source of raw water to the plant.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=47</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Team continues to grow</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning professional consulting firm, adds new team members.

Erica King is a wetland ecologist, who will work on field surveys and project sequencing for developments that have potential impacts to water resources.  She will perform wetland delineations and create mitigation designs.  Her responsibilities will also include performing field delineations conforming to current U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other state standards.  King brings both private consultant and agency experience.  She has performed wetland delineations, Phase I Environmental Assessments, Rare Species Surveys, and has worked with power companies on multiple lateral line projects such as above ground transmission lines and underground gas lateral lines.  King holds a bachelor of science degree in natural resource conservation with a minor in biology from Carroll College (Waukesha, WI).

Scott Long is a project architect on the Architecture and Building Engineering team, where he will be responsible for producing architectural and coordinating multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary construction documents.  Long will work with both clients and senior team members.  He brings nearly two decades of experience in architecture to the team, including project management and architecture of health care, justice, and municipal facilities.  Long has been involved in schematic design, programming, and design development.  He has an extensive background in construction.  He is a licensed architect in both Wisconsin and Illinois.  Long has a master of architecture degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor of science in architectural studies from the University of Illinois. He is an active member in the American Institute of Architects, having served as president of the Northern Illinois chapter in 2007.  Most recently, Long served as president of the Rockford (IL) River District business association.

Mitch Walker is an intern architect in Architecture and Building Engineering  He is a recent graduate of Montana State University with a master of architecture degree.  Walker has performed site visits and inspections, reviewed building code, incorporated design changes, and drafted construction documents while working at a small architectural firm in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  His 3D programming capabilities range from modeling initial sketch ideas in order to attain schematic designs and finish renderings to hand drawing and Adobe Photoshop illustrations for presentations.  He is also proficient in Autodesk, AutoCad, and the Adobe Creative Suite software.   Walker will be involved in code and product research, as well as assisting design architects and engineers with projects.

Ivo Rozendaal joins the Architecture and Building Engineering team as an intern architect.  Over the past decade he has worked on a variety of building types including health care, education, residential, laboratory and sciences, and museums.  He is familiar with the fundamentals of design and building construction.  He has been involved in project development from concept and design through construction.  He is familiar with International Building Code (IBC).  Rozendaal coordinates with design architects and engineers, assisting with the development of schematic and design development drawings, and quantity and shop drawing reviews.  He is experienced in AutoCAD, Revit, Microstation, and Architectural Desktop software.  Rosendaal has a bachelor of science degree in architecture with a minor in construction management from Ball State University (Munci, IN), and a master of architecture from Washington University in St. Louis (MO).

Mark Braithwaite is an architectural CAD technician, bringing more than 15 years experience to the Architecture and Building Engineering team.  He holds an associate degree in technology architectural design from Morrison Institute of Technology (Morrison, IL), and has been involved n the development of various building projects.  His experience extends from preliminary design through construction documents, and includes design-build facilities.  He is proficient with AutoCAD, MicroStation, and Autodesk Revit Architecture software.  His responsibilities include preparing architectural and structural engineering documents, assisting with design computations and quantity estimates, and helping to prepare or modify reports, specifications, and plans and schedules for design projects.  Braithwaite is knowledgeable about building construction materials and methods.  He is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects.

Brad Jansen, E.I.T., joins the Municipal Services team with nearly three years experience in land development, roadway design, and environmental impact evaluation.  Since joining Mead &amp; Hunt, he has worked on sanitary sewer investigation projects for the City of Wauwatosa (WI), design of the expansion of the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport parking lot (Eau Claire, WI), and design of the reconstruction of Cumberland Boulevard in the Village of Whitefish Bay (WI).  Jansen has also been involved in the design of utilities, grading parking lots, and determining the required drainage systems for residential and commercial projects.  He has developed construction plans for urban and rural roads, and state and county trunk highways.  Jansen holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering from Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI).

Lisa Harmon is the newest airport planner in Mead &amp; Hunt.  She brings almost 20 years of environmental and aviation&amp;ndash;specific environmental planning to the firm.   She has been involved in the preparation, management, and production of environmental documents to support transportation projects nationwide.  Harmon has extensive knowledge of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation requirements as well as resource agency permitting requirements. Harmon has been actively involved with airport land use compatibility planning. She has managed or prepared land use compatibility plans and supporting environmental documentation that implement local policy controls.  Harmon has Land Use and Environmental Planning in Transportation and Land Use Planning Certification from the University of California at Davis. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=37</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt employee named Engineer of the Year</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt employee named Engineer of the Year

Laura Morland, P.E., was recognized as the 2009 Engineer of the Year by the Wisconsin Airport Management Association (WAMA).  Morland has been with Mead &amp; Hunt since 1994.  She focused on environmental projects at more than 15 Wisconsin airports and many others across the country during the past ten years.  

&quot;Laura is truly a leader when it comes to solving tough environmental engineering projects at Wisconsin airports,&quot; said Andy Platz, Vice President and Group Leader for Aviation Services at Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;She has shown that it is possible to further aviation growth in Wisconsin while being a good steward and in many cases enhancing the surrounding environment.&quot;

Morland is currently working on the General Mitchell International Airport Runway Safety Area (RSA) project that received a 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award for environmental documentation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  Morland is also providing planning and environmental solutions for the Price County Airport (Phillips, WI) runway project and for the Central Wisconsin Airport (Mosinee, WI) terminal project.  

Morland&apos;s award&amp;ndash;winning work has been recognized by the Airports Council International (ACI).  She was also the lead environmental engineer for the Dane County Regional Airport RSA project that received an Outstanding Achievement Award for environmental stewardship from the FAA. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, municipal infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with about 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=4</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Team continues to grow</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning professional consulting firm, adds new team members.

Ryan Bergstrom, P.E., is one of the newest members of the Aviation team.  He joins Mead &amp; Hunt as a project manager responsible for managing airport design and construction projects.  He has experience in civil engineering transportation including airport planning and design.  Bergstrom is familiar with local, state, and federal agency regulation compliance having worked with airport managers and directors, state aeronautics boards, and local FAA&amp;ndash;ADO.  Adept at AutoCAD 3D design, Bergstrom has been involved in specification writing, cost estimates, shop drawing approval, and project closeout.   He has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University (Fargo).

Sean Thompson is a civil engineer on the Aviation team.  He is responsible for design, fieldwork and construction engineering for various types of civil engineering projects. He is experienced in surveying, design, and construction related projects.  Thompson graduated from Michigan Technological School in May 2009 with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering with specialization in airport planning and design.  He understands aviation engineering including master plans and airport design.  He also has project design experience with AutoCAD and FAA Advisory Circulars and regulations.  He has worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation where he performed inspection work on road construction jobs, monitoring the quality of construction, budget issues, and schedule deadlines.

Bill Black, P.E., is a structural engineer and construction administrator, bringing more than 15 years&apos; experience to the Architecture and Building Engineering team.  He will be responsible for structural analysis and design of buildings and other structures, preparing construction documents, and construction administration duties.  He will also assist project managers with various project assignments.  He is experienced in design and construction of various structural systems including foundations, structural steel, concrete, reinforced masonry, wood, and heavy timber.  He is also experienced in multi&amp;ndash;floor building design.  Black has worked on both new construction and building renovation projects.  He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in 17 states, and holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering from Michigan Tech University.  Black is active in several professional organizations including the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and he is a charter member of the ASCE Structural Engineering Institute. 

Vijay Vyakaranam, P.E., joins the Transportation team as a project engineer where he will be involved in transportation and traffic engineering.  He has nearly 10 years&apos; experience in the public and private sector.  Vyakaranam&apos;s experience includes highway design in accordance with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) policies, design of right&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;way plans in accordance with local agency standards, drainage design, preparation of plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&amp;E) packages and design reports.  He also has experience in pavement marking and signing design in accordance with the Federal Highway Administration&apos;s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards.  Vyakaranam performed level&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;service analysis on various intersection improvement projects.  He has advanced skills in Microstation, InRoads, and Synchro software.  Vyakaranam has a master of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Louisiana - Lafayette, and is currently pursuing his MBA from the University of New Hampshire - Manchester.

Al De Leon is an electrical engineer in the Water Resources Department.  His responsibilities include assisting with the analysis and preparation of reports, specifications, plans, studies, permits, estimates, and design documents for various water resources projects.  He brings more than a decade of experience in the electrical industry as well as expertise in specialty products, such as medium voltage electrical transformers, surge protection, uninterruptable power supply systems, bus systems, power distribution, and logic control devices.  He has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University (WI).

Nicole Schmitt is Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s newest accounts payable specialist, joining the Finance Department. Her responsibilities include processing invoices for payment, issuing payments to vendors, and processing and paying corporate credit card invoices.  She also maintains aircraft, vehicle, and production logs, and documentation&amp;ndash;related projects.  Schmitt has nearly five years&apos; accounts payable experience including work with Deltek Vision software.  She has a bachelor of music education degree from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=160</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Named Best Engineering Firm, Best Architectural Firm, and Most Admired Small Business</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. was named the &quot;Best Engineering Firm&quot; and a top three contender for both &quot;Best Architectural Firm&quot; and &quot;Most Admired Small Business&quot; by Corporate Report Wisconsin, the state&apos;s most widely read business magazine, at an awards banquet June 12.

Mead &amp; Hunt was selected by the readers of Corporate Report Wisconsin magazine as a winner in the premier &quot;Best of Wisconsin Business&quot; competition.  More than 2,600 subscribers cast ballots online taking the time to rate Mead &amp; Hunt as one that delivers outstanding performance.

&quot;It is with pride that I accept this award on behalf of the entire team at Mead &amp; Hunt.  It is the employees - one and all - that make Mead &amp; Hunt the best.  They work hard, play hard, and do an incredible job for our clients,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO, at the award ceremony after accepting the awards. &quot;There are so many fantastic engineering, architectural and planning firms in the state, so to be recognized by such a prestigious audience is extremely gratifying.&quot;

Corporate Report Wisconsin is a statewide magazine, with readership largely composed of owners, presidents, CEOs, and board members. About 40 percent of these readers lead firms who gross more than $20 million annually.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  The corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list with a current national ranking of 240.  Mead &amp; Hunt was named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation.  The firm is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 400 people in offices nationwide and of those about half are employed in Wisconsin.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=1</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>State prisons need more room</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is planning a $5 million upgrade at the Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution in Plymouth.To read the entire story follow this linkreprinted from June 2009 Wisconsin Builder ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=74</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:41:27 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt named ACEC National Finalist</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt received an ACEC National Engineering Excellence Finalist Award in April.  Mead &amp; Hunt earlier received the ACEC California Engineering Excellence Honor Award, which led to the national award nomination. 
 
The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport hired Mead &amp; Hunt to design an 800&amp;ndash;foot runway extension and Runway Safety Areas (RSAs) that met Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards.  Mead &amp; Hunt planned for Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) beds at either end of the primary air carrier runway.  The resulting reduced length of the RSA allowed the runway extension in severely limited space.  Initial project alternatives were too costly, presented environmental concerns, and would have been too time&amp;ndash;consuming.  This creative planning has provided a viable alternative for developing airports facing similar challenges. 
 
&quot;This project for the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport presented a unique set of challenges.  We realized it would be a complex and demanding job, requiring the full resources and capabilities of our firm.  The talented and dedicated professionals at Mead &amp; Hunt delivered, exceeding our client&apos;s expectations,&quot; says Michael Shutt, Project Manager.

EMAS beds allow natural deceleration as aircraft landing gear crushes them and rolls through.  In the rare case of an overrun, risks of passenger injury and plane damage decrease significantly.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design and installation saved time and money, enhancing social and economic development.  Jon Faucher, Vice President, comments, &quot;It&apos;s a great honor to receive the award and recognition from a well&amp;ndash;known and respected organization like the ACEC.  Especially considering that it comes from a jury of our peers, and we were recognized both at the state and national levels for our innovative, high quality work.&quot;]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=159</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Wisconsin Builder magazine unveils 2008 Top Projects</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Wisconsin Builder featured Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s work for the fast-track restoration of Lake Delton as a 2008 Top Project.  To read the full article, click the following link:  http://www.wibuilder.com/wb-may-09/lake-delton.html]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=158</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt rises in the ranks</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Annually Engineering News&amp;ndash;Record (ENR) magazine ranks the largest 500 design firms - publicly and privately held - in the nation.  Mead &amp; Hunt rose from a ranking of 300 to 240 in just one year.  ENR&apos;s ranking is based on revenues for design services performed in 2008.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s gross revenues exceeded $52 million in its last fiscal year which ended October 31, 2008.

&quot;It is in thanks to very loyal clients, an exceptionally talented workforce, and company leaders who make astute planning decisions that Mead &amp; Hunt not only weathered a tough year but looked toward opportunities for growth,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;I knew we were doing well, but was thrilled to see the rate of our growth was so phenomenal when measured against our peers.&quot;

According to ENR, for large architectural and engineering firms, the year 2008 was the last hurrah for the boom market and the beginning of recession.  ENR&apos;s Top 500 Design Firms generated design revenue of $90.58 billion in 2008, up 12.36 percent from 2007&apos;s mark of $80.62 billion.  But many of the Top 500 began to feel the recession&apos;s chill early.  Of the 474 firms on this year&apos;s list that returned a survey last year, only 304 showed revenue gains over 2007, while 166 saw their revenue decline, with four firms unchanged.  This compares with last year when there were 382 gainers and 77 firms with lower revenue.

&quot;We&apos;ve been lucky to have attracted and retained some of the best talent in the industry, and it shows when the times are tough.  Our great team really rose to the occasion,&quot; said Human Resources Director Wendy Culver.  She went on to say that Mead &amp; Hunt is currently pursuing more than 50 positions and anticipates filling more than 75 in 2009.

ENR reports that the design industry and the economy as a whole are now in a recession.  As design firms are on the front end of projects, they are the first to feel the pain of a downturn, and these times are no exception.  While the first half of 2008 provided a last chance for many firms to shore up their backlogs, most large design firms now are hunkering down to wait out a downturn that as of yet has no end in sight.

Sheth emphasized that while Mead &amp; Hunt was taking a conservative financial posture, the firm was continuing its aggressive growth pattern in both mergers and acquisitions and employee hires.  &quot;We&apos;re taking calculated risks, and we aren&apos;t going to walk away from opportunities that in the long run are good for us and our clients,&quot; said Sheth.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 400 people in offices nationwide.

Engineering News&amp;ndash;Record, published by McGraw&amp;ndash;Hill, provides the news, analysis, commentary, and data that construction industry professionals need to do their jobs more effectively.  The weekly magazine has more than 70,000 paid subscribers. The audience includes contractors, project owners, engineers, architects, government regulators, and industry suppliers from around the world.  ENR covers issues such as business management, design, construction methods, technology, safety, law, legislation, environment and labor.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=156</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Water Resources team promotes to management</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a national architecture and engineering firm, promoted two employees to management positions in late February.   Rahul Ranade and Nathan Rockwood were promoted to newly established management roles within the company&apos;s Water Resources Business Unit in Sacramento, California.  Ranade is now the Manager for Water Resources Planning, while Rockwood manages the Water Resources Structural Department.

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt has seen tremendous growth in our West Coast operations particularly in the Water Resources market.  Additional leadership was critical for us to continue this growth,&quot; said Eric Van Deuren, Mead &amp; Hunt Vice President and one of the Water Resources Business Leaders.  &quot;Rahul and Nate are talented engineers who have demonstrated excellent leadership.  With their added responsibilities we will be able to continue to serve our clients with the highest level of quality.&quot;

Rockwood also just passed his Structural Engineering (S.E.) license exam in California.  This is a significant achievement.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=155</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Leading architectural, engineering, and planning professional consulting firm, adds new team members</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Ryan Meyer, GISP, is the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator for Mead &amp; Hunt.  The GIS practice is growing, and Meyer will manage GIS projects, develop and coordinate GIS standards throughout the company, train and mentor staff, assist with quality control, and support development of GIS marketing.  He brings more than a decade of professional consulting industry experience in technical GIS consulting, client account management, and project management.  As a project manager he will manage scope, schedule, budget, client communications, subconsultant relationships, and internal team tasks.  Meyer graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a bachelor&apos;s in Cartography and GIS.

Marina Williams will be supporting the Architecture and Building Engineering team as an architectural CAD technician.  Her responsibilities include preparing architectural and engineering documents, assisting with design computations and quantity estimates, and assisting with preparation or modifications of reports, specifications, plans, and schedules for design projects.  She will also help with building design such as floor plans, sections, and details.  Williams is familiar with building codes, architectural design standards, and building construction materials.  She has almost 10 years of experience in CAD and design of commercial buildings.  She graduated with a bachelor&apos;s degree in structural engineering from Kaliningrad State Technical University in Kaliningrad Russia.

Carol Roland, Ph.D., joins the Mead &amp; Hunt Historic Preservation team.  Her experience include writing historic preservation and environmental regulation compliance documents, coordinating activities related to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and conducting research and field work to identify and document historic properties.  Additionally her experience includes applying National Register and California Register criteria to evaluate the significance and integrity of historic properties, and then assisting in the identification of client and market opportunities.  She brings more than 25 years of active involvement in a broad range of cultural resource and environmental programs and issues in California.  She has extensive knowledge of historic property designation, preservation policy, land use planning and environmental regulation at the local, state, and federal levels.  Roland is well familiar with California city and county preservation programs, State Office of Historic Preservation policy and practice, California transportation and energy agency environmental processes.  She attained her BA, MA, and Ph.D. in US History from the University of California at Riverside.

Eric Burki, P.E., LEED AP   AP is an electrical project engineer on the Architecture and Building Engineering team.  He brings more than 10 years of experience in design.  He is proficient in lighting design and has specific knowledge of the design criteria for interior and exterior lighting, lighting management systems, service and branch power, generation and load shedding, and emergency back-up systems.  He is also familiar with small scale security and nurse call systems, and fire alarm systems that include smoke control and shutdown.  His responsibilities will include design support on military, aviation, industrial, and commercial buildings.  Burki graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville with a bachelor&apos;s degree in electrical engineering.  He is experienced in LitePro and AGI, and SKM Power Tools for calculating arc flash, fault analysis, and coordination studies.

Jonathan Archibald, P.E., is a senior project manager with the Water Resources team.  He has nearly 15 years experience in water resources engineering planning and design, including HEC&amp;ndash;RAS modeling of steady and unsteady state and HEC&amp;ndash;HMS modeling.  He is experienced in infrastructure design and construction administration of engineered channels, swales, and storm water ponds.  He is familiar with field hydraulic, structural, and geomorphic inventory, as well as bank stress&amp;ndash;failure studies and stabilization design.  He will be responsible for client relations and communications, project team leadership, specification and report writing, and public presentations.  He will assist with local, state, and federal regulatory compliance and in building agency relationships to support client projects.  Archibald has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California - Los Angeles, and he is active in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Dan Brady, P.E., CHMM, joins the Water Resources team as a senior project manager.  His responsibilities include development of an Environmental Services business unit, managing environmental and ecological projects, and maintaining client relationships.  He has experience in environmental compliance and permitting, natural area restoration and management, and storm water management.  He is also knowledgeable about state and federal environmental regulations.  Brady has managed multi-million dollar environmental services contracts for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the USDA Forest Service. He has also managed a variety of environmental projects for government agencies and private clients.  His skill set includes environmental compliance, air permitting, water resources engineering, soil and groundwater investigation and remediation, water and wastewater conveyance and treatment, and construction management.  Brady has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering and a Master of Science degree in environmental engineering from Marquette University.

Phil Minton is a CAD designer with the Aviation team.  He has more than a decade of experience designing and drafting for civil engineering, planning, and environmental projects.  He has experience designing a variety of land development projects for both the private and public sectors.  Minton&apos;s projects include office parks, restaurants, fire stations, schools, housing developments, and planned master communities.  He has been involved in designs for grading, water, sewer, and storm drain, as well as horizontal control plans, erosion control plans, and detail sheets.  Minton is proficient in many design software packages including AutoCAD Civil 3D and Land Desktop.  

Brian Clark, P.E., is a mechanical engineer with the Architecture and Building Engineering team.  He has nearly 10 years experience in HVAC and plumbing design, including DOAS, VAV systems, and boiler plants.  His responsibilities include client communications, design and layout of building HVAC and plumbing design systems, specification writing, and construction administration.  He is proficient with Trane Trace and HAP for load estimation, energy modeling, and payback analysis.  He has worked on industrial, educational, and medical facilities.  He is proficient in the use of AutoDesk AutoCAD software, including 3D drafting and basic lisp programming.  Clark has a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Mike Runde joins the Aviation team as a project engineer.  He will be responsible for design, field work, and construction engineering for various civil engineering projects.  As a summer intern for Mead &amp; Hunt, Runde has drafted airport as-built plans, performed topographic surveys, and is experienced in CAD design.  His construction inspection activities included CABC placement, compaction, and density testing.  He has worked on projects that involved bituminous milling, bituminous paving, and density testing.  He has also assisted with storm water utility placement.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in construction, transportation, and municipal engineering.  He passed his Engineer&amp;ndash;in&amp;ndash;Training exam and will be pursuing his Professional Engineering (P.E.) certification in the future.  Runde is active in both the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America.

Darrell Berry, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, is project manager on the Transportation team.  His responsibilities include managing Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) design projects, leading project teams and managing scheduling, budgeting, and quality control.  He also serves as the primary contact for clients and facilitates any project meetings.  Berry brings more than 35 years of experience in consulting engineering design and project management.  He has worked on several notable projects including the Miller Park Infrastructure and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Deep Tunnel projects.  He is active in a number of professional and civic organizations including American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) where he served as regional governor; president of the ASCE Wisconsin Section and other officer positions.  Berry graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil and environmental engineering and received his Master of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois - Champaign&amp;ndash;Urbana.

Steve Adams is a construction project leader on the Transportation team.  He is responsible for project construction teams for Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) construction projects.  He is responsible for MDOT construction documentation and inspections.  He is experienced in working on single and multiple spanned bridges, highways and rural roads, and streetscape projects.  These activities include construction staking, project scheduling, cost analysis, value engineering, and budget management, soil and concrete testing - seeing projects through from start to finish. Adams has worked on projects from $1.0 million to $80 million.  He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management from Ferris State University (MI) and has attained several certificates including Advanced Construction Management (Ferris State University), Construction Safety &amp; Health (OSHA), Moisture and Density Determination (MDOT), and Underwater Diver (PADI).

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong ranking 240 on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=154</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Lake Delton returns better than ever</title>
			<description><![CDATA[This article appeared in The League of Municipalities&apos; The Municipality newsletter March 2009.  ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=152</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:11:33 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Willow Dam wins ACEC WI Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized with the 2009 Engineering Excellence Award for their work on the Willow Dam Road bridge, embankment, and spillway.  The bridge carries a local road over the Tomahawk River and the Willow Flowage dam in the town of Little Rice, in Oneida County, Wisconsin.  The annual competition, sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin, provides the opportunity to highlight and celebrate achievements in engineering.

Mead &amp; Hunt provided design services to replace the deficient and functionally obsolete single&amp;ndash;lane bridge above the high&amp;ndash;hazard Willow Dam, including reconstructing wider approaches atop the dam embankment.  The Willow Dam and its reservoir were determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 as part of the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) reservoir system.  The reservoir system played a significant role in developing the region&apos;s pulp paper and hydroelectric producing industries.
  
The project goal was to safely accommodate traffic, replace a structurally deficient bridge, reduce long&amp;ndash;term maintenance expenditures, and maintain the hydraulic capacity and performance of the dam and connected spillway.  These objectives needed to be economically feasible, while following Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requirements, and preservation and environmental regulations.        

Mead &amp; Hunt created a safer crossing over the dam by widening the bridge and embankment and decoupling the bridge from the spillway structure, which saved money by avoiding replacement of the spillway.  Innovations included the use of micro piles on the structure foundation and carefully engineered embankment fill and drainage.  Micro piles-small&amp;ndash;diameter steel casings drilled through the embankment fill to support the bridge abutments-and a unique embankment drainage system using materials naturally occurring in the surrounding area effectively widened the dam embankment without compromising its performance.  The new bridge and roadway enhanced the safety of this crossing and effectively improved public access to this pristine wilderness.  An Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant pedestrian trail to a fishing platform on the upstream side of the dam was also designed as part of this project, allowing a greater cross section of the population to enjoy the wilderness area.  

The structural upgrade of the Willow Dam exemplifies how engineers can develop a cost&amp;ndash;effective design that maintains public safety despite the complexity of the improvement.  The culmination of this well&amp;ndash;planned project is a facility that blends into the natural environment while enhancing general economics in the area through improved access.   

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s expertise in bridge and dam design, FERC compliance, and historical issues made for a well&amp;ndash;rounded team and resulted in a project that today exhibits a one&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;a&amp;ndash;kind structural improvement over a high&amp;ndash;hazard dam,&quot; said Richard Meehan, Town of Little Rice Chairman.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=151</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt grows in Milwaukee market, despite faltering economy</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Despite the faltering economy, which has adversely affected many companies, Mead &amp; Hunt continues to see tremendous growth.  The employee&amp;ndash;owned architectural and engineering firm increased its staff by about 15 percent in 2008, exceeding the median growth rate of 8.4 percent for a firm its size as reported by the ZweigWhite 2008 Financial Performance Survey.  To accommodate this growth and to better serve its Milwaukee&amp;ndash;area clients, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s office has moved.  The new office is located at 10700 West Research Drive, Suite 155, in the Milwaukee County Research Park in the City of Wauwatosa.

From its new location, Mead &amp; Hunt will continue to offer transportation, planning, municipal, and aviation services.  Mead &amp; Hunt is currently involved with, or has recently completed, projects for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Village of Whitefish Bay, Village of Bayside, City of Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, and at the General Mitchell International Airport.

To continue its commitment to sustainable practices, Mead &amp; Hunt chose a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED  ) Silver certified building for its new Milwaukee-area office.  Mead &amp; Hunt looks for opportunities to serve clients with innovative practices such as LEED  design principles and building information modeling (BIM).

Mead &amp; Hunt has offices nationwide and also offers services to military, food and industrial, historic preservation, and water resources clients.  For more information on the services we offer, please contact Julie Hoppe at 262&amp;ndash;790&amp;ndash;0232 or julie.hoppe@meadhunt.com.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=150</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>For the good of Wisconsin, Lake Delton needed to reopen</title>
			<description><![CDATA[There was no choice.
For the good of Wisconsin, Lake Delton needed to reopen.
But can the restoration set a precedent for project delivery? 

Dec. 5 could be remembered as the day Wisconsin proved government and efficiency can coexist.

Gov. Jim Doyle huddled with dozens of people on that cold and windy afternoon to officially reopen the section of county Highway A torn apart by the June 2008 floods. The gathering also signified that Lake Delton is ready to collect water from the spring thaw.

The breach that emptied the lake into the Wisconsin River occurred less than six months earlier.

But with Lake Delton directing an estimated $35 million annually into the economy, the state had little choice but to move heaven and earth to complete the restoration in time for this year&apos;s tourism season.

&quot;It was a classic example of how government should work,&quot; said Tom Diehl, a Lake Delton village trustee and owner of the Tommy Bartlett Show. &quot;It was a real clinic.&quot;

The clinic, as Diehl put it, perhaps could not have come at a better time.

Casey Dinges, managing director of external affairs for the American Society of Civil Engineers, said some estimates indicate the average highway project can take up to 12 years to complete. But, he said, there will be political pressure this year to streamline the process in the 2009 Federal Transportation Reauthorization Act.

Jim Berard, spokesman for U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn. and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, agreed.

&quot;Nobody is opposed to speeding up the process,&quot; Berard said. &quot;But at the same time, we want to make sure things are still done right.&quot;

Dinges said all Americans should consider one question when hearing about the Lake Delton project: Why can&#xe2;€™t all projects run the same way?

Raj Sheth, president and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., that consulted on the Lake Delton project, thinks he has the answer.

He, and other engineers, said they feel most government projects, in this state at least, are completed in a timely manner.

Besides, he said, there were special circumstances surrounding the Lake Delton restoration project.

It&apos;s easy to point fingers at government when assigning blame for why government projects take so long to complete.

But the public often is as much at fault for the delay.

Marvin Ruhland, an engineer with MSA Professional Services Inc., Baraboo, is helping the Wisconsin Department of Transportation plan the expansion of highways 12 and 19 between Waunakee and Middleton into an uninterrupted freeway.

He said the planning for the job illustrates why some projects take so long.

In the case of highways 12 and 19, farmers worry the roads they used for generations will no longer connect to the highway. Surrounding businesses worry they will be cut off from the flow of traffic. Commuters do not want the construction process to slow them down.

In summary, the wants and needs of various interests create several alternatives for any given project, and it takes time to sort through the options to determine the goals of the project and how to accomplish them.

But in the case of Lake Delton, said John Langhans, who serves as the Lake Delton village engineer through MSA, stakeholders - such as local residents, business owners, the state and the federal government - quickly agreed on the goals and how they should be accomplished: restore the breached section of road; increase the dam&apos;s capacity; and get it done before Dec. 1.

&quot;There were no arguments,&quot; Langhans said. &quot;It was important to get Highway A back, and it was important to get back the lake.&quot;

But even when everyone agrees, the permitting process can still significantly extend the timeline for projects.

In a typical infrastructure project, the engineer designs it and takes it to the boss for review. The boss has other projects to review, so it takes a week or so before the engineer gets the boss&apos; changes to the project. 

By that point, the engineer has other projects to work on, so another week or so passes before the engineer makes the changes. The boss signs off and sends the engineer to regulatory agencies for approval. 

The agencies, which are generally understaffed, take three or four weeks to get back to the engineer with their changes. The engineer takes a week or so to make the changes before giving them back to the boss, who takes a week or so to approve and give them back to the engineer, who takes a week or so to get the design changes back to the agencies, which take three or four weeks to finally, with any luck, approve the plans. 

The state&apos;s letting process usually lasts 30 days. Municipalities take two or three weeks on average. 

Then construction can begin.

Piles, Ruhland said, create delays. Engineers have a pile of projects to complete, bosses have a pile of projects to review, and state agencies have a pile of projects to approve.

To speed up the Lake Delton restoration, engineers and agencies eliminated the piles. 

Langhans said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, WisDOT, the Federal Highway Administration and engineering firms assigned to the project people with only one task: Finish restoring Lake Delton.

Ruhland said about 20 of those people held weekly progress meetings. If a permitting issue or question arose, agency representatives immediately corrected the problem. 

&quot;This project was put to the top of the line,&quot; Ruhland said. &quot;You don&#xe2;€™t have that with most contracts. Not only that, but we were all working on the project every day.&quot;

Even if government streamlines the permitting process, two things stand in the way of finishing a project quickly: construction and paying for construction.

WisDOT used fairly unique strategies to pay for the Lake Delton restoration project, said Bill Oliva, the WisDOT design supervisor on the project, and Julie Seston, a WisDOT administrator.

Oliva said the state took temporary jurisdiction over Highway A, so the state could pay for that portion of the project. The village of Lake Delton paid about $1.5 million to increase the dam&apos;s capacity.

&quot;Usually it&apos;s the other way around,&quot; Oliva said. &quot;The state usually transfers (statutory authority) to the local municipality … like when an old highway becomes a business district.&quot;

Seston said the state paid close to $5 million for the road portion of the project with the understanding the federal government would reimburse the state either through emergency relief money or some other avenue.

The state typically looks ahead six years for projects using federal money, she said, but in the case of Lake Delton, federal officials assured the state it would get the necessary money.

&quot;There was never a point where we expected not to get federal money,&quot; Seston said.

Hoffman Construction Co., Black River Falls, won the contract for the road restoration. Staab Construction Corp., Marshfield, earned the contract for increasing dam capacity.

Aaron Staab, founder and president of Staab Construction, said the construction work for increasing dam capacity was routine.

He said work became a little compressed near the end because engineers were still designing during construction, but his crews never worked more than 50 hours in a week.

The road restoration was anything but routine, though.

To begin, the road project included rebuilding a cofferdam between Lake Delton and the Wisconsin River. Oliva said typical techniques to build a cofferdam in Wisconsin - such as using a clay core or a steel piling cutoff wall - would have cost too much and took too much time. 

So Mead &amp; Hunt engineers found an alternative, Oliva said, and, for what appears to be the first time in Wisconsin, used a bentonite slurry wall to build the cofferdam.

&quot;The big reason for using the wall is it is an economical approach,&quot; Oliva said, &quot;and it met the timeline.&quot;

Chad Johnson, Hoffman&apos;s project manager, said the slurry wall wasn&apos;t particularly challenging, but it took effective time management.

He said Hoffman crews worked up to 21 hours a day during the construction period by overlapping two shifts. Johnson said Hoffman typically tries to avoid overtime during infrastructure projects, but project estimates accounted for the extra hours.

Many who worked the Lake Delton restoration came to the same conclusion: It was a satisfying project.

David Boyd, director of business development for MSA, referred to the process as &quot;institutional adrenaline.&quot; When every stakeholder shares a clear goal to meet an obvious need, it&apos;s amazing what can be accomplished, he said.

Yet, according to engineers on the project, there&apos;s little to be taken from the Lake Delton restoration that will speed up other projects.

It&apos;s unlikely, they said, the state would or could commit similar resources to every run-of-the-mill infrastructure project.

&quot;I don&apos;t think there is anything to do to shorten (the construction process) up unless you had the same higher profile of people to crank it up,&quot; Ruhland said. &quot;And I just don&apos;t think that is going to happen.&quot;

Sheth said the state and other engineers would not want to keep up the pace set by the Lake Delton job.

&quot;We live in an age where we are trying to do more with less,&quot; Sheth said.

&quot;When you have a critical need like Lake Delton, you put everything aside.

&quot;But we can&#xe2;€™t be on emergency for everything. That&#xe2;€™s not how everybody likes to live there lives. Otherwise, we would be in a constant panic.&quot;

Republished from Wisconsin Builder, February 2009  http://www.wibuilder.com/wb-feb-2009/lost.html]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=149</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:41:04 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>What is a rest stop, really? Some toilets, maybe a water fountain and area for maps?</title>
			<description><![CDATA[To some people, maybe a rest stop is that simple, but to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., a rest stop is critical because it ensures truckers and families are alert and ready to drive when they get back on the road. 

But it&apos;s the importance of rest stops that can complicate the construction of new ones.

WisDOT hired Mead &amp; Hunt to design replacements for two of the state&apos;s busiest and soon&amp;ndash;to&amp;ndash;be largest rest stops: rest areas 11 and 12 along Interstate 39/90/94 just south of Portage in Columbia County. 

The rest stops, which are on opposite sides of the highway, are the only rest areas in the country located near three intersecting interstate highways. 
 
Set for completion in December 2010, the $22 million replacement rest stops will meet driver needs in a number of ways. 

But the old rest stops are too important to close during construction of the new ones, leaving Mead &amp; Hunt with some staging issues, said Scott Hasburgh, project manager with Mead &amp; Hunt.

&quot;Originally, we planned to close both of the existing rest areas during construction of the new buildings,&quot; he said, &quot;but because they&apos;re in use so often, they need to be open as much as possible. 

&quot;So we had to figure out how to keep them open, but still allow the contractors to work on the new buildings,&quot; he said. &quot;We ended up having to go beyond what we would normally do to make it work.&quot;

A real problem would have occurred if the only entrances to the rest stops were the ones travelers use when exiting the highway.

But fortunately for Mead &amp; Hunt, Hasburgh said, the construction team found side roads south of the project.

The roads give construction crews their own area for staging equipment.  As a result, the job has run smoothly so far. Hasburgh said travelers often stop to watch crews work. 

Once completed, the rest areas will occupy more than double the land area of their predecessors - 40 to 45 acres compared to 16 to 17 acres - and will have double the bathroom facilities with more than 90 toilets and urinals.

The new buildings also will have family restrooms, which the current facilities lack, DOT project manager Reiny Yahnke said. 

&quot;They will be the biggest in the state,&quot; Yahnke said.

Staying within the theme of keeping the rest stops open at all times, Mead &amp; Hunt designed them to accommodate cleaning and maintenance crews without disrupting visitors.

Designed as two buildings in one, each rest area contains two separate men&#xe2;€™s and women&apos;s bathroom facilities, to allow one side to be shut down for cleaning while the other stays open. Each facility also uses separate mechanical systems, so if one side needs maintenance, workers can shut down that half of the building and leave the other side open for use. 

&quot;The idea is to provide rest,&quot; Hasburgh said, &quot;and allow truckers and other drivers to get off the road at night and increase safety on the roads.&quot;

Project Specs
Project Name: Wisconsin Department of Transportation rest areas 11 and 12
Location: Rest areas 11 and 12 are situated along Interstate 39/90/94 between the exits to Poynette and Portage.
Owner: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
General Contractor: Michels Corp., Brownsville
Architect: Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., Brookfield
Project Cost: $22 million
Start Date: October 2008
Scheduled completion: December 2010

Published in Wisconsin Builder Jan 2009, authored by Janine Anderson  http://www.wibuilder.com/wb-jan-09/wip.html ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=147</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Three new managers announced</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a national architecture and engineering firm, promoted three employees to management positions in January.   Mark Breukink, Laura Morland, and Gary Siegfried were promoted to a newly established management roles within the company&apos;s Aviation Services Business Unit.

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt believes in promoting individuals with the highest degree of professionalism and capability,&quot; said Andy Platz, Mead &amp; Hunt Vice President and Aviation Business Leader.  &quot;All three of these professionals have demonstrated these capabilities, and will be great leaders in continuing our commitment in providing high quality service to our clients.&quot;

Breukink currently works in the Lansing (MI) office, will be moving to the other side of Lake Michigan to take the newly created role of Department Manager for the Aviation Services Engineering Department in Madison (WI).   Mark has worked with Mead &amp; Hunt since 2000 and has experience with both engineering and planning for small general aviation to large hub commercial service airports.  

Siegfried will step into the newly created role of Department Manager for the Aviation Services Engineering Department in Lansing.   He has been with Mead &amp; Hunt for about 15 years providing planning, design, and construction administration leadership on aviation projects throughout the Midwest.

Morland is the new Department Manager for the Aviation Services Planning Department in Madison.   She has been with the company since 1994, providing planning, environmental, and water resources project management and technical leadership to a wide range of aviation projects, including award&amp;ndash;winning projects at Dane County Regional Airport (Madison, WI) and General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee, WI).

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=148</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt surveys sustainable practices</title>
			<description><![CDATA[While few Wisconsin communities currently have a policy in place to promote sustainable practices, nearly half are considering developing one.  The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy environments.

Mead &amp; Hunt conducted a survey of town, village, and city representatives throughout Wisconsin during September and October 2008 to identify existing &quot;green&quot; or sustainable practices.  The goal of the study was to provide municipal professionals with a greater understanding of sustainable practices taking place throughout Wisconsin and to inform communities about current and future trends related to sustainability.  

To better serve clients looking for sustainable solutions, Mead &amp; Hunt continues to expand its knowledge base by providing staff with development opportunities.  In the past two months, six Mead &amp; Hunt employees pursued and passed the stringent and detailed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED  ) professional accreditation exam.  Jeremy Bluhm, Anne Anderson, Lyle Leverentz, Mandi Tauferner, Benjamin Sitzman, and Lisa Davenport are now fully accredited.  

LEED  is a certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.  LEED  Accredited Professionals (LEED  APs) have proven their understanding of green building practices and the LEED  Green Building Rating System&amp;trade;. 

&quot;This is a significant advantage for our clients interested in &amp;lsquo;going green&apos;,&quot; said Tim Wipperfurth, PE, LEED  AP, co-chair of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Sustainable Design Group (SDG) and an accredited Commissioner (CxP).  &quot;More and more companies are choosing to build sustainable and environmentally-friendly structures.  Our depth of qualified personnel means that we can deliver plans, designs, and even the construction management necessary to achieve a LEED  certified building.&quot;

Complete survey results are available on the Mead &amp; Hunt Web site at www.meadhunt.com/index.php/portfolio/municipal/C253/ by clicking on Community Sustainability Throughout Wisconsin.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=145</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt receives Safety Design and Environmental Awards from FAA Great Lakes Region</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt received a 2008 Airport Safety Award from the FAA Great Lakes Region at its conference on November 6.  La Crosse Municipal Airport, WI, addressed safety concerns from pilots by enlisting the services of Mead &amp; Hunt.  Mead &amp; Hunt designed plans for runway reconfiguration that met new FAA safety requirements and eliminated the confusion responsible for the safety concerns. Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design enhanced airport safety by making the possibility of incorrect runway departures difficult. 

Mead &amp; Hunt also received a 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award for Environmental Documentation for work on Runway Safety Area improvements at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s improvement alternatives considered the Airport&apos;s location, feasibility, and safety related to runway intersection.  Successful public involvement efforts by Mead &amp; Hunt included collecting input from community, state, and Federal stakeholders.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s comprehensive environmental document satisfied FAA requirements for the proposed improvements which are planned to be complete by 2013.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=143</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt employees recognized for outstanding service</title>
			<description><![CDATA[MICHAEL BOGGS, Manager of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Air Service Consulting Group, was given an AAAE Leadership Award by the Northwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (NWAAAE) during the 2008 NWAAAE Annual Conference October 5-7.  Boggs received the award for his long time leadership in air service development, helping establish commercial air service for many communities in the Northwest.  Boggs is nationally known for his creative approach to air service programs that better connect communities with their region, the nation, and beyond. 
 
KENT FALLIGANT, Construction Manager, received the Circle of Excellence Award from Peter Hinton of Northwest Airlines for his work with Northwest during construction at Dane County Regional Airport.  Falligant was honored for his exceptional work coordinating construction and airline operations for the past year.  His efforts facilitated communication between Northwest Airlines and the construction team regarding safety and logistics.  &quot;I am pleased to say, Kent provided important information to Northwest about the construction progress and the mutual concerns in safety,&quot; says Hinton.  &quot;We have not had any bumps, and it is due to the diligence of Kent Falligant, and his constant communication with Northwest Airlines.&quot;]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=144</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>State-wide planning effort wins top award from Iowa Planning Assoc</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Each year, the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Iowa) asks its more than 350 members to nominate plans, projects, and individuals deserving recognition by the professional organization.  Award nominees can be recognized in as many as 15 categories ranging from planning excellence to distinguished leadership.  An independent review by a jury of professional planners from the Minnesota Chapter of the APA, selected the Iowa APA Award recipients.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., will accept an Outstanding Planning Award for Best Practice for The Iowa Airport Land Use Guidebook at an awards ceremony on October 30. 

&quot;Communities depend on Iowa&apos;s aviation infrastructure - the existing system of airports - to provide the needed services and added benefits of close accessibility,&quot; said Stephanie Ward, AICP, Mead &amp; Hunt project manager.  &quot;Land use compatibility and the coordination of the management of land uses on and near airports have been identified as important components of the system&apos;s preservation.&quot;

The Iowa Airport Land Use Guidebook was developed to create an understanding of the management of land uses on an airport and a connection to the land use regulations in adjacent communities.  This comprehensive guide addresses the preservation of airport safety as well as the public health, safety and welfare of persons on the ground near airports.  

The guidebook was developed as a reference tool for a diverse audience of professionals who make decisions regarding airport land use compatibility including airport sponsors, planners and elected officials. It has been developed to identify and explain the distinct relationship between land use classifications and the impacts associated with compatibility concerns.  Further, it provides suggested methods and strategies for implementing effective land use compatibility planning and zoning.

&quot;Working with Mead &amp; Hunt has been a great experience and I appreciate their commitment to making the guidebook, resources, and workshops such a great success,&quot; said Kay Thede, Iowa DOT, Office of Aviation.  &quot;The collaboration between Stephanie Ward and her team, and our office and advisory committee, truly made for an excellent product.&quot;


Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.
 
The American Planning Association Iowa Chapter provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in community planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change. APA Iowa members consist of planners and other professionals involved in the development and sustainability of Iowa communities.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=141</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Wisconsin Builder magazine highlights Mead &amp; Hunt team member</title>
			<description><![CDATA[John Rathke answers &quot;burning questions.&quot;]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=140</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Surge in internal growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Tom Peterson, P.E., is a Senior Project Manager on the water resources team. With almost three decades of project design experience in roadways, infrastructure, drainage, survey and geotechnical he is a valuable asset to Mead &amp; Hunt clients.  He has worked for communities, organizations, and developers.  His responsibilities include managing project budgets, schedules, and resources.  He will also oversee staff on multiple projects, while providing quality assurance on those projects.  Peterson has worked on many notable projects, most recently the St. Paul (MN) $5 million combined sewer separation project eliminating discharge into the Mississippi River.  He is active in the Society of American Military Engineers and the American Public Works Association.  He is a licensed professional engineer and graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

Bruce Tecklenburg, previously with Alaska Air Group, has joined Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s air service consulting team.  Bruce has nearly 20 years of airline experience working for Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines in schedule, network, strategic, and alliance planning.  He was recently the Director of Planning at Alaska Airlines and before that the Director of Planning at Horizon Air.  As a senior consultant with Mead &amp; Hunt, Tecklenburg will be working with communities to improve service and address the difficult air service issues faced by many smaller markets. Over the past eight years, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s air service team has continued to add staff with senior airline planning experience.  Today, the staff includes former airline managers from United, Delta, US Airways/America West, Continental, American/TWA, and now Alaska/Horizon.  The team has depth of knowledge and experience to help Mead &amp; Hunt clients have the know&amp;ndash;how and high&amp;ndash;level access needed to produce air service solutions.  

Terry Donovan originally joined Mead &amp; Hunt as an LTE, returning summer after summer to help on aviation projects.  Now as a new graduate of University of Wisconsin - Platteville with a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering, Donovan joins the Aviation Services team full time.  He is responsible for design of airport Civil Improvement Projects (CIP), construction administration, subcontractor communications, and writing reports for airport&amp;ndash;related projects.  Currently he is working on projects at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin.  In addition to his academic achievements Donovan played on the University of Wisconsin - Platteville Men&apos;s Basketball Team, served on the Student Senate, and assisted with basketball camps and tournaments at the university.

Alanna Lambeth, P.E., joins the water resources team as a structural engineer.  This talented individual is well experienced in engineering of civil structures.  She will be providing structural design engineering for both civil structures and buildings.  Her structural engineering experience includes concrete, steel, masonry, and wood structures.  She is a licensed professional engineer and a member of the Structural Engineers Association of America and the American Institute of Steel Construction.  Lambeth attained her Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Sacramento State University.  

Adam Beherns joins the architecture and building engineering team as an electrical engineer.  He will be performing electrical design for airfield lighting, controls, building systems, communication systems, and security systems.  Beherns earned his bachelor&apos;s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota where he completed graduate level courses in fiber optics and plasma physics.  While attending the university, Behrens worked for Enhanced Home Systems where he managed a minimum of 15 projects simultaneously encompassing AV distribution, home theaters, security systems, telephone systems, and lighting control.  He worked directly with clients, technicians, and suppliers to ensure client needs were fulfilled.  He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and has served in leadership roles for the Institute.

Krysten Tesch joins the architecture team.  She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture where she made the Dean&apos;s List in nine semesters, and was a member of the Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society.  While a student she studied abroad in Warsaw, Poland, concentrating her studies on hand drawing, watercolor painting, and architecture.  Tesch worked for an architectural firm in Reston, Virginia, where she developed construction documents, assisted with field measurements, and creation of as&amp;ndash;built plans.  She has experience in production of material boards and digital renderings.  With her skilled use of architectural design software, Tesch will be responsible for preparing architectural documents, assisting with preparation or modification of reports, specifications, and plans, and schedules for design projects.    

Ian Neill provides structural design support to the architecture team.  He will be completing structural design and analysis of facilities comprised of steel, concrete, masonry, and wood.  He will also review shop drawings, as well as review and edit structural specifications.  Neill attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and physics from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and his Master of Science in civil and environmental engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was involved in a research group dedicated to the development of infrastructure sensor technologies.  He has authored and presented technical papers at national industry conferences, including &quot;A Wire&amp;ndash;guided Transducer for Acoustic Emission Detection&quot; in San Diego.  Neill is currently pursuing his professional engineering (P.E.) licensure.

Clint Doberstein joins the architecture team as a CAD technician.  He has an Associate Degree in architecture from Madison Area Technical College.  He also completed an independent study of beam structure analysis and strength of materials.  Doberstein is skilled in the use of AutoCAD and other architectural design software.  He will be responsible for preparing architectural and engineering documents.  He is a member of the Timber Framers Guild of North America and the American Institute of Architects.

Rebecca Shumate joins Mead &amp; Hunt as a CAD technician.  She will assist engineering staff with a variety of water resource and civil engineering projects.  She is experienced with AutoCAD and other drafting software.  Shumate also brings experience in plan and profile preparation and tentative and final map preparation.  Shumate holds an Associate of Science degree from ITT Technical Institute as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University.  Shumate will be working on the Natomas Levee Improvement Program (NLIP), one of the largest levee improvement programs in the United States. As office Civil 3D CAD champion, Shumate is responsible for creating and maintaining the CAD standards for the five offices working on working on the NLIP project, as well as overseeing the creation of the Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&amp;Es) for the various phases of the project.  

Nicholas Beutler joins the architecture team as a structural CAD technician.  He has an Associate Degree in applied sciences in architectural technology from Madison Area Technical College.  His studies included detailing steel and wood frame building construction.  Beutler is skilled in the use of AutoCAD and other architectural design software.  He will be responsible for preparing architectural and engineering documents, assisting with design computations and quantity estimates, assisting with preparation or modification of reports, specifications and plans, and schedules for design projects.  

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=139</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt increases office size and staff to meet demand</title>
			<description><![CDATA[While the industry faces cutbacks and hard financial decisions, one Portland area firm is flourishing.  Mead &amp; Hunt, a planning, architecture, and engineering firm, has been tremendously successful.  Across the company, Mead &amp; Hunt has seen revenues increase by more than 20 percent.  The relatively new Portland office has contributed with new client sales up by 50 percent.  In addition, due to recent and projected growth, Mead &amp; Hunt anticipates increasing local staff by nearly 40 percent in 2009.  A majority of the success in this northwestern office is directly linked to client demand for services in the water resources, aviation, municipal and infrastructure, and military facilities.

&quot;Our team members are proving themselves as capable leaders and respected for their expertise in problem solving with each new project they undertake,&quot; said Tim Bretz, one of the managers in the Portland area office.  &quot;Established and new clients are returning to us again and again - a true testament to the quality of our work.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt established a small office in Vancouver with three employees in January of 2006.  Due to the growth, the office relocated in mid&amp;ndash;September to 201 NE Park Plaza Drive, Suite 167, Vancouver, WA  98684&amp;ndash;5878.  This is the third move to accommodate growth since the office was established.

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt maintains offices all across the country, from Atlanta to Austin and Minneapolis to Sacramento,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;We are particularly proud of our Portland area office, one of our newest.  The team there is to be lauded for all they have done to go well beyond our expectations.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=138</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt employee passes PE exam</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Anne Anderson recently became a licensed professional engineer in Wisconsin.  Anderson has more than five years of experience as an engineer in training and has been with Mead &amp; Hunt since 2003.  She works on projects in the private development and municipal fields.  Her experience includes street design, site development, environmental permitting, and regional storm water management for municipalities.  Anderson&apos;s upcoming work includes storm water management for private developers and regional storm water treatment options for municipalities.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=137</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt to receive the 2008 Wisconsin National Guard Association Recognition Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt to receive the 2008 Wisconsin National Guard Association Recognition Award.  ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=128</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:13:02 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead and Hunt assists the City of Waterloo with economic development.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[By Dawn Zanto, M.S., Municipal Services, Mead &amp; Hunt
Is your community interested in attracting new businesses and creating new jobs?  Has your community exhausted the traditional approaches to economic development to no avail?  The City of Waterloo&apos;s answer involved a non&amp;ndash;traditional economic development approach: creating a business incubator in their community.

Business incubators began in the U.S. in 1970s, formalizing in 1987.  Their mission is to accelerate the development of successful entrepreneurial companies by providing hands&amp;ndash;on assistance to a variety of business and technical support during the vulnerable years of a start&amp;ndash;up business.  An incubator&apos;s main purpose is to produce successful graduates (businesses that are financially viable) within two to three years that then relocate to a self&amp;ndash;sufficient building within the community.  Typically, incubators provide space to a number of businesses under one roof sharing overhead costs such as heat, water, electricity, leased space, and janitorial services.  A business incubator may also offer an on&amp;ndash;site manager to assist with business plans, accounting, networking, office services, and equipment. 

The City of Waterloo requested Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s assistance to conduct a study to explore whether a business incubator would be a good fit for Waterloo and if so, where it should be located.  Mead &amp; Hunt researched the City of Waterloo&apos;s population, income, employment trends, and forecasts and compared them to national, state and local trends and forecasts.  The study also looked at the business market for the area, identified educational, financial and building resources, and conducted interviews with established business incubators. 

There are a number of factors that play into the success of a business incubator; the first is educating and gaining support from public and local leaders on the concept and how to foster entrepreneurial activity in their community.  Second, is to identify a champion.  This individual or group would require the necessary levels of networking skills, political connections, and financial resources to help drive the concept to reality.  Third, is to have technical support readily available for the businesses and entrepreneurs such as the local Small Business Development Center, the County Economic Development Consortium, the local technical college, and other local non-profit organizations dedicated to entrepreneur and small business mentoring.  Finally, a successful business incubator will have an experienced and knowledgeable manager, a strong business and entrepreneurial recruitment program and a cost effective building operation and maintenance plan.

Mead &amp; Hunt, in concert with City of Waterloo staff and interested citizens, conducted physical tours of four identified properties. Subsequent research was then conducted by Mead &amp; Hunt to determine what structural changes would need to be completed in each building to create an incubator facility.  After an extensive assessment, a building for the business incubator was identified.  The Waterloo&apos;s Business Incubator Feasibility Study was formally presented by Mead &amp; Hunt to the City Council in May.

If you are interested in learning if a business incubator is right for your community contact Dawn Zanto, at (608) 273&amp;ndash;6380 or e&amp;ndash;mail at dawn.zanto@meadhunt.com.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=124</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Sheth recognized for advancing engineering profession</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Raj Sheth, P.E., S.E., President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt, was selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Committee on Leadership and Management to receive the 2008 Edmund Freidman Professional Recognition Award.

The award citation reads, &quot;In recognition of his significant contributions made to advance the science and profession of engineering for 36 years, as demonstrated by exemplary professional service, contributions toward enhancing engineering education, employment opportunities, and benefits; and guidance to those seeking engineering careers.&quot;

&quot;In selecting you for this award, the committee particularly noted your commitment to professional development,&quot; said Patrick J. Natale, P.E., Executive Director of ASCE.

&quot;Since being named President and CEO of the firm in 1994, Raj&apos;s time at the helm led to unprecedented company growth,&quot; said Fred Groth, P.E., S.E., Graef, Anhalt, Schloemer and Associates and ASCE Past Wisconsin Section President.  &quot;With this growth, Raj has been instrumental in fostering a corporate culture in which every employee is encouraged to have a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.  He reinstated civil engineering pioneer and company founder, Daniel W. Mead&apos;s goals of encouraging creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and high ethical and professional values within Mead &amp; Hunt.&quot;

Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 140,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America&apos;s oldest national engineering society. ASCE&apos;s mission is to provide essential value to its members, their careers, their partners, and the public by developing leadership, advancing technology, advocating lifelong learning and promoting the profession.

Sheth served as ASCE President of the Southwest Branch, President of the Wisconsin Section, and Chairman of the District 8 Council.  He is a recipient of the ASCE Southwest Branch Outstanding Civil Engineer Award and 2007 ACEC Wisconsin Section President&apos;s Award.  The Southwest Chapter of the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers named him the Young Civil Engineer&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;the&amp;ndash;Year and Engineer&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;the&amp;ndash;Year in Private Practice.  

&quot;As much as I am honored by this recognition award, I have to admit that much of the credit goes to the talented team with whom I work,&quot; said Sheth.  &quot;I believe strongly in hiring the best, giving them the tools and freedom to excel, and then let them do what they do best.  This philosophy has served Mead &amp; Hunt and our clients well for more than a century.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, municipal infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.

&quot;Traditionally, engineers are rather apolitical,&quot; said Darrell J. Berry, P.E., S.E., Associate Vice President of Bloom Companies, LLC, and ASCE Region 3 Governor.  &quot;Raj works to educate the people who have things to say about whether funds should be spent on this project or that.  Over the past several years, Raj invited a variety of political leaders, from U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin to Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, to meet in open town hall&amp;ndash;type sessions with Mead &amp; Hunt employees.  This helps everyone understand the &amp;lsquo;who, what, when, where, why, and how&apos; of highways, bridges, hospitals, power plans, schools, airports, and other important components of our nation&apos;s infrastructure.&quot;

Sheth was particularly noted for his emphasis for mentoring and education both within Mead &amp; Hunt and outside the corporation.  &quot;I have known Raj for about 20 years,&quot; said Thomas R. Walther, P.E., Highway Commissioner in Wisconsin&apos;s Eau Claire County and ASCE Region 3 Director. &quot;After I served as Branch Director on the Wisconsin Section Board with Raj, I stepped away from ASCE for several years to devote more time to my family.  As soon as my youngest child graduated from high school Raj called and encouraged me to again become active within ASCE.  His mentorship encouraged me to move up through the ranks of ASCE to my current position as Region 3 Director.  In addition to me, I know that Raj has consistently mentored many, many other ASCE members and Mead &amp; Hunt employees to enhance their professional skills for work and their non&amp;ndash;work volunteer activities.&quot;

Professor and Chair Jeff Russell of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison is quoted in his nomination letter to ASCE as saying each semester Sheth provides time and expertise from Mead &amp; Hunt engineers to mentor the University of Wisconsin Engineer School Senior Capstone learning experience at no expense to the university.  

&quot;In addition to this time and expertise, Raj has been generous with his financial support to our department.  For over 15 years his gifts have, in part, enabled us to recruit and retain top&amp;ndash;notch faculty who are dynamic educators,&quot; said Russell.  &quot;In fact, Raj was the first donor to help create the Charles G. Salmon Professorship.  His continued interest, efforts, and contributions have not gone unnoticed as Raj is also a dynamic educator himself and is a frequent guest speaker in classes throughout our civil engineering curriculum.  So much so that in 2003 he was recognized with the University of Wisconsin - Madison, College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award.  &amp;hellip; Presently Raj is developing a lively, productive alumni club that will serve to increase donations from alumni of financial gifts, time, expertise, industry insight and guidance, industry networking opportunities, one&amp;ndash;on&amp;ndash;one mentoring, or other generous giving acts.&quot;]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=104</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, adds new team members</title>
			<description><![CDATA[John Hutcherson, P.E., is a senior mechanical engineer specializing in HVAC, process, controls, and plumbing systems.  He has designed HVAC systems that included variable air volume air handlers, laboratory hoods, and atriums.  His industrial design work includes chillers, air supply houses, and controls.  He has laboratory, industrial, healthcare, airport, and educational facility experience.  He is an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air&amp;ndash;Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) member.  Hutcherson has worked on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System&amp;trade; and other green and sustainable projects.  His responsibilities include developing and clarifying mechanical system project requirements, designing high quality engineered mechanical systems, preparing plans and specifications for bidding and construction, and performing periodic construction site inspections.  

Mandi Tauferner joins Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Architecture team.  Her responsibilities will include code and product research, coordination with design architects and engineers, development of schematic and design development drawings, and quantity and shop reviews.  She is familiar with general building construction technologies and the International Building Code (IBC).  She is able to develop design concepts into clear, well organized construction documents, and she has worked with specifications. Tauferner can produce axonometric and mechanical drawings, and is experienced in project kick&amp;ndash;off and bidding processes.  A graduate of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in architecture with a minor in psychology.

Ben Hoover joins Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Aviation Services team.  He is responsible for design of airport Civil Improvement Projects (CIP), construction administration, and writing reports for airport&amp;ndash;related projects.  A graduate of Michigan Technological University, Hoover holds a civil engineering bachelor&apos;s degree with a focus in transportation and pavement design.  He was very involved in the Institute of Transportation Engineers student chapter holding the position of Secretary / Treasurer.  He completed an internship with Minnesota Power in Grand Rapids where he worked on a power plant construction project with owners, management, contractors, designers, and general workers.

Dan Allen is a Computer&amp;ndash;Aided Design (CAD) designer joining our Aviation team, where he will assist the aviation engineering and planning staff with civil engineering projects.  He has worked on several Caltrans projects in the past, and is familiar with transportation project standards and requirements.  He is adept at AutoCAD and Civil3D CAD software, and has also been certified as a Land Surveyor&amp;ndash;In&amp;ndash;Training (LSIT).  He has 15 years of industry experience, and is highly familiar with the standards and practices associated with our day&amp;ndash;to&amp;ndash;day operations.

Amy Michels is the newest member of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Aviation team.  She brings 10 years of transportation engineering to the position and was member of the project team for the $300 million U.S. Interstate 35 West - Highway 62 reconstruction project.  As a member of the team, Michels will be responsible for design, field work, and construction engineering for various types of civil engineering projects.  Her experience includes field survey, construction inspector for a variety of municipal projects, and design of municipal roadway and utility projects.  She is currently an Engineer in Training (E.I.T) and pursuing her Professional Engineering licensure.

Micaela Frudden accepted an accounting position to join the Finance team.  She will be responsible for entering financial information into the corporate database.  In addition she will assist with invoicing, accounts receivable and cash deposits, and bank reconciliation.  She has a working knowledge of Deltek Advantage and Vision financial software.  Frudden is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree majoring in accounting.  While attending the university, she was the Treasurer for the non&amp;ndash;profit Hoofer Riding Club overseeing an annual budget of more than $100,000.

Joshua Isely, is a mechanical engineer with the Building Systems team.  His responsibilities will include working with other engineers and architects on the team with load calculations, sizing and selecting mechanical equipment and preparing construction documentation for building projects.  He is familiar with International Mechanical code requirements and building construction materials and methods.  Isely is experienced in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning service field; along with refrigeration cycle operation and data acquisition.  He has federal EPA Universal certification and is pursuing his Professional Engineer licensure.  Isely holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in thermo fluids, heat transfer applications, and environmental control design from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville.  While at Platteville, he was the President of the UW - Platteville Chapter of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Ben Sitzman is a mechanical engineer with our Building System design team.  His responsibilities will include helping engineers and architects on the team with load calculations, sizing and selecting mechanical equipment, and preparing construction documentation for building projects.  He is familiar with building construction materials and methods.  He has used both AutoCAD and Total Station software to assist with facility design and construction projects.  Additionally, he has supported project management communications through collaboration and coordination with contractors and subcontractors. Sitzman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Evansville in Indiana.  While at the university, he also studied abroad for one semester at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England.  He is in the process of obtaining his Engineer In Training certification, and is pursuing his Professional Engineer licensure. 

Christopher Hunter is an electrical engineer with the Aviation Services team.  His responsibilities will include electrical design for airport systems, such as airfield lighting, airfield controls, electrical building systems, communication systems, and security systems.  He is familiar with the National Electrical Code, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 150 Airport Design Series Advisory Circulars, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements.  Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt, Hunter worked for Mesaba Airlines in a variety of capacities.  Hunter graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a bachelor&apos;s in electrical engineering and a minor in physics.  He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).  He is pursuing his Professional Engineer licensure.

Lisa Davenport joins the Architecture team as an Architectural Intern.  Her responsibilities will be code and product research, coordination with design architects and engineers, development of schematic and design development drawings, and quantity and shop drawing reviews.  She is familiar with general building construction technologies and with issues unique to aviation facilities.  She has a working knowledge of the International Building Code (IBC).  Davenport is able to develop design concepts into clear well organized construction documents.  Additionally she is able to coordinate her work with other architectural and engineering disciplines.  Software adept, Davenport is experienced in AutoCAD, Microstation, and Architectural Desktop.  Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt, she was an architectural and planning intern for Target and Marshal Field&apos;s stores, respectively.  There she assisted with designs and plans for the retail facilities.  She graduated from Clemson University in South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts degree in architecture and a minor in sociology.  Davenport is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, Clemson Outreach Ministry, and National Society of Black Engineers.

Alan Campbell is the newest member of the Scottsdale, Arizona, team where he will be involved in airport planning.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aviation management with a minor in geography specializing in meteorology from Arizona State University.  Campbell will be responsible for airport planning for general aviation and air carrier airports.  These responsibilities include preparing planning documents, narrative reports, presentation graphics, and AutoCAD drawings.  He is experienced in preparing airport master plans, height analysis, and feasibility studies.  He is familiar with National Environmental Policy Act coordination, Federal Aviation Administration and Arizona Department of Transportation grant management.  He has been responsible for evaluating development impacts to the three Phoenix airports via rezoning and site plan requests by the cities of Phoenix and Goodyear.  He has also assisted with the management of ADOT Airport Capital Improvement Program grant data.  Campbell holds a private pilot certificate.  He is a member of the Arizona Business Aviation Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and the Past&amp;ndash;president of the AAAE ASU chapter.

Shauna Stevens joins the Corporate Management Group in the Marketing and Communications Department.  Stevens is a Marketing Coordinator, who will be responsible for producing project proposals and business marketing materials.  She is familiar with point&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;sale promotions, print and electronic advertising, and event planning.  She has also worked with journalists responding to media inquiries, and writing news releases and feature articles.  Stevens has assisted sales representatives in creating &quot;new business&quot; presentations.  She has also assisted with the development, implementation, and evaluation of promotional and marketing programs.  Stevens graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater with a bachelor&apos;s degree in public relations and a minor in graphic design.  She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Beth Gengle is also a Marketing Coordinator in the Marketing and Communications Department.  She will be responsible for producing project proposals and business marketing materials.  Her experience includes designing and implementing marketing initiatives and public relations programs.  These programs include Web site design and e&amp;ndash;newsletters designed to increase an interactive business presence.  She is also experienced in writing technical articles.  Gengle has assisted with creating and implementing direct mail campaigns.  In addition to writing media releases, she has acted as chief media contact.  A graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, she has a Bachelor of Science degree in advertising and public relations and also Web design training from Madison Area Technical College.  She is a member of the Junior League of Madison.

Thom Rutledge, P.E., is a civil engineer specializing in flood control and hydrology and hydraulics design.  He will be joining the Water Resources team, where he will be responsible for management of projects and project teams, client communications, and business development.  He has eight years civil engineering experience related to the planning, analysis, and design of sedimentation and groundwater recharge basins, flood control facilities, flood hazard inundation mapping, hydrologic analysis, open channels, and storm drains.  Additionally, he has two years experience as a civil land development project engineer.  His project experience includes the design and analysis of sedimentation and groundwater recharge basins, hydraulic analysis of open channel and closed conduit flow, hydrologic analysis of large and small watershed areas, floodplain mapping using both one and two dimensional analysis, and development of solutions to water quality issues.  Rutledge has design experience with civil software including HEC&amp;ndash;RAS, WSPGW, AES Hydrology, Civil&amp;ndash;3D, and FLO&amp;ndash;2D.  He graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=79</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Named the Best Engineering Firm and a top-three contender for Best Architectural Firm</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was named the &quot;Best Engineering Firm&quot; and a top-three contender for &quot;Best Architectural Firm&quot; by Corporate Report Wisconsin, the state&apos;s most widely read business magazine, at an awards banquet June 6.

Mead &amp; Hunt was selected by the readers of Corporate Report Wisconsin magazine as a winner in the premier &quot;Best of Wisconsin Business&quot; competition.  More than 2,600 subscribers cast ballots online taking the time to rate Mead &amp; Hunt as one that delivers outstanding performance.

&quot;To be recognized this way is truly an honor because there are so many fantastic architectural and engineering firms in the state,&quot; said Dean Freeberg, P.E., Municipal Services Business Unit Leader at the award ceremony after accepting the plaque. &quot;To be singled out as &amp;lsquo;the best&apos; by such a prestigious audience is extremely gratifying.&quot;

Corporate Report Wisconsin is a statewide magazine with readership largely composed of owners, presidents, CEOs, and Board members. About 40 percent of these readers lead firms who gross more than $20 million annually.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, municipal infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with nearly 400 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=136</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Continued strong growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, adds new team members.

Karen Wiemeri, P.E., is Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s newest project manager on the Water Resources team.  She will be involved in management of projects and project teams, client contact and business development.  With more than two decades in the industry, she is well experienced in water resources civil engineering projects such as design and analyses of water retaining and conveyance structures.  She is adept at working with clients and regulatory agencies, and as a key organizational liaison worked directly with subconsultants providing ongoing interface for current and potential projects.  Wiemeri has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis as well as a master&apos;s from St. Thomas University in St. Paul.  She is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Victoria Garmy joins the Aviation Services team.  She will lead marketing efforts for the West Coast team including creating an annual marketing plan and working with various aviation business units to achieve the marketing goals, meeting with potential clients, and tracking potential projects.  She will also assist with tradeshows, preparing marketing materials and presentations, and developing marketing strategies.  Very familiar with the aviation industry, Garmy was a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin where she was responsible for client contact and communications regarding complex technical programs.  She also served as the business development manager for Aerojet in California where she worked with contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin on the integration of launch vehicles, satellites, and military defense systems.  Garmy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical and mechanical engineering from the University of California at Davis.

Shane Buttchen joins the Architecture team as an Architectural CAD Technician.  He holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in interior architecture from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, a FIDER accredited program with additional training in Lean, SQL/AutoLISP, and Oracle.  Buttchen will be responsible for preparing architectural and engineering documents, assisting with design computations and quantity estimates, assisting with preparation or modification of reports, specifications, and plans and schedules for design projects.  Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt he was the AutoCAD Maintenance Project Leader for a Fortune 500 company that is a leader in the design and manufacturing of medical diagnostic imaging equipment.  

Dustin Nielsen joins the team as a technical editor in the Historic Preservation Department.  In that position, he provides company&amp;ndash;wide editing support.  He has been supporting the team as a technical editor and word processor since October 2007 by formatting, proofing, and finalizing reports, letters, and other documents produced by the Historic Preservation and Water Resources teams.  He brings diverse experience as he was formerly the Sports Information Director for the Wisconsin Woodchucks baseball team in Wausau and a media relations intern for Ohio University.  Nielsen was also the editor&amp;ndash;in&amp;ndash;chief for the University of Wisconsin - Barron County student newspaper.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire with a bachelor&apos;s degree in print journalism with a minor in creative writing. 


Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 350 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=134</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>The Mead &amp; Hunt Aviation team recently received six significant awards</title>
			<description><![CDATA[&quot;The Aviation team has done a fantastic job and it shows in the quality of their projects and the satisfaction of our clients,&quot; said Andy Platz, Vice President and Group Leader for Aviation Services at Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;We are very proud of the awards and accolades received by the team in the past few months.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s 50 years of work developing Dane County Regional Airport won American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Wisconsin&apos;s top Wonders of Wisconsin Engineering award for the southwest area.  ACEC also awarded Mead &amp; Hunt the Excellence in Engineering award for environmental work at Dane County Regional Airport.  ACEC Wisconsin is the business voice of the Wisconsin consulting engineering industry whose mission is to enhance business opportunities for member firms.  ACEC Wisconsin celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007-08 with a series of celebrations that culminated in a special award program, Wonders of Engineering, in addition to their annual Excellence in Engineering award competition.  Both awards are designed to highlight and celebrate achievements in engineering.

As part of an exemplary team, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s work on the General Mitchell Concourse C eight&amp;ndash;gate expansion project was recognized by the Daily Reporter and Wisconsin Builder magazine as one of 25 Top Projects of 2007 at a ceremony on April 29.  The Top Projects awards recognize projects that faced and overcame significant challenges, used new materials and techniques, or made important contributions to the community they serve.  One hundred were identified as Top Projects, with 25 ranked as the most significant.

Lisa Kinsman, P.E., was recognized as Engineer of the Year by the Wisconsin Airport Management Association (WAMA) during the 2008 Aviation Awards Program on May 7.  Kinsman has been with Mead &amp; Hunt since 1999, primarily involved with projects at air carrier and general aviation airports in the Midwest.  Over the past year, Kinsman has helped with several projects at Dane County Regional Airport such as the terminal ramp expansion and new general aviation development.  However, her primary focus is leading projects the La Crosse Municipal Airport.  Her past projects include reconstructing Runways 18/16 and 13/31, overseeing numerous taxiway and ramp paving projects, and coordinating a new airfield lighting project.  During the past year, Kinsman has been designing the intersection of Runways 36 and 3 to meet new FAA safety requirements.  In addition, Kinsman has been leading the development of a new $12 million Taxiway F that will move aircraft from the air carrier ramp to Runway 18.  This project required extensive and careful coordination with agencies to navigate through a detailed environmental process, along with working with landowners to locate an environmental mitigation site.  This is currently one of the most environmentally complex airport projects in Wisconsin.  

Helena Ziegler was recognized with the WAMA Distinguished Service award, for her outstanding contribution to Wisconsin aviation.  For the past three years, she has assisted with the Wisconsin Aviation Conference developing the event program and graphics, and creating a visual presentation acknowledging conference sponsors and exhibitors.  Annually, Ziegler creates conference programs that have resulted in dramatic and significant improvements to the event.  She produces posters recognizing event sponsors, designs conference programs and registration forms, and develops online versions for the WAMA Web site.  Ziegler&apos;s attention to detail and rapid turnaround has significantly improved the quality of the conference.  

Mead &amp; Hunt was awarded the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan&apos;s Award of Excellence for 2007.  The association and the Michigan DOT presented the award for Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design of the Taxiway B relocation project at Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport.  The project was a result of the existing taxiway failing to meet FAA design standards for runway to taxiway centerline separation.  The $3.1 million project involved the removal of the existing taxiway and construction of a new 3,500&amp;ndash;foot by 50-foot air carrier taxiway with 20&amp;ndash;foot paved shoulders and medium intensity taxiway lights in a new location.  Paving projects submitted are evaluated based upon criteria such as the pavement appearance, ride, texture uniformity, longitudinal and traverse joints, edges, approaches, utility covers, and the degree of difficulty of the project.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, municipal infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 350 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=133</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>ACEC Wisconsin recognizes engineering achievements</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Wisconsin recognized Mead &amp; Hunt with four awards in April 2008 - Dane County Regional Airport and the Lac Courte Oreille hydroelectric project won Wonders of Wisconsin Engineering awards, and the Portage Canal Rehabilitation and Pedestrian / Bicycle Trail and the Dane County Regional Airport Runway 14/32 Safety Area Improvements won Excellence in Engineering awards.

ACEC Wisconsin is the business voice of the Wisconsin consulting engineering industry whose mission is to enhance business opportunities for member firms.  ACEC Wisconsin celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2007&amp;ndash;08 with a series of celebrations that culminated in a special award program, Wonders of Engineering in addition to their annual Excellence in Engineering award competition in April 2008.  Both awards are designed to highlight and celebrate achievements in engineering.

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s 50 years of work developing Dane County Regional Airport won ACEC Wisconsin&apos;s top Wonders of Wisconsin Engineering award for the southwest area.  Over the past 50 years Mead &amp; Hunt has been involved in almost every major project completed at the airport including designing airfield pavements and airfield lighting systems, environmental mitigation projects, and architectural projects. This long history of engineering feats has included more than two&amp;ndash;million square yards of pavement work, a complete modernization of airfield lighting and navigation aids, and numerous building and terminal developments. The result is a safe transportation facility that has proved to be a huge economic generator for the state.  The airport has also been innovative in reducing environmental impacts throughout its growth and development.   This is significant because a 2000 economic impact study revealed that the airport:
Injected $500 million annually into the county&apos;s economy.
Employed 6,500 workers as a direct result of airport operations and facilities use.
Generated $222 million in wages in Dane County.
Generated $23 million&amp;ndash;plus in tax revenues for the county, city and state.
In addition, travelers spent about $277 million yearly in the county&apos;s hospitality sector.

Mead &amp; Hunt won another ACEC Wisconsin 50th anniversary Wonders of Wisconsin Engineering award for the Lac Courte Oreille hydroelectric project.  What began as a mitigation effort for lost tribal lands resulted in clean, renewable energy, and enhanced economic stability for the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.  Mead &amp; Hunt prepared a feasibility study for the Lac Courte Oreilles hydroelectric plant at the Winter Dam near Hayward and then designed the plant, which began commercial operation in 1986.  The design met the challenge of delivering water to the plant without compromising the dam&apos;s integrity.  The final solution provided flow using a siphon system to power more than three megawatts of installed capacity and included two 9&amp;ndash;foot&amp;ndash;diameter penstocks totaling 280 feet long.

The Portage Canal Rehabilitation and Pedestrian / Bicycle Trail and the Dane County Regional Airport Runway 14/32 Safety Area Improvements both won Excellence in Engineering awards.

The Portage Canal is a historic transportation facility of statewide significance, having been listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its contribution to transportation during the 19th century heyday of steamboat travel.  Mead &amp; Hunt completed the design for the first phase of canal rehabilitation and trail construction, and a conceptual plan to guide future construction of the trail and improvements to the historic canal.  Rehabilitating the Portage Canal exemplifies how engineers can develop a context sensitive design that balances the needs and interests of diverse groups to reach a common goal and create a functional resource.  This project restored the canal&apos;s scenic beauty and essential features of its historic appearance.  The canal is a focal point of the downtown area and is expected to enhance economic development.

Mead &amp; Hunt was hired to bring the Runway Safety Area (RSA) for Runway 14/32 at the Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA) into compliance with FAA standards.  This project corrected operational deficiencies with the runway safety area and improved safety at DCRA, which serves over 1.6 million passengers annually.  It not only brought the airport into compliance with FAA safety standards, but included a comprehensive mitigation plan that is anticipated to result in an overall enhancement of water resources in the vicinity.  It is estimated that the mitigation plan, which was achieved on&amp;ndash;site with local and federal stakeholder participation, realized a $2.3 million cost savings, which equates to over an eight percent savings.  Mead &amp; Hunt saw this complicated project through to final design and overall construction management. Finding a solution was difficult due to site constraints of the Cherokee Marsh, State Highway 51, County Trunk CV, the Canadian Pacific Roadway, and the Starkweather Creek.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=132</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Eskrich accepts management position</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural, engineering, and planning firm, has promoted an employee to a key management position.  John Eskrich, P.E., LEED  AP, is the new Military Facilities Department Manager.  This is a nation&amp;ndash;wide position overseeing staff in offices across the country.

Eskrich has more than 25 years of experience in project management, specializing in the management of multi&amp;ndash;discipline professional service projects.  His experience is focused in military facilities, including the issues of joint civilian-military airfields.  

He has been involved in managing facility design projects for air traffic control towers, main gate and security, squadron operations, secured storage and briefing areas, readiness centers, vehicle  and  aircraft maintenance and storage, fueling systems, corrosion control, fire training facilities, munitions complexes, troop training facilities, communications facilities, and small arms ranges.   His management experience also includes site infrastructure, utility, geographic information system (GIS), storm water, and master planning projects.  

&quot;My approach has always been to establish clear goals, use thorough and effective communication, and whenever possible exceed our clients&#xe2;€™ expectations,&quot; said Eskrich.  &quot;I&apos;ve been working with this team for a long time and am proud to say I am working with some of the most talented architects, planners and engineers in the nation.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 350 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=131</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm continues to see strong growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Marcus Januario, PhD, P.E., is a Traffic Engineer on the Transportation team.  His responsibilities will include traffic engineering encompassing traffic operations analysis, modeling and safety, traffic impact analysis, signal design, signal warrant analysis, traffic forecast, pavement marking, signing design, and Intelligent Transportation Systems.  Januario holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering and master&apos;s degree in transportation.  He also holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt he served as a traffic engineer for a large national consulting firm.  He brings expertise in engineering planning, operations and maintenance, and has worked as a public urban transportation operator in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.  He has worked in almost all aspects of traffic engineering including traffic operations analysis, and has a Professional Engineer license in the states of Wisconsin and Washington.

Ryan Spaulding is a Visualization Specialist joining the Architecture team.  He will provide graphic communications and visualizations, and assist with graphic designs related to illustrations for presentation purposes.  He is a graduate of the Madison Area Technical College in CIS Programming and a graduate of Madison Media Institute in digital art and animation.  He brings Web design experience and is familiar with Dreamweaver and Flash software.  Spaulding is adept at still imagery and animation, audio mastering, and video production. 

Mary Clare Sorenson is Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s new Marketing and Communications Manager.  She brings a 20&amp;ndash;year career in marketing, sales, development, and account management as well as a degree in advertising and public relations from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  Sorenson provides leadership to the company&apos;s marketing staff as they develop and implement marketing plans for each of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Business Units. Her primary goal at Mead &amp; Hunt is to help the firm grow to its next level of business success.

Frank Ransley, P.E., joins Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Water Resources team.  He is responsible for hydropower system design, supervision of equipment installation, project management, specification writing, cost estimating, and ROI analysis.  With more than 20 years of experience in mechanical engineering and solving mechanical problems, Ransley is knowledgeable about pumps and hydraulic turbine equipment.  He has a bachelor&apos;s in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  

Yvonne Wheeler joins the team as an administrative assistant in the Water Resources Department.  In that position she provides administrative support to the department leader and a staff of more than 25 engineers, scientists, and technicians.  She has held a variety of positions in the past, including as a recruiter, training assistant, and public safety supervisor.  Computer adept, Wheeler is skilled in the Microsoft Office Suite applications and several database programs.  She graduated from TPS Technical School in New York.  She was also a foster parent for five boys between nine and 12 years old.

Bobbi Jo Swanson is an Administrative Assistant and Receptionist in the Green Bay office.  Her responsibilities include assisting clients and supporting staff with a variety of tasks.  Swanson brings a wealth of experience from the insurance and healthcare industries.  In addition, she has technical writing capabilities having written many successful grant proposals.  Swanson graduated from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse with a bachelor of science degree in sociology and frequently volunteers for the Salvation Army and Special Olympics.

Alexander Vrtiska joins Mead &amp; Hunt as an Aviation Consultant for the Air Service team.  He is responsible for assisting senior consultants with research production, and editing of reports for clients.  He also assists senior personnel with client communications.  Vrtiska will be involved extensively using US Department of Transportation statistics, Global Distribution Systems (GDS), and Marketing Information Data Tapes (MIDT).  He also is trained in the Data Analysis and Statistical software program Stata.  Vrtiska is a graduate of the University of Oregon where he graduated with honors, with a bachelor of science in both economics and Spanish.  While a college student, he was self&amp;ndash;proprietor of a company where he sold and produced $80,000 in residential house painting contracts over the course of five months.  He also was employed as the bilingual legal assistant for an immigration law firm.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with about 350 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=130</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Gov. Doyle joins Midwest Hydro Users Group and Wisconsin DNR in promoting public safety at dams</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The high flows that have occurred on Midwest / Wisconsin rivers due to melting snow during March and April were a stark reminder of how powerful the forces of Nature can be and how important it is to stay safe when boating, canoeing, kayaking or seeking other recreation opportunities.  Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., joins with the Midwest Hydro Users Group in observing Dam Safety Awareness Week April 28-May 3, 2008, to promote public safety awareness near dams and prevent accidents throughout the boating season.  The Hydro Users Group and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have been joined in promoting safety awareness by Gov. Jim Doyle who has proclaimed April 28-May 3, 2008 as Dam Safety Awareness Week in Wisconsin.

The Midwest Hydro Users Group, called HUG, is an association of dam owners and engineering consultants whose primary purpose is to promote safe, efficient, economical and environmentally friendly use of hydroelectric power.

The purpose of Dam Safety Week is to heighten the safety awareness of recreational and fishing enthusiasts as they return to the waterways.  Many of the accidents and fatalities that occur near dams could be prevented by using common sense, practicing safety, staying clear of dams and understanding the dangers to be found near them.

HUG, DNR personnel, Mead &amp; Hunt and local safety officials offer these common sense tips to stay safe on rivers and near dams:
&amp;bull;	Obey all warning signs, barriers and flashing lights, horns and sirens.
&amp;bull;	Wear a personal floatation device (PFD): a life jacket.
&amp;bull;	Leave your boat motor running to provide maneuvering power.
&amp;bull;	Stay clear of spillways; changing currents and &#xe2;€œboiling&#xe2;€? waves can make boat control difficult near dams.
&amp;bull;	Reverse currents occur below dams; they can pull a boat back toward the dam into the spillway and capsize it.
&amp;bull;	Never anchor boats below a dam because water levels change rapidly.
&amp;bull;	Especially in spring, cold water can cause hypothermia that could result in death from drowning.
&amp;bull;	Bring a cell phone and contact 911 in an emergency.

HUG members want fishermen, boaters, outdoor enthusiasts and visitors to enjoy the many exceptional recreation resources to be found on rivers and around dams in the region.  People are urged to practice safe use of the areas so that they can be enjoyed over and over again.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=129</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Pavement Assoc presents award for Mead &amp; Hunt design</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was awarded the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan&apos;s Award of Excellence for 2007. The association and the Michigan DOT presented the award for Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design of the Taxiway B relocation project at Kalamazoo / Battle Creek International. 

The project was a result of the existing taxiway failing to meet FAA design standards for runway to taxiway centerline separation. The $3.1 million project involved the removal of the existing taxiway and construction of a new 3,500-foot by 50-foot air carrier taxiway with 20-foot paved shoulders and medium intensity taxiway lights in a new location.

reprinted from Aviation News, March 28, 2008]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=125</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Award-winning taxiway at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is the proud recipient of the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan&apos;s Award of Excellence for 2007.  The Association and the Michigan Department of Transportation presented the award for Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design of the Taxiway B Relocation project at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.  Paving projects submitted are evaluated based upon criteria such as the pavement appearance, ride, texture uniformity, longitudinal and traverse joints, edges, approaches, utility covers, and the degree of difficulty of the project.

The project was a result of the existing taxiway failing to meet FAA design standards for runway to taxiway centerline separation.  This $3.1 million project involved the removal of the existing taxiway and construction of a new 3,500&amp;ndash;foot by 50&amp;ndash;foot air carrier taxiway with 20&amp;ndash;foot paved shoulders and medium intensity taxiway lights in a new location.

Mead &amp; Hunt professionals including Project Manager Mark Breukink, PE, with Resident Engineer Jeff Thoman and construction inspectors Grant Bolden and Tom Ward formed a successful project team working with Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, prime contractor Robert Bailey Excavating and paving contractor MI Paving &amp; Materials to complete the award&amp;ndash;winning project.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=135</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt employee passes PE exam</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is proud to add another Licensed Professional Engineer to its ranks.  Angela Kerrigan recently passed the examination to become a Licensed Professional Engineer in Wisconsin.  Kerrigan has more than four years of experience as an engineer in training and has been with Mead &amp; Hunt since 2003.  She works on projects in the transportation and municipal fields.  Her experience includes design for roundabouts, subdivisions, utility work, commercial sites and regional storm water management for municipalities and private developers.  Kerrigan&apos;s upcoming work includes regional storm water management plans and street and utility upgrades for municipalities.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=127</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm continues to see strong growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Trinh Tran, E.I.T, is a civil engineer on the Water Resources team.  Her responsibilities will include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, design and field engineering for water resources&amp;ndash;related projects.  Tran has experience in hydrology and hydraulic calculations, conveyance computations, and downstream analysis.  She is also experienced in layout and profile of sanitary and storm sewer systems.  For about four years, she worked for the City of West Linn and King County doing inspections, permitting, and a variety of public work services.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Washington and earned her Engineering In Training certification from the state of Oregon.

Nick Reis, E.I.T, is a civil engineer on the Water Resources team.  His responsibilities will include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources&amp;ndash;related projects.  Reis is a new graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Platteville with a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering and construction.  In addition he is Troxler Nuclear Density certified.  He worked in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s internship program during the summer of 2007 showing exemplary skills and dedication.  Reis is a member of the Association of General Contractors of Wisconsin and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Nick Cmiel, E.I.T, is also a civil engineer on the Water Resources team.  His responsibilities will include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources&amp;ndash;related projects.  He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2006 with a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering and has completed coursework in hydrologic design, fluid mechanics, soil mechanics, steel and concrete design, structural analysis, and 3D modeling.  In addition he is Scuba Certified allowing for underwater inspections.  Active in the community, Cmiel has been a leader in his local Habitat for Humanity group.

Ryan Greif has been an intern in the Sacramento office since the summer of 2006 and now joins the Water Resources team full time.  While with Mead &amp; Hunt he compiled engineering reports, modeled flood events with HEC&amp;ndash;RAS, designed alignment for floodwalls, provided CAD assistance, and estimated project costs.  In the past year Greif was a Summer Missionary for the Clean Water Projects Division of HCJB Global in Quito (Republic of Ecuador).  While in Ecuador, he designed a drinking water distribution system for the community of Chiriboga and guided topographic surveys for Chiriboga and Pichan.  His current responsibilities at Mead &amp; Hunt include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources related projects.  Greif holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville having been on the Chancellor&apos;s List and Dean&apos;s List, and was a member of Tau Beta Pi (engineering honor society).  Greif is working to earn his engineer in training certification.

Rebecca Edwards is an administrative assistant on the Water Resources team.  Her responsibilities will include general office duties and support of the staff in the Sacramento office. She brings a wealth of experience having provided support assistance to several service&amp;ndash;oriented and construction firms since the late 1980s.  She is computer&amp;ndash;adept with experience in word processing, accounting, inventory, and travel software.  Edwards describes herself as organized, efficient, and a great communicator.

Moira Nobles is also an administrative assistant on the Water Resources team.  Her responsibilities will include general office duties, proofing and editing written documents, and support of the staff in the Sacramento office. She is technically competent having completed many computer science courses in software and network servers, and tutoring others in business in computer&amp;ndash;related skills.  She is active Toastmasters and is well spoken.  

Pete Lynch is a planner on the Transportation team.  His responsibilities will include conducting transportation planning activities, coordinating with state and federal agencies, preparing NEPA clearance documentation, and conducting public involvement activities and meetings.  Lynch is knowledgeable in highway corridor studies, access management, land use planning, and geographic information system use.  He has worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and in the private sector.  In addition he has assisted in the development of award&amp;ndash;winning grant applications for federal discretionary funds from the TEA 21 National Corridor Planning and Development and Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program.  Lynch holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 330 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=123</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
		</item>
	
		<item>
			<title>BIM transition cannot be immediate</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Designers have no choice but to accept that building-information modeling software will soon become the primary medium for the industry, said Melissa Destree.

But that acceptance won&apos;t come without a price.

&quot;We are feeling the pressure to make the jump since we work as a consultant to larger firms,&quot; said Destree, the president of Madison-based Destree Design Architects Inc. &quot;We looked at the numbers, though, and it&apos;s $5,600 to put the software on one work station, and then you have to figure the hours put into training.

&quot;MasterGraphics Inc. in Waukesha offers a three-day training course for $1,400, but the thought of losing someone here for three days ... I couldn&apos;t do it.&quot;

Those are some of the problems small design firms face in incorporating BIM, which is 3-D modeling that makes it easy to update any aspect of a given project. Kevin Connolly, the president and founder of Connolly Architects Inc., Milwaukee, said there are other problems, but he&apos;s still made BIM work for his company with a staff of five.

&quot;I know there are firms out there that don&apos;t believe in it, or just think it&apos;s a (computer-aided design) upgrade,&quot; he said. &quot;What would I say to convince them otherwise? I&apos;d quote a wise shoe salesman who once said, `Just do it.&quot;&apos;

One big project owner following that advice is the state of Wisconsin. The state Department of Administration&apos;s division of state facilities took part in a nationwide &quot;BIM Storm&quot; Thursday that saw design teams from across the country spend the day designing mock sites for areas around northern Los Angeles.

Teams worked interactively in real time designing specific sites, meaning a group of designers in Wisconsin could work with a group in Colorado on the same building.

&quot;We heard about this and thought we might as well watch,&quot; said Bill Napier, who works for the state&apos;s Bureau of Architecture and Engineering. &quot;Then we figured instead of watching, we might as well play along.&quot;
The Division of State Facilities requires BIM on some state projects, but Napier said the problem is there are no established guidelines.

&quot;We use it on some larger projects and basically say, `Use BIM to the best of your ability,&quot;&apos; he said. &quot;Well, then you get companies going, &apos;What does that mean?&apos; Some of them are very well-versed in it. Others aren&apos;t. We want to be able to learn more so we can set some standards.&quot;

Napier said DSF loosely targeted July 2009 as its deadline to put more defined BIM standards on most, if not all, of its projects. 

That sounds good to Terry Bay, a project manager at Madison-based Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., who said he&apos;d like to see the state eventually require BIM from firms to qualify for projects. While Mead &amp; Hunt works in BIM, the firm has yet to use it on a state project, and Bay said he understands why a transition can&apos;t be immediate.

&quot;The state&apos;s going to have a lot to wrestle with, not only in terms of utilizing BIM, but also from a legal standpoint,&quot; he said. &quot;State law requires the design, bid, build process now. If the switch is made to BIM, contractors are going to have to start getting involved earlier.
&quot;(The state) is also conscientious about knocking firms out of the approach if a definitive switch is made.&quot;
And despite their size, firms like Destree Design recognize what&apos;s coming and are trying to brace for the switch. Although Destree said she can&apos;t make the $40,000 investment to put software on every work station in the office, she did put it on one.

&quot;We do work with (the Madison offices of) Bray Associates Architects and Mead &amp; Hunt, and we didn&apos;t want them to be coming to us saying, `You really need to learn this,&quot;&apos; she said. &quot;We wanted to be somewhat familiar.&quot;

That&apos;s a big reason why Connolly said he hopes to see the state take BIM baby steps.

&quot;If they said they wanted 100 percent BIM tomorrow, the state would fall apart,&quot; he said. &quot;I think if you set minimum standards bit by bit, you give everyone sufficient time to adapt and take corrective action.&quot;

It might be hard at first, he said, but it can be done.

&quot;We decided in 2000 we were going to do it, and by 2001 everything we did was 100 percent BIM,&quot; Connolly said. &quot;We lost our butts on the first project we did at the time, but we never turned back.&quot;

Turning back may not be as big an issue as getting everyone there by the state&apos;s tentative 2009 deadline, Destree said. &quot;That,&quot; she said, &quot;is going to mean a lot of training quickly.&quot;

reprinted from the Wisconsin Daily Reporter, Paul Snyder,  February 4, 2008]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=126</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>The Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Minnesota wins ACEC MN Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Minnesota project completed by Mead &amp; Hunt and HNTB has received an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Minnesota during their 2008 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition.  The Engineering Excellence Awards is an annual competition recognizing leading-edge projects from throughout the state.

The Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Minnesota is the guiding document for the Minnesota Department of Transportation&apos;s efforts to rehabilitate and preserve historic bridges.  Completed in June 2006, the plan provides state and local bridge owners with technical information and guidance to manage and preserve historic bridges.  Minnesota has more than 200 historically significant highway bridges.  Mn/DOT owns 15 percent of these, while counties and cities own the remaining 85 percent.

Mn/DOT&apos;s innovative approach to historic bridge management using the team method is presented in this plan.  This method effectively brings historic preservation and bridge engineering into a dialogue to address difficult bridge issues, such as load capacity, widening, railing replacement, and structural deterioration.  On behalf of Mn/DOT, Mead &amp; Hunt and HNTB introduced and used the team approach to prepare plans for 22 state-owned bridges.  The management plan streamlines the process for considering rehabilitation and replacement alternatives and reduces the time and expense of fulfilling regulatory requirements associated with federally funded projects.  

Each plan presents practical recommendations for how an individual bridge can be kept in use for the next 20 years.  The recommended treatments and associated costs provide vital information for the bridge owner, who can then make informed management decisions.  Further, the plans provide an essential model for local bridge owners grappling with these same issues. 

As a result of the guidance presented in this plan and Mn/DOT&apos;s commitment to preserve historic bridges, the following projects are currently underway:
&amp;bull; Relocation and reuse of two historic highway bridges (Bridge Nos. 5721 dating to the late 19th-century and 5388 built in 1935) on state recreational trails. 
&amp;bull; A preservation plan for the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge built in 1931 (Bridge No. 4654).
&amp;bull; Reconstruction of the historic railing of the Lester River Bridge built in 1925 (Bridge No. 5772).
&amp;bull; Rehabilitation of the National Register-listed Faribault Viaduct built in 1937-39 (Bridge No. 5370).

Historic preservation enhances our environment for human activities through sustainable reuse of existing structures and making meaningful connections to our heritage.  Through the Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Minnesota, Mn/DOT is encouraging owners of historic bridges to consider proactive ways to maintain and preserve these important resources in their communities.  The plan promotes the sustainable reuse of historic bridges and advances the recognition of the state&apos;s cultural heritage.  

Historic bridge preservation can save valuable taxpayer dollars while recalling a community&apos;s heritage and dreams.  Instead of losing the work of talented craftsmen from an earlier era, these valuable structures can be maintained by following the plan&apos;s guidance.  By identifying early-on which bridges are significant and deserve higher levels of rehabilitation and maintenance, Mn/DOT helps local bridge owners focus their limited transportation funds.  

The project team identified a simple solution to a complex problem by using an innovative and streamlined process.  This effort was recognized by the client:  &quot;This was a very complicated project with no predecessor to build from in any state.  Mead &amp; Hunt and HNTB were extremely helpful in providing their expertise and guidance through the development of the project.  At times, we as an agency were unsure how to proceed or address certain issues.  Mead &amp; Hunt and HNTB were very helpful in providing suggestions...&quot; (Mn/DOT Consultant Performance Evaluation, Sept. 2006).

Completed on time and on budget, the Management Plan for Historic Bridges in Minnesota culminates a 20-year effort by the state to identify significant historic bridges and plan for their long-term preservation where feasible. 

 &quot;The consultant team, led by Mead &amp; Hunt, addressed the unique challenges of preserving and maintaining historic bridges, including funding, rehabilitation, maintenance, and standards, and presented viable solutions within the framework of the management plan.&quot;  Rick Arnebeck, Division Director, Minnesota Department of Transportation.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=113</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mettel promoted to Water Resources Manager of Eastern US</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural, engineering, and planning firm, has promoted an employee to a key management position.  Carson Mettel is the new Water Resources Manager for the Eastern U.S. Region.

&quot;Our firm was established by Daniel W. Mead, &amp;lsquo;founding father&apos; of hydrology and hydraulics.   We have been a leader in this industry for more than 100 years.  I am confident Carson is the right person to help us maintain our position in providing services to our clients in the fields of water resources and renewable energy,&quot; said Rajan Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;With more than 25 years of water resources experience including hydropower, safety, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, security, and floodplain mapping for clients nationwide, Carson has a unique blend of knowledge.  Renewable energy is the future, and Carson is well equipped to lead our team into that future.&quot;  

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 325 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=121</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Corporation sees substantial growth at year&apos;s end</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Richard Lundeen, AIA, LEED AP, joins the Architecture team as a Senior Project Architect.  He holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in architecture from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with additional experience and training in sustainable architecture.  Lundeen brings experience in commercial, educational, and municipal projects.  This includes programming and design of projects, specification development, review of construction documents, bid procedures, contractor contract development, shop drawing review, and construction observation.  His project management skills include scheduling, budgeting and coordinating work of a multidiscipline team.  In addition to being a registered architect in the state of Wisconsin since 1985, Lundeen is the President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Southwest Wisconsin Chapter.  He also was a past president of the AIA Northeast Wisconsin Chapter.

Eric Engel joined the Military Facilities team after having been employed with both the Kansas and the Wisconsin Air National Guards.  He is a graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.  Engel brings extensive experience in working on design and construction projects with local architects and engineers.  At Truax Field, he managed the design for projects such as the new munitions complex and fire station alteration.  He also oversaw design and construction of the fire suppression system in the aircraft shelters and engine shop addition.  His responsibilities at Mead &amp; Hunt will include preparing construction documents (specifications and drawings), performing electrical design calculations, and assisting with the preparation of design and construction budgets.

Debra Engelstad joins the Aviation Services team as a technical editor.  She brings significant experience in editing and production of Airport Master Plans and other aviation documents.  She also has training in formatting and editing of engineering specifications and the management of bid administration.  A quality minded individual, Engelstad, has a solid knowledge of English usage. Previously employed by a real estate and mortgage firm, a law office, and Sonoma County (CA), she brings diverse experience and qualifications to the Mead &amp; Hunt team.

Don Hogancamp, P.E., the new Sacramento Water Resources Department Manager, is leading a local team of 30 professionals and supporting Mead &amp; Hunt project teams all across the country.  He manages the operations of the department including overseeing Water Resource Department projects and staff.  Hogancamp brings more than 25 years of experience leading teams in structural design, water resources engineering, land development, and construction management.  He has led teams on water resources projects, from Florida and Georgia to California.  Hogancamp&apos;s project experience includes subdivision and golf resort development, desert master drainage plans and water district watershed analyses and storm channel behavior studies, and waste treatment facilities.  He also has building project experience in automotive plants, airport control towers and hangars, telecommunication towers, and large nuclear power generating stations.

Kristen Michaelis, E.I.T., a new graduate of the School of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of the Pacific in Stockton (CA), joins the Water Resources team.  She has worked on a variety of projects including land development and master planning of communities. She has experience in job site development including road and utility design, and site work.  Michaelis&apos; current responsibilities include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, and design and field engineering for water resources related projects.  She is currently a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers.  Michaelis is working towards her Professional Engineering (P.E.) license.

Elias Travis, E.I.T., is the newest member of the Water Resources Team.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Montana State University.  Since his graduation he has primarily concentrated his talents on residential and commercial design in several California communities.  The most notable project he was involved in was Placer Ranch, a 2,200-acre master planned community.  His current responsibilities include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources related projects.

Marcela Skorik, a civil engineer, joins the Minneapolis Water Resources team.  Her responsibilities will include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources related projects.  Skorik brings five years experience working for a Boston&amp;ndash;based hydropower group performing licensing tasks, GIS work, and hydrology design.  She assisted in both licensing efforts and water resource management as it pertains to required Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing protocol and permitting regulations.  She has produced contract documents and scope of work for subcontractors on water projects.  To support licensing efforts and water resource management project, she has performed hydrological and impact analysis using geographic information system (GIS) and CAD programs.  Skorik has a bachelor&apos;s in civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA).

Katie Sonley joins the Marketing and Communications team as a Marketing Assistant.  Her responsibilities will include helping with marketing projects and project proposals, supporting and coordinating tradeshow, and other promotional activities.  Sonley is familiar with creation of newsletters and signs.  In addition, she has managed tradeshows, supported in direct mail campaigns, and provided internal quality control.  She holds an Associate Degree in Marketing from Blackhawk Technical College.

Colleen Mullin also joins the Marketing and Communications team as a Marketing Assistant.  Her responsibilities will include putting together project proposals, helping with marketing projects, and supporting and coordinating tradeshow and other promotional activities.  She brings substantial experience in all of these areas and also in newsletter publishing, project management, and interactive advertising.  She has experience in developing and launching new Web sites, as well as managing electronic communication.  Mullin also brings supervisory experience to Mead &amp; Hunt, having recruited and trained interns and part-time employees in the marketing field.  A graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing.

Erin Zemanovic will be supporting the fast&amp;ndash;paced Minneapolis office as an administrative assistant.  She will be responsible for general office duties and support the Aviation, Historic Preservation, and Water Resources teams in that office.  She has professional experience as an office assistant with a local mortgage firm and as a business-owner of an online handmade jewelry store.  

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with about 325 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=122</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Dane County (WI) leading business publication profiles president&amp;ndash;CEO</title>
			<description><![CDATA[In every issue, InBusiness magazine profiles corporate leaders in Dane County. This is a reprint of that article.

For more than 30 years, Rajan Sheth, the president and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt, has been designing buildings, bridges, and dozens of other structures - including cheese factories - which dot the Wisconsin landscape.

&quot;I was with someone the other day on our way to the Concourse Hotel and I told them, &quot;It&apos;s safe to go in.  I designed this,&quot; he jested.

These days, it&apos;s becoming easy for Sheth to point out projects Mead &amp; Hunt has had a hand in creating, not only in Wisconsin, but across the country.

Since being named president and CEO of the firm in 1994, Sheth&apos;s time at the helm has led to unprecedented company growth.  The growth is fostered, he said, by a corporate culture that encourages its employees to have a creative, entrepreneurial spirit.

Sheth said he has focused on steering the company toward expansion.  The numbers prove he has had success.  In the past 13 years, Mead &amp; Hunt has grown from two to 15 offices.  More offices have led to more employees.  In that same time frame the company&apos;s employee count has nearly tripled from 130 to 350, and the turnover rate is less than five percent.

Mead &amp; Hunt now is also ranked as one of the 500 largest engineering firms, and one of the top 300 consulting firms in the country.  It  also has been listed among the Top 25 civil engineering firms to work for in the country by CE News.

&quot;We attract and hire employees that are entrepreneurial types and team players,&quot; Sheth said.  &quot;We give our employees the chance to grow and take on new challenges.  We give them opportunities to do what they want to do.&quot;

Colleague Paul Powers, Business Unit Leader for Aviation Architecture and Vice President with Mead &amp; Hunt, was hired in 1994 to help expand the company&apos;s architecture focus.  While still a relative newcomer to the company, Powers was asked to pitch his ideas to Sheth.

He said Sheth took out a red pen and crossed out all the projects that he didn&apos;t think would be big money&amp;ndash;makers for the company; they were to &quot;light.&quot;

The list (it had included everything from malls, residential projects and airports) was quite whittled down.  The company now focuses its efforts in airport, prison, and other government work.

The experience, and numerous others since, convinced Powers that Sheth is both open minded and fair with regard to new ideas.  Most important, his business instincts are routinely on target.

&quot;He doesn&apos;t for the frivolous B.S.,&quot; Powers added.  &quot;He knew that going without light&amp;ndash;construction projects was the wave of the future.&quot;

Financially speaking, the company&apos;s billing amount as quadrupled from $10 million to $40 million in the past 10 years.  Sheth said he wants the company to double in size over the next five years.

This is a lofty goal because Mead &amp; Hunt is a multi&amp;ndash;disciplinary firm trying to grow not only in Madison but across the country, said Jeff Welch, the Regional President with JP Morgan Chase.

&quot;This is a very fast-growing company that has benefited from the disciplined approach [Sheth] has to his money management style,&quot; Welch said.  &quot;He has walked away from a number of acquisitions that he didn&apos;t feel were the right fit.  Some of those companies have come back to him later on.&quot;

Sheth makes the company&apos;s accomplishments sound easy:  &quot;Even though we provide a highly technical service, this is a simple business.  We take care of our employees and we take care of our clients by trying to exceed their expectations.&quot;

By Jessica VanEgeren, InBusiness December 2008]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=120</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Sheth named Engineer of the Year</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Annually the Wisconsin Builder magazine &quot;takes a look at the companies and individuals who make up Wisconsin&apos;s building and business communities and honor those who made their mark in the past year.&quot;  This is a reprint of that article.

As the leader of a successful engineering firm, Rajan Sheth could busy himself with all the details of running a business that is growing steadily in stature and scope.

And he does.

But  The Daily Reporter&apos;s and Wisconsin Builder&apos;s Engineer of the Year also sees a need for involvement at a broader level, leveraging his skills to improve the engineering industry through legislative efforts and developing the future talent that will one day lead the profession.

&quot;He&apos;s effective and successful because he believes in people first,&quot; said Jeffrey Russell, professor and chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin&amp;ndash;Madison.  &quot;He believes in education and helping the water level rise for everyone, and he&apos;s involved in service to the community.&quot;

At the UW&amp;ndash;Madison, Sheth, the president and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., was granted a Distinguished Citation Award recognizing his efforts.  More to the point, he is known as a key business leader helping students translate seminars and textbooks into real world experience.

&quot;His senior people [from Mead &amp; Hunt] are made available to work with students on a team&amp;ndash;based project during their capstone course,&quot; Russell said.  &quot;Some businesses want to be paid for that, and he wouldn&apos;t think of it.&quot;

Freeing up employees&apos; time to mentor future engineers is just part of Sheth&apos;s work with the university.  He was the first to step up with a donation when the university wanted to create the Charles G. Salmon Professorship, and he is forming an alumni committee to draw together engineering graduates to advocate for the university.

&quot;He&apos;s not some geek engineer who&apos;s afraid to get involved in the issues,&quot; Russell said.

Sheth carries that ethic with him in his role with the American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin chairing the Business Practices Committee, which works on educational efforts.  He also uses his position with the group to promote ACEC&apos;s legislative agenda through fund raising, said Carol Godiksen, ACEC of Wisconsin executive director.

&quot;He has served as a Wisconsin trustee to the ACEC PAC for two years,&quot; she said.  &quot;He&apos;s made certain Wisconsin meets its nationally assigned goal for that PAC.&quot;

While most of his efforts outside of work center on fund raising, Sheth marries his love of education with his desire to see state and federal laws reflect the needs of the engineering and business worlds.

&quot;Traditionally, engineers have been rather apolitical,&quot; said John Mitby, a senior partner with Axley Brynelson LLP in Madison and consulting legal counsel for Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;Raj figured out that before a bridge is built, there&apos;s a political process that occurs.  He works to educate the people who have things to say about whether funds should be spent on this project or that.&quot;

To that end, Sheth&apos;s guest list at Mead &amp; Hunt reads like a political who&apos;s who.  Everyone from U.S. Senator Russ Feingold to former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson has been invited to the facility.

&quot;People understand why you build a hospital,&quot; Mitby said.  &quot;But they don&apos;t always understand the economic impact of building a road, a bridge, or a dam.

&quot;[Sheth&apos;s] approach is, &amp;lsquo;We&apos;ll show you what we do and why it&apos;s important to the people of Wisconsin.&quot;

To Russell, Sheth&apos;s most amazing quality is his commitment to doing what&apos;s right.  He said that Sheth has been involved in helping Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and always finds time to offer counsel to colleagues.

&quot;You read a lot about big leaders and how selfish they are,&quot; Russell said.  &quot;I see him as a model corporate citizen.&quot;

By Jennifer Pfaff, Wisconsin Builder November 2007]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=118</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>New Practice Leaders in Aviation Services team</title>
			<description><![CDATA[To accommodate its recent national growth, Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm, announces new National Practice Leaders in the Aviation Services team.

This recent move is all about creating efficiencies and value for the clients of Mead &amp; Hunt, which is ranked 17th in Airport Consulting by Engineering News Record.  

The firm&apos;s National Practice Leaders include Laura Morland, PE, Environmental Services Practice Leader; Mike Sampson, PE, Electrical Services Practice Leader; and Tom Schnetzer, AICP, Aviation Planning Practice Leader.

A leader on award&amp;ndash;winning projects, Laura has more than 20 years of experience as project manager and team member of various environmental projects.  

Mike has 20 years of experience in design and review for electrical systems, NAVAIDs, and security systems at airports across the country, employing new efficiencies to address local challenges. 

Tom helped build a coast&amp;ndash;to&amp;ndash;coast aviation planning practice at Mead &amp; Hunt.  He is also a 20&amp;ndash;year veteran of the industry.

&quot;I&apos;m very excited about these new positions as they provide the opportunity to have someone focus on developing specific niche areas of our aviation practice on a national level,&quot; said Andy Platz, PE, Aviation Group Leader. &quot;They will coordinate these activities, all in the name of top-rated client service.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=117</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Nick Pela leads new Phoenix area office</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading architectural, engineering, and planning consulting firm opens its 17th office and adds a new team leader.  Nicholas J. Pela leads the new Phoenix area office, where initially services will be focused on the Aviation Industry.

&quot;We are really excited about the new markets and opportunities offered by the Phoenix office.  Nick Pela is well respected within the Aviation Industry,&quot; said Andy Platz, Vice President and Group Leader for the Aviation Services team nationally.

Pela brings more than 35 years experience in airport planning and design with more than 25 years of experience in the Southwest market.  He has project experience in a dozen states at more than 50 airports.  He will continue to support aviation clients&apos; needs while he pursues new work, and grows the office.  He is a private pilot and aircraft owner with over 2,700 hours of flight time logged.

&quot;This is our fifth new office opening since 2005 and our ninth since 1999.  We see growth in the Southwest as integral to our corporate strategic plan,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO.  &quot;Nick is the type of individual who can help drive our continued fast&amp;ndash;paced growth.&quot;

The Phoenix area office is located at 4430 N. Civic Center Plaza, Suite 103, Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=111</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt continues growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Juan Cebollero, AIA, brings a wealth of experience in the architectural design of public buildings to Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Architecture team.  He will be working on justice, higher education, and municipal facilities.  Cebollero&apos;s project experience includes preparation of construction documents, shop drawing review, specification development, construction observation, and project management.  He is familiar with site and environmental analysis, schematic design, engineering systems coordination, and building cost analysis.  Cebollero has also been involved in bidding and contract negotiation.  Bilingual and adept at project communications, he brings international experience from work completed in Puerto Rico.   Cebollero attended both the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico in San Germ&amp;aacute;n and the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.  He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Milwaukee and is currently licensed as an architect in Wisconsin.

With a long and varied career with planning and airports, Keith Downs joins the Aviation Services team expanding Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s presence into southern California.  He has led community, subdivision, transportation, and airport land use planning projects.  He has been involved in site plan and environmental review.  Downs has conducted numerous public hearings, consensus building sessions, and citizen input meetings.  He has successfully attained state and federal grants for key projects, and then administered their application.  A strong leader, Downs will help Mead &amp; Hunt clients attain their transportation growth plans.  He is a member of AICP.

 Luke Senz, E.I.T., joins the Transportation Services team.  He is well experienced in both the design and field aspects of civil engineering.  He has been an inspector for numerous subdivisions, parking facilities, and roadway projects.  He is also skilled in survey and construction inspection tasks.  Senz has prepared plan sets for roadways, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, detention basins, and parking lots.  He has also prepared erosion control and grading plans.  A graduate of University of Wisconsin Platteville, Senz holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in structures and transportation.  He is certified in both PCCTEC&amp;ndash;IA and AGGTEC&amp;ndash;IP.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=116</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>New employees join Mead &amp; Hunt team</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Peter Nilles, P.E., will lead Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Milwaukee municipal and infrastructure design practice.  He brings 17 years of municipal engineering project management, from contract development and budgeting through project completion and client follow&amp;ndash;up.  He has led sanitary sewer, water supply, site development, road, and water resource project teams.  He has also been involved in architectural modifications to public facilities.  Critical to many communities, Nilles has been instrumental in the infrastructure design and construction services necessary for new or expanding developments.  He also has extensive experience in rehabilitation of existing sanitary sewer systems.  A proponent of collaborative problem resolution, Nilles takes pride in his ability to build consensus for clients with other entities.  He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Public Works Association.  He holds a bachelor&apos;s degree in civil and environmental engineering, and construction administration from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

John Welles, a mechanical engineer, joins the Food and Industrial Facilities team.  His responsibilities will be to help with load calculations, sizing and selecting mechanical equipment, and with the preparation of construction documents for building projects.  Welles holds a bachelor&apos;s in mechanical engineering from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.

Daniel Volk, an electrical engineer, joins the Military Facilities team. Volk will be responsible for preparing construction documents; performing electrical design calculations, and helping to prepare design and construction budgets.  He is skilled in electrical systems including low and medium voltage distribution, and both indoor and outdoor lighting systems.  He is very knowledgeable in the application of regulatory codes. Volk holds a bachelor&apos;s in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Jenny Palmer joins the Water Resources team, where she will be working on a variety of water resources projects across the nation.  Her responsibilities will include hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, site inspections, and design and field engineering for water resource&amp;ndash;related projects.  She also brings knowledge of open channel hydraulics and fluid mechanics.  Palmer was an intern for Mead &amp; Hunt while she completed her final year at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. During her internship she was a valuable member of the team providing support for mapping and survey, fluid mechanics, and environmental engineering design tasks.  Active in the American Society of Civil Engineers, she participated in the Steel Bridge, Concrete Canoe, and Climbing student organization competitions.  

Mollie Douglas joins the Historic Preservation team.  Her responsibilities will be to assist with the writing and preparation of historic preservation reports and documents.  She will also be involved in researching historic properties and participating in field work such as photography and other documentation.  Douglas has knowledge of architectural styles and American cultural landscapes.  She is familiar with 4(f) and NEPA regulations, and has worked on National Register nomination projects.  She is well versed in Section 106 regulations, preservation and planning administration and law.  In Summer 2007, Douglas was part of an architectural conservation team that worked to preserve and restore St. Augustine Church (c. 1844) in New Diggings, Wisconsin.  Douglas is nearing completion of a master&apos;s degree in historic preservation planning from Eastern Michigan University. 

Heather Goodson is the newest member of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Historic Preservation team in Austin. Her primary responsibility is conducting historic resources surveys and inventories, which include historical research, photographic documentation of resources, and application of National Register of Historic Places criteria to evaluate significance and integrity of resources. To assist in these tasks, Goodson has knowledge of architectural styles and forms, National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 regulations, National Register criteria, and Department of Transportation Act Section 4(f) and National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt, she worked as a Historic Preservation Specialist for the Texas Department of Transportation. Goodson has a Master of Science in Historic Preservation and a Master of Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Bradley Musinski enjoyed his experience as an intern on the Mead &amp; Hunt aviation planning team so much, he is now joining as a regular employee.  He has been involved in airport planning, research into land use policies, and environmental documentation.  Musinski has assisted in the developing of airport layout and airspace plans.  He has also helped with the development long&amp;ndash;range plans for airports.  He brings experience in public presentations and client communications related to urban, economic, and planning gained in both the Midwest and West Coast to Mead &amp; Hunt.  Musinski has a bachelor&apos;s in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University.  As part of his studies he completed a Global Diversity Field Study in Rome, Italy. 

Ajay Sikander Singh joins the Aviation Services team where he will be responsible for the design and construction engineering of various types of airport projects.  He has worked on state&amp;ndash; and federally&amp;ndash;funded transportation and other projects.  He is very familiar with a diversity of transportation issues such as design, maintenance, capacity analysis, and planning.  Multi&amp;ndash;lingual in Hindi, Sanskrit, and Punjabi, Singh has worked on transportation projects in India and World Bank-funded projects.  He holds a master&apos;s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently pursuing his E.I.T. certification.  He is active in the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Vanessa Teaford joins the Mead &amp; Hunt Aviation team.  Teaford brings substantial real world experience to the company.  She is talented in drafting environmental documents, safety assessments for hospital heliport, airport master plans, and Categorical Exclusions.  Teaford is currently working with the Mead &amp; Hunt team on projects dealing with the federal NEPA-CEQ process and the state CEQA.  She is a 2007 graduate of Sonoma State University with a bachelor&apos;s in Environmental Studies and Planning.

The Water Resources team is pleased to introduce their newest team member, Sheryl French.  As an Office Coordinator, French&apos;s primary goal will be to achieve a teamwork environment.  She will be responsible for keeping the Sacramento (CA) office operations running smoothly and supervising the administrative staff.  She will also work with the Finance Department to process bills, invoices, and office expenses.   During her career development she has been involved in business development, project management, marketing research, event planning, and client relations.  French is a graduate of the American River College in Sacramento with an Associate in Arts degrees in both Interior Design and Art.  

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=114</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Borg promoted to Business Unit Leader</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural, engineering, and planning firm, has promoted an employee to a key management position.  Jim Borg is the new Water Resources Business Unit Leader for the Midwest Region.

&quot;Jim joined the Mead &amp; Hunt team just two years ago and quickly became a model for good team leadership.  He has helped our Water Resources team grow in terms of their number and the number of clients they serve,&quot; said Rajan Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee-owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=115</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Team sees growth in August</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Lynn Wilson, AICP, joins the Mead &amp; Hunt planning team as an urban planner.  She has worked in several communities developing a wide variety of community planning documents including comprehensive and master land use plans, park and recreation plans, and zoning ordinances.  She has extensive experience presenting complex topics in a concise, clear manner in public venues such as public meetings and joint planning events.  An experienced project manager, Wilson has been involved in plan review, permit administration, grant application, budgeting, and support to boards and commissions.  Wilson graduated with honors from James Madison College with a bachelor&apos;s in Urban Public Policy. 

Colin Wheeler joins the Mead &amp; Hunt aviation planning team and is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota&apos;s Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs.  He brings a diverse employment background, including work with the Community Growth Institute, a land use think tank that provides professional planning capabilities to communities in Minnesota.  A strong communicator, Wheeler has published public letters of notification, produced and represented reports for city councils and township boards, and was a liaison for a university tutor&amp;ndash;mentor program.  Particularly adept at large group communications, he has presented at planning conferences, before local officials and state agencies on long&amp;ndash;term development planning projects, and as a high school social studies and history teacher.  Wheeler has worked with both public and private entities including Ford Motor Corp., Washington County (MN), and several communities in the Central Lakes region in northern Minnesota.  He is also a member of the Longfellow Neighborhood Commission in Minneapolis.

Evan Barrett joins the Mead &amp; Hunt aviation planning team having newly completed his master&apos;s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa with majors in both environmental planning and economic development.  Barrett has extensive knowledge of the legal, economic, and environmental challenges in planning large public and private infrastructure projects.  In addition, he brings experience using geographic information systems in both municipal and academic research settings.  He has also prepared financial documents and records to manage federal funding for historic preservation activities.  Barrett has conducted public information gathering and dissemination activities, including training exercises for clients.

Andrew Barnett also joins Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s aviation planning team.  He brings a unique perspective to aviation planning projects due to his work experience at airports and consulting firms.  Barnett has worked on airport projects across the nation, from Florida to Kentucky and Michigan.  He was the lead planner in the development of project alternatives for an Environmental Impact Statement.  He conducted airspace analyses, noise exposure studies, and an air traffic control line&amp;ndash;of&amp;ndash;sight analysis.  Barnett has participated in runway rehabilitation projects and monitored airport noise activity.  His experience also consists of conducting airline passenger and airport tenant surveys.  With a bachelor&apos;s in Aviation Management, a private pilot license, and on&amp;ndash;the&amp;ndash;job aviation planning experience, Barnett possesses the skills necessary to provide exceptional service to clients.  

Justin Harris is Mead &amp; Hunts newest CAD Technician.  He will assist engineering staff with a variety of water resource and civil engineering projects.  He is experienced with AutoCAD and other drafting software.  Harris also brings experience in both graphic presentation software and land survey equipment and procedures.  Harris will have his bachelor&apos;s from California State University Sacramento in spring of 2008 and currently has two associate of art degrees in mechanical and architectural design drafting from Sierra College in Rocklin, California.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the corporation remains strong on Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, is employee&amp;ndash;owned with more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=112</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Water resources team expands</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Nathan Rockwood, P.E., joins the Water Resources team as a Project Manager.  This talented individual is well experienced in planning, design, and construction administration of hydraulic structures.  He will oversee projects in terms of scheduling and cost controls, as well as management of project teams.  His structural engineering experience includes concrete, steel, masonry, and wood structures.  Rockwood attained his Master of Science degree in civil engineering from the California State University (CSU).  He also taught in the Civil Engineering Department at CSU.

Zachery Bosch joins Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Water Resources team as a civil engineer.  A graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, he brings experience in construction management, design, and inspection work.  He has developed technical reports for water resource clients and developed digital terrain models.  Prior to joining Mead &amp; Hunt, he worked for another engineering firm on underground utility installation including sanitary sewer, water main, storm drain, natural gas, and electrical conduit.  He is pursuing his E.I.T. certification.  

Andrew Cutlip, E.I.T., a recent graduate of California State University, joins the Water Resources team as a civil engineer.  Cutlip will be involved in hydraulic computations, preparation of reports, structural analysis, design and field engineering for water resources projects.  Currently he is working on several notable Mead &amp; Hunt projects.  Cutlip is also familiar with HEC-RAS modeling software. 

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the firm remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=110</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt announces design project</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Berger Foundation donated about a 20-acre parcel to the Riverside County Economic Development Agency to improve the Thermal (California) community and Eastern Coachella.  The site is adjacent the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport.  Mead &amp; Hunt is designing a public aviation education center and a facility to house the Riverside Sheriff Department&apos;s Desert Aviation Unit.  The project includes aircraft aprons and taxiways, heliport pad, and hangars with space for offices and maintenance shops.  The education center and flight training center will support the needs of local community groups.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the firm remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=107</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Key staff promoted</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural, engineering, and planning firm, has promoted three employees to key management positions.  Christina Slattery is the new Historic Preservation Business Unit Leader (a nationwide position), Chad Moffett is the Historic Preservation Department Manager in Minnesota, and Scott Hasburgh, P.E. is the Transportation Services Department Manager in Madison, Wisconsin.

&quot;Mead &amp; Hunt believes in providing career growth opportunities and promoting talent from within whenever possible.  These three individuals are a great example of the fine leadership in this company,&quot; said Rajan Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list; the firm remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=106</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>After 14 years of dead air, commercial flights are finally coming back to Oregon&apos;s capital</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A Mead &amp; Hunt project was highlighted in the April issue of Building Design &amp; Construction magazine.  To read the full story go to the BD&amp;C magazine Web site www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6433868.html?text=terminal]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=99</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>ACEC Wisconsin recognizes contribution to industry and state</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Rajan Sheth was recently honored by the American Council of Engineering Companies Wisconsin Chapter (ACEC WI) with the President&apos;s Award.  He was nominated for the award for his efforts to earn a higher level of respect for consulting engineering firms in Wisconsin and his overall positive involvement in ACEC WI.  

Sheth is President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt, a top architectural engineering firm as ranked by ENR magazine.  He was nominated by his peers within the industry.

&quot;I believe strongly that you must be committed to the bigger picture.  I encourage not only the employees at Mead &amp; Hunt but also the student groups to whom I speak - to become involved in the community around them,&quot; said Sheth.  &quot;You can&apos;t work in a vacuum. It is critical that you look at the forces that affect our industry and then do something about it.&quot;  Sheth went on to say Mead &amp; Hunt pays for employee involvement in professional associations and allows employees to use two days per year of paid time to take part in activities that better the communities in which they live.

The President&apos;s Award recognizes an individual for his or her personal service made to or on behalf of ACEC WI.  Highlights of the award presentation included mention of Sheth&apos;s involvement in ACEC WI in various committee leadership positions and as a member of the Board of Directors.  He has also been a frequent participant in the ACEC Consulting Congress Day.  It was his idea to generate greater goodwill with Wisconsin&apos;s Congressional delegation by inviting their involvement in the engineering community.

&quot;Raj Sheth&apos;s willingness to step in and keep Wisconsin an active national player has benefited the industry and state,&quot; said Carol Godiksen, Executive Director of ACEC Wisconsin.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=98</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Continue to rank high nationally</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt continues to rank well in Engineering News Record&apos;s (ENR) annual list of top design firms.  Mead &amp; Hunt ranked 318 out of 500 firms across the nation.  The ranking is based on revenues for design services.  

Information was released in April 18, 2007 issue of ENR ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=97</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Two relocation or expansion sites remain for Fitch H. Beach Municipal Airport</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Only two relocation or expansion sites remain for the city&apos;s Fitch H. Beach Municipal Airport.

The two plans being mulled over by members of the city&apos;s Airport Advisory Committee and representatives from Mead &amp; Hunt, a consulting firm helping the city study the matter, are:
&amp;bull;expand the current airport to the north and south at its current site, or
&amp;bull;relocate to the one remaining site in Eaton Township.

The public will get its first look at the details of the plans and the consultants&apos; findings during a meeting scheduled from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 30 at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.

The airport advisory committee is comprised of 26 people including city and township officials, local business people and pilots who use the airport.

Mead &amp; Hunt was hired by the city to conduct a feasibility study on expanding the airport runway from 3,500 feet to 5,000 feet.

Kevin Mulcaster of Mead &amp; Hunt said four other sites previously identified - including one in Walton Township, another in Carmel and expanding the existing site from east to west - were nixed in part because of the impact they would have on farmland.

Mulcaster said if the airport were expanded to the east and west, &quot;it would have the least amount of new land that needs to be acquired since the city owns most of it.&quot;

Expanding the airport east and west would require the purchase of two residential properties. It may also impact Island Highway.

Mulcaster said if city officials were to choose that option, a detailed traffic study would be needed.

Relocating the airport to the remaining site in Eaton Township would require the purchase of 15 homes and another 27 parcels of land.

Mead &amp; Hunt did not get total support for moving ahead with the two sites that remain.

Mulcaster said half of the committee members were in favor of it, but the other half wanted to remove the remaining township site from consideration.

Still, Mulcaster said Mead &amp; Hunt will include that site for consideration in the completed study.

&quot;On April 30, we&apos;re going to carry forward with sites &amp;lsquo;A&apos; and &amp;lsquo;F&apos;,&quot; he said.

&quot;What we&apos;re going to do is present the advantages and disadvantages of each site and solicit public feedback at that time.&quot;

During the meeting, a brief presentation of the information will precede comments from the public.

Mulcaster said the meeting is limited to an hour and a half and a time limit will likely be placed on individuals who decide to speak.

Written comments will also be collected, he said.

The public will have a second opportunity to comment on the findings May 14 during a special meeting of the Charlotte City Council, at which Mead &amp; Hunt will officially present its findings.

Officials have said a decision regarding the airport&apos;s future won&apos;t be made until after that hearing.


Written by Rachel Greco, Lansing Community Newspapers.  Published by Lansing State Journal April 16, 2007


NOTE ARTICLE CORRECTION: The north south alternative was carried forward and the impacts quoted in the article refer to this alternative but the article incorrectly says east west.  - Kevin Mulcaster, Aviation Planner]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=96</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Kansas airport well-positioned to attract air service</title>
			<description><![CDATA[&quot;Manhattan&apos;s (Kansas) airport may be well-positioned to attract a commercial air carrier with larger jets, but barriers still exist to providing additional flights, according to an air service and financial analysis consultant hired by the city.

At a Tuesday work session of the City Commission, also attended by members of the Airport Advisory Board, Mead &amp; Hunt presented findings from its air service development project. The study aims to improve commercial service at Manhattan Regional Airport (MKH) by attracting a non-subsidized air carrier that can &quot;fund itself through users,&quot; said Peter Van Kuren, airport director.

Currently, the airport&apos;s only air carrier, Air Midwest, is subsidized by the Department of Transportation&apos;s Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The annual subsidy for Manhattan/Salina - all flights to Kansas City International Airport originate out of Salina - is $974,000. Air Midwest has three roundrip flights daily to Kansas City, using a 19&amp;ndash;seat Beach 1900 aircraft.

A key question for airlines taking a look at Manhattan is - are people committed to using the local airport?

It doesn&apos;t appear they are, at least for now.

Ron McNeill of Mead &amp; Hunt, said air passenger leakage to Kansas City&apos;s airport is &quot;high.&quot; A passenger survey revealed that only about 8 percent of Manhattanites fly out of the city&apos;s airport. Most, 90 percent, drive to Kansas City to catch flights. The same is true for Junction City residents surveyed - 94 percent flew out of Kansas City versus Manhattan, and 72 percent for Ft. Riley. Overall, 91 percent of travelers preferred driving to Kansas City in order to save money on airfare. Non&amp;ndash;business travelers are more prone to make the drive to save money, McNeil said.

Proximity to Kansas City is a real issue for you. Support of the local airport is going to be critical.&quot;

McNeill believes 50 percent leakage is achievable.

All travelers surveyed wanted to pay less than $100 to fly from Manhattan to Kansas City, and back. The current rountrip fare is about $150.

McNeill said flights out of Manhattan are typically 70 percent full and have been for the past nine quarters, which would be viewed positively by airlines.

&quot;Airlines like to see numbers,&quot; said McNeill.

He said several major hubs St. Louis, Denver, Memphis and Dallas - are within 500 miles of Manhattan. Whether this large potential marketplace can attract an airline remains to be seen.

McNeill added that community support can play an important role in attracting a commercial air carrier, to &quot;jumpstart a market right away.&quot; These include revenue guarantees; airline travel banks, where local businesses assess their travel needs, deposit travel dollars in banks and then issue credit cards to their employees for travel purposes; marketing funds and fee wavers.

At the same time, McNeill said, &quot;airlines really don&apos;t want to come in and take the community&apos;s money, they want the (air) service to work&amp;hellip;&quot; He said some communities have invested a couple of million dollars, &quot;and the airline still didn&apos;t want to come in.&quot;

The game plan is to attract regional jets with two daily departures. That would cost an airline about $5 million, McNeill said. With Manhattan&apos;s 70 percent load factor and an average fare of $100, that could generate about $5.1 million, $6.4 million with a $125 airfare.

McNeill said projected growth at Ft. Riley and the presence of KSU would be advantages for Manhattan when dealing with the airlines. The university would be &quot;a real plus. Universities provide a significant amount of travel,&quot; year-round, McNeill said.

City manager Ron Fehr was concerned that Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s estimates for population growth in the Manhattan area through 2010 were &quot;low&quot; and did not incorporate projected Ft. Riley growth. McNeill said his company did not use the city&apos;s population estimates for the market analysis, and that it would be important to communicate to airlines the anticiapted swell in military personnel.

Commissioner Ed Klimek wanted to know what the city was doing &quot;to get military traffic to use our airport,&quot; versus busing soldiers in from Kansas City. Van Kuren said he thought the military wants to use Manhattan&apos;s air service, but &quot;the demand is greater than the supply. There are only so many seats available through the EAS program,&quot; and Air Midwest isn&apos;t obligated to add flights to accommodate additional soldiers.

The city and Mead &amp; Hunt plan to start courting the airlines in June.


written by Jeff Wright, Staff Writer; published by The Manhatten Mercury, April 7, 2007
]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=90</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Ohio DOT commissioned study to beef up local airports</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Lawrence County Airpark is one of five airports in the region that are part of a feasibility study aimed at determining if there is a need to expand existing facilities or possibly build a larger regional airport.

The Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Aviation, commissioned the study to look at what can be done to beef up local airports to make them more inviting to existing businesses or those looking to locate in the area. 

The study kicked off in September and, so far, has been a fact-finding mission, said Stephanie Ward, with Mead &amp; Hunt, an aviation consulting firm that has been hired by ODOT.

The study is clearly in its infancy and there are months to go before any conclusions can be made about the airports or their current performance, Ward said.   

&quot;The ultimate goal of this (study) is to increase economic development,&quot; Ward said. &quot;We want to see what aviation needs are being unmet and what can be done about that to facilitate the expansion of businesses or bringing in new businesses.&quot;

There have been about 200 surveys sent out to local businesses, organizations, government entities and economic development leaders asking their opinions on what airports need to offer to boost traffic in and out of their facilities.

Some of the topics in the survey include how often the airport is used by locals and what for, what length of runway that respondents feel is adequate and what facilities should be available to make the airport better - ground transportation, parallel taxiway, 5000-foot runway, runway lighting, etc.

All responses must be turned in by next week, Ward said. The study is expected to wrap up in June. After that, she said she is not sure where the study will go. 

The other airports involved in the study are the Gallia&amp;ndash;Meigs Regional Airport, James A. Rhodes Airport, McArthur Airport and Waverly Airport.

For more information call Ward at (517) 321-8334.

written by Kirsten Stanley; published March 28, 2007  by The Ironton Tribune]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=93</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<title>Firm ranks in top 10</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The 2007 Book of Business, published by the Wisconsin State Journal newspaper, ranks Mead &amp; Hunt as the 3rd largest architectural firm in Dane County.  In addition, Mead &amp; Hunt is ranked as the 8th largest engineering firm in Dane County.  Taken from the February 25, 2007 issue.

The Capital Region Business Journal reiterated that Mead &amp; Hunt is the 3rd largest architectural firm in their &quot;Capital Regional Indicators&quot; column, April 2007.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=87</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Salem gets first arline service since 1993</title>
			<description><![CDATA[For more than a decade, city officials and businesses leaders in Salem, Ore., pined for the return of regular commercial air service to McNary Field - the airport serving Oregon&apos;s capital city. 

After years of failed chances and disappointments, the city and business community put up more than $1 million in the last year, a calculated bet they could lure an airline back to town.

Monday, that bet paid off.

Delta Air Lines announced that on June 7 it will start flying from Salem to Salt Lake City twice per day.

The news marks Salem&apos;s return to a global air travel network from which it has been absent since 1993, when Horizon Air halted limited carrier service to Portland.

From Salt Lake City, Salem residents will be able to reach 111 destinations non-stop, including Canada, Mexico, Hawaii and most major Eastern cities, Delta spokesman Anthony Black said.

Mayor Janet Taylor made the announcement during a noon ceremony at the newly built commercial air terminal at McNary Field.

&quot;Sometimes you have to step-up and take risk to capture an opportunity,&quot; Taylor said. &quot;Our next step is to make sure we use this service.

&quot;I mean it,&quot; she told an assembled crowd of about 100. &quot;You must use this service!&quot;

Tickets for upcoming flights were scheduled to go on sale this morning. Salem&apos;s designation as a commercial air destination is SLE.

People pushing for Delta&apos;s flights say it will help bring new businesses to the area, and support those that already are here.

Winning the flights was a group effort that required the determination of city officials, the business community, and the Oregon congressional delegation.

First, the city needed to make its case that people would climb aboard Delta&apos;s flights.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce rallied the business community to make $500,000 in pledges for a travel bank, which would function as a prepaid bank for airline tickets.

&quot;The key for them was business passengers,&quot; said Salem City Manager Bob Wells about the negotiations with Delta.

Then, the Salem City Council needed to approve city investments in getting McNary Field ready for passenger service - all before having a firm commitment from Delta.

The Salem City Council agreed to spend as much as $500,000 in city funds to add a modular building to the air terminal. The building will serve as a holding area for passengers being screened by security.

&quot;That was a risk they took, but I think it was a good risk,&quot; Wells said.

Additional improvements added another $144,000 onto the cost, city officials said.

The decades&amp;ndash;old fire engine that Salem uses for airport emergencies needed to have a backup. The city purchased a used, but newer, fire truck for $204,100. Another $15,000 will be spent to upgrade the truck.

In addition, the recently passed fire-bond will buy more fire equipment to serve the airport and surrounding areas. The equipment purchase has not gone to bid, and city officials declined to estimate the cost of new a firetruck.

The second phase of airport terminal improvements at McNary Field was approved at Monday&apos;s Salem City Council meeting.

The decision to move forward with $494,500 worth of work came only hours after Delta Air Lines announced that it would begin making flights between Salem and Salt Lake City. Funds for the improvements will come from Qwest franchise fees collected by the city and held in a reserve account, city officials said.

Making sure the Transportation Security Administration would have officers available to screen passengers at the Salem airport was among the final hurdles.

&quot;We had to use our congressional connections,&quot; Wells said. Oregon Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden were instrumental in getting assurances that TSA staff would be available, he said.

In addition, the new air service will be supported in its first year by a $500,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which Rep. Darlene Hooley helped secure for Salem, Taylor said.

The flights will be provided by a 50-seat passenger jet, the Canadair Regional Jet 200. The planes will be operated by SkyWest Airlines, one of the airline&apos;s Delta Connection regional carriers.

Flights for Salt Lake City will leave Salem at 6:35 a.m. and 1:15 p.m., according to a Delta press release. Flights from Salt Lake City will arrive around 12:25 p.m. and 10 p.m. The flights will be provided every day, year-round.

Business leaders at Monday&apos;s ceremony hailed the news as a boon for Salem&apos;s economic development efforts.

&quot;This literally puts us on the map,&quot; said Steve Johnson, the president of VIPs Industries, which owns the downtown Phoenix Grand Hotel.

Johnson also manages the Salem Conference Center, which stands to gain ground as a potential conference site through the availability of air travel.

&quot;It broadens our reach into the western United States,&quot; Johnson said. &quot;It makes people stand up and take notice of us.&quot;

George Puentes, the president and co-founder of Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods, contributed to the travel bank and is looking forward flying out of Salem.

&quot;Plugging in SLE instead of PDX, that&apos;s not going to take much getting used to,&quot; Puentes said, adding that he flies often but dreads the traffic-jammed drive to Portland International Airport. &quot;We&apos;re trying to show that we&apos;re a world-class community, and this will help confirm that.&quot;

Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike McLaran was more enthusiastic.

&quot;This is a can-do business community and we will make things happen and keep Salem on the move,&quot; McLaran said.

During her announcement Monday, Taylor praised Wells for urging councilors to take the risks needed to draw Delta to town.

&quot;If he hadn&apos;t done it, we would not have been ready and might have lost this opportunity,&quot; she said.

For his part, Wells enjoyed a deep sigh of relief.

&quot;If Delta hadn&apos;t come&amp;hellip;&quot; Wells said following the ceremony. &quot;It wouldn&apos;t have been good. But it was the right thing to do, and it all worked out.&quot;

If Salem proves a success, Delta might expand its service by adding another flight, putting a larger plane in service or adding another destination hub, company officials said.

Article by Dennis Thompson and Michael Rose, published Tuesday, February 27, 2007 by The (Salem, Ore.) Statesman Journal.  The Statesman Journal is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY. Mead &amp; Hunt is assisting the Salem Airport on a variety of projects. ]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=89</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Delta to fly out of Yakima</title>
			<description><![CDATA[&quot;Delta Air Lines will start twice-a-day service between Yakima and its Salt Lake City hub in June. 

The move, announced Monday, caps nearly two years of efforts to lure Delta and re&amp;ndash;establish a two-airline presence in Yakima. 

Travelers will be able to fly nonstop to 112 destinations nationwide from the Salt Lake City hub, said Delta spokesman Anthony Black. 

Passengers will fly to and from Yakima aboard CRJ&amp;ndash;200s, a 50&amp;ndash;seat Canadian&amp;ndash;built jet. 

Ticket prices have not yet been set, but Delta will likely offer promotional rates when it starts service, said airport manager Buck Taylor. 

Horizon Air has been the airport&apos;s sole carrier since 2001, when United Express pulled service, citing declining revenue after the Sept. 11 attacks. 

Delta has had its own financial issues, including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy which it expects to emerge from by late April. 

Despite that, Delta still wants to expand, and Yakima&apos;s efforts likely persuaded it to start service in the area, said Mike Boggs, manager of aviation services for Mead &amp; Hunt, who served as the airport&apos;s consultant. 

&quot;At the same time they&apos;re announcing service to Yakima, they&apos;re making the decision not to serve scores of other communities,&quot; he said. &quot;They believe the Yakima service is the next best opportunity.&quot;

A second air carrier is a major selling point to prospective companies, who look for ease in business travel, said Tammy Everts, marketing and development for New Vision, the county&apos;s economic development arm. 

Everts said a business prospect who visited Yakima recently told her how difficult it was to fly into Yakima. 

&quot;A lot of businesses come from back east,&quot; Everts said. &quot;Just having another airline gives twice as much flexibility.&quot;

Efforts will now be directed toward keeping the new service, said airport board chairman Bill Wheeler. 

As part of an agreement with Delta, the airport has promised incentives that include $150,000 for marketing and guaranteed $500,000 in advance ticket sales for the first year. 

The Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce has pledged work with the business community to ensure enough tickets are purchased. 

Having that in place before the new service begins will show Yakima&apos;s commitment to keeping Delta financially viable, Wheeler said. 

&quot;Airlines have come and gone many times,&quot; he said. &quot;An airline will only stay if it&apos;s profitable. It&apos;s a matter of getting off to a good start.&quot;

Black, the Delta spokesman, said the airline has extended service in other smaller cities, such as Bend, Ore., when demand increased. Also on Monday, Delta announced it was extending service to Salem, Ore. 

&quot;As long as we see strong passenger demand in that market, we will not only be maintaining that market, but look at adjusting the service,&quot; he said. 

Meanwhile, airport officials are still looking for other air carrier possibilities, Taylor said. 

Although Delta is the airport&apos;s top priority, it has started work toward establishing service from Yakima to Portland. Many Yakima businesses need to travel to Portland but have to spend hours driving or waiting for a flight from the Seattle airport. 

&quot;We never quit looking for options,&quot; Taylor said. &quot;We&apos;re always looking to complement and add to our services.&quot; 


written by Mai Hoang, published February 27, 2007 by Yakima Herald Republic. 
]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=92</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Board of Directors elected</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned design consulting firm, proudly announces its new seven-member Board of Directors, elected by stockholders at an early February meeting.  

&quot;Few things are as energizing as realizing your vision and seizing it.  Even better is having the right elements aligned so that the track leading toward the vision is clear,&quot; said Raj Sheth, Mead &amp; Hunt President and Chief Executive Officer in the newly released annual report to the stockholders.  It is clear he is challenging every employee, including the Board of Directors, to continue with the incredible success the company has come to expect as he continues,  &quot;&amp;hellip;this is a key time in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s history, and I&apos;m thrilled for the team that will lead the charge.&quot;

In 2006, the firm added many employees; opened two new offices in Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon; and significantly added to the diversity and complexity of projects led.  In the past eight years Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s annual billings have tripled.

Re-elected to the Board in February are Doug Green, P.E., and Rusty Chesmore, P.E.  Newly elected to the Board is Paul Powers, AIA, NCARB.  Current members of the Board are Raj Sheth, P.E.; Andy Platz, P.E.; Amy Squitieri; and Eric Van Deuren, P.E.  Each Director is now leading or once led successful departments at the firm, and they bring unique specialties to their role on the Board.

Paul Powers, Manager of Aviation Architecture, is the first architect to be elected to Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Board of Directors in the firm&apos;s 100-plus year history.

&quot;The expansion of architectural services at Mead &amp; Hunt is important to our company&apos;s growth and financial health,&quot; said Powers.  &quot;We are working on our Strategic Plan to determine the future direction of our firm&apos;s development; the growth of our architecture services both geographically and in the diversity of facilities needs to play an integral role in this plan.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt is rated as a top-300 consulting firm by Engineering News Record.  The firm provides engineering, architecture, planning, and historic preservation services for the following client types:  aviation and surface transportation, military, water resources, industrial and food, and municipalities and public entities.  The firm has existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year.  

Recent accomplishments include:
&amp;bull;Top 300 design firm in 2006 after moving up almost 70 placed in 2004, Engineering News Record 
&amp;bull;Top 25 airport consulting firm in 2004 and 2005, The ENR&apos;s Sourcebook
&amp;bull;Fastest rising architectural and engineering firm in 203, 2004 and 2005, The Zweig Letter Hot Firm list
&amp;bull;Top 25 civil engineering company to work for in the nation in 2003 and 2004, CE News]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=83</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Key staff to promoted to management</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an engineering, architectural, and planning firm, promoted four employees to key management positions.  Stephanie Ward, AICP, is the new Manager of the Aviation Planning Department in Lansing, Michigan. Tony Tezla is the Manager of the Aviation Planning Department in Santa Rosa, California.  Bryan Page, P.E., is the new Manager of the Aviation Engineering Department in Minneapolis.  Bryan Ripp, P.E., P.G., CPESC, is the new Manager of the Water Resources Department in Minneapolis.

&quot;All four bring strong, solid expertise with them into their new roles,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;We are excited to see them taking this next step to help Mead &amp; Hunt grow bigger and better.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt is the 17th largest aviation consultant in the nation and a top 300 design firm according to Engineering News Record&apos;s annual ranking.  The firm was also named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering.  The firm is privately held and employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=81</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Allegiant Air announces new service from Redmond, OR</title>
			<description><![CDATA[What happens in Vegas, may stay in Vegas, but it will soon start in Redmond/Bend, Ore. as Allegiant Air today announces new nonstop jet-service to Las Vegas, Nev. beginning March 29. To kick off the new service, the Las Vegas-based, low-fare airline is offering limited introductory fares as low as $59* one-way. 

&quot;We are extremely pleased to extend the Allegiant brand of low-fare, nonstop jet service to the Central Oregon,&quot; Maurice J. Gallagher, Allegiant Air president &amp; CEO, said. &quot;This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers as we launch the only scheduled service between Redmond/Bend and Las Vegas.&quot;

The new flights will operate twice weekly between Redmond Municipal Airport and McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas), with service Thursday and Sunday. Beginning March 29, flights will depart Redmond at 6:45 p.m. arriving in Las Vegas at 8:30 p.m. Flights leaving Las Vegas will depart at 4:20 p.m. arriving in Redmond at 6:05 p.m. (all flight times are local). 

&quot;We are certainly excited to be the first city in Oregon to inaugurate Allegiant&apos;s brand of nonstop, low-cost air service,&quot; Carrie Novick, Airport Manager for Roberts Field Airport, said. &quot;We will now link America&apos;s top outdoor destination with the top vacation destination in the world - Las Vegas.&quot;

The carrier will utilize a full&amp;ndash;size, 150&amp;ndash;seat MD-80 jet aircraft on the route. The airline said its market research and input from local community leaders indicate that the Central Oregon community will welcome the new nonstop flights and low fares to Las Vegas as an alternative to connecting flights or long drives to other airports. 

Through its Allegiant Vacations program, the company also offers complete air and hotel vacation packages to Las Vegas for as low as $222* per person for four&amp;ndash;nights, roundtrip (based on double&amp;ndash;occupancy, stay at the Plaza Hotel &amp; Casino and a Thursday arrival/Sunday return) Allegiant Vacations offers low&amp;ndash;cost packages with more than 35 of Las Vegas&apos; most exciting hotel properties, including The Wynn, Bellagio, Venetian, Paris, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Caesars, Monte Carlo, Mirage, Excalibur, Tropicana, Bally&apos;s, Flamingo, Riviera, Frontier, Luxor, Circus Circus, Imperial Palace, Hooters, Gold Coast, Barbary Coast, Westin Casuarina, Aladdin and Orleans. 

Allegiant&apos;s $59* one-way introductory fare is limited, must be purchased by Feb. 24, 2007 and is valid for travel through Aug. 15, 2007. Introductory fares are not available on all flights. After the introductory fare period, regular one-way fares on the route start as low as $79 one-way. 

*All fares one-way and are non-refundable. Fares do not include PFC, segment tax or September 11 security fee of up to $10.40 per segment. Travel purchased through Allegiant Air call centers will cost an additional $5.00 per segment. A segment is defined as one take-off and one landing. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply. 


published February 1, 2007 by Allegiant Air.  Mead &amp; Hunt is assisting the Redmond Municipal Airport on a variety of projects. 
]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=91</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title></title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an engineering, architectural, and planning firm, has promoted three employees to key management positions.  Scott Freye is the new Manager for services related to Food and Industrial Facilities, Rick Mitchell is the Historic Preservation Department Manager in Texas, and Christina Slattery is the Historic Preservation Department Manager in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Scott Freye is now the Manager of the Food and Industrial Facilities Department in Madison, Wisconsin.  Freye, who recently hit the 20&amp;ndash;year mark with the company, has been involved in food and industrial facility projects nationwide since the 1980s.

Rick Mitchell, who was instrumental in the opening of the Austin, Texas, office, now officially assumes the role of Historic Preservation Department Manager in that office.  Mitchell has 13 years of experience in cultural resource management, primarily focused on historic resource documentation and evaluation.  He worked at the Texas Historical Commission, the Texas Department of Transportation, and consulting firms on numerous historic bridge and roadway&amp;ndash;related studies.  Mitchell&apos;s goal will be to manage the firm&apos;s continued growth in Texas and the Southwest.

Christina Slattery is the new Historic Preservation Department Manager overseeing Madison, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, offices.  Slattery has been with the firm for 11 years and has helped the department flourish.   During that time, she&apos;s been involved in a variety of projects across Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and most recently New Orleans.  She&apos;s participated in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s leadership and project management training.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=84</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Improving design processes through Building Information Modeling (BIM)</title>
			<description><![CDATA[While the industry of architecture and engineering moves forward with the changing needs of the world we live in and our clients expectations,  Mead &amp; Hunt responds by improving our design processes and communicating concepts through Building Information Modeling (BIM), 3D Visualization, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED ).  This highly ranked national design firm has made a commitment to better serving clients through energy and environmental awareness and proper application of innovations and trends in design.

&quot;We evaluated the technology and what it could do, and decided to adapt the software platforms and train our professionals throughout the firm,&quot; says Paul Powers, Manager of Aviation Architecture.  &quot;BIM allows us to work in 3D, and has changed the way we approach building projects.  It forces increased efficiency by globalizing the design process, and provides continuous and immediate analysis of project design, scope, and schedule.  Adopting BIM into our practice has our employees operating at the cutting edge of professional design.  Mead &amp; Hunt is one of a small number of full-service professional firms that have fully embraced this technology.&quot;

While architecture has been the primary practice for BIM with Revit Building and Revit Structures, the long awaited release of Revit Systems for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers has recently been made available.  Dan Dankert, BIM and CAD Manager at Mead &amp; Hunt, has led the firm&apos;s designers through the initial training and implementation phases in 2006, and along with our Architectural and structural designers is ready and eager to start incorporating the MEP disciplines.

Mead &amp; Hunt also took the lead in bringing a 3D Visualization specialist into the firm as a full-time advisor to our designers.  Vince Paske, ASAI, has taken the charge to leading Mead &amp; Hunt &amp;ndash; and its clients &amp;ndash; to the forefront of design communications.  Compiling data and information from every stage in the design process, Paske develops 3D renderings and animated interpretations of a project that not only preview the aesthetic design experience qualities, but give their clients a real-time experience by being able to imagine a facility&apos;s functionality, access, and use &amp;ndash; day or night.  

&quot;3D Visualization provides the ability to easily communicate ideas throughout the design process,&quot; says Paske.  &quot;Visualizations engage clients in design decisions, enable sign-off on ideas faster, creating more confidence of what they will receive as the final product.&quot;  Clients are presented an interpretation that not only previews a finished product, but also prevents errors in scope or imagined outcomes.

Another area of forward thinking commitment from the firm&apos;s leadership &amp;ndash; and growing expertise among Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s professional staff &amp;ndash; is the attention to and awareness of the US Green Building Council, LEED , and elements of green-inspired sustainable design.  Roger Porter, PE, LEED  AP has developed the firm&apos;s Green Leadership Program to share information and education to meet client and community based growing green building goals.

&quot;Sustainability makes sense on so many levels &amp;ndash; we want to be able to guide our projects to be responsive to current client needs yet consider the future impact of our facility designs&quot; said Porter.  The LEED  training and mentorship group is continuing to support employees through the exam process, with the goal of gaining LEED  accredited employees and applying that expertise to benefit clients.

Building projects are not the only beneficiaries of progress and technology in architecture and engineering.  Surface, transportation, military bases, airports, and cities &amp;ndash; all benefit from changes in the sciences of the design capabilities and processes.  BIM, LEED , Visualization, Geo-Base and Geographic Information System (GIS) software are used together to help Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s clients achieve solutions to their regulatory, planning, analysis, and design needs through a full complement of software and extensive staff experience.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately-held corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.

Read the article in Wisconsin Builder&apos;s March 2007 issue about Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s BIM expertise.

To see Mead &amp; Hunt projects that use BIM and Visualization:

Architecture - Rest areas, I-90/94, Wisconsin Department of Transportation &amp;ndash; Columbia County, Wisconsin 

Aviation - New Passenger Terminal &amp;ndash; Chippewa County International Airport

Highways and Bridges - Roundabout: USH 141/Allouez Avenue]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=69</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s employees continue to embrace design trends</title>
			<description><![CDATA[As a member of the US Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org), Mead &amp; Hunt is proud to add three more LEED  Accredited Professionals (LEED  AP) to its ranks.

Shannon Miller, Designer, Keith Swartz, PE, and Jessica Tyler, Associate AIA have passed the examination to become LEED  AP.  Miller and Tyler perform schematic design, conceptual design, design development, construction drawing development, computer-aided design, building information modeling (BIM), Autodesk Revit, shop drawing review, specifications development, and construction observation.  Swartz has more than 10 years of experience in the design of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and mechanical systems.  All three employees are based in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Madison office and work on projects nationwide.

They join Roger Porter, PE and Jeremiah Robinson as team members who have also recently received this accreditation.  USGBC membership and LEED AP staff allow Mead &amp; Hunt to offer clients trained professionals in enhancing building performance, cost savings, and meeting sustainability goals.  These valuable employees are enacting Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s goal of expanding their &quot;green&quot; capabilities through staff participation and knowledge.  

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately-held corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=62</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title></title>
			<description><![CDATA[Wisconsin Builder - The A List				

Mead &amp; Hunt ranked as fourth largest engineering firm in the state according to Wisconsin Builder magazine.  The firm also ranked as 12th largest architectural firm.

Data released September 2006.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=86</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 15 Sep 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Grandeur of Kilbourn bridge to be restored</title>
			<description><![CDATA[When the designs for the Kilbourn Avenue bridge showed up at Milwaukee&apos;s Department of Public works in the mid-1920s, city staff sent them back.

It wanted something grander, said Craig Liberto, Milwaukee Department of Public Works structural design manager.  After all, Kilbourn Avenue was named after one of the city&apos;s founding fathers, and the boulevard was a mainline leading to City Hall, which was the city&apos;s tallest building at the time. 

Modern Milwaukeeans should recognize the design that finally came back: a bascule lift bridge heavily ornamented with cut stone and framed by four operator houses. 

&quot;That means the city put a lot of money into that when it first built it; it&apos;s designed as a gateway bridge,&quot; said Mead &amp; Hunt Historic Preservation Specialist Bob Frame, who is working on the bridge&apos;s restoration.

The state Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the city, is bidding out a contract to restore the 1929 bridge and preserve it for future generations.  The historic Kilbourn Avenue bridge, a pioneer of the Milwaukee-style bascule, will look about the same after its renovation is complete in October 2008 as it does now. 

That&apos;s the whole point, considering it doesn&apos;t look too different today than it did when it first opened.  Perhaps the most obvious difference between its newborn and 77-year-old incarnations is that the bridge&apos;s roadway is now a metal grate, instead of the rubber blocks that originally paved its surface.

Page from the past
With all the changes since its opening, some of the features to be preserved are anachronisms.  The bridge has operator houses on both ends because originally two peopled opened it &amp;ndash; one for each leaf, Frame said.  The project will also preserve the iridescent signaling balls atop the houses, which would raise or lower to tell boaters if the bridge was open, he added.  The city will hire a firm to fabricate them based on a leftover signal ball that DPW staff recently found while moving from its facility in the Menomonee Valley to make way for the Harley Davidson museum, Liberto said. 

With today&apos;s remote controls, radios and video cameras, the dual operators and signaling balls aren&apos;t necessary.  The bridges also don&apos;t open as much as they used to when the Milwaukee River was a commercial thoroughfare and the city Fire Department used boats, Frame said. 

&quot;If you are looking from a historic point of view, it means a lot more to the public if they can see it operate,&quot; Frame said.  &quot;You always want to see it work the way it was designed to.&quot;

The bridge&apos;s restoration is the result of a January 1997 statewide agreement involving WisDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to preserve Wisconsin&apos;s historic movable bridges, Liberto said.  It also involved Milwaukee&apos;s State Street bridge, which Zenith Tech Inc. is restoring right now, and the Cherry Street bridge, which will be restored sometime in the future. 

Liberto said the city got a sticker shock when the estimates for the Kilbourn bridge restoration came in and is going to have to explore ways to pay for the Cherry Street bridge project. 

However, Bob Newbery, WisDOT staff historian, noted that people must consider the broader economic and cultural benefits of such restoration projects.

&quot;How much value do you put on RiverSplash and how much of that goes back to the ambiance?&quot; he said.  &quot;It&apos;s a question of trying to balance the long-term and short-term advantages.  What you are putting up is the value of the cultural resource.&quot;

WisDOT will award the contract for the restoration project in September, and work should begin after the State Street bridge reopens in spring 2007.  The project is scheduled for completion in October 2008.

Reprinted from the August 8, 2006 issue of The Daily Reporter.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=61</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Aug 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Driving tour highlights the history of the Grange Movement in Lenawee County</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Historians with Mead &amp; Hunt have completed a brochure that highlights the history of the Grange Movement in Lenawee County.  The self-guided driving tour includes existing Grange Halls, a former agricultural school, and sites associated with prominent agriculturalist and politician George B. Horton.  

The National Grange was established in 1867 to unite farmers and improve agricultural conditions throughout the country.  In Michigan, local affiliates formed to organize politically against monopolies and sustained an agricultural lifestyle through social events.  Meetings and events were held in Grange Halls such as the Hudson Center and Rome Grange Halls, included on the tour.  

George B. Horton was a successful farmer and an important figure within the Grange Movement.  His parents established one of the earliest cheese factories in the county and Horton expanded the family business to include seven cheese factories.  Horton served as Master of the Michigan State Grange between 1892 and 1908 and was instrumental in establishing many Granges in Lenawee County.

One of the highlights of the driving tour is Horton&apos;s house built in 1888.  The ornate brick home features a corner turret, decorative brackets, and other features of the Queen Anne style.  Mead &amp; Hunt prepared a National Register nomination for the house that is currently awaiting approval by the state. 

Mead &amp; Hunt, a national architectural and engineering firm with an office in Lansing, Michigan, developed the brochure as part of mitigation for the demolished Madison Grange Hall near the airport.  This Grange was removed to make way for runway improvements.  Free brochures may be picked up at the Lenawee Historical Society Museum and the Lenawee County Fairgrounds.   

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in transportation (aviation, highways and bridges) engineering, architecture and building engineering, municipal and civil engineering, historic preservation, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=60</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Five years of growth earns Mead &amp; Hunt top honor</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an engineering, architecture, and planning firm is happy to announce The Zweig Letter has designated our firm as a Five Year Climber.  Only four other firms in the country were awarded this top honor. 

In the past five years Mead &amp; Hunt has leapt 172 places on the Engineering News-Record&apos;s top 500 Design firms in the country.  The Zweig Letter reports in their May, 2006 edition &quot;In addition to the geographic expansion, Mead &amp; Hunt continues to build on its existing markets.&quot;

Last year alone, Mead &amp; Hunt continued to expand nationally by opening new offices in Portland, Oregon, Austin, Texas, and purchasing a firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Our firm also expanded our line of services to now include the fields of Public Building Architecture and Justice Facilities.

&quot;Part of our philosophy is that the bigger we get, the more opportunities we can present to current and future employees,&quot; says CEO and president Rajan Sheth.  &quot;We are happy with our growth because we are able to manage it well.&quot;

Throughout this incredible growth, Mead &amp; Hunt has maintained its client-focused project management and employee-supportive atmosphere.  The firm has been ranked the eighth &quot;best civil engineering firm to work for&quot; in the nation by CE News magazine. 

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top ten engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=59</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt featured for airport work</title>
			<description><![CDATA[By Mark Crawford, Madison Magazine - May 2006

It&apos;s easy to take Madison for granted &amp;ndash; after all, every day we experience the bounty of attributes that make our city one of the top places in the nation. We&apos;ve become a little blas&#xc3;&#xa9; about all our chart-topping success, but now there&apos;s a new number-one to add to the list: Dane County Regional Airport. After a five-year, $65-million upgrade, our little ol&apos; airport has been transformed into a beautiful, stylish and highly functional facility. In fact, it may be the most under-appreciated jewel that Madison has to offer.

It&apos;s hard not to notice the luxurious feel of the place &amp;ndash; the granite wainscoting, cherrywood trim, gleaming floor mosaics and soft leather seating. There&apos;s even a cozy &quot;meeters and greeters&quot; lounge with a fireplace at the bottom of the new central checkpoint. Look to the huge, vaulted ceiling as you move up or down the escalators and find classic and classy Prairie-style chandeliers, one of many odes to Frank Lloyd Wright&apos;s architectural aesthetic found throughout the remodeled Dane County Regional Airport. If you haven&apos;t yet seen the transformation that has taken place over the last few years, you&apos;ll hardly recognize the place. 

The upgrades are satisfying the business community&apos;s travel needs and building loyalty among fliers within the south central Wisconsin population of 850,000 the airport serves. Keeping these folks in the air over Madison is a big deal, since the airport pumps about $600 million into the local economy.

Andy Platz, PE - Vice President and Manager of Aviation Services at Mead &amp; Hunt&quot;What was once a small regional facility, where some of the passengers had to walk onto the ramp to board an airplane, is now the nicest mid-sized airport in the U.S.,&quot; says Andy Platz, VP and manager of airport services for Madison-based Mead and Hunt, one of the leading airport design firms in the country. &quot;It&apos;s a very attractive, modern facility that&apos;s highly competitive with the larger Milwaukee and Chicago markets.&quot;

&quot;Flying in and out of Madison is a much more rewarding experience now,&quot; says Deb Archer, president and CEO of the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau. &quot;The improvements have moved us up a notch into a larger market look.&quot;

So what sort of look does $65 million buy?

At 278,000 square feet, the terminal has doubled in size and incorporates many green-built features, such as recycled building materials and nontoxic finishes. New office spaces, agent positions and an executive conference room were added. DCRA is also one of the first airports in the country to have a newer security checkpoint design and ETDs (explosive trace detection equipment) out of public view. Five-hundred surface parking spaces will be built by the end of 2006, with plans for another parking structure in 2007 &amp;ndash; 2008.

A graceful, Prairie-style architectural theme creates a welcoming atmosphere. Gold, green, brown, and ochre colors reflect Wisconsin&apos;s rural landscape. Natural daylight abounds throughout the terminal.

&quot;It&apos;s important for the airport to reflect our region, from the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architecture to the exhibits of Wisconsin art,&quot; says Bill White, an attorney with Michael Best &amp; Friedrich who&apos;s chaired the airport commission since 1994.

A WiFi network became operational in April, which is a big relief for laptop and cell-phone users (as are the comfortable individual workstations). All retail/food venues will be finished by June, including the first Ancora Coffee location to serve wine and beer in addition to coffee.

&quot;I love the changes,&quot; says Don Davidson, vice president of sales and marketing for CUNA Mutual Group. &quot;I&apos;m a gold flier on multiple carriers and have been in hundreds of airports all over the world. What we have here in Madison is very special. And I can&apos;t think of any airport in the world that has a fireplace lounge for visitors.&quot;

Outdoor improvements include a new $28-million runway safety project. Millions have been spent on environmental initiatives. &quot;DCRA was the first airport in the Midwest to start trapping and treating de-icing fluids from the aircraft parking area to protect the environment,&quot; says Platz. The airport has also enhanced Starkweather Creek for better water quality.

&quot;The terminal is as efficient and technologically state-of-the- art as it is beautiful,&quot; says Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. &quot;It provides a dramatic, positive welcome for visitors to our county.&quot;

And though the airport is twice as big as it used to be, it still retains a small-town feel. &quot;Even when I have to use the satellite parking, it&apos;s only a five-minute walk to the terminal,&quot; says Chuck Sara, an attorney with DeWitt Ross &amp; Stevens. &quot;People can still walk to their rental cars without taking a shuttle. Dane County Regional is a breath of fresh air for anyone coming to town.&quot;

Airports are part of the lifeblood of the modern economy, a rich mixture of traditional businesses like insurance and manufacturing to bio- and high-technology. &quot;For towns like Madison that have key intellectual property and financial investment sectors, being able to move people easily is essential for building links to the global economy,&quot; says Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. Still has worked alongside government officials and business leaders to lobby for more and better commuter flights in and out of the airport.

About sixty percent of air travel through Dane County Regional Airport is for business. Northwest, with connections to Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas, carries forty-five percent of all passengers. The next closest is United at twenty-two percent, followed by American, Delta, Midwest and Continental.

Northwest Airlines has a long history in Wisconsin. &quot;We&apos;re dedicated to serving Madison,&quot; says Kurt Ebenhoch, director of media relations for Northwest. &quot;Madison is one of the most important feeders into our hubs. In fact, Northwest is the only network carrier that flies big planes like DC9s and Airbuses into Madison.&quot;

Passenger boardings increased 63 percent from 1995 to 2004, when the all-time record was set at 1.68 million passengers. That total dropped 4.3 percent to 1.6 million in 2005, a result of losing five daily ATA flights to Chicago and Allegiant dropping service to Orlando and Las Vegas (year-to-date numbers for 2006 are about two percent lower than 2005).

In the many discussions Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has had with the business community, one of the most repeated concerns was &quot;having a more functional airport, especially with nonstop flights to key business destinations,&quot; says Falk. A 2004 Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce meeting led by Jennifer Alexander, Deb Archer, and airport director Brad Livingston got the nonstop ball rolling.

Madison was already anchored by nonstop service to carrier hubs like Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Minneapolis and Cincinnati. Over the last two years Falk, Archer, Livingston, and key business leaders have been aggressively promoting Madison as an ideal spot for more of these routes. That hard work is paying off: nonstops added over last year are Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas and New York La Guardia.

&quot;Interacting with the global economy &amp;ndash; especially China, Latin America, and India &amp;ndash; is critical to American business,&quot; says Livingston. &quot;Two of our new nonstops are international gateways. Atlanta was a very important addition. Not only is it the busiest airport in the world, but from Atlanta you can catch nonstops to destinations like Tokyo, Paris, London, Buenos Aires or Moscow. Madison needs this kind of access to international markets.&quot;

National travel is pivotal, too. The employees at the wildly successful software developer Epic Systems Corporation rack up about fifteen-thousand flights a year to big cities around the country. &quot;Epic has always been interested in direct flights to these cities because they will save our staff and customers so much time,&quot; says spokesperson Terri Leigh Statz.

More nonstops make it easier for busy execs from the east and west coasts to get to Madison on business. &quot;You really don&apos;t want to inconvenience the client,&quot; says Susan Tikalsky, president of Resource Strategies. &quot;For some, if they have to change flights, it&apos;s not worth their time coming here.&quot;

&quot;Every hour waiting at a transfer point is wasted time and money,&quot; adds Falk. &quot;Not only do nonstops save hours of travel time, they also reduce the chances for hassles like weather delays and lost luggage.&quot;

But getting into the nonstop game isn&apos;t easy. Airline route planning managers must be armed with the latest economic and transportation data to make an informed decision. Livingston, with some twenty five years in the airport business, knows how to put a package together.

&quot;I went with Brad [and Deb Archer] to Atlanta to meet with Delta,&quot; says Charles Hoslet, managing director of corporate relations for UW-Madison. &quot;We presented all the data points they were looking for and showed Delta the tremendous commitment of the community.&quot; The result? Within six months Madison had nonstop service to Atlanta.

&quot;Madison&apos;s growth in nonstops is very impressive for a city its size,&quot; says Northwest&apos;s Ebenhoch. &quot;It shows that airport management is experienced and understands what airlines need to know to make decisions about the Madison market.&quot;

The Atlanta and Washington, D.C. nonstops in particular were vital for Madison&apos;s growing biotech community. Atlanta is home to the Centers for Disease Control and thousands of life-science companies. The National Institutes of Health (and endless opportunities for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracts and grants) are in D.C., as well as venture capital firms with billions of dollars in assets.

&quot;The research community in Madison, especially the University of Wisconsin, relies heavily on federal funding,&quot; says the Tech Council&apos;s Still. &quot;With the new federal budget calling for more spending under homeland security, it&apos;s important to maintain and expand these connections.&quot;

UW researchers frequently travel to Washington, Atlanta, and New York to make presentations for research funding. &quot;We were trying to develop a research collaboration with a large pharmaceutical firm in New York City,&quot; says Hoslet. &quot;When the nonstop flight to La Guardia became available, it was a big selling point. Now suddenly the senior vice president of R&amp;D could get to Madison in a matter of hours. I really think the nonstop made the relationship move forward &amp;ndash; not having to route people through Chicago is huge.&quot;

Livingston&apos;s ultimate dream is getting nonstop service to the west coast. Right now the most popular destination is San Francisco, but it will be a while before demand reaches anywhere near supply.

&quot;On all airlines serving Madison, there are about sixty-nine travelers who fly to San Francisco each day,&quot; says Ebenhoch. &quot;Including the San Jose and Oakland airports brings that up to eighty-six ... The smallest Northwest aircraft with that range is the Airbus A319 with 124 seats. If Northwest offered one nonstop per day to San Francisco, we&apos;d only get a fraction of those eighty-six customers, because many of them would need to fly at a different time, or honor corporate contracts with other airlines.&quot;

For now, Madison has to be content with just one nonstop flight to a western hub &amp;ndash; Denver. Northwest offers five one-stops to San Francisco through Minneapolis, one of which allows passengers to remain on the same aircraft.

New, smaller jet aircraft, such as the Embraer EM 170 that can fly up to seventy people coast to coast, are being introduced to the marketplace. These stylish planes have the look and feel of an Airbus but are smaller, with good legroom and the latest electronics. &quot;They make sense for mid-sized destinations,&quot; says Livingston, &quot;and hopefully one day Northwest or United will be flying these planes between Madison and San Francisco.&quot; If Livingston has anything to do with it, one day might not be far off.

Either way, folks seem to be content with the progress made so far. &quot;Everything considered, I can&apos;t think of a single city the size of Madison that has a better airport than ours,&quot; says Platz. &quot;Dane County Regional Airport is second to none. It&apos;s easy to use, competes well with the bigger markets, and still has that small-town feel. There&apos;s no question it&apos;s ahead of the curve.&quot;

&quot;Airports are pretty much the same wherever you go,&quot; adds Falk. &quot;When you&apos;re inside the terminal it&apos;s hard to tell if you&apos;re in Dallas, San Francisco, or Washington, D.C. But when you&apos;re inside Dane County Regional Airport, you can feel the difference.&quot;

Mark Crawford is a freelance business writer.

Madison Magazine, Inc., P.O. Box 44965, Madison, WI 53744-3600, Phone 608.270.3600 info@madisonmagazine.com
&#xc2;&#xa9; Copyright 2006, Madison Magazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=58</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jun 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Energy-efficient HVAC systems at Madison&apos;s airport</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt presented a feature article in the April issue of Wisconsin Perspective, a trade publication focused on the plumbing, heating, and cooling channel industry.  The article, &quot;Energy-efficient HVAC systems at Madison&apos;s airport,&quot; was written by Keith Swartz, PE, a mechanical engineer for Mead &amp; Hunt.  Keith designs HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems and is a licensed professional engineer.  In addition to providing architecture and building engineering services, Mead &amp; Hunt provides comprehensive services for airports throughout the country.

Click here to read the full article, which was first published in the April 2006 issue of Wisconsin Perspectives.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=57</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 May 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt named Town Engineer for Town of Scott</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was recently retained as the Town Engineer for the Town of Scott.  Located northeast of Green Bay, Scott is one of the fastest growing communities in Brown County and in northeastern Wisconsin. 

As the town&apos;s engineering consultant, Mead &amp; Hunt will provide civil engineering design, surveying, and construction oversight for proposed land developments in the town. Services will include reviewing certified survey maps and subdivision plans to make sure they conform to the town&apos;s plans and ordinances.  This will include reviewing subdivision plats, easement descriptions and requirements, street layouts and design, performing utility designs, site grading plans, storm water management, erosion control measures and environmental issues.

About Mead &amp; Hunt
Mead &amp; Hunt has more than a dozen offices nationwide, with Wisconsin offices in Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, and Milwaukee.   With more than 300 employees, the firm provides professional services in the fields of transportation (aviation, highways and bridges) engineering, architecture and building engineering, municipal and civil engineering, historic preservation, and water resource engineering.   Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately-held, employee-owned corporation, and is ranked among the top 500 engineering and architectural firms in the nation by Engineering News-Record magazine.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=56</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 May 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Kennedy honored with Lifetime Achievement Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Terrance L. Kennedy, PE, Vice President of Mead &amp; Hunt has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Construction Club of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have had an impact on the industry and have shown an interest in helping students develop the necessary skills to be successful in the engineering field.  

Kennedy currently sits on the Wisconsin Building Code Council and has served as an industry mentor in the UW Civil and Environmental Engineering Department&apos;s senior level Capstone Course.  

Kennedy is the second Mead &amp; Hunt employee to receive this award, following in the footsteps of Daniel W. Mead (posthumously) who was honored in 2002.

A native of Wausau, Kennedy graduated from UW-Madison in 1967, and two days later began a 39-year career with Mead &amp; Hunt.  Kennedy manages building system and heavy structure development projects, including duties as structural engineer and architectural designer on new construction, renovation, and rehabilitation work.

During his acceptance speech, Kennedy shared &quot;Why does someone spend their career at one place?  The answer is simple &amp;ndash; it&apos;s the people with whom I&apos;ve been privileged to associate.&quot;  He continued, &quot;Mead &amp; Hunt is a very special company with tremendous values of togetherness, family, and camaraderie ... I&apos;ve never worked a day in my career.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned corporation that employs more than 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=55</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 05 May 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Witke nominated to American Correctional Association board</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The American Correctional Association (ACA) Nominating Committee has nominated Len Witke, AIA, of Mead &amp; Hunt for a seat on the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC) representing the American Institute of Architects.  The term is four years, and the election will take place by mail ballot beginning April 24, 2006.

Witke has more than 30 years of architectural experience with project planning, design, management, and master plan studies.  His vast experience includes projects for healthcare facilities, prisons, juvenile detention, jails, courts, police, and municipalities.  He actively participates on the ACA&apos;s Facility Design and Technology Committees and in 1999 edited and co-authored the Planning and Design Guide for Secure Adult and Juvenile Facilities.  Witke is a current board member of AIA Wisconsin.

&quot;Being elected will allow me and my team to better serve our clients, and allow me the opportunity to give back to the corrections community,&quot; said Witke upon receiving the nomination.  &quot;Participation in the ACA&apos;s accreditation process has always been a learning experience, and one that broadens and strengthens the abilities of the people involved.  I hope to provide professional insight to the process and be a part of that evolution.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately-held corporation that employs about 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=54</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Company featured in publication for outstanding work at airport</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was featured in Midwest Flyer Magazine&apos;s April/May 2006 issue for their work done at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin.  The project included an ambitious plan to bring the safety area of runway 13/31 in line with FAA standards.  

&quot;The airport&apos;s noncompliant Runway Safety Area (RSA) was identified in the FAA&apos;s 2000 RSA determination.  Improving a safety area is often a complex process, but when it involves moving a two-lane county highway, more than a mile of creek bed, a perimeter road, and an active rail line into a wetland ... &quot; Click here to read the full article.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=52</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A four decade hydropower veteran honored With Lifetime Achievement Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Ronald Corso, a 48-year veteran of the hydropower industry, received the lifetime achievement award, named after Dr. Kenneth Henwood, on Tuesday April 4, 2006 from the National Hydropower Association.  Corso is Senior Project Manager at Mead &amp; Hunt, where he has been since 1995.  Click here to read the full article.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=49</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Architectural engineering firm continues strong growth</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a national architectural engineering firm, continues their aggressive pattern of growth by acquiring two additional offices early in 2006.  The two newest offices are in Austin, Texas, and Vancouver, Washington, which is in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.

Mead &amp; Hunt is one of the largest and fastest growing architectural and engineering firms in the nation.  The company advanced to a ranking of 266 in the Engineering News Record magazine&apos;s Top 500 Design Firms list for 2005 and ranked 18th in the top 25 Airport Design Firms list.

In 2005, Mead &amp; Hunt also placed 43rd on The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2005 list.  This is the third year in a row the firm was recognized for their outstanding growth.

&quot;My goal and that of the Board of Directors is to make Mead &amp; Hunt the best consulting firm,&quot; said Raj Sheth, President and CEO.  &quot;And by best, I mean financially sound, strongly client-focused project management, and have an extremely employee-supportive culture.&quot;

This privately held firm is employee-owned with 300 employees.  Mead &amp; Hunt maintains a dozen offices across the nation.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=41</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Michigan Air Traffic Control Tower Becomes Project of the Year</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is proud to announce our newly designed and constructed Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at the WK Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek, Michigan has been designated as &quot;Project of the Year.&quot;  The Michigan Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) will be awarding Mead &amp; Hunt this prestigious honor at a special ceremony in May.  &quot;This project was both challenging and fun to work on,&quot; said Kevin Kunde, Project Manager for Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;This tower represents the culmination of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s tower experience.  It is a well coordinated tower and it will be easily maintainable for years to come,&quot; said Kunde.  This particular project was selected by Michigan&apos;s APWA because of good construction management, safety planning, community relations, environmental protection, and good quality control.

Some of the unique features in this tower include, tower shaft break rooms, office areas, locker rooms, and other support features.  The base building was designed with future expansion capabilities to maintain flexibility as the airport grows.  The tower cab encompasses 550 feet with a 110-foot eye height while the foot base building comes in at around 1,500 square feet.  

The WK Kellogg Airport is a general aviation facility serving the Battle Creek area.  The airport accommodates small jets and transport aircraft.  Current users include the Western Michigan University School of Aviation Sciences, Battle Creek Air National Guard, and various private operators.  One of the fastest growing general aviation airports in the country, WK Kellogg Airport needed to make capacity improvements, starting with the ATCT.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering companies to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recently recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list, Mead &amp; Hunt remains strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs about 300 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=40</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s environmental team takes on unique Runway Safety Area project</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Environmental impact is a term that easily attracts the attention of the public as well as the media.  Sometimes this attention is welcomed; other times it&apos;s something an airport would like to avoid.  Such was the case at Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA) in Madison, Wisconsin.  Recently Mead &amp; Hunt, an architectural and engineering firm based in Madison, embarked on an ambitious plan to bring the safety area of Runway 13/31 inline with FAA standards.  The airport&apos;s non-compliant Runway Safety Area (RSA) was identified in the FAA&apos;s 2000 RSA determination.  Improving a safety area is often a complex process, but when it involves moving a two-lane county highway, more than a mile of creek bed, a perimeter road, and an active rail line into a wetland, the situation becomes more difficult.

When Mead &amp; Hunt project managers were first approached with this project they knew it had the potential to create negative publicity, but in the end they solved it brilliantly.  

&quot;Getting every relevant agency involved with this project and getting them on the same page was a big step for us,&quot; said Laura Morland, Project Manager for Mead &amp; Hunt.  In all, Mead &amp; Hunt coordinated with ten federal, state, and local agencies, as well as local environmental groups over a three-year period to get this job done.  The results were interesting.

The first hurdle Mead &amp; Hunt had to contend with was the geography just north of the airfield, which includes Cherokee Marsh.  Engineers and scientists had to wrestle with improving the safety of DCRA while also protecting this very sensitive environmental area.  Moving the rail line through a wetland area was potentially very controversial, but Mead &amp; Hunt was able to coordinate efforts with several agencies to develop a comprehensive mitigation plan, which allowed the team to move the rail with minimal environmental impacts.  The final plans determined that a 3,100-foot railroad land bridge would allow free passage of water beneath the rail alignment, while a runoff overpass was designed in another part of the project to avoid adverse secondary wetland impacts.  Construction of the bridge began during the winter of 2004 when the peat was frozen in order to reduce construction-related impacts on the wetlands.  Bridge construction was performed from the bridge itself, keeping construction equipment out of the marsh and preventing damage to this sensitive area.  With a work crew on each end of the bridge, the contractor has constructed two spans each week in order to complete the 112-span structure on schedule.

The rail line was not the only challenge presented to Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s environmental professionals during the RSA improvements.  Starkweather Creek that winds its way around the airport would also need careful attention while it was being diverted.  This creek in particular is of great importance to the area due to its outflow into a popular area lake.  Water quality enhancements and providing flood storage were primary objectives.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s solution included planting dogwood trees along the newly designed creek bed.  These trees help keep the water shaded and cool which improves water quality.  Engineers included specific flood storage measures that will help detain runoff from heavy rains to prevent flooding.

This is not the first time Mead &amp; Hunt has worked on water quality improvements at DCRA and the Starkweather Creek.   A few years ago the firm designed a system to capture and treat storm water contaminated with deicing fluids.  The storm water collection system was redesigned to direct storm water runoff from the aircraft deicing areas to a treatment basin and to divert uncontaminated storm water to the creek.  The treatment basin has a storage volume of two million gallons and is aerated using two 40-horsepower blowers and 60 stainless steel course bubble diffusers.  A pump station was installed to pump contaminated storm water to the sanitary sewer.  Storm water contaminated with deicing fluids is treated in the basin during the deicing season (October through May).  Supplemental nutrients are added to facilitate biological removal of the deicing fluids.  The storm water in the basin can be pumped to the sanitary sewer for disposal if additional storage capacity is needed prior to adequate removal of the deicing fluids.  Once the storm water in the basin meets the discharge water quality requirements, it is discharged from the basin to the adjacent creek.  This design by Mead &amp; Hunt was the first of its kind in the Midwest.

Aside from the environmental work going on at DCRA there is also an impressive engineering aspect to this RSA project, which involves moving a busy two-lane county highway and constructing a new railroad crossing without disrupting traffic.  The highway is heavily traveled by commuters, handling nearly 10,000 vehicles every day.  

&quot;Shutting this road down for a month would have been preferable but was never an option,&quot; said Dave Elder, a Project Engineer for Mead &amp; Hunt.  It was determined that a secondary and temporary road would need to be built in order to reroute traffic so construction crews were free to build a new railroad crossing and lay the ground work for the new highway.  

&quot;Currently the highway project is nearly 75 percent complete, when fully completed it&apos;s not just the airport that will enjoy improved safety, but commuters as well,&quot; said Elder.  Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s redesign of the county highway includes removing a sharp turn that has been the site of several vehicle accidents.

Upon successful completion of this environmental process and mitigation design, the Mead &amp; Hunt team was honored by special recognition of their efforts by the Wisconsin Secretary of Transportation and the Deputy Director of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Mead &amp; Hunt professionals have expertise in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other federal, state, and local regulation related to airports.  Their high-quality environmental documents for airports, including those in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, endure stringent federal, state, and local agency review processes.

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s environmental specialists offer a wide range of technical services.  Their airport environmental services staff includes environmental engineers, planners, noise specialists, wetland specialists, biological specialists, architectural historians, and air and water quality experts.  Solid, comprehensive planning in the early stages of a project provides adequate time to resolve potential environmental problems.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=51</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt named Judge&apos;s Choice Award Winner by ACEC &amp; MSPE</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC) and the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE) presented the annual Engineering &amp; Surveying Excellence Awards Saturday evening, February 25, 2006, at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.  Tulip City Airport Tunnel in Holland, MI, presented by Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc., received the Judge&apos;s Choice Award for Board Design.

Mead &amp; Hunt was responsible for design and construction of this 885-foot, four-lane tunnel under the proposed runway extension at the Tulip City Airport in Holland, Michigan.  This $20 million, five-year-long project included the design and construction of the tunnel, land acquisition, relocation of local roads, and construction of a 1,260-foot runway extension.  This was the largest single capital improvement project ever undertaken by the city of Holland. 

The tunnel was necessitated by the Federal Aviation Administration&apos;s design standard that expanded runway safety area requirements from 300 feet to at least 600.  To adhere to the FAA requirements with the least disruption to the surrounding communities, Mead &amp; Hunt designed the tunnel  to run under Tulip City Airport&apos;s main runway.  This innovative design solution allowed for the required safety area expansion while actually increasing the runway usability by larger aircraft.   Extending this runway enables the airport to serve larger corporate and cargo aircraft thereby improving the surrounding communities&apos; ability to compete in the global marketplace.  This was one of the first tunnels constructed at a general aviation airport using FAA funding.

Hatch Mott McDonald (New York) performed most of the fire/life safety system design, and HH Engineering (Detroit) assisted with construction oversight of the tunnel structure.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of infrastructure, water resource engineering, highway and bridge engineering, aviation engineering, architecture and building engineering, historic preservation, military engineering, and environmental studies to clients throughout the US.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation nearly 300 employees in offices nationwide.  For more information, contact Ron Engel, Manager, at 517/321-8334 or ron.engel@meadhunt.com.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=50</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt named Munising&apos;s city engineer</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Munising City Council announced recently that Mead &amp; Hunt will be its City Engineer.  &quot;We&apos;re thrilled about this opportunity,&quot; says Bruce Hawkinson, Client Representative in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Iron Mountain office.  &quot;Munising is a special community, and we look forward to being part of the planning and development that will strengthen their future.&quot; 

As the City Engineer, Mead &amp; Hunt will provide Munising with engineering services as needed.  Services may include project planning and management, site surveying, design and construction administration, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and mapping, and grant applications.

In addition to the city engineering services, Mead &amp; Hunt was recently contracted to provide engineering, surveying and construction administration services for a $14 million upgrade to the city&apos;s wastewater treatment plant, and sanitary sewer and water systems.

About Mead &amp; Hunt
Mead &amp; Hunt has more than a dozen offices nationwide, including in Lansing and Iron Mountain Michigan, and Green Bay, Wisconsin.   With 300 employees, the firm provides professional services in the fields of transportation (aviation, highways and bridges) engineering, architecture and building engineering, municipal and civil engineering, historic preservation, and water resource engineering.   Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately-held, employee-owned corporation, and is ranked among the top 500 engineering and architectural firms in the nation by Engineering News-Record magazine.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=48</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt project show cased in Wisconsin Builder</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was recently featured in Wisconsin Builder magazine for our work on the Squadron Operations Facility at Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Camp Douglas, Wisconsin.  This 14,000-square-foot building will serve as the nerve center of training operations for nearly 200 military units each year.  View the full article from the February issue of Wisconsin Builder.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=45</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt handed &quot;Best in 2005&quot; Merit Award</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt was recently honored with the Award of Merit for Commercial work by Midwest Construction.  The award was for the completion of a $33 million renovation project at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin.  The project scope included terminal expansion, new shops and restaurants, new exterior covered walkways, and interior design.

View the full article in the January issue of Midwest Construction magazine.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=46</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 Jan 2006 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Seminar will explore how roundabouts slow traffic</title>
			<description><![CDATA[
A roundabout is a form of intersection design that is being used increasingly to control traffic flow in residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods across Wisconsin and around the world.  Mead &amp; Hunt Transportation Engineer Michelle Snyder, PE, will explain the benefits of roundabouts at the League of Wisconsin Municipalities&apos; annual conference, set for 9 am, Thursday, Oct. 27, at the KI Convention Center, Green Bay. 

Snyder is a design project manager with more than 10 years of experience in highway design and project management.  She has led projects involving rails to trails, highway relocation, historical impacts, and extensive public involvement.

About Mead &amp; Hunt
Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of transportation (aviation, highways and bridges) engineering, architecture and building engineering, municipal and civil engineering, historic preservation, and water resource engineering.  A privately held corporation, Mead &amp; Hunt is employee-owned and is ranked among the top 500 engineering and architectural firms in the nation by Engineering News Record magazine.  Nationwide, Mead &amp; Hunt has a dozen offices and employs about 300 people.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=2</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 25 Oct 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>National Engineering Firm Expands Presence In Wisconsin</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Heartland Engineering, an eight-person engineering firm in Brookfield, has joined the Mead &amp; Hunt team. 

Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation and is ranked among the top 500 engineering and architectural firms in the nation by Engineering News-Record magazine.  With 300 employees nationwide, Mead &amp; Hunt maintains a dozen offices.  The Wisconsin offices are in Madison, Green Bay, La Crosse, and now Milwaukee.

&quot;This is a perfect fit with the Mead &amp; Hunt culture and commitment to client satisfaction.  This talented team of professionals are great people and a wonderful addition to the Mead &amp; Hunt family - high integrity, dedication to excellence, and a great team spirit,&quot; said Rusty Chesmore, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s vice president.  &quot;The Milwaukee team exemplifies Mead &amp; Hunt and will bring value beyond pure engineering to our clients.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt has experienced record-level growth during the past decade.  The firm was recently recognized on The Zweig Letter Hot Firm List as one of the top 20 fastest growing architectural and engineering firms in the Midwest.  

Throughout this incredible growth, Mead &amp; Hunt maintained its client-focused project management and employee-supportive atmosphere.  In 2003, the firm was ranked number eight &quot;Best civil engineering firm to work for&quot; in the nation by CE News magazine.

&quot;This is an exciting opportunity for Heartland Engineering clients and employees.  We&apos;ve worked with Mead &amp; Hunt in the past and look forward to professional growth and being part of the future success of the company,&quot; said Julie Hoppe, manager of the Milwaukee office (former president of Heartland Engineering).  &quot;There is great potential in this area and with our expanding staff we are ready to efficiently meet the demands of our current and new clients.&quot;

The new Milwaukee office personnel has strong client relationships with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Milwaukee County, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.  The office provides rural and urban roadway design, structure design, construction engineering, municipal engineering, electrical engineering, and architectural services.  Additionally, the team specializes in civil and transportation projects, electrical systems, water resources projects, and program management for private and public entities. 

Nationwide Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of transportation (aviation, highways and bridges) engineering, architecture and building engineering, municipal and civil engineering, historic preservation, and water resources engineering.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=42</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 19 Oct 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Tulip City Airport Tunnel Project receives &quot;Award of Excellence&quot;</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt is proud to announce our Tulip City Airport tunnel project received the &quot;Award of Excellence&quot; from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Michigan.  The award for this project will be handed to Kent Companies, Inc. of Grand Rapids for their excellence in constructing Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s design of the Holland Tunnel project at the Tulip City Airport.  This project was the largest capital improvement project ever undertaken by the city of Holland, MI.  Roads were relocated and a four lane tunnel was constructed to prepare for a 1,000 foot runway extension and correction of runway safety area deficiencies at Tulip City Airport.  The tunnel took more than a year to complete and opened on December 14, 2004.

More than 40 people within Mead &amp; Hunt worked on this project throughout the design and construction process.  This project involved every aspect of engineering design, from structural design to the mechanical systems, including fans in the tunnel and the storm water pump station.  The lighting on this project was in excess of $600,000.  Each of these systems needed to be tied together by a sophisticated control system to provide automatic operation in the event of an emergency. 

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News three years in a row as one of the top 10 engineering company to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recognized as one of the fastest rising architectural and engineering firms by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list in 2005, Mead &amp; Hunt also remained strong on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list in 2005.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs about 280 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=39</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 05 Sep 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>The hard work of firm&apos;s employees gains national attention.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2005 List has announced that Mead &amp; Hunt has been ranked 43rd in the nation as one of the fastest growing architecture and engineering firms.  The Zweig Letter identifies the 100 fastest growing architectural, engineering, planning, (A/E/P) and environmental consulting firms in the country.  The ranking is based on an equal weighting of percentage revenue growth and dollar revenue growth from 2001 to 2004.

At the same time Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s ranking on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list remained strong at 266 in the nation after rising 82 spots in 2004.  Our work in the aviation industry has also been recognized by the Engineering News Record by ranking Mead &amp; Hunt 18th in the nation.  This is the second year in a row that Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s aviation related services have cracked into the 
top 25.

&quot;Our firm&apos;s dedication to professionalism and a high degree of success has once again been reflected in our company&apos;s national rankings. Our firm is lucky to have some of the best professionals in the industry who really cultivate the team atmosphere at Mead &amp; Hunt and who form tight relationships with clients,&#xe2;€? said Rajan Sheth, president.  &quot;We are also a very diverse firm with a growing 
clientele nationwide.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned firm boasting more than 280 engineers, architects, scientists, planners, and support staff in offices nationwide.  We have been serving clients in both the public and private sectors since our founding in 1900.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=38</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jul 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt, Pellston Regional Airport, and Ajax Paving Industries are the proud recipients of the..</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, Pellston Regional Airport, and Ajax Paving Industries are the proud recipients of the Michigan Concrete Paving Association Award for the Airports category.  The winning project included the renovation of the airport&apos;s existing airfield pavement for the new terminal building. The newly constructed apron was chosen among four other nominated airport projects in the state of Michigan.  The award was announced at the 2005 paving awards banquet in Troy, Michigan. 

The Pellston Regional Airport opened a new passenger terminal in the fall of 2003 and was looking to replace the existing bituminous apron with long lasting concrete. The concrete apron (a parking area for planes near the terminal) reconstruction was started the day after Labor Day in September of 2004 and consisted of two phase construction.  The entire project included removing the existing asphalt pavement, adding new storm sewer, electrical, and nine- inch plain concrete pavement.

The award-winning apron project is part of ongoing improvements including planning, design, and construction administration at the Pellston Regional Airport that Mead &amp; Hunt has lead for the last six years.  The firm has also designed the new terminal building to serve air carrier operations and has designed the new parking lot renovation and expansion plan.

Mead &amp; Hunt, named by CE News as one of the top 10 engineering company to work for in the nation, provides professional services in architecture, historic preservation, and in transportation, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list in 2004, Mead &amp; Hunt also rose 82 places on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list in 2004.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs about 280 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=3</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 02 May 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned design consulting firm, proudly announces its new seven-member Board.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned design consulting firm, proudly announces its new seven-member Board of Directors, elected by stockholders at a recent meeting.  Previously governed by a four-member Board, the move was made, in part, to answer the bold strategic vision of the company.

&quot;Growth is on a record-setting pace at the firm, making obvious the need for additional visionaries on the Board of Directors,&quot; said Raj Sheth, Mead &amp; Hunt President and Chief Executive Officer.  &quot;I am confident in the abilities of each member to steer the corporation toward its long-term goals.&quot;

The Board of Directors is also expected to continue championing employee causes, creating avenues for the team to thrive.  This has been an ongoing success story, as the firm has been named among the top civil engineering firms to work for in the nation by CE News magazine two years in a row.

Members of the four-person Board - Raj Sheth, PE, Terry Kennedy, PE, Andy Platz, PE, and Doug Green, PE - each received new terms.  New to the Board are Rusty Chesmore, PE, Amy Squitieri, and Eric Van Deuren, PE.  Each Director is now leading or once led successful departments at the firm, and they bring unique specialties to their new role.

Mead &amp; Hunt is rated as a top-500 consulting firm by Engineering News Record.  They provide engineering, architecture, planning, and preservation services for the following client types:  transportation, military, water resources, industrial and commercial, and municipalities and public entities.  The firm has existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year.  Recent accomplishments include:

The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2004 list as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firmsTop 25 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE News]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=36</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 20 Mar 2005 02:50:53 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading engineering and architectural consulting firm, announces the addition.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading engineering and architectural consulting firm, announces the addition of a local office.

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s new office is located at 333 South Stephenson Street, Iron Mountain, MI 49801. Their phone number is 906/779-5358.  The new office will offer municipal clients street design, potable water and wastewater engineering, stormwater management, and assistance applying for project funding - including USDA Rural Development and Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) programs.

Managing the new office, Bruce Hawkinson, PE, has more than 30 years of experience providing engineering, design and project management services to municipal infrastructure clients throughout the upper Michigan region. 

Mead &amp; Hunt serves many industries, including municipalities, aviation, transportation, military, food, industrial, developers, and water resources.  Services include engineering, architecture, planning, and historic preservation.  The firm has existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year.  With nearly 300 employees in offices nationwide, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s recent accomplishments include:

The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2004 list as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firmsTop 10 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE NewsRanked 265 in Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firms]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=35</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 19 Mar 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead and Hunt team helps airport accommodate heavier aircraft</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead and Hunt team helps airport accommodate heavier aircraft

Mead &amp; Hunt is the proud recipient of the Asphalt Paving Association&apos;s Paving Award.  The team designed the plan to reconstruct an aircraft apron surface that strengthened and effectively drains storm water from Klamath Falls Airport&apos;s west apron.  The award was announced at the annual Oregon Asphalt Conference in Eugene on March 3.   Team members included Jon Faucher, PE, Project Manager; Lee Moen, PE, Project Engineer; and Vice President of Airport Engineering; and, Mark Andrews, PE, Resident Engineer.  Faucher has been with the firm for 14 years.  Moen and Andrews have each been with the firm for three years.   They are based out of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Santa Rosa, California office.

&quot;The primary benefit is that the strengthened pavement will enable heavier corporate aircrafts to use the reconstructed apron at Klamath Falls,&quot; Faucher explains.

The primary goals of the project were to strengthen the apron by removing and replacing the deteriorating asphalt, and solve the drainage problems that plagued the 15-acre apron.  With a limited budget, one of the main challenges was working around hangars that were located along the apron.

To strengthen the surface, crews removed most of the asphalt and placed new asphalt lifts with paving fabric between lifts to delay potential reflective cracking.  Addressing the drainage problems, they applied a variable depth asphalt leveling course to the area.  The process was completed by topping the surface with a two-inch layer of asphalt.

The apron work was part of an ongoing improvement effort Mead &amp; Hunt has led at Klamath Falls Airport, starting in 1982.  The firm developed the airport&apos;s master plan; designed airfield signing and markings, runway safety area improvements, a medium intensity runway light system (MIRL) on runway 7-25, service road and perimeter fencing.  A joint-use civilian air carrier and general aviation airport, Klamath Falls Airport is also home to the Oregon Air National Guard Base.  

Mead &amp; Hunt serves many industries, including aviation, transportation, military, food, industrial, municipalities, developers, and water resources.  Services include engineering, architecture, planning, and historic preservation.  The firm has existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year.  With nearly 300 employees in offices nationwide, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s recent accomplishments include:

The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2004 list as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firmsTop 10 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE NewsRanked 265 in Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firms]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=34</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Mar 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed bridge replacement project wins an award for its contributions to engineering</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed bridge replacement project wins an award for its contributions to the engineering profession.  The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin honored Mead &amp; Hunt with a State Finalist Award for the firm&apos;s contributions to the engineering profession in the area of transportation.

CTH X Bridge in Saylesville, Wisconsin. What began as a routine bridge replacement project for the Waukesha County Department of Public Works and Mead &amp; Hunt evolved into a project requiring a design solution to maintain the character of a historic district.  The CTH X Bridge is located within a significant nineteenth-century settlement recognized as a National Register-eligible historic district.  Though considered historic, the 1934 steel girder bridge was deteriorated and did not have the necessary clear roadway width to comply with design criteria.  Mead &amp; Hunt designed a replacement structure that maintained the district&apos;s historic character and gained public acceptance of the design. 

The new bridge incorporated aesthetic treatments into the parapet, guardrail, riprap, and the structure&apos;s approaches.  The design also minimized the impacts on a historic fieldstone blacksmith shop, located at the east end of the bridge, only a few feet from the road.  To preserve the historic setting, grid pavers that allow grass to grow were incorporated in front of the building along the structure&apos;s approach, instead of gravel. 

This project is an excellent example of the incorporation of aesthetics into a transportation facility, resulting in a context-sensitive design.  The bridge design offers the residents of Saylesville and Waukesha County a safe transportation facility, and a sustainable design that provides an aesthetic addition to the historic district and rural environment.  Local residents and the county are pleased with the new aesthetically designed structure and the consideration that was given to preserving the district&apos;s historic character.

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm provides professional services in the fields of infrastructure, water resource engineering, highway and bridge engineering, aviation engineering, architecture and building engineering, historic preservation, military engineering, and environmental studies to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2004 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=32</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Feb 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Water supply shortages will curtail economic growth in El Dorado County beginning as early as 2010.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Water supply shortages will curtail economic growth in El Dorado County beginning as early as 2010, according to a report presented at yesterday&apos;s regular meeting of the El Dorado Water &amp; Power Authority.

The report, presented by Mead &amp; Hunt, an architecture and engineering firm that also offers cultural resource management services, focuses on the socioeconomic impact of the loss to the county of the water resources used by the Upper American River Project.

&quot;It&apos;s an opportunity to really reassess water resource allocation,&quot; said Linda Mitchell, a water resources economist with Mead &amp; Hunt.

Owned and operated by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, UARP includes a series of hydroelectric facilities in El Dorado County.

The project&apos;s original 50-year operating license will expire in July 2007 and SMUD is currently in the process of applying for a new license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s prediction of a possible water shortage beginning in 2010 was based on water supply and demand projections from information contained in the 2004 El Dorado County General Plan and the El Dorado County Water Agency&apos;s Water Resources Development and Management Plan.

The final report addresses expected changes in the county&apos;s economic activity as a result of a potential water shortage.

&quot;We particularly focused on employment and the labor force,&quot; Mitchell said.

The report suggests that approximately 60 new jobs would be forgone in 2010 and approximately 15,000 jobs would be forgone by 2045.

&quot;It is incumbent on the FERC to require SMUD to evaluate potential ways the UARP could be utilized to mitigate such impacts as a condition of any new license granted for the continued operation of the UARP,&quot; states an executive summary of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s report.

Representatives from Mead &amp; Hunt discussed a variety of preliminary alternatives to increase water supply or make existing water available for municipal use.

The most economically advantageous alternative, they said, is that of UARP facilities. It would permit the county to divert up to 30,000 acre-feet per year from either the Folsom Reservoir or the White Rock Penstock, which is part of the UARP.

Under this alternative, the county would be required to provide monetary compensation to SMUD for loss of generation due to water diversion, and to construct conveyance structures costing more than $30 million.

The county and SMUD are currently in the process of negotiating the specific terms for the development of this alternative, which could alleviate future water supply shortages. It is not yet known if the county and SMUD will come to an agreement on the issue.

Reprinted from the January 25, 2005 issue of the Mountain Democrat.  Story by Sonia Sorich, Staff writer]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=33</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 25 Jan 2005 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>In 2003, Mead &amp; Hunt, a national design consulting firm, had one of its most successful years.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[In 2003, Mead &amp; Hunt, a national design consulting firm, had one of its most successful years - including earning several major industry honors.  Firm leaders didn&apos;t think it could get much better.

That is, until it did.  In 2004, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s accolades grew.  Some of the firm&apos;s accomplishments included:

  &amp;#8226; Moving up 35 places on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm list to rank 22nd in the nation.
       
  &amp;#8226; Top 25 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE News

  &amp;#8226;  Ranking 265th in Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 Design firms nationwide - a jump from 347th place in 2003.

The firm&apos;s Board of Directors credits the combination of a strong employee base and unique client relationships for Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s 2004 honors.

&quot;Our firm is lucky to have some of the best professionals in the industry who really cultivate the team atmosphere at Mead &amp; Hunt and who form tight relationships with clients,&quot; said Rajan Sheth, president.  &quot;We are also a very diverse firm with a growing clientele nationwide.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt serves many industries, including aviation and transportation, military, food and industrial, municipalities and developers, and water resources.  Services include engineering, architecture, planning, and historic preservation.  The firm has existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year.  Mead &amp; Hunt has nearly 300 employees in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=31</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Dec 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>When visitors arrive at Pellston, they know they&apos;re in the northwoods.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[When visitors arrive at Pellston, they know they&apos;re in the northwoods

PELLSTON, MI - Travelers driving through this small (population some 550), rustic resort town, 25 miles south of Mackinac Island, might not be surprised to see a cedar lodge.  However, to realize it&apos;s not a resort but an airport can be quite a shock.  According to airport manager Kelley Atkins, people often visit the airport just to see what it&apos;s like on the inside.  The airport, with the strong support of the community, has been successful in attracting passengers while capturing the feel of the Michigan northwoods.

Pellston Regional Airport (PLN) is owned by Emmet County.  Operations are overseen by an airport committee comprised of three county commissioners and three appointed members.  Atkins explains there is also an air service task force to assist with air carrier retention and recruitment.

The county not only operates the airport, but also provides services of fixed base operator and handles all ground handling. UNICOM and ARFF services, as well as cleaning of both the terminal and aerocenter (general aviation building) are contracted out locally.

The growth of the airport and the recent redevelopment of the terminal, completed one year ago, can be attributed to the support of the community, says Atkins, who was named Michigan Airport Manager of the Year in 2003 by the Michigan Association of Airport Executives.  &quot;With the county and the airport committee, there&apos;s consensus support for the airport.  We wouldn&apos;t have been able to accomplish these things if the county hadn&apos;t been 100 percent behind it.&quot;

&quot;This board really realizes the importance of an airport to the community. It&apos;s not a constant battle that I have to keep fighting.&quot;

Craig Sincock, president and CEO, Avfuel, which provides the airport&apos;s fuel, agrees with Atkins.  &quot;The entire airport board understands that an airport is an integral part of a community.  They had the vision and executed what was needed to match the resort and regional growth with the growth of the airport.&quot;

The lodge-themed terminal started as an $80,000 bathroom renovation, says Atkins.  &quot;We got into that and started looking at things we wanted to see in the airport and the project started to grow.  The county really wanted to adopt a theme, and that theme was a Northern Michigan style lodge.&quot;

The project was by no means merely aesthetic.  The aging terminal was in need of updates and the community recognized the need for a larger facility to handle growing traffic.  &quot;Every community wants to upgrade their service,&quot; says Atkins. &quot;The community decided rather than sit on our hands, let&apos;s really go and take the next few years and make ourselves better prepared and do everything we can to attract new service.  Out of that, this building was born.&quot;

Madison, WI-based Mead &amp; Hunt was the engineering firm on the project, while locally based Town &amp; County Cedar Homes provided the log work, and Quiet Moose Interiors handled the extra touches for the lodge ambiance.  Atkins explains, &quot;We did not want the basic municipal building that could double as a junior high school or bus station.&quot;

From the three fireplaces on two floors, log work, mounted wildlife to the light fixtures, bathroom mirrors, furniture, and signage, nothing was overlooked in making this terminal feel like a true lodge.

The new terminal also includes a gift shop, two car rental companies, two shuttle companies, as well as the Village Inn Restaurant, which has locations on Mackinac Island and in St. Ignace, MI.

PLN received $7 million in discretionary funds from FAA over two years. The total cost of the terminal redevelopment is some $8.4 million.

Growing Demand, Service
PLN is currently serviced by Northwest Airlines&apos; regional carriers Mesaba and Pinnacle airlines. Atkins says service is good, but &quot;obviously we&apos;d like to someday see a second carrier.&quot;

The airport&apos;s passenger numbers have been steadily increasing over the last two years, says Atkins. &quot;We&apos;re growing at a rate that astounds us.&quot;

Through August 2004, enplanements are up 25 percent over the same period in 2003.  PLN averages some 65,000 passengers annually.

Along with the redevelopment of the terminal came the commitment by Northwest for more seats. Additionally, says Atkins, &quot;Three years ago we saw the return to jet service for the first time in 25 years, with just one a day.  The next year it jumped up to three a day, and this last year weekdays in the peak season (June, July, and August) it was five a day and seven a day on the weekends.&quot;

Because of the seasonality of Northern Michigan, the number of flights to and from Pellston changes almost quarterly.  However, Atkins adds, &quot;We&apos;re managing to keep at least one RJ in service on a daily basis throughout the year.&quot;

According to Atkins, Chicago is a market to which the airport would like service.  &quot;We attract a good number of people from Chicago, but getting a carrier to commit would be difficult because of the seasonality of our location.  Carriers are having a tough time and not taking a lot of gambles.  That&apos;s what makes Northwest&apos;s service increase promising.&quot;

He adds that the region is seeing more tourism in the non-traditional months, which adds to the possibility of more service and/or an additional carrier.  &quot;Now that our numbers are growing, I feel that in the near future we will be able to viably support two airlines on a year-round basis.&quot;

Atkins and the airport board have worked &quot;aggressively&quot; with Northwest to keep airfares competitive with surrounding airports.  &quot;We hope that if we&apos;re close on ticket price, and with the free parking and the facility we&apos;ve got, that will attract more passengers.&quot;

Looking ahead, Atkins says a concern is parking.  &quot;We&apos;ve had cars parked during the spring break season lined three deep into the grass.&quot;  A current ongoing project, expected to be completed mid-November, is the expansion of the ramp, at a cost of $1.8 million, necessary because of increased traffic.

The &quot;overwhelming majority&quot; of the airport&apos;s revenue comes from fuel sales, says Atkins.  Currently, fuel sales average around 375,000 gallons of jet fuel per year and some 70,000 gallons 100LL.  &quot;I think we&apos;ve seen a drop in the 100LL this last year, but I think that&apos;s industry-wide,&quot; says Atkins.  &quot;Jet fuel, we&apos;re ahead of the pace we set last year.&quot;  Landing fees and rent from 26 hangars contribute as well.

Reprinted from the November/December 2004 issue of Airport Business Magazine.  Article written by Jodi Richards.  All photos courtesy of Airport Business Magazine.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=30</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2004 02:52:14 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Tunnel ready for dedication, walk-through.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Tunnel ready for dedication, walk-through

Tie up the laces on your tennis shoes because it&apos;s time to take a stroll through the South Washington Avenue tunnel -- it&apos;s your only chance.

A dedication ceremony on the 885-foot four-lane vehicle tunnel will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and then people will be able to walk through and check out the tunnel.  It will be the only time pedestrians will be allowed through the $17 million project.

&quot;I&apos;m so excited to have people come and see the project,&quot; said Jim Storey, chairman of the city&apos;s Tulip City Airport Advisory Board. &quot;I think that once people are inside and see it, they&apos;re really going to be happy with it.  It is definitely a plus for our area.&quot;

The tunnel walk is being sponsored by the airport and by Wings of Mercy, a charity that provides low-cost flights to people who need medical care at distant facilities. Donations for Wings of Mercy will be accepted as part of the event. Storey said the first 300 people through the tunnel will receive a pin with a set of wings as part of the event.

&quot;We wanted them to be able to walk away with something from the walk and this way they will have a chance to earn their wings,&quot; Storey said.

Ron Engel, project manager with Lansing-based project engineers Mead and Hunt, said the project is almost finished.  &quot;Most of the work is done. We just have a few things to finish, like putting up the rest of the fans ... and the timing on the electronics, that type of thing,&quot; Engel said.

Twelve jet-engine fans are inside the tunnel, with six on each side. Costing $350,000 for the set, the fans are set up to blow the same direction as traffic and make sure the air is clean.

&quot;The fans are here in case of a traffic backup and carbon monoxide starts to gather, it would blow it out,&quot; Engel said.

Another fixture that is almost done is more than 100 lights to guide drivers down into the tunnel.

&quot;The lighting is actually really interesting because it is set up to be brighter during the day than at night, to help a drivers&apos; eyes adjust to going into the darkness of the tunnel from being outside,&quot; Engel said.

A tube of lights runs the length of the tunnel on both sides and extra lights are placed at each entrance, Engel said.

Structural work on the tunnel was done in 20-foot sections, making more than 40 sections to put up walls and then put the concrete cap on, Engel said.

People at Saturday&apos;s tunnel walk will notice a large mound of dirt to the west of the tunnel. The more than 25,000 cubic yards of dirt came from the 30-foot-deep hole to make way for the tunnel.

&quot;I know it&apos;s hard to believe, but all that dirt will be spread around for the runway extension,&quot; Engel said.

The tunnel was built to make way for a 1,000-foot runway extension at the airport. The $1.8 million extension will allow planes to carry more fuel and travel farther.

Assistant City Manager Greg Robinson said the tunnel should be open to traffic by the first full week in December.

&quot;We&apos;re looking at it now on a day-to-day basis,&quot; Robinson said. He added that the Holland Fire Department wants to do some training in the tunnel before it opens to traffic.

When it opens, the speed limit on the approaches and through the tunnel will be 25 mph, even though Washington Avenue traffic both north and south of it will remain at 45 mph.

Robinson said the tunnel project was one of the most expensive ever done by the city.

&quot;Just from a dollars standpoint, I think it is one of the largest capital projects we&apos;ve ever done,&quot; Robinson said. &quot;We&apos;ll all be happy to have it wrapped up because then we can work in earnest on the runway extension.&quot;

Reprinted from the November 19, 2004 issue of the Holland Sentinel Online. 
Written by:  LESA INGRAHAM Staff writer]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=23</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Nov 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed water pumping plant project wins an award.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed water pumping plant project wins an award for its contributions to the well-being and safety of the Sacramento Region.

The American Public Works Association Sacramento Chapter honored Mead &amp; Hunt with an Honorable Mention for the firm&apos;s engineering design.  The improvements to the Reclamation District 1000 Pumping Plant No. 1 ultimately increase the capacity and reliability of the pumping plant and maintain adequate flood protection for new residential developments within the Natomas Basin.

The surrounding community benefits from this project because it is the keystone of the $33 million Natomas Comprehensive Drainage Plan.  The rapidly urbanizing 50,000-acre Natomas Basin is fortressed by levees and pumping plants to protect it from flooding.

Based on Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s innovative engineering techniques, closure of the Garden Highway during construction was limited to only two weeks.  Careful planning and thoughtful selection of materials also decreased impact to the environment.

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm provides professional services in the fields of infrastructure, water resource engineering, highway and bridge engineering, aviation engineering, architecture and building engineering, historic preservation, military engineering, and environmental studies to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=29</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 17 Nov 2004 02:43:14 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading consulting firm to the aviation industry, recently helped eight communities.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt, a leading consulting firm to the aviation industry, recently helped eight communities obtain Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grant funding.

On August 30, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) notified airport sponsors of successful Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) applications for the 2004 grant cycle.  There were 108 grant applications filed in 2004, down from 170 in 2003 and 178 in 2002.  This year the DOT elected to award 40 grants, the maximum allowed.  The 40 successful applicants were located in 30 states.

There were a total of nine grants ($4,933,046) awarded to airports in the Great Lakes region - as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  This was the largest number of awards and the highest total dollars of any FAA region.  Mead &amp; Hunt prepared applications for seven airport sponsors and assisted two additional airports with background work for their grant filings.  We are very pleased the DOT elected to award grants to eight of the nine Mead &amp; Hunt clients that filed for SCASDP grant funds.

The SCASDP will continue through 2008.  The DOT may provide guidance on the 2005 program as early as November 2004.  This will allow more time for airport sponsors to prepare their applications, which will most likely be due in April 2005.  Naturally, as more airports are awarded grants, the odds of getting a grant go up for airports that have not previously received one.  However, the US Airways bankruptcy could spawn more applications than would normally be expected in 2005.  If you are considering applying for a 2005 grant, here are a few suggestions gleaned from Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s experiences during the past three years:

The DOT wants to see community commitment.  Make sure your program funding includes non-airport, local cash.  All of the 2004 successful grant applications included non-airport cash in their funding package.Make sure you have a well-considered &quot;action plan.&quot;  Know what you want to accomplish and how you intend to use the grant.If your plan includes air service, make sure you have airline buy-in.  If necessary, airline commitment can be kept confidential in the application.Get started early and do the necessary homework.  Don&apos;t wait.  Preliminary market analysis, airline communication, and identification of funding sources should be accomplished sooner rather than later.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional air service development, engineering, architectural, and planning services to the aviation industry.  The firm also provides consulting services in historic preservation, highways and bridges, infrastructure, and water resources engineering to clients throughout the US.  Recognized as the fastest rising architectural and engineering firm by the Zweig Letter Hot Firm list in 2004, Mead &amp; Hunt also rose 82 places on the Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm list in 2004.  Mead &amp; Hunt is an employee-owned, privately held corporation that employs about 280 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=28</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Nov 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Nearly 20 years ago, Bill Gehman helped found the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Nearly 20 years ago, Bill Gehman helped found the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame to honor those professionals who made it their life&apos;s work to advance the aviation and space industries in Michigan and nationally.

On October 2, he went from being a founder to being an inductee.

Gehman was chosen for being a champion of major advancements in aviation in Michigan.  Two examples are:

Implementing aggressive general aviation airport preservation programsEstablishing a nationally recognized air service program

Gehman, one of four inductees this year, is a former director of the Michigan Bureau of Aeronautics.  He now serves as an aviation consultant in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Lansing office.

Mead &amp; Hunt is a nationally recognized design consulting firm that serves many diverse industries, including small and mid-size airports for which they offer engineering, architecture, air service, planning, and environmental services.  They have existed for more than 100 years, growing steadily each year. 

Their recent accomplishments include:

The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2004 list as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firmsTop 10 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE News Engineering News Record Top 25 Aviation Consulting firm in the nation

Interested in learning more? 
Please contact Ron Engel, Aviation Services Manager, Michigan
517/321-8334    1-888-364-7272
email: ron.engel@meadhunt.com]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=27</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Nov 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>You hear it all the time: If you want to protect your airport, you have to have an Airport Support.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[You hear it all the time: If you want to protect your airport, you have to have an Airport Support Group. And if you&apos;re smart, that support group will be up and running long before you need it.

But what if your airport doesn&apos;t have a support group and the barbarians are at the gate?  What should you do?  Just give up?  That&apos;s what happens a lot.  Pilots just throw up their hands and start looking for another airport. But that doesn&apos;t mean the developers - or unhappy neighbors - won&apos;t target your new airport next.

Oftentimes, airport support groups are created out of crisis.  After all, it&apos;s just human nature not to worry about something until it directly affects you, right?  So if your airport is being threatened, what steps should you take?

First of all, find like-minded souls.  Ask around to see who else is willing to fight the good fight.  But it&apos;s important to realize a couple things: Just because you are the &quot;instigator&quot; doesn&apos;t necessarily mean you will - or should - be the head of the support group.  Don&apos;t let your ego get in the way of your cause.  &quot;Sometimes the person who stands up first isn&apos;t the best spokesman for the group,&quot; notes Stephanie Ward, an aviation consultant who also teaches seminars on creating support groups.  &quot;But that person is often the best one to figure out what resources are available and has the guts to ask questions and get things going.&quot;

Ward has seen many a group struggle with the leadership issue.  Compounding the problem is the pilot personality - every one wants to be PIC.  &quot;But somebody does eventually have to take the right seat,&quot; she says.

Another thing you need to realize is that enthusiasm for a cause is often temporary.  New recruits will get all fired up at an organizational meeting, but once they get back home, life&apos;s everyday chores and problems gradually take over.  &quot;They lose that head of steam,&quot; says Pete Burgher, a former member of the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and a former AOPA regional rep who has spent the last 40 years teaching people how to save airports.

What eventually evolves is a core group of people who you can count on to fight for your airport. But it takes something special to make it all come together.

A successful support group, much like a good marriage, has a &quot;magical chemistry,&quot; Ward notes.  &quot;It really depends on the mix of the people,&quot; she says.

She&apos;s seen some groups with many strong people working successfully together, while another group struggles because of a lack of clear leadership or vision. Want to succeed? It is essential that your group find the &quot;root cause&quot; of what you are trying to accomplish, she advises.

Many groups start with a laser-like focus on their key issue: Stopping incompatible development, pushing for additional hangars or other improvements at the airport.  &quot;The groups that are successful look at the bigger picture,&quot; she says.  &quot;They don&apos;t get held up by the nitpicky things or the one-time things.&quot;

And everyone in the group has to be on the same page.  A loose cannon can sink your chances of success. That&apos;s why it is critical to designate one or two people who will speak for the whole group and make sure those people are well-informed and good communicators.  It wouldn&apos;t hurt to have them practice answering the tough questions at one of your meetings to give them some experience before a crowd.  This also helps the whole group stay on the same page. It is critical for the spokesmen to &quot;stick to the facts,&quot; Ward says.  &quot;Pilots are pretty passionate people and can often shoot themselves in the foot when they lose focus.&quot;

Emotional outbursts can sound the death knell for your cause.  You&apos;ll lose credibility with the public and with decision makers.  &quot;Emotion is not what officials react to,&quot; she says.  &quot;It will actually work against you.&quot;

Realize that just your presence at a meeting will sway a decision maker&apos;s vote.  You don&apos;t have to stand up and talk just because you are there - or worse, just because somebody else said something that made you mad.  Everyone has been at a meeting where two people begin trading insults - or worse, when someone stands up and drones on and on, essentially wasting everyone&apos;s time by offering nothing new.  And for heaven&apos;s sake do not become that person (every town has one) who attends every meeting and feels like they have to stand up and say something every time.  &quot;That guy could have the best point to make, but it is only human nature to tune him out,&quot; Ward says.

It&apos;s also human nature to leave the activism to the other guy or to the alphabet groups.  &quot;I don&apos;t think GA has been threatened enough to the point where pilots think &apos;I might not get to fly my airplane,&apos;&quot; Ward says.  Most people just don&apos;t get involved until it hits on a personal level.  But with everything that&apos;s threatening GA today, waiting until it hits you on the ramp may be too late. It&apos;s time to decide: Do you want to be a pilot flying blindly along or do you want to be someone critical to the cause?  Make it personal.

Reprinted from the Southern Aviator, October 2004, by Janice Woods.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=26</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Operation Cookie Drop was never meant to get so big - it wasn&apos;t even conceived as an operation.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Operation Cookie Drop was never meant to get so big - it wasn&apos;t even conceived as an operation.

Derek Ketelsen, an Air Force lieutenant in Iraq, asked his father, Jack Ketelsen, to send care packages for the officer&apos;s units, but troops have received more than either of the men expected. Ketelsen and his company, Mead &amp; Hunt, have sent more than 650 pounds of food, magazines and sundries to the troops.

&quot;We hung a moniker on it - Operation Cookie Drop - and promoted it,&quot; said Ketelsen, a finance department worker who himself is a veteran of the Vietnam War. &quot;It just grew from one unit of 20 people and it ended up with 14 units (including) over 1,000 troops.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt, an architecture and engineering firm based in Madison, is one of at least several local companies that have begun sending packages to troops abroad - usually through the initiative of a parent or relative like Jack Ketelsen.

As a Marine radio communicator, Ketelsen, now 56, was wounded in Vietnam during the hard-fought Tet Offensive. He remembers the feeling of being a teenager serving in a distant and dangerous post.

&quot;Anything is a piece of home,&quot; Ketelsen said. &quot;Whether it&apos;s a letter, a package of chewing gum, something that smells sweet, anything that reminds you of home instead of where you&apos;re at.&quot;

So when his son, who served at Balad Air Force Base 60 miles north of Baghdad, asked for packages for soldiers who weren&apos;t receiving any, Ketelsen helped organize Mead &amp; Hunt employees from around the country to put together packages. Employees at Clack Corp. in Windsor and Conney Safety Products in Madison also contributed, and Mead &amp; Hunt picked up the postage.

&quot;Those of us who are here safe and sound in the middle of the country, we feel like we owe something to our troops out there,&quot; said Raj Sheth, president of Mead &amp; Hunt.

It&apos;s not clear how many groups and businesses are sending packages to troops in Iraq, said Lt. Col. Tim Donovan, a spokesman for the Wisconsin National Guard. After Sept. 11, 2001, military officials have stopped making public addresses for packages to troops abroad because of security concerns, Donovan said.

To lend support: Anyone interested in sending correspondence or support to troops abroad can go to  http://dma.wi.gov

Click on &quot;Media &amp; Public Information&quot; and then click on &quot;Sending Mail to Deployed Military Personnel&quot; or &quot;Supporting Deployed National Guard Members.&quot;

But that hasn&apos;t stopped troops from writing to friends and family with requests for toiletries or foods. Sharon Peper of Monona State Bank started organizing monthly packages last February for her nephew Andy Anderson&apos;s Marine unit in Iraq.

The package &quot;was truly a touch from the homeland that is dearly missed around these parts of dusty Iraq,&quot; Anderson wrote in a letter thanking the bank&apos;s staff.

Reprinted from the September 10, 2004 article by Jason Stein from the Wisconsin State Journal.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=24</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Sep 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>About 115 people packed the Elkhart Lake High School auditorium Thursday to voice their concerns.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[About 115 people packed the Elkhart Lake High School auditorium Thursday to voice their concerns about a proposed $614,000 project to improve county Highways P and A around the village, which were used as part of a race course in the 1950s.

The road was used in the Elkhart Lake road race circuits before Road America opened in 1955, according to Mead &amp; Hunt of Madison, a consultant to the county.

Many in attendance were opposed to the project.

&quot;If you look at this reconstruction of county Road A, it&apos;s comparable to tearing down the Old Wade House,&quot; said Spencer Chapple of Elkhart Lake.

&quot;There are numerous more county roads that are more heavily traveled and would benefit more by these proposed improvements,&quot; said Holly Kemmis of Sheboygan.

The county is considering widening two miles of the road between county Highways C and J, Mead &amp; Hunt said in a handout. The project would be 80 percent federally funded.

The existing pavement is 21 to 22 feet wide with 1- to 2-foot-wide shoulders, Mead &amp; Hunt said. The proposal calls for widening the road to 24 feet with 6-foot-wide shoulders.

Attorney William TeWinkle of the Town of Rhine urged people opposing the improvements to contact his law firm, Rohde Dales in Sheboygan, to make sure their viewpoints are recognized, in court if needed.

&quot;You can do us all a big favor and spend the money someplace else,&quot; Te Winkle said.

There were some, like Allen Raeder of Glenbeulah, who supported the proposed road improvements.

&quot;Safety is a big thing,&quot; Raeder said. &quot;When it comes to safety versus historical value, safety needs to come first.&quot;

County Board Supervisor Harold Laack, who&apos;s also on the county&apos;s Transportation Committee, said the roads involved in the proposed project are not a part of the original racecourse.

&quot;I was one of the few who viewed the first race here at Elkhart Lake back in 1950,&quot; said Laack of Plymouth. &quot;The original course was P and JP. It was a short course.&quot;

Further public comments should be sent to Amy Squitieri, Mead &amp; Hunt, 6501 Watts Road, Madison WI 53719 or by e-mail at amy.squitieri@meadhunt.com. Sept. 17 is the deadline for comments on the project.

For more information, call county Highway Commissioner Roger Laning at 459-3822 or Squitieri at (608) 273-6380. Information also is available on the Road America Web site.  Te Winkle can be reached at 458-5501 and tewinkle@rohdedales.com

Reprinted from the September 9, 2004 issue of Sheboygan Press]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=25</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Wisconsin&apos;s military bases should survive cuts from the Department of Defense.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Wisconsin&apos;s military bases should survive cuts from the Department of Defense because of the positive financial and social impact they bring to their regions, according to a consultant and former base commander.

Doug Green, vice president with Mead &amp; Hunt in Madison, is one of the consultants hired by Gov. Jim Doyle to compile socioeconomic impact reports for the state to turn over to the DOD&apos;s Base Realignment and Closure Commission.  &quot;That report will help justify and explain to the BRAC commission the importance of having military bases remain in Wisconsin and the need to grow the units and add additional missions,&quot; said Green, a former commander of Volk Field Air National Guard Base in Juneau County.

Gov. Jim Doyle toured the 128th Air Refueling Wing and 440th Airlift Wing at Mitchell Field in Milwaukee today and will visit the 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Air Field in Madison tomorrow to observe the capabilities of the bases.  As governor, Doyle is Commander-in-Chief of the Wisconsin National Guard.

In a statement released after the visits, Doyle said it is critical that we recognize the role of our military bases in a post-9/11 world.  &quot;Wisconsin&apos;s soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen are well trained, well-equipped, and well-prepared to answer the call to duty whenever their service is needed,&quot; Doyle said.

Green stated that the state&apos;s military bases are in good shape structurally and are also well-supported by the public.  &quot;Based on the quality of people we have, and the strength levels we have, I think we&apos;re in pretty darn good shape.  There are no apparent weakness,&quot; said Green.

Green also stated that the Wisconsin bases should be safe from closure or realignment but there are no guarantees.  &quot;They are looking at the entire DOD, everything is on the table,&quot; he said.  Green also added, &quot;Traditionally, when they do a BRAC, like the last in 1995, they look at active duty installations.  This time around, they may delve into the guard and reserve a little more deeply.&quot;

The report will be finished by mi-October and will be handed over to the BRAC.

Under legislation passed in 2002, the Secretary of Defense is required to hand over a list of bases to be closed reo realigned by May 16, 2005.  the list then goes to the nin-member BRAC commission, which passes their recommendations to the president by September 8, 2005.  If the president accepts the list, the closure become law in 45 days unless Congress blocks them.

Wisconsin&apos;s military bases employ 8,403 personnel and have an estimated economic impact of more than $845 million annually.  Fort McCoy has the lion&apos;s share of those figures, with more than 3,200 jobs and an esimated impact of $613 million.

Department of Defense BRAC link:  http://www.defenselink.mil/brac/01new.htm

Reprinted from the August 17, 2004 issue of Wispolitics Report]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=22</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>At an awards ceremony held in Las Vegas on June 23, Mike McClintock of Mead &amp; Hunt was awarded.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[At an awards ceremony held in Las Vegas on June 23, Mike McClintock of Mead &amp; Hunt was awarded the US Army Ranger Association&apos;s (USARA) Leadership Award for his work in support of Army Rangers.

Mead &amp; Hunt is an architectural and engineering firm that provides consulting services to the Military and Aviation Industry.  McClintock is a senior airport project manager in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Santa Rosa office.

When McClintock is not preparing airport master plan reports, he is the editor of the USARA Ranger Register.  The Ranger Register, the official publication of the Ranger Association, is dedicated to preserving the ideals and principles of the American Military Ranger.   Recent Ranger Register articles prepared by McClintock included the 60th anniversary of D-Day and the exploits of Army Rangers at Pointe du Hoc.  The memorial services for Ranger Pat Tillman were also covered in the Register.

McClintock served with the US Army&apos;s 3rd Infantry Division Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) in Bad Kissingen, W. Germany, from 1962-64. 

&quot;At the award ceremony, I was humbled by being in the presence of so many real American heroes ... Colonel Lew Millett (Ret.) who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Korea, the many other WWII, Korea and Vietnam Ranger veterans, and the four current members of the 75th Ranger Regiment who served as the color guard for the award ceremonies,&quot; said McClintock.

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm provides professional services in the fields of historic preservation, architecture, infrastructure engineering, transportation engineering, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 list as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms and a top 10 engineering company to work for in the nation by CE News.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned company, employs about 280 people from offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=19</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>As a result of strategic decisions and successful implementation of their acquisition plan.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[As a result of strategic decisions and successful implementation of their acquisition plan, Mead &amp; Hunt grew to become the 22-ranked firm on The Zweig Letter Hot firm 2004 List, the fastest-rising firm on the list, moving up 35 spots from its number 57 ranking on the 2003 list.

The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List identifies the 100 fastest growing architectural, engineering, planning, (A/E/P) and environmental consulting firms in the country.  The ranking is based on an equal weighting of percentage revenue growth and dollar revenue growth from 2000 to 2003.

In 1994, Mead &amp; Hunt had 130 employees and generated about $10 million billings.  The firm&apos;s strategic plan called for it to become a $30 million company by 2010.  But after generating nearly $31 million in revenue in 2003 and employing about 275, it appears those goals were not ambitious enough.  Through firm acquisitions, Mead &amp; Hunt has added five offices and nearly 80 employees.

&quot;In every single acquisition but one, all of the employees who came with the firm we acquired are still with us,&quot; Sheth said.  &quot;We look for firms with a corporate culture similar to ours and we work hard to make this a great place to work.&quot;  Late in 2003, Mead &amp; Hunt was recognized as one of the best engineering companies to work for in the nation by CE News. CE News is the leading business magazine serving the civil engineering market

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm provides professional services in the fields of historic preservation, architecture, infrastructure engineering, transportation engineering, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.   Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned company.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=18</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A 15-year DNR project will drain phosphorus by withdrawing water from the deepest part of Devil&apos;s.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A 15-year DNR project will drain phosphorus by withdrawing water from the deepest part of Devil&apos;s Lake.

Richard C. Lathrop, Timothy J. Astfalk, John C. Panuska and David W. Marshall

As the centerpiece of Wisconsin&apos;s most popular state park, Devil&apos;s Lake in Sauk County is a real gem - a 372-acre lake set in a spectacular setting among towering quartzite bluffs whose talus boulders tumble steeply to shimmering water. Though the lake is renowned for its naturally clear waters due to low fertility from its small forested watershed, in recent years the lake sometimes looks more emerald than diamond, especially near shore.

The park draws well more than a million visitors each year and it&apos;s been a busy place for more than a century. Since the late 1860s, Devil&apos;s Lake has been a favored playground. Over the course of 100 years up to four resorts and more than 60 private cottages surrounded the lake&apos;s shoreline. Their primitive outhouses and septic systems undoubtedly leached phosphorus into the lake. Additional phosphorus seeped in from a park sewer main that broke in the late 1970s until it was repaired in the early 1980s. And an additional amount of phosphorus entered the lake from farm runoff coming from the southwest bluff. Today, the farms, resorts and all but four of the cottages are gone as the public park expanded from its inception in 1911.

Phosphorus stays and cycles

Unfortunately, a lot of the phosphorus remains in the lake&apos;s deep-water sediments. This is because Devil&apos;s Lake is a seepage lake with no outlet to naturally dilute and flush out the phosphorus. While few nutrients from the watershed reach the lake today, the phosphorus stored in the lake&apos;s bottom sediments recycles each year making the overall fertility level of the lake abnormally high.

Studies by DNR researchers show that the phosphorus temporarily binds to iron compounds in the lake&apos;s sediments at times of the year when the overlying water is oxygen-rich. From late spring through early fall as the water warms up, the lake stratifies with a less dense warm water layer near the surface. By mid-summer, the denser colder water on the bottom loses its oxygen (anoxia). The phosphorus is then released from the sediments and builds up in the bottom waters from late summer through about mid-October. At that time the surface waters have cooled causing the lake to &quot;turn-over&quot; and allowing the phosphorus to mix throughout the entire lake.

Algae growth raises concerns

The end result of that mixing has longer lasting effects in the lake. By spring and early summer, the phosphorus has begun fueling the growth of different forms of algae: free-floating (phytoplankton), filamentous and attached (periphyton). Since the late 1970s, the free-floating algae in late summer and early fall have become really noticeable to visitors, especially the SCUBA divers who enjoy exploring Devil&apos;s Lake&apos;s deep waters. Noxious blue-green algae blooms that accumulated on the downwind shorelines alarmed park personnel and visitors alike.

Beginning in the early 1990s, the free-floating phytoplankton blooms became less severe while the two other forms of algae became more noticeable. Filamentous algae formed thick cotton candy-like mats that draped over the bottom and smothered larger plants. Trapped air bubbles caused these mats to rise like green stalagmites toward the water surface. At the same time, the underwater boulders along the east and west shorelines were covered with a green carpet of periphyton algae. Near the beaches on the north and south shores, the bottom sediments and larger aquatic plants were also heavily coated with periphyton. This algae serves as the main food source for 17 species of snails, three of which can be intermediate hosts to a parasite that causes swimmer&apos;s itch, a painful nuisance that cuts park attendance and local tourism.

Local citizens as well as park personnel have long sought answers to the vexing swimmer&apos;s itch problem in Devil&apos;s Lake. This desire precipitated a 1999 DNR research study that found high snail densities in the lake as a result of abundant food (periphyton). The study concluded that with few natural predators such as pumpkinseed sunfish or crayfish in the lake to reduce snail densities, the only ecologically safe way to control swimmer&apos;s itch was to drastically reduce the snail populations by reducing their algae food source - effectively starving the snails. While snails can be poisoned with copper treatments, it is a short-lasting cure that isn&apos;t safe for fish and other aquatic organisms. It&apos;s also too expensive to carry out on the entire lake.

Algae also indirectly elevates mercury levels in the lake&apos;s fish populations, ultimately reaching levels of public health concern in large sport fish such as walleye. Inorganic mercury enters the lake from atmospheric pollution. Sulfate-reducing bacteria that thrive only in the oxygen-poor bottom waters in late summer convert the relatively harmless inorganic mercury to the toxic methyl-mercury form, which builds up in those waters until the lake mixes during fall turnover. At that time the methyl-mercury is readily taken up by phytoplankton and then concentrate as the methyl-mercury passes up the food chain to fish.

If researchers could find a way to reduce the buildup of methyl-mercury in the lake&apos;s bottom waters, mercury fish contamination problems should decline. While controlling atmospheric sources of mercury would reduce fish contamination problems in lakes both regionally and throughout the world, techniques to decrease the growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria in Devil&apos;s Lake should result in less methyl-mercury entering the food chain. One way of slowing that process would delay the onset of anoxia. Decreasing the amount of algae that settle to the bottom waters would slow decomposition by other bacteria that use up the available oxygen. This would give the sulfate-reducing bacteria less time to convert inorganic mercury to methyl-mercury before the bottom waters are re-oxygenated at fall turnover.

We&apos;d expect many benefits from removing the legacy of phosphorus pollution now stored in Devil&apos;s Lake&apos;s deep-water sediments. Direct benefits would include fewer forms of algae growth and clearer water. Indirect benefits would include fewer snails less chance for swimmer&apos;s itch and lower fish mercury levels. In addition, better oxygen conditions in the bottom water would improve cold water habitat needed by brown trout being stocked in the lake.

Developing a restoration plan

A two-year study by DNR researchers from 1986-87 confirmed that algal blooms at Devil&apos;s Lake would continue unless high phosphorus concentrations could be curtailed. As in most lakes worldwide, it&apos;s easier to prevent the flow of phosphorus into lakes than to correct the situation after lakes are fertile. Techniques tried elsewhere to reduce lake fertility include dredging the nutrient-rich sediments, binding up the phosphorus in the sediments with chemical treatments, aerating the bottom waters to temporarily sustain the sediment&apos;s ability to bind phosphorus, or drawing phosphorus-rich waters from the bottom of the lake. The first three options were dismissed as unsuitable for Devil&apos;s Lake due to high cost (particularly dredging), short-term effectiveness (chemical treatment and especially aeration) and strong opposition to adding chemicals like alum or other aluminum compounds to a lake classified by the DNR as an Outstanding Resource Water.

Drawing off bottom waters (technically called &quot;hypolimnetic withdrawal&quot;) has been used on a few moderately deep lakes and reservoirs in Europe and less often in North America. After the lakes stratify, the cold, phosphorus-rich bottom waters are removed in late summer and discharged to a receiving stream. Bottom withdrawal hadn&apos;t been tried on a large seepage lake with no outlet like Devil&apos;s Lake. However, we felt the technique was feasible because the withdrawn water could be replaced by diverting clean runoff water from a nearby intermittent stream called Babbling Brook.

In fact, an old diversion ditch had been dug in the 1890s between Babbling Brook and Devil&apos;s Lake to allow water to be periodically added to the lake when lake levels were low. In the 1960s, the open ditch (known at that time as Inman&apos;s Canal according to Ken Lange, retired park naturalist) was replaced by a 30-inch culvert and covered over. Since the early 1970s the diversion system has not been used due to generally higher lake levels. In recent years, a section of the culvert pipe nearest Devil&apos;s Lake rusted away and collapsed making the system inoperative. However, we felt the diversion system could be refurbishedas part of the project.

DNR researchers, managers and park personnel discussed the potential bottom withdrawal project in the fall of 2000 at the annual meeting of the Friends of Devil&apos;s Lake State Park. This nonprofit group continues to provide active support by volunteering time and fundraising for improvements at the park. They agreed to help sponsor the project and helped obtain a small grant to develop cost estimates for potential withdrawal designs. All designs called to install a long pipe to the deepest spot in the lake to withdraw phosphorus-rich water, which would be discharged to Babbling Brook that flows to the Baraboo River. Water could either be pumped out of the lake or could be withdrawn by a passive siphon system (similar to the siphon system used to clean a home aquarium). Researchers estimated the system would need to run several weeks a year during September and early October for perhaps 15 years to reduce phosphorus levels in the lake. The siphon design was chosen for Devil&apos;s Lake because it would require no maintenance and no electricity to run it - a huge cost savings on such a long-term restoration project.

The spring of 2001 was spent doing an environmental analysis of the project and incorporating public comments. The project called for discharging water to Babbling Brook in September and early October when the intermittent stream is normally dry, so consequences for the stream&apos;s aquatic life were judged minimal. Downstream effects on the Baraboo River were also determined to be minimal. Though the discharged water would be high in phosphorus, it represented less than one-tenth of one percent of the annual phosphorus load in the river. In addition, the water from Devil&apos;s Lake would also be flushing through the Baraboo River system after the summer growing season and a long time before the next growing season.

As regulatory hurdles were being cleared, work focused on finding grant money to pay for the siphon system, estimated to cost about $300,000 if DNR staff did the land surveys, design and some of the other preparations. The project proposal submitted by the Friends of Devil&apos;s Lake garnered a $200,000 State Lake Protection Grant, EPA&apos;s Clean Lakes Grant provided $100,000, an additional $5,000 came from a Friends of Wisconsin State Parks grant that was matched by the local Friends group to provide $310,000. All the financial pieces of the puzzle came together by mid-February 2002.

Built on a tight schedule

Land surveys, contracts and the hunt for supplies began soon after to meet the project of installing and operating the siphon system by early September 2002.

The system consists of 5,500 feet of 20-inch diameter plastic pipe with 4,150 feet resting on the lake bottom. Fifty-foot pipe sections were fused together and 320-pound concrete weights attached every 12 feet as &quot;the big straw&quot; was pushed out from shore to the lake&apos;s deepest spot - about 47 feet depending on lake level. The weights were needed to keep the pipe on the bottom once it was filled with water and sunk in place. The intake on the far end of the pipe is a 50-foot section drilled with holes along two sides to draw water in from about eight inches above the lake&apos;s bottom sediments.

On land the pipe was trenched into the ground with a manhole at the pipe&apos;s highest point and another where the siphon ended just below the main flow valve. The difference in water levels between the terminal manhole and the lake surface creates a pressure head difference (five to nine feet depending on lake level) that determines the flow rate of the siphon. A flow meter is located at the high point manhole. A vacuum pump is connected at the same location to prime the siphon by filling it with lake water.

A private contractor (Heartland Construction, Inc.) began constructing the pipe system in July 2002 as a small work crew started fusing pipe into 450-foot segments. To accommodate the park&apos;s summer influx of visitors and vacationers and to free up as many parking spaces as possible, the work crew had to clear the work area each Friday afternoon. Once the pipe segments were finished, a bigger work crew began attaching the concrete weights as the pipe was pushed into the lake. Even with weights attached, the pipe floated and it was all a barge could do to maintain tension on the pipe. Fusing together the in-lake portions took a week and a half ending July 30th.

Early on the morning of July 31, the contractor began trenching the nearshore lakebed inside an area that had been encircled by a silt curtain to contain any sediments stirred up in the process. The intake pipe section (with extra flotation attached and the holes sealed) was then pulled to the middle of the lake and connected via a flange joint to the main pipe. While the pipe was stretched taut by a barge, fire trucks from the Baraboo Fire Department and DNR forestry programs began filling the pipe from shore with lake water as a gallery of spectators watched. Since no one had experience sinking a 4,150-foot pipe weighted by 55 tons of concrete, project personnel and the contracting crew wrestled with some unanticipated problems. A few air pockets formed that traveled like Loch Nessie along the pipe&apos;s length until the monster &quot;burped&quot; at the end. There were other exciting moments as the pipe developed a slight twist as it sank. The holes on each side of the pipe intake section were realigned horizontally by rotating the intake at the flange joint just before the pipe intake sank. By late afternoon the pipe lay on the bottom with the intake holes perfectly positioned eight inches above the lake sediments at the lake&apos;s deepest spot.

By mid-August the 1,350-foot land section of pipe was trenched and joined to the lake portion. On August 27th, the flow meter was installed and the siphon was primed. On August 29th, we opened the main valve and water started pouring out. The only noticeable sound was gurgling water in the stream plus a slight sulfur smell next to the siphon discharge point. Average flow rates were 5.3 cubic feet a second, a brisk 2,380 gallons a minute during the seven-week run until we shut down for the season when cooler weather naturally turned over the lake water on October 17th. By then we had removed 981 pounds of phosphorus from the lake, far exceeding our initial goal of about 350-400 pounds. Since the lake levels were really high in 2002 and the phosphorus concentrations were higher than expected, we had decided to let the system run a little longer than planned for subsequent years.

So far, so good

In 2003 the withdrawal system was used less extensively following a prolonged drought, but we still removed 377 pounds of phosphorus. One of our goals was to draw down the lake a bit by October so the contractor could re-bury the lake pipe near shore so it wouldn&apos;t be exposed on the shoreline or be an underwater obstruction during normal lake levels. The water levels were so high when the pipe was initially installed in 2002 that the contractor couldn&apos;t trench in as far offshore as originally planned. Repairs in 2003 also included replacing the small broken section of the water diversion pipe near the lake. By early November clear runoff water from Babbling Brook was diverted into Devil&apos;s Lake to begin replacing the water withdrawn in September and early October. Even greater amounts have been flowing into the lake from rainfall and snowmelt runoff during the late winter and spring months this year.

Now that the bottom withdrawal siphon system is installed, the work of restoring Devil&apos;s Lake is just beginning. DNR staff expect to operate the system each September and early October for 15 years or so. During fall through spring months, withdrawn water will be replaced each year by diverting water from Babbling Brook. The lake will be monitored for signs of improvement. With any luck the lake will experience better water clarity, fewer phytoplankton blooms, and fewer other forms of noxious algae growth, less frequent bouts of swimmer&apos;s itch, and lower fish mercury levels. Our goal is to return Devil&apos;s Lake to its original pristine state so that future generations will be able to enjoy this truly outstanding resource gem.

Richard C. Lathrop is a PhD research limnologist for the DNR and manager of this Devil&apos;s Lake restoration project.

Civil Engineer Timothy J. Astfalk of Mead and Hunt, Inc., DNR Engineer John C. Panuska and DNR Water Resources Specialist David W. Marshall assisted on the project.

Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=20</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A Green Bay area design consulting firm is growing significantly, despite industry trends.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A Green Bay area design consulting firm is growing significantly, despite industry trends that show declining profits among engineering and architecture firms.

In fact, the growth prompted a recent office expansion that nearly doubled the physical size of their office (1345 North Road, Ashwaubenon) to 13,500 square feet.

&quot;We&apos;ve consistently increased billings, number of clients, and staff capacity since 1995,&quot; said Dean Freeberg, manager of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Green Bay office.  &quot;Our firm enjoys stability and increased capabilities because of smart business decisions that focus on client and employee success.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s Green Bay office offers transportation engineering for airports (including Austin Straubel International Airport, pictured at right) and highways/bridges, municipal infrastructure engineering, land surveying, and construction administration.  The staff size has nearly tripled in nine years, and the client base continues to grow.

&quot;It has been exciting to watch our firm flourish in what have been lean times for the design consulting industry,&quot; said Raj Sheth, president of Mead &amp; Hunt.  &quot;Diversity in service drives our growth, as well as the strong commitment each employee makes to our clients.&quot;

Recently, Mead &amp; Hunt moved up more than 80 places in the Engineering News-Record&apos;s Top 500 Design Firms list in 2003.  The firm rose from 347th place to 265th in one year.   In 2004, Mead &amp; Hunt was named one of the top 10 design firms to work for in the nation by Civil Engineering News magazine.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of historic preservation, architecture, municipal and infrastructure engineering, transportation engineering, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=17</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>What can you do to save GA?</title>
			<description><![CDATA[What can you do to save GA?

You want to get involved in protecting GA , but a little voice in your head says &quot;what good can one person do?&quot;

&quot;A lot,&quot; says Stephanie Ward, a senior aviation planner for Mead &amp; Hunt, a national engineering and architectural firm.  &quot;One person is where it&apos;s got to start.&quot;

Once that one person - you - believes enough in a cause to step forward, then somebody else will follow, she says.  &quot;Be willing to take that step,&quot; advises Ward, a private pilot who teaches classes and seminars on setting up airport support groups.

Once convinced to take that step, however, many aren&apos;t sure exactly what to do next.  Too many times, a group is formed in reaction to a threat and finds itself running to catch up, or worse, giving up.

&quot;The sooner you get started, the better off you&apos;ll be,&quot; advises Peter Burgher, a former member of the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and a former AOPA regional representative who has spent the last 40 years teaching people how to save airports.  &quot;So many times, people will just throw their hands up in the air and quit.&quot;

But if those same people had done some legwork, the threat would have been minimized at the outset.  Many times, pilots don&apos;t find out about a proposed development next to an airport, or a cell phone tower going up, or even talking of closing an airport until the City Council or county decision makers are gearing up for a final vote.

&quot;They&apos;ll say &apos;I didn&apos;t even know about it,&apos;&quot; Ward notes.  &quot;But these things don&apos;t just happen.&quot;

The first thing an interested pilot can do is start attending meetings of the local city council and zoning commission.

If your airport doesn&apos;t have a formal support group yet, make arranges with a few other pilots to take turns going to the meetings.  You don&apos;t have to talk, just be there.  Pretty soon, the board will recognize you as an &quot;airport person,&quot; Burgher says.

The bottom line

In any effort to convince elected officials - or the general public - money often talks louder than words.  Arm your airport with an economic impact study.  It is, perhaps the No. 1 tool in your arsenal.

But how do you do that?  Realize that you have a lot of resources on your side.  For instance, many state aeronautical division have a planner on staff who will work up the study from raw data submitted by an airport.  If your state doesn&apos;t have this available, there are consultants and other professionals available. 

Make it personal

Show those naysayers in your community how the airport helps them.  If there&apos;s a medevac helicopter based at the airport, park it on the ramp.  Same with the TV helicopters or traffic aircraft.  Make sure Angel Flights and other such missions get some ink in the local paper, Burger recommends.  Develop a relations with local reports, both newspaper and broadcast.  Take elected officials flying over their houses, which they can photograph with their own cameras.  Have school groups tour the airport on a regular basis.  Give talks to the local Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary Clubs, as well as church groups and civic groups.

Show how the airport helps spur the local economy.  &quot;Try to draw it back to something they can relate to, Ward says.  She remembers one man who was vehemently opposed to an airport changing his tune after it was pointed out that parts were shipped into the airport so he could his job at a manufacturing plant every day.  Once he realized important it was to him receiving his paycheck, &quot;you could see the light bulb go on in his head,&quot; she said.

Who should be in the airport support group?

it may surprise you who the experts recommend for an airport support group.  Topping the list are the key decision makers in your community.  The bank president, the top lawyer, the busiest CPA, the hospital administrator etc.

It&apos;s important to have people on the support group who have an economic interest in the airport&apos;s survival.  That&apos;s not to say that there is no role for pilots.  Always remember, there is strength in numbers.  Elected officials react when a meeting is packed with support for a particular issue.  A well-crafted letter can sway a politician&apos;s decision.

Whether talking in a meeting or writing a letter, remember always to deal with the official in a respectful manner.  Pilots are passionate about flying and this passion often translates into an emotional outburst.  &quot;Emotion is not what officials react,&quot; Ward says.  &quot;In fact, it will actual work against you.&quot;

So you may say, maybe it would be best if I just pay my dues to one of the national alphabet groups and let them protect my right to fly and my airport.  While there is indeed strength in numbers, those national groups often don&apos;t get involved until too late in the process.  And, remember, those groups even lobby their members to write letter to elected officials

&quot;Every voice counts,&quot; Ward says.

Excerpts from the General Aviation News, June 11, 2004.  By:  Janice Wood]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=21</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>On May 1, Delta Connection carrier SkyWest Airlines will begin twice daily non-stop jet service.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[On May 1, Delta Connection carrier SkyWest Airlines will begin twice daily non-stop jet service between Eugene and Salt Lake City.  This air service initiative is the result of a two-year effort by the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce and the Eugene Airport to secure competitive eastbound air service.

In order to mitigate a share of Delta Air Lines&apos; risk associated with the new service the Eugene community packaged an Airline Travel Bank&amp;#8482;, a revenue guarantee, and a marketing program to support the planned service.  The $400,000 revenue guarantee was funded by the city of Eugene and marketing program funds of $200,000 were contributed by the Salt Lake City International Airport and the Eugene Airport.

In 1999 Eugene was the first community to use the travel bank tool for air service development and it is the sole community to have successfully created multiple travel banks.  The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce&apos;s first two travel banks were with America West Airlines and Horizon Air.  Eugene&apos;s latest Airline Travel Bank&amp;#8482; with Delta Air Lines totals $560,000 contributed by 61 Eugene area businesses. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provided technical assistance on this important community economic development effort.

Mead &amp; Hunt offers specialized consulting in air service development and analysis to airports, in addition to architecture, engineering, and planning.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=15</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 16 May 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt will help transform airports in Oregon and Michigan over the next five years.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt will help transform airports in Oregon and Michigan over the next five years through several key design and planning contracts. 

Mead &amp; Hunt, a nationally recognized design consulting firm, specializes in planning, engineering, and architecture for general aviation and air carrier airport clients nationwide.

The firm was recently selected to assist the Oregon Department of Aviation with planning over the next five years.  This $3 million contract will initially involve a statewide economic impact study, an inventory of airport zoning ordinances, the development of a statewide aviation system plan, and commercial air service development work.

The Capital Region Airport Authority chose Mead &amp; Hunt for a five-year selection to provide consulting services at Capital City Airport in Lansing and Mason-Jewett Field Airport in Mason, Michigan.  Projects will include a terminal building expansion, runway extension, other pavement construction and rehabilitation, runway safety area improvements, lighting, electrical, and NAVAIDs.

Finally, the firm was selected to provide engineering and planning for upcoming Federal Aviation Administration airport improvements and other projects at Klamath Falls Airport in Oregon.  The five-year contract will include design of a north end perimeter road, new construction and reconstruction of taxiways, security fencing, and environmental mitigation.

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm, provides professional services in the fields of historic preservation, architecture, municipal and infrastructure engineering, transportation engineering, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=14</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 May 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Leaders of some of the fastest-rising firms on the ENR 500 list talk.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Leaders of some of the fastest-rising firms on the ENR 500 list talk about what&apos;s behind their short- and long-term success.

Firm leaders may say they determine whether their companies are succeeding or failing based on meeting internal goals or lack market or service area factors.  But there&apos;s no questions in the A/E/P and environmental consulting in that Engineering News-Record&apos;s annual list of the top 500 design firms is one of the best-known standards by which many companies are measured.

Entrepreneurial spirit

Rajan Sheth, president of 278-person engineering and architecture firm Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc. (Madison, WI), says his firm has succeeded by giving its up-and-coming leaders the resources and support to go out and try new ways of growing the firm.  Though not every new endeavor works out, plenty of them have, helping Mead &amp; Hunt move up to 265th place last year.  Over five years, Mead &amp; Hunt has moved up 190 spots.

&quot;Most of our growth is driven by the next generation of leaders who are on the front lines making things happen,&quot; Sheth says.  &quot;We have a lot of growth, but it&apos;s not driven by the top.  It sounds clich&amp;#233;, but we really encourage the next generation to go outside the normal boundaries to think of ways to grow.&quot;

One example of the entrepreneurial growth was Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s launching of a historic preservation practice.  &quot;It wasn&apos;t something we would typically do, but one of our staff members identified it as a need clients had,&quot; Sheth says.  &quot;Once we started, they saw that it was a limited area in Wisconsin, so they made a decision to take it nationally.  Now we compete with national firms, and we won a contract with the New York State DOT to look at the historic value of bridges.  All of this happened because someone wanted to do something new.&quot;

&quot;We support our employees, and we&apos;ll let them do things we might not have been comfortable doing before.  If they falter, they falter.  We don&apos;t spend too much time analyzing; we just do things,&quot; Sheth says.  &quot;We do have an overall strategic plan we try to follow, but a plan is just a plan.  If something comes along, we&apos;ll try to work with it.  Our strategic plan is a living document.&quot;

Reprinted from The ZweigLetter, Issue 560, May 3, 2004, author:  Mark J. Grady]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=16</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 May 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Mead &amp; Hunt moved up more than 80 places in the Engineering News-Record&apos;s Top 500 Design Firms list.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Mead &amp; Hunt moved up more than 80 places in the Engineering News-Record&apos;s Top 500 Design Firms list in 2003. The Madison firm rose from 347th place to 265th in one year.  In 2002 the firm moved up from 416th place to 347th.

The overall US construction slump hit the design firms as a group in 2003.  Design firms endured a 1.8 percent revenue decline from the previous year&apos;s total.  Domestic revenue slid 4.9 percent to $39 billion in 2003, with 174 firms on the list reporting a revenue falloff.  By comparison, Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s revenues were up by more than 25 percent in the same time period.

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of historic preservation, architecture, municipal and infrastructure engineering, transportation engineering, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=13</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 17 Apr 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed golf course project wins an award for its contributions.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[A Mead &amp; Hunt-designed golf course project wins an award for its contributions to the engineering profession.

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin honored Mead &amp; Hunt with a State Finalist Award for the firm&apos;s contributions to the engineering profession in the area of storm water design.

Mead &amp; Hunt engineers designed a management system for storm water quality and quantity at the Royal St. Patrick&apos;s Golf Course development in Wrightstown, located 12 miles south of Green Bay.  The project was especially challenging due to the flat terrain and the large amount of residential and commercial development around the course.

The golf course&apos;s storm water design includes 10 lakes, which serve as golf course features and detention ponds.  These lakes were designed to provide fill for the golf course grading, and are deep enough to allow for good water quality.  The largest lake is five acres and 22 feet deep.

The Royal St. Patrick&apos;s Golf Course development is slated to add $150 million to the tax base of the village, making it a vital and visible project.

Mead &amp; Hunt, an Engineering News Record&apos;s Top 500 design firm provides professional services in the fields of infrastructure, water resource engineering, highway and bridge engineering, aviation engineering, architecture and building engineering, historic preservation, military engineering, and environmental studies to clients throughout the US.  Mead &amp; Hunt was recently recognized on the The Zweig Letter Hot Firm 2003 List as one of the top 100 fastest growing A/E firms.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt is a privately held, employee-owned corporation with offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=12</link>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>In 2002 and 2003, $40 million was funneled into small-town America.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[In 2002 and 2003, $40 million was funneled into small-town America through the Department of Transportation&apos;s Small Community Air Service Development Pilot Program - most of it going into air service incentive/support programs at non-hub and small hub airports.  Recently I was discussing opportunities in several smaller markets with an analyst at a major airline.  After beating around the passenger and revenue numbers, I asked the big questions.  &quot;So what do you think, how do these cities stack up against the other cities that you are looking at for service?&quot;  Without hesitation, he answered, &quot;Well, the numbers look good, but I have 12 service proposals on my desk that include support packages, and five of these include revenue guarantees.  Everything else being close to equal, I am going with the city that offers the best package.&quot;  Later, I happened to see a press release about a $1 million, multi-part, two-year community support program that the Greater Peoria Regional Airport and the Peoria Chamber of Commerce assembled for Allegiant Air to land service to Las Vegas.

These examples point to the increasing competition for service in non-hub and small-hub markets.  The competition has gotten more intense in the lat two years thanks to a soft economy and airline fleet reshuffling that has trimmed capacity and replaced many turboprops with regional jets.  One result:  smaller communities competing for fewer aircraft.

Air service&apos;s effect on local commerce hit home for me a few years ago after we helped get a small Western city non-stop flights to a hub.  Eight months later, at a chamber of commerce lunch held to recognize the project, the owner of a truck manufacturing company said:  &quot;Before the new service started, I used to get one potential customer per month from the southwestern United States for my trucks.  Now, I get five a week.  If it wasn&apos;t for the new service I might have gone out of business.&quot;

Any time a community establishes a new air link to another city, reduces the time it takes to get there or cuts travel costs, economic activity increases between the two cities.  So does it make sense for communities to provide air service support packages and incentives?  We are familiar with the tax breaks, training programs, real estate deals and other incentives that communities offer to businesses that locate and bring new jobs in.  Considering this and the broad-based impact air service have on economic activity and job growth, it is not a stretch to conclude that air service warrants the same consideration.

Still, talks about incentive/support programs always include one question:  &quot;What happens if we provide a package for new air service, and next year, the airline pulls service?&quot;  My response:  The airline industry has always been a volatile business and will, most likely, continue to be.  But from the time that first flight touches down, the community is benefiting from the new economic activity.  Concerns about the airline leaving can be mitigated by carefully crafting programs to guarantee that the community gets a reasonable return on its investment.

Incentive/support programs are often sensitive topics.  How do you handle the inevitable questions such as, Where does the money come from, should we be spending public funds for private business and is it fair to the incumbent airlines?  First, educate local business leaders about the airline industry realities and the fight that they are in.  In most cases, this group is the most important one in successful air service initiatives.  Next, public officials, especially airport operators, should take a secondary role and recruit local business leaders to champion the initiative.  Why?  If you need the support of the business community, let its leaders lead.  Finally, any air service incentive/support program should be structured to accomplish three primary goals:  1) Influence the airline to make a decision in your favor, 2) minimize the time it takes for the new service to achieve breakeven and 3) promote the long-term success of the new service in the market.

Unfortunately, parties involved in air service negotiations often focus on what it is going to take to do the deal, while little thought is given to the secondary and third goals noted above.  In fairness to airline managers, they are concerned about all three goals.  However, they have been living in a world of red ink that tends to promote a show-me-the-money mindset that favors revenue guarantees and cash incentives.  And why not - should communities enjoy the benefits of air service without some risk?  Revenue guarantees and cash incentives may close the deal.  In the long run, though, it is solid marketing programs, travel banks and other types of support that get people on airplanes - and that&apos;s what it&apos;s all about.

Most importantly, understand that no incentive/support program can make a weak market strong.  A market either exists or it doesn&apos;t.  So before thinking about a program, make sure the homework has been done to quantify and understand the local air service market.  If you have an underserved market, incentives and community support programs can help you secure the service warranted and promote its long-term success.

Reprinted from Airport Magazine, March/April 2004]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=11</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Building a single corporate culture can improve morale and boost customer satisfaction.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Building a single corporate culture can improve morale and boost customer satisfaction.  Across the nation, savvy engineering firms also are evaluating their corporate cultures in an effort to enhance employee retention, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

&quot;We recognize that in having  multiple offices there will be differences in culture, and that&apos;s okay,&quot; says Robert F. Pence, president and CEO of Freese and Nichols, Inc., an engineering firm with seven offices in Texas.  &quot;But also we recognize the importance of shared culture that permeates the organization and impacts how we do business.  The key is understanding - and making sure all of our employees understand - how a healthy culture benefits our company.&quot;

What is culture?
Corporate cultures have several components, including shared attitudes, behavioral patterns and values that are passed from one generation of employees to the next, according to Harvard Business School professors John Kotter and James Heskett.

In the 1990s, Kotter and Heskett researched the impact of culture on corporate performance.  Their studies, spanning more than 200 companies, showed that the corporate culture significantly influences a company&apos;s long-term financial performance.

Building a culture typically begins in the corner office.  If a CEO prefers quick meetings, short e-mails and no-nonsense discussions, employees often adapt their own working styles to fit those traits.  Using this top-down approach to define corporate culture is widely accepted, though it can be backfire if an executives actions don&apos;t match his or her words.

At many firms, these visions statements are discussed during interviews with employees candidates.  &quot;Candidates share with us their ideas of what a good workplace might be for them, and we share how we operate,&quot; says Rajan I. Sheth, president and chairman of Mead &amp; Hunt, Inc.

Mead &amp; Hunt has nine offices across the country plus four employees who work form home.  When opportunities arise, the firm relocates employees to other offices, a process that helps transfer the firm&apos;s culture from location to location.  &quot;We only pursue this route if we have an opportunity to fill and an employee express a desire to work in a new office,&quot; says Sheth.

Show some pride
Traditions also can enhance corporate culture.  At Freese and Nichols, and all-employees annual dinner features awards, high-lights of recent accomplishments and a strategic plan for the new business year.  An annual employee survey asked participants to rate the company&apos;s current performance and identify future goals.  The firms filters the data using variables like employee age to identify generational gaps and perceptions disconnects.

Customer feedback also can shape corporate culture and boost morale.  At Kimley-Horn, client comments about the quality of the firm&apos;s work and shared internally and, if the client permits, with the press.  Internal cheerleading also occurs. The firm&apos;s president sends personalized e-mail to employees on service anniversaries and often makes a congratulatory phone call when an becomes a shareholder in the firm.

Similar practices are under way at Mead &amp; Hunt, where nearly 25 percent of the firm&apos;s employees hold shares of company stock. Shares are available to employees at all levels within the 103-year-old company.  &quot;However, [stock ownership] is by the invitation of the board of directors, making it a special privilege that every employee can strive for,&quot; says Sheth.

Excerpts from All Together Now, an article by Joseph C. Panettieri.  Reprinted from Engineering Inc., March/April 2004]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=10</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Sheth guides firm with employees in mind.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Sheth guides firm with employees in mind.

Rajan Sheth never misses a birthday.  For five minutes every day, the president of Mead &amp; Hunt Inc., Madison, stops working and writes out birthday cards.  It&apos;s a year-round job considering that Mead &amp; Hunt employs about 300 people in 10 offices in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, California, Oregon and Washington, D.C.  But for Sheth, it&apos;s time will spent.  &quot;It&apos;s fun,&quot; he said.  &quot;It keeps me in tough because then I hear back from people.  Everybody claims we&apos;re in the people business.  We are, and we don&apos;t just say it.&quot;

Whether it&apos;s clients or employees, Sheth has a keen eye for keeping people happy.  It shows in Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s 2003 inclusion in the CE News list of the top 10 civil-engineering firms to work for in the nation.  It shows in the fact that Mead &amp; Hunt is employee owned with 23 percent of the employees holding stock in the firm.  And it shows in Sheth&apos;s understanding that birthday cards are nice, but employees need more. 

&quot;We need a formal process to provide opportunities to young people to grow and take leadership,&quot; he said.  &quot;We have a leadership program here, and that&apos;s my pride and joy.  One of my goals was to make this one of the best places to work.&quot;

Sheth is a working example of the benefits of cultivating leadership.

He grew up in the state of Gujarat, India, and in 1970, he graduated with a civil-engineering degree form Maharaja Sayajrao University in Barada, India.  That&apos;s when he made the move to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he graduated in 1972 with a master&apos;s in civil-engineering.

His first design job as what would become the Concourse Hotel in Madison, and shortly after, he joined Barrientos Design &amp; Consulting LLC, where he worked for four years before joining Mead &amp; Hunt in 1977.

&quot;If you asked me when I joined Mead &amp; Hunt in 1977 if I thought I would be president, my answer would have been no.&quot;  Sheth said.  &quot;But the great thing about Mead &amp; Hunt is we allow people to rise to the challenge.  My aptitude was business and how we can make this successful.&quot;

Sheth presented his plan for success in 1994, when Leo Bussan, the company&apos;s president at the time, stepped down.  The company had faith in Sheth&apos;s leadership, and he didn&apos;t let it down.

&quot;When he stepped down, any one of us could have been president,&quot; he said. &quot;One reason I was selected was what I laid down.  I said that we can grow and become a national player.&quot;

Mead &amp; Hunt has become a national player.  It acquired three companies on the West Coast in 2002 and five other areas since Sheth became president. In 1997, it set a goal to jump form $30 million by 2010.  The company hit that goal in 2003 and has now set $60 million as its goal for 2009.

Reprinted from Wisconsin Builder]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=9</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources awarded the village of Howard.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources awarded the village of Howard more than $729,000 for the construction of storm water management facilities as a result of six successful grant applications.  The funds, from the Urban Non-point Source and Storm Water Construction Grant Program, will be used to construct six storm water detention ponds.  The ponds will improve local surface water quality by meeting recommendations in the village&apos;s Comprehensive Storm Water Management Plan.  One of the plan&apos;s objectives is to reduce sediment and phosphorus loadings from storm water runoff to Duck Creek and Slough Creek by 80 percent.

Mead &amp; Hunt worked with the village to complete the Storm Water Management Plan and prepare the grant applications, and provided engineering design services for the construction of the ponds. 

Mead &amp; Hunt provides professional services in the fields of infrastructure and transportation engineering, historic preservation, architecture, and water resource engineering to clients throughout the US.  Founded in 1900, Mead &amp; Hunt, an employee-owned company, employs more than 270 people in offices nationwide.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=8</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 17 Jan 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>The past, present and future of asphalt were discussed at the WAPA 44th Business meeting.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[The past, present and future of asphalt were discussed at the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association&apos;s 44th Business meeting and Conference Dec. 2-3 in Madison, Wis.

Steve Kennedy, newly elected president of WAPA, talked about the challenges the state&apos;s asphalt paving industry has met the past two decades.  &quot;Twenty years ago, this industry was on its death bed.  We were told by the Department of Transportation, either get your ct together or you will be out filling cracks and doing maintenance overlays,&quot; said Kennedy.

In the past two decades, industry leaders, WAPA staff, and others have worked with the Wisconsin department of Transportation to introduce Super Pave, SMA, warranty projects, and create a smoother ride on the asphalt roads built in the state.

The future of asphalt paving in the state includes efforts to promote the increased use of warranties, as well as the use of long-life pavements and perpetual pavements.  &quot;With perpetual pavement, we&apos;re building pavement tha twill last 100 years.  If we maintain that top level of perpetual pavement, that pavement will last 100 years,&quot; Kennedy said.

WAPA has been informed that three major projects in the state - Highways 26, 11 and 10 - are moving forward with asphalt as the pavement of choice.  &quot;This is the first time we have been selected as a major&apos;s product.  All majors have been concrete,&quot; Kennedy said.

Using asphalt on the three major products will save taxpayers $8.5 million, according to Kennedy.  &quot;Our job is to provide the best product for the least cost to the taxpayers,&quot; he said.

Warm Mix
The future may also include the use of warm mix asphalt, which reduces the temperature of the mix to decrease emissions and the amount of energy used to produce the mix.  Brian Prowell of the National Center for Asphalt Technology discussed warm mix technology at the conference.

Warm ix lowers the temperature at laydown by approximately 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  Three warm asphalt processes are currently being studies by the national Center for Asphalt Technology -  Warm Foam, Zeolite and Sasobit.

&quot;You dry aggregate normally, then coat it with a very soft binder.  I&apos;m not talking about a 58-28 or a 58-34.  I&apos;m talking about a softer binder than you would commercially buy as a PG grade,&quot;  said Prowell.  After the aggregate is coasted with soft binder, a harder binder is foamed onto the aggregate.

The foaming process will allow that harder binder to coat the aggregate as well.  The two are then supposed to interact so you end up with the binder grade that you are targeting,&quot; Prowell said.  The material can be produced and placed as low as 176 degrees Fahrenheit, but plant modifications needed to produce the products are estimated at $70,000.

Zeolite is a crystalline hydrated aluminum silicate, a naturally occurring or synthetic mineral that holds moisture.  &quot;By adding that as a middle filler into the asphalt, it will release its moisture when it&apos;s heated.  That microscopically foams the asphalt, and increases the workability.  That allows you to use lower temperatures,&quot; Prowell said.

With the product, mix can be produced at 250 degrees Fahrenheit down to 210 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the type of mixture being produced.  Approximately six pounds of Zeolite is added per ton of asphalt, which increases the cost of the asphalt by $1.50 per town, said Prowell.

Sasobit is a wax product that is pre-blended with the binder to increase the workability of the asphalt.  &quot;Don&apos;t think of the candle wax.  This is a different product,&quot; said Prowell.  The use of Sasobit affects the low temperature properties of the binder, so in cold weather climates the use use of Sasobit wax requires a modifier to improve the low temperature properties, Prowell said.

Another challenge with the use of warm mix, it&apos;s not clear when workability ends so it could take a longer time before the pavement can be turned over to traffic than with conventional hot mix asphalt.  The use of warm mix is currently being studies by the National Center for Asphalt Technology.

The best
In addition, awards were presented at the conference.  An Award of Excellence was presented to WisDOT&apos;s Quality Management Section for efforts to implement Superpave specs with local municipalities.  John Volker, Tom Brokaw, Richard Barden, James Bongard, Nancy Busche, and Judie Ryan were WisDOT employees who received the award.

The city of Ripon, Wis., also received an Award of Excellence for the North Douglas Street reconstruction project.  A life-cycle cost analysis showed that he use of asphalt on the job saved the city an estimated $137,000.

Jerry Rodenberg and the state Department of National Resources earned an Award of Excellence for the Hot Mix Asphalt Environmental Leadership Award Program, which has improved the product, improved hot mix asphalt producers relationships with communities across the state, and bettered the environment.

An Innovation Award was presented for the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport project, which included the reconstruction of a runway to reduce reflective cracking on the runway.  Ron Burdick, Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport; David Phillips, Mead &amp; Hunt, and Wendy Hottenstein, Bureau of Aeronautics, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, received Innovation Awards for their work on the project.

The QMP-HTCP Award, which recognizes certified HMA specialists who have worked to develop quality asphalt pavements, was presented to Mike Gullickson, Mathy Construction/DL Gasser Construction; and Alicia Komanec, Northeast Asphalt, Larsen Lab.

Environmental Leadership Awards were presented to Mathy Construction Company&apos;s Portable Plant 23, Monarch Pavement Company&apos;s Amery Plant, and Northeast Asphalt, Inc.,&apos;s Ripon Plant.

Five $1,000 scholarships were award to:  Jodi March, Marquette University,; Jesse Jefferson, Michigan Tech University; Eric Vieth, University of Wisconsin &#xe2;€&quot; Milwaukee; and Karen Barnes, University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

The Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association&apos;s first Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to WisDOT&apos;s Gary Whited for his years of innovative service to improve the quality of asphalt pavement used in the state.]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=7</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>Governor says work force will attract businesses.</title>
			<description><![CDATA[Governor says work force will attract businesses

A highly skilled and productive work force is Wisconsin&apos;s best asset for attracting and retaining businesses, Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday.

&quot;My vision for Wisconsin is that we are going to compete at the higher end,&quot; Doyle said. &quot;We&apos;ll lose any competition for low-wage jobs.&quot;

The state has lost about 84,000 manufacturing jobs in the past three years including some due to competition from lower-cost overseas manufacturers.

After exactly a year in office, the governor spoke to about 70 employees of Mead &amp; Hunt, a Madison architectural and engineering firm. His appearance was requested by the firm&apos;s employees as part of a series of meetings with public officials.

Rajan Sheth, Mead &amp; Hunt president, said Wisconsin&apos;s government is the 103-year-old firm&apos;s largest client.

While other states have ocean breezes or mild climates, Doyle said Wisconsin can offer a more important incentive to businesses.

&quot;What we have is the best work force found anywhere in this country,&quot; he said. &quot;At the forefront, we stand for quality.&quot;

He said Wisconsin workers are the most productive and best educated of any state in the nation.

Doyle told the Mead &amp; Hunt employees that they are Wisconsin ambassadors when they travel for projects in other cities.

&quot;You are representatives of this state, and I know the quality of work that you do reflects well on the state,&quot; he said.

Although he has pledged to reduce the number of state employees, Doyle said that doesn&apos;t mean the state will be hiring private firms more often.

&quot;I just think you need to have a very good balance,&quot; he said. &quot;I don&apos;t think we should in a major way be upsetting that balance.&quot;

The governor said Wisconsin schools must have the resources to stay current with computer technology.

&quot;I believe Wisconsin should become a real leader in distance learning for communities and business,&quot; he said. &quot;A student in Rhinelander should be able to study Japanese (through the university).&quot;

Wisconsin hasn&apos;t received as much homeland security money as more populous states, but the governor said the money is needed more in larger cities.

Mead &amp; Hunt is especially active in airport projects and Doyle said preserving the quality of air travel is important to the state&apos;s infrastructure.

Reprinted from the Wisconsin State Journal]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=6</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2004 00:00:01 CST</pubDate>
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			<title>What kind of damage and casualties would occur if a van filled with explosives detonated?</title>
			<description><![CDATA[What kind of damage and casualties would occur if a van filled with explosives detonated outside an airport terminal?

Such a scenario isn&apos;t expected, but its a question that employees of Mead &amp; Hunt, a Madison engineering and architectural firm, have pondered in preparing what are called blast reports used to design security systems.

From hydroelectric dams of the early 20th century to Cold War era fallout shelters to assessing the potential of 21st century terrorist attacks, the 103-year-old firm has been involved in many important public projects.

With about 280 employees nationwide and about $31 million in annual revenue, Mead &amp; Hunt, 6501 Watts Road, isn&apos;t Madison&apos;s largest engineering and architectural firm, but it is one of the oldest and offers a wide array of services.  Last year, the company was named one of the 100 fastest growing engineering firms in the nation and one of the 10 best to work for by engineering trade publications.

Although Madison has nearly two dozen engineering firms, competition isn&apos;t as vigorous as it might seem because their specialties vary.

Mary Hirsch of Flad &amp; Associates, 644 Science Drive, said she doesn&apos;t believe Madison has more engineering firms than other cities its size.  She said Flad, which often designs laboratories and other medical buildings, doesn&apos;t compete very often with Mead &amp; Hunt.

Engineers from various firms often socialize with each other and sometimes move from one company to another, said Bruce Kimball, an engineer with Strang, 6411 Mineral Point Road, which designed the Dane County Exhibition Hall as well as the UW-Madison veterinary diagnostics laboratory.

&quot;We have our bread and butter markets but we typically will end up interviewing against each other at one time or another,&quot; he said.

Mead &amp; Hunt has the largest historic preservation staff of any firm in the Midwest and signed a three-year contract in 1999 with New York to catalog that state&apos;s highway bridges for potential historic preservation.

Rajan Sheth, President&quot;We are a full-service firm,&quot; said Rajan Sheth, the company&apos;s fifth president. &quot;We do everything our client needs.&quot;

He said Mead &amp; Hunt hopes to double its annual revenue to $60 million by 2009.  The company is employee-owned and about 70 employees own all 50,000 shares of company stock. Employees also make up the board of directors with one advisory member appointed from the outside.

From security to control towers to terminals, airports are a Mead &amp; Hunt specialty. Besides designing many of the smaller airports in Wisconsin, the firm has played an important role in ongoing renovations at the Dane County Regional Airport such as designing a $24 million runway built several years ago.

Sheth said one of Mead &amp; Hunt&apos;s biggest upcoming projects is an expensive and ambitious plan to bring Colorado River water to the Baja California peninsula.

Mead &amp; Hunt has expanded to several cities in recent years by acquiring smaller firms. Besides its Madison headquarters, the company now has offices in Eugene, Ore.; Green Bay; La Crosse; Lansing, Mich.; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; and the California cities of Modesto, Sacramento and Santa Rosa.

Daniel W. Mead, an internationally recognized Chicago expert in hydroelectric engineering, founded the company in 1900. Six years later, Mead leased an office on State Street in Madison and hired Charles Seastone, a Purdue University sanitary engineering professor, to manage it. In 1907, Mead closed the Chicago office and moved the entire business to Madison.

One of the biggest early projects for the fledgling company was designing the water supply plant at the Schlitz brewery in Milwaukee, a project that took two years. Mead also used his expertise to design hydroelectric dams on many Wisconsin and Upper Michigan rivers.

He later was appointed by President Herbert Hoover to serve on a commission that studied the possibility of a dam on the Colorado River that would become the Hoover Dam.

In 1941, Mead reviewed architect Frank Lloyd Wright&apos;s plans for a Madison civic center that in 1997 became Monona Terrace. Of the project, Mead said Wright, &quot;has met unusual conditions in a practical, original, and artistic manner and, in (my) judgment, these plans are worthy of most careful and detailed consideration.&quot;

The same year, Clayton Ward of the firm then known as Mead, Ward &amp; Hunt signed a $100,000 contract with the U.S. military to design Camp McCoy, which was expected to require 55,000 acres of land, house 30,000 men and cost $22.8 million. The firm hired 125 engineers for the project.

After World War II, Mead &amp; Hunt worked on many projects related to agriculture, airports and highways. In 1961, the firm got a contract to inspect fallout shelters in southern Wisconsin to determine whether they met federal standards.

Sheth, 54, had designed about 500 bridges throughout Wisconsin by the time he became company president in 1994. He started with Mead &amp; Hunt in 1977, coming to the United States from India, where he received a civil engineering degree. He received a master&apos;s degree in engineering at UW-Madison. He and his wife, Kashmira, an author of young-adult novels, have two daughters.

Sheth said he&apos;s proud of the fact that no lawsuits have been filed against Mead &amp; Hunt during his decade as president.

&quot;We do make mistakes,&quot; he said. &quot;We just take care of them.&quot;

Marv Balousek
Business Reporter
Wisconsin State Journal]]></description>
			<link>http://meadandhunt.starkmedia.com/news-insights/news_detail.cfm?n=5</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2004 10:18:26 CST</pubDate>
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