CONTENT
August 2012
Military readiness center designed for
nation’s defenders .......................4-5
Projects and people .....................6-7
An Illinois riverfront city returns to its
roots ............................................. 8
SIGHT
AK
HI
In 2012, Hanson is auditing precast and prestressed concrete plants in 44 states (highlighted in blue above) — and locations in Canada and Puerto Rico — for the
National Precast Concrete Association’s Plant Certification Program. Since 2008, Hanson has performed approximately 1,000 audits for the NPCA.
Making the grade
Audits support quality control standards for precast, prestressed concrete plants
From manholes, traffic barriers and
decorative tabletops to utility boxes,
prison cells and commercial foundation
systems, precast concrete is one of the
most versatile construction materials
on the planet. Since there are a variety
of uses for precast concrete and a
constant demand for these products,
quality standards are critical to both the
manufacturer and the consumer. The
National Precast Concrete Association
(NPCA) administers the largest, most
comprehensive certification program
in the manufactured concrete products
industry.
NPCA’s President, Ty E. Gable,
describes the NPCA Plant Certification
Program as “a roadmap for achieving
excellence in all aspects of a plant’s
operations.” The plant certification
program includes auditing a precast
concrete plant’s facilities, production
processes and quality control operations
for conformance to specified criteria
in the NPCA Quality Control Manual
for Precast and Prestressed Plants. The
program’s intent is to validate that plants
meeting the manual’s requirements
are capable of producing high-quality
products.
More than 360 precast and
prestressed concrete manufacturing plants
in North America participate in NPCA’s
Plant Certification Program because of its
benefits.
Some consumers require
plant certification
Currently, 35 state Departments of
Transportation (DOTs) and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers require precast and
prestressed concrete plants to be NPCAcertified to manufacture products for their
projects. State DOTs rely on the NPCA
Plant Certification Program to streamline
plant audits.
“The benefit to DOTs is that they can
be assured of a uniform level of quality
in the products they specify from NPCAcertified plants. With states always under
tightening budget pressure, DOTs can
spread their engineering resources further
because they do not have to spend as much
from
the
CEO
Welcome to this issue of Insight. As
I read through the articles featured
here, I began to see some reoccurring
themes among our projects, clients and
employees. We unite for a common goal,
keep the safety of others at the forefront
of our designs and projects, and work
together to achieve success.
We’ve all faced global challenges
on the political, financial and
environmental fronts. And like so many
of you, we’ve persevered — working
harder and smarter to seek out new
opportunities. As we look ahead, we do
so with an emerging sense of optimism,
commitment and excitement.
On behalf of the employee owners here
at Hanson, thank you for partnering with
us on your important projects as we work
to make our communities and world a
better place — one project at a time. As
always, please feel free to contact me
at specori@hanson-inc.com if I can be of
service to you.
Sincerely,
Sergio “Satch” Pecori, P.E., ExecEng
President and CEO
Insight is a publication of Hanson Professional
Services Inc., a national, employee-owned
consulting firm providing engineering,
architecture, planning and allied services.
If you have any questions or comments, or if you
would like to receive our newsletter
electronically, please contact us. © 2012
Marketing Communications Manager,
Darrel Berry
Editors, Charlotte Curry and Amy Kay
Graphic Designer, Todd Denton
1525 S. Sixth St., Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: (217) 788-2450 Fax: (217) 788-2503
Email: marketing@hanson-inc.com
www.hanson-inc.com
2
Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled
paper with agri-based inks.
The NPCA Plant Certification Program audit addresses a variety of topics, from production practices, batchingand-mixing, and product handling to storage and shipment, aggregate testing, and record keeping. Plants
need to achieve 80 out of 100 points to obtain/maintain NPCA plant certification.
time inspecting the production processes
at individual plants,” adds Gable.
NPCA selects Hanson to
audit plants
Since 2008, Hanson, doing business
as HPS Consulting Inc., has coordinated
engineers to provide third-party auditing
services for precast concrete plants in
the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. For
2012-2013, Hanson is the only consulting
firm providing services for NPCA’s Plant
Certification Program, which includes
audits for precast and prestressed concrete
plants. Project Manager Deborah Ramsey,
P.E., leads Hanson’s 25-person NPCA
auditing team.
The auditing process includes reviews
of a plant’s operations for compliance
with the NPCA Quality Control Manual.
The audit addresses a variety of topics,
from production practices, batchingand-mixing, and product handling to
storage and shipment, aggregate testing,
and record keeping. The auditor uses
a standard grading schedule, which is
included in the manual.
The audit concludes with an exit
interview. The exit interview with plant
personnel addresses to what extent
the plant satisfies NPCA criteria. It
cites deficiencies, identifies areas for
improvement, offers general observations,
notes areas of excellence, and pinpoints
growth opportunities.
Prominent certification
programs require diligence,
feedback
NPCA acknowledges the dynamic
nature of its plant certification program,
and it continually reviews and updates the
comprehensive quality control items listed
in the manual. The program recently
became accredited from the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI),
signifying that NPCA certification is
consistently administered in accordance
with international standards. Hanson’s
auditing experience played an important
role in helping NPCA achieve ANSI
accreditation, according to Gable.
“The program creates a level playing
field for all certified plants. When NPCA
certification is required on a project, the
specifier can be confident that products
coming from a certified plant will be of
consistently high quality,” says Gable.
“The credibility of the NPCA
Plant Certification Program is critical,
so our third-party auditors must exhibit
the highest levels of professionalism,
confidentiality and impartiality regarding
the program. We needed an auditing
agency partner that is willing to participate
at the highest levels and has an excellent
national reputation, and Hanson fulfills
our needs,” adds Gable.
Another advantage is that each
auditor brings the experience of observing
NPCA, Hanson
team up on
other ventures
In addition to auditing services for
the Plant Certification Program, NPCA
and Hanson are working together in
other ways.
Sustainability, LEED® 101
seminars educate NPCA
members
Since the auditors observe operations at numerous precast and prestressed plants across the U.S., they
are able to share insights on how a plant may be able to improve processes, efficiencies and products.
certification program. Through the NPCA
many other precast and prestressed plants
across the U.S., benefiting plants with
and its certification program, information
insights on how to improve processes,
is available to plants to increase operating
efficiencies and products.
efficiencies, reduce defective and returned
Ramsey acknowledges her auditing
products, and increase business due to
team’s accomplishments and their
better customer satisfaction. According
expanding role in NPCA audits. She
to NPCA, these potential improvements
credits the success to a dedicated
may prove that
auditing team,
plant certification
NPCA’s annual
could actually
Currently, 35 state Departauditor training,
pay for itself.
ments of Transportation and
and frequent
“The
the U.S. Army Corps of
communications
NPCA’s Plant
Engineers require precast
with her NPCA
Certification
and prestressed concrete
counterparts.
Program
Even managers
plants to be NPCA-certified to
highlights the
at NPCAmanufacture products for their advantages of
certified plants
a third-party
projects.
have praised the
auditing program.
– National Precast Concrete Association
auditors for their
It’s a perfect
efforts.
example of
“(Our auditor) brought much to
how industrial facilities, especially those
the table from which we may learn. We
operating under national standards, benefit
appreciate and value the comments
from these types of audits,” says Hanson’s
and process in which he conducts his
President and CEO Sergio “Satch” Pecori,
inspection. The exit interview was both
P.E., ExecEng.
educational and professional,” writes
Operations Manager Leo Feuerstein from
Western Precast Concrete Inc., in El Paso,
For more information,
Texas, on a recent post-inspection survey.
contact Deborah Ramsey
Comments like this are invaluable
at (217) 747-9294 or at
Deborah
when considering the caliber of the plant
dramsey@hanson-inc.com.
Ramsey, P.E.
Hanson’s D. Brent Sauser, AIA,
LEED® AP, assistant vice president and
senior architect, is a prominent guest
speaker, and he frequently addresses
“green” design, sustainability
and Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED®)
topics at conferences nationwide.
NPCA invited Sauser to serve as a
presenter during its 2009 and 2011
annual conventions. Sauser focuses
on how precast concrete can contribute
to sustainable design and LEED®
credits. For more information on these
presentations, contact D. Brent Sauser
at bsauser@hanson-inc.com or at
(407) 622-2050.
NPCA, Hanson participate in
federally funded research
The Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) selected
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign’s (U of I) Rail
Transportation and Engineering Center
(RailTEC) to conduct research to
improve concrete crossties and fastening
systems for U.S. high-speed passenger
rail and joint passenger/freight
corridors. For this research, Hanson
is serving as an industry partner, along
with other groups including Amtrak,
BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific
Railroad. Since the research involves
assessing the design and performance of
concrete rail ties and fastening systems,
Hanson contacted NPCA for additional
collaboration. NPCA now is serving
as an outside resource for the FRA
research.
3
Training the Troops
The 37,000-square-foot Muscatine Armed Forces Reserve Center in Muscatine, Iowa, serves as a joint-use base and training facility for the Iowa Army National Guard and the
In December 2011, President Barack
Obama announced the U.S. was pulling
out of Iraq, ending a war that had begun
in 2003. According to news reports, more
than 170,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq
during the height of the war. It’s estimated
that nearly half included soldiers who
serve in the National Guard and Reserve.
These soldiers put their lives on hold
while they train for battle and fight for
our country’s freedom. They have stepped
up and answered the call to active duty,
serving at home during natural disasters
and terrorist incidents as well as overseas
during the U.S.’s wartime efforts.
New readiness center opens
U.S. Army Reserve and Iowa
National Guard soldiers, including those
just returning from war, have a new
facility to call home.
The Muscatine Armed Forces
4
Reserve Center in Muscatine, Iowa,
opened its doors last year and serves as a
joint-use base and training facility for the
Iowa Army National Guard’s Detachment
2, Company A, 248th Aviation
Support Battalion, and for the U.S.
Army Reserve’s Detachment 1, 389th
Engineer Company. The $8.5 million,
37,000-square-foot facility replaces an
aging armory and outdated reserve center.
The center was funded, designed
and built as part of the Base Realignment
and Closure Act (BRAC) 2005. BRAC
was created by the U.S. Department
of Defense to close excess military
installations and realign inventory to
reduce expenditures on operations and
maintenance nationwide. According to
the Iowa National Guard, the Muscatine
project was accepted in 2005 by the U.S.
Congress and funded in 2010.
When funding for the project became
available, the Iowa National Guard
selected Hanson to lead the design effort.
Hanson served as the project manager
and provided structural, mechanical and
electrical engineering and plumbing
design services. Shive-Hattery provided
architectural and site design services to
Hanson, and Old Veteran Construction
(OVC) of Chicago was the contractor.
Hanson’s Michael Flatt, P.E., S.E., LEED
AP®, served as the design team’s project
manager.
“Readiness centers are the lifeblood
of the Guard and Reserve. Because the
Guard and Reserve are part of the local
community, and its members are drawn
from the surrounding area, these centers
are — for many Americans — the face of
the U.S. military that they see on a daily
basis,” Flatt says.
“We tried to think about the full life
cycle of the Muscatine center — its needs
e U.S. Army Reserve.
now and in the future — because the
Guard and Reserve units will use it for
years to come,” Flatt adds.
Facility designed to protect
those who protect us
The center features several recruiting
and administration offices, classrooms, an
assembly area — sometimes called a drill
hall — a kitchen, supply room, showers
and restrooms, a physical fitness center
and a Family Readiness Group area.
Outside, the center has a military vehicle
compound, private vehicle parking, access
roads, sidewalks, security fencing and
lighting.
Every new readiness center has an
assembly area that is often the center
of each facility. Flatt says that prior
experience with this type of space is an
advantage when integrating it into the
overall design plan. Hanson had just
Top right: An open and expansive lobby welcomes members of the Guard and Reserve, employees and
visitors to the center. Military-related artwork and memorabilia flank the walls. Bottom right: Classrooms
are an integral part of the center, providing soldiers with the space and technology to learn and train.
completed a readiness center for the
Illinois National Guard in Shiloh, Ill.,
outside the gate of Scott Air Force Base,
before the Muscatine project.
The project also incorporated AntiTerrorism/Force Protection requirements,
a part of the Department of Defense’s
Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and the
National Guard and Reserve’s regulations.
Flatt explains that the Anti-Terrorism/
Force Protection guidelines have changed
significantly since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks.
“For example, before 9-11, parking
stalls could be right up next to a building.
After 9-11, parking has to be set back,
with the distances determined by several
factors such as how the building is used
and whether or not the facility is located
within or outside of a secured perimeter,”
Flatt says.
He adds that, at the Muscatine center,
the Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection
design elements include, but are not
limited to, perimeter fencing, a gate,
set-back parking and ancillary structures,
circulation drives and impact-resistant
glass.
“The old armory and reserve center
in Iowa just couldn’t keep up with the
needs of the modern Guard and Reserve
forces. The new Muscatine Armed Forces
Reserve Center has all the tools needed
to maintain and enhance training, and it
will serve the Guard and Reserve well —
whatever the future holds,” Flatt says.
For more information,
contact Michael Flatt at
(217) 788-2450 or at
mflatt@hanson-inc.com.
Michael Flatt,
P.E., S.E.,
LEED AP®
5
Project updates
The U.S. Department of State’s
Overseas Building Office selected
Hanson to provide commissioning
services — up to five years and $10
million — for U.S. Embassy projects
worldwide.
••••••
The city of Decatur, Ill., selected
Hanson to evaluate conditions at its dam
for Asian carp accessibility to the lake and
to review available options to prevent these
fish from entering the lake. Asian carp —
currently thriving in the Mississippi and
Illinois rivers — are considered invasive
species because they grow and reproduce
quickly, spread aggressively, and harm
the ecosystem by stripping the key food
sources of native fish.
••••••
As a consultant to CDG Engineers
Architects Planners Inc., Hanson
provided engineering services — including
preliminary and final bridge design for
four bridges and review of track design
along with bidding and construction-related
services — for Xcel Energy Services’
rail spur project in Hayden, Colo. The
bridges conformed to Union Pacific
Railroad’s bridge design requirements.
••••••
Hanson is conducting pavement
condition surveys at 18 Air Force bases
nationwide for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers’ Transportation Systems
Center to document specific pavement
distresses on the airfields, roads, drives
and parking lots — providing planning
data for construction projects. Hanson is
using Geographic Information Systems
(GIS)-integrated data to update the
Micro PAVER pavement management
system database used by the military.
Work is being completed under two
indefinite delivery indefinite quantity
(IDIQ) contracts: the IDIQ Contract for
Architecture/Engineering Services
Related to the Design and Evaluation of
Airfields and Roadways Worldwide as well
as the IDIQ Contract for Architecture/
Engineering Services Related to the
Design or Evaluation of Railroads and
Roadways Worldwide.
6
Hanson worked as part of a project team
led by Kratos Defense & Security
Solutions’ wholly owned subsidiary
Henry Bros. Electronics (HBE)
to deploy a $3 million emergency
communications system upgrade for a
national rail service provider. This system
upgrade improves the communication
coverage and quality of service in support
of the rail company’s operations. Hanson
provided project management, engineering
and construction services. Also, Hanson
currently is working with Kratos/HBE
on a rail security project for a key bridge
crossing over the Chicago River.
by Prairie State’s new power plant. The
IFR must be submitted to the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency prior to
any waste being placed in the landfill. The
landfill will be comprised of 15 cells, and it
will receive waste from the adjacent power
station for 30 years. Construction began on
Cell 1 of the landfill in July 2012.
••••••
The Naples Airport Authority selected
Hanson to provide master drainage/
stormwater management planning,
design and permitting for the Naples
Municipal Airport in Florida. After
reviewing the previous master drainage
plan, existing permits, upcoming projects
and site conditions, Hanson determined
the airport could serve as a case study
in water management effectiveness for
a Federal Aviation Administration/U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Pond — a
type of pond designed to reduce wildlife
“attractant potential” while meeting
Florida’s stringent water quality criteria.
The case study’s results may be used to
modify new airport stormwater rules,
which have been compiled thanks to efforts
from Hanson, EBA Environmental, the
University of Florida, Florida Department
of Environmental Protection, Florida’s five
water management districts, and others.
••••••
••••••
Hanson has completed a final draft of the
Initial Facility Report (IFR) for a
495.5-acre Near Field Monofill for Prairie
State Generating Co. in Marissa, Ill.
The monofill will be used to dispose of
the coal combustion byproducts generated
Tim Parker, P.E., senior aviation
engineer, (pictured left) celebrates with
Airport Manager Chris Rozansky at the
dedication of the recently completed
T-hangar facility at Venice Municipal
Airport in Venice, Fla.
People
New Hires
Bassma Khider, civil
designer, joined Hanson’s
Chicago office.
Craig Mitchell, P.E.,
transportation engineer,
joined Hanson’s Kansas
City, Mo., office.
Shawn Gibbs
joined Hanson as an
environmental specialist in
the Springfield, Ill., office.
Community news
Michael Mendenhall,
P.E., S.E., structural
engineer, was named
Young Engineer of the
Year by the Capital
Chapter of the Illinois Society of
Professional Engineers.
Scott Brady
Recognitions
Kelly Rubino
Matthew Dawson,
P.E., PTOE, and Mat
Fletcher, P.E., S.E., were
honored as Rising Stars
in Civil and Structural
Matthew Dawson
Engineering, respectively,
by ZweigWhite, a
business management
consulting firm serving the
architectural, engineering
Mat Fletcher
and environmental industry.
Dawson and Fletcher were among 15
recipients nationwide to receive this honor
in each category.
Cindy Loos, P.E.,
regional vice president,
was recognized with
one of the 25 Women
in Leadership awards, a
program sponsored by the Peoria, Ill.,
Area Chamber of Commerce, Marketeer
Magazine and WEEK TV. The award
recognizes women who have demonstrated
unswerving dedication to the betterment
of themselves, their families, their
companies, and the community at large.
Scott Brady, P.E., senior
aviation engineer, and
Kelly Rubino, P.E.,
CBC, senior vice president,
were recognized for their
contributions toward
Florida’s storm drainage
legislation at the 43rd
Annual Florida Airports
Council Conference and
Exposition.
Industry Involvement – Leadership
Lisa Waters, senior aviation planner,
recently was named to
a Florida Department
of Transportation state
aviation advisory group.
This group will assist with
planned updates to Florida statutes relating
to airport protection zoning.
John Nelson, P.E.,
regional vice president,
recently was elected to
the American Council of
Engineering Companies of
Illinois’ board of directors. He will serve
as a director through 2015.
Joan Freitag, senior vice
president and principal
of Hanson’s Department
of Defense market, was
appointed chairwoman
of the American Council of Engineering
Companies’ Federal Agencies and
Procurement Advocacy Committee for
2012-13.
Steven Brown, P.E., CFM, civil
engineer, (pictured back left) and Scott
Arends, P.E., CFM, water resources
engineer, (pictured back right) helped a
class of fifth-graders in Rochester, Ill.,
win its first Rube Goldberg competition
as part of the Engineers in the
Classroom program.
••••••
The United Way of Central Indiana
recognized Hanson’s Indianapolis office
as a “Company that Cares.”
••••••
Hanson placed No. 16 in the largecompanies category on the 2012 list of
Best Places to Work in Illinois. The
list — made up of 50 companies — is
promoted by The Daily Herald Business
Ledger in partnership with the Human
Resources Management Association of
Chicago, the Illinois State Chamber of
Commerce and the Workforce Boards of
Metropolitan Chicago.
Recognitions
The American Council of Engineering
Companies of Illinois honored Hanson for
its work on two water resources projects —
City Water Light, & Power’s Spaulding
Dam rehabilitation and Ameren Energy
Resources’ Coffeen Power Plant water
supply — with Special Achievement
awards as part of its 2012 Engineering
Excellence Awards program.
7
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Hanson Professional Services Inc.
1525 S. Sixth St.
Springfield, IL 62703-2886
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Road to revitalization
Federal funding helps Peoria revamp downtown streets
Once a thriving manufacturing center
in downtown Peoria,
Ill., the Warehouse
District now consists
of decaying streets and
abandoned buildings.
In an attempt to
bring the area back to
life — an effort U.S.
Sen. Dick Durbin says
is one of the most exciting projects in
Illinois — the city of Peoria decided
to repurpose 185 acres of the district
to create a pedestrian-friendly, mixeduse neighborhood. While economic
incentives attracted some businesses
to the area, the outdated infrastructure
remained an impediment to revitalization.
In 2010, the city applied for federal
funding to update the infrastructure
and received $10 million in TIGER II
funds. That money, along with state
and local financing, enabled the city
to undertake the Warehouse District
Complete Streets Project. The city then
contracted with Hanson to assist in the
design and construction of a complete
street network. Working with Farnsworth
Group Inc., and coordinating closely with
the Illinois Department of Transportation
(IDOT) and the Federal Highway
8
Once a thriving manufacturing center, the Warehouse District in Peoria, Ill., now consists of decaying streets
and abandoned industrial buildings, as shown above left. With the help of $10 million in federal funds, the
city of Peoria plans to update the district’s streets and create a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhood,
as shown in the above rendering. Photo credit: Urban Advantage/Ferrell Madden.
Administration (FHWA), Hanson began
Phase I in April 2011.
During this project, Hanson
provided surveying, utility coordination,
landscaping and streetscape planning,
urban planning and design concepts,
environmental studies, a traffic impact
study, intersection design studies and
public involvement.
With a deadline of Dec. 30, 2011,
for the Phase I design report, Hanson
completed the report two weeks ahead
of schedule. Hanson recently completed
construction documents for Phase II.
The project now progresses to the
construction bidding and letting phase.
For more information,
contact Cindy Loos at
(309) 691-0902 or at
cloos@hanson-inc.com.
Cindy Loos, P.E.