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Fall 2023 Newsletter
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Spring 2023 Newsletter
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May 2023 NEWSLETTER |
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FROM THE CORNER OFFICE |
John Sartor, PE
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Dear Friend of PS&S: In just the last few months, PS&S has earned three different project wins that are truly worth highlighting because I believe they speak to the breadth and strength of our firm. On the heels of a successful 2022, PS&S - along with our existing and new partners - was recently awarded large-scale projects for Holland Gardens, UGI Utilities and Gelest. Here's a quick look at each project followed by more detail from some of the professionals on the team. First, Holland Gardens. Some of you may recognize this name as one of Jersey City's five public housing complexes. I'm pleased to report that we have been awarded a four-year project to help redevelop this site. For PS&S, this is a milestone. It is the largest residential architecture and engineering project in our firm's 60-year history.
Next up is a new project for UGI Utilities-an initial environmental investigation and remediation project of a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in Luzerne County, PA. This is an important effort to uncover any potential environmental liabilities on the property, so that UGI can implement a protective remedy. While PS&S has performed many similar projects for utilities in New Jersey and throughout the northeast, this is a first for us with UGI in Pennsylvania.
The third project is for one of the largest chemical manufacturer's in the US, Gelest who has awarded us the Design/Build contract with our partner Barr & Barr, to deliver architectural and engineering design and construction phase services for a manufacturing facility utilizing damage limiting construction, specifically with respect to pressure releases that can occur during the manufacture of reagent chemicals. PS&S has designed damage-limiting, blast-resistant rooms in the past, but Gelest will be our first multi-vessel and multi-chamber building.
I am pleased to share these updates with you and hope that you will read on to learn more firsthand from the team members who will work on these projects from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting. These wins also demonstrate the diversity of challenges that PS&S is able to meet in order to be successful. No two projects or clients alike, the diversity of our client base and project types has kept the organization strong and ready to face new challenges as they arise. With the breadth and depth of services that we offer, we are able to appeal to a broader group of clients who challenge us to think differently and deliver. New clients come to PS&S knowing that our diversity in professional experience will enable us to help them solve some of their most challenging architectural, environmental, engineering, and surveying issues. We thank them for their trust in PS&S. Sincerely,
John Sartor, PE
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PROJECT: Holland Gardens |
Jesper Ryberg
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With a project size of over one million square feet and towering 26 stories, Holland Gardens, one of Jersey City's five public housing complexes, will be demolished and transformed into a mixed-income development with over 750-units, including 192 affordable units. The property will also include all the top-of-the-line amenities, including a library, community center, retail, and restaurants. PS&S was awarded the site architecture and engineering for the four-year project, working with developer WinnDevelopment on the three-acre site that was initially developed in 1944. "This is one of the biggest projects in the company's history," notes Jesper Ryberg, Senior Director, Architecture, with PS&S. "Further, this is very much about the new way of doing architecture, to truly integrate affordable housing into the community, which is how affordable housing programs were originally thought of." The Holland Gardens redevelopment project is also a culmination of the company's experience and growth trajectory. Ryberg points out that not only have the sizes of PS&S's residential projects increased, moving from 50 and 100-unit buildings to the 750-unit size of Holland Gardens, but the company has also "raised the level of product, catering to a much broader spectrum, from the high-end luxury market to affordable housing." |
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PROJECT: UGI Utilities, Inc. |
Mike Newton, LSRP, PG
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PS&S was recently awarded a project for the Initial Environmental Investigation of a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in Luzerne County, PA, for UGI Utilities Inc., a natural gas and electric utility serving over 700,000 customers in 45 counties in Pennsylvania and one county in Maryland. The investigation is a remediation project, in which PS&S collects data, samples, and site knowledge to understand whether environmental remedial action related to potential contamination will be necessary. Property owners may not be aware of the environmental impact of the former manufacturing operations on their property; this is because most of the structures are long gone or buried. As such, the need for a thorough environmental investigation and remediation is needed to identify if protective remedies are needed. Prior to the development of the interstate pipeline network to deliver natural gas supplies in the 1930s, MGPs operated in many communities providing piped gas locally to homes and businesses. For as long as a century, companies like UGI owned and operated MGPs that used coal, coke, and oil as the raw materials for gas production-when environmental protection laws may have been non-existent. "What's unique about this project is that it is our first manufactured gas plant remediation project that we've been awarded by UGI," explains Mike Newton, LSRP, PG, and Senior Project Manager, Remediation, with PS&S. "It's the start of a really exciting relationship with another gas utility client, supporting them and remediating their historic MGP liabilities." |
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PROJECT: Gelest, Inc. - Chemical Manufacturing |
Tom Scally
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Part of the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Gelest, Inc. is a manufacturer and global supplier of specialty chemicals, including silicones, organosilanes, metal-organics, and acrylate monomers. These chemicals are used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical, personnel care products and the semi-conductor industries. PS&S will be providing A/E design and construction phase services for two proposed buildings for Gelest located in Morrisville, PA. PS&S, through our Design/Build project partner, construction manager Barr and Barr. PS&S is providing architectural, structural, fire protection, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, and electrical engineering services. The manufacturing building (Building 8) is a combination of chemical manufacturing, QA laboratories, ISO-7 clean room chemical formulations, process equipment rooms and office spaces. However, the bulk of the project will be in the design of Gelests main manufacturing/reactor areas, which will be three floors, consisting of approximately 50,000 square feet. This manufacturing building is being designed to withstand the extreme situations inherent in chemical manufacturing; pressure/blast relief and containment. The building requires damage limiting construction to withstand a process pressure release (blast), to ensure personnel safety and building continuity. As well as chemical and fire water containment. The reactor suites are robust in their designs, with 14" thick poured concrete walls, blast resistant doors and pressure relief exterior façade panels. "This project is unique because, this is the first time that the firm has been asked to design an entire chemical manufacturing building that requires damage limiting construction," says Thomas Scally, Senior Director, Architecture, for PS&S. PS&S's Science and Technology sector personnel have completed similar small scale projects for single rooms, however this is the first ground up, multi-story, multi-vessel, and multi-chemical reactor building for the company. |
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November 2022 Newsletter
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November 2022 NEWSLETTER |
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FROM THE CORNER OFFICE |
John Sartor, PE
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Dear Friend of PS&S: Fall is finally here! It's one of my favorite times of year — crisp mornings, clean air and incredible colors as the leaves begin to change. But one of the consequences of the fall are the shorter, colder days ahead. Less sunlight means we are keeping our lights on longer and turning up our thermostats. It's at times like these that we reflect on how we generate all the energy to meet our demand. At PS&S, we have long believed in the integration of innovative designs which include sustainable materials, environmentally friendly storm water and development designs, and utilization of alternative energy sources that are proving to be more viable as technologies have improved. In fact, "Greengineering" is a PS&S international trademark and a term we use to describe some of the projects we are involved with throughout the region. Of course, a term is just a term unless you put it into action, and I am proud to say we do that every day. A good example is PS&S' involvement with "daylighting" the Saw Mill River in the middle of the thriving City of Yonkers. This multi-stage project began in 2012 and was recently cited by National Geographic as one of America's best conservation efforts. The project required the removal of a large concrete culvert and parking area that had been covering the river since the 1920s. Today the river attracts, turtles, heron, ducks, muskrat, and many species of fish and, of course, the people of Yonkers and surrounding areas who are drawn to the 2.2-acre city park. As the project progressed, we advanced the use of technology and integrated a hydroelectric wheel to power the downtown streetlights. In architecture and engineering, use of alternative energy sources is increasing worldwide. In the United States, the LEED program has made great strides in promoting the development of green buildings. In 2010, the non-profit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) began the Envision credentialling program with an eye towards driving the development of environmentally responsible, energy efficient infrastructure. While based in Washington, D.C., Envision is an international effort with notable projects in Canada, Italy, Mexico and Spain. PS&S is proud to say that we will be the ENV SP for one of the largest infrastructure projects in the New York Metropolitan region. As we look towards the expansion of energy projects in the United States — many of which are being generated by the Infrastructure Bill — PS&S is increasing its capabilities with new talent such as Envision-credentialled professionals and greater resources in architecture and engineering for all forms of energy. To help spearhead our resources, Keith Edmonds recently joined PS&S, bringing decades of energy infrastructure experience to our firm. So as the leaves turn and the shadows lengthen, for our Fall Newsletter, we decided to ask Keith and other talented professionals in our energy and landscaping units what they are seeing from the projects they are working on? Will Envision have an impact on our infrastructure development similar to LEED on our building design? And where do you see us going? I think you will be interested in what they have to say. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE |
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Miguel Salinas, LSRP, CPSS,
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"Everything we touch has a component of sustainability built into it. Of course, that's good business sense and it is increasingly demanded by regulators, but — beyond that — in this day and age, people want to be involved with projects that are designed and built in a way that is considerate of the environment. All over the United States, we are seeing massive opportunities in green energy across the board — whether that's helping to harness the wind off the shores of New Jersey or building solar infrastructure in Pennsylvania. Across the industry there is a growing commitment to the use of alternative sources of energy. And, around those opportunities, we foresee challenges in harvesting that energy and getting it back into the grid — that work is very much at the forefront of what we do. Indeed, a lot of what is being discussed with renewable power sources (particularly wind) has not been done at this scale in the United States — which makes it both interesting and exciting for PS&S as a firm and for the energy industry as a whole." |
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Kristine McCool, PE, PMP,
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"Making the world a better, greener place is top of mind for Energy & Utility professionals now. It is the wave of the future and Envision is certainly a great program for us to build consensus around as professionals. Right now, there's tremendous focus on harvesting wind energy and delivering it to the grid. A lot needs to happen between the turbines in the ocean and land-based infrastructure, so we are helping with the permitting and the engineering. We're also involved in a solar energy project in South Jersey where we are responsible for survey, civil engineering, and environmental permitting, and are looking forward to many more of these projects moving forward. And we foresee big opportunities in the construction of EV charging stations where PS&S can do everything from siting and permitting to the electrical design. Envision is a credentialling and certification program and increasingly part of the RFP process, but it is also a way of thinking that people should understand and be aware of — whether you are on the design and build side or if you live in a community where sustainable infrastructure projects are underway. Envision is very much intended as a 'win-win' for builders and citizens alike — and, of course, the environment itself." |
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Keith Edmonds,
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"I came to PS&S with more than 25 years of experience in energy infrastructure primarily on the natural gas side. What I believe is happening now with the drive towards sustainable energy is a common understanding that we can adopt new technologies while, in many cases, making use of existing energy infrastructure. A good example is the fact that we have hundreds of thousands of miles of natural gas pipeline in the United States that can also carry hydrogen. By electrolyzing water and producing hydrogen we can blend the output with natural gas and increase the energy content of the pipeline. For sustainable energy projects, I think we’re likely to see many cases like this where we marry technologies versus replacing them. Programs like LEED and Envision are very much in sync with the direction we are taking as PS&S and as an industry." |
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Daniel Maher, RLA, SIA
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"My team is especially proud to be involved in the Penn Station Access project, which is one of biggest undertakings right now in New York and, indeed, the whole Northeast. The MTA made the decision to seek Envision certification and PS&S is leading that process across the design and build spectrum for the entry plazas. That means we are responsible for the architects, civil engineers, structural engineers — the whole team — making sure that they know what the requirements and deliverables are for achieving Envision certification. Yes, it is a lot of work, but we believe we will see more and more city and state agencies seeking certified, sustainable infrastructure and buildings — and that is good for everyone in the long run." |
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Erin Lybeck, RLA, LEED
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"I am part of the team working on the Penn Station Access project where PS&S is responsible for Envision coordination and the design and construction of the station entry plazas. We are creating pleasant, green spaces where people can sit and wait for their trains, which means working with our arborists, utilizing shade trees and all other aspects of the physical environment from a landscaping point of view. The movement that began with LEED for an individual building — through Envision — can now be seen in public works projects of all kinds whether it's a railroad, airport, streetscape, city park or other comparable project. There is a focus on resiliency, water quality and overall community health that is greater than ever before. The MTA wants the Penn Station Access project carried out in a way that is environmentally responsible and we feel privileged to be part of that effort."
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March 2022 Newsletter
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MARCH 2022 NEWSLETTER |
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FROM THE CORNER OFFICE |
John Sartor, PE
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Dear Friend of PS&S: Last November, President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion bill for infrastructure projects in the United States. If you're in the architecture, engineering, and construction community, this is big news and something we have all been hoping for and anticipating for many years -- not just as professionals but also as citizens of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania where much of the infrastructure package dollars will be spent. The spend is massive and a significant portion of the funding is dedicated to upgrading existing infrastructure, such as roads, rail, utilities, water/wastewater, and bridges. It’s clear that multiple firms will need to work together to accomplish these projects. For the most ambitious projects, there are a limited number of prime and subcontractors with the capabilities and strong track record of success working with local, state, and government agencies. The need for upgraded infrastructure is something that we all witness in our everyday lives. Some of the work likely to begin are marquee projects such as the next leg of the 2nd Avenue Subway and the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River. Others include the Pulaski Skyway and I-295, I-76, Route 42, and numerous NYC and NYS infrastructure projects. Indeed, as you can see here in the graphic from The Washington Post, the biggest single chunk of the infrastructure bill is for roads and bridges at $110 billion. |
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With the commencement of these projects, our nation is undertaking the biggest infrastructure project for roads, highways and bridges since the 1950s. That's a long time ago now – and I am sorry to say -- beyond the useful life of much if not most of the infrastructure in question. At PS&S, we're now looking at what we can do as a company to add value and grow along these projects over the next eight years of government spending and, in our case specifically, in the next three years, in line with an internal “Roadmap to 2025” Strategic Growth Plan we have set for ourselves. While roads and public transportation comprise most of the spend, we see opportunities for our vertical take-off expertise in aviation, environmental assessment and permitting, and power and utility infrastructure design. Like other firms in our business, we're looking at the White House documents that detail the infrastructure spend on a state-by-state basis. When looking at total spend (as distinct from per capita spend), PS&S has an established presence in six of the top 10 states earmarked for the most funding. For us those states are – in descending order of dollar spend -- are Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina. When you look at these documents, you will be struck by the opportunity for our industry, as well as the wide range of projects and the enormity of the scope. Pothole-free roads, beautiful new bridges, EV charging stations and high-speed internet access everywhere you go, and air taxis to take you to the airport. And that brings me to my earlier point – many firms and disciplines will be needed to do all this and thus I believe the infrastructure bill will usher in a new wave of alliances, partnerships and cooperation in our industry. Exciting times indeed. At PS&S, we’re ready and I am sure many of our friends and associates are too. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE |
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Fall 2021 Newsletter
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FALL 2021 NEWSLETTER |
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FROM THE CORNER OFFICE |
John Sartor, PE
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Dear Friend of PS&S: There’s a chill in the air as the seasons turn and it won’t be long before many of us will be traveling for the holidays. If you have ever budgeted an extra hour to get to the airport, you have probably wished you could call an air taxi and fly there. Well, you will be pleased to know that PS&S is involved in Advanced Air Mobility, which could make all that possible – and sooner than we all think. Advanced Air Mobility – moving people from point to point in the air using vertical take-off aircraft and landing zones (such as parking garage roofs) – is now being actively talked about here in the northeast. One of the early believers and advocates for Advanced Air Mobility is our own Chuck Clauser, who is both an architect and a licensed pilot. Chuck has long known that if properly implemented, traveling through the air can be done efficiently and safely – even in urban areas. In fact, PS&S is privileged to have been selected by Uber Elevate in 2019-2020 to serve as Architect of Record for their Vertiport and air taxi service in Los Angeles. (The pandemic and other factors ended that visionary project unfortunately and Elevate has since been sold by Uber.) We're proud to be one of the design firms to be chosen for these ambitious projects. It illustrates what I have long said: to be successful in this business you need technical expertise combined with talent – the kind of talent – and vision – that Chuck has. I should also point out that not only do we believe in the future of Advanced Air Mobility and our opportunity to be a major design and engineering player, but we are also partnering with others involved in this emerging industry such as Varon Corporation, which is pioneering the infrastructure for low-altitude airways. While they sound futuristic, these are not far off, pie-in-the-sky concepts for air transportation. Government bodies such as the FAA and NASA and private industry are aligned on the possibility that Advanced Air Mobility could be a reality in our area as early as 2023-2024, depending on the adoption of regulations, certifications, proven reliability, safety, and public acceptance. We hope you share our enthusiasm for this promising form of transportation that could move people in and around cities much faster than ever before, offering the potential for less traffic congestion and cleaner air. It certainly is an exciting time to be in our business. Thanks once again for your interest in PS&S. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE |
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Flight plan: Warren engineering firm enjoying work on revolutionary aerial transportation systems |
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By Brett Johnson (Warren) If flying taxis do take off — it’s going to be a local engineering firm helping in the initial liftoff. PS&S Architecture and Engineering P.C. is focusing heavily on the conceptual design of “vertiports” that will allow for vertical takeoff and landing of futuristic vehicles … and might not be as far off as you expect. The about 60-year-old Warren firm first launched a task force in 2019 to pursue opportunities within the aerial transport industry. And, earlier this year, it formalized a partnership between it and Varon Vehicles Corp., a company actively involved in designing infrastructure in urban environments that helicopter-like vehicles can move between. Ted Osborne, executive vice president of architecture and engineering at PS&S, admits he and the other senior professionals behind this project are like kids in a candy store. It’s fun. But, he’ll have you know, it’s also very serious — and not at all pie-in-the-sky. |
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July 2021 Newsletter
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JULY 2021 NEWSLETTER |
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
John Sartor, PE
President and CEO, PS&S
Coming Through on the Other Side
Dear Friend of PS&S,
At the height of the COVID pandemic, I said to our leadership team and employee base at PS&S and D.W. Smith that we had to do everything in our power not just to “survive” but to “thrive” – and come through stronger on the other side of our national public health emergency. That was an ambitious statement, I know, because we were in unchartered territory as a country and an economy. But I also knew PS&S had a track record to extend.
As you may know, PS&S was founded in early 1962. Since that time, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, there have been seven recessions in the United States – and 2020/the COVID pandemic – made eight. Our firm has weathered all those recessions and I am pleased to say 2020 was a good year for PS&S despite the many headwinds.
With the worst of the pandemic now behind us, I am writing to thank you for your support over the last 15 months and to let you know about a new internal initiative at PS&S – a plan for continued – indeed accelerated growth for our firm.
As a multidisciplinary consulting firm, we have several avenues for organic growth: by geography, by sector and by discipline – and, in many cases, these paths converge and overlap. It’s important to understand that we are not saying we want to grow just for the sake of growing. We aren’t putting dots on a map of the U.S. and looking at market data and saying, we need an office there. On the contrary, we want to grow with you – our existing clients – and new clients where they are growing. Yes, we’re proud to be “hyper local” in our New Jersey markets, but over the last several years, we have demonstrated that we will invest in being where the client is – whether that’s New York, Florida, North Carolina or Texas.
A plan without leadership, of course, is just a plan. To that end, in May, we named Andrew Malek to the position of Chief Growth Officer of PS&S, which is “a first” for us. This summer, Andrew will work with me, our Management Committee and other senior managers to prepare and finalize a draft of our plan.
In closing, thank you for your belief PS&S and here’s to the many projects we could do together in the future.
Sincerely,
John Sartor
President and CEO, PS&S
We recently asked our PS&S colleagues in different disciplines and geographies what is new in their areas with respect to overall growth. Here’s what they had to say:
GROWTH IN A&E DIVISION
Ted Osborne, RA, PP, AIA
Executive Vice President, PS&S
Ted Osborne, Executive Vice President of Architecture & Engineering (A&E), joined PS&S three years ago. In that relatively short amount of time, he has played a big role in the growth strategy, overseeing a wide variety of projects in areas across United States as the company expands.
Under Ted’s direction, PS&S is developing a master plan for an existing PS&S client in the Research Triangle in North Carolina with plans to open a new PS&S office in the area in the fall. Similarly, to serve an existing client, Ted says the opening of the PS&S office in Doylestown, PA, has resulted in new contracts with some of the pharmaceutical, life sciences and biotech companies headquartered in the area. PS&S is also involved in a project in the Midwest for an existing client in the pharmaceutical space as well.
Ted says the A&E division is also involved in multiple affordable housing and market-rate housing projects in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. With housing, of course, comes the need for infrastructure, which has led to work in public utilities and sewage treatment plants, as well as other capital improvement projects for PS&S.
As legislation has changed in New Jersey, new opportunities in cannabis have sprung up and PS&S is working on developing centers for growing cannabis growing as that new industry takes off. In the meantime, thanks to Ted for all he is doing to fuel growth for the A&E team.
GROWTH IN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION WORK
Jordan C. Beahm
Project Manager/Construction Manager
Jordan Beahm, Project Manager/Construction Inspector, who joined PS&S with the purchase of DW Smith Associates, LLC, reports he is seeing growth in Community Association work.
DW Smith had cultivated a long list of customers over 15 years in working with homeowner and condominium associations. While the firm had many capabilities, Jordan says the combination with PS&S in late 2019 has helped expand certain services to clients that would have needed to be outsourced in the past. For example, Jordan says being able to now offer PS&S’ architectural capabilities to existing clients brings more cohesiveness to a project.
Jordan believes the future for growth in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is directly tied to having the office in Doylestown. He says the local presence has helped to solidify PS&S in the region, which he expects will lead to more Community Association work.
GROWTH IN TEXAS
Pictured above from left to right: Mike Lester, Gulf Coast Survey Manager and Chaz Everman, Gulf Coast Survey Director
Texas is big, but Chaz Everman, Gulf Coast Survey Director, and Mike Lester, Gulf Coast Survey Manager, are helping to cultivate new clients that crisscross the Lone Star state.
Chaz says opening a new office in Houston during the pandemic was certainly challenging. A year later, however, they employ a full-time crew and five office personnel, fielding work in commercial and industrial real estate, as well as in the oil and gas industry.
The increase in surveying services in Texas originally came through PS&S’ acquisition of DW Smith, but the growth over the past year has been purely organic. The team has been able to establish a client base that has resulted in consistent work along with new proposals in the pipeline. Chaz says the goal for the first year was to establish PS&S in Houston and the goal for this coming year is to expand further in areas such as Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and West Texas.
Positioning Mike in West Texas was a strategic decision with the primary goal of diversifying the client base within the energy and real estate sectors in Texas. Mike says the energy sector in Midland was hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Today, the area is opening-up and he says PS&S is already a part of that comeback with a solid rise in demand for surveying services.
The goal of increasing PS&S’ efforts in Texas has been simple – cover as much of the state as possible and, so far, that strategy is working. Thanks Chaz and Mike for leading our efforts and growing the business over the past year!
May 2021 Newsletter
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MAY 2021 NEWSLETTER |
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
It has now been two months since the untimely passing of our longtime, fellow PS&S employee, Marilyn Lennon on March 11. Marilyn was an integral part of PS&S and a major contributor to the company’s success over a period of five decades. She was technically excellent, a tremendous manager and able to deal with the most challenging projects and clients. More than that, she was a great friend and big part of our family at PS&S.
Since her passing, we have asked ourselves what would be a fitting tribute to Marilyn? As some of you may know, she was a two-time breast cancer survivor, and, while that was not the cause of her death, Marilyn was deeply committed to raising awareness of breast cancer and helping to find a cure.
To further this cause, I am proud to announce that Team PS&S Cares will honor the life and legacy of Marilyn with a 5K breast cancer walk at Point Pleasant Beach on Sunday, October 17. Please see the Save the Date with more details at the end of this email. I hope you will participate or attend to honor Marilyn’s memory and to raise funds to fight cancer.
Marilyn touched so many of us and we have asked people to share their memories and thoughts in this special newsletter. A special thank you to Marilyn’s brother and fellow PS&S employee Mark Lennon for his contribution to this tribute during this difficult time for him and the Lennon family.
Of the many things Marilyn did so well, treating others with kindness and always being there for support were among her most valued attributes. Let’s keep Marilyn’s spirit alive at PS&S by remembering to listen, respect and support each other every day.
John Sartor, PE
President and CEO, PS&S ■
Sentiments
PS&S has lost one of its staunchest allies, and dedicated employees with the untimely passing of our dear friend and colleague Marilyn Lennon!
Marilyn joined the Environmental Department at PS&S in the early 1980’s and had an immediate impact on the success and expansion of the Department, ultimately leading it to become the premier group in the state of NJ and surrounding states. She became the premier marketing executive not only for the Department but for all PS&S during her two tenures here.
When PS&S was acquired by KeySpan Energy, Marilyn became the VP in charge of their Environmental Department at KeySpan. Upon the sale of KeySpan to National Grid, she decided to enter the Public Sector and had subsequent management roles at the NJTP and NJDEP and finally returned to her “home” here at PS&S (which was repurchased by current ownership from National Grid in 2009) for the balance of her career.
She will be missed by all at PS&S, especially those who knew her well. God be with you Marilyn!!!
Anthony Sartor, PhD, PE
Chairman Emeritus, PS&S ■
I knew Marilyn three decades, she hired me in 1992. It wasn’t until she returned to PS&S in recent years, however, that we became close friends. We were assigned a very challenging project but roles were reversed this time. She was now the Robin to my Batman. Numerous times we traveled the long distance to the client’s office in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She claimed she didn’t like driving long distances anymore, so I drove. These trips all started the same. I picked her up in the very early hours of the morning, usually in the dark. We’d get on the road and she would break into tune, “Why-o, Why-o, missing” and the tone was set for the ride.
I quickly realized along with the client, that with Marilyn, we were getting equal parts regulatory expert, political strategist, lobbyist, legal counsel and, maybe above all, fierce advocate. She moved with ease among State powerbrokers, on a first name basis, and quickly opened doors that I could never have. She could spar with the best of them. She fought my battles several times and always won.
And she wasn’t fooling me for a second about being uncomfortable driving long distances, she just wanted to be on the phone! During our trips, calls came in and went out constantly. I didn’t mind, I listened. As she talked with current and former colleagues, clients, yacht club people, Seaside Heights friends and of course, her dear brothers, I realized that the fabric of this woman’s life was rich and multi-layered. To all these people she was more than a friend or a sister. She was an advocate, an advisor, a consoler, a celebrator and, above all, she was loyal to them. “Robin” isn’t really right. I think she was the “Wonder Woman” to my “Batman.” I’ll miss my friend.
Walter Judge
Vice President, PS&S ■
Marilyn Lennon for me, and so many, was an amazing colleague, friend, always welcoming and a trusted advisor. Marilyn was able to tie together lessons, social engagement, genuine concern and thoughtfulness and, of course, fun. Marilyn is one of the reasons that PS&S became my home when I left government after many many years.
Knowing Marilyn was here, if I needed her, was extremely comforting in making the move. I will always be reminded of the lessons Marilyn taught me, the integrity with which she lived, the good judgement and dignity she did it with and I will pass it along. She would like that.
Marge Della Vecchia
Vice President, PS&S ■
Marilyn and I started at PS&S two months apart in 1983. We spent the next few years working closely, spending 5 to 7 days a week in Atlantic City, helping to establish the PS&S presence there that has lasted to this day. [Not exactly relevant – but interesting to note that John Sartor was just finding his footing in Middle School at the time].
I have worked with, dined with, and had a glass (or two) of wine with Marilyn many times over these last 38 years…and I would only say that Marilyn was indeed one-of-a-kind. She lived life her way and through many circumstances always maintained her composure, sense of humor and unique style. Marilyn was about a lot of things; she was indeed a champion of the environment, she was well read and informed, she loved to travel, and she loved her wine.
But when I think of the things that clearly meant the most to her, first and foremost was her family; she clearly loved them above all else. And the other was PS&S. I dare say that the company has never had a more ardent supporter and dedicated employee – she spent her many working hours always trying to help the company grow and improve. We will all miss her dearly.
Michael P. Cohen
Senior Vice President, PS&S ■
Preparing for the weekly Land Development/Client Relationship Manager meeting, the passing of Marilyn Lennon, arguably one of the most enthusiastic contributors of these strategic 30-minute sessions, severely compromised my ability to focus.
I opened the virtual meeting by acknowledging our loss, our colleague and friend that was a venerable strength for PS&S for multiple decades. Pulled from the stage in the middle of her song, we agreed that a moment of silence to mark the moment would be woefully inadequate. I invited the meeting participants to feel free to share their reflections of Marilyn in their lives.
By the meeting conclusion, it was clear that Marilyn was universally understood to be a source of professional encouragement to all, one of the first upper management members to reach out and welcome newcomers, an ethical professional with integrity, and a successful rainmaker for PS&S. These short reflections are best re-told by Marilyn’s friends and colleagues; they are truly inspiring.
As Marilyn and I occasionally shared our Catholic Faith and Irish heritage, we both understood that death is the thinnest of veils between life temporal and life eternal and while I will miss her joyful presence, we all can rejoice in her place in Paradise.
Joseph J. Fleming
First Executive Vice President, PS&S ■
My family and I have received the most generous outpouring of sentiments from so many of my sister Marilyn’s friends and colleagues from PS&S, the NJDEP, the Turnpike Authority, clients, friends, and people that Marilyn literally just passed on the street.
We were touched but not surprised to hear that several of New Jersey’s business and industry groups, and environmental interest groups held moments of silence in Marilyn’s honor at the beginning of their recent meetings; it is fitting that organizations from both sides of the land use/natural resources debate provided the same tribute.
The owners and staff from at least five local seaside restaurants came to pay their respects at Marilyn’s memorial service, some with tears in their eyes, as they related how kind Marilyn was to them… and they seemed to know me and my family so well, just from the stories Marilyn told them. You can now visit Marilyn’s plaque at Chef Mike’s Atlantic Bar and Grill, mounted over her favorite chair. The owner of Betty & Nick’s Bait and Tackle shop posted a tribute to Marilyn on his webpage. Why? Because Marilyn would see him on her daily sunrise walks, and would always stop and ask: “How’s the fishing, and how are you?” Marilyn was always glad to meet you, listen to you and learn about you, and become your friend.
We received so many phone calls, emails, cards, and letters that used the same words: welcoming, supportive, a mentor, an ally, and a trusted and valuable friend. God has been generous by giving us such a beautiful and loving soul, and Marilyn’s memory will continue to be a blessing, a source of great pride, and a joy to us forever.
Thank you again for your kind words and heart-felt sentiments. They provide great comfort to us.
On behalf of the Lennon Family,
Mark Lennon ■
March 2021 Newsletter
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MARCH 2021 NEWSLETTER |
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
John Sartor, PE
President and CEO
We may be 59 years old, but there is always something new happening at PS&S. You may have noticed new colors and a new look as we have just launched a re-branding of our company. This was no simple task, and we took great care and thought as our re-brand exemplifies our path forward. Throughout it all we were designing and building out our new corporate headquarters, so we took that opportunity to look inward to create a brand that embodies the mission, vision and values of our company. Our employees are our most important asset, and it was important that we emphasize the work they do as the foundation for our new look.
At PS&S we constantly evaluate ourselves on our managerial expertise, technical excellence and our business development acumen. Those three pillars of excellence are the building blocks we used for the design of our new headquarters and logo. We also wanted to incorporate the integration of DW Smith into our new brand. As we added new services and markets, we wanted to highlight the synergies between PS&S and DW Smith.
We took it upon ourselves and used our skills as engineers and architects to help come up with a solution for the new brand. We tackled the issue in the same way we work with clients---by solving a problem in a systematic way to reach our goal. Of course, in everything we do we focus on our work for our clients. That was an underlying principle we brought into our new workspace and logo, and helps guide all of us every day.
Jesper Ryberg and I recently spoke with Linda Lindner of NJ Biz about the evolution of our new brand. You can read the article here which describes how the ‘blueprint’ guided us along the journey. I invite you to visit our new headquarters or any of our offices where you will see this blueprint prominently displayed on our walls. The blueprint reminds us of our past and gives us a glimpse of a bright future ahead providing superior service to our clients.
John Sartor
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Jesper Ryberg is the Design Director of PS&S with more than 18 years of architectural experience. In that role, he oversees the creative process and directs, inspires, and motivates the design professionals at PS&S to elevate product aesthetic and quality. Ryberg has worked closely with clients and designers to build creative, cohesive results on hundreds of key projects for the company. As lead designer for many of PS&S’s office planning projects it only made sense that he would also take on that leadership role for the new PS&S headquarters. Halfway during the design process COVID hit which meant making modifications and adjustments for the new normal and building out the workplace of the future. Ryberg describes the new office as having an energetic hub in the center much like the center of a beehive surrounded with a radial perspective that gets more private and focused as you move away from the center. Ryberg also took the colors and designs from the new headquarters and was the guiding force in creating the ‘blueprint’ that served as a guide to the new PS&S brand. Ryberg has a degree in Engineering from Tycho Brahe Engineering School and an Architecture degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Thank you for dedicated service to PS&S!
During Women’s History Month PS&S would like to recognize Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Nevins. Previously she was a Principal of DW Smith Associates and handled the overall operations including project management, quality control and assurance, client satisfaction and strategic planning. She successfully created the Community Association Services division within DW Smith Associates and continues in that lead role at PS&S. Last year she was president of the New Jersey Community Association Institute and has served in many leadership roles at the national and state level. As part of the management committee, she leads branding and marketing efforts of the firm and is in charge of the branding subcommittee that helped spearhead the new logo design.
Over the past year Nevins has taken a leadership role in the integration process of DW Smith with PS&S. She says the philosophy of focusing on employees is just one of the many synergies between the firms that has been a guiding force as they consolidate. Nevins has also been an advocate for women’s leadership, including advising and mentoring female students through the Rutgers Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL), and recently she helped to establish the Women’s Initiative Program within PS&S. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree. She also earned her Management for Design Firms Certification from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and Construction Management Certification from New Jersey Institute of Technology. Most recently, she received the Executive Leadership Certification from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Thank you for being such an inspiring team member!
December 2020 Newsletter
DECEMBER 2020
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
John Sartor, PE
President and CEO
As we wind down the last few weeks of 2020, we look back at some significant milestones achieved at PS&S during the pandemic.
We were excited (and remain excited) about moving into our new 44,000 square-foot headquarters this year. But the pandemic quickly forced us to adapt to new design demands and rethink our own office configuration. We took into consideration what the ‘office of the future’ demanded and incorporated new designs and features with COVID-related planning in mind. That includes more spacing for employees, adding partitions between works spaces and re-thinking our kitchen/food areas. We focused on personal hygiene by increasing sanitizing stations and reconfiguring our conference rooms. We welcomed employees on November 9th to our new location at 3 Mountainview Road in Warren, NJ. The new space was covered by Real Estate NJ, ROI-NJ, NJBiz, Civil + Structural Engineer and Echoes Sentinel.
While certain protocols may have changed, our work on major projects continued. Even in the face of a challenging year for many industries, PS&S was still able to expand with the opening of a new office in Houston, TX. Our primary goal with the expansion of regional offices was to place our teams closer to our clients. PS&S currently has eight offices that remain open on a staggered staff schedule.
This year obviously brought many challenges to our daily work routines. I can’t stress enough how proud we are of the PS&S team, who I feel didn’t miss a beat as we adapted to a new way of servicing our clients.
What’s ahead in 2021
It was one year ago that we announced our merger with DW Smith Associates. We continue to integrate staff from both entities into various projects and look forward to more formal integration of both companies, and a formal re-branding in 2021. The DW Smith Team has been a phenomenal partner as we build our new company and much of our ongoing growth will happen in the disciplines DW Smith is known for. One thing is certain: there will be more challenges as we get through this pandemic, but we will adapt, as we did this year, and find new innovative solutions to serve the needs of our clients. Thank you for being our partner during a challenging but rewarding year.
John Sartor
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Kris McCool has seen every aspect of consulting in her 27 years in the business…design, development, mentoring, client management and regional office support. Her leadership qualities have enabled her to accept new challenges, most recently by developing a strong project team focused on responsible engineering practices and renewable energy. She has demonstrated her support of regional growth by managing employees in several locations as well as embracing the integration of DW Smith into the PS&S family. Through the efforts of her talented team, PS&S has a new initiative, Asset Management/Data Analysis. This work has resulted in expanding our lines of business to further meet our clients’ changing needs, and has prompted us to launch our newest internship program - online Data Analytics. Over the past few months we have learned to conduct business in a new way and her team has completely embraced virtual technology to ensure projects were executed within budgetary and schedule requirements. Kris serves as Vice President of Energy Services at PS&S and has been with the company since 1997. She has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island, and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Thank you, Kris, for your dedicated service to PS&S!
A special recognition also goes out to Kevin Murphy of DW Smith Associates. COVID-19 presented challenges for customers as well as at our own company. We want to recognize Kevin, who has played an active role, specifically from a health and safety perspective overseeing compliance amongst the field survey staff located across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and the various states of the Southeast where survey crews have continued to work. Kevin joined DW Smith in 2006 and has spent the last 14 years working in the Surveying, Utility and Land Development groups. Kevin is a Licensed PE and LS in New Jersey and has his LS license in Pennsylvania and New York with plans to become licensed in Texas in the spring of 2021 and Maryland in the fall of 2021. Thank you, Kevin, for your dedicated service to PS&S!
Winter 2019 Newsletter
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WINTER 2019 – 2020 NEWSLETTER |
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
Our clients; our employees; our future
As the year comes to a close, PS&S has committed time and resources to several initiatives to position the company for growth. We recognized the need to bring our employees closer to our clients. In the process, we embraced technology to allow for a more mobile workforce. Our goal has been to create multiple office locations to better service clients. We found an added benefit—greater work life balance for our employees. It has been a departure from how we have done business traditionally, but by adding offices such as a New York City location has allowed us to retain and attract our most valued assets—great employees.
The new year also brings a newly-expanded PS&S: we announced our purchase of DW Smith Associates last month, and welcome the talented team from DW Smith as we expand our energy, land development, and community association practices. While this was a natural extension of our current working relationship, our goal is to expand our presence well beyond the Northeast.
Moving forward to 2020
Looking ahead to 2020, we are making some organizational changes. For the past 10 years, we have operated under two main profit and loss centers which many of you are familiar with—the building and land groups—which were comprised of numerous individual department disciplines. We will now merge these departments into three new divisions: Architectural and Engineering, Land Development and Environmental and Energy. Strategically, this new organizational structure will help align our company, as well as foster a smooth transition of incorporating DW Smith clients and employees into the PS&S family.
We are excited about moving to our new headquarters in Warren later next summer. We are creating spaces to allow for a more collaborative work environment as we reorganize into our three new business units. We will have new space, new equipment, and employees will be on one floor, instead of different buildings. We are confident this will help promote more interaction and the exchange of ideas so we can continue providing world-class service. In addition, we expect to open up more offices in the tri-state area, as well as additional locations including Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
A new decade
For 2020 and beyond, we will continue to focus on increasing our work on public projects as well as energy utility projects. While we can never forecast the ups and downs of the economy, we believe the stability of public projects and energy utilities will keep our business strong no matter how the economy is impacted.
We thank you for your partnership throughout the years. We value our clients, employees and other partners who have contributed to our success and growth. We look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2020. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!
Summer 2019 Newsletter
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
At PS&S, we remain committed to supporting our most valuable asset—our employees—by creating an environment that fosters career development and personal satisfaction of a job well done. We are particularly pleased to shine the spotlight in this newsletter on employees who have worked at our company for more than 30 years. When working on multi-faceted projects our clients know they can count on our experience to provide best in class service. These six individuals have dedicated their careers to helping PS&S prosper and we look forward to helping all employees develop new skills and advance their careers.
We also highlight our employees who demonstrate our core values and are recipients of the Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor Awards. We want to thank all our employees and look forward to servicing our clients professionally while maintaining a collaborative environment that continues to allow our employees to thrive and excel.
For more information, please contact John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com.
FOCUS ON: Work Anniversaries of 30 Years and More
We are happy to announce the work anniversaries of the following individuals who have been part of PS&S for more than 30 years.
35th Year Anniversary
Michael Cohen, PE
Senior Vice President
How have you seen PS&S evolve and what was your most rewarding project?
When I got to PS&S in 1983, we were 75 people offering several services in one building in Warren. During my career we have been involved in so many groundbreaking and signature projects like The Taj Mahal, Harrah’s and Borgata in Atlantic City, Port Imperial on the Hudson River, and the Red Bull Stadium in Harrison. Having spent many years working with Hudson County and their Improvement Authority on the design and construction of the Skyway Golf Course in Jersey City is certainly among the top of my accomplishments. It was a thrill to help the County close their old landfill and in the process create the first and only public golf course in the county. Since opening three years ago and it has received rave reviews from the golf community as well as the public in general for its environmentally sensitive and beautiful features within its urban setting.
Ellen Deskins
How have you seen PS&S evolve to meet the growing demands of its clients over the course of your career?
When I started the staff was fewer than 100 employees. A rapid growth in the business brought about more expertise and advanced technical staff who have been able to push the company forward. My words of wisdom to colleagues is, be open to learn from others and know that everyone’s opinion is valued.
Mike Rakowsky
What do you hope to see for the future of PS&S?
Over the last 35 years here at PS&S, my job has always been unique because of the various responsibilities I perform. I’m glad to have known and developed relationships with so many wonderful people in this great company. My vision for the future of PS&S is to see more expansion throughout and growth from within.
30th Year Anniversary
Sanjay Patel, PE
Vice President
What is your most memorable challenge or project at PS&S?
PS&S has diversified efficiently to provide specialty professional services to major public and private clients such as energy and utilities, remediation and redevelopment, etc. My most memorable project at PS&S is “Gas and Odor Control at Fresh Kills Landfill”, Staten Island New York. This was a challenging project involving design and construction of a system to collect and manage the methane gas generated from the largest landfill (250+ acres) in the United States. The scope and scale of the project was unprecedented at the time. The project made a major positive impact on the environment and quality of the surrounding community. It was rewarding for the Company and has stood test of the time over the past 18 years.
James Wancho, PE
Vice President
What are some of the driving factors behind your tenure at PS&S?
PS&S has added many new service offerings over the years to meet the needs of our clients and to remain relevant in an ever-changing industry. In fact, the addition of Water Resources as a service offering brought me to the company 30 years ago. One of the benefits of working at PS&S has been the opportunity to work on many important and challenging projects for scores of great clients. PS&S was founded on strong values and as we grow into new locations with new service offerings, I am confident we will continue to foster the long-term careers of so many employees like myself.
FOCUS ON: Paulus, Sokolowski, & Sartor Awards
Congratulations to all of our outstanding award winners whom we recognize for their management, technical, and business development excellence.
We are privileged to work with so many of you who are truly committed to our clients and the services we provide.
The Paulus Badge: Management Excellence (P)
Recognition for effective communication, care, and management of our company's resources to deliver great and timely results
The Sokolowski Badge: Technical Excellence (S)
Recognition for demonstrating and furthering the technical prowess that we expect of ourselves and that our clients demand
The Sartor Badge: Business Development Excellence (&S)
Recognition for helping to generate a dependable revenue source for our company and to enhance our brand in the marketplace
The six winners are:
Mark Allen
Marissa Magura
Nicole Muth
Kyle Rutherford
Jason Schooling
Nevien Valenzuela
Summer 2018 Newsletter
FROM THE CORNER OFFICE
Recognizing our company’s best is an honor we always love to share in these newsletters. Earlier this year, we announced the promotions of 11 PS&S employees who became senior associates or associates.
Now we are thrilled to announce that eight PS&S senior-level managers have become Principals/Vice Presidents or Associate Principals. These eight men and women have all taken different paths to arrive at this moment, but all share several common bonds: Professional excellence in their respective disciplines and an unwavering desire to succeed for our clients and for our company.
For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com.
FOCUS ON: Senior Level Promotions
We are happy to announce the following promotions in our Warren-based family of companies and at our regional offices. Eight senior-level professionals have been recognized for their outstanding work and dedicated service for our clients. All promotions took effect on June 22, 2018.
Promoted to Principal and Vice President:
Kris McCool – Kris heads up PS&S’s Energy Services Group where she oversees many of the company’s energy and utility projects. Since joining the company in 1997, Kris has worked on large-scale brownfield development projects, managed our Delaware Valley office and was involved in the launching of three PS&S affiliated companies: PS&S Global, WarrenPro, and AJS Cap. Kris has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
Jarka Vonder – As a Director of Surveying, Jarka is responsible for execution and supervision of surveying projects including boundary surveys for residential and commercial development, ALTA/ACSM Surveys, right-of-way acquisition, GIS applications, control for aerial photography, topographic and wetlands survey. She has substantial experience in subdivision design and layout, deed research, and map filing laws. Jarka joined PS&S in 1987 and has an MBA from Farleigh Dickinson University.
Marge DellaVecchia - Marge joined PS&S in 2016 and is responsible for client contact, outreach, project liaison and governmental contacts in and around the Delaware Valley region. As a planner she is also able to work with clients to bring together partnerships and creative solutions to a variety of challenges.
Prior to joining PS&S, Marge worked for Camden County for six years, most recently as the Deputy Director of the Municipal Utilities Authority. Her past experience in the public sector includes positions in state government with the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the Department of Community Affairs, and 13 years in various roles in Cherry Hill Township. She is a graduate of Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Walter Fedick – Walt joined PS&S in 2017 to lead the PS&S Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection group where he manages multiple projects and works with both existing and new clients. Prior to joining PS&S, Walt spent 37 years at Roche, most recently as the Senior Manager of Engineering. He is a graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, earning three Master’s Degrees and his Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering.
Bill Salmon – Bill joined PS&S in April of 2015 as a Senior Director of Land Development to spearhead the enhanced presence for civil engineering and land development in the Monmouth and Ocean county regions. In his career, Bill has developed expertise in project management, all aspects of engineering design and regulatory permitting with NJDEP, NJDOT, and county and municipal organizations, and has provided expert testimony with municipal and zoning boards. Bill grew up in Edison, NJ, and earned his degree in civil engineering at Youngstown State University in Ohio.
Promoted to Associate Principal:
Joe Barry – Joe has 37 years of professional experience, and originally joined PS&S in 1986 as a Project Manager in the Civil Engineering department. He held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility, moving from project management to Department Management to Project Controls for the firm. He returned to PS&S in late 2015 after six years with the Port Authority of NY & NJ as Senior Project Controls Manager for the $15 billion World Trade Center Construction Program (WTCC), which included 1 WTC (the Freedom Tower), the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the WTC Transportation Hub and other ancillary projects. Joe received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from NJIT.
Mark Chmielewski – Mark is a senior project manager who joined PS&S in 2002. Mark has a broad range of experience with a variety of building types including offices, education, higher education, mixed use, pharmaceutical research laboratories, manufacturing facilities, industrial and parking structures and multifamily residential/light commercial. He has been involved in all phases of architectural services from planning and programming to design development and construction documentation through construction administration. He also has a strong knowledge of Westchester County, from the geography to the building stock. Mark graduated from NJIT with a degree in Architecture.
Chris Gulics – Chris joined PS&S in 2015 and is the company’s Senior Director of Environmental Regulatory Compliance. Chris has over 22 years of experience in management of water, stormwater and wastewater permitting services as well as with the NJDEP Air Quality Management Regulations. In addition to his technical expertise, Chris has a comprehensive understanding of the environmental regulations governing hazardous materials/wastes and their impact on the environment. Chris grew up in Woodbridge and went to Rutgers where he graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Water Resources.
Winter 2018 Newsletter
From the Corner Office
Doug Conant, the former Chief Executive Officer of Campbell Soup Company, is a business leader known for his focus on people. His motto has faithfully been, “To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” We completely agree with Doug’s “people-first” approach, and so to kick off our first newsletter of 2018, we are focusing on our company’s most important resource: our employees.
We are always particularly happy when we get to recognize the people who have earned promotions by spotlighting them in our newsletters. We want our community to know who is moving up and succeeding in our company and this month, you will read about 11 stand-out employees who are becoming senior associates and associates. These 11 men and women are a large part of the reason we are so confident now and for the future of our companies.
We will also shine a spotlight on our new Senior Director, Rich Crane. Rich brings his wastewater expertise to our Water Resources team expanding our capabilities in that crucial area.
We are clearly growing and expanding as 2018 begins, and we look forward to watching these talented professionals help our company strengthen and prosper.
For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com.
Focus On: Employee Promotions
We are happy to announce the following promotions in our family of companies at our Warren HQ and at our regional offices. Eleven professionals have been recognized for their outstanding work and dedicated service for our clients. All promotions took effect on January 1, 2018.
Promoted to Senior Associate:
Kristin Baltadonis – This is the second promotion for Kristin who joined PS&S in 2011. She is an environmental scientist with more than 14 years of experience in many aspects of environmental and remediation investigations. She works mostly in the Environmental Sector and handles some licensing and permitting in the Science and Tech Sector. Kristin, who grew up in Massachusetts, went to college in North Carolina and lives in Morristown, works mostly with New Jersey’s public utilities. Her favorite project has been uprating a pipeline in northern NJ for a utility client.
Helena Dimitrov – Helena has held multiple roles in her 20+ years at the company. Currently, Helena is the Senior Business Analyst at AJS BIS, where she analyzes projects and works with clients on project workflow management, strategy and consultation. Her roots are in information technology, where she maximized profits for the company by helping to implement the conversion of the financial project control systems. A Hillsborough, NJ resident, Helena earned a BA in Political Science from Rutgers.
Dennis Fox – In his 10+ years at PS&S, Dennis has served as a Project Manager/Structural Engineer for the design of a wide range of projects from small renovations to large commercial, educational, institutional and industrial facilities. A Rowan University graduate, Dennis handles a variety of responsibilities including project management, design support and mentoring junior engineers.
Adam Lazer – Adam joined PS&S after graduating from the University of Rochester in 2002 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He left briefly to join a client’s firm but returned in 2015 and now serves as the Client Lead for that same company. Adam is a project manager supporting design and construction services for PS&S’s pharmaceutical clients.
Tom Maleski – Tom rejoined PS&S in 2016, returning to take a position as a Building Information Modeling (BIM) Manager. Tom is being promoted to Senior Associate in the Building Services group, working on a variety of projects, specifically training and mentoring on BIM technology. Tom received his degree in Civil Engineering from NJIT and previously worked at PS&S as a structural designer.
Promoted to Associate:
Scott Caporizzo – Scott joined PS&S in 2013 after graduating from Lehigh University with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Based in PS&S’s Yonkers office, Scott works in the Environmental Department, providing services for projects requiring site assessment/remediation and regulatory compliance. As a field supervisor, Scott observes and documents various remedial action implementations such as in-situ soil and groundwater treatment, sediment excavation, and engineering controls installation. He enjoys playing an integral role at a regional office, contributing to a close-knit group of people.
Fred Chen – Since 2015, Fred has been an integral member of the PS&S MEPF team. He has more than 10 years of experience in the engineering consulting industry and has served as Lead Engineer in charge of electrical engineering and design quality control of the department. Fred was born in Queens, NY, and now lives in Middlesex Borough, having graduated from Union College in 2007 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His most memorable project was a resilience project for the Bergen County Utility Authority focusing on water pollution. PS&S was instrumental in obtaining federal funding to fix equipment damaged by Superstorm Sandy so that the base could be replaced from the bottom up to avoid future damage.
Agnes Dzierzanowski – Agnes is the heart and soul of the PS&S Land Project Controls Group. Since joining the company in 1993, Agnes has been responsible for the project opening and billing procedures, working with all of our Land project managers. Agnes’ dedication and attention to detail for our billing and budgeting processes have been essential to the success of this group.
Angela Gonzalez – For the past four years, Angela has been an architect in the PS&S Building Group after working as a sole proprietor and consultant. Currently, she is the project architect for Millville High School, a multi-phase renovation and addition in Millville, NJ. Angela earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Design from Miami of Ohio and a Masters of Architecture from Virginia Tech. Originally from Ossining, NY, Angela now lives in Mendham, NJ.
Adolf Montana – A 20-year PS&S veteran, Adolf is a LEED accredited Civil Engineer who is responsible for design work related to all aspects of site development. In particular, Adolf is responsible for site layout, roadway design, grading, storm and sanitary design. In one of his early projects, he helped develop the roadway design for the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. A CCNY graduate and resident of Monroe, Adolf is currently working on the design-build Hudson County School of Technology set to open later this year in Secaucus.
Darlene Silva – Darlene is a member of our Wall regional office where her responsibilities include performance of environmental feasibility analyses, wetlands delineations and permit applications. Her experience includes projects subject to the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act as well as projects subject to New Jersey Pinelands Commission jurisdiction. Darlene also prepares Environmental Impact Statements for submission to New Jersey municipalities. A graduate of Paul Smith’s College with a degree in Ecology and Environmental Technology, Darlene has been at PS&S since 2014.
Employee Spotlight: Rich Crane
Rich Crane has joined PS&S as a Senior Director in the company’s Water Resources Department. He will be based in the Company’s Wall, New Jersey, regional office.
Rich has 37 years of experience in feasibility studies, planning, process mechanical design, contract administration and project management for wastewater treatment plant and pump station design and related construction projects. He began his career in the wastewater field by working on various projects for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection including several large treatment facilities which treated between 125-350 million gallons of wastewater per day. Rich was involved in the design, startup, training and construction administration of wastewater treatment facilities in all five NYC Boroughs.
Rich was hired to strengthen PS&S’s wastewater capabilities, and the decision is already paying dividends. He has a long and successful relationship with the South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) having designed both their original cogeneration system installation and the cogeneration system upgrade. PS&S was just recently awarded a construction phase services contract for the system upgrade project. The PS&S team is proud to continue that relationship.
“I have known about PS&S and its capabilities for years,” Rich commented. “I wanted to join this team not only because of the strength of the company’s water resources group, but because of the level of talent throughout the company. Add in the wide variety of projects and the diverse client base, and the decision to join PS&S was a no-brainer.”
Rich and his wife Alberta have three adult sons and reside in Freehold Township. Outside the office, Rich believes in giving back by working with the next generation of engineers. He has served as an instructor for Rutgers University helping recent graduates study for the hydraulics portion of the PE exam.
“Rich brings PS&S’s wastewater capabilities to a new level,” said John Vena, PS&S’s Associate Principal in charge of the company’s Wall Regional Office. “His expertise increases our opportunities to secure larger and more significant projects in the area of wastewater treatment, pumping stations, solids handing facilities and cogeneration.”
For more information, please contact Rich Crane at rcrane@psands.com.
Fall 2017 Newsletter
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While the importance of education remains constant, what is different now from yesteryear is how and where children learn. It’s obvious that the one-room schoolhouse has gone the way of the horse and buggy, replaced by modern technological structures built to educate children in the 21st century and beyond. PS&S designs sustainable, efficient, and cost effective educational facilities for both private and public institutions. Our goal is to translate the needs and vision of our clients into practical architecture and engineering solutions that support current and future educational needs. We are proud of our portfolio of completed K-12 education projects which include recent additions in New Brunswick, Keansburg, Newark, Paterson and Millville, New Jersey as well as the Bronx, New York. Townships and school districts are making important investments in their educational infrastructure and our architects and engineers have extensive experience designing and delivering high-performance design-build "21st century" K-12 school buildings. We are also LEED-certified specialists. With the 2017-2018 school year now in full swing, our autumn newsletter will highlight our education work and the professionals who are working to design and build the next generation of schools for the next generation of students. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Ron Weston heads up the company’s Education Sector. Ron joined PS&S in 2011 and is a senior member of the Architecture & Engineering Practice where he is involved in business development and management of A/E projects. Ron is a graduate of Syracuse University and is a passionate advocate for sustainable design, environmental protection, and smart land use planning. "It is extremely rewarding to design buildings where children can learn and grow," Ron said. "I don’t mind dealing with the myriad challenges with these public projects, when at the end of the project you get to cut a ribbon on a new school. Schools are investments in the future and will be around for generations." In New Jersey specifically, PS&S offers design-build delivery expertise with several completed projects standing as proof that this is the wave of the future. If the old adage is true that time is money, this process is a win-win. The process allows for one contract and one unified flow of work from preliminary design through completion – thereby integrating the roles of designer and constructor. Design-build is an alternative to the traditional design-bid-build project delivery method and it certainly saves time...and money. In just the past year, PS&S had the privilege of helping to unveil three brand new schools.
In New Jersey, the company successfully teamed with Farmingdale, NJ-based Hall Construction on six NJ Schools Development Authority (NJSDA) design-build projects, including two award-winning schools which opened in 2016: Elliott Street Elementary School in Newark and Joseph C. Caruso Elementary School in Keansburg. PS&S served as both Engineers of Record and Architect of Record for both schools, working in close collaboration with the design-build contractors. Both projects were recognized with Distinguished Engineering Awards by the New Jersey Alliance for Action.
The new $38 million Elliott Street Elementary School, is a 137,889 square foot facility designed to educate 848 students from Grade Pre-K to Grade 8. The new $33 million Caruso Elementary School is 122,000 square-feet and is designed to educate 840 students in grades K to 4.
Both school buildings replaced previous old school structures that were no longer suitable for use and were demolished to make way for new facilities. These state-of-the-art education facilities house general classrooms, specialized instructional classrooms and labs, media center, multi-purpose/assembly room, cafeteria, gymnasium and outdoor play areas, as well as administrative and support facilities. Most recently, PS&S’s integrated A/E group, including architecture, civil, structural, MEP and Geotech teams, designed and engineered the state-of-the-art elementary school, PS 583 in the Bronx, New York. The project received a 'Gold' design award at the AIA Newark & Suburban 2017 Design Awards competition, and is now home to more than 500 students and teachers.
In addition to public schools, PS&S is pursuing opportunities with public charter schools as well. And the education group also focuses on higher education work. PS&S has partnered with many colleges and universities with competed projects at SUNY Albany, Montclair State University, Richard Stockton College, Columbia University and Rutgers University, just to name a few. One of the clear drivers of the company’s education work is the changing face of technology. Schools need to be built for the 21st Century – they need to be sustainable, environmentally friendly and encourage health and wellness. PS&S has a dedicated group that leads energy projects and collaborates with other disciplines on energy initiatives in both new construction and renovation projects. The PS&S professionals are Certified Energy Managers and/or LEED-Accredited Professionals who have experience on a variety of energy and sustainability projects. "The only definite we know of is that change is inevitable," says Ron Weston. "You can’t account for everything, but you must assume things will change. 10 years ago, the trend in schools was building with fiber cable to the desktop. Now, it’s all about wireless. No one anticipated that cabling would be unnecessary. It’s hard to predict all the technological needs of the future but we need to design with flexibility and adaptability as best we can. The health and wellness of students and teachers, who spend so much of their lives in these buildings, is paramount as we create updated and new schools." For more information, contact Ron Weston at rweston@psands.com. |
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Summer 2017 Newsletter
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| SUMMER 2017 NEWSLETTER |
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Click to expand/collapse One of the areas affected is the installation of emergency generators. In the five years since Superstorm Sandy, businesses that have added generators or switched to larger generators or have added fuel for run times have all needed to make sure their work meets state and local compliance and permitting codes. Our environmental regulatory compliance team has been busy working with clients to provide quality counsel on all these matters. In this newsletter, our employee spotlight will focus on Chris Gulics, who came to PS&S in 2015, bringing more than 20 years of experience providing environmental regulatory compliance services to a variety of clients. Our “In Focus” looks at a topic that many of us take for granted: clean drinking water. Recent headlines regarding lead in water in towns such as Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey have put the spotlight on how safe our water is. Many municipalities and public and private entities are looking to PS&S to make sure they are following all current regulations regarding testing and compliance, and with Chris Gulics and his team of professionals, we are confident they are in very good hands. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse But in recent years, several high-profile stories have changed the way many Americans think about tap water, especially in places away from the familiarity of home such as malls, schools and hospitals. We first heard about the Flint, Michigan, water disaster in 2014 when the city of nearly 100,000 people switched water sources as a cost-cutting measure which led to tainted drinking water that contained lead and other toxins. Last year in New Jersey, Newark school officials broke the news that elevated levels of lead had been found in nearly half of the public schools. Prompted by the Flint crisis and the high lead results in Newark, the New Jersey Board of Education adopted rules last July requiring schools to test water fountains and other drinking water sources. The city of Newark wound up spending more than $1 million to test water sources across the city’s 65 public schools. Lead in public water is a national issue and with the aging of the nation’s infrastructure – in this case pipes carrying water from the source to the tap – one that is not likely to go away. In the vast majority of cases, lead enters the drinking water through the water delivery system itself when it leaches from either lead pipes, fixtures containing lead, or lead solder. The leaching of lead is caused by corrosive properties in water. Very rarely is lead present in the sources of drinking water. PS&S is a recognized leader in the field of water resources with a staff of talented professionals that can meet the technical requirements of any water challenge. Earlier this year, a large New Jersey Medical Center was told tests showed its drinking water contained elevated levels of lead, which was most likely leaching from the hospital’s own pipes and faucet fixtures. PS&S has worked with the hospital to upgrade both its well and water treatment systems. “The Medical Center uses its well water as its primary source and relies on city water as a backup source,” said Chris Gulics, PS&S’s Senior Director of Environmental and Regulatory Compliance. “We are currently working with them to treat both supplies, meeting the challenge of additional sampling and permit compliance.” “Our work follows our successful collaboration with another major New Jersey Healthcare System,” continued Gulics. “When tests at one of their locations showed elevated lead levels, PS&S’s water treatment team was called in to help fix the problem.” Currently, there are thousands of miles of aging water lines providing water to buildings in New Jersey and other states. The PS&S professionals in its Water Resources and Environmental Regulatory Compliance teams are ready to help both public and private entities fix this costly and potentially unhealthy problem. For more information, contact Chris Gulics at cgulics@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse “PS&S was doing this work before I arrived,” said Gulics. “But now, we have a core group that makes sure our clients are covered on all environmental and regulatory matters. We take care of operational permits, which are basically things clients must do in order to operate their businesses. There is a constant learning process to keep current on guidelines and regulations and to understand permitting. It’s easy to get the permit; it’s hard to make sure the client complies with the permit. So, our goal is to keep the clients from needing permitting if possible, and if not, we make it as easy as possible to operate within the conditions of the permit.” Chris grew up in Woodbridge and went to Rutgers where he graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Water Resources. He now lives in Howell, which gives him great access to two of his favorite pastimes with his three sons ages 11, 13, and 15: fishing and the hitting the Point Pleasant beach. In his 20-plus years working with clients, Chris has developed relationships with many professionals who are often able to recommend other PS&S services to their company. “We start out doing work in one area and it leads to more,” said Gulics. “Relationships matter, and once you earn someone’s trust, they are much more likely to want to expand that working relationship. PS&S is truly a “one-stop shop.” Clients begin to realize that the longer we work with them. We are always looking to educating clients as to PS&S’s capabilities.” One such client is a New Jersey- based behavioral health facility and a Chris Gulics client since 2000. In fact, the relationship goes back even further when Chris was involved in environmental work with the company’s current director of facilities at his prior employer. PS&S has made upgrades to the treatment plants and has worked on numerous environmental projects. Besides Chris, there are four other professionals on the compliance team:
One very important affiliation for Chris and PS&S is the relationship with the New Jersey Municipal Environmental Risk Management Fund (EJIF) which was established by property and casualty joint insurance funds to provide their member public entities and utility authorities with environmental coverage. Currently, Chris is one of the Fund’s two environmental engineers who help manage environmental risk associated with municipal operations such as insurance claims for more than 150 municipalities in NJ. This includes being on call 24/7 in the event of spills or discharges to soils, surface water or groundwater. This service was designed by the EJIF to provide guidance to its members to help in the immediate moments following an emergency. |
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Spring 2017 Newsletter
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| SPRING 2017 NEWSLETTER |
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Click to expand/collapse The NJDOL got it exactly right. And it’s not just New Jersey whose economy is closely tied to the expanding healthcare industry – much of the northeast region is enjoying the growth of the three primary components of the sector: ambulatory health care services (facilities providing outpatient services; doctors’ offices for example) nursing and residential care facilities, and hospitals. In addition, behavioral health centers continue to evolve treatment techniques and expand their networks to become more accessible to patients. In the past few years, we’ve seen tremendous changes and consolidation in all areas of the region from hospital mergers to facilities catering to older residents who are living longer and active lives. We have detailed in this space about the important strategic changes PS&S has made to ensure we are well-positioned to assist with the continued growth in the healthcare industry. In 2015, our Cherry Hill office welcomed architects Charles Clauser, Harry Wright and Steve Sgro to create a formidable team in southern New Jersey providing architectural and interior design, project planning and graphics and rendering services with a concentration in the healthcare sector. This newsletter will focus on our expanding healthcare practice with analysis from Chuck Clauser, our Senior Director with more than 30 years of architectural experience. Also in 2015, Christopher Gulics and his team joined PS&S bringing more than 20 years of experience providing environmental regulatory compliance services to many healthcare clients. These services focus on operational permit compliance relative to air pollution, drinking water, wastewater, waste management, and spill prevention services. Currently, there is a focus on the presence of lead in drinking water, and PS&S is providing compliance and engineering services to two large healthcare systems to address lead concerns identified in their water distribution systems. In New Jersey, a bill (A4139/S2497) is pending and could require health care facilities to perform periodic testing for lead in their drinking water regardless of the water source. This bill can have a significant impact on a number of health care facilities to comply with the initial testing requirements and more so, addressing the potential impacts the testing may identify. Also in this newsletter, we will also check in with our Young Professionals Group as the members continue PS&S’s tradition of community service. We are delighted that 55 years after its founding, the core values of our company are still front and center. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse With its dedicated healthcare and architectural practice, PS&S is in a unique position to guide and support this healthcare renaissance by bringing its healthcare capabilities to the entire industry. “Systems are finding that thru partnerships and mergers, companies can combine resources, consolidate space, and share core services – like IT, billing, and network call centers – to better serve their communities,” says Chuck Clauser, PS&S’s Senior Director of Architecture and Chairman of the company’s healthcare practice. “We can help guide them thru changes and consolidation efforts to unify operations.” Together, the PS&S healthcare team has more than 90 years’ experience in the sector. We have seen development and know what works and what doesn’t. We recognize that most healthcare systems have to do more with less revenue. Costs are rising and needs are growing and changing while revenue is shrinking. How do companies make this equation work for them? The face of healthcare is changing - it’s a consumer’s market and providers have to adapt. Hospital systems are reaching out to their patient base by bringing services to the community. With certain exceptions such as emergency care, services are moving into the community to be closer to residents. This includes moving urgent care, imaging, senior care, and wellness programs to strip malls and locations in town centers. “This repurposing of hospital space to various community locations is a trend that is sure to continue,” says Chuck Clauser. “As hospitals focus on core strengths, they don’t need to be ‘all things to all people.’ A great first step is opening up dialogue with township officials to find ways to use buildings for community services and events. It not only creates goodwill, but it introduces residents to your facilities and services. As services such as elderly, maternity and pediatrics move out of the core facility, more specialty services such as cancer care, cardiology and neurology can be expanded or introduced. PS&S has expertise in helping clients repurpose their facilities and updating towers to appeal to changing tastes of potential patients.” PS&S has made significant contributions to the design and engineering of corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities that helped establish global pharmaceutical companies as world leaders. Our client list features many of the top drug- and device-making companies, hospital systems and residential care facilities, all of which bring different needs and expectations to their projects. Highlighting some of our work:
PS&S competes with larger firms because of our single source of structural, civil, geotechnical and environmental capabilities. By sharing disciplines and expertise across the company, we have the full-service of offerings and synergy between all our groups. It is a business model that works for our company and our clients due mostly to the PS&S employees who are experts, have foresight and have an ability to adapt quickly to changing market, consumer and regulatory forces. For more information, contact Charles Clauser at cclauser@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse Children were guided through a series of activities to help them learn about different problems that engineers work to solve every day. Interactive exhibits and hands-on activities were aimed at helping the budding engineers apply creative thinking to all sorts of exciting engineering topics.
Several members of PS&S’s Young Professionals Group helped with the volunteering efforts including Brian Liebeskind, Rita Exposito, Christopher Zuidema and Leonardo Afanador.
“It was very rewarding,” said Leonardo. “It highlights the power that knowledge has in enriching not only children’s lives, but everyone who takes the time to learn something new on a topic they may not come across in their daily lives.”
Christopher’s topic was the Seismic Shake-Up. The purpose of this topic was to inform the children about the destruction of earthquakes, the general consequence it has on millions of people that live around the rim of the Pacific Ocean (“RING OF FIRE”), and the role earthquake engineers have in society. The activity allowed children to brainstorm, design, and build their own 8-inch stable structure capable of enduring an earthquake event.
“Participants who did not succeed the initial attempt were asked to identify flaws in their design and test again until they completed the challenge,” said Christopher. “Participants that succeeded the first attempt were given another challenge to design and build a taller structure. Personally, it was refreshing to see children excited throughout the learning process. This type of learning event is a major catalyst that influences children who want to someday pursue an engineering career. It was truly a rewarding experience and one that is worth repeating.” |
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Winter 2017 Newsletter
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Our strength remains our single-source offering for planning, design and regulatory compliance services. We are proud to offer our clients multi-disciplined, full-service architecture, engineering, design and environmental consulting services, and as we mark 55 years as a company, we will continue to do so. We have strengthened our staff, both in our Warren headquarters and at our regional offices in Wall and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Yonkers and Lake Success, New York. Among many highlights in 2016, PS&S greatly enhanced the company’s Cherry Hill Architecture and Health Care practice and doubled its office space. In addition, our Cherry Hill Land Practice has grown to include expanded services in environmental, civil and survey offerings. In July, we welcomed Marge DellaVecchia as a new Senior Director in Cherry Hill which significantly strengthened our organization. Marge came to PS&S after working for Camden County for the past six years, most recently as the Deputy Director of the Municipal Utilities Authority. Her past experience in the public sector included positions in New Jersey state government with the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the Department of Community Affairs, and 13 years in various roles in Cherry Hill Township. Last year also saw the creation of the PS&S Young Professionals Group, an affinity group of employees who have been with the company for only a few years. The mission of the PS&S Young Professionals Group is to provide a forum for career-oriented individuals to develop their professional skills, communicate ideas and goals effectively with management, and encourage interdisciplinary social interaction in order to foster an environment of community and positivity within PS&S. The group is off to a fast start with many employees participating and contributing. The group has the support of the entire PS&S management team as we are committed to creating the best possible workplace environment. In 2016, we continued our internal improvements, had the opportunity to work on some terrific projects that diversified our portfolio and participated in two groundbreaking ceremonies on projects that will help shape our company for years to come. Some highlights:
As we close out another great year, we want to thank our team here at PS&S. We have said this before and we think it bears repeating: The collective dedication of our employees and their collaborative ability to serve our clients with the utmost efficiency and excellence is unmatched and makes PS&S a unique company with which to do business. We also want to let our clients know that it has been our pleasure to work with you on your projects. We truly value your business and look forward to many more years of working with you. Our success will always be measured by your success. As we enter 2017, we remain excited about the opportunities we have been presented throughout the northeast region. Our growth-focused business plan will open new doors in new locations and will expand our current offerings into new disciplines. Happy New Year to all! For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Fall 2016 Newsletter
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Click to expand/collapse PS&S has made important, strategic moves to ensure we are well-positioned to assist with the continued growth in the healthcare industry in New Jersey. A few weeks ago, we announced the hiring of Marge DellaVecchia as our new Senior Director, based in our Cherry Hill office, and you can read more about Marge and her career in the accompanying profile piece. Marge’s knowledge of both the private and public sectors will combine with the skills of architects Charles Clauser, Harry Wright and Steve Sgro to create a formidable team in southern New Jersey. The three men joined PS&S last year, providing architectural and interior design, project planning and graphics and rendering services with a concentration in the healthcare sector. We’re also very happy to highlight one of our most distinctive projects in this newsletter. Before you read this month’s “In Focus” take a look at the photograph in the article and see if you can guess what the challenge was in building this “house.” PS&S’s full array of services and talents were on display for this Jersey-shore project, proving once again PS&S is a “one-stop-shop” for architecture and engineering excellence. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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In early 2013, Atlantic City Electric Company (ACE) recognized that in order to continue to provide reliable service to the Boroughs of Avalon and Stone Harbor (also known as New Jersey’s Seven Mile Island), the aging Peermont Substation would need to be demolished and rebuilt on the same site in Avalon. When the original substation facility was built in 1969, it was housed in a 3,000 square foot Cape-style structure. In 1969, the Avalon community was largely made up of one-story Capes spread out among many undeveloped lots. Fast-forward to 2013, and the little Peermont Substation found itself in a fully-developed neighborhood of high-priced, multi-story single-family residences. Current electric demand required tripling station capacity for the fast-growing area. The challenge for PS&S was to enclose all the substation equipment in a structure that would resemble a contemporary single-family seashore residence and, thereby, secure community support and regulatory approvals for the project. Working with ACE, and using Revit and Lumion software, PS&S developed a 3-D model of the building and neighborhood. Drive-by and flyover animations were then produced and used at public outreach and planning board meetings. “Our team designed a 12,000 square foot building on this site and met all local zoning bulk standards and post-Sandy flood elevation requirements,” said Walt Judge, a 24-year PS&S veteran and Project Manager for the PS&S effort. “Hard to believe it’s a 69kV substation, but it fits perfectly in this upscale beach community, and it will provide reliable power to its residents for years to come.”
Once local approval was obtained, PS&S worked with Sargent & Lundy, LLC (substation engineers) and Graycor Industrial Constructors (EPC Contractor) to generate construction documents. PS&S provided the architectural and engineering building design, survey, civil site and stormwater design and landscape architecture services. PS&S was also responsible for obtaining all permits/approvals including the NJDEP CAFRA Permit, NJDCA and Municipal construction approvals, NJDEP construction dewatering approvals, Soil Erosion Certification and a Tidelands conveyance for the project. Construction began in the spring of 2015 and, after a required summer hiatus, resumed and was completed in May 2016, just in time to meet the resort community’s increased summer electricity demand. “Perhaps most rewarding was that this multi-disciplinary project brought together so many talented professionals from nearly every PS&S department,” said Judge. “It’s clearly one of the best examples of our all-inclusive model of offering full-service architecture, engineering, design and environmental consulting services.” For more information, contact Walter Judge at wjudge@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse “I have known, worked with and valued PS&S for many years,” said Mrs. DellaVecchia. “I am looking forward to introducing the excellence of PS&S to the South Jersey and Delaware Valley region. I am also privileged and honored to join such a distinguished group of professionals and look forward to working closely with all of the talented staff at PS&S.” Marge worked for Camden County for the six years prior to joining PS&S, most recently as the Deputy Director of the Municipal Utilities Authority. Her past experience in the public sector includes positions in state government with the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the Department of Community Affairs and 13 years in various roles in Cherry Hill Township. She is a graduate of Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and is receiving the 2016 Career Achievement Award this fall. “We are fortunate to have Marge DellaVecchia,” said PS&S’s Chief Executive Officer John Sartor. “Marge has decades of experience in southern New Jersey working with both private companies and state and local governments. Her knowledge of the area’s business climate and the respect she has from both the public and private sectors will greatly add to PS&S’s growing presence in the entire region.” In the past few months, PS&S has doubled its Cherry Hill office space and greatly enhanced the company’s architecture and Health Care practice. In addition, PS&S’s Cherry Hill Land Practice has grown to include expanded services in environmental, civil and survey offerings. “As new opportunities continue to unfold in the region, we will work hard to ensure that we support the community and deliver quality improvements that are appropriate for all involved,” added Mrs. DellaVecchia. “This is one of the characteristics that truly distinguishes PS&S from other firms and highlights the integrity and character of this organization.” For more information, please contact Marge DellaVecchia at mdellavecchia@psands.com. |
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Spring 2016 Newsletter
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Click to expand/collapse We have focused before in these newsletters on our many successful and high-profile projects, showing the depth and strength of PS&S’s single source offering for planning, design and regulatory compliance services. Our core values of client dedication and work excellence have often been focal points. This month we are focusing on our third core value: our commitment to our employees. PS&S has more than 275 professionals in seven locations offering multi-disciplined, full-service architecture, engineering, design and environmental consulting services, and our commitment to offering our people the best workplace has never been stronger. This year, we are creating new programs for current employees and systems designed to recruit the best for our future growth. The program we are highlighting in this newsletter is our Young Professionals Group, headed by Senior Vice President of Human Resources Jamie McDonald. The group is barely a few months old, but has already created a buzz throughout the company with its energy and commitment to fostering comradery and communication across the disciplines and age groups. We recognize our commitment to our people is a huge part of being successful. We are also dedicated to hiring people who understand what commitment is. PS&S has come through the recent financially challenging period stronger than ever, and there is a recommitment to creating an environment where employees want to be and can be at the top of their game. In short, PS&S is planning for both the company’s future and the future of our employees. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse “We really felt we needed to create an initiative,” said McDonald. “Our goal was to start a group that would allow the many talented professionals we have hired an outlet for continued professional growth, greater inter-departmental and regional office social activities as well as community outreach opportunities. I believe the creation of the PS&S Young Professionals Group will help accomplish that.” The core of the group is comprised of eight employees – four from the land group and four from the building group. They are:
Brian Liebeskind and Kyle Berninger are the co-chairs of the group and have much in common. Both men grew up in New Jersey, both have been with PS&S since 2013 and both have an intense desire to make PS&S the best workplace it can be. “We want to know there’s a long-term vision of knowing there’s a future for young professionals,” said Liebeskind. “This group reinforces that notion.” The first order of business for the group was to develop a mission statement which was written and sent to the entire company: “The mission of the PS&S Young Professionals Group is to provide a forum for career-oriented individuals to develop their professional skills, communicate ideas and goals effectively with management, and encourage interdisciplinary social interaction in order to foster an environment of community and positivity within PS&S.” “Our goal is to develop a more interactive and socially-friendly work environment,” said Berninger. “We want to create ways for more collaboration between all of PS&S’s professionals. We made sure that everyone is welcome in this group.” So far, the group has several ideas in the works including creating PS&S sports teams and sponsoring events like the Jersey City 5K run just completed in April. A happy hour meet & greet to kick off the group is also planned for the summer. One accomplishment Brian would like to see the group achieve is to improve relationships with area colleges and universities. “Anything we can do to bolster the PS&S name with prospective job candidates is important, said Liebeskind. “We’re competing for the best area talent. We want PS&S to be a company graduates seek out when looking for their first job.” Just a few months old, the Group is already on its way to fulfilling Jamie McDonald’s goal. “With the amount of interest already being displayed by the many employees wanting to participate and contribute, I anticipate the mission they have created will be a complete success, said McDonald. “They will have the support of the entire PS&S management team to do so. Our employees are our greatest resource and we continue to be committed to creating the best workplace environment for them that we can.” For more information, contact Jamie McDonald at jmcdonald@psands.com. |
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