Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. - HRG

Courtdale Park was alive with the sounds of happy families at the ribbon cutting a few days ago. HRG worked with custom playground manufacturer Play and Park Structures to create a truly inclusive space for all members of the community. This included thoughtful site layout and design, accessible sidewalks, and the equipment kids use for play. The park includes: ·       Playground structures for preschool and elementary age children ·       A swing set ·       Corkscrew climbing structure ·       Interactive feastures for children with sensory and cognitive disabilities ·       Pavilion with picnic table ·       Basketball hoops We’re overjoyed to see families enjoying this space and thankful for the opportunity to have worked with Courtdale Borough on this project.  

We’re excited to be presenting at the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association (PWEA) Stormwater Summit next month. Adrienne Vicari, P.E. will join Jeff Colella, regional stormwater division manager for the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, to talk about the different ways communities can collaborate on regional stormwater management. They’ll also be talking about the benefits collaboration produces like cost savings, enhanced opportunities for grants, and more effective watershed management. The summit also includes presentations on tools for building flood resilience and asset management as well as an update on stormwater fees in the post-West Chester legal environment. Register now on PWEA’s website: https://lnkd.in/d6nD4gvk

Justin Mendinsky is celebrating 20 years at HRG this month, and we want to take a few moments to recognize his contributions. Some of his closest colleagues – Josh Fox, Ed Ellinger, Erin Threet, Caleb Krauter, and Staci Hartz – share a few words below. Thank you, Justin! We're grateful to have you on the team.

How do you promote multi-modal connectivity to your parks and recreation spaces? By planning sidewalks and trails as part of your open space plan. Hear how Upper Dublin Township structured their Open Space Plan to generate an Active Transportation Plan that guides investment in roads, right-of-way and trails alongside parks and recreational facilities in this webinar from WalkWorks and the PA Downtown Center. Our community planner Kaitlin Mills, AICP is co-presenting with Upper Dublin Township’s parks and recreation director, Derek Dureka. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eB54wN6m

Our senior vice president Brian Emberg will be retiring at the end of this month, and we wanted to take a moment to recognize the significant contributions he has made to HRG. When he joined the team, HRG had only 30 employees, one office, and minimal experience in the transportation sector. Brian played a pivotal role in establishing our transportation service group and growing its reputation as the lead on many significant contracts over the years, including the Kinzua Skywalk in McKean County, downtown revitalization improvements in Hershey, and creation of the first county infrastructure bank in Pennsylvania.    A bridge engineer at heart, he proactively developed and led the successful Bridge Program Management of both Dauphin and Cumberland Counties, which included asset management and project prioritization, funding identification, PennDOT and FHWA coordination, and innovative project delivery approaches. As a result, both county’s boast bridge inventories with no load-posted, poor condition bridges and other counties that HRG serves, using the same methodology, have a plan to achieve similar results. His work has been recognized nationally with awards, in magazines, in documentaries, and even on the Discovery Channel. But his most significant contributions to HRG may’ve happened behind the scenes: he established our project manager training program and designed the framework behind our quality management plan. He also led the creation of multiple strategic business plans and has been a wise mentor to so many of our team members. He is a creative engineer and a smart businessman who has taught us all a lot. He’s also a great friend, quick with a joke or a story to make the workday a little more enjoyable.   While we will miss seeing his smile around the office, his influence will be felt here daily for many years to come. Thank you, Brian, and best of luck to you in a very well-deserved retirement!   Please share wishes for Brian or a favorite story below ⬇️

Summer has gone by too quickly! Our interns are returning to their studies now, and we want to thank them for all of the contributions they made to HRG over the past few months. We also want to wish them all the best of luck with school. Here are a few of our favorite photos from our final thank you celebrations. #HRGinterns

HRG is growing, and we need your help! To preserve our quality, scale our operations, and grow our business, we are adding three all-new vice president positions. Check them out at the link below to our Careers portal and contact Michelle Kearns, PHR, if you have any questions about these opportunities. We intend to fill them quickly, so don’t wait to apply if you’re interested! https://lnkd.in/d9am4WKX

A group of employee owners in our Harrisburg office participated in the Pitching for Pediatrics softball tournament this past weekend. This organization has raised more than $20,000 for charities like the The Jimmy Fund, No Kid Hungry, and St. Jude’s over the past several years, and they raised another $3,300 through this tournament. We were grateful to be a part of it! Thank you to everyone who spent a beautiful Sunday with us in support of this great organization.

Luke Wren returned to us for a second summer internship this year. He works in the Harrisburg water & wastewater group and enjoys assisting with construction oversight. He’s also worked on feasibility studies, cost estimates, and permit applications during his time at HRG. He wants to be a civil engineer because he loves problem-solving, hands-on work, and spending time in nature. In the fall, Luke will return to Penn State for his final year of studies. When he’s not working or in school, he likes to be outside, golfing or playing baseball and pickleball. He shares a few more thoughts about a 2nd year interning with HRG below. #HRGinterns

The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority is a leader among wastewater and stormwater systems in Pennsylvania and beyond. Their achievements have been celebrated at the state and national level, and they’re sharing their some of their strategy in the latest issue of PMAA’s The Authority magazine this month. Our practice area leader Adrienne Vicari is a co-author of the piece with WVSA’s board of directors; their CEO, Andrew Reilly; and their solicitor, William Finnegan (of Pugliese, Finnegan, Shaffer & Ferentino LLC). Together, they talk about how WVSA responds to the needs of its member municipalities, offering new services to help them minimize costs and operate more efficiently (like operating pump stations, cleaning and maintaining collection lines, and providing grants to the municipalities for sewer repair and replacement efforts). They also talk about the strategies they use to minimize their own costs like strategic partnerships, capital improvement planning, and an in-house construction division. Ultimately, their message is about the power in unity: when authorities and their municipalities work together with everyone’s best interests in mind, they can overcome the most daunting challenges and thrive. This is a principle we believe at HRG, too, and we’re proud of the work we’ve been able to do with WVSA over the years. Check out the article and other great features on PMAA’s website: https://lnkd.in/ezrxKWfv