News Releases

Kleinfelder announces Kathleen Niesen as the new water division manager

ltalbot@kleinfelder.com (Administrator) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:06:30 +0000

SAN DIEGO - Kleinfelder is proud to announce that Kathleen Niesen, P.E., has been hired as the new water division manager. Niesen brings with her more than 30 years of executive-level management experience in both the public and private sectors.

Working out of Kleinfelder's San Diego office, Niesen will be responsible for bringing clients additional value by building a global water resource management practice with a wide range of capabilities such as dams, levees, hydro, conveyance, treatment and sustainability.

"Kathleen's experience and expertise will only help to strengthen Kleinfelder's already stellar reputation," said Bill Siegel, Kleinfelder's CEO Elect. "We are confident she will do an excellent job leveraging our current, long-term client relationships to bring additional value via new talents and capabilities as she builds the global water resource management practice."

Niesen earned her bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida. She is a registered professional engineer in both Washington and Wisconsin and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Association of Professional Engineers. Niesen's career includes top leadership positions at several leading engineering and consulting firms, including Waste Management, CH2MHill and ARCADIS. Most recently, she was director of operations at MWH Global, Inc.

Kleinfelder Project Strives for Greener Brownfields

ltalbot@kleinfelder.com (Administrator) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:55:06 +0000

Finding a balanced solution to brownfield redevelopment that takes into account LEED criteria and stormwater regulations often requires the engineering teams to think outside the box.

For example, Kleinfelder used a series of best management practices to turn a hazardous wasteland in Yuma, Ariz., into a cherished archery club by successfully implementing a green brownfield remediation solution.

The 24-acre recreational site had lead concentrations exceeding non-residential soil lead limits by 45 percent. The dynamics of excavation included a $200,000 funding limit, the health and safety hazard, and sustainability in the future public use of the site. The selected remedial alternative needed to address potential lead-exposure pathways for the future use of the site as an archery practice range.

Kleinfelder engineers borrowed from road construction technologies utilized by the Arizona Department of Transportation to design a chipseal cap to cover lead-impacted soils. In addition, to satisfy Flood Control District requirements, the team completed stormwater runoff calculations resulting in design of two retention basins and riprap flood control.

By using this design, Kleinfelder avoided taking the contaminated soil off-site to landfills that would release gases into the air and allowed for the reuse of the land. Furthermore, this plan involved utilizing county personnel to perform the field work, which realized significant cost savings.

Kleinfelder Asks for Public's Help Locating Stolen Gauge

ltalbot@kleinfelder.com (Administrator) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Kansas City (June 15, 2009) – Kleinfelder, a science and engineering consulting firm, is asking for the public's help in locating a gauge that was stolen from the back of an employee's pickup truck in Roeland Park, Kansas, on Saturday, June 6. The Humboldt 5001EZ portable moisture density gauge is used to measure the density and moisture content of soil. The gauge contains radioactive elements in sealed sources but poses minimal risk to the public.

The Roeland Park Police Department has been notified, and Kleinfelder is offering a $1,000 reward for the gauge's return.

Kleinfelder urges anyone with information about the gauge to contact the Roeland Park Police at (913) 677-3363 or Steve Damron of Kleinfelder at (785) 925-3482.

Joel Carson Selected as Kleinfelder Central Division Manager

ltalbot@kleinfelder.com (Administrator) — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Kleinfelder is pleased to announce that Joel Carson has been selected as the new Central Division Manager. Carson has served for the last three years as the Great Plains Regional Manager and will continue to reside in the firm's Omaha, Nebraska office.

In his role as regional manager, Joel has successfully built a high performance leadership team, driving business development efforts and client initiatives, ensuring profitability and providing growth opportunities to the Midwest operations.

Prior to serving the firm as regional manager, Joel managed Kleinfelder's Seattle, Washington office as area manager and had served as a senior client service manager, acting as the company liason for numerous national development clients. Leading up to his experience in Washington, Joel worked out of the Boise, Idaho office and established the firm's environmental engineering practice, providing business development, financial management and technical expertise to the highly profitable group.

Kleinfelder announces new CEO-elect

ltalbot@kleinfelder.com (Administrator) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

SAN DIEGO - Kleinfelder is proud to announce that William C. (Bill) Siegel, PE, is the company's new chief executive officer-elect. Siegel will take over for Kleinfelder's current CEO, Gerry Salontai, PE, in April 2009.

Kleinfelder - a leading employee-owned professional services firm providing engineering, sciences, technical and management solutions - welcomed Siegel to the company in 1985 as an engineer in the company's Las Vegas office. He went on to serve a variety of leadership roles within the Kleinfelder organization, and his initiatives and vision helped lead an acquisitive growth strategy that turned Kleinfelder into a coast-to-coast company. He has occupied eight different positions at the firm in a broad range of operational and strategic roles.

"Bill is exactly the right person to lead Kleinfelder and solidify our position as a true leader in the industry," Salontai said. "His vision has played a key role in driving Kleinfelder's growth and making us the national, leading company we are today."

Siegel is Kleinfelder's senior vice president for corporate development and sits on the company's board of directors.

"I am deeply honored that the board has selected me as the next CEO to lead Kleinfelder," Siegel said. "This is a great organization that has a history of growth and innovation derived from outstanding people and long-term client relationships. I am very excited about the opportunities ahead of the firm and our prospects for future success."

In addition to his roles within Kleinfelder, Siegel has also been active in various trade organizations. He was involved in the San Diego chapter of the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California (now the American Council of Engineering Companies – California) and was elected to the board of directors of the California Geotechnical Engineers Association. Siegel was also elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies board of directors in Colorado and became a member of the national ACEC business practices committee.

Kleinfelder has been executing a five-year leadership succession plan since 2005, and more leadership positions - including chief operating officer, chief technology officer and chief administrative officer - will transition between now and 2010. This strategic plan strengthens Kleinfelder's position as a legacy company for its employees and a trusted partner and adviser for its clients.