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With a career in environmental mitigation that spans nearly 35 years, Paul French, Senior Project Manager/Hydrogeologist with Envirologic Technologies, Inc., a full service environmental consulting and services firm and valued Land Science® client, has seen first-hand how the industry has evolved from an emphasis on groundwater and cleanup to a vapor intrusion focus.  He begins, “When I started in this industry, the primary focus was groundwater and cleanup to specific criteria. However, with the advent of the Risk Based Corrective Action process in 1994, the site investigations and closure fittingly moved toward elimination of an exposure pathway. Since most exposure pathways can be eliminated with institutional and/or engineering controls, vapor intrusion has become the primary driving factor for a good portion of our work.” As one might expect, French has also experienced how evolving technology continues to impact the industry. He continues, “The changes in technology have been immense. Computers were rare in my early years, and report were done by hand and submitted to clerical staff to decipher. Today, reports and communications are submitted digitally instead of printed and mailed. Information searches that used to take weeks to receive can now be completed and reviewed in a matter of minutes, and remote data recording and wireless transmission are now becoming the mainstay for monitoring of mitigation systems.” As a 28-year veteran with Envirologic, French finds himself utilizing much of today’s evolving technology as he fulfills a role as the company’s in-house specialist for vapor intrusion, which includes responsibilities involving the design, installation, and operation of vapor mitigation systems for Envirologic and its clients.

French joined Envirologic as a Project Manager/Hydrogeologist, prior to his promotion to his current position. In addition to his vapor intrusion responsibilities, he oversees all aspects of remedial investigations and cleanup at underground storage tanks and industrial and brownfield sites, while also serving as client, local, state, and federal regulatory agency liaison. Additionally, he manages proposal and work plan preparation, coordination of field staff and subcontractors, data assessment, reporting, budget tracking, and coordination of funding programs. In addition, his experience includes design, construction, operation, and maintenance of remedial systems, including groundwater pump and treat, NAPL recovery, soil vapor extraction, sub-slab vapor mitigation, and enhanced bioremediation. Although he has a vast and diverse range of responsibilities, more than anything it’s the hands-on approach to his work that he enjoys most. He continues, “In my current role I really enjoy the freedom to break away from office duties periodically to actually build the remedial systems that I design.”

To prepare for a career in environmental mitigation, French earned his BS in Geology from Murray State University, in his home state of Kentucky, and has since taken graduate level courses in Hydrogeology from Western Michigan University. To stay abreast of evolving trends and the latest technology in vapor intrusion, he regularly attends workshops, webinars, and regional training events. His expertise, culled through 3+ decades, no doubt helps in his efforts to achieve Envirologic’s goals, as outlined recently by CEO/Co-owner Jeff Hawkins. French continues, “While filming our recent 30th Anniversary video, Mr. Hawkins stressed that Envirologic has always been a boutique firm, rather than a subset of another company or another core business. He stated that this is our core business: environmental consulting. He and our leadership envision over the next five to ten years that we are likely to remain a consistent, nimble, customer-oriented company with some modest growth, adding team members who fit well with our organization and who can provide the integrity and level of service that we are known for. He closed by saying while growth is important, it is not our intent to ‘conquer the world’ with respect to the work that we do.”

When it comes to working with Land Science, French appreciates the company’s expertise and product knowledge.  He shares, “Everyone I have dealt with at Land Science has an excellent working knowledge of their products and great insight on how their products can be best applied to my given issue. I appreciate that Land Science has always been willing to defend their products and our remedial goals with our state’s regulatory bodies.”  With regard to using specific Land Science products and solutions for vapor mitigation barriers and venting systems, TerraShield®, Retro-Coat™, and TerraVent™ are often used with significant success. Residing in Kalamazoo, MI, He continues, “My projects have taken me throughout nearly all of lower Michigan. I have also spent a considerable amount of time in the Marquette, Houghton, and Calumet areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.” Outside of work, he enjoys household remodeling projects and yardwork, “which helps to keep my wife happy — and me healthy.” He continues,  “Keeping her projects up to date helps me to bank time for my real hobby of the last few years- motorcycling.”  He also finds time to remain an active member and officer in an organization at his church that raises money for numerous causes, and for several years he has volunteered to provide a monthly meal and friendship at a home for recently released state prisoners.

When asked about the most challenging aspect of his work, he is quick to emphasize the impact of prioritization. “We all experience clients needing their projects completed ‘yesterday.’ Thus, there never seems to be enough time in a day to manage the current workload and address new projects and deadlines. It’s probably a combination of both, but if my white hair wasn’t hereditary, I’d blame it on my job.” He also feels it is a constant challenge to navigate inconsistency within various regulatory agencies and keep a project on schedule. He continues, “It is understood vapor intrusion pathway understanding is evolving, and to its credit, our state has come a long way in recent years in specifying how to evaluate the pathway. Currently however, there is no consistent process in the review of design specifications for a mitigation system or for performance monitoring. While Envirologic is competent in the design and installation of mitigation systems and conducting performance monitoring in accordance with industry standards, the inconsistency comes to light when state review and approval of a design, performance monitoring plan, or other document is necessary to satisfy the requirements of a financial institution or brownfield authority. The inconsistency typically results in the desire for additional data and/or multiple redesigns and nearly always results in the delay of a development, and in Michigan, for the most part, a delay means next year.” And how would French encourage others to join in his field of study? He concludes, “I would encourage others to develop an appreciation of science, since many of those disciplines can be adapted to this industry. I would also encourage anyone who wants to get ahead in this field, or any field for that matter, to become comfortable speaking in public. Overcoming that fear will bring about opportunities.”

Land Science is proud to have Paul French, Senior Project Manager/Hydrogeologist with Envirologic Technologies, Inc., as a valued client and partner, and appreciates his diverse background and thorough approach in providing successful vapor intrusion mitigation outcomes for Land Science and its clients.

When Torin Snyder isn’t swimming or being dance-dad extraordinaire, he can be found pursuing another lifelong passion – finding effective, creative solutions to complex environmental issues. Snyder is a principal at Rincon Consultants, Inc., a leading California-based environmental consulting firm and valued Land Science client. His career path was no surprise to him, as Snyder recalls his interest in the environmental sciences blossoming during his university days. When he began to explore the field as a potential career path, he soon realized environmental site assessment and mitigation would provide the ideal avenue to satisfy his curiosity.

“I have always been fascinated in environmental sciences, but I found early on, and still find, that environmental mitigation is especially interesting because it is always evolving with emerging chemicals, new clean-up goals, and new technologies,” Snyder says of the field. “This industry offers an opportunity to introduce innovative options to clients, enabling them to achieve their overall project goals and expectations, and it lets me learn and think outside the box.” Snyder joined Rincon in 2010 as a senior hydrogeologist and was promoted to principal in 2018. Prior to joining Rincon, he served as a project manager in the hydrogeology department for an environmental planning company.

To prepare for his career in environmental mitigation, in 1999 Snyder earned his BS in Soil Science, with a Hydrology concentration, from California Polytechnic State University, in San Luis Obispo. “After-graduation, I focused on getting the certifications and licenses relevant to the environmental consulting industry. First, I became a Certified Professional Soil Scientist, then a Registered Environmental Assessor, then a Deputy Methane Building Inspector for the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. Later, I became a Professional Geologist, Qualified SWPPP Developer/Practitioner, Certified Hydrogeologist, and finally a Trainer of Record for the Qualified SWPPP Developer/Practitioner program. Sometimes people tease me for having so many initials behind my name.”

As a Principal for Rincon’s statewide Environmental Site Assessment and Remediation practice, Snyder is responsible for business development, client management, technical and quality control, and staff mentoring and development. He says of his many roles at the firm, “I provide leadership for the Environmental Site Assessment and Remediation group, and I support the Environmental Sciences and Land Use Planning group and Natural and Cultural Resource team at Rincon. The diverse clients and projects keep me engaged, while giving me new challenges to meet, which I enjoy very much.”

To stay abreast of new technologies and emerging trends, Snyder keeps up with seminars, conferences, and training programs for the field. “Our industry is always evolving,” he says. “So, education and training are critical to remain current with new solutions our clients expect and deserve. It seems there’s always a new or better way to complete a project.” With his diverse background, responsibilities and commitment to staying current in the industry, Snyder does his part to help Rincon achieve its long-term goal of “offering clients the best services, best products, and best people in our field.”

When it comes to working with Land Science, Snyder appreciates the company’s wide range of technologies. “Land Science has done a good job providing alternative products to solve vapor intrusion challenges. There are many solutions available, but few are as effective as those Land Science offers.” He goes on to say that “finding a product that is cost-competitive and that protects the occupants of the building is the most important consideration. Land Science offers multiple products for different applications, which is critical. For example, our clients like the protection that MonoShield™ offers for low-risk vapor intrusion sites and they appreciate that the product is cost-effective compared to most other vapor barriers.” Recently, Snyder has recommended MonoShield™ for a number of projects Rincon has tackled that included low-risk vapor intrusion concerns for low-income housing projects.

Residing in Carlsbad, California with his wife and two daughters, Snyder works out of the Rincon office there. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors, with mountain biking, open-water swimming, and off-road triathlons (Xterra) topping his list of favorite activities. He likes them so much he participates in mountain bike and open water swim racing. “I’m a fairly competitive guy so I love to sign up for races,” he shares. “One of my favorite race experiences was when I competed in the Xterra Off-Road World Championship in Maui in 2018.” He also finds time to volunteer as an Advisory Council Member for the Natural Resource and Environmental Sciences Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

When asked what he enjoys most about his job, he points to the collaborative nature of working with co-workers and clients. “I also take satisfaction in providing a client an out-of-the- box solution for their specific problem.” And the most demanding aspect of his job? “Right now, the COVID-19 pandemic. This has changed our day to day routine and requires us to be nimble and adaptive to the new norm.” He also feels the trend of emerging chemicals, evolving clean-up goals, and discovering new solutions to help solve remedial challenges is here to stay- at least for some time. He continues, “As regulations become tighter, consultants will be forced to reconsider how a project is scoped and completed. For example, as clean up goals become more conservative, it may not be economically feasible to remediate a site the same way we did 10 years ago. Therefore, interim mitigation measures, like vapor barriers, sealing concrete floors, and HVAC modifications, need to be considered to reduce the time a building may sit unoccupied during remedial activities when there are indoor air concerns.”

And how would he encourage others to join his field of study? He concludes, “I would not necessarily use the word “encourage.” Finding your passion is the most important aspect to a rewarding, challenging, and successful career. So, I feel it’s critical for people who might be interested in this field to first understand their own passion- what makes them tick. Once this is understood, the path to a fulfilling and successful career path can be tailored to an individual.”

Land Science is proud to have Torin Snyder, Principal at Rincon Consultants, Inc., as a valued client and partner, and appreciates his highly diverse background and approach in providing successful vapor intrusion mitigation outcomes for Land Science and its clients.

Ask Frank Poss, Department Manager/Senior Geologist for Intertek-PSI, a nationally recognized environmental consulting firm and valued Land Science® client, what he enjoys most about his work, and you will likely learn why he is such a valuable asset to Intertek. That’s because his role covers such a diverse range of responsibilities and allows him to leverage his nearly 30 years of professional environmental experience. As Department Manager, he effectively manages several aspects of the business- from accounting to HR to project management, and more. He shares, “I have a plethora of responsibilities. These include the profit and loss of my department, operating Human Resources, managing accounting, and addressing most technical issues. I also oversee and approve all the proposals that are generated from the office, as well as developing proposals myself. I take pleasure in the fact that I complete something different every day I walk in the door.  The wide range of responsibilities fits my personality.”  To prepare for a career in environmental remediation, Poss earned his BA in Geology from University of California Santa Barbara. He then embarked on his MS in Geology from San Diego State University, during which time the environmental industry took off. He continues, “Ultimately, my career kind of chose me.  Coming out with my BA from UC Santa Barbara there were not many jobs for Geologists, so I went back for my Masters.  While working on that, environmental work exploded, so many geologists went where the work was and that was environmental. My timing was right on.” Prior to joining Intertek, he held positions as a Staff and Project Geologist for environmental services companies, primarily on the West Coast.

When it comes to working with Land Science, Poss appreciates their collaborative approach to finding the most effective solutions. “I have really enjoyed working with Land Science on several vapor intrusion projects,” he says.  “I especially enjoy that they do not act like a subcontractor, but as a partner trying to solve a problem for a client.” With regard to specific Land Science products, Retro-Coat™ and Geo-Seal™ have been used successfully on a variety of projects. Poss continues, “Retro-Coat was great for an existing building in San Francisco, where the building took up the entire footprint of the property.  As part of a property transaction, it was determined that the subject property was formerly a dry cleaner with elevated concentrations of PCE found indoors. Working with Land Science, we were able to apply Retro-Coat in a basement and in a restaurant above, and reduce the levels of PCE to below regulatory action levels.”

When asked about his goals for Intertek, he emphasizes the importance of growth and profitability, while maintaining a fun and productive company culture. He continues, “My goals are to continue to expand, while having a good time doing so.  I find that having a great team around me is crucial because it stimulates productivity, thereby increasing profitability. I believe people who enjoy their work environment are much more productive.  In fact, my number one criterion during hiring is finding people I want to be around beyond the typical 40-hour work week, since in many ways, we are a second family.”

Residing in Northern California with his wife of 27 years, Poss works out of the Intertek-PSI Oakland office, and has worked in Long Beach, San Francisco, and Oakland.  “I have spent half my career in Southern and Northern California.” When asked what he enjoys most about his work, he points to an appreciation for the variety in his everyday responsibilities. He continues, “I enjoy having different challenges every day and getting to share those challenges with a great group of people.  I am definitely not someone who wants to know that I will be sitting down and doing the same thing over a long period of time.  Rather, I prefer juggling lots of balls and feel I excel most when a number of things are going on.” And the most challenging aspect of his job?  “I would say human resource issues.  I have been extremely fortunate that over the years I have had very few HR issues to deal with.  However, when they have risen, we have worked through them in a positive and productive way.”

Away from work, Poss enjoys travelling, playing golf, reading, coaching, and is a self-confessed foody.  “The reason we work is to enjoy the things outside of work. For travel, my favorite destination is Paris.  I have had the good luck of being there three times and each time was more enjoyable. First of all, Paris is beautiful with the Seine and all the wonderful parks.  It has tons of history and some of the best art galleries in the world- I especially love the Orsay.  Most of all, Paris turned me into a foodie.  From a Michelin star restaurant to the fruit stand on the corner, you cannot go wrong.”  His coaching experience includes both competitive soccer and baseball. He continues, “Coaching has been the best experience of my life.  Kids can be very competitive when striving to get better, and I love seeing the joy that players have in doing things. Coaching was also a great way to be part of my kids’ lives in a different dynamic compared to just being a dad.”

When asked what he sees the future holds for environmental remediation, Poss feels the inevitability of continued property transactions, coupled with California’s increasing vapor regulations, will keep the statewide industry busy indefinitely. He shares, “With vapor intrusion and the now incredibly low regulatory limits, we are telling clients in industrial areas to just assume they are going to need to place a vapor barrier as part of their construction plan.  If they do not need one, then that’s a bonus of sorts.” He’s also noticed that while the industry has evolved over the past three decades, the importance of teamwork has not changed much. “Obviously, the industry has changed a lot, but the same things hold true.  Working with clients on solutions to their problems and working as a team to solve them is still the same.  This is how you end up with a working relationship that can last decades.  I would say as technology and work styles have evolved, that people do not pick up the phone as much as they used to.  A one-minute call can typically solve an issue that might not be solved over 10 e-mails.” And how would he encourage others to join his field of study? He concludes, “I would encourage anyone who is going into any science field to write, write, write.  I spend most of my day writing and was very unprepared coming out of college.  Being able to write well is a skill that is hard to teach and is typically critical as you ascend within an organization.”

Land Science is proud to have Frank Poss, Department Manager/Senior Geologist for Intertek-PSI , as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates his diverse background and commitment to providing successful remediation outcomes for Land Science and its clients.

When the U.S. oil industry collapsed in the mid-1980s, Benjamin Alter, at the time an Exploration Geophysicist with Chevron, was prepared to rebound. He quickly leveraged his passion for the earth’s sciences into a second career in environmental remediation. Now a Senior Vice President and Principal of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., a leading environmental engineering and consulting services firm, Alter has amassed a deep reservoir of applied experience, which includes serving 22 years at GZA alone, as well as authoring a book, Environmental Consulting Fundamentals. Alter is in many ways contributing to help sustain our environment, while also impacting the future success of GZA. He continues, “My general role at GZA is what I refer to as a “Seller-Doer,” which means that I’m responsible for bringing clients and projects to GZA and then managing them. Each project typically has a Project Manager who reports directly to me, and other staff that reports to the project manager.  I’m also responsible for limiting GZA’s liability on a given project, project invoicing, and collections.” In addition to his role as principal, he is also co-chair of GZA’s Environmental Site Investigation technical practice.  In this capacity he oversees the integrity of the practice and ensures that GZA practitioners are properly trained and equipped.

To prepare for a career in earth sciences, Alter earned his BS from State University New York/Albany (SUNY), where he double-majored in Geology and Mathematics.  He followed that with an MS in Geophysics from Cornell University, and later earned an MBA from Columbia University. To stay abreast of industry trends and evolving technology, he completes required coursework, as mandated by the state of New Jersey. He continues,  “As a Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) I’m required to take 36 credits of continuing education courses over a 3-year cycle.  These courses must contain a mix of technical and regulatory oriented courses as well as an ethics course.” In addition, he teaches two continuing education courses, one regarding environmental due diligence in New Jersey and one on technical writing.

Through the years, he’s noticed how the industry has evolved, from a focus on legacy sites (those properties that had become contaminated before the advent of environmental regulations) to Brownfields. He shares, “When I initially started environmental consulting, most of my work involved cleaning up legacy sites and environmental compliance work for industries. However, because of the de-industrialization of the greater New York City area, I now do very little work for industrial clients.  While there are still plenty of legacy sites to clean up, more and more of my work is focused on redevelopment of inner-city properties, such as Brownfields.” When asked what he enjoys most about working with REGENESIS, he feels they offer a strong combination of service, product, and value. “I’ve worked on several projects with REGENESIS,” he says.  “Their products are effective and competitively priced and their staff is consistently very helpful. As for specific product usage, I’ve used ORC® Advanced on sites, and GZA as a company has used a wide range of REGENESIS’ products over the years.”

Alter works out of GZA’s northern New Jersey office in Fairfield, a short 10-minute drive from home. In his free time he sings in two choirs and is the piano accompanist for a variety group called “The Loose Canons” (theloosecanons.org).  “I also write parodies and arrange songs, and write my synagogue’s annual play.  In addition, I’m an avid cyclist, hiker, and racquetball player.” To give back to the community, he sits on the Board of Trustees of the LSRP Association and chairs its College Outreach Committee.  He continues, “I’m also a board member and founder of the LSRPA Foundation, which provides scholarships to students and grants to environmental organizations.  Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of handing out $25,000 in checks to nine young people with terrific futures in environmental remediation.” When asked what he likes most about his work, the human aspect quickly comes to mind. He shares, “My favorite part of my job is the people – my co-workers especially.  GZA nurtures a great family vibe – people really care about each other.  It’s a demanding job, so having the support of your colleagues helps everyone get through the day.  As one of the senior people in the office, I particularly enjoy mentoring the younger staff and watching them grow as professionals.” In his leadership role, he is also able to play a key role in the overall success of the company. He shares, “Our objective is to grow organically and by acquisition, focusing on increasing our geographical coverage, expanding our technical services, and bringing in expertise to augment our existing technical services.”

When asked how he’s seen the industry evolve over the years, he points to how the consulting aspect has matured, with numerous high quality, seasoned competitors, and how the LSRP program brought about change. He continues, “The LSRP program in New Jersey, which began in 2009, was a paradigm shift, since it allowed licensed people like me to investigate, remediate, and close spill cases with minimal involvement from the regulatory agencies.” And how would he encourage others to join his field of study? He concludes, “The LSRPA College Outreach Committee encourages students to pursue careers in environmental consulting by offering a variety of services that include on-campus presentations, webinars on resume building and job interview skills, and managing a resume portal where students can post their resumes for LSRPA members to access. And of course, the scholarships I mentioned earlier are a terrific benefit as well. I would suggest if someone is interested in this field, they take advantage of as many resources as possible.”

REGENESIS is proud to have Benjamin Alter, Senior Vice President and Principal of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates his exceptional experience and dedication in providing successful remediation outcomes for REGENESIS and its clients.