HAMSON

Judd Hamson

“Since we are mostly involved with infrastructure projects, especially water, sewer and natural gas, I think the biggest challenge facing our industry is coming up with a long-term plan to finance the upgrade or replacement of our aging public utility systems. Much of our critical infrastructure was installed over 50 years ago and some systems have been in operation for nearly 100 years. Many are in danger of failing or are beyond their life expectancy and need to replaced to continue providing the service we rely on for our economy to grow. We need to communicate to our political leaders the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, not only to prevent critical failures, but also to create jobs and speed the economic recovery.”

35
Vice President
Whitaker Construction Co. Inc., Brigham City, Utah
Time in Current Position: 4 years
Time in Industry: 16 years
Education: B.S. in civil engineering, Utah State University, Logan, 1999
Hometown: Elwood, Utah
LEED Accredited: No
Important Projects: 6,200-ft design-build of cast-in-place utility tunnels at Utah State University; 3,000 ft of cast-in-place utility tunnels at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.; 108-in. RCP Weber River Outfall, Central Weber Sewer District
Community Service: Church quorum of elders, president
Professional Affiliations, Memberships: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Contractor Quality Control certification; OSHA Competent Person and Confined Space Trained, Stormwater Control; North Carolina contractor license qualifier

ISAACSON

Trent Isaacson

“I think our biggest challenge going forward is the appropriate use of technology. We rely heavily on e-mail, FTP sites, 3D modeling, estimating software, etc. All this can, and does, make us better and more efficient builders. However, I am afraid that sometimes the end-user relies too heavily on the information provided by the computer. The trick is to get someone to step back from the computer and critically and creatively look at the work product and say, ‘Does this make sense? Is this the right solution?’”

39
Chief Estimator
The Layton Cos., Sandy, Utah
Time in Current Position: 3 years
Time in Industry: 15 years
Education: B.S. in construction management, Brigham Young University, Provo, 1997
Hometown: West Jordan, Utah
LEED Accredited: No, but has completed LEED-training courses and plans to take the accreditation test
Important Projects: Newspaper Agency Corp. new building, West Valley, Utah; Mercy Medical Center, Durango, Colo.; Centennial Hills Hospital, Las Vegas; Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy; Protneuf Medical Center, Pocatello, Idaho; Riverside Community Hospital, Riverside, Calif.
Community Service: Boy Scouts of America, troop leader; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, ward bishopric, first counselor; American Long Rifle Association, demonstrator

JOHNSON

Jerod Johnson

“The biggest challenge we face is helping others, even those within our own ranks, understand the value of good engineering. We spend much of our time designing for transient events that may or may not occur during the life of a structure. When such events do occur, the appreciation for sound engineering design is piqued. As years pass without such events, the interest in sound engineering diminishes, the public becomes complacent, and the need for good engineering is often set aside. As engineers, we must continually remind our clients of the design risks and that the value of good engineering cannot be overstated. Not only does it protect an owner’s investment, it reflects the value we place on the lives of those who benefit from our work.”

38
Principal
Reaveley Engineers + Associates, Salt Lake City
Time in Current Position: 2 years
Time in Industry: 15 years
Education: B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering, University of Utah, 1996 and 1999
Hometown: Spanish Fork, Utah
LEED Accredited: Yes
Important Projects: Utah State Capitol Building Seismic Base Isolation and Restoration; OSHA Technical Laboratory, Sandy; Salt Palace Convention Center Phase II Expansion, Salt Lake City; SouthTowne Exposition Center, Sandy; Mexico City LDS Church Seismic Evaluation & Upgrade, Mexico
Community Service: Utah State Capitol, volunteer tour guide; Boy Scouts of America, troop leader
Professional Affiliations, Memberships: Structural Engineering Association of Utah; Licensed Professional Engineer, Utah, Texas, Hawaii, Montana, Louisiana; PhD candidate