WBK Engineering is excited to announce the hiring of a new Design Engineer joining our Transportation Practice.
We are pleased to welcome Supraja Sundaresan, as the latest member of the WBK team in our St. Charles office.
On Saturday October 17, WBK volunteers assisted the Elmhurst Park District with a clean up on the Prairie Path in Elmhurst.
Our staff braved the cold weather and work diligently removing the woody and invasive plants considered detrimental to the prairie restoration of this community asset.
The Illinois Prairie Path was the first successful “rail-to-trail” conversion in the United States in the mid-1960s. The trail is named for its rare segments of original, thousand-year-old prairies, one of which – the Great Western Prairie – is in Elmhurst. With loppers and saws in hand, we created bundles of brush and afterwards enjoyed a socially distant lunch hosted by a gracious WBK volunteer.
We appreciate this opportunity to give back to the communities in which we work and live.
WBK was recently selected by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) for a Systemwide, Design Upon Request (DUR) on its last Professional Services Bulletin (PSB) 20-1. This is WBK’s first contract with ISTHA as a Prime. This project has a 28.0% D/M/WBE participation goal and 3.0% VOS/SDVOSBE participation goal. WBK is required to provide Phase II engineering services for work tasks that may include preparation of contract plans and engineering studies and other technical services as directed by the Tollway. Typical tasks will include projects that are required for the Tollway system, and may include, but not be limited to: Structural preservation, Ramp rehabilitation, Sign and wall repairs, Intermittent pavement repair, On call and as- needed work related on the Tollway system. Contract value is $2.5 million.
Kenneth Cortopassi joined WBK’s transportation team. He has extensive experience gained over the years as a transportation and municipal consulting engineer and has been a team leader in the design and oversight of both locally and federally funded Phase 1 (Project Development) and Phase 2 (Design) projects. His Phase 3 (Construction Inspection) experience has provided insight to creating enhanced Phase 2 designs.
WBK staff is working this week in the Southwest completing civil site assessments in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. We will develop a matrix to list site deficiencies and provide cost estimates for remediation, infrastructure replacement and recommendations for new site improvements as may be needed. This work will allow our client to make informed decisions and to prioritize projects going forward. Soon we will be heading to South Dakota to complete this round of our assignment. This photograph captures early evening downtime with staff enjoying local scenery near the project site.
WBK Engineering is excited to announce the hiring of a new Transportation Practice Manager. We are pleased to welcome Yemi Oyewole P.E., as the latest member of the WBK team in our St. Charles office.
Yemi brings with him more than 30 years of experience in civil design and project management, spending 17 of those years at IDOT-District One in various roles, completing numerous typical and complex projects as a Project Studies Specialist. Yemi has accumulated experience in all phases of transportation engineering including preliminary and conceptual engineering, phase II plan preparation and construction management.
Specifically, Yemi has contributed to numerous geometric studies, safety studies including crash analyses, capacity analyses including intersection design studies, categorical exclusion reports, cost estimating, public involvement, and all other related work necessary to complete phase I preliminary engineering and environmental studies for intersections, highway segments, bridges and bicycle/pedestrian facilities. He has extensive experience working with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA), Counties and Municipalities.
In his spare time, Yemi enjoys fine dining, travel, cycling, and watching professional football and basketball. His wealth of knowledge and experience in transportation engineering will be a tremendous asset to the WBK team and focus to our clients’ priorities.
Joanne brings more than 20 years of structural engineering and design expertise, most recently leading the design of the I-80/I-35 Bridge over the Des Moines River for Parsons Corporation and a team of nine others.
Joanne’s academic background includes study at Tong-Ji University (Shanghai, China) with a degree in Structural Engineering. She followed by earning her PhD from Illinois Institute of Technology.
Much of Joanne’s career has been focused in the transportation field in the design of bridges throughout the country. Joanne has also accumulated significant experience working with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) on numerous projects.
In her spare time, Joanne enjoys to travel. Her extensive structural design background, academic proficiency, and breadth of experience will make Joanne an invaluable asset and resource to her peers at WBK and to the many clients we serve.
In March of 2019, ownership of WBK Engineering, LLC transitioned from 51% to 100% tribally owned, precipitated by the desire to speed up and enhance the growth objectives of the company. At the same time, a change in leadership occurred with Greg Chismark, P.E. being named President, and Chuck Hanlon as Vice President of Operations. The prior president, John Wills, will continue to work with WBK on a project by project basis. WBK looks forward to new collaborative efforts with Seven Generations A + E, an architectural firm based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and expanding our geographic footprint and engineering / professional service opportunities throughout the Midwest.
“We look forward to the future with optimism, building on the prior success of WBK Engineering. We are committed to providing excellent service, quality solutions, efficient project delivery and creating a work environment that promotes growth and development.” – Greg Chismark
Doug Breunlin will retire at the end of 2018! Doug has been an integral part of our company for the last 46 years, starting with Robert H. Anderson Associates in 1972 and staying with the same firm through all the changes to WBK Engineering today. Doug will be remembered for his commitment, thoroughness and attention to detail and team spirit by all those who have worked with him and by many longstanding clients as well. WBK wishes Doug many wonderful years of retirement. He will be missed!
WBK welcomes three summer interns who will join us starting next week. Cole Bonebrake, current student at University of Alabama, joins the Transportation Group; RJ Yoder, recent University of Purdue graduate, joins the Water Resources Group; and Matthew Parks, current student at Taylor University, joins WBK’s Michigan Practice Group. We look forward to hosting you for the summer!
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