April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Noblesville WWTP Project Receives APWA Indiana’s Top Award

Noblesville WWTP Project Receives APWA Indiana’s Top Award

Our Utility Infrastructure Group picked up another major award for developing an innovative solution to remove phosphorus from the Noblesville Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Public Works Association chose the project as its 2019 Public Works Project of the Year in the environmental category. And even better, because the project received the highest award from APWA Indiana, it is now competing for a national APWA award!

American Structurepoint engineers integrated an innovative biological phosphorus removal system (Bio-P) that uses natural processes rather than chemicals. One of the first of its type in Indiana, Bio-P combines with aeration process modifications to achieve remarkably cleaner water at far less cost.

The project also replaced centrifugal blowers with energy-efficient turbo blowers and integrated an above-ground stainless steel piping system. Based on the first eight months of operation, the reduction in chemical usage and power saved the city approximately $800,000 a year while also providing cleaner water for Noblesville and downstream communities.

The national APWA winners will be announced at April’s end. The project previously received an Honor Award from ACEC Indiana and a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement from ACEC national.

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Land Surveying Team Shines On Social Media

Land Surveying Team Shines On Social Media

The professionalism of our land surveying team took center stage on our social media platforms during National Surveyors Week, March 15 through 21. Employee spotlights included Jessica Stapleton for her recent promotion, Nolan Mark for establishing a young surveyors’ state network, and Ryan Selby for his commitment to educating students about surveying as a career choice. The week wrapped up with a video created by the Marketing Services Group depicting a day in the life of our land surveyors here. We really do have the best land surveying team! Check out the video at this link.

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Luke Kahren Hosts Virtual Dance Party

Luke Kahren Hosts Virtual Dance Party

Our very own Luke Kahren used his DJ skills to bring much-needed dance fun and frivolity into our quarantined lives by hosting a Facebook virtual dance party Saturday, March 28. Many American Structurepoint employees and their families tuned in to enjoy the dance beats. Facebook’s copyright policy caused cuts in the live stream, but Luke, his wife Emily, and all his Facebook friends persevered to enjoy the show.

“Thank you to everyone who tuned in,” Luke says. “It was so fun and heartwarming to see the countless videos, pictures, and comments of people having fun.”

Luke moves to the party to Twitch—the world’s leading streaming platform—on Sunday, April 5, at 10 a.m. for a brunch party called, “Bacon, Bloodies, and Beats.” Check him out at www.twitch.tv/cloudninedj

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on IT Shares Super Tips For Working Remotely

IT Shares Super Tips For Working Remotely

If you need tips on how to improve your remote workplace experience, our IT staff can save your day! They have hosted a few Zoom calls to share best practices and to answer any and all questions you have. The To the Point Blog is recapping some common learnings for you right here.

General Tips

  • If you have a company laptop and just need to check email, connect to Wi-Fi and launch Outlook. No need to connect to the VPN.
  • For your best remote experience, do not connect to the VPN AND use Virtual Workspace. Connecting to both at the same time can cause a decrease in performance.
  • Connecting your PC to the Internet via hardwire (with an Ethernet cable) will give you a better performing connection.
  • If you experience frequent VPN disconnections, the best thing to do is contact your internet service provider. Discuss with them the need to use your corporate VPN without interruption. They may be able to make some adjustments to alleviate the frequent drops.
  • Please make sure to save your work frequently. This is friendly reminder so that you don’t lose something important.

Virtual Workspace Tips

  • When you are finished with your Virtual Workspace Session, sign out by going to the start menu, selecting the profile icon, and then selecting sign out. This will end your session.
  • The disconnect button on the top navigation bar should only be used when your session is stuck and you are not able to use the sign out method listed in number one. The disconnect button does NOT end your session; rather, it disconnects your PC from the running session. Using this disconnect button as a way to end your session could cause issues when trying to reconnect or start a new session in the future.
  • If you are going to be inactive for more than 90 minutes, please make sure to sign out using the method in number one. After 90 minutes of inactivity, your session will disconnect and you could lose work if you have not saved.
  • It is recommended to use Skype for business either in your Virtual Workspace session OR on your local computer, NOT on both at the same time. This can cause some messages to go to your local PC and some to go to your Virtual Workspace session, resulting in confusion.

ShareFile

ShareFile is the best option to share files with clients. If you do not have a ShareFile license, please contact IT Support.

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Tampa Staff Rock Out USF Engineering Expo

Tampa Staff Rock Out USF Engineering Expo

The University of South Florida’s annual Engineering Expo provided the perfect venue for our Tampa design center staff to show K-12 students the plusses of an engineering career. The February 21 and 22 event attracted 14,000 visitors, many of whom stopped by the American Structurepoint exhibit showcasing the company and our roundabout design expertise. The exhibit featured a slideshow with interesting past projects, lots of American Structurepoint-branded freebies, and a roundabout model scaled to the size of Hot Wheels for visitors to interact with. Using the model, our staff educated the public on the benefits of roundabout design, as well as the proper way to navigate such an intersection. American Structurepoint freebies handed out were a huge hit with students, teachers, and parents alike. The Expo offered a great opportunity to engage with the public, tell them about our services, and get the American Structurepoint name out in the Tampa Bay community.

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Zoom-ing Our Way through Social Distancing

Zoom-ing Our Way through Social Distancing

Bridge Group Virtual Happy Hour

High praise goes to the genius who invented Zoom nine years ago! The techno tool of the moment has exploded as the go-to platform for everything from remote business meetings to family get-togethers in the age of social distancing. Our American Structurepoint groups are even using Zoom to build team spirit and stay connected. The Indy Bridge, Civil, and Marketing Services teams hosted Virtual Happy Hours recently to stay in touch. The Civil team even figured out how to show their Zoom meeting on the big screen in The Pointe Café!

Marketing Services Virtual Happy Hour

Civil Team Zooming Away

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Save The Date: Chili Cookoff

Save The Date: Chili Cookoff

Four-alarm chili cookoff alert – save the date now! Our first chili cookoff in our new Indy design center takes place Friday, July 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Community Service News

Community Service News

The Community Service fund has 131 employees who contributed $3,132.50 in March 2020. The company match (for the first part of March only) brought us to $4,698.75 in incoming funds for the month.

Temporary Community Service Changes

The COVID-19 virus has brought a lot of uncertainty to our world, and some temporary changes have been made to our Give Back campaign in response. First, the company match to employee donations is temporarily suspended; we will be relying on your generous contributions. Secondly, we are prioritizing funding to our sixth giving category, the American Structurepoint family. Immediate consideration will be given to requests for assistance for employees and their families. Requests for contributions in the other five giving categories (families/children, elderly, education, armed/civic services, and emergency/shelters) will be held for consideration after the health and economic crisis has passed. As always, commitment forms are available via Pinnacle if you would like to begin contributing or make a change to your existing commitment.

Recent Donations

March 2020 donations are on hold, in accordance with our temporary guidelines. Please be assured that all employee assistance requests will be kept confidential.

Upcoming Events

In accordance with social distancing guidelines, no events are planned for the short term. Dates are pending for:

  • Habitat for Humanity Panel Build (Indianapolis)
  • DREAM Alive Scholar Visits (Indianapolis)
  • DREAM Christmas (Indianapolis)

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Round of Applause Roll Call

Round of Applause Roll Call

Here’s a salute to the 14 employees who went above and beyond for their co-workers in March. Remember to recognize those who do a great job for you in April.

  • Megan Adams
  • Rick Blevins
  • Dylan Clouse
  • Ken Dane
  • Andrew DeWilde (2)
  • Cindy Fort
  • Garrett Johnson
  • Sarah Johnson
  • Anitra Lewis
  • Rex Lonyo
  • Ben Miller
  • Luke Nisley
  • Scott Sumner
  • Derek Urban

April 3, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on American Structurepoint in the News

American Structurepoint in the News

American Structurepoint projects and people appeared in the news eight times in March. Read on for this month’s recap.

  • The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that the first new office building in the 16 Tech Innovation District will open in June. We provided civil engineering services for the project.
  • A $30,876 expenditure to pay the company for engineering design services for the Anchorage Road project warranted coverage in the Kosciusko County Times Union.
  • The Columbus Underground website published an article about the opening of the Crooked Can Brewing Company in the Center Street Market development in Old Hilliard in Columbus Ohio. We provided civil/site services for the project.
  • An interactive workshop aimed at gathering public opinion to help develop the Richmond Parks Department’s next master plan warranted coverage in The Richmond Palladium-Item. We are collaborating with Taylor Siekfer Williams Design Group to create the new master plan.
  • American Structurepoint’s receiving a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement from the national ACEC organization earned coverage in The Hamilton County Reporter and The Noblesville Times. (Please see the article elsewhere in the newsletter.)
  • The Angola Herald-Republican published an extensive article reporting on a study our utility infrastructure engineers completed regarding removing and/or replacing water mains extending along North Wayne Street in the Steuben County, Indiana town. The roadway is slated for a reconstruction project in 2025.
  • The Indianapolis Star explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on May’s scheduled opening of the $40 million Carmichael Hotel in Carmel, Indiana. We provided structural engineering for the luxury hotel.

March 9, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Magazine Features Award-Winning Ohio Roundabout

Magazine Features Award-Winning Ohio Roundabout

American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) members across the nation are reading about our award-winning design solution for the City of Green, Ohio! An ASHE Scanner article details the story behind the engineering elements used to convert the dangerous SR 619-Pickle Road intersection to a safer roundabout. The design included adding a chicane and narrowing entry for a high-speed approach for the westbound leg typically seen in rural locations. Project Manager Mike Long and Marketing Communications Coordinator Rosemarie Kelly received bylines for the article. The project received the 2019 Outstanding Highway Project Award from the ASHE Cuyahoga Valley Section. Check out the article at this link.

March 9, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Video Captures Beam Setting at Lanesville

Video Captures Beam Setting at Lanesville

American Structurepoint went the extra mile to create a time-lapse video of a beam setting at the Lanesville Phase 2A Connector Road project. Our client, the Harrison County Highway Department, asked for a video depicting beams being installed for a single-span I-beam bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railway. Field Manager Josh Culver set up a trail GoPro camera to capture photos that could be transformed into a video. Marketing Services Coordinator Krista Lawson worked her magic to create the video. Five bridge beams each weighing 76,000 pounds and 79-feet-long were installed over a four-hour period. Our video captures the action in 60 seconds. Construction will wrap up in July at Lanesville, for which we are providing both design and construction inspection services.

March 9, 2020
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Nolan Mark To Represent Young Surveyors in DC

Nolan Mark To Represent Young Surveyors in DC

Meet Project Manager Nolan Mark (Fort Wayne Design Center), who soon will be Washington, D.C.-bound to discuss ways to strengthen the surveying profession nationwide.

What’s happening: The Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS) chose Nolan as its Young Surveyor Representative for Indiana. He will attend the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) Spring Business Meeting April 1 – 3 to address ways to attract new talent to the surveying profession. The session includes meeting with US House and Senate politicians to discuss legislation affecting surveying.

Why that’s important: “I am honored to represent Indiana and join a surveying community that only seems to be getting smaller,” Nolan says. “Of the 600+ licensed surveyors in Indiana, only 20 are under the age of 35!”

He’s a leader in Indiana: Nolan is also establishing a young surveyors’ state network. A young surveyor is someone under the age of 35 or who has earned their degree within the last ten years. The group’s goals include promoting land surveying at high school/college career fairs and making students more aware of the profession. He also is the 2020 Northeast ISPLS Chapter president, working with surveyors from nine Indiana counties.

What he likes about being a professional surveyor: “Surveyors wear a lot of hats … from doing boundary surveys in the field to analyzing a scanned point cloud in the office extracting data to give to engineers. Surveyors literally leave their mark, or monument, on the world to be found later by the next surveyor. What surveyors do today lasts a lifetime.”