September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Project Update: Aqua Indiana Hendricks WWTP Expansion

Project Update: Aqua Indiana Hendricks WWTP Expansion

Drone shot of entire site

Construction has progressed well all summer long at the multi-discipline Aqua Indiana Hendricks County Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion in Avon, Indiana. American Structurepoint is teamed with Bowen Engineering on this progressive design-build work, providing utility infrastructure, civil engineering, and structural engineering services. The project includes an innovative biological treatment process, optimized hydraulics and operations, and complex sequencing of construction. Project Manager Karen Saavedra (Utility Infrastructure Group, Indianapolis Design Center) reports construction is complete for the following:

  • New 60-foot diameter concrete circular final effluent clarifier
  • Ultraviolet light disinfection tank
  • Base slab and several vertical walls for the 116-foot by 80-foot vertical loop reactor biological treatment tank
  • Extension of the clarifier slitter box
  • Underground piping

The project is slated for completion in January 2022. Social media tip: follow Jim Shields of Aqua Indiana on LinkedIn for awesome photos and videos of ongoing work.

Drone shot of 60-foot diameter final clarifier

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Summer Brings Back Team Outings, Conferences

Summer Brings Back Team Outings, Conferences

Throughout the summer, many groups and teams enjoyed a sense of returning to pre-COVID 19 times via attending outdoor activities and hosting meetings such as golf outings/fundraisers, team outings, and even going to conferences. Here’s a round-up of a smattering of activities.

Topgolf Team Outings Return
Topgolf locations in Fishers, Cleveland, Round Rock, and Tampa hosted 13 team outings, including our annual intern day, beginning in early spring through early August. These included Indy Sales, Human Resources, Utility Infrastructure, Indy Bridge, Architecture + Interiors, Planning + Economic  Development, Marketing Services, Indy Traffic, PointUP, Round Rock,  Tampa, and Cleveland.

Interns enjoyed their stint at Topgolf Fishers

Investigative Returns to Conferences, Tournaments
Our Investigative Group has been attending numerous functions over the summer. This includes five golf outings at Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Lexington as well as participating in the Kentucky Claims Conference in Lexington and the BOMA Trade Show in Indianapolis. We have photos from the Firstee Benefit Golf Outing in Cleveland benefitting the rehabilitation of burned children and the BOMA conference.

Marketing Services Bowls for a Cause
Marketing Services team members Julie Kost, Matt Werner, Krista Lawson, and Ryan Kommes, along with Investigative’s Darwin Acord, participated in a Society for Marketing Professionals Indiana Chapter bowling tournament to raise money for college scholarships.

Architects Tackle Sporting Clays Tournament
Kent Hughes and Vanessa Shumate were members of a foursome participating in the Fourth Annual Aim High For Education Indianapolis Chapter CSI Education Foundation Sporting Clays Tournament at the Indiana Gun Club in Fortville, Indiana. American Structurepoint also was an event sponsor. The event raised about $7,500 for the CSI Scholarship fund providing scholarships for students attending an Indiana college and pursing a design or construction-related degree.

From left to right: Vanessa Shumate, Anthony Bugliarelli, Brian Detty, and Kent Hughes

Volleyball Match at Pinheads
American Structurepoint has two sand volleyball teams that play at Pinheads in Fishers every Wednesday evening. The two teams faced each other in their first match of the Fall season on August 23. One team, The Setting Ducks, consists of Adam Logeman (Bridge), Kim Wheelock (Bridge), Ryan Cummins (Bridge), Cameron Schuler (Environmental), Leigh Stevenson (Environmental), and Krista Lawson (Marketing Services); the other team, Bye Week, is made up of Civil Group members Nick Schultz, Nathan Horgan, Drew Zimmerman, Kylie Bright-Schuler, Megan Irving, Jennifer Buck, Michael Pearce, Josh Rodgers, Jack DeValk, and Madeline Romeo.

HR Takes On Mixology
The HR team mixed it up so to speak, learning how to make two signature cocktails for their team-building event. They gathered at the Chatham Hills Club House to experience Alcomy, a mobile cocktail business owned by mixologist Brett Butler. They learned how to make a spicy basil margarita and a smoky old-fashioned.

From left to right: Melanie Bucher, Lauren McDade, Meagan Perratore, Ben Braun, Scott Sumner, Madison Deniston, Alexis Perkins, Brett Butler, and Liza Trant

American Structurepoint Hosts CIC Meeting
Our company hosted the first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic of the Central Indiana Chapter of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors. Twenty-eight surveyors attended the event in The Point Café that included dinner from City Barbeque and a presentation by Bryan Catlin, technical supervisor for the Marion County Surveyor’s Office, on the NGS’ Benchmark program.

Run For World Water A Success
American Structurepoint fielded a strong showing at the Run for World Water fundraising event held in downtown Indianapolis August 28. Our team featured 35 employees and their family members, along with two furry friends, AKA dogs. The walk benefits Water for People, an international nonprofit providing access to clean water and sanitation solutions to nine countries in Central America and Africa.

American Structurepoint team photo

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Kickball Fun Raises Money for Ecuador Projects

Kickball Fun Raises Money for Ecuador Projects

Eighteen American Structurepoint employees took to the kickball diamond recently to raise money for water and infrastructure projects in Guangaje, Ecuador. They formed two teams to play in the Indianapolis Professional Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) annual kickball tournament August 13 at Midwest Sports Complex.

What had been anticipated to be a 10-team tournament unexpectedly evolved into an 11-team tournament with the arrival of a second and unregistered American Structurepoint team. The EWB board graciously allowed the new arrival to compete in the tournament before paying the registration fee and quickly adapted the double-elimination bracket to include the team. Both of our teams played well, but Christopher Burke Engineering walked away with the tourney trophy for the third consecutive year.

Here’s a tip of the rally caps to the following employees who played for a good cause. American Structurepoint A team:  Kayla Martisek (Structural Engineering), Jess Pounds (Investigative), Andrew DeWilde (Structural Engineering), Nick Schultz (Civil Engineering), Steven Rogers (Structural Engineering), Lindsey Lidy (Structural Engineering), and Jerica Barlow (Structural Engineering ). American Structurepoint B Team (all from Utility Infrastructure) Tricia Graham, Patrick Addis, Henry Cushing, Anna Gridley, Brandon Gridley (spouse), Dave Haas, David Mohler, Todd Wilson (DPW), Jared Wilkerson, and Catherine Pallotta. Thanks to everyone who participated in this tournament, and hopefully we can have another strong showing next year!

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Reviews Are In: Company Picnic A Smash Hit

Reviews Are In: Company Picnic A Smash Hit

Great times and special memories were created during the annual company picnic August 7 at the Indianapolis Zoo. A total of 750 people attended the picnic, making a triumphant return after a 2020 hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoo-goers enjoyed the family atmosphere, riding the rides, seeing all the animals, and most importantly, connecting with each other. Many guests stayed for the private hours of 7 to 9 p.m. when the zoo remained open for American Structurepoint guests, and the house was packed for the private dolphin show at 7:30 p.m. Survey results show that of the 142 surveys returned, 92 people rated the event as excellent, 46 declared it good, and four people gave a neutral rating. There were few complaints, but the ones submitted were related to the humidity and the food. Although we are limited on our catering options due to our growing group size, the planning committee will pass on the feedback for hopeful improvement at future events.  Check out these photos!

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Strategic Growth Translates Into Promotions

Strategic Growth Translates Into Promotions

Congratulations are in order for Will Lyon, Zach Wolf, Brandon Hoopingarner, Josh Rodgers, John Dabrowski, Nathan Horgan, Nick Schultz, and Ted Bleicher. Read on for a recap.

Will Lyon – Vice President

In his 21-year career with our company, Will has had a successful role in winning and leading some of our company’s largest comprehensive multi-discipline projects in central Indiana.  As an executive, Will is responsible for selling a consistently growing book of business for our company by inspiring and further developing staff in business development techniques. He will also provide strategic advice and input for all types of public sales pursuits in Indiana and lead the sales effort for the annual INDOT local call for projects.

Zach Wolf – Vice President

In his 19-year career with our company, Zach has worked in our Indiana and Ohio Transportation groups, Utility Infrastructure Group, the Rebuild Indy program management team, and sales. He is also building solid relationships with some of our largest clients including the City of Indianapolis. In his role as an executive, Zach is responsible to build and lead a sales machine that will produce smooth, steady, growth in total sales/bookings for our company by an average of 8 to 10% per year. This includes leading the management of sales strategy for pursuits companywide and continuing to improve the operational aspects of our sales machine to accommodate our growth.

Brandon Hoopingarner – Design Director, Principal

Since joining American Structurepoint in 2011, Brandon has been instrumental in helping us win and deliver some of our most important and pivotal projects. In his new role, Brandon will have primary responsibility for design as well as overall marketing and sales development for the Architecture + Interiors Group.  He will work closely with the American Structurepoint executive team, Director of Operations, Principal Randy Robison, and the Architecture sector leaders to enhance the effectiveness and reliability of our architectural sales, ensure that fiscal goals are met, improve quality, grow staff, and develop and maintain client and partner relationships.

Josh Rodgers – Project Manager

Josh joined our Civil Engineering Group as a project engineer in November of 2019 and quickly established himself as a technical expert. His strong skills in grading and stormwater management design have been a huge asset to the team. As a result of his hard work and dedication, Josh has become a trusted engineer and problem solver.

John Dabrowski – Project Engineer

John joined our Civil Engineering Group in October 2018.  He later expressed interest in working on single-family subdivisions which have become a fast-growing part of our business. He embraced this challenge and now works on some of our largest and most complex subdivisions across Indiana.

Nathan Horgan – Project Engineer

Nathan Horgan joined the Civil Engineering Group from Ireland in October of 2017 and immediately became a go-to engineer because of his positive attitude and work ethic. He has worked on many complex projects including Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 5 Below Distribution Facility in Shelby County, and the Washington Business Park in Noblesville.

Nick Schultz – Project Engineer

Nick Schultz joined the Civil Engineering Group in the summer of 2018.  He specializes in federal projects that are extremely unique in nature and have taken him from designing a nuclear munitions haul road in New Mexico to a parking garage in Minnesota. He welcomes challenging projects all across the country and has become our go-to engineer in leading the technical design and review/approval process on numerous federal projects.

Ted Bleicher – Senior Landscape Architect

Since Ted started at American Structurepoint almost five years ago, he has grown professionally into a “go-to” problem solver and designer who works on both internal and external group initiatives to meet and often exceed client expectations.  As our staff continues to grow, we look for Ted to take on more of a mentoring role and continue to grow our portfolio of high-profile landscape architecture projects.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on North Ridgeville Turns Out for Ribbon Cutting

North Ridgeville Turns Out for Ribbon Cutting

North Ridgeville, Ohio residents showed enthusiasm for the opening of a new roundabout we designed – nearly 100 people attended the August 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony at Alternate Ohio 83 and Chestnut Ridge Road. The city’s second roundabout replaced an existing “T” intersection and significantly reduced traffic delays. Our services also included geometric design, utility relocation, ODOT coordination, maintenance-of-traffic plans, and public involvement activities on behalf of the city. We are honored to have been part of this exciting project.

American Structurepoint participants in the grand opening ceremony for the new North Ridgeville roundabout: Tony Lenhart, third from left; Mike Raubenolt, fourth from left

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Promenade Park Receives ULI Award

Promenade Park Receives ULI Award

Our Environmental Service Group is proud to be a part of Fort Wayne’s Promenade Park project receiving an Americas Awards for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute (ULI). American Structurepoint completed environmental studies and permitting for the $20 million Promenade Park, which has become a destination spot along the St. Marys River. The project is one of 12 in the US and Canada receiving the prestigious ULI award. Promenade Park is now competing with projects from Europe and Asia in the 2-21 ULI Global Awards for Excellence. Winners will be announced in October.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Richland Avenue Project Wins ASHE Award

Richland Avenue Project Wins ASHE Award

A pedestrian crossing project for which we provided construction inspection services to the City of Athens, Ohio has received the 2021 Project Of The Year Award for projects under $5 million from the American Society of Highway Engineers Central Ohio Section. A new bridge and pedestrian passageway replaced the original at-grade crossing on Richland Avenue near Grover Center and Porter Hall near the Ohio University campus. The passageway improves safety for 6,500 pedestrians who use it daily to walk throughout the college campus. The project included pedestrian-friendly barriers, aesthetic lighting, walk reconfiguration, and intersection improvements.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Round of Applause Roll Call For August

Round of Applause Roll Call For August

Here’s a salute to the 24 employees receiving Round of Applause recognition in August. Remember, it’s as easy as 1,2,3 to thank an employee for going the extra mile.

  1. Start an email to [email protected].
  2. Write a few sentences about what the person did and when.
  3. Press send, and HR does the rest!
  • Jamie Baehl, Construction Solutions Group
  • Jordan Barker, Marketing Services Group
  • Alyssa Benedict, Bridge Group
  • Rick Blevins, IT Solutions Group
  • Kylie Bright-Schuler, Civil Engineering Group
  • Josh Cantu, IT Solutions Group
  • Michele Collins, Administration Group
  • Madison Deniston, Human Resources Group
  • Karen Gillmore, Marketing Services Group
  • Nevil Gomes, Bridge Group
  • Andy Gottschalk, Road Group
  • John Judge, Utility Infrastructure Group
  • Sara Krock (2), Marketing Services Group
  • Anitra Lewis, Accounting Group
  • Aaron Nordstrom, Architecture + Interiors Group
  • Sharon Payne, Accounting Group
  • Holly Rundle, Environmental Group
  • Shaiza Sajjad, Utility Infrastructure Group
  • Dawn Sampson, Marketing Services Group
  • Mara Scales (2), Accounting Group
  • Michelle Self, Administration Group
  • Mike Steffy, IT Solutions Group
  • Liza Trant, Accounting Group
  • Tyler Zenko, Road Group

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Frank Aransky Named To Leadership Columbus Class of 2022

Frank Aransky Named To Leadership Columbus Class of 2022

Frank Aransky, project development director, has been selected to join the Leadership Columbus Signature Program Class of 2022. The program, launching this month with a two-day retreat, hones leadership skills, relationship building, problem-solving, and civic engagement for the area’s emerging leaders. Monthly meetings focus on significant challenges in the Central Ohio region. Class members also tackle multiple community impact projects, joining with Central Ohio nonprofit groups to address community needs and underserved populations. Graduation occurs in June 2022.

The highly sought-after program is one of the top-five ranked community leadership programs in the country. As such, a rigorous and competitive selection process yielded a top-notch group of young professionals. We are proud Frank has the opportunity to join this program and maximize his leadership capabilities for the greater good of the community.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Get Pinned On the Culture Map!

Get Pinned On the Culture Map!

If you’ve been through our Indianapolis design center café, a large map may have caught your attention. The PointUP committee, with the help of Marketing Services, launched the culture map in mid-August. Employees can place a pushpin on the map to recognize their home state or country. We’ve seen great participation from all offices. If you don’t work at the Indianapolis design center, all you have to do is send an email to PointUP stating the name of your home locale and voila – a pushpin will appear on the map. We’ve had some interesting locales turn up like:

  • Hawaii
  • Detroit, Michigan
  • Omaha, Nebraska
  • Nuevo León, Mexico
  • Palestine
  • Pakistan
  • Rwanda

Look for future culture spotlights showcasing our employees from faraway places coming to an inbox near you in 2022!

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Four Graduate from trueU Program

Four Graduate from trueU Program

Congratulations go out to four employees graduating from the most recent Leadership Fundamentals Program (LFP) offered through trueU.

  • Amy Bennett – Senior Project Engineer, Austin Design Center
  • Tom Leahy – Senior Forensic Structural Engineer, Indianapolis Design Center
  • Karen Saavedra – Project Manager, Indianapolis Design Center
  • Ryan Wagner – Senior Project Manager, Chicago Design Center

Topics covered included handling difficult coworkers, navigating difficult conversations, how to take feedback, and eliminating negativity. The program’s virtual instruction made it possible for Amy Bennett and Ryan Wagner to attend the LFP program originating in Indianapolis. And here’s more good news – Karen won the Excellence Award for the entire class. TrueU trainers said Karen led breakout session topics with good interaction, and her classmates often commented she shared good practical information her classmates could use in their workplaces. Awesome job everyone!

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Blood and Bone Marrow Drive Results

Blood and Bone Marrow Drive Results

Matt Werner (Marketing Services) poses with Sam Smith, widow of Butler University basketball star Andrew Smith, during the Project 44 bone marrow registry event

Indianapolis design center employees responded well to the joint blood drive-bone marrow drive held August 25 at the 9045 building.  Participants could choose to donate blood and/or register to join the bone marrow registry. We had  27 donations, which means that over 80 patients were impacted by our blood drive alone (each donation can impact up to three lives)!    

The need for blood is acute across the United States – the country is facing a severe blood shortage as donations fall during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the severe shortage, all blood donor centers remain open during Labor Day Weekend. To find a blood drive or donor center please go to:  https://donate.indiana.versiti.org/donor/schedules/zip

The bone marrow drive was held as part of Project 44, founded in 2016 to honor the life and legacy of former Butler University basketball player Andrew Smith. Smith, who wore number 44 as a member of Butler’s two-time NCAA Finals basketball team, passed away in 2016 at age 25 after a two-year battle with cancer.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Benefits Buzz – Sign Up For Wellness Screening

Benefits Buzz – Sign Up For Wellness Screening

Don’t forget to sign up for your annual wellness screening!  Just click this link to sign up. Any employee/spouse currently on our medical plan or who plans to enroll during open enrollment needs to complete a wellness screening, health risk assessment, and nicotine affidavit to receive the wellness incentive credits for the 2022 health plan year. All physician forms or LabCorp vouchers are due by December 17.

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Sign Up Now for Chili Cookoff

Sign Up Now for Chili Cookoff

Calling all chili connoisseurs – now’s the time to sign up to compete in the hottest, most fun chili cookoff east of Hatch New Mexico, the chili capital of the world! Of course we are talking about the American Structurepoint chili cookoff, set for Friday, October 1 at The Point Café from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here by September 24 to become a contestant!

September 1, 2021
by Marketing Services
Comments Off on Community Service News

Community Service News

The Community Service fund increased by $3,016.50 in the first half of August 2021, thanks to our employee payroll contributors and the company’s dollar-for-dollar match.

Recent Donations

  • A donation of $5,000 was made to Habitat for Humanity, an organization assisting low-income families in becoming homeowners.
  • Indy Backpack Attack was sent a donation of $500 to be used for school supplies for students in Central Indiana.
  • A donation of $500 was made to Indiana Youth Group. They provide programming that empowers LGBTQ+ youth.
  • Beacon Resource Center in South Bend received a contribution of $500. The building provides space for a variety of nonprofit organizations to host meetings and educational programming.
  • Gary Community School Corporation was sent a $500 donation to assist with the purchase of school supplies for students.
  • A $500 contribution was approved for Warren Central High School in Indianapolis. The donation will be used for food and medical expenses for the school’s emotional support dog, Lainey.

Get Involved

  • You can become a contributor to the Give Back fund by completing a commitment form, available by searching for “Community Service” on Pinnacle. Every dollar donated by employees is fully matched by the company.
  • All donations are driven by suggestions from American Structurepoint’s employees. If you have a suggestion for an organization that could use assistance, please complete a donation request form, also available via Pinnacle. Requests for assistance are accepted year-round. The community service fund supports projects in six categories:
  1. Families or children in need
  2. Emergency shelters
  3. Elderly
  4. Literacy and schools
  5. Armed services
  6. Honoring/remembering an American Structurepoint employee

Is your team, group, or design center planning a volunteer activity? Please send an email to “CommunityService” prior to the event. Funds may be available to complement your project!

September 1, 2021
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 media 31 times in August. Here’s a recap.

  • Multiple news outlets reported news of plans for three additional hypersonic technology and high-tech jet engine testing facilities at Purdue University that we are designing. These include the Indianapolis Business Journal, Inside Indiana Business, Purdue University Newsroom, Aerospace Testing International, and Composites World.
  • Public Now reported the Promenade Park riverfront project in Fort Wayne, for which we did environmental work, received a 2021 ULI Americas Award for Excellence.  (Please see the article appearing elsewhere in the newsletter.)
  • The Purple Line Bus Rapid Transit project in Indianapolis, for which we are providing program management services to Indianapolis DPW, received $81 million in federal funding to help pay construction costs. The Indianapolis Business Journal, Indianapolis Star, and Inside Indiana Business covered the news.
  • American Structurepoint is among four finalists being considered to update Findlay’s strategic plan, as reported by the Findlay (Ohio) Courier.
  • The Richmond Palladium-Item gave its readers an update about a recent meeting American Structurepoint architects conducted with the Wayne County commissioners and county council members to discuss renovation options for the Wayne County public meeting chambers.
  • The City of Bonita Springs, Florida awarding work for engineering design services to American Structurepoint for the Goodwin Street Pedestrian and Drainage Improvement Project made news in Lee Today.
  • Cleveland.com published an article about the opening of a new roundabout at Chestnut Ridge Road and Alternate Ohio 83 in North Ridgeville, Ohio. We provided design services for the project. (Please see the article appearing elsewhere in the newsletter.)
  • Life in Lafayette gave an update on improvements at Columbian Park, including the new Loeb Stadium that we designed.
  • The Warsaw Times-Union and News Now Warsaw reported on preliminary engineering work getting underway for the Anchorage Road project we are designing.
  • Building Indiana and the Daily Advert published articles reporting American Structurepoint as the designer of record providing architectural, civil engineering, and structural engineering services for the $500 million IDIQ contract with Naval Station Rota.
  • GoHammond.com published a notice that the City and American Structurepoint will conduct a public information session on September 9 regarding the Hohman Avenue Redesign Project in downtown Hammond.
  • The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published a study of roundabouts in Carmel. The study found that teardrop roundabout interchanges, such as ones we designed for Keystone Parkway and other Carmel intersections, reduced injury crashes by 84% and all property damage accidents by two-thirds. Forbes Magazine published an article about the study as well.
  • The Columbus Dispatch published an article about the approval of preliminary plans in Powell, Ohio for a mixed-used development of 327 apartment homes and a skilled nursing facility for which we provided civil engineering and land surveying services.
  • The Coshocton Tribune reported about the nonprofit group Our Town Coshocton hiring American Structurepoint to conduct an analysis of the circa-1895 Selby Building to determine steps needed to make the building safe for future use.
  • The first-ever soccer game played in the new multipurpose Loeb Stadium we designed made news in the Lafayette Journal & Courier.
  • Marketscreener.com reported about the City of South Bend’s enhanced combined sewer overflow long-term control plan winning approval from the US Department of Justice, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. We are on the Stantec team of consultants developing solutions contained in the plan.
  • News about tenants for a $70 million mixed-use project in the Brewery District of Columbus for which we did civil engineering caught the attention of several Columbus, Ohio media outlets: Columbus Business First, NBC 4, and BCN Stay.
  • The Columbus Republic (Indiana) reported on progress for a downtown mixed-use development for which we are providing architectural design services. The project includes a 200-unit apartment complex and an urban grocer facility.
  • San Marcos Corridor News published an article about Hays County, Texas beginning construction later this month on the RM 3237 and RM 150 roundabout we designed. The roundabout will replace a T-intersection.