Job description
After a 35-year career as a professional geologist, and the privilege of being the CEO of a geoprofessional firm, I am dedicating myself to assisting for-profit and nonprofit organizations strengthen and advance their endeavors, utilizing my passions for consulting, teaching, and writing. My business experience spans a broad range that includes strategic planning, mergers/acquisitions, market intelligence, client feedback/engagement, ownership/leadership transition, executive coaching, change management, conflict resolution, professional development, and peer review. As a geoprofessional, I have provided consulting services to clients in the energy, development, transportation, federal government, and water and natural resource markets, serving as project manager and/or principal in charge of over 1,200 site studies with a primary technical focus on the assessment and remediation of hazardous substances in various media. My career began with Woodward-Clyde Consultants in 1983, serving in their geophysics division and later in their dams and tunnels group. I joined GeoEngineers, Inc. in 1988 and became the firm’s chief executive in March of 2007. I retired from the firm in April 2017. My former firm, GeoEngineers, is a premier earth science and technology firm of 400 people with headquarters Seattle, Washington and 14 offices around the U.S. GeoEngineers' projects have spanned more than 30 countries. I also serve on the Humboldt State University Foundation Board.
Why did you choose this program?
My passion for the outdoors and creating value by overcoming the threats and leveraging the opportunities at the intersection of human endeavor and geology.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
HSU Geology prepared me for the rigors of geologic consulting practice by establishing in me the fundamentals of field work, scientific observation, documentation, technical writing, testing, developing conclusions and recommendations, and monitoring applied solutions. It also connected my studies to human relations skills essential for successful business practice. After receiving my undergraduate degree from HSU, I went into private consulting practice with the foundational skills necessary for a successful career as a professional geologist and chief executive officer of a geoprofessional enterprise.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
The natural surroundings of HSU and the outstanding people, professors, and student colleagues that helped to shape the arc of my career and life.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
HSU Geology provides an education second to none in the essential elements of the science, as well as practical applications of knowledge and relationships that will position you for a successful career as a geoprofessional. It does so in one of the most dynamic geologic settings on earth, surrounded by a natural setting that will inspire your exploration and learning every day.