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82 MACONMAGAZINE.COM Geotechnical & Environmental Consultants, Inc. 514 Hillcrest Industrial Boulevard | 478.757.1606 geconsultants.com What services do you offer and what is one of your more unique consulting services? Heidi: GEC offers a variety of services. Our construction related services include, Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC) testing, Special Inspections Materials Testing, and NPDES Construction Site Stormwater Service. Our environmentally related engineering services include environmental assessments to testing, monitoring, and design. We have extensive experience with almost every phase of Geotechnical consulting. Mary: One of GEC's more interesting service lines is watershed assessments and stream restoration monitoring. The health of our streams is not based solely on water quality as much as it is based on the aquatic fauna that inhabit them. Watching something that was a man-made ditch turn into a viable and healthy aquatic ecosystem is very rewarding. What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of environmental consulting in 2016 ? Carrie: Being an environmental consultant is very rewarding, particularly, because new and novel science, technology, and remediation alternatives are being discovered every day. We are also seeing frequent changes in environmental guidance and regulatory requirements. The challenge is to stay abreast of the changes and well-educated about the impacts they have on our industry. Vicki: The most rewarding part of my job is the variety it brings. Each week brings new projects and new solutions; it's always a challenge to fit the pieces together to see the overall picture of the landscape we're working with. This makes each day new, refreshing, challenging, and rewarding. *** What are some of your most rewarding local projects? Kathleen: One of GEC's local and rewarding projects is the Kumho Tire plant. From receiving emails in Korean to testing concrete at 4:00 a.m. this project involved most of our departments. Another rewarding project is the new Military Training Center in Warner Robins that will aid our veterans in finding employment opportunities. Where do you envision yourself in five years? Paige: As a young female engineer, I plan to continue working, learning and gaining experience, in order to solidify my knowledge and ability as an environmental professional. I also plan on becoming a licensed professional engineer. How is your company giving back to Macon? Tameka: GEC prides itself in being involved in many professional, civic, and community activities that support our community. GEC provides environmental services on projects that include Macon-Bibb County Blight, Habitat's Lymore Estates, Downtown Macon Revitalization, Mercer University's loft projects, and more. Due to GEC's contribution to the community GEC was awarded the 2015 Macon Development Champion by Macon Economic Development Commission. How do your services help the community in general? Amber: Our services assist in determining potential or existing environmental concerns at a property and developing a solution. Our job is to help reduce the risk of concern to the community and protect human health and the environment. Determining if a property is suitable for growth allows the opportunity for innovative development within a community. What advice would you offer young women starting their careers? Debra: A job is a means to an end, but a career is a journey that should evolve over time. Take some time to jot down the answers to the following questions: Why did I choose this career? What excites and motivates me about my career? Do my answers line up with what I am most passionate about? SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Pictured left to right: Paige Sforzo, EIT - Project Engineer, Amber Hughes - Environmental Specialist, Mary Brooks, CWP - Wetlands Coordinator | Stockholder, Carrie Holderfield, PG, PMP - Senior Geologist, Kathleen Brown - Accounting Analyst, Vicki Kerry - Environmental Specialist, Tameka Gordon - Office Manager/Senior Environmental Specialist | Stockholder, Heidi Monroe - Administrative Assistant, Debra Williams - Construction Administrative Assistant. Women In Business