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  There are around 111,000 engineers in the United States, and approximately 2,800 commercial divers, of which only some are engineers. That means less than one percent of all engineers are engineer divers. Today, we dive right in with Jeff Lynes, EIT, to learn about his career as a Project Engineer Diver.
Jeff and his wife have lived in Kentucky since 2006 and have four children. Jeff has previous experience in Army Aviation, Aerospace manufacturing, and farming. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geography with a minor in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy in 1999 and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota in 2020. Jeff has been with Marine Solutions since 2019 and added the title of “Commercial Diver” to his resume in 2021. What does an Engineer Diver do? “An Engineer Diver conducts underwater inspections of waterfront infrastructure, evaluates and reports conditions of waterfront structures and designs repairs for existing structures or designs plans and specifications for new waterfront structure construction. Various inspections include scheduled inspections to evaluate the condition of structures during their life cycle, emergency inspections following significant events such as storms or physical impacts to structures, and construction related operations such as quality assurance.” What principles of engineering does an Engineer Diver employ? “An Engineer Diver is responsible for creating safe, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure by utilizing their knowledge and skills for accurate evaluation and communicating findings and recommendations to the client or owner. An Engineer Diver must be responsive to client needs, anticipate current and future needs, and keep an open mind for developing multiple courses of action whether for inspection, design, or construction.” How do you become an Engineer Diver? “For the engineering side, the first step is to earn a Bachelor's degree in engineering from an EAC/ABET accredited program. The Bachelor's degree program gives you a foundation of knowledge and understanding that you will apply daily in your work. Next the engineer completes the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination and applies for Engineer in Training (EIT) status through their respective state board. After four years of working directly under a licensed professional engineer (PE), the engineer completes the Professional Engineering Examination and applies for Professional Engineer licensure through the state board. For the diving side, one must attend an Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) - approved school to become a certified entry-level diver/tender. The certification will allow you to begin diving commercially as both an engineer, and a diver. A note here is that engineer divers usually start commercial diving either before or just after earning their bachelor's degree, although some begin diving later.” Why would an engineer want to become a diver? “If your engineering work is related to structures in the water, becoming a diver enhances your understanding of field conditions so that you can more accurately evaluate field conditions and create better designs. Becoming a commercial diver expands engineering opportunities for career paths and exposes the engineer to a wider variety of work in the field.” What was the most difficult part of adding Diver to your resume? “Taking the time for dive school. I have a wife and children so being apart from them during the months of dive school was difficult.” What kind of job opportunities are available to Engineer Divers? Is there a high demand for them? “Most underwater structure inspections are led by an engineer diver. Inland, there are typically bridges, culverts, dams, barge mooring cells, and docks to inspect. In coastal areas and offshore there are also many pipelines and various structures that need inspection. Engineer diving is a niche job market and is usually handled by firms engaged in marine engineering.” What qualities should an Engineer Diver possess? “An engineer diver should be motivated to do quality work, be physically fit, be willing to work in a variety of environments, take care of the people they work with, able to listen to others' ideas, and communicate their own ideas well.” What is your favorite part about your career? “Having a mixture of design work and diving work is great. I personally love being outside, and inspection diving is very satisfying, even in challenging conditions.” What is your least favorite part about your job? “The volume of report writing is my least favorite part. Every inspection requires a report, with many details to be accurately included along with recommendations. However, the report writing is a very necessary part of any engineering work.” Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to become an Engineer Diver? “Make a plan and start executing it as soon as you can. Even if it's only one small step now, taking action brings you one step closer to your goal. You can do it!” 
 18th Annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky Award Winners Announced FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 2, 2022) – The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM) and ClearPath Mutual Insurance Company announce the 100 companies (in alphabetical order) that made the 18th Annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky list. The winner rankings will be announced at an awards dinner Thursday, June 9, 2022, at the Central Bank Center (formerly Lexington Convention Center). Click here to view the alphabetical list of winners. Winners from across the state have been selected in three categories: small companies of 15-149 employees, medium companies of 150-499 employees and large companies consisting of more than 500 employees (categories based on number of U.S. employees, only Kentucky employees surveyed). The selection process, managed by Workforce Research Group, is based on an assessment of the company’s employee policies and procedures and the results of an internal employee survey. The competition is a multi-year initiative designed to motivate companies in the Commonwealth to focus, measure and move their workplace environments toward excellence. Numerous studies show a strong correlation between profitability and creating a good place to work. For 75 years, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has represented the interests of member businesses throughout Kentucky – from family-owned shops to Fortune 500 companies. As the state’s premier business advocate, the Kentucky Chamber is a recognized and respected voice across the Commonwealth, working every day to unite business and advance Kentucky. Kentucky SHRM consists of 12 local chapters that provide ongoing education and leadership opportunities for over 2,700 human resource professionals throughout the Commonwealth. For more details about Best Places to Work in Kentucky, visit www.bestplacestoworkkentucky.com.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marine Solutions, Inc. Receives 2022 Best of Nicholasville Award Nicholasville Award Program Honors the Achievement NICHOLASVILLE February 3, 2022 -- Marine Solutions, Inc. has been selected for the 2022 Best of Nicholasville Award in the Civil Engineer category by the Nicholasville Award Program. Each year, the Nicholasville Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Nicholasville area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2022 Nicholasville Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Nicholasville Award Program and data provided by third parties. About Nicholasville Award Program The Nicholasville Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Nicholasville area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value. The Nicholasville Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy. SOURCE: Nicholasville Award Program CONTACT: Nicholasville Award Program Email: PublicRelations@notifybusiness.com URL: http://www.notifybusiness.com ### On December 11, Western Kentucky was hit by the most devastating tornado Kentucky has seen in recent history, and it claimed nearly 80 lives. The most significant damage was seen in Mayfield, KY, approximately 30 miles from the Marine Solutions office in Paducah. While everyone in our Paducah office remained safe, we were left devastated. To help, we sent a delivery of water, generators, and other supplies. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all the families impacted by the storm. At Marine Solutions, we are so fortunate to be able to give back to our community. As people shop for gifts, prepare holiday meals, and spend time with family and friends, we are reminded that many are not so fortunate. A multitude of families will be missing loved ones, worrying about having toys under their trees for the little ones, or even worrying about where they will get their next meal. Through Making Waves, a Marine Solutions initiative enabling us to do good for the communities in which we love, we are proud to give back. As many families have suffered unimaginable loss over the past couple years, it is more important to give back now more than ever. One of the ways we are Making Waves this year is by providing Christmas dinner to those in need. By sponsoring families through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree, we have provided 80 families with a meal that may have been hard to come by otherwise. Another way we are giving back this year is by sponsoring a family through The Arc of Baltimore, a program that supports individuals with developmental disabilities. Our Maryland team graciously shopped for, wrapped, and delivered two truckloads of gifts to a family of 8. All of the presents were hidden until Christmas Eve when Santa will put them under the tree for the family to open on Christmas morning! Marine Solutions also pitched in to help Wreaths Across America at Camp Nelson, in the hometown of our headquarters, Nicholasville, KY. Wreaths Across America provides a way to honor our veterans by laying remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country’s fallen heroes. Almost 17,000 wreaths were sponsored for the cause, with 160 being from Marine Solutions. We want to ensure that families in our community have a wonderful Christmas, and we continue to make giving back a top priority year-round. To see more ways we have helped our community through Making Waves, please visit our website.  We are pleased to announce that Bradley Syler, PE, SE has joined the Marine Solutions team as Vice President – Director of Organizational Development. Brad is a licensed Professional Engineer, licensed Structural Engineer, and ADCI-certified Dive Supervisor with over 25 years of experience in the development, growth and management of civil engineering businesses. Brad began his engineering career in 1995 in Chicago, Illinois as an Engineering Intern while completing his civil engineering degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He moved up to a Structural Engineer/Diver upon graduation, a Project Manager after passing his PE and SE exams, and a Regional Manager in 2005 responsible for operations, management and business development in the States of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. In 2008, he moved abroad to manage transportation and marine projects and staff in the United Arab Emirates and India. In 2014, Brad returned to the United States to resume work on domestic transportation and marine projects, moving from a Senior Engineer/Diver to a Senior Vice President responsible for overseeing operations, management, and business development in the Western United States. At Marine Solutions, Brad will be responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining the policies, processes and systems required to support our growing and dynamic organization. We welcome and look forward to the leadership that Brad brings to our team. Contact Brad at: 225 Industry Parkway Nicholasville, KY 40356 (859) 260-1055 bsyler@MSImarinesolutions.com  Marine Solutions would like to say thank you to everyone who has served or is serving in the military. We send out a special salute to our own team members who have served. Thank you for your service! 
U.S. Army
Private 1st Class Ft. Bliss, TX  Leaving our world a little better than we found it is a one of the missions of Marine Solutions’ Making Waves platform. Much of our work is conducted underwater – an environment that can be dirty and dangerous. We have seen firsthand the effects that pollution has had at our underwater work sites and we are doing something to make that environment a little better. Oysters filter water as they eat, which helps to clarify the water and remove certain pollutants, including nitrogen, which can trigger algae blooms that deplete the water of oxygen. An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day. Oyster reefs, like coral reefs, also provide a habitat for hundreds of species including crabs, bass, and speckled trout. And they are a natural defense against storm damage – softening the blow of large waves, reducing flooding, and preventing erosion. Unfortunately, the oyster population has been depleted in many areas, including the Chesapeake Bay where much of our work is conducted. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF) Oyster Gardening Program gives people the opportunity to help replenish this vital species by growing oysters alongside their docks. Marine Solutions' Maryland office crew has secured a dock and built cages where they are raising about 1,500 oyster spat (baby oysters). Employees will be volunteering a couple hours each week from September through May to tend the oysters. In the spring, the oysters will be returned to the CBF for planting on sanctuary oyster reefs in the Chesapeake Bay. Through our Making Waves program, Marine Solutions is proud to support our employees who are passionate about creating a better environment for generations to come. It starts with a ripple.  We recently had a round of employee promotions throughout the company. Please help us congratulate them!
August Dudley, Sean Cunningham, and Nathan Skipworth were promoted from Part-time to Full-time Commercial Diver. They will continue providing commercial diving services, including underwater inspections and construction, and associated topside work. Nathan has been a commercial diver since 2020 and with our Kentucky office for 2 years. August has been a commercial diver since 2019 and with us in our Kentucky office for 1 year. Sean has been with us at our Maryland office for 1 year and has been a commercial diver since 2019. Cole Ogden and Michael Haire were promoted from Commercial Diver to Senior Commercial Diver. They will be mentoring our divers and assisting the dive supervisor on inspection and construction-related diving projects. Cole has been a commercial diver since 2016 and with us in our Kentucky office for over 2 years. Michael has been a commercial diver since 2017 and with us in our Maryland office for almost 2 years. Guillermo Rodriquez Alequin and Alex Orwig were promoted from Senior Commercial Diver to Dive Supervisor. They will assist with project planning, approving time and expenses, daily project supervision and planning, mentoring, bid preparation, and setting up opportunities. Alex has been a commercial diver since 2015 and with us for almost 4 years at our Maryland office. Guillermo or “Rod” has been a commercial diver since 2015 and with us in our Maryland office for 3 years. Rachel Keenan, Alec Tenfelde, EIT, and Zach Usselton, EIT were promoted from Project Engineer to Senior Project Engineer. They will lead inspections and engineering analyses, develop reports and design documents, prepare proposals, and assist with project schedules and budget management. Rachel has been with us in our Maryland office for 7 years and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering in 2012. Alec has been with us in our Kentucky office for 5 years, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2017, and has been a commercial diver since 2018. Zach has been with us for over 3 years in our Kentucky office and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2018 and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2019. Renee Vaughn, PE, was promoted from Senior Draftsperson to CAD Manager. Her new tasks will include the management and oversight of all CAD tasks for the entire company, final quality control and approval of CAD work, design drafting, inspection drafting, survey processing/deliverables, and CAD training for all personnel. Renee has been with us for over 4 years in our Maryland office and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 2008. Congratulations to everyone - we appreciate your dedication to Marine Solutions!  Marine Solutions accepts 2021 Best Places to Work in Kentucky award Frankfort, Ky. (June 17, 2021) – Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Kentucky Lottery Corporation, and Peel & Holland, Inc. were ranked the 2021 Best Places to Work in Kentucky by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM). During the 17th Annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky awards ceremony, presented by ClearPath Mutual Insurance Company, more than 600 attendees joined in celebrating the 100 Kentucky companies recognized for their commitment to focus, measure and move their workplace environments toward excellence. An unranked list of companies who made the 2021 list was announced in March. The ranked list was announced on stage at the awards ceremony. Winning companies participated in a comprehensive survey process and were then ranked according to those results. Winners are grouped into three categories: small companies of 15-149 employees, medium companies of 150-499 employees and large companies consisting of more than 500 employees (categories are based on the number of U.S. employees, only Kentucky employees are surveyed). Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., the top winner in the large category, is more than a leading provider of management consulting, technology and engineering services to the U.S. government in defense, intelligence, and civil markets and to major corporations and not-for-profit organizations for over a century. It is a firm where employee voices are heard and where they matter. Their motto – Empower People to Change the World - isn’t new, and it has meaning. Employees receive the tools to help them be successful, management that supports their careers and advancement opportunities. Booz Allen respects its people, and clients respect our value and services. Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. has made the list for 12 years and last year was ranked fifth in the large category. The Kentucky Lottery Corporation, the top winner in the medium category, has fueled imagination and funded education in the Commonwealth for 32 years. Since 1999, when Lottery proceeds were directed to pay for college scholarships and grant programs, more than $3.8 Billion has been provided to help Kentucky students work towards a degree. Every dime of the popular KEES scholarship ever awarded came straight from the sale of Kentucky Lottery tickets, and 1 in 5 Kentuckians have now received a college scholarship or grant paid for by Lottery proceeds. Kentucky Lottery Corporation has made the list for two years and was ranked 18th in 2005 in the medium category. Peel & Holland, Inc., the top winner in the small category, provides insurance services to businesses, families, employers and public entities in 36 states. With five locations across Western and South-Central Kentucky, they pride themselves in being more than a typical insurance agency quoting policies. Instead, they strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their employees, the success of their clients and the future of the communities where they live and work. They are recognized as a Top 100 in the nation “Best Practices Agency” by the Independent Insurance Agents of America. Peel & Holland, Inc. has made the list for four years and ranked eighth in the small category last year. Now in its 17th year, the Best Places to Work in Kentucky program has recognized a combined 324 unique Kentucky companies, with 227 of those making the list more than once. Special recognition to the two companies that have made the list all 17 years - Dean Dorton and KORT. The Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM) state council and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce are proud to host the Best Places initiative. Both organizations support the value of workplace excellence as a key component in moving Kentucky forward. “HR professionals are the CEO's strategic partner in creating an adaptive advantage for Kentucky's employers. The Best Places to Work in Kentucky program recognizes those employers who set an exemplary standard of excellence for both employee engagement and business success,” said KYSHRM Chair Patrick Smith, SHRM-CP, PHR. According to Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts, “In order to help Kentucky’s economy thrive, we must be able to educate and employ current Kentuckians, while also creating workplaces that attract talent from outside of the state. The Best Places program does just that.” For more details about Best Places to Work in Kentucky, visit www.bestplacestoworkky.com.  Recently, we have had a few of our employees (and soon-to-be) employees graduate from college, and we would like to take a moment to recognize their achievements!
Congratulations to all of our Marine Solutions recent graduates!
 Congratulations to Zach Usselton and Alec Tenfelde for passing the Professional Engineer exam! Zach and Alec are located out of our Nicholasville, KY office. We are so happy to celebrate their accomplishment!
We developed our #MakingWaves initiative to be intentional about the impact that we are having on the environment, economy, and our communities. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our employees continued working while many of our neighbors were not as fortunate. Due to record unemployment, there has been an unprecedented demand for food assistance causing local food banks to struggle to meet demand. We saw this need in our community and determined we could help by making individual contributions to local food banks with our company matching each employee’s contribution. Due to the generosity of our employees and our company’s commitment to Making Waves, we were able to provide a total of $7,000 to the following local food banks: Jessamine County Food Pantry in Nicholasville, KY Paducah Community Kitchen in Paducah, KY Bea Gaddy Family Center in Baltimore, MD Bessie Green Community, Inc. in Newark, NJ As our communities begin to heal, we will not take our good fortune for granted, and we will continue to act as good stewards in the communities where we live and work.  |
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