White River Interceptor Rehabilitation
City of Muncie, Indiana
As part of an ongoing process to maintain FEMA certification of the White River Flood Control Levee, the Muncie Sanitary District (MSD) is rehabilitating multiple sewers along the levee route.
Recent News
Wessler Welcomes Kwabena Adu-Sarkodie
Wessler is proud to announce the addition of a new member to the Wessler team! Please join us in welcoming Kwabena Adu-Sarkodie, P.E., to the company.
Kwabena will be working in our Wastewater Group as a Senior Project Manager. He has more than 15 years of industry experience, with a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois.
We asked him some questions so that we can all get to know him better.
What attracted you to the civil engineering industry?
I always liked science and math in general. And my Dad is an Engineer, so that was another draw to the field.
What are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?
I like reading, listening to podcasts, and exercising.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and what would you do?
I would travel to as many parts of the world as possible and learn about the different cultures.
What are a few things you are passionate about?
Learning about different cultures and historical periods. It is very interesting to see the common thread of humanity in different places. I also like mentoring others, both in engineering and in other areas.
Wessler Welcomes Jeff Ballard
Wessler is proud to announce the addition of a new member to the Wessler team! Please join us in welcoming Jeff Ballard, P.E., to the company.
Jeff will be working in our wastewater group as a Senior Project Manager, and has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. We asked him some questions so that we can all get to know him better.
What attracted you to the civil engineering industry?
I use to stop by the Markland Dam with my Dad, just up river from the Town of Vevay, IN, and watch barge traffic pass through the locks as a young boy while visiting my Grandmother in Vevay. Dams always fascinated me and Civil Engineering was the choice.
What are some things you do outside of your fulltime job?
Just finished a master-bath remodel that consumed my summer – otherwise Camp, fish and hike – not necessarily in that order and try to keep up with my ten year old son.
What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?
Animal House, Any of the Marx Brother’s movies, Family Man.
If you could have any type of vehicle, what would it be? Go into as much detail as you want.
You said anything? Mine would have to be a P-51 Mustang with the Rolls-Royce engine – my favorite prop plane and WWII fighter.
Recent News
Employee Spotlight: Bridget Philpott
Wessler is proud to announce Bridget Philpott, E.I., as the July Employee of the Month! Bridget joined Wessler in 2016 and serves as an engineer in the Indianapolis office. She works in the areas of designing and evaluating wastewater treatment facilities and sewer and sanitary collection systems. She is also an expert on where and what to do in Europe! We had her answer some questions so that we can get to know her better.
What are your roles and responsibilities at Wessler?
My roles and responsibilities as an Engineer in the Wastewater Group include assisting in the design of wastewater treatment plants and collection systems, performing preliminary studies and providing construction administration services.
What does the “Wessler Way” mean to you?
To me the “Wessler Way” means understanding each client’s unique needs and doing everything you can to provide them with the highest quality work.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned?
Since starting at Wessler I feel like I have learned something new every day. One of the most important being that there is always more than one way to do something and to make sure you think of the end user when deciding between alternatives. The choices you make when designing their system will affect them for years to come.
Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy baking, hiking, traveling and playing lacrosse. I also love to read and joined a book club at the beginning of this year to make sure I actually take the time to do it. If anyone has any book suggestions let me know, I’m always looking for my next book!
Rumor has it you have travelled to Europe – what are some of your favorite places? And where do you plan to travel to next and why?
I’m lucky enough to have travelled to Europe four times, with the most recent trip being when I went to Spain earlier this year. It’s hard to pick a favorite but Santorini, Greece is the most beautiful place I have ever visited and Prague, Czech Republic is the most unique! I’ve always wanted to see the northern lights, so for my next international trip I am planning on going to the few of the Nordic countries.
What are some must-do activities when visiting the Chicago area?
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago I was often able to go downtown and explore all that Chicago has to offer. As some of you already know, I could go on for days about things to do and particularly what to eat while in Chicago, but here are a few of favorites:
And of course, going to a baseball game for Chicago’s best team…the White Sox!
Employee Spotlight: Brian Sahm
We are proud to announce Brian Sahm, Project Engineer I, as our April Employee of the Month!
Brian interned with Wessler in 2013, before being hired on full time the following year to join our Electrical group. Brian employs his technical knowledge to plan, design, and bid sophisticated power systems and controls for low and medium voltage equipment, as well as standby power systems.
We had him answer some questions on his time at Wessler, as well as what he likes to do in his spare time.
I currently work in the electrical and I&C group for Wessler. My job is to provide a complete electrical system including power, standby power, controls and instrumentation to allow plant equipment to communicate.
What does the “Wessler Way” mean to you?
The Wessler Way to me means providing not only a complete and functioning project, but building relationships with clients. We are here to help not only in the design phase, but we want to make sure the client gets exactly what they need and that they feel comfortable working together to find a solution. Our clients are part of the Wessler family.
What are some of the most valuable lessons you have learned?
There is always another way. Like every discipline, there are multiple pathways to achieve a solution. It is imperative that everyone takes the time to hear alternative solutions because they can be extremely valuable for future designs. I also believe that you should learn something new every day. No matter your age, if you do not take something new from your job each day, then you are not bettering yourself as an engineer. Knowledge is the key to success.
Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy hunting, fishing, and scuba diving. Many times I may come back empty handed, but the escape from society and the relaxation that comes from sitting alone in the woods is second to none.
You own a landscaping company. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
I started “Sahmscapes” when I was 15 years old with just a push mower and some miscellaneous equipment. My hunting and fishing hobbies required financial backing, so each spring I would celebrate as the cash flow returned to go and buy the new gear. Slowly I began to grow the company and ended up hiring high school friends to help complete my larger landscaping projects. I had not intended for the company to become more than just some side income, but eventually I found myself landscaping every night after school and on the weekends. College came around and I would return home on the weekends during mowing season to complete my projects. The company I had intended to end when I went to college continued to grow and, to this day, Sahmscapes continues to help provide mowing and landscaping solutions on the south side of Indianapolis.
You are a certified rescue diver. How did this come about? Any interesting stories?
My father and Uncle picked up the hobby back in the day, so when I saw classes being offered while in college I jumped on the opportunity to learn. My girlfriend Karina also scuba dives, but she is a scuba instructor. When it came time that I could continue my training and move up to Rescue Diver, Karina and her mom certified me, along with the help of my uncle who acted as the victim I had to rescue. I do not recommend to anyone that you receive a rescue diver certification from your significant other or family member, as I was nearly the one that had to be saved by the time that course was complete.
If you could do anything or wish for something, what would it be?
I wish that my father’s golf skills could have rubbed off on me. He was a runner-up in State in high school and conducted many of his business meetings on the course. Now that I have ventured into the business world I see that the golf course can be used as an excellent tool for productive meetings. My meetings usually run over, though, as I have trouble keeping the ball in the fairway. Maybe one day I will take up lessons and straighten out the stroke, but, until then, I will have to live with the fact that golf is not an inheritable genetic trait.