Best of IECA 2022 Virtual Conference

Marc S. Theisen, M.Sc., CPESC, CPSWQ, CESSWI is Vice President of Business Development and Technical Services for Profile Products, LLC. He has extensive global experience in erosion and sediment control working on energy, mining, infrastructure and construction related projects over six continents. He works in the development and technical marketing of a comprehensive family of erosion control, sediment control, biotic soil amendment and stormwater treatment technologies. He is a founding member of the Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC) and a member of the ASTM D18 and D35 Committees on Erosion Control, Sediment Control and Geosynthetics. He is an active and longtime member and past Technical Vice President of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA). In 2007 Marc was recognized by Land Development Today magazine as a Stormwater All-Star – one of the most influential people in stormwater management and in 2015 as a “Mover and Shaker” by Storm Water Solutions magazine. In 2018 he was recognized by EnviroCert, International with a Distinguished Service Award and by IECA for the 2018 Technical Paper of the Year.

With over 27 years of experience in the stormwater field, Paul Mueller’s professional career in the land disturbance began when he started working with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in the early 90’s. He conducted inspections and enforcement activities of land disturbance and industrial stormwater sites; he was also involved in water quality and fish kill investigations. During that time, he worked with EPA Region VII inspectors on several joint inspections of land disturbance sites. He has been on the review committee for several Missouri land disturbance and stormwater permits. He was a team member for the third revision of the Missouri and Kansas "Protecting Water Quality Guide." In 2016, he became the chief erosion control and water quality inspector for St. Charles County, Missouri in the metropolitan St. Louis area. He is CESSWI certified. Currently he is IECA Great Rivers Chapter Board Vice President and is on the IECA Great Connections Editorial Review Board.

Sonny has been a member of IECA since 2011 and is the President of the South Central Chapter of IECA.  He is originally from New Orleans, LA. His career started in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to the environmental field. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Management and an M.S. in Occupational Safety & Health - Environmental Management both from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, AL.  Sonny is a CPESC, CISEC, CESSSWI, and a Registered Environmental Professional.  

Paul lives in Saint Paul with his wife Kristina Robertson, an assortment of pets, foster animals and 6 grown children that drop by from time to time. For the past 36 years Paul has focused on Stormwater Management, Erosion Control, Combined Sewer Separation and Stormwater Education. Chellsen provided oversight for the implementation of Chapter 52 Erosion Control, Chapter 54 Stormwater Management, and the Minneapolis Storm Water Utility, which provides credits for BMP’s. Chellsen’s recent focus has been on BMP Operations and Maintenance, oversight, and compliance for nearly over 2000 privately owned Stormwater BMP’s. Paul is an active community volunteer, currently a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 293, President of the Apple Valley Yellow Ribbon, a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer, a director in the local democratic party and climate cheange activist . In his free time he likes to hike the superior trail, camp with his wife.and find new adventures wherever they may be. Carbon Neutral, Vegan, Planet Protecting friend of Squirrels and the Lorax

After stints as commercial fisherman and ski area bartender I buckled down and became a landscape architect. I worked for 25 years as a consultant for David Evans and Associates, a mid size multi disciplinary consulting firm as a Project Landscape Architect on a wide range of projects. I worked on schools, hospitals, cemeteries, parks and residences but my primary focus was streetscapes and roadsides where I designed the landscapes and erosion and sediment control.. These were not glamorous projects but big and important work that was viewed in passing by millions of travelers. In 2016 I became the Project Landscape Architect for a huge and failed project that cut through the temperate rain forest of the Oregon Coast Range. After providing a design that stabilized roadside soils in the Coast Range I was offered a position with Oregon Department of Transportation where I now sit as the Roadside Development Program leader and also the Erosion and Sediment Control Program Leader. Again, this work is not glamorous, but big and important and affords me the opportunity to work with a great team in a beautiful state.

Steven Grice, PMP, is the Director of Precision Dewatering, LLC (PDW). He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Aquatic Biology/Limnology from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2007 and his Project Management Professional designation in 2017. Steven’s work in the infrastructure construction industry began in 2007 with a focus on pipeline construction. Steven now leads PDW as Director and as a subject matter expert on dewatering and stormwater management. Along with PDW, he has invented a dewatering tool that easily and efficiently dewaters project locations will still maintaining environmental compliance. His ROWD sled invention has been featured in the industry publication, World Pipelines Journal. Steven is committed to keeping PDW the industry leader in dewatering and stormwater management by staying ahead of industry advancements and continually bringing new technology to every project.

Daniel DeJoode is a Senior Scientist with Braun Intertec and has a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan. He is an ecologist with 25 years of natural science and environmental consulting experience. He has worked with private industry, government agencies and tribal communities to conduct field investigations including wetland delineation, wetland permitting and mitigation, endangered species surveys, and environmental construction monitoring. He is experienced in preparation of environmental review documents such as Environmental Assessments and Environmental Assessment Worksheets. He has completed environmental and permitting projects for a variety of industries including development, mining, oil and gas, and renewable energy. 

Raised in Maryland, Dr. McLaughlin attended Virginia Tech for his undergraduate degree in Natural Resource Management. He then studied forestry, soils and soil chemistry at Purdue for his Master's and Ph.D. After 2 years as a post-doctoral researcher at North Carolina State University, he was hired by Ciba-Geigy in Greensboro as a Senior Scientist. After five years of excellent pay and benefits, he returned to NC State in 1993 to conduct applied research and extension education in water pollution prevention. His group has conducted extensive research into improved methods of erosion, sediment, and turbidity control and has trained thousands in standard and advanced practices on construction sites. His Outreach program received the 2010 Education Award from the International Erosion Control Association and his research program received the Applied Research Award from the Soil Science Society of America in 2011.

Jim Merchlewitz is the Water and Wastewater Business Development Manager of Shawcor’s Composite Systems. With a B.S. in civil engineering and an MBA, plus consulting experience specializing in pipe installation and stormwater management, he brings a unique perspective to stormwater projects. Merchlewitz has worked with the EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, watershed and regulatory agencies, independent engineers and civil contractors to develop innovative composite stormwater management systems.

Mr. Matthiesen has over 40 years of extensive experience in water resources and environmental engineering. His water resources experience includes being the District Engineer for three Twin Cities area watershed districts and four Joint Powers Associations, writing municipal comprehensive stormwater plans, outlet structure and storm sewer design, conducting evaporation studies, aquifer analysis, water quality protection plans, developing computer hydrologic and hydraulic models, as well as the design and construction of warm and cold water stream restoration projects.

Andy Erickson, PhD, PE, is a Research Associate at St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and the University of Minnesota and registered professional engineer in Minnesota. Dr. Erickson's research pursues an understanding of water quality in urban and agricultural watersheds, assessment and maintenance of stormwater treatment practices, and developing new stormwater treatment technologies such as the Iron-Enhanced Sand Filter which removes dissolved and particulate phosphorus from urban and agricultural rain-driven runoff. Dr. Erickson is lead author for the book, "Optimizing Stormwater Treatment Practices: A Handbook of Assessment and Maintenance," and the editor of the University of Minnesota stormwater newsletter, UPDATES. Andy is also the coordinator and moderator for the Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series which engages approximately 170 stormwater practitioners and interested parties per month in an online presentation and panel discussion. Dr. Erickson has given over 160 presentations, over 30 invited guest lectures, and nearly 30 one- and two-day professional trainings and workshops. Dr. Erickson is the Vice Chair of the ASTM international E64 Committee on Stormwater Control Measures and serves the University of Minnesota as a member of the Water Council, the Environment and Energy in Transportation Research Council, and the Water Resources Science Graduate Program.

Chuck Herrmann is a certified professional soil scientist and principal at Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. Over his 23-year career, Chuck has worked on projects in 20 states and 6 Canadian provinces conducting environmental resource evaluations and permitting for renewable energy wind and solar, water resource, transmission line, residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, mining, gas and oil, and transportation development projects. Chuck assists clients with early identification of environmental issues; develops alternatives to minimize environmental impact; coordinates with regulatory agency personnel to shepherd project progress; prepares and submits complete and sound permit applications; and monitors on-site environmental permit compliance during construction and restoration. Stantec / Synergy Disaster Recovery and Larimer County Office of Emergency Management / Larimer County Road Department examined post-fire risk and mitigation options following the 2020 Cameron Peak Widlfire. Stanec collected soil burn severity, debris flow modelling, and flood potential data from the USFS, USGS, FEMA and then analyzed heightened risk to homes, county and private road infrastructure, and the environment as of result of post-fire watershed conditions. Chuck organized the GIS effort, conducted site visits, participated in multi-organizational planning meetings, prepared the risk assessment report, briefed the County Board of Commissioners in a broadcast meeting with risk analysis findings and mitigation options, and is working on a team planning and implementing risk mitigation measures for protection of life safety, property, and the environment.