IECA Young Professionals Career Chats

IECA Young Professionals Career Chat Series

Earl Norton, Jerry Sanders, Marc Theisen

Date: 30th June, 2026

Duration: 1 hour

Type of Course: Webinar – On Demand

Mr. Jerry Sanders is the past President and CEO of Sanco Design, Inc., a Soil Stabilization and Erosion Control Company established by Mr. Sanders in 1975.  The firm was and is presently serving as a general contracting firm specializing in creek channel and slope stabilization, under the Management and Ownership of Cardinal Strategies.  Mr. Sanders serves as a consultant for the design and implementation of the construction activities of the company and provides training and educational seminars to a wide range of professional organizations involved in soil stabilization and erosion control.  Mr. Sanders has been an active member of the (IECA) International Erosion Control Association since 1997.  Presently Mr. Sanders is serving as President of the IECA Board. 

Mr. Sanders received his B.S.E. degree in Biology and Earth Science from Henderson State University in 1973.  Mr. Sanders has 40 plus years of hands-on- experience in Soil Stabilization and Erosion Control.  As a professional educator and instructor, Mr. Sanders has developed and taught training sessions in Site Analysis, Soil Stabilization, Steep Slope Remediation and Bio-Technical Urban Channel Development for the International Erosion Control Association, The North Texas Council of Governments, The State of Texas Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers, and others.

Earl Norton has worked in conservation for over six decades. After beginning a career with the USDA Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service – NRCS), he retired at the end of 1994 with interruptions for school and the U. S. Navy after 35 years of Federal service. All jobs during this period were strongly related to erosion control using best management practices on agricultural and abandoned mined land. He has worked since 1995 on various activities including planning and inspecting best management practices plans on construction sites, providing erosion and sediment control training through programs of the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee, EnviroCert International, and Auburn University. He helped initiate the Alabama Erosion and Sediment Control Partnership through the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee in 2001 and coordinated the program from its beginning in through 2020 and continues to provide support as an erosion and sediment control program specialist. Earl has a B.S. in Agricultural Science and a M.S. in Agronomy and Soils from Auburn University. Certifications include Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC), Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg), and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA). He is a long-time active member of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), the American Society of Agronomy, and the Soil Science Society of America. He chairs the CPESC Committee of the SWCS AL Chapter, served as President of the SWCS AL Chapter 2025-2026,  and serves on the IECA Standards and Practices Committee. 

Marc S. Theisen (M.Sc., CPESC, CPSWQ, CESSWI) has more than 25 years of experience in erosion and sediment control and storm water management over six continents. Over his career in these industries, Theisen has acted as a contractor, consultant, distributor and manufacturer. He is responsible for developing new business in emerging market segments while overseeing training and technical assistance for customers, consultants, contractors and colleagues. 

Theisen holds a master’s degree in plant ecology from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is an active member of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) and formerly served on its Board of Directors as Technical Vice President. He remains very active with EnviroCert International and ASTM International. He was a founding member of the Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC). Marc has also served on the board of directors for the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and as an executive member of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

He holds seven patents and has authored numerous publications that have assisted in creating industry standards and growth. In 2018 he earned EnviroCert International’s “Distinguished Service Award” and the IECA “Technical Paper of the Year.” Then, in 2021, Marc was bestowed with the IECA 2021 “Sustained Contributor” Award recognizing his years of service to the industry and the organization. Most recently in 2022, Marc was named “Industry Icon” by Stormwater Solutions magazine. 

This event is worth one (1) Professional Development Hours.

IECA is committed to fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional growth. Through a process of peer review and content selection standards, we ensure that our content is robust, relevant, and aligned with industry standards.  We respect the authority of certification organizations to evaluate and accept professional development activities according to their criteria, acceptance of professional development credits is at the discretion of your certifying organization.