Awards and Recognition

“Our greatest reward is client satisfaction.” Mr. Doug Doerr, President and CEO of SCS Engineers

2023 Client Satisfaction Award

Thanks to you, our clients, SCS Engineers has received many awards and industry recognition for research achievements and technology innovations. These honors have come to us from such organizations as:

  • Solid Waste Association of North America
  • National Waste & Recycling Association
  • Air & Waste Management Association
  • U.S. EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program
  • American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists
  • American Biogas Council
  • American Society of Civil Engineers
  • National Society of Professional Engineers
  • Produced Water Society
  • Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association
  • Other industry-specific associations

 

Highlights of SCS Engineers’ Awards & Recognition

2024

  • SCS Engineers Receives Four Environmental Achievement Awards from the Environmental Business Journal (EBJ), an independent global research organization and publication to the environmental industry. Honors go to the (1) San Gabriel Valley Food Recovery program; (2) Jim Walsh, Chairman of SCS’s Board of Directors; (3) SCS’s Sustainable Solution Planning practice; and (4) to the 1200 employee-owners at SCS. Details here.

2023

  • SWANA Names Mateja Vidovic Klanac a Solid Waste YP of the Year. “Your commitment to SWANA YP is evident in your engagement on the YP Steering Committee and leading the SWANA International Solid Waste Student Design Competition. We value your commitment to SWANA YP and are delighted to honor your young professional leadership with this award,” wrote SWANA President Art Mercer and SWANA Board YP Rep Hailey Tatum.
  • SCS Engineers is a Finalist in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Disruptor Award, Sustainability category and named in the 100 Fastest Growing Private Firms in Los Angeles.
  • Renewable Natural Gas Facility Named Project of the Year by ASCE Florida Section
  • SCS earns the 2023 Gold Standard for Client Satisfaction – nominated by Client Savvy & Zweig Group.
  • SCS Engineers’ Client BRIDGE Housing receives the 2023 Phoenix Award for transforming this once-underutilized brownfield site into transit-oriented affordable housing connecting people to jobs and services.
  • First National Center Historic Restoration in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – 2023 Phoenix Award Winner!
  • Zweig Group honors SCS on its Hot Firm List, which recognizes the fastest growing architecture, engineering, environmental, planning, construction, and related professional services (AEC) firms.
  • Michelle Leonard recognized by Waste 360 as one of the Most Influential Women in the waste and recycling industry for her leadership, achievements, and empowering others.
  • SCS Engineers ranks in the top 10% of global engineering firms in Engineering News Report’s Top 500.

2022

  • Environmental Excellence Award for the Hillsborough County Biosolids Composting Facility.
  • SCS earns the 2022 Gold Standard for Client Satisfaction – nominated by Client Savvy & Zweig Group.
  • SCS Engineers ranks as a top-tier global engineering firm in Engineering News Report’s Top 500. SCS continues to rank #1 in Solid Waste services and top-tier rankings in Sewer & Waste, Hazardous Waste, Chemical & Soil Remediation, and Site Assessment & Compliance.
  • SCS Engineers ranks as a top-tier global environmental engineering firm in Engineering News Report’s Top 200 Environmental and Top 225 Global Design Sourcebooks. SCS ranks highly in the All Environmental top-tiers and Hazardous Solid Waste.
  • ENR’s Top 400 Construction Sourcebook ranks SCS in the highest tiers for Environmental Contractors in both Solid Waste and Site Assessment and Compliance construction.
  • MSW Management recognizes two SCS professionals with its 2022 Innovator AwardSuzanne Sturgeon for developing and implementing cultural-based safety training, and Greg McCarron for his sustainable composting and organics management programs.
  • AWPA recognizes Timothy Flanagan as Person of the Year.
  • Environmental Business Journal recognizes SCS with three awards, Environmental Business Achievement, and two Information Technology Awards for SCSeTools and the SCS RMC Drone Program.
  • Congratulations to SCS’s Young Professional Sam Rice. Sam’s work developing remote monitoring and control SCADA systems enables operators to continue running their essential facilities safely without physically traveling to the site. Waste360 is honoring him with a 2022 Forty Under 40 Award for his professional and technical accomplishments.
  • Congratulations to Eric Girven, recognized by RETA with the Guy R. King Award for his outstanding job performance in the education and training of RETA members nationally and locally.
  • SCS Engineers is honored with an AEC industry, Civil+Structural Engineer Yearbook of Engineering Achievement Award for Environmental and Sustainability.

2021

  • Central Penn Business Journal Honors Dave Hostetter with 2021 Forty Under 40 Award for his professional accomplishments, community service, and commitment to inspiring positive change.
  • SWANA awards Tom Conrad, Founder, Executive Vice President, and Director Emeritus at SCS Engineers with the Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award. SWANA’s recognition for individuals demonstrating unusually noteworthy achievements and highly significant contributions to the waste management industry.
  • Engineering News Report Stats are out – SCS Engineers ranks #1 in Solid Waste and is featured in ENR’s Top Tier Lists and Sourcebooks in seven more environmental categories.
  • PSMJ Announces SCS Engineers as a winner of a 2021 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction.
  • Four of our accomplished women, including Stacey Dolden, Ashley Hutchens, Melissa Russo, and Vidhya Viswanathan are nominees for the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2021 Women’s Leadership Awards.
  • Stephanie Taylor’s outstanding work earns her the prestigious Air & Waste Management Association’s 2021 Young Professional Award.
  • Environmental Business Journal – EBJ Business Achievement Award for Groundwater and Stormwater Remediation Solution. The integrated system allows more land available for redevelopment.
  • Environmental Business Journal – EBJ Business Achievement Award to Waste Management and SCS Engineers for integrating and deployment of WM’s innovative Connected Landfills Technology.
  • SCS Young Professional Som Kundral wins a 2021 Waste360 40 Under 40 Award.
  • The 2021 American Council of Engineering Companies of Florida (ACEC-FL)’s Engineering Excellence Awards acknowledge engineering firms for their innovative applications and elaborate projects. ACEC-FL honors SCS Engineers for their work with Florida East Coast Industries at the Countyline Corporate Park.

2020

  • SCS Engineers was named one of the Top 100 Fastest Rising companies by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
  • Waste Management wins Ignition Firebrand Award for its environmental platform. The award recognizes system integrators such as SCS Engineers and industrial firms for their use of technology to create innovative solutions.
  • Industrial Environmental Association Honors SCS Engineers as the 2020 Associate of the Year.
  • The Solid Waste Association of North America honors Patrick Sullivan with the Landfill Gas and Biogas Technical Division’s Distinguished Individual Achievement Award in recognition of his service and expertise on landfill gas and EPA’s Clean Air Act regulations.
  • SCS Engineers awarded the 2020 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction. This award is given by PSMJ|Resources Inc. to a global firm demonstrating its commitment to giving clients a voice as a means to deliver excellent service; backed by confirmation from clients that service is, indeed, excellent.
  • Engineering News-Record – ENR ranks SCS Engineers as a Top-Tier Design-Build Firm for 19 Years. ENR’s Top 500 Environmental Sourcebook ranks SCS at No. 74 overall, and No. 2 in Solid  Waste, and a Top 200 Environmental Consulting firm.
  • Los Angeles County Public Works – Environmental Programs Division is receiving a 2019 Food Recovery Challenge Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency – USEPA in 2020. The national recognition is for the County’s substantial increase in food recovery and sustainable materials management program “Scrape Your Plate.”
  • Environmental Business Journal (EBJ) Project Merit Award to the Environmental Services Division of the city of San Diego, in collaboration with SCS Engineers, for the upgrade of a composting operation that will divert 100,000 tons per year of organic waste from the Miramar Landfill, compost 40,000 tons per year into useful by-products (with capacity for an additional 20,000 tons), provide an enhanced stormwater control system and eventually run on renewable energy generated from the landfill.
  • EBJ Information Technology Award for SCS Remote Monitoring and Control® (SCS RMC®) software to lower landfill operating costs and maximize gas capture by integrating next-generation supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) opportunities such as 3D imaging from drones and virtual reality (VR).
  • EBJ Gold Business Achievement Award to a large environmental services firm for year-over-year organic growth.
  • Prince Georges County, MD wins a prestigious USCC Award – Large Scale Composter of the Year. The Western Branch 12 Bunker System design/built-in partnership with SCS, is capable of processing 100,000 tons of yard trim and food waste into compost annually for Prince Georges County and will serve the County and region for decades to come.
  • Steve Linehan, Senior Project Manager at SCS wins a Waste360 40 Under 40 Award. The award program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics make a significant contribution to the industry.

2019

  • SCS Engineers wins 2019 Firebrand Award for SCS RMC®. Firebrand Awards recognize system integrators and industrial organizations creating innovative industry solutions.
  • Control Engineering’s Engineering Leaders Under 40 Program recognizes Dave Hostetter for his professionalism and contributions this year. Dave’s work supports multiple industries, including waste management, and he is recognized for his work designing and implementing remote monitoring and control systems, called SCS RMC®.
  • James Law of SCS Engineers Reelected to the International Solid Waste Association Board. He is currently the Chair of the ISWA Working Group on Landfill and the Task Force on Closing Dumpsites Initiative as well.
  • SCS achieved top rankings in the 2019 ENR Top 500 Environmental Sourcebook and the Top 200 Environmental Firms. SCS ranks highly in Solid Waste, Chemical & Soil Remediation, Site Assessment & Compliance, Wastewater, and All Pure Environmental. We thank our clients for these achievements.
  • For the second consecutive year, SCS Engineers named a recipient of the 2019 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction by PSMJ. The award honors architecture and engineering firms that deliver a truly exceptional client experience and is awarded based on data collected from 280,000 client surveys covering over 300 firms.
  • The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) Women’s Council honors Tracie Onstad Bills as one of their 2019 Women Leaders in Waste.
  • SCS Engineers’ Robert Gardner Confirmed as the SWANA Trustee for the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists Board
  • The Waste360 40 Under 40 awards program recognizes inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 whose work in waste, recycling and organics make a significant contribution to the industry. This year the selection committee choose SCS’s Srividhya Viswanathan, Senior Project Manager and Vice President as one of the next generation of leaders who are shaping the future of the waste and recycling industry.
  • SWANA Honors Michelle Leonard of SCS Engineers with the Sustainable Materials Management Technical Division Distinguished Achievement Award for her long-term achievements in the solid waste industry.

2018

  • SCS achieved three Design-Build rankings in the 2018 ENR Top 400 Environmental Build and Top 500 Environmental Sourcebooks. SCS ranks highly in Solid Waste, Chemical & Soil Remediation, and Hazardous Waste. These are in addition to rankings in multiple other environmental service categories. We thank our clients for these achievements.
  • SCS Engineers named a recipient of the 2018 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction by PSMJ. The award honors architecture and engineering firms that deliver a truly exceptional client experience.
  • Congratulations to Region 2000 Services Authority, winner of a SWANA Regional Program Achievement Award for their progressive, sustainable landfill operations.
  • Thanks to our clients, SCS Engineers ranks in ENR’s Top 100 of the Top 500 Design Firms List for a decade. In the same publication, SCS is ranked in the very top tier of Sewer and  Wastewater Firms.
  • Thomas J. Rappolt, QEP, a Vice President and Office Director at SCS Engineers was recently re-appointed to the San Diego Air Pollution Control District Hearing Board for a three-year term beginning March 13, 2018. The Hearing Board is composed of five members appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
  • The Washington D.C. Post of the Society of Military Engineers (SAME) Board of Directors recognizes David Hostetter of SCS for Outstanding Contributions by a Young Civilian Member.
  • Governor Pete Ricketts recently reappointed Mike Miller of SCS to the Governor’s Council to Keep Nebraska Beautiful for an additional term until December 31, 2020. In a letter, the Governor expressed his gratitude for Mike’s valuable input and service to the citizens of the state of Nebraska.

2017

  • Reno County and SCS received the 2017 Kansas Society of Professional Engineers Engineering Achievement Award for their coordination, engineering design, and timeline designing and installing this expanded system.
  • Wisconsin’s Dane County Solid Waste Division received the National Waste & Recycling Association’s (NWRA) Construction & Demolition Debris Recycler of the Year Award plus the Sustainability Partnership Game Changer Award. Dane County was honored for its Rodefeld Landfill C&D Recycling Facility.
  • SCS Engineers Wins the Industrial Environmental Association’s Environmental Excellence Award for work with BRIDGE Housing Corporation, a leading nonprofit developer of affordable housing.
  • Leslie Lukacs of SCS Engineers Elected to the National Recycling Coalition Board of Directors. The NRC is a non-profit organization focused on promoting and enhancing waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting in the United States.
  • SCS Engineers honored with EDR’s PRISM 2017 Outstanding Project Award for environmental due diligence, remediation, and brownfields consulting and contracting for BRIDGE Housing’s Comm22 project.
  • Engineering News-Record ranked SCS Engineers in ENR’s top 100 of the Top 500 Design List for the 9th year in a row. In the same list, SCS is ranked in the Top 10 in the Sewerage/ Wastewater Firms.
  • The Solid Waste Association of North America honors Steve Hamilton with the Landfill Gas and Biogas Technical Division’s Distinguished Individual Achievement Award in recognition of his service and support advancing solid waste management and his expertise in the landfill gas industry.
  • Waste360 honors Solavann Sim, PE with a 40 Under 40 Award in recognition of his innovative contributions to the waste industry.
  • The Solid Waste Association of North America – Wisconsin Badger Chapter presents Phil Gearing, PE with the Young Professional Award for outstanding achievements in the solid waste industry.
  • Environmental Business Journal Award for Redevelopment. A Project Merit award for SCS’s phased investigation and design program at COMM22, an award-winning mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented development developed by BRIDGE Housing in San Diego, CA.
  • Sustaining Member Award presented to SCS Engineers from the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).
  • Dave Hostetter, PE, LEED AP, CEM, recognized with by SAME with an Honorable Mention for Outstanding Contributions by a Young Civilian Member.

2016

  • Lee Pyle, CARO, Project Director of the Risk Management Group received RETA’s Venneman Award for her outstanding efforts in advancing the aims and ideals of the Association and for her contributions to the education and inspirational betterment of the Association in the art and science of Refrigerating Engineering throughout her career.
  • SCS Engineers’ Tracie Onstad Bills and Leslie Lukacs recognized by the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) with the 2016 Service Award for their exceptional service and contributions to CRRA.
  • Waste360 ranked SCS Engineers in the Top 100 Solid Waste and Recycling Firms in North America. Read more.
  • Engineering News-Record ranked SCS Engineers in ENR’s top 100 of the Top 500 Design List for the 8th year in a row. In the same list, SCS is ranked second as an environmental engineering firm. SCS is ranked second in the Top 10 Solid Waste Firms and Top 10 in the Sewerage/ Wastewater and Site Assessment/Compliance Firms.
  • The Kansas Society of Professional Engineers named Nicole Franken, Project Professional for its 2016 Young Engineer Award and Kristen Cope, Staff Professional for the Intern Engineer of the Year Award. Both women were also honored by the Wichita Society of Professional Engineers earlier in the year. Read more.
  • David P. Hostetter PE, LEED AP, CEM, named a Waste360 Young Professional Award Winner. Read more.
  • Jason Franks, Project Manager was honored with the Member of the Year Award by the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers Heartland Chapter.
  • East Alton Defense Area Rehabilitation Project Receives 2016 Yvetter H. Younge Award, an Illinois Governor’s Affordable Housing Champion Award. Emerald Ridge in East Alton, which replaced 91 obsolete World War II-era apartments, formerly known as the “Defense Area,” that were originally built as temporary, barracks-style housing for workers supporting the war effort at a nearby ammunition plant. The property is now a remarkable example of community revitalization as the blighted, unsafe housing was replaced with 46 new single-family rental homes built by RISE Community Development, the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority, and with help from SCS Engineers. Rise and SWIDA retained many former residents and the majority of the new homes are occupied by families who had previously lived in the neighborhood. Read more.

2015

  • Climate Change Business Journal recognizes outstanding business performance in the climate change industry with the CCBJ Business Achievement Awards. CCBJ awards SCS Engineers for work in our Greenhouse Gas Mitigation services for 2015. Read more.
  • Industrial Environmental Association (IEA) of San Diego awards SCS Engineers’ Vice Presidents Tom Rappolt, QEP and Dan Johnson, PE collectively as the 2015 IEA Associate of the Year.
  • The members of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) elected Michelle Leonard of SCS Engineers as President of the International Board of Directors. Read more.
  • Dr. Marc Rogoff elected to the SWANA International Board Executive Committee.
  •  David (Dave) Ross, P.E., BCEE, retired Senior Vice President of SCS Engineers, recognized by SWANA with The Robert L. Lawrence Distinguished Service Award. Read more.
  • Dr. Ravi Kadambala, Senior Project Professional received the ASCE Editor-in-chief Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers – Florida Chapter. Read more.
  • Waste Age ranks SCS Engineers in the top 25% of the largest waste and recycling firms in North America (published as the Waste 100 Firms listing). Read more.
  • The 2015 issue of Engineering News Record’s Top 500 Design Firms Sourcebook places SCS Engineers in the Top 100 Design Firms and in the Top 20 for Solid Waste Design Firms for the seventh consecutive year. Read more.
  • Governor Ricketts, NE names an SCS Vice President Michael J. Miller, CHMM to Keep Nebraska Beautiful, a statewide affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which is a national, nonprofit public education organization. Read more.
  • Safety is a primary concern of everyone in the solid waste industry, that’s why we are especially proud to announce SCS Field Services – Construction Division as the recipient of the Texas SWANA Jimmy Huff Safety Award. SCS earned the award for achieving an exceptional safety record of zero lost workdays in 2014 and for continuously promoting a healthy working environment supported with safety training on SCS’s Learning Management System.
  • Bob Gardner receives the SWANA Landfill Management Distinguished Service Award. The Landfill Management Division Distinguished Individual Award is given to SWANA members who demonstrate meritorious activity benefiting the general public and the landfill industry. Read more.

 

2014

  • SCS Engineers receives Environmental Excellence Award Recognizing Success in Collaboration from the Industrial Environmental Association (IEA). SCS, the City of Encinitas, and the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health was honored on October 28 with this prestigious award. SCS earned recognition for its thorough work on the Encinitas Community Park Project. The City of Encinitas retained SCS to develop sampling work plans, conduct soil and groundwater investigations and health risk assessments, and identify “green” mitigation strategies to avoid off-site disposal and greenhouse gases while ensuring public safety.
    Through their knowledge of environmental policy and regulations, SCS overcame challenges including designing a mitigation strategy that would protect human health and the environment during construction activities and for future generations.
    Due diligence and collaboration lead to the successful design and building of the Encinitas Community Park in the City of Encinitas, CA. View the video, courtesy of the Industrial Environmental Association.
  • The Environmental Research and Education Foundation elects James J. Walsh, CEO and President of SCS Engineers, to their Board of Directors. Mr. Walsh’s work will focus on the Scholarship Committee. More details.
  • The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) awarded Construction and Demolition Recycling Inc. with the 2014 Bronze Excellence Award in the Recycling category for pioneering the diversion of what is often considered to be the residual trash at the majority of C&D MRFs. SCS Engineers was instrumental in the successful permitting of the construction and demolition/inert debris (C&D/I) transfer and processing facility in South Gate, California, from its inception to the ultimate operation of the facility. More details.
  • The National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded Wake County a 2014 Achievement Award in the category of Environmental Protection and Energy for its program entitled Wake County Landfill Gas to Energy Program Promotes Healthy County. SCS Engineers was involved with the feasibility study, permitting, design, implementation, and operations at Wake County.
  • The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) posthumously awarded Robert P. Stearns the Eternal Flame Award at a special ceremony held during the Landfill Gas Symposium on March 2014. The award honors SWANA members who have made significant contributions to protecting the environment through their work in the landfill gas industry. More details.

2013

  • The Salt River Landfill in Scottsdale, Arizona, was presented with a Bronze award by SWANA in recognition of their Integrated Solid Waste Management System Excellence in 2013. SCS Engineers is proud to have supported this winning team.
  • SWANA awarded SCS Senior Vice President Bob Gardner, PE, BCEE, their Distinguished Service Award for his years of service as the Association’s Landfill Management Division Director.
  • Lee Pyle was awarded the Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA) Elliott R. Hallowell Award.
  • Leon Breun was awarded the RETA Glen Smith Lifetime Achievement Award.

2012

  • The Golden Triangle Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (GTRSWMA) in Starkville, Mississippi, was selected as the recipient of SWANA’s Gold Award in the Landfill Gas Utilization category. The award was formally presented on August 14, 2012, at the annual WASTECON conference in Washington, D.C. SCS Field Services is proud to have supported the winning team. More details.
  • The 7th annual Camp Pendleton Day was hosted by the Orange and San Diego County Posts of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). Sharon Bison was presented the SAME Regional Vice President’s Medal for Outstanding Service To the Society 2007-2012 at that event. More details.
  • Pete Carrico, Vice President of SCS Engineers, was awarded the 2012 Distinguished Individual Achievement Award by the Landfill Gas Management Technical Division of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). Mr. Carrico received this honor in Orlando, Florida, as part of SWANA’s 35th Annual Landfill Gas (LFG) Symposium. This annual award recognizes efforts by individual SWANA members for service to SWANA’s Landfill Gas Management Division, service to employers, support of SWANA’s Mission to advance the practice of MSW management and overall long-term service to the landfill gas industry. More details.
  • On February 2, SCS’s Bob Westly received the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Regional Vice President’s Medal for Outstanding Service To the Society 2009-2011, in recognition for his service as chair of the Programs Committee for the 2011 South Central/South Atlantic Regional Conference.

2011


2010


2009

  • SWANA Life Member Award: Robert P. Stearns, Chairman and Founding Principal, SCS Engineers, Long Beach, California
  • Ray Dever, Vice President and Office Director of SCS Engineers-Tampa, Receives Distinguished Individual Achievement Award from SWANA’s Landfill Management Division

2008

2007


2006

IRS_SWANA_Gold_and_Silver_AwardsPress release (721-KB PDF)


2005

Chesterfield SquarePress release (1-MB PDF)


2004

 

List of Honors, Awards, and Appointments