Tempe, AZ – SCS Engineers, an award-winning environmental consulting firm, hired Iain Olness, who has more than 28 years of experience in the environmental industry, to serve as the Arizona and New Mexico senior project manager from the firm’s office east of Phoenix.
Olness is responsible for all phases of project management, client service, business development, and technical leadership and will oversee teams of professional staff. He also is the Arizona and New Mexico environmental services practice leader.
Olness has extensive experience in petroleum remediation, surface and subsurface contamination investigation, and Phase I and Phase II environmental site investigations. He also has expertise with public water supply well installation and groundwater modeling. Olness has completed hydrologic studies for the placement of new municipal wells, including the specifications for the installation and testing of the wells.
“Iain is a solid scientist with extensive environmental experience managing the challenges of underground storage tanks, site investigation and remediation projects, said senior vice president and southwest environmental services leader, Julio Nuno. “He is the ideal person to take on challenging environmental projects, supporting our clients’ businesses.”
He previously served as the senior project manager of a Phoenix-area environmental consulting firm for 14 years, where he oversaw staff members. He also has worked at environmental consulting firms in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Washington.
“SCS is helping clients conserve natural resources, prevent and mitigate air, water, and soil, and revitalize properties once thought unsafe. It’s rewarding to know I’m supporting our clients, our citizens, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and New Mexico Environmental Department with today’s environmental issues,” said Olness.
Olness earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from the University of Minnesota, Morris, and a Master of Science in Geology from Eastern Washington University. He served as a volunteer youth soccer coach through the City of Peoria’s Recreation Department for ten years.
