Furst-McNess, Fehr Graham win Illinois engineering excellence award

Furst-McNess Co. and Fehr Graham were awarded a 2018 ACEC-IL Engineering Excellence Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. 

Furst-McNess hired Fehr Graham to clean up one of its properties, the former WEK Holdings site, in Freeport, Illinois. The effort won a Merit Award in a new nomination category – Environmental. Fehr Graham assessed and remediated the site since 2003. 

“I have collaborated with Fehr Graham on many successful projects,” said Matt Hartman, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Furst-McNess. “(They) met our expectations in the remediation project and brought value by finding solutions for the difficult task of eliminating contaminants from the site.”

The WEK project had chlorinated solvent contamination in fractured carbonate bedrock, making it challenging, said Fehr Graham Project Manager Jeff Ogden. An innovative solution was necessary.

“Remedying the situation required extensive source investigation to define quantity and occurrence in soil and groundwater,” Ogden said. “Once complete, our unique remediation methods converted contaminants into harmless end products.”

The Engineering Excellence Awards recognizes some of the best projects in the state. Merit Awards are given for projects worthy of recognition for the engineer and the client. 

Fehr Graham and Furst-McNess will accept the award at the Annual Meeting Awards Banquet on Feb. 8 in Chicago.