Langan’s First Year in Seattle Finds Success

Pacific Northwest Expansion Leverages Geotechnical, Seismic and Environmental Expertise

Parsippany, NJ (October 22, 2020) – The Seattle office of Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, which has been operational for one year, is growing its client base and building a team of local technical experts. Lori Simpson, Senior Principal, Ramin Golesorkhi, Principal, and Scott Walker, Senior Associate, are in charge of the firm’s newest office at 1420 Fifth Avenue, which is led by Erik Ellingsen, a Seattle-based geotechnical engineer with 10 years’ experience, much of it in the local Seattle market.

The Seattle real estate market remains strong, particularly within the city, which demands premier engineering consulting services, with the seismic expertise and support that Erik’s team brings to every project. Developers, architects, construction management companies, and structural engineering firms in the region value Langan’s geotechnical, seismic, and environmental expertise. By expanding into Seattle, Langan is better serving clients there, and providing career growth opportunities for technical staff. The Pacific Northwest team includes Louis Lopez (geotechnical), and Jen Cutright and Liz Kimbrel (environmental).

“As Langan expanded westward, Seattle was always a market where we knew we could excel, but we wanted to first build a foundation of strong clients and the right staff to serve those clients,” said David T. Gockel, President/CEO, Langan. “Lori Simpson, Ramin Golesorkhi, Scott Walker, and Erik Ellingsen have already done a great job establishing operations in Seattle, and we are confident that Langan’s geotechnical, seismic, and environmental practice will be successful.”

The Seattle metropolitan area sits within a high seismic setting and presents unique challenges to development. Many projects are in tightly constrained urban infill locations with sloping ground requiring detailed engineering analyses, as well as proper evaluation of earthquake ground shaking for design. Sites with deep uncontrolled fill soils warrant the best environmental expertise to navigate the complex regulatory environment. Langan is well-suited to support such projects and work with clients who continue to drive economic growth In Seattle.

“For decades, Langan has provided geotechnical and seismic engineering consulting services along the West Coast, from Southern California to Canada,” said Simpson. “Seattle is a strategic growth area for our firm, and Ramin, Scott, Erik, and I are thrilled to bring the Langan brand to town on behalf of our clients.”

MEET THE SEATTLE TEAM

 

 

Lori Simpson, PE, Managing Principal | Geotechnical
Lori is a leader of Langan’s highly respected geotechnical practice in Northern California. Lori is the go-to expert on subsurface issues in Mission Bay, a redevelopment site for which she has provided geotechnical services since 1991. The massive redevelopment has included the Exchange, Uber HQ, UCSF research, housing, and recreation facilities, many market-rate and affordable residential developments, and Chase Center. 

 

 

Ramin Golesorkhi, PhD, PE, GE, F. ASCE, Principal | Geotechnical
Ramin serves as Langan’s Director of Seismic Engineering Services and has more than 30 years of experience in seismic analysis and foundation engineering for projects around the world. He has developed seismic and geotechnical design criteria appropriate for industrial, residential, private and government office buildings, hospitals and healthcare facilities, bridges, and elevated freeways and viaducts.

 

 

Scott Walker, PE, Principal | Geotechnical
For nearly two decades, Scott has provided geotechnical and seismic engineering solutions for projects throughout California and in southwestern Montana. His projects are often complex and demand a sophisticated solutions to economically solve geotechnical challenges.

 

 

Erik Ellingsen, PE, Senior Project Manager | Geotechnical
Erik has experience in deep foundation installation and testing, foundation subgrade preparation, shoring monitoring and excavation, as well as mass grading and utility trench backfill throughout the West Coast. Based in Seattle, Erik manages projects throughout the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

 

Jen Cutright, Senior Project Manager | Environmental
Jen has lived in Seattle for 11 years, and has over 14 years of experience supporting practical and cost-efficient development by providing compliance solutions to environmental problems. Jen excels at interpretation of environmental data, budget planning and administration, customer focused project management from start to finish, environmental compliance, customer/stakeholder relationship management, transaction support, and redevelopment considerations to maximize compliance and efficiency within multiple local, state and federal clean-up programs.

 

 

Elizabeth Kimbrel, PE, Senior Project Engineer | Environmental
With 10 years of environmental consulting experience, Elizabeth coordinates and manages environmental site assessments for a variety of mixed-use redevelopment sites. These assessments typically involve due diligence, site characterization and investigations, remedial design and implementation and stakeholder collaboration to facilitate regulatory case closure. As a professional engineer, she specializes in designing both vapor intrusion mitigation systems and ex-situ groundwater treatment systems for National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit compliance.

 

 

Louis Lopez, Staff Engineer | Geotechnical
Louis is experienced in construction planning, including bidding, efficiencies, equipment, and procedures. He has previously designed the sizing, reinforcement, and connections for eight different load cases, which included spread and combined footings, and observed tie back installation/testing, drilled piers, and pile driving.