Allen Grammer

International Code Council

ICC-500 Chapter 7 – Technical Committee Vice Chair – Current

Austin Baird

American Society of Civil Engineers

Fort Worth – Branch Advisor – Current

Fort Worth – President – Former

Texas  Society of Professional Engineers

State – Education Committee – Current

Fort Worth – Alternate State Director – Current

Fort Worth – President – Former

Bill Baird

American Society of Civil Engineers

Fort Worth – President – Former

Chandler Iozzi

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Student Activities Co-Chair – Former

Daniel Franklin

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Mid-Cities – Vice President – Current

Mid-Cities – Programming Committee Chair – Current

Mid-Cities – Treasurer – Former

Ian Bost

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Student Activities Chair – Former

Fort Worth – Governor – Former

Jeremy Snyder

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

State – Board Member for MATHCOUNTS – Current

Fort Worth – Secretary – Current

Fort Worth – Director of Education – Former

Fort Worth – MATHCOUNTS Coordinator – Former

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Chapter Technology Transfer Committee – Current

Fort Worth – Research Promotion Committee – Current

Fort Worth – President – Former

Fort Worth – Secretary – Former

Fort Worth – Treasurer – Former

Fort Worth – Historian – Former

Joe LaCroix

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Fort Worth – Director of Outreach – Current

Fort Worth – VP Chapter Activities – Former

Fort Worth – Director of Mathcounts – Former

Ken Randall

Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

Chairperson for the West Area Council – Current

Executive Board Member – Current

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

State – Membership Committee Chair – Former

Fort Worth – President – Former

Fort Worth – Director/ Vice President Public Relations – Former

Fort Worth – Director/ Vice President Chapter Activities – Former

Fort Worth – Director/ Vice President of Education – Former

Ryan Family YMCA

Board Chairperson – Former

Board Member – Former

Larry Colvin

Texas Parks & Wildlife

Texas Trails Advisory Board – Board Member – Former

Les Brown

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – President – Former

Lindsay Lafferty

American Society of Civil Engineers

Fort Worth – Webmaster – Current

Fort Worth – Vice President – Current

Fort Worth – Treasurer – Current

Fort Worth – Secretary – Former

Fort Worth – Director – Former

Fort Worth – Newsletter Chair – Former

Peter Caravano

American Society of Civil Engineers

Fort Worth – Webmaster – Current

Fort Worth – Student Chapter Advisor – Current

Fort Worth – Secretary – Current

Richard Watters

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Audit Committee Chair – Current

Fort Worth – President – Former

Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

Business Retention and Expansion Committee – Current

Downtwon Fort Worth Inc.

Board Member

Ron Ishmael

Structural Engineers Associate of Texas

President – Former

Secretary – Former

Saul Martinez

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) Committee Chair – Former

Fort Worth – Secretary – Former

Fort Worth – President – Former

Fort Worth – Research Promotion Committee Chair – Former

Fort Worth – Board of Governors – Former

Sean Rath

ASHRAE

Fort Worth – Research Promotion Committee Chair – Current

Shannon Nave

Upper Trinity Ground Water Conservation

Board of Directors Vice President – Current

Thomas Wilson

Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Fort Worth – Treasurer – Former

National Storm Shelter Association

Technical Advisor – Former

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The TECH Team Advantage Mission

For over 50 years, TTA has been dedicated to serving churches, Christian schools, camps, hospitals, and other ministry groups in the United States and abroad who cannot afford to pay full price for professional services. Today, TTA offers a broad spectrum of low-cost services, including:

• Facilities Solutions: Architectural and engineering design.
• Media Solutions: Custom graphic design, print, web, video, and AV media.
• Software Solutions: Unique software and mobile app development.
• Vehicle Solutions: Safe, reliable leased vehicles for missionaries.

With projects completed in 50 countries and 42 states, TTA has a vast reach, serving a variety of organizations on diverse projects. The TTA team is comprised of support-based, self-fund-raising missionaries, volunteers, and interns, all of whom raise their own financial support to make their volunteer efforts possible.

Les’ Contributions

On top of his work at BHB in Fort Worth, Les commutes to Longview weekly to work with TTA. His 44-year dedication highlights the profound impact of using technical skills for service, embodying a mission that goes beyond financial gain to make a real difference in communities around the world.

Les plays a pivotal role in this non-profit organization as the Facilities Solutions Team Lead. In this role, he evaluates potential projects, considering both the organization’s financial needs and if their mission aligns with that of TTA, and applies his engineering expertise to ensure these projects are both practical and achievable before executing the mechanical engineering design.

Diverse Projects, Practical Solutions

The scope of projects undertaken by Les and his team is vast and varied. Their work includes everything from small restroom additions for nearby churches to large-scale new hospitals in foreign countries. Les ensures that the projects they undertake are practical and can be completed, avoiding unnecessary delays and costs for the organizations. Since the job is not complete after the design phase, he must consider construction and maintenance costs as well. Usually, the church or organization will have to raise their own funds for construction of any new facilities, and then be able to pay for maintenance and repairs in the future so one of TTA’s primary goals is to ensure that their designs are feasible, considering the financial constraints of the organization as well as local building standards, which can be especially difficult in some overseas projects. This pragmatic approach ensures that the efforts of the organizations they support are not wasted and that they can achieve their construction goals.

Of the hundreds of projects Les has worked on with TTA, one of the more memorable is the first project he worked on, which was a hospital in the jungles of Shell, Ecuador where the operating rooms were equipped only with window-unit air conditioners. While this is obviously different from most American hospitals, it is crucial for him to design systems that fit within local standards and codes, can be operated efficiently by the local people, and be maintained throughout their lifespan with necessary repairs and replacement parts.

Les and TTA also worked on the headquarters of Child Evangelism Fellowship near St. Louis, Missouri where they developed a new Digital Creative Center for filming educational videos, the Word of Life Conference Center near Port Richey, Florida that included several new buildings including an auditorium, a dining facility, and multiple hotels, and several projects for Pine Cove Christian Summer Camp, a staple of the Christian community in East Texas, near where TTA is based.

Impact Beyond Costs

The true impact of Les’s volunteer work lies not only in the cost savings he helps provide but also in the opportunities that he creates for churches and organizations that would otherwise be unable to access technical expertise with scarce resources. His work is a testament to the power of using one’s skills and training for the greater good and exemplifies how engineering expertise can be a tool for service, making a profound difference in communities around the world.

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Chad’s commitment shines through every Tuesday as he volunteers to mentor 3rd and 4th graders, helping them with homework, tutoring them in various subjects, and conducting exciting science experiments that ignite their curiosity and love for learning. “The opportunity to teach kids how exciting math and science can be is something I always desired to do. What began as tutoring every Tuesday afternoon quickly evolved into participating in other volunteer opportunities the Fortress offered,” he shares. Chad’s involvement extends beyond the classroom, as he actively participates in The Fortress’s community engagement events, including Trunk or Treat, Christmas gift distributions, and summer block parties.

Recently, Chad was honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award at The Fortress’s annual dinner and auction. This recognition is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the impact he has on the community. “It doesn’t feel like I’m volunteering,” Chad reflects. “The kids I get to work with are amazing and full of hope and dreams. To be able to be a positive influence in their lives is beyond rewarding for me.”

The Fortress’s programs are designed to provide academic, social-emotional, and spiritual support, addressing the systemic inequities, generational trauma, and life circumstances that often hinder success. By utilizing an inter-generational approach that builds on existing strengths and develops new skills, The Fortress empowers families to overcome these challenges and thrive.

Importantly, everything The Fortress offers is provided 100% free to families. This commitment ensures that every child and family in the Historic Southside community has access to the resources they need to succeed. Chad Wallace’s dedication to The Fortress’s mission is a shining example of the positive impact individuals can have when they commit themselves to serving others.

To learn more about The Fortress and volunteering opportunities, visit their website: https://fortressfw.org/

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This annual event aims to build camaraderie with one of our longtime building partners through friendly competition while also raising money for a good cause. Each firm invites all employees to attend the tournament, whether to play or spectate, which facilitates an opportunity to expand our professional networks and build a stronger relationship with some of the people we collaborate with often.

This year, 10 teams competed in a single-elimination bracket, ultimately crowning BHB as the victorious champions for the second consecutive year. Andee Dyer, our Marketing Coordinator, and Gibran Michel, DBIA, Senior Associate, and Senior Mechanical Designer, claimed the coveted goat trophy, ensuring its residence at BHB for another year.

Beyond the cornhole, the event included food and libations as well as a Halloween costume contest with prizes. Adding a philanthropic touch, a silent auction offered an array of themed prize baskets including spa indulgences, pet treats and toys, a selection of wine bottles, lottery tickets with potential to win millions of dollars, and gift cards for local businesses on Camp Bowie Boulevard and in the Near Southside. All proceeds were promised to be donated to a nonprofit organization voted upon by the guests.

This year’s donation recipient was Lena Pope, a local nonprofit organization that aims to support child development and improve the behavioral and mental health of children in Tarrant County through counseling, education, and behavior interventions.

We intend to continue holding this annual event every fall as one of the many ways BHB gives back to the community throughout the year.

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This project is very important to BHB as we were extremely saddened by the events that took place a year ago in Uvalde. When one of our clients reached out and asked if we would like to be part of the design team, we jumped on it. BHB’s Co-Founder and Principal Bill Baird’s response was, “How can we not?”

A non-profit organization called the Moving Forward Foundation was established to raise funds for this project, and many companies, including BHB, are donating time, services, and supplies to provide a new safe space for Uvalde ISD elementary students. The Moving Forward Foundation continues to raise funds, and to date, nearly 70 percent of the $60 million goal has been raised.

Ian Bost, Principal and Senior Mechanical Engineer, is acting as BHB’s Project Manager for this job. “I love that work with a group of people that care this much about giving back,” he said. “Our interest wasn’t in what we will get out of it, but how can we help.” And it wasn’t just the principals who wanted to help—everyone on our design team reached out to Bost personally, asking to be part of the project.

In April of 2023, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District held a board meeting and approved the full schematic renderings created by Huckabee Architects.

The new 120,000-square-foot, two-story school is expected to serve 800 students in grades two, three, and four, with 12 classrooms per grade level. It will include an air-conditioned gymnasium, STEM laboratories, classrooms for science, music, and art, as well as multiple flex spaces and a variety of recreational areas.

The design came after months of meetings with parents, teachers, and school district leaders to discuss how to create an environment that feels safe for a community that has endured a tragedy. The five phases of emergency management (prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) were considered throughout the whole process with the goal of meeting the children where they are in terms of trauma recovery.

It is expected to break ground in late summer 2023.

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Five years since its official inception, the initial idea to set up this scholarship stemmed from personal experience. BHB’s Senior Civil Engineer, Bill Baird, had a nephew graduate from high school in 2016 in hopes of attending The University of Texas at Tyler’s college of engineering. “He was applying for scholarships but wasn’t having any luck. Therefore, Uncle Bill stepped up and decided to give this boy a scholarship.”

Taking some of the financial pressure off their nephew gave Bill and Terresa Baird the idea to offer a similar opportunity to deserving graduates, and hence established the Baird, Hampton & Brown Engineering Scholarship.

The Bairds continue to take great pleasure in contributing towards Joshua High School’s annual Senior Awards Ceremony. “My daughter teaches for the school district, my wife used to be a substitute there, and we know quite a few school board members. We’re quite invested in the Joshua ISD community,” said Baird.

As the first year to award this scholarship to more than one individual, Baird is honored to have this tool encouraging participation in the engineering industry and ultimately guiding awardees into a career they love.

“I’ve been an engineer a long time and I still love coming to work every day. That’s part of the reason I get a lot out of this process.”

As an added bonus, Bill’s nephew and inspiration for this scholarship will be joining BHB as a Civil Engineer-In-Training starting this summer.

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Parker County Attorney, John Forrest, recognized the work BHB had done in 2015 on Grace House Ministries Options Clinic, a nonprofit organization focused on serving those in their local community. As the CAC was a project of similar nature, Forrest approached BHB Principal and Senior Civil Engineer, Shannon L. Nave, about donating engineering services to the design and construction of the new facility.

According to cacparkercounty.org, in 2016, Child Protective Services received 725 reports with allegations of child physical abuse or child sexual abuse in their county alone. The CAC is working to fulfill its mission of ending the cycle of abuse by giving Parker County children a voice. The facility provides children a place for healing by offering free services to victims and their families including forensic interviews, multiple disciplinary team investigations, training, victim support, and advocacy, and counseling and support services.

In addition to providing MEP engineering services, BHB donated $25,000 of civil engineering services and facilitated the donation of geotechnical engineering from CMJ Engineering in Fort Worth. As Project Manager, Nave supported the design of the 6,800 square-foot building and assisted with a healing garden, parking, and detention pond located in the back of the facility.

During design, it was noted that the site was lacking a storm drain. This deterred construction from moving underground since there was nothing downstream to receive excess water. Therefore, a masonry wall was installed above ground to form downstream limits for a detention pond.

“One of the nice things about a masonry wall is that it’s kind of a landscape architectural feature. It’s an area that can still be used for recreation or to go have a picnic. You wouldn’t think it was a detention pond until a big 100-year storm came and created a large pool,” said Nave.

The detention pond was one of many features that created what CAC Executive Director, Cheryl Bullock, had envisioned for the new center.

Bullock said, “BHB was an instrumental part of our dream coming to life.  Shannon Nave listened to the needs of our children and planned accordingly. BHB was and still is a true partner with our mission to end child abuse.”

Almost a year after their opening, the halls are lined with the handprints of each child who has been supported by staff and volunteers within the walls of the CAC facility.

“I’m proud that we’re a company that would set aside profit in order to give back to the community that makes us what we are. It tears at our hearts that this facility is even needed, but I’m glad we were in a position to help,” said Nave.

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Unbound Fort Worth works with local organizations, schools, and shelters to increase awareness of human trafficking and empower youth to stay safe. They also offer profession-specific trainings for educators, social service providers, and medical professionals to help them identify and respond to any victims they may meet in their professional settings. Statistics show that early intervention and access to necessary services are key to getting trafficked youth to safety and preventing re-victimization.

The organization was founded in 2012 and currently operates out of an office space in Fort Worth. In 2018, Unbound Fort Worth launched 24/7 crisis response and case management services for survivors of human trafficking. Their crisis response and case management have since been field-based, with specially trained advocates responding to calls from law enforcement, CPS, hospitals, or shelters whenever a child is recovered from trafficking. Day or night, they provide emotional support, help meet any of the child’s immediate needs, and begin working with them on safety-planning. With the addition of the drop-in center, youth will now have a safe place to go where they can rest, shower, eat, receive counseling, and build relationships with the staff, among other vital services that may not have otherwise been accessible to them.

With The Underground, they will now have a facility to serve an anticipated 200-300 trafficked, exploited, or at-risk youth per year. Stephanie Byrd, Unbound’s Executive Director told us that they “are thrilled to have a place for vulnerable and traumatized youth to seek healing and restoration and pursue their dreams for a healthy, productive, and fulfilling life.” Designed to emulate the feel of “mom’s basement”, the drop-in center includes resting areas, offices restrooms, and a common area with a kitchenette. Unlike institutions such as police stations, juvenile detention facilities, and CPS offices, The Underground provides a laid-back, comfortable place for these vulnerable children to get their bearings and decompress while recovering.

BHB has provided MEP and structural engineering design services for the renovation of an existing 3,800 square-foot space to house The Underground. The project broke ground in June 2020 and the center is expected to open in October.

Learn more at unboundfortworth.org

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We spoke with three BHB engineers: Chandler Iozzi, EIT, Graduate Mechanical Engineer; Ali Buron, PE, Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager; and Maria Sanders, EIT, Graduate Civil Engineer. Throughout these conversations about their experiences and education, a common thread appeared: the visibility of women in STEM (or lack thereof) and how it has inspired them. Maria, for example, was inspired by interactions with a woman named Katherine Johnson who designed the subdivision where she grew up. She also had a high school math teacher she describes as “an extremely bubbly and smart woman” who served as somewhat of a mentor to her at the time.

Similarly, although initially exposed to engineering by her father and grandfather, Ali found inspiration from Margaret Ingels–the second woman in the U.S. to receive an engineering degree and the first to complete a graduate engineering degree. Margaret is also known for developing the “effective temperature” scale, which considers relative humidity and air movement to determine a “feels like” temperature. Her impact on the HVAC industry also includes the invention of the sling psychrometer, which measures the amount of moisture in the air.

On the flip side, Chandler’s exposure to women in STEM included only her AP Physics teacher in high school. It was in that class that she decided to pursue a career in engineering; after that she says she didn’t have a single female STEM instructor throughout college. “I think this made me want to pursue engineering even more,” she says. “I like being one of the minorities and bringing a different way of thinking to the industry.”

Ali and Chandler agree that one of the greatest barriers to young women pursuing STEM careers is a lack of exposure. Chandler has always felt that promotion of the profession doesn’t give enough information of the many different divisions and opportunities available. It may be hard for women with little knowledge of the profession to see where they could fit in–especially when already intimidated by a male-dominated industry. For Ali, she thinks that without the influence of her family, the lack of STEM clubs, role models, and specific knowledge about a career in engineering would’ve led her down a different path. “I would have never considered a career in engineering simply because it was not a commonly discussed career path for women. I think we need to take a more active role in promoting interest in STEM skills in women at an early age.”

As a company, we actively work to introduce our women engineers to students and other local organizations whenever possible. Ali has spoken at meetings of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at her alma mater, Texas Christian University (TCU). Shonnah Driver, Director of Marketing, is an active member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) of Fort Worth; the organization has a partnership with Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA), exposing them to career opportunities in Commercial Real Estate (including architecture, engineering, and construction). In addition, BHB has hosted students from local ISD’s for job shadowing and often sends female engineers to represent the firm at career fairs.

What advice do our engineers have for young girls interested in engineering or other STEM fields? Maria encourages them “to look at what people are doing, in the field you are interested in, and follow them. See how they do it and gain knowledge and perspective of what they do on a day-to-day. It gives you a good idea of what a career in that field would look like and if you’d be happy doing that.” Ali advises finding a role model, club, or camp that will further your interests. She also says to “be fearless–women are capable of whatever we set our mind to.”

Resources

• Mad Science of Dallas & Fort Worth “[designs and delivers] innovative hands-on STEM maker programs and services to families, community organizations and educational institutions.” Click here to learn more about their on-site, on-line, and hybrid programs.
• The University of Texas at Dallas offers Summer Tech Camps for ages 7-19, virtually and on campus. Learn more
• The Society of Women Engineers is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. Click here to learn more about the organization and how to get involved.
• The Young Women’s Leadership Academy is Fort Worth ISD’s first single-gender school, providing sixth- and seventh-grade girls a college preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on math, science, and technology. Learn more
• The Women’s Engineering Society launched International Women in Engineering Day in the UK in 2014. Learn more

Sources

¹ U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2017. Tables 325.35 and 325.45.

² https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm

SWE Research Update: Women in Engineering by the Numbers (Nov. 2019) https://alltogether.swe.org/2019/11/swe-research-update-women-in-engineering-by-the-numbers-nov-2019/#_edn10

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In March, Ritchie was shipped to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he will undergo 10 weeks of basic training and 12 weeks of job training as a horizontal construction engineer. After which, Ritchie’s next goal is to attend Officer Candidate School in hopes of becoming a commissioned officer in the National Guard. If able and successful, this will tack on an additional 12 weeks of training onto his military leave.

“I was always itching to be in the service somehow, but then I went to school, started my engineering career, and I hadn’t revisited it until recently,” said Ritchie. As to why he is pursuing the National Guard now, Ritchie stated, “I am young and able, it is something that I still want to do, and I want to be a part of something that helps people. I think this is the right time to do it as I am midway through my EIT experience and it will be a lot harder to find time once I am a PE.”

From the beginning, Ritchie was open with the firm about the possibility of him one day joining the National Guard, and even brought it up when interviewing for his position as graduate civil engineer.

“We respect Ritchie’s decision, and we look forward to having him back when he returns,” said Trace Strevey, Principal and Senior Civil Engineer.

Once he has completed training, Ritchie will resume his position at BHB, with the chance that he could one day be deployed in the event that the state government needs assistance, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest – with the possibility that he could also be called upon for foreign conflicts.

“I believe that my time in the National Guard will positively affect my skills and abilities as an engineer” said Ritchie. “It gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing that everybody has been very supportive and that I have job security. I love the people here and I love working for BHB.”

While engineering and the National Guard are two very different fields of work, both require teamwork, communication, and leadership as high-priority skills, and the drive to succeed. From working in an office setting to extensive training and drills, Ritchie is confident his experiences in each occupation will benefit the other, while shaping him to be a stronger individual and team player.

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