July 20, 2010

Christopher Borton, PE, Named Engineer of the Year

Christopher Borton, PE, President of Borton-Lawson Architecture and Engineering, was recently named the 2009-2010 Engineer of the Year by the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers, Luzerne County Chapter.

"The annual award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and achievement in engineering," states Amy Daiute, Secretary PSPE Luzerne County Chapter." As president of Borton-Lawson Engineering, Chris continues to lead his firm, which has been instrumental in the success of many significant projects. The firm has also always been an ardent supporter of PSPE, and the chapter is honored to recognize Chris for his contributions to the engineering community and for his loyalty to PSPE and the profession."

Past winners of the award include: James Brozena, PE, Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority (2008-2009); Thomas Lawson, PE, Borton-Lawson (2007-2008); James A. Kerns, PE, Qproq Engineering (2006-2007); and Walter Poplawski, PE, A&E Group, Inc. (2005-2006).

"This is not the first time one of our staff members was recognized for Engineering Excellence and it will not be the last," states Babur Mian, Chief Operating Officer at Borton-Lawson. "Our architecture and engineering staff is dedicated to delivering a quality product on each of our projects and this is evident through the professional recognitions of Thomas Lawson in 1990, 1997, 2003, and 2007, and now Chris Borton in 2009. These recognitions serve to confirm our staff's hard work and we are proud to have the support of our peers."

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July 7 , 2010

Borton-Lawson Expands Operations to Northern Tier; Names Towanda Area Manager

Borton-Lawson is proud to announce it has opened an office in Towanda, Pennsylvania to support the expanding natural gas play in the Northern Tier. The new office location will position the firm to provide timely architectural and engineering solutions to clients involved in gas development, new building design, existing renovations, municipal planning and water/wastewater systems throughout the Marcellus Region.

Joining the firm will be a 25-year veteran of the engineering industry, Mr. James D. Piggott, P.E., who will serve as the Towanda Area Manager. In his role, Mr. Piggott will provide direction and strategic oversight on the firm’s work throughout the Northern Region. Possessing commercial, industrial and residential land development experience, Mr. Piggott offers a level of engineering insight necessary to properly understand and plan for the region’s future.

Prior to joining Borton-Lawson, Mr. Piggott established a consulting firm in Atlanta, GA, Integrity Engineering LLC, where he served as President and owner. Mr. Piggott has also worked for PBS&J, Atlanta, GA; Woolpert, Indianapolis, IN and Quad Three Group, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

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April 5, 2010

Borton-Lawson Honored With 2010 Vista Award

Borton-Lawson was recently honored by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) for the firm’s design of a new critical care building at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. The Vista Award is a national mark of distinction that honors the important role teamwork plays in health care design and construction. The 2010 award was given to the Borton-Lawson team for its design of a facility that worked with a single purpose to deliver a state-of-the-art critical care building and met the needs of the community.

"The Vista Award is unique in that it recognizes a team working together with the ultimate goal of designing and developing a healing environment. By sharing a common vision and stated goals, team members overcome challenges presented along the way," explained Dana Swenson, PE, MBA, Senior Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer, UMass Memorial Health Care, and chair of the 2010 Vista Awards Task Force. "The team brought together by the Geisinger Health System clearly demonstrated this important facet of a new construction project. Ultimately, the real people to benefit from the team's hard work are the people of Wilkes-Barre who will use and work at the facility," he added. For detailed information on the 2010 Vista Award recipient and/or information on the 2010 Vista Award program, go to www.ashe.org.

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March 11, 2010

I-80 motorists don't have exclusive right to equity argument
by Christopher L. Borton

Over the past few years, as the federal government has evaluated Pennsylvania’s application to convert Interstate 80 into a toll road, opponents, generally from here in Pennsylvania’s northern tier, have consistently decried I-80 tolling as unfair. But I take exception to such a statement, understanding that most do not know all the details of our current situation.

As a regular Pennsylvania Turnpike traveler whose office and home are about three miles from the Turnpike’s Wilkes-Barre entrance, such claims of injustice annoy me, and they should irritate any Turnpike motorist who is already paying higher tolls today. After all, a good portion of our Turnpike tolls are helping to improve transportation in all of the 67 counties in our state…yes, even in I-80 counties.

We who travel the Northeastern Extension have been paying higher tolls for more than a year now. Tolls on the Turnpike increased 25 percent in January, 2009 and went up another 3 percent this past January. Nearly all the revenues from those increases have gone to help the Turnpike Commission meet its financial obligations to the state under Act 44 of 2007, the law that calls for the tolling of I-80. I wonder if other Turnpike users realize their tolls are paying for non-Turnpike bridge and highway improvements across the state?

Don’t get me wrong. I understand the need, and I’m willing to pay a bit more to support and improve transportation facilities statewide. (Act 44 revenues from toll-paying Turnpike travelers have already produced 1,005 miles of improved roadway and 153 bridge replacements across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.) But if we are in fact a Commonwealth — meaning, “for the greater good” — it puzzles me why some would so fervently object to such a necessary measure, especially when there are few practical options to generate the needed funding. And more importantly, why would they object to a system which would more equitably assess fees for use?

About 20,000 drivers use the Northeast Extension in our region every day, and roughly 500,000 people per day use the entire Pennsylvania Turnpike. So, if we can all dig a little deeper, perhaps the true injustice is that some I-80 travelers apparently believe they shouldn’t have to give a cent more for better infrastructure.

Anti-tolling groups and some elected officials have largely avoided honest discussion about the benefits of tolling. So I feel obliged to mention that, since Act 44 was passed, the Turnpike Commission has transferred to PennDOT about $2.3 billion (more than double the amount of transportation funding Pennsylvania received from the federal stimulus bill) enabling 310 improvement projects and helping to retain or create tens of thousands of jobs. This is money that you, the Turnpike toll payer, have provided over the past 30 months to pay for improvements on roads and bridges you may never travel.

In fact, the higher tolls my fellow Turnpike users and I are paying have allowed PennDOT to complete or start nearly $700 million worth of road and bridge projects across Pennsylvania in two years, including more than $107 million spent in the 16 counties through which I-80 runs. That merits repeating: Turnpike travelers have supplied $107 million for road and bridge improvements in the I-80 corridor.

We’ve heard predictions that tolls would be “devastating,” to the corridor. But several measures have been put in place to ease impacts. Creating a short-trip discount to let passenger vehicles with E-ZPass drive up to 60 miles without paying, placing the nine toll points to minimize diversion from I-80, and committing funding to make safety improvements to adjoining routes that see a boost in traffic should diminish the worries of those who live near I-80. Even truckers will qualify to receive a sizeable E-ZPass discount depending on their monthly usage.

Many opponents point out the negative impact tolling could have on the region and fail to mention the opportunities that would be created by a four-fold increase in capital spending on I-80. Few have the insight to exclaim the consequence if nothing is done. Even fewer are forthcoming with ideas on how they would come up with the crucial resources to maintain our highways, bridges and public-transit organizations.

Providing infrastructure to move people and goods is a fundamental function of our government and arguably its most important mission. As a professional who serves transportation-industry clients, I can tell you that, without new revenues to fund our aging infrastructure, our economy would falter and eventually could fail.

Any choice the government makes to increase transportation funding is going to have an impact; sadly, money doesn’t grow on the shade trees around our state capitol in Harrisburg. A majority of state lawmakers made a tough choice three years ago to help solve the problem of adequate funding for our crumbling ground-transportation network when they passed Act 44. Now, we need the support of Washington, D.C. to fully implement this solution.

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March 1, 2010

Borton-Lawson Welcomes Tom Makowski as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing

Borton-Lawson is pleased to announce that Thomas A. Makowski, Esq. has joined the firm as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. He will be responsible for leading the firm-wide business development and marketing efforts.

"I've known Tom for over 25 years, being associated in a personal, as well as a business setting. Tom's drive, personality, and problem-solving abilities are a perfect match with the Borton-Lawson team. I look forward to these traits weaving into the fabric of Borton-Lawson to the benefit of our clients," said Chris Borton, President.

Tom is an industry and government relations professional with over 20 years of experience. His experience ranges from private law practice to directing government agencies, as well as performing corporate and industry relations functions for the nation’s largest student loan lender. Tom has served government on the local, state, and federal levels. He is highly regarded for building partnerships in the public and private sector, and for establishing outstanding community relations initiatives, policy, and strategy. Tom has also been active in the community, serving on numerous boards and committees. 

“This is a key hire to help us achieve our strategic objectives with our growth into the central and western part of the state. We believe Tom will provide us with leadership in the business development arena,” noted Babur Mian, Chief Operating Officer.

Congratulations to Tom on his new position!

Tom Makowski's Cell: (570) 905-4951
tmakowski@borton-lawson.com

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February 4, 2010

Borton-Lawson accepts ACEC Diamond Award for Engineering Excellence for Geisinger's Buckhorn Office Building Design

Last night at the ACEC Diamond Awards for Engineering Excellence Dinner at the Hotel Hershey, Borton-Lawson accepted an award for their design of Geisinger’s Buckhorn Office Building in the Building/Technology Systems Category.  Patrick Endler, AIA, LEED AP and Richard Hardy, Director of Architecture and Engineering at Geisinger, accepted the award on behalf of Borton-Lawson.  Representatives from Alexander Building Construction Co., who provided the construction services on the project, were also able to attend the event. Geisinger has been very happy with this facility, and it is a terrific example of teamwork as well as communication between the entire design team, and working with the client to provide them with the best solution.
Click on the image below to take a closer look at our submission.

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January 2010

Borton-Lawson launches its new Pittsburgh Area Office!

Looking forward to bringing our expertise to the Greater Pittsburgh Area, Borton-Lawson proudly announces the opening of our new office in the Pittsburgh area. The office is located in the Brooktree Office Park in Wexford, PA.

With the new location, we are pleased to welcome Gary A. Runco, PE, PLS, as the Pittsburgh Area Manager for Borton-Lawson. In this position, Gary will be responsible to grow Borton-Lawson’s presence in the Pittsburgh area by marketing all of our services to potential clients and managing the daily operations of that location. Before coming to Borton-Lawson, Gary was the General Manager for Metal Foundations, the Vice President-Domestic Operations at Paul C. Rizzo Associates, and the Regional Vice President at Wilbur Smith Associates. He has been involved in the engineering and construction business for over 32 years, and he is extensively involved with professional societies such as ASCE, ASHE, and ABCD. Gary earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. He has his P.E. license in PA, WV, and SC and is a PLS in WV.

Congratulations to Gary on his new position!

Pittsburgh Area Office Contact Information:
Brooktree Office Park
7500 Brooktree Drive, Suite 302
Wexford, PA 15090
Phone: 724-935-3110
Fax: 724-935-3112

Gary Runco's Cell: 412.848.9399
grunco@borton-lawson.com

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November 2, 2009

Geisinger's Buckhorn Office Building holds Ribbon Cutting for their staff and the community

Borton-Lawson's professional design team experienced a sense of pride and satisfaction at the ribbon cutting for Geisinger's Buckhorn Office Building.

Article by MICHAEL LESTER, Press Enterprise Writer
About $123 million flowed through the new Geisinger office building here in October alone. That's how much Geisinger's collections department hauled in during the health system's first month doing business across Route 42 from the Columbia Mall.

The office's 426 employees also answer an average of 4,000 calls per day, said Diane Smith, who trains operators at the three-story call center.
In fact, whenever someone has to schedule an appointment with a Geisinger doctor or clinic by phone, the call is likely answered and an appointment set by someone sitting at a cubicle here.

To make those calls go smoother, the new office features a sound-masking system. Tiny speakers built into the ceilings crank out a "whooshing" sound – sort of like an air conditioner – to drown out noise. That way, Smith said, when operators are on calls, there are fewer distractions. The voice of the caller is pretty much all they can hear.
And the caller hears only the voice of the operator.

Smith cited the sound-masking system as the most important improvement for employees. "It's amazing, with 4,000 calls a day, how quiet it is," she said. Digital "reader boards" are also being installed on walls. These are basically scoreboards that tell operators how many callers are on hold, which callers are next in line, and what medical departments they want to make appointments with. The boards also show "how long the longest waiting call is, in minutes and seconds," Smith explained.

The building also has a room where health system personnel can scan paper records into the health system's electronic medical record system, Smith said. To protect patient privacy, Geisinger limits the number of people who can enter the room, Smith said. Employees must have a key card to gain access. 'This is cool'

In addition to over 400 computers, the building is equipped with three Smart Boards in separate rooms for employee training. Smart Boards are modern-day chalkboards that project onto a large screen what appears on a computer screen. The building has conference rooms and a 120-seat cafeteria, where a local vendor sells meals. Smith said the building's water faucets and fountains have built-in filters so employees don't have to bother filtering what they pour from the tap.

Geisinger is also proud the building is "environmentally friendly," with occupancy sensors to minimize energy use in rooms not being used. And it has a monitoring system to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the building at times when it is not occupied.

Officials said the building's windows are designed to maximize the natural lighting that peeks in, another move to lower energy costs.
Unlike lease agreements Geisinger has for other offices, it owns the Buckhorn building, which is built on over 12 acres with about 500 parking spaces. "We want to have more of these. It means so much to the community's economy " CEO Glenn Steele said. "So this is cool."
Geisinger also transferred its billing and cash collection departments here from other sites. Employees were moved to Buckhorn from offices on the Geisinger Medical Center campus, from Geisinger Office Building II along Route 11 in Montour Township, and from the Wesner Building off Woodbine Lane in Mahoning Township.

The health system plans to renovate both of those now-vacant spaces and put them to some other use, said Kevin Brennan, chief financial officer. Brennan said there are no specific plans yet for those buildings. But he explained the plan for years has been to move non-clinical departments – those that don't deal with treatment of patients– to buildings separate from the GMC campus. 'Just as significant'
CEO Steele said the new building symbolizes the appreciation Geisinger's leadership has for its employees. "Without your great work, we could not deliver the great care that we do," Steele told hundreds of workers at a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Wednesday. "Every one of you makes a contribution, which is just as significant as our clinicians." Geisinger will likely expand its work force at the building, which has room for 600.
It cost $18 million to build and encompasses 93,000 square feet.
Contact Reporter Michael Lester at 387-1234, ext. 1311 or at mike.l@pressenterprise.net.

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November 1, 2009

Borton-Lawson receives award for Excellence in Professional Development from the Scranton Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Borton-Lawson for Excellence in Professional Development on October 27th at their annual awards luncheon. The award honors organizations that are committed to the professional development and training of their employees.

Borton-Lawson offers a wide array of programs for professional, managerial, and executive levels. Through its training, the organization assumes costs and supports continuing education, community leadership projects, corporate coaching, and executive training.

Borton-Lawson knows that it is important to increase and maintain its workforce’s technical, administrative, and managerial proficiencies. The firm employs Engineers, Architects, Designers, Detailers, Surveyors, GIS Technicians, CAD Operators, Environmental Specialists, and Administrative Personnel. Borton-Lawson seeks to continually improve its service offerings by equipping its staff with the best technical and professional training. The firm dedicates a large part of our budget to professional and personal development.  The programs Borton-Lawson hosts and supports center on customer service, technical knowledge, and leadership skills.

Visit www.scrantonchamber.com to learn more about the Scranton Chamber and their programs.

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