(Eureka, CA – October 28, 2011) – North Coast engineering and consulting firm, LACO Associates, continues to expand their operations. Scott Kelly, a respected and knowledgeable engineer, is joining forces with their Eureka team, and they have added a new location and new staff in Ukiah, California.

“We are enthusiastic about having Mr. Kelly and his depth of accomplishments on our team. It is a big win for our community to have him available as a resource again,” says John Bergenske, LACO’s General Manager. Mr. Kelly will be working from his Oregon home and locally on occasion.

Kelly has over 23 years of experience in the field of civil and sanitary engineering. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for a number of significant infrastructure and private development projects for the North Coast. Kelly specializes in project and construction management, water and wastewater system analysis and design, hydraulic and site design, traffic analysis, and communication. He formerly worked for SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists in Eureka, and was the owner of Spencer Engineering and Construction Management, Inc.

LACO was originally a part of Kelly’s plan when he transitioned from Spencer Engineering to his current home in Portland, Oregon in 2009. The firm hired two of his employees, Jon Baker and Netra Khatri, PE, who are still important members of LACO’s team. Kelly and LACO have remained in contact since the transition.

After three years serving clients in Mendocino and Lake Counties, LACO’s Ukiah operation outgrew their small office on Perkins/State Street. According to Christopher Watt, CEG, LACO’s Geo-Environmental Services Director, “The new office, located at 311 South Main Street, provides for our continued growth and supports space for us to operate a soils/aggregate testing laboratory.”

LACO’s new office will serve the Ukiah area community by providing a valuable resource for professional services related to geo-environmental, development, and infrastructure projects in the Ukiah area. The new office will also enable LACO to provide expanded Materials Testing and Special Inspection services for construction projects in the area, minimize project costs, and reduce project schedules.

In addition to their new office location, LACO has hired two new employees to join their Ukiah team, Tony Shaw and Jason Wise, EIT.

Tony Shaw has joined the team as LACO’s Ukiah Community Development Manager. Mr. Shaw has over 13 years of combined public and private sector project development and coordination experience, which includes affordable housing projects, community infrastructure and economic development project management. Mr. Shaw earned his BA with Distinction in Environmental Studies (Urban Planning) from Sonoma State University.

Jason Wise, EIT has joined the LACO Ukiah team as a Junior Engineer and will support geotechnical, environmental, and engineering projects. Mr. Wise earned his BS in Civil Engineering from California State University, Chico with a minor in Mathematics.

LACO is a full-service professional consulting firm offering community development, infrastructure, and geo-environmental project solutions. The firm has a 50-year history in Eureka, with offices in Ukiah and Concord.

Eureka, CA. LACO Associates (LACO) is pleased to announce that Eric A. Lindstrom has joined their Building Design team based in their Eureka office, and Richard Yahn, PE, GE has joined their Geo-Environmental team based in their Ukiah office.

Born and raised in Eureka, Mr. Lindstrom has over 11 years of experience working in the field of building design and construction. He has worked on public, cultural, governmental, educational, commercial, institutional, health care, and residential projects in capacities ranging from programming and conceptual design through project management and construction administration. Locally, he was lead designer and project manager for several elementary school modernizations and administration wing additions, 5th Street Commercial Plaza, and several residential projects. Mr. Lindstrom’s approach integrates client needs, social and ecological constraints and opportunities, creative and pragmatic construction systems, and a commitment to project management. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mr. Yahn brings over 30 years of experience to LACO’s geotechnical team. He specializes in performing geotechnical investigations and construction materials testing services for varying sizes and types of residential, educational, public works, industrial and commercial developments.

LACO is a full-service professional consulting firm offering community development, infrastructure, and geo-environmental project solutions. The firm has a 50-year history in Eureka, with offices in Ukiah and Concord.