
        <h3>Summary</h3>

<p>On the first of each month, GBA Executive Director Joel Carson provides an inside look at the latest GBA member resources, events, and news. These short and information-packed videos will make you and your firm smarter, stronger, and more successful!</p>

<h3>Links to resources referenced in this video:</h3>

<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1911419" rel="nofollow">2025 Fall Leadership Summit Wrap-Up &amp; Reflections</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/your-project-a-standout-enter-the-2026-woodward-l-vogt-project-excellence-award/" rel="nofollow">Woodward L. Vogt Project Excellence Award</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/announcing-the-gba-emerging-leaders-cohort-6/" rel="nofollow">GBA Emerging Leaders Cohort #6</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/more-than-a-party-creative-retention-initiatives-for-geoprofessional-firms/" rel="nofollow">Creative Retention Initiatives for Geoprofessional Firms</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GBAWorkplaceSurvey" rel="nofollow">State of the Workplace Survey</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1940325" rel="nofollow">2026 Annual Conference Info and Registration</a> </p></li>
</ul>
      

<description>Summary
On the first of each month, GBA Executive Director Joel Carson provides an inside look at the latest GBA member resources, events, and news. These short and information-packed videos will make you and your firm smarter, stronger, and more successful!
Links to resources referenced in this video:
2025 Fall Leadership Summit Wrap-Up &amp; Reflections (https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1911419)
Woodward L. Vogt Project Excellence Award (https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/your-project-a-standout-enter-the-2026-woodward-l-vogt-project-excellence-award/)
GBA Emerging Leaders Cohort #6 (https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/announcing-the-gba-emerging-leaders-cohort-6/)
Creative Retention Initiatives for Geoprofessional Firms (https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/more-than-a-party-creative-retention-initiatives-for-geoprofessional-firms/)
State of the Workplace Survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GBAWorkplaceSurvey)
2026 Annual Conference Info and Registration (https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1940325) 
</description>

On the first of each month, GBA Executive Director Joel Carson provides an inside look at the latest GBA member resources, events, and news. These short and information-packed videos will make you and your firm smarter, stronger, and more successful!

First Word - December 2025


        <h3>GBA Case History Series – Case History #82 - Practice, In Small Claims Court, Makes Perfect? Think About It</h3>

<p><strong>Summary</strong></p>

<p>A GBA member firm conducted a Phase I and Phase II study for the developer AND later did work directly for a former tenant of the same site. After things got even more complicated, the member firm decided to try small claims court for a resolution (where they had already been for at least 60 different projects). This practice did NOT make perfect.</p>

<p><strong>Our Hosts:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-brown-365aab50/" rel="nofollow">Elizabeth Brown, PE</a> - Principal Geotechnical Engineer/<a href="https://www.jltconsultants.com/" rel="nofollow">JLT Consultants</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Elizabeth is the Principal Geotechnical Engineer at JLT Consultants in Boise, Idaho. Elizabeth has performed and/or assisted with numerous geotechnical investigations throughout Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming managing projects, providing geotechnical design, project quality control, cost and value engineering, and evaluating geotechnical constructability issues. </p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rodriguez-8812784a/" rel="nofollow">Tim Rodriguez</a> – COO/<a href="https://www.bskassociates.com/" rel="nofollow">BSK Associates</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Tim is the Chief Operating Officer of Geoprofessional Services at BSK Associates, an employee-owned engineering firm. With over 30 years in materials testing and inspection, he oversees six Northern California offices and chairs BSK&#39;s Board of Directors. Tim is Past-President of the California Council of Testing and Inspection Agencies.</p>

<p><strong>Lessons Learned:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>Perform a Go/No-Go Analysis</li>
<li>Project Risk Often Is Inversely Proportional to Project Size, Complexity, and Fee</li>
<li>Avoid Litigation When You Reasonably Can</li>
<li>Follow Policies That Work</li>
<li>Do Not Give up Leverage When Dollars Are at Issue</li>
<li>Understand the Cost of “Your Day in Court”</li>
<li>If You Cannot Quell Your Emotions, Rely on Someone Who Can</li>
<li>Learn the Lessons of History</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Calls-to-action:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=23839482" rel="nofollow">Download Case History #82</a></li>
<li>Visit the following link to access all of GBA’s Case Histories: <a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/gba-case-histories/" rel="nofollow">https://www.geoprofessional.org/gba-case-histories/</a></li>
<li>An account is required to download the individual Case Histories, which are free for GBA Member Firms.</li>
<li>Visit the GBA Website at <a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">https://www.geoprofessional.org</a> for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.</li>
<li>Visit <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com</a> for future Podcast Episodes</li>
<li>Contact us at <a href="mailto:info@geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">info@geoprofessional.org</a> with any podcast-related questions or comments</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Subscribe</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>Subscribe to the GBA Podcast <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe</a></li>
</ul>

<p><strong>This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rodriguez-8812784a/" rel="nofollow">Tim Rodriguez</a> – COO/<a href="https://www.bskassociates.com/" rel="nofollow">BSK Associates</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-brown-365aab50/" rel="nofollow">Elizabeth Brown, PE</a> - Principal Geotechnical Engineer/<a href="https://www.jltconsultants.com/" rel="nofollow">JLT Consultants</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White, PE, GE</a> – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/<a href="https://www.apexcos.com/" rel="nofollow">Apex Companies, LLC</a></li>
</ul>
      

<description>GBA Case History Series – Case History #82 - Practice, In Small Claims Court, Makes Perfect? Think About It
Summary
A GBA member firm conducted a Phase I and Phase II study for the developer AND later did work directly for a former tenant of the same site. After things got even more complicated, the member firm decided to try small claims court for a resolution (where they had already been for at least 60 different projects). This practice did NOT make perfect.
Our Hosts:
Elizabeth Brown, PE (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-brown-365aab50/) - Principal Geotechnical Engineer/JLT Consultants (https://www.jltconsultants.com/)
Elizabeth is the Principal Geotechnical Engineer at JLT Consultants in Boise, Idaho. Elizabeth has performed and/or assisted with numerous geotechnical investigations throughout Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming managing projects, providing geotechnical design, project quality control, cost and value engineering, and evaluating geotechnical constructability issues. 
Tim Rodriguez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rodriguez-8812784a/) – COO/BSK Associates (https://www.bskassociates.com/)
Tim is the Chief Operating Officer of Geoprofessional Services at BSK Associates, an employee-owned engineering firm. With over 30 years in materials testing and inspection, he oversees six Northern California offices and chairs BSK's Board of Directors. Tim is Past-President of the California Council of Testing and Inspection Agencies.
Lessons Learned:
Perform a Go/No-Go Analysis
Project Risk Often Is Inversely Proportional to Project Size, Complexity, and Fee
Avoid Litigation When You Reasonably Can
Follow Policies That Work
Do Not Give up Leverage When Dollars Are at Issue
Understand the Cost of “Your Day in Court”
If You Cannot Quell Your Emotions, Rely on Someone Who Can
Learn the Lessons of History
Calls-to-action:
Download Case History #82 (https://members.geoprofessional.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=23839482)
Visit the following link to access all of GBA’s Case Histories: https://www.geoprofessional.org/gba-case-histories/ (https://www.geoprofessional.org/gba-case-histories/)
An account is required to download the individual Case Histories, which are free for GBA Member Firms.
Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org (https://www.geoprofessional.org) for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.
Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com (https://www.gbapodcast.com) for future Podcast Episodes
Contact us at info@geoprofessional.org with any podcast-related questions or comments
Subscribe
Subscribe to the GBA Podcast https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe
This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:
Tim Rodriguez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-rodriguez-8812784a/) – COO/BSK Associates (https://www.bskassociates.com/)
Elizabeth Brown, PE (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-brown-365aab50/) - Principal Geotechnical Engineer/JLT Consultants (https://www.jltconsultants.com/)
Ryan White, PE, GE (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/) – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/Apex Companies, LLC (https://www.apexcos.com/) 
</description>

GBA has published over 100 case histories based on real-life events that have happened to geoprofessional firms. GBA Case Histories are unique because our members share real-life stories of problems that impacted their businesses. They also include the outcomes of corrective action, and lessons learned.

#82 - Case History - Practice, In Small Claims Court, Makes Perfect? Think About It


        <h2>GeoHeroes - Ryan White</h2>

<p><strong>About This Episode</strong><br>
In this episode <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/" rel="nofollow">Guy Marcozzi</a> interviews <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White</a>, PE, GE, F.ASCE, principal geotechnical engineer at <a href="https://apexcos.com" rel="nofollow">Apex</a>, chair of the GBA Multimedia Delivery Committee, and GeoHeroes podcast producer, from accidentally discovering geotechnical engineering through misunderstandings about what different engineers actually do, to losing his job in the 2008 crisis, Ryan&#39;s unconventional path reveals how setbacks often become catalysts for growth. Now leading a thriving team, he shares hard-won insights on transitioning from technical expert to strategic leader, why doing what others won&#39;t do creates opportunity, and how the profession is evolving into a technology-driven future. Plus: his surprisingly competitive approach to <a href="https://www.tualatinoregon.gov/pumpkinregatta" rel="nofollow">giant pumpkin racing</a>.</p>

<p><strong>About Our Guest</strong><br>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White</a>, PE, GE, F.ASCE,  is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Apex in Portland, Oregon. With 28 years of experience in the geoprofessional industry Ryan leads Apex&#39;s geotechnical practice in the Pacific Northwest, growing the team to eleven professionals while focusing on strategic client service and integrating technology into traditional engineering practices. Ryan is an active member of GBA and chair of the multimedia delivery committee. In partnership with Guy Marcozzi, Ryan has produced the GeoHeroes podcast series, showcasing the diverse stories and wisdom of geoprofessionals across the country.</p>

<p><strong>Our Host</strong><br>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/" rel="nofollow">Guy Marcozzi</a>, PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, is a GBA past-president and an experienced CEO, President and Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, science and data technology industries and in leadership for various boards of ESOP, non-profit, professional and business organizations. </p>

<h2>Show Notes</h2>

<h3>Introduction</h3>

<ul>
<li>Ryan White, Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Apex (PBS Engineering) in Portland, Oregon</li>
<li>Producer of the GeoHeroes podcast</li>
</ul>

<h3>Early Life and Education</h3>

<ul>
<li>Grew up in Seaside, Oregon (population 5,000) on the Oregon coast</li>
<li>Parents were both science teachers, fostered academic mindset</li>
<li>Early exposure to technology through mother&#39;s work as librarian/media specialist</li>
<li>Played multiple sports: football, basketball, baseball, track</li>
<li>Performed better academically when busier with sports—learned time management early</li>
<li>Side hustles: mowing lawns, backup for paper routes</li>
<li>Built balsa wood bridges while recovering from mono—sparked engineering interest</li>
<li>Mistakenly thought bridges were mechanical engineering, then switched to structural, but didn&#39;t resonate</li>
<li>Discovered geotechnical engineering, intuitively clicked</li>
<li>Earned bachelor&#39;s and master&#39;s degrees in civil engineering/geotechnical engineering at Oregon State University</li>
</ul>

<h3>Career Path</h3>

<p><strong>First break</strong>: Collapsed lung from sneezing (!) prevented travel, led professor to connect him with startup GeoDesign</p>

<ul>
<li>Memorable interview: arrived in suit/tie, found engineers in shorts and Birkenstocks throwing things at each other</li>
<li>Worked at GeoDesign 5 years, gained early autonomy managing projects with 3-4 years experience</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>First risk</strong>: Left secure job with 2-month-old son to join mentor&#39;s 3-person startup company</p>

<p><strong>2008 crisis</strong>: Lost job when economy tanked, devastating to ego</p>

<ul>
<li>Unemployed 2 months—reframed as rare opportunity to read, nap, time with kids</li>
<li>Persistence paid off to get job with Kleinfelder</li>
<li>Worked 3 years at Kleinfelder, then recruited by Arlan Rippe to PBS/Apex</li>
<li>Took over geotechnical group management </li>
</ul>

<h3>Leadership</h3>

<p><strong>Key realization</strong>: &quot;Never thought about our business as being a people business. It was a math and science business to me&quot;</p>

<ul>
<li>Day-to-day now: email management, people management, strategic thinking</li>
<li>&quot;What got you here won&#39;t get you there&quot;—had to develop new skills beyond technical expertise</li>
<li>Pride comes from team success, not personal achievements
<strong>What excites him now</strong>: Strategizing to win projects, not executing them; seeing younger staff and friends succeed
<strong>Biggest frustration</strong>: Email—&quot;I&#39;m at the mercy of other people&#39;s priorities&quot;</li>
<li>Wishes administrative tasks (AR, invoices) could be streamlined</li>
<li>Focus shifted to long-term strategy and &quot;putting the right chess pieces in the right place&quot;</li>
</ul>

<h3>The Geoprofessional Landscape</h3>

<ul>
<li>Early exposure removed fear of technology, sees it as &quot;another form of play&quot;</li>
<li>Not threatened by AI: &quot;Our jobs aren&#39;t going to disappear because of AI&quot;</li>
<li>Sees companies morphing into &quot;technology companies that do engineering&quot; vs &quot;engineering companies with Microsoft subscriptions&quot;</li>
<li>Fundamentals won&#39;t change: &quot;Soil mechanics are what they are&quot;</li>
<li>Technology will handle routine work, freeing engineers for client management and strategy</li>
</ul>

<h3>Life Advice</h3>

<ul>
<li><strong>Do what others won&#39;t</strong>: &quot;It&#39;s a lot less crowded for you when you do those things&quot;</li>
<li><strong>Growth through discomfort</strong>: &quot;We don&#39;t learn much when things are going well&quot;</li>
<li>Join committees and leadership positions—&quot;that&#39;s where you get the biggest benefit&quot;</li>
<li>Pursue people skills and emotional intelligence, not just technical expertise</li>
</ul>

<h3>Speed Round</h3>

<ul>
<li><strong>Favorite Book:</strong> 

<ul>
<li><a href="https://a.co/d/dZd2DdI" rel="nofollow">Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara</a></li>
<li><a href="https://a.co/d/8LetkSA" rel="nofollow">Breath by James Nestor</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><strong>Optimism index:</strong> 4 out of 5 (optimist, but &quot;hard for me to give anything a perfect score&quot;)</li>
<li><strong>Proudest accomplishments:</strong> Helping build the geotech group at PBS/Apex; GBA contributions</li>
<li><strong>What he&#39;d change:</strong> &quot;I wouldn&#39;t change anything because the bad things are what got us here&quot;; Consider a career in technology</li>
<li><strong>Advice for young professionals:</strong> Get involved, don&#39;t just attend. Take risks. Just doing the job isn&#39;t enough. Do what others won&#39;t to gain valuable experience. Volunteer/participate outside your career field.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>

<ul>
<li>Encourages following interests and experimenting without fear</li>
<li><strong>GBA fanboy</strong>: Getting actively involved (not just attending) is key to growth</li>
<li>Engineers naturally avoid uncomfortable situations, but &quot;that&#39;s when you grow&quot;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Calls-to-action:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Visit the GBA Website at <a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">https://www.geoprofessional.org</a> for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.</li>
<li>Visit <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com</a> for future podcast episodes</li>
<li>Contact us at <a href="mailto:info@geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">info@geoprofessional.org</a> with any podcast-related questions or comments</li>
</ul>

<h2>Subscribe</h2>

<ul>
<li>Subscribe to the GBA Podcast <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White, PE, GE</a> – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/<a href="https://apexcos.com/" rel="nofollow">Apex</a></li>
</ul>
      

<description>GeoHeroes - Ryan White
About This Episode
In this episode Guy Marcozzi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/) interviews Ryan White (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/), PE, GE, F.ASCE, principal geotechnical engineer at Apex (https://apexcos.com), chair of the GBA Multimedia Delivery Committee, and GeoHeroes podcast producer, from accidentally discovering geotechnical engineering through misunderstandings about what different engineers actually do, to losing his job in the 2008 crisis, Ryan's unconventional path reveals how setbacks often become catalysts for growth. Now leading a thriving team, he shares hard-won insights on transitioning from technical expert to strategic leader, why doing what others won't do creates opportunity, and how the profession is evolving into a technology-driven future. Plus: his surprisingly competitive approach to giant pumpkin racing (https://www.tualatinoregon.gov/pumpkinregatta).
About Our Guest
Ryan White (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/), PE, GE, F.ASCE,  is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Apex in Portland, Oregon. With 28 years of experience in the geoprofessional industry Ryan leads Apex's geotechnical practice in the Pacific Northwest, growing the team to eleven professionals while focusing on strategic client service and integrating technology into traditional engineering practices. Ryan is an active member of GBA and chair of the multimedia delivery committee. In partnership with Guy Marcozzi, Ryan has produced the GeoHeroes podcast series, showcasing the diverse stories and wisdom of geoprofessionals across the country.
Our Host
Guy Marcozzi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/), PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, is a GBA past-president and an experienced CEO, President and Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, science and data technology industries and in leadership for various boards of ESOP, non-profit, professional and business organizations. 
Show Notes
Introduction
Ryan White, Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Apex (PBS Engineering) in Portland, Oregon
Producer of the GeoHeroes podcast
Early Life and Education
Grew up in Seaside, Oregon (population 5,000) on the Oregon coast
Parents were both science teachers, fostered academic mindset
Early exposure to technology through mother's work as librarian/media specialist
Played multiple sports: football, basketball, baseball, track
Performed better academically when busier with sports—learned time management early
Side hustles: mowing lawns, backup for paper routes
Built balsa wood bridges while recovering from mono—sparked engineering interest
Mistakenly thought bridges were mechanical engineering, then switched to structural, but didn't resonate
Discovered geotechnical engineering, intuitively clicked
Earned bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering/geotechnical engineering at Oregon State University
Career Path
First break: Collapsed lung from sneezing (!) prevented travel, led professor to connect him with startup GeoDesign
* Memorable interview: arrived in suit/tie, found engineers in shorts and Birkenstocks throwing things at each other
* Worked at GeoDesign 5 years, gained early autonomy managing projects with 3-4 years experience
First risk: Left secure job with 2-month-old son to join mentor's 3-person startup company
2008 crisis: Lost job when economy tanked, devastating to ego
* Unemployed 2 months—reframed as rare opportunity to read, nap, time with kids
* Persistence paid off to get job with Kleinfelder
* Worked 3 years at Kleinfelder, then recruited by Arlan Rippe to PBS/Apex
* Took over geotechnical group management 
Leadership
Key realization: "Never thought about our business as being a people business. It was a math and science business to me"
* Day-to-day now: email management, people management, strategic thinking
* "What got you here won't get you there"—had to develop new skills beyond technical expertise
* Pride comes from team success, not personal achievements
What excites him now: Strategizing to win projects, not executing them; seeing younger staff and friends succeed
Biggest frustration: Email—"I'm at the mercy of other people's priorities"
* Wishes administrative tasks (AR, invoices) could be streamlined
* Focus shifted to long-term strategy and "putting the right chess pieces in the right place"
The Geoprofessional Landscape
Early exposure removed fear of technology, sees it as "another form of play"
Not threatened by AI: "Our jobs aren't going to disappear because of AI"
Sees companies morphing into "technology companies that do engineering" vs "engineering companies with Microsoft subscriptions"
Fundamentals won't change: "Soil mechanics are what they are"
Technology will handle routine work, freeing engineers for client management and strategy
Life Advice
Do what others won't: "It's a lot less crowded for you when you do those things"
Growth through discomfort: "We don't learn much when things are going well"
Join committees and leadership positions—"that's where you get the biggest benefit"
Pursue people skills and emotional intelligence, not just technical expertise
Speed Round
Favorite Book: 
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara (https://a.co/d/dZd2DdI)
Breath by James Nestor (https://a.co/d/8LetkSA)
Optimism index: 4 out of 5 (optimist, but "hard for me to give anything a perfect score")
Proudest accomplishments: Helping build the geotech group at PBS/Apex; GBA contributions
What he'd change: "I wouldn't change anything because the bad things are what got us here"; Consider a career in technology
Advice for young professionals: Get involved, don't just attend. Take risks. Just doing the job isn't enough. Do what others won't to gain valuable experience. Volunteer/participate outside your career field.
Final Thoughts
Encourages following interests and experimenting without fear
GBA fanboy: Getting actively involved (not just attending) is key to growth
Engineers naturally avoid uncomfortable situations, but "that's when you grow"
Calls-to-action:
Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.
Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com for future podcast episodes
Contact us at info@geoprofessional.org with any podcast-related questions or comments
Subscribe
Subscribe to the GBA Podcast https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe
This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:
Ryan White, PE, GE (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/) – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/Apex (https://apexcos.com/) 
</description>

In this podcast series Guy Marcozzi interviews past, present, and future leaders in the geoprofessional industry to explore their personal and career journeys. The goal is to understand what motivates these individuals and what insights they have for the future of the profession. The podcast examines the skills and qualities that have contributed to their success, as well as their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

GeoHeroes - Ryan White


        <h3>Summary</h3>

<p>On the first of each month, GBA Executive Director Joel Carson provides an inside look at the latest GBA member resources, events, and news. These short and information-packed videos will make you and your firm smarter, stronger, and more successful!</p>

<h3>Links to resources referenced in this video:</h3>

<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1940325" rel="nofollow">2026 Annual Conference Info and Registration</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/your-project-a-standout-enter-the-2026-woodward-l-vogt-project-excellence-award/" rel="nofollow">Woodward L. Vogt Project Excellence Award</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=26505789" rel="nofollow">New Publication: Some General Guidelines for Geotechnical Specifications</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/newslog/" rel="nofollow">NEWSlog Archive</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org/join-the-gba-mailing-list/" rel="nofollow">NEWSlog Signup</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com/gh24" rel="nofollow">GeoHeroes podcast episode with guest Joel Carson</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com/gh25" rel="nofollow">GeoHeroes podcast episode with guest Guy Marcozzi</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1911419" rel="nofollow">2025 Fall Leadership Summit</a></p></li>
</ul>
      

<description>Summary
On the first of each month, GBA Executive Director Joel Carson provides an inside look at the latest GBA member resources, events, and news. These short and information-packed videos will make you and your firm smarter, stronger, and more successful!
Links to resources referenced in this video:
2026 Annual Conference Info and Registration (https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1940325)
Woodward L. Vogt Project Excellence Award (https://www.geoprofessional.org/news/your-project-a-standout-enter-the-2026-woodward-l-vogt-project-excellence-award/)
New Publication: Some General Guidelines for Geotechnical Specifications (https://members.geoprofessional.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=26505789)
NEWSlog Archive (https://www.geoprofessional.org/newslog/)
NEWSlog Signup (https://www.geoprofessional.org/join-the-gba-mailing-list/)
GeoHeroes podcast episode with guest Joel Carson (https://www.gbapodcast.com/gh24)
GeoHeroes podcast episode with guest Guy Marcozzi (https://www.gbapodcast.com/gh25)
2025 Fall Leadership Summit (https://members.geoprofessional.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1911419) 
</description>

First Word - November 2025


        <h2>GeoHeroes - Guy Marcozzi</h2>

<p><strong>About This Episode</strong><br>
In this episode <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White</a>, PE, GE, F.ASCE, turns the tables in this interview of GeoHeroes host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/" rel="nofollow">Guy Marcozzi</a>, PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, former GBA president, who shares his  journey from suburban Delaware kid to geotechnical engineering CEO. Guy reveals the surprising truth behind most successful careers: there was no grand plan. From collecting payments on his childhood paper route to leading Duffield Associates, Inc. as CEO, Guy&#39;s path was shaped by persistence, listening, and seizing opportunities as they arose. He reflects on launching the GeoHeroes podcast, what he&#39;s learned from interviewing industry legends, and why not having everything figured out might be the best career advice of all.</p>

<p><strong>About Our Guest</strong><br>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/" rel="nofollow">Guy Marcozzi</a>, PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, is a GBA past-president and an experienced CEO, President and Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, science and data technology industries and in leadership for various boards of ESOP, non-profit, professional and business organizations. </p>

<p><strong>Our Host</strong><br>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White</a>, PE, GE, F.ASCE, is a principal geotechnical engineer at <a href="https://apexcos.com/" rel="nofollow">Apex</a> in Portland and the geotechnical engineering group manager. Ryan has over 28 years of geotechnical engineering experience leading groups, teams and managing projects. He has managed projects throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida. He has experience with commercial and municipal development, design for low- to mid-rise buildings, bridge foundations, roads, landslide evaluation and stabilization, retaining wall design and construction, solar energy and land development. Ryan is the current chair of GBA&#39;s multimedia delivery committee and one of the committee&#39;s founding members. Ryan helped develop the GBA Podcast as part of class 4 of the Emerging Leaders.</p>

<h2>Show Notes</h2>

<h3>Introduction</h3>

<ul>
<li>Special &quot;tables turned&quot; episode with Guy Marcozzi being interviewed by podcast producer Ryan White</li>
<li>Guy: Retired consulting engineer living in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware</li>
<li>Career spanned structural and geotechnical engineering</li>
<li>Married to wife Tina for 37 years</li>
<li>Three children, all engineers but none in geoprofessions</li>
</ul>

<h3>Early Life and Education</h3>

<ul>
<li>Grew up in post-war suburban Delaware, 10 miles outside Wilmington</li>
<li>Childhood characterized by unstructured outdoor play with kids of all ages</li>
<li>One of four children in working-class family</li>
<li>Father was contractor, mother stay-at-home mom</li>
<li>Could only participate in organized sports within biking distance</li>
<li>Paper route at age 12 taught lessons about persistence and collecting payment</li>
<li>Started working construction with father&#39;s crew at age 14</li>
<li>Good but not great student - performed well in math and science without trying hard</li>
<li>First-generation college student</li>
<li>Attended University of Delaware (less than 10 miles from home)</li>
<li>Never moved far - now lives 82 miles south in Rehoboth Beach</li>
</ul>

<h3>Career Path</h3>

<ul>
<li>Started career as structural engineer</li>
<li>Transitioned to geotechnical engineering</li>
<li>Former CEO of Duffield Associates, Inc.</li>
<li>Former president of Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA)</li>
<li>Admits: &quot;I never really had a plan&quot;</li>
<li>Always focused on whatever opportunity was in front of him</li>
</ul>

<h3>Leadership</h3>

<ul>
<li>Core trait: Reliability - &quot;I&#39;ve always been the person that wants to do what I say I&#39;m gonna do&quot;</li>
<li>Innate driver to complete project assignments and commitments</li>
<li>Early career: Very task-driven and outcome-focused</li>
<li>Key transition: Understanding &quot;what got you here won&#39;t get you there&quot;</li>
<li>Realized scaling comes from other people and how you interface with them</li>
<li>Development of empathy as leadership superpower:

<ul>
<li>Looking at situations from other people&#39;s perspectives</li>
<li>Understanding clients have bosses too - they&#39;re judged on their hiring decisions</li>
<li>If you deliver well, they look good; if you&#39;re late or over budget, it&#39;s a demerit against them</li>
<li>&quot;It was like a social contract - you&#39;ve honored me by picking us to do this and now it&#39;s my obligation to help you be successful&quot;</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Success formula with clients: No surprises, stay on budget, stay on time</li>
<li>Leading teams through empathy:

<ul>
<li>Recognizing people at different life stages (new parents, getting married, going through divorce, relocating)</li>
<li>Noticed people getting married were distracted for 6 months leading up - &quot;that was cool, you&#39;re getting married, it&#39;s a big deal&quot;</li>
<li>Early mindset: &quot;I don&#39;t care if you get married, you have to get this job done&quot; - admits this wasn&#39;t the right approach</li>
<li>Better approach: See who you&#39;re interacting with and understand where they&#39;re coming from</li>
<li>Working better as a team leads to scaling and leverage</li>
</ul></li>
<li>Actively developed these capabilities in last half of career</li>
<li>Philosophy: Make your client look good to their boss, and it bodes well for you</li>
</ul>

<h3>The Geoprofessional Landscape</h3>

<ul>
<li>Current state: Many fundamentals remain unchanged (still driving SPT samplers despite technology advances)</li>
<li>Change happens slowly but profession is starting to rapidly change</li>
<li>Future vision - Two key areas:

<ul>
<li>Data as a service</li>
<li>High-level client consulting:

<ul>
<li>Being the &quot;client psychologist&quot; - understanding real deeper needs beyond immediate requests</li>
<li>Providing higher value consultation at strategic level</li>
</ul></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Data sharing challenges</li>
<li>Why geoprofessionals are well-suited for this evolution</li>
<li>Skills developed in geoprofession translate well</li>
</ul>

<h3>Life Advice</h3>

<ul>
<li>&quot;Don&#39;t get too upset if you don&#39;t have the grand plan&quot;</li>
<li>Stay focused on what&#39;s in front of you</li>
<li>Do well at what you&#39;re doing</li>
<li>Keep your eyes open for other opportunities</li>
<li>Take advantage of opportunities as they arise</li>
</ul>

<h3>Speed Round</h3>

<ul>
<li><strong>Favorite Book:</strong> <a href="https://a.co/d/i5Linzs" rel="nofollow">Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari</a></li>
<li><strong>Optimism index:</strong> 5 out of 5; GBA helps push necessary changes. Caveat: &quot;We need to recognize that change and make it happen&quot;</li>
<li><strong>Proudest accomplishments:</strong> 

<ul>
<li>Structures he designed (as structural engineer) that he can still point to today</li>
<li>Success at Duffield Associates/McKim &amp; Creed and bonds with leadership team</li>
</ul></li>
<li><strong>What he&#39;d change:</strong> 

<ul>
<li>Would have emphasized people/relationships earlier in career</li>
<li>Less outcome-focused, more people-focused from the start</li>
</ul></li>
<li><strong>Advice for young professionals:</strong> 

<ul>
<li>Get involved in organizations outside your company throughout your career</li>
<li>Learn leadership in volunteer/non-hierarchical settings</li>
<li>Build diverse networks for learning (not selling)</li>
<li>Don&#39;t worry about having a grand plan - focus on what&#39;s in front of you and stay open to opportunities</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>

<ul>
<li>Expresses gratitude to all podcast guests for taking the risk</li>
<li>Appreciates that people shared their stories despite uncertainty about how it would be received</li>
<li>Selection of season one interviewees &quot;wasn&#39;t random&quot; but based on who was available</li>
<li>Final message to listeners: Thanks core audience for sticking with the podcast</li>
</ul>

<h2>Calls-to-action:</h2>

<ul>
<li>Visit the GBA Website at <a href="https://www.geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">https://www.geoprofessional.org</a> for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.</li>
<li>Visit <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com</a> for future podcast episodes</li>
<li>Contact us at <a href="mailto:info@geoprofessional.org" rel="nofollow">info@geoprofessional.org</a> with any podcast-related questions or comments</li>
</ul>

<h2>Subscribe</h2>

<ul>
<li>Subscribe to the GBA Podcast <a href="https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/" rel="nofollow">Ryan White, PE, GE</a> – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/<a href="https://apexcos.com/" rel="nofollow">Apex</a></li>
</ul>
      

<description>GeoHeroes - Guy Marcozzi
About This Episode
In this episode Ryan White (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/), PE, GE, F.ASCE, turns the tables in this interview of GeoHeroes host Guy Marcozzi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/), PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, former GBA president, who shares his  journey from suburban Delaware kid to geotechnical engineering CEO. Guy reveals the surprising truth behind most successful careers: there was no grand plan. From collecting payments on his childhood paper route to leading Duffield Associates, Inc. as CEO, Guy's path was shaped by persistence, listening, and seizing opportunities as they arose. He reflects on launching the GeoHeroes podcast, what he's learned from interviewing industry legends, and why not having everything figured out might be the best career advice of all.
About Our Guest
Guy Marcozzi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-marcozzi-b12744a/), PE, D.GE, LEED AP BD+C, is a GBA past-president and an experienced CEO, President and Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, science and data technology industries and in leadership for various boards of ESOP, non-profit, professional and business organizations. 
Our Host
Ryan White (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/), PE, GE, F.ASCE, is a principal geotechnical engineer at Apex (https://apexcos.com/) in Portland and the geotechnical engineering group manager. Ryan has over 28 years of geotechnical engineering experience leading groups, teams and managing projects. He has managed projects throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida. He has experience with commercial and municipal development, design for low- to mid-rise buildings, bridge foundations, roads, landslide evaluation and stabilization, retaining wall design and construction, solar energy and land development. Ryan is the current chair of GBA's multimedia delivery committee and one of the committee's founding members. Ryan helped develop the GBA Podcast as part of class 4 of the Emerging Leaders.
Show Notes
Introduction
Special "tables turned" episode with Guy Marcozzi being interviewed by podcast producer Ryan White
Guy: Retired consulting engineer living in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Career spanned structural and geotechnical engineering
Married to wife Tina for 37 years
Three children, all engineers but none in geoprofessions
Early Life and Education
Grew up in post-war suburban Delaware, 10 miles outside Wilmington
Childhood characterized by unstructured outdoor play with kids of all ages
One of four children in working-class family
Father was contractor, mother stay-at-home mom
Could only participate in organized sports within biking distance
Paper route at age 12 taught lessons about persistence and collecting payment
Started working construction with father's crew at age 14
Good but not great student - performed well in math and science without trying hard
First-generation college student
Attended University of Delaware (less than 10 miles from home)
Never moved far - now lives 82 miles south in Rehoboth Beach
Career Path
Started career as structural engineer
Transitioned to geotechnical engineering
Former CEO of Duffield Associates, Inc.
Former president of Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA)
Admits: "I never really had a plan"
Always focused on whatever opportunity was in front of him
Leadership
Core trait: Reliability - "I've always been the person that wants to do what I say I'm gonna do"
Innate driver to complete project assignments and commitments
Early career: Very task-driven and outcome-focused
Key transition: Understanding "what got you here won't get you there"
Realized scaling comes from other people and how you interface with them
Development of empathy as leadership superpower:
Looking at situations from other people's perspectives
Understanding clients have bosses too - they're judged on their hiring decisions
If you deliver well, they look good; if you're late or over budget, it's a demerit against them
"It was like a social contract - you've honored me by picking us to do this and now it's my obligation to help you be successful"
Success formula with clients: No surprises, stay on budget, stay on time
Leading teams through empathy:
Recognizing people at different life stages (new parents, getting married, going through divorce, relocating)
Noticed people getting married were distracted for 6 months leading up - "that was cool, you're getting married, it's a big deal"
Early mindset: "I don't care if you get married, you have to get this job done" - admits this wasn't the right approach
Better approach: See who you're interacting with and understand where they're coming from
Working better as a team leads to scaling and leverage
Actively developed these capabilities in last half of career
Philosophy: Make your client look good to their boss, and it bodes well for you
The Geoprofessional Landscape
Current state: Many fundamentals remain unchanged (still driving SPT samplers despite technology advances)
Change happens slowly but profession is starting to rapidly change
Future vision - Two key areas:
Data as a service
High-level client consulting:
Being the "client psychologist" - understanding real deeper needs beyond immediate requests
Providing higher value consultation at strategic level
Data sharing challenges
Why geoprofessionals are well-suited for this evolution
Skills developed in geoprofession translate well
Life Advice
"Don't get too upset if you don't have the grand plan"
Stay focused on what's in front of you
Do well at what you're doing
Keep your eyes open for other opportunities
Take advantage of opportunities as they arise
Speed Round
Favorite Book: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari (https://a.co/d/i5Linzs)
Optimism index: 5 out of 5; GBA helps push necessary changes. Caveat: "We need to recognize that change and make it happen"
Proudest accomplishments: 
Structures he designed (as structural engineer) that he can still point to today
Success at Duffield Associates/McKim &amp; Creed and bonds with leadership team
What he'd change: 
Would have emphasized people/relationships earlier in career
Less outcome-focused, more people-focused from the start
Advice for young professionals: 
Get involved in organizations outside your company throughout your career
Learn leadership in volunteer/non-hierarchical settings
Build diverse networks for learning (not selling)
Don't worry about having a grand plan - focus on what's in front of you and stay open to opportunities
Final Thoughts
Expresses gratitude to all podcast guests for taking the risk
Appreciates that people shared their stories despite uncertainty about how it would be received
Selection of season one interviewees "wasn't random" but based on who was available
Final message to listeners: Thanks core audience for sticking with the podcast
Calls-to-action:
Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.
Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com for future podcast episodes
Contact us at info@geoprofessional.org with any podcast-related questions or comments
Subscribe
Subscribe to the GBA Podcast https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribe
This episode was produced by the following GBA Members:
Ryan White, PE, GE (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankwhite/) – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/Apex (https://apexcos.com/) 
</description>

In this podcast series Guy Marcozzi interviews past, present, and future leaders in the geoprofessional industry to explore their personal and career journeys. The goal is to understand what motivates these individuals and what insights they have for the future of the profession. The podcast examines the skills and qualities that have contributed to their success, as well as their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry

GeoHeroes - Guy Marcozzi

Welcome to the GBA Podcast, where we present information and expertise from geoprofessionals around the globe to provide you with wisdom and insight to help in your pursuit of knowledge.
 
GBA was founded  over 50 years ago to serve geotechnical, environmental, and other geoprofessionals by giving them proven tools to achieve business success by confronting risk and optimizing performance.


Presenting information and expertise from geoprofessionals around the globe to provide you with wisdom and insight to help in your pursuit of knowledge.

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