Short and sweet

Teaming up to reduce emissions

We're excited to be part of a collaborative groundbreaking project to provide information which ultimately empowers energy consumers in their daily decision-making about environmental stewardship.  Get the HERO (Home Emissions Read-Out) app HERE.

As Commonwealth's Steve Miller recently put it,“If we are successful, one outcome might be a service which (people) can employ with their appliances. To choose the time of day or place where using their appliance will cause more or less emissions.”

Click HERE to read the full MLive article.

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25 Years...and Counting!

This July, Commonwealth celebrated 25 years of being an employee-owned engineering firm providing world-class consulting expertise to the electric power industry and our utility, municipal, institutional, and industrial clients.  You can read more about this particularly meaningful milestone on p. 28 (p. 30 of the .pdf) of Jackson Magazine's August issue. 

The festivities included monthly fun activities, the official unveiling of new glass panels in our hallway of history; a Friday evening gala at the newly renovated Robert Snyder Hall in Jackson College's impressive Potter Center, where we recognized our founding shareholders and employees; and a spectacular day full of food, frolicking, and fun at our employee family picnic on the grounds of our headquarters in Jackson, Michigan. 

We feel truly honored to work with such accomplished colleagues, many of whom serve on the committees setting tomorrow's industry standards, and even more honored to be given the trust and loyalty of our outstanding clients -- among them major utilities, industrial leaders, and some of the world's most prestigious educational and healthcare institutions. 

Here is a look back at some of the best memories from this past week...we hope you enjoy them!

 



On Thursday, President Dennis DeCosta proudly revealed
 two new commemorative panels representing the past 25 years.











Friday evening's gala attendees enjoyed the culinary delights of
Continental Services before the program.



 

 

Guests raved about the humorous delivery of keynote speaker, author,
and former professional comedian, Garrison Wynn.

 

 

 

 Saturday's family picnic included: two bands, one dessert contest, a pinewood

derby championship, inflatables for kids, and the Great Anniversary Giveaway.

 

 

 

25 years meant 25 lucky employees took home 25 very cool prizes.

 

The other winner was the fight against cancer, as President DeCosta
and the VPs took to the dunk tank to raise money for Relay for Life.

 

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Commonwealth New Board Members Announced

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2013

Contact: Kelly Engler (517) 768-7137

 

 

Commonwealth Welcomes New Board Members

 

JACKSON, MI - Commonwealth is pleased to announce that Samuel R. Barnes, P.E. and Robert J. Millies, P.E. have been newly elected to the company's Board of Directors.

Samuel R. Barnes, P.E.

With over 22 years in the industry, Barnes is Vice President of Power Generation and Energy at Commonwealth.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Jackson College, as JC’s Representative on the Board of Directors for The Dahlem Conservancy, and as President of the Jackson Cascades Lions Club.

Robert J. Millies, P.E.

 Millies, a civil engineer, is a Section Manager in Commonwealth’s Transmission and Distribution Line Engineering Department.  He has been with Commonwealth for over 15 years and in the industry for over 20.  Millies serves as Secretary for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transmission Line Construction Working Group.

Commonwealth is proud to recently have been ranked 9th in the nation among the 2013 Top 40 Engineering Design Firms by EC&M Magazine.  We provide solutions for utilities, municipalities, industrial clients, and world-class educational and healthcare institutions.  This year the corporation celebrates its 25th Anniversary as an employee-owned company.  Headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, the company has offices in Mount Vernon, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; Columbus, Ohio; and Roanoke, Virginia.
 

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Commonwealth Associates, Inc.  I PO Box 1124, Jackson, MI 49204 I 517-788-3000 I www.cai-engr.com

For more information, please visit: www.cai-engr.com.

On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/commonwealthassociates

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/caiengr_dot_com

New rankings out today!

 

Most days around here are really good (although we almost unanimously agree that real "Spring" can arrive any time now), but you know it's going to be a particularly exceptional day when you see your name up 39 spots in the Top 500 Design Firm List put out by McGraw Hill's Engineering News-Record.  

We think the formula's really pretty simple...combine technical excellence with world-class client service, all for a fair price. 

To see the complete list: http://enr.construction.com/toplists/Top-Design-Firms/001-100.asp

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DeCosta named 2012 Outstanding Engineer

 

 

 

 

DeCosta to Receive Southeast Michigan IEEE Power and Energy Society Award

 

Commonwealth is delighted to announce that President Dennis F. DeCosta, P.E., will receive the 2012 Outstanding Engineer Award from the Southeastern Michigan chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society (IEEE-PES).  The award will be presented on January 28, 2013 in Southfield, Michigan. 

DeCosta has a long history of involvement in establishing new standards for the industry, including chairing a Substation Committee Working Group and authoring articles in industry publications.  DeCosta was among the founders of Commonwealth when it began in 1988.  He assumed the role of President in 2001.  Under his leadership, the company has grown to 260 employees in six states: California, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington.  “I enjoy what I do and sharing that passion with others,” said DeCosta, “I thank the chapter for their industry leadership and for this honor."

 

We are proud of Dennis' accomplishments and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition. 

 

For more information about the award, please visit: http://ieee-pes.org/chapters/resources/awards/power-and-energy-society-awards/outstanding-engineer-award

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A very special year

 

When the ball drops as tonight turns into January 1, revelers the world over will be celebrating the successes of 2012 and the opportunities that lie ahead in the New Year.  Commonwealth will have an extra special reason to celebrate -- 2013 marks our 25th Anniversary of being employee-owned.

Beginning in January, and running through mid-July, we'll be kicking off the festivities with fun monthly activities for employees at each of our locations.  On July 26th, we'll be hosting a party and hearing from dynamic speaker Garrison Wynn at Jackson Community College's Potter Center, in the newly-renovated Robert Snyder Dining Hall.  A legacy gift will be presented honoring all founding shareholders and original employees.  The celebration will conclude on July 27th with a casual employee family picnic on the grounds of our headquarters in Jackson, Michigan.  We couldn't be more excited!  We hope you will take a few minutes now and again to visit our pages -- on our website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and here -- to watch as this exciting year unfolds.

Whether 2012 year was your best year ever, saw some struggles, or landed somewhere in between, we now close the book on another chapter and, with gratitude and optimism, wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

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Summer May Be Over, But Fall's Heating Up

Hope that you've had a fantastic final summer hurrah, gotten in your golfing/fishing/gardening/traveling/what-have-you, and that you're ready for a busy fall full of projects that need to happen before year-end and school activities that ensure no week is ever boring.

Commonwealth wrapped up a very busy summer and welcomed fall with numerous college recruitment fairs, dynamic industry conferences, and our successful, semi-annual Rockin' Roadside Clean-up - Fall Edition!  (Pictures below.)

October is looking pretty exciting, too...

On the 3rd, we'll be holding an Alumni Day and wearing our school colors to show our spirit.  On the 10th, we'll be hosting Commonwealth's own "Oktoberfest" fall brat cookout and Potato Salad Contest, where the winner will receive "The Golden Potato" award and a small prize.  On October 17th, employees will have the opportunity of competing in lunchtime Minute-to-Win-It-style games.  During the week of the 22nd through the 26th, teams will be decorating their respective hallways and office spaces and enjoying the Pumpking Carving/Painting Contest which will take place on the 24th, while we eat pie and cast our votes.  Finally, we'll celebrate Halloween with Marketing & Business Development's annual Halloween Party where we'll announce the decorating contest winners. 

Stay tuned to see funny pictures, hear true stories, and learn more about Commonwealth and why we think it's such a great place to work.

And now for some pictures of this weekend's Rockin' good time...

J-Rod from K-105.3 FM, Jackson's Hit Music Station

Volunteers at the registration table

The safety talk

 

Volunteers worked up an appetite for lunch by Country Cafe

It was great to have students with us from area schools.

These teens are members of the National Technical Honor Society.

Three lucky individuals qualified to be entered to win K-105's hot tub giveaway!

E-Waste Day 2012

Volunteers getting ready to pack up another load.

 

It’s been another successful E-Waste drive for Commonwealth!  This past Friday, we delivered over 6 loads and 150 items to Recycling Jackson.  That's 150 items, including CPUs, monitors, printers, TVs, VCRs, and other items not destined for a landfill somewhere. 

A big THANK YOU goes out to all who participated either by donating or loading and hauling, especially: Gary Higbee, Tim Weeks, Chuck Walker, Jeff Arnett, Joe Lowden, Dan Heider, Brandon Kroth, and Greg Rupprecht.

Extra kudos go to Gary, Chuck and Dan for providing a truck. 

 

Latest Happenings

So much has been going on around Commonwealth this past month!

In a nutshell, we've:

• added staff in multiple offices
• started a number of exciting new projects
• been speaking at industry conferences
• begun planning our Silver Celebration, which will take place on July 26 & 27, 2013
• organized our upcoming fall Rockin' Roadside Cleanups in our Jackson, MI and Columbus, OH communities
• exceeded our Commonwealth Cancer Crushers Relay for Life goal 
• harvested our employee veggie garden to raise money for charity 
• won a softball championship (see team photo below)

It's been a great summer here and we hope it's been equally terrific for you! 

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Week's End Website Trivia

In case you missed it, we've launched a brand new website!  You can check it out here.

For those playing our Commonwealth Trivia game, the answer to our website trivia question follows.

Q:  In what year did the Foote brothers construct the Croton Dam?

A:  In 1908, the Croton Dam was constructed with a new, unbelievably high voltage (110 kV) transmission line, prompting engineers from as far away as Russia, France, England, Japan, and Italy to travel to Michigan to see the new line and meet its designers.

Rockin' Roadside Clean-Up Revs Up

Attention race fans!  How would you like to win 2 free tickets, plus pit passes, to a 2012 NASCAR race at the Michigan International Speedway?  Then, come on out this Saturday, April 28th from 9:30 to 11:30AM to Commonwealth's Rockin' Roadside Clean-Up of Boardman Road in Jackson, Michigan where someone will win!  Not into racing?  How about boating?  Jackson's Hit Music, 105.3 WKHM, will be broadcasting LIVE and volunteers will also have the opportunity to register to win a one year lease of a pontoon boat.

Business Unit News - Power Generation & Energy Group

Barnes to lead veteran team as Commonwealth 

expands power generation services

JACKSON, MI – Commonwealth Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Samuel R. Barnes, P.E. has joined the company as Vice President of the Power Generation & Energy Group.  “With over 21 years’ experience in the design, installation, and project management of power generation projects, Sam is a tremendous asset to our team,” stated Commonwealth President, Dennis F. DeCosta, P.E. 

Barnes is a registered professional mechanical engineer in the state of Michigan and received his B.S. from the University of Michigan.  Prior to joining Commonwealth, he served as Vice President and Director of Engineering at HDR Engineering/Cummins & Barnard, Inc., in Ann Arbor.  DeCosta continued, “Sam brings the level of expertise in power generation that our clients have come to trust and expect from us in our other service areas, most notably our transmission and distribution work.  He was the obvious choice to lead our expansion in this area.”  “Commonwealth is an exceptional organization known in the industry for its technical excellence, strong client relationships, and professional integrity.  I am pleased to be able to serve in this new capacity and to build a best-in-class group for our clients,” commented Barnes.  Senior Consultant Steven P. Yambor, P.E., widely considered a veteran in the power generation industry, stated, “Personally, I saw the vision, knew the potential, and, having previously worked with Sam, knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Mr. Barnes can be reached at sam.barnes@cai-engr.com or by telephone at 517-817-1616.


Commonwealth offers a complete package of engineering and consulting services for clients and is proud to be listed among the 2011 Top 40 Design Firms by EC&M Magazine and the 2011 Top 500 Design Firms by ENR.com.  The company maintains principal offices in Mount Vernon, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; and Jackson, Michigan, along with satellites in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio and Roanoke, Virginia.

For more information:, please visit: www.cai-engr.com.

On Facebook at: www.facebook.com/commonwealthassociates

On Twitter at: www.twitter.com/caiengr_dot_com

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A Special "Black Friday" Option

If you will be in the Jackson area and looking for something different to do on Friday, consider brunch at The Granary at Ella Sharp Museum:

BLACK FRIDAY BRUNCH*

9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Hot New Orleans Style Beignets
Eggs Benedict - traditional or with salmon cakes

A Variety of Homemade Quiche to include:

Salmon with fresh dill and hollandaise,

Tomato Herb with Goat Cheese

Traditional Quiche Lorraine

Bananas Foster French Toast

Bagels and Homemade Gravlax

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Homemade Corned Beef Hash

Scandinavian Apple Puff Pancake (Pfannakuchen)

And our regular lunch menu too.

...and touring the W.A. Foote exhibit to learn more about Commonwealth’s roots.  There is a $5.00 admission fee for the galleries.

*The Granary does not take reservations for groups <6 people.

(With special thanks to Monica Collett for the great suggestion!)

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It's that time of year! Are you ready to bring some cheer?!

**NOW ACCEPTING NEW, UNWRAPPED TOYS**

Toys for Tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children.  In the fall of 1947, Bill's wife, Diane, crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization which would give it to a needy child at Christmas.  When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one.  He did.  Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns each year since 1948.  Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys and a powerful message of hope to more than 188 million needy children. 

Commonwealth Associates, Inc. is proud to assist in this worthy cause.  We invite you to participate with us by bringing your new, unwrapped toys for children up to age 12, to our office lobby in Jackson. 

Thank you for caring!  YOU make the difference!

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On Location: Jackson, Michigan

This month, for those considering employment with Commonwealth, or simply wishing to learning more about us, we will be featuring a series of posts showcasing our various office locations.  We are pleased to start by introducing you to the city we call "home" -- Jackson, Michigan, location for the headquarters of Commonwealth Associates, Inc.  We trust you will find it, as we do, to be a wonderful place to live, work, and play.

From its historic downtown, to the 600 acres of beautiful, open parkland that stretch across the city limits providing limitless outdoor recreational opportunities, Jackson easily earns its designation as one of Michigan’s “Cool Cities.”  Once known as the “Crossroads of Michigan” due to its location at the I-94/US 127 junction and its use as a major railway hub, Jackson has become a crossroads of innovation led by an eclectic group of entrepreneurs and artists. 

The area features numerous festivals and celebrations and cultural activities abound.  Attend the symphony, catch a Broadway show, or stop by the Shakespeare Festival.  History buffs may wish to explore Jackson’s captivating history with a visit to the birthplace of the Republican Party “Under the Oaks,” or soak in her rich heritage with tours of Underground Railroad and Civil War sites.  Wine lovers can spend the day at their favorite local winery and race fans can try their hand at a lap around the famed Michigan International Speedway.  Love the water?  You’ll find plenty of it to play in here, so grab your gear and set off on an adventure.

In the “Rose City,” there’s something for everyone…making it the perfect place to call home.

Cascade Falls, Cascades Park



Destination: Downtown - an art lover's paradise



Jackson's Civil War Muster

Just a few of the highlights:

• Ella Sharp Museum of Art & History
• Cascade Falls
• Rose Festival
• Shakespeare Festival
• Jackson County Fair
• Hot Air Jubilee
• Carp Carnival
• Blues Festival
• Jackson’s Civil War Muster

Don't forget to visit us on Facebook for more great photos and information!