Getting energized

Commonwealth is proud to have provided engineering, environmental permitting support, and right of way acquisition to help turn PSE&G's vision for this new 500 kV transmission line into reality:  
http://pseg.com/info/media/newsreleases/2014/2014-04-29a.jsp#.U2ERK41OXcs

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Top Design Firms Named

Congratulations to the team for again being listed among the EC&M Magazine Top 40 Electrical Design Firms and the Engineering News-Record  Top 500 Design Firms!  This year, Commonwealth was particularly excited to be profiled among the EC&M  Top 10 firms, coming in at #8. 

It is always an honor to appear alongside such talented and impressive firms!  We certainly are passionate about what we do and proud to serve the electric utility industry, municipalities, industrial clients, and some of the world's most prestigious educational, healthcare, and research institutions.

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IEEE in the Windy City

In just a few short weeks, we'll be in Chicago for IEEE PES T&D Conference and Expo 2014!  If you're planning to join us for some green screen fun and a complimentary souvenir photos, and haven't already done so, you might want to check out and download the official app.  With the app, you can:

• 
  
• Easily locate Commonwealth at Booth 8033 (hint, hint!)
• Populate a schedule of other things you’d like to attend/see
• Explore a list of exhibitors with information about each and the ability to “favorite” the exhibitor, schedule a visit with them, and/or get directions to their booth
• View various maps -- exhibits, halls, hotels, etc.
• View technical program session info, locations, duration and more
• See a list of speakers, their employers, and when/where they’ll be speaking
• Access general information about shuttles, the schedule, special events, etc.
• View and contribute to a photo gallery
• Follow and contribute to a live Twitter stream using the hashtag #TandD2014
• Download and view handouts and videos
• Scan QR codes for more information
• Figure out where you are in relation to another point
• View an easy-to-follow ordered map of the exhibitors you choose to bookmark to make the most of your time
• Discover local Chicago attractions
• Follow “IEEE PES T&D Conference” on Facebook, and check-in on Facebook when you arrive, for the latest postings there and to contribute to that page
• Post on LinkedIn regarding the conference 

It's a great resource -- I hope you'll check it out!  See you in Chicago!

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Short and sweet

Giving thanks

 

Maybe it's because Thanksgiving is right around the corner, or maybe it has something to do with the great news we received recently, but Commonwealth is just bursting at the seams with gratitude these days!

First, let us just say how very much we appreciate you -- our clients, employees, future employees, retirees, friends, and...most of all...our families.

To our clients...thank you for the opportunity to provide you with engineering and support services.  We enjoy getting to know you on job sites and golf courses, at restaurants, and in your offices or ours.  We value your time and work to continually earn the trust you place in us. 

To our employees...thank you for your commitment to Commonwealth and for giving your very best every day to achieve our shared vision of being a recognized leader, the preferred consultant, and the employer of choice in the markets we serve.

To our retirees...thank you for the extraordinary 25 years we celebrated this summer!  We are grateful for your participation in our events and for your willingness to mentor others.

To our future employees...thank you for considering employment with Commonwealth.  We can't wait to see what the future holds.

To our friends and family...a very special thank you for your support and encouragement as we pursue a career we love, even when it takes us on the road or keeps us at work a bit later than planned.  You make it all worthwhile.

Lastly, one more thank you to our employees.  It's a big one!  THANK YOU for your wonderful feedback on the Workplace Dynamics survey.  Because of you driving us to be the very best and your willingness to share your thoughts and feelings, Commonwealth can proudly say we are a Detroit Free Press 2013 Top 100 Workplace! 

What are you most thankful for this year?

From the Commonwealth Family to yours --

Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

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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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Shining the light on outage prevention

 

Today marks the infamous 10th anniversary of the August 14, 2003 blackout of the eastern United States.  The massive outage, or megablackout, determined to be the result of a tree branch in Ohio initially taking out a 345kV line, compounded by cascading failure, affected over 50 million people with an economic fallout estimated at ten billion dollars. 

Over the past decade, a great deal of effort has gone into reducing the chances of a similar widespread outage occurring in the future.  Areas of success include the creation and strengthening of standards associated with the planning and operation of power systems, and the application of new technologies, particularly Phasor Measurement Units (PMU) -- a technology driven by the same GPS technology driving the universal mapping functions in our phones and other applications -- to situational awareness. 

Despite these advances, as more recent incidents demonstrate, more work remains to be done.  Fundamental components, such as transmission lines and transformers that make up the grid, need to be updated and added to meet current needs and the desire to support new generation sources including wind, solar and natural gas fired plants.  When it comes to the potential for cascading outages of the grid, techniques for consistent analyzing these events prior to their occurrence and identifying cost effective remedies are still in their infancy.

Commonwealth Associates is an active participant in planning, identifying, and implementing such solutions and we always welcome opportunities to discuss techniques and collaborate in creating solutions.  For information about our Transmission Grid Analytics - Cascade Analysis (TM) software that helps to prevent future blackouts, click here.  In a nutshell, it provides:

• A verifiable and complete list of “breaker-to-breaker” contingencies
• Identification of ALL contingencies that cause violations and a direct or indirect assessment of all double (Category B and C) contingency combinations
• Analytical methodology to supplement your engineer’s experience and judgment
• Objective, repeatable, and reasonable classification of contingencies that cause A/R violations into those that will not cause outages beyond a predetermined area and those that cannot be eliminated as potential causes for widespread outages
• Priority list of trouble facilities that identifies and suggests root causes for contingencies that may initiate widespread outages
• Independent evaluation of your system suitable for use as compliance documentation that management can include in their "due diligence" reporting
• Custom solutions

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

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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.
 

# # #

 

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

Top Design Firm Rankings Announced

Last month, we learned that we had again made Engineering News-Record's Top 500 Design Firm list, so the question became how could we possibly repeat such excitement this month? 

By making the 2013 Top 40 Design Firm list put out by EC&M Magazine, of course!  This year, we come in at 9th in the nation...not too shabby!

Of course, this would not be possible without the loyal support of our clients, and the absolute passion for, and commitment to, technical excellence in engineering by our dedicated staff of employee-owners.  To them all we say a very big, very heartfelt THANK YOU!

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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Valentine Sparks

Today is Valentine's Day -- a day to celebrate all of the powerful and heart-warming forms of love displayed on this planet by mankind.  A cute article on the various celebrations around the globe can be found here. 

Today, paper hearts with beginner's penmanship touch the hearts of mothers and fathers the world over,

men (and women) with sweaty palms make promises of forever with that certain someone they can't imagine life without,

and life-long couples reflect back upon the deep abiding friendship that kept the romance alive during years of sacrifice and struggle...couples like this one.

We demonstrate our affection in a myriad of ways, from handmade cards to chocolates and flowers, but sometimes"sparks" on Valentine's Day are not always a good thing and the gifts we give can actually cause harm.  Learn more here: http://www.pgecurrents.com/2013/02/12/video-metallic-balloons-popular-but-they-pose-a-valentine%E2%80%99s-day-hazard/

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Getting the green light

Susquehanna-Roseland line

Just this week, a project in which we are involved was in the news as having received court approval to proceed: http://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_court_OKs_transmission_line_upgrades_in_the_Highlands.html?c=y&page=1.  

This project involves designing a new 45-mile double-circuit 230 kV/500 kV steel pole transmission line to replace an existing 230 kV transmission line on a narrow 150-foot-wide right-of-way.   A portion of the line has to remain energized during construction to keep a substation fed from two sources.   The remaining line will be constructed in a way that will allow the re-energization of the line in a 14-hour turn-around time frame.

 

Commonwealth has provided an electrical effects analysis; assistance with permitting; and design that entails traversing the Delaware Water Gap area, crossing existing transmission lines, and interconnecting to a new 500 kV switching station.  Commonwealth also was involved with the alternative route analysis and the preferred route evaluation.   A feasibility report and cost estimates were prepared initially for the preferred route, and then the design began.   Commonwealth also assisted in the permitting documentation phase.

 

The final deliverables will be a construction package for the entire line and support by Commonwealth during construction.   The structures are double-circuit tubular steel poles, sometimes mini-legged design, and double-circuit lattice towers.   The 500 kV circuit consists of four-bundle 1590 kcmil “Falcon” ACSR. The heights of the structure were required to be less than 200 feet.  This project began in 2008 and is ongoing.

 

We are pleased to be a part of the work taking place to help the client meet reliability standards while being good environmental stewards.

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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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Wishing You Joy

Gratitude

This Thanksgiving, we here at Commonwealth have a lot for which to be thankful... 

• We have the privilege of providing services for some truly outstanding companies with whom we enjoy working.  Our clients are our raison d'être.
• We get to work on some very interesting and important projects that power people's lives. 
• We are an employee-owned company and tight-knit team who like our work and each other.
• We have the opportunity to make a difference with wonderful holiday programs like Operation Good Cheer, Toys for Tots, Cascades Humane Society Winter Drive, Angel Tree Giving, and more.

And now there's one more reason...

 

http://www.topworkplaces.com/frontend.php/regional-list/company/freep/commonwealth-associates

We're proud to be named a 2012 Top Workplace!  Congratulations to all the terrific companies on the list and the incredible people behind them.

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An Event to Remember....

Sure, we're a Top 30 Design Firm and we work hard to get there.  That said, we also have a fun side.  As you may have read in last month's post, October was our "Fall Fun Month." It was chock full of activities designed to bring employees together for a time of fun, fellowship, and good food.  Our talented team works hard to bring world-class solutions to our clients' toughest challenges, and a bit of levity helps to maintain the balance that keeps us at our very best.  We are committed to being an Employer of Choice and this is just one way that we work at it every day. 

Here's the story in pictures:



Oktoberfest was a blast with festive music, freshly-grilled brats, homemade potato salad, soft pretzels with
choice of toppings, and a keg of ice-cold root beer.

Data Management's Diane Wilkie, won first place
in the Oktoberfest homemade potato salad contest,
securing the coveted "Golden Potato Award."



Entries arrive in advance of lunchtime voting in
our 2012 Pumpkin Decorating/Carving Contest.

No pumpkin decorating contest would be complete
without yummy pie with which to feed our employee-judges.

 

Employees were invited to participate and vote in a Halloween
Hallway & Office/Cube Decorating Contest.  Team Lower Level
welcomed visitors downstairs with fun pictures of team members.

 

Having previously inhabited the lower level before relocation
to the East Building, the Electrical Systems Department's
presence could still be felt in the Haunted Forest.
 

If visitors survived the other creatures in the Haunted Forest,
this fierce animatronic feline was just waiting to pounce on his next meal.
 

The East Building's Haunted Hallway completely transformed
this Substation cube farm into a spooktacularly fun place for
employees and kids alike with a haunted hay ride and treats.

 

Of course, the whole experience would not be complete without
a good old fashioned scare from Substation's Pat Keene.
 

Visitors to the Haunted Forest for the annual Marketing Department
Halloween Party enjoyed delicious and nutrious treats.
 

Folks lined up waiting for the party to start and the food to flow.

 

Who knows who one might meet in the Haunted Forest?
Substation's Bob Uddin made it out just in the nick of time.

 

Someone wasn't so fortunate.  She apparently flew straight
into Purchasing's wall.  This is a shot of the fresh crime scene.

This week, Linda Gray (VP of Business Development) and Rich Collins (VP of Transmission & Distribution) are in Columbus, Ohio, for the Electrical Transmission and Substation Structures Conference.  Attendees are invited to stop by Booth 3 to register to win a hot new Kindle Fire!

 

 

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States and lots of important races and proposals will be decided around the country.  No matter how you vote, it is important that you participate in this great facet of our republic democracy. 

 

 

Sunday, November 11th is Veterans Day.  This very special day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.  We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay. 

 

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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!

The World According to GARP

For those of us let's call it seasoned enough to have been watching films when The World According to Garp came out back in 1982, the post title might have conjured up an image of Robin Williams, as seen below. 

John Irving's best-selling novel about, what else?  A novelist.

That is NOT the Garp to which I'm referring. Instead, today's GARP reference is about best practices when it come to record keeping.  That's because Diane Wilkie, Commonwealth's Manager of Data Management, is laser-focused on seeing the the world according to GARP in order to provide our clients with the highest quality service.

Diane Wilkie, ECMP, ERMP

Diane writes:

 

In a few weeks I’ll be attending the annual ARMA conference in Chicago, September 23-25. This is THE annual event for records and data managers. I always look forward to the big glitzy opening, the diverse choices of educational sessions, and, of course, walking the gauntlet through the expo hall and trying not to come home with 20 pounds of pens, pads, stress balls, and assorted other free stuff the vendors are handing out that somehow makes its way into my conference bag.

While this conference doesn’t give me much chance to connect with our clients, it does give me the chance to connect with other records and data management professionals, share some of my experiences, and learn from some of theirs. Most importantly, it provides three days in which to completely immerse myself in learning and gathering information on the latest data management tools, so that I’m better prepared to provide the best possible service to our clients -- a goal to which I'm deeply committed.

This year my focus will be on using GARP® (Generally Accepted Record-Keeping Practices) to build better records retention policies, project strategies, and social media governance. As we all continue to store more and more data, organization, retrieval, and, ultimately, destruction, become more and more difficult to manage. Proper polices and strategies can help every organization better maintain their data and provide peace of mind to records and data managers everywhere.

You can learn more about the services Diane and the Data Management team provide by clicking HERE.

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