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Welcoming New Leadership and Elevating Internal Experts to Propel Rocky Mountain Regional Success

We’re happy to announce the appointment of multiple key leadership roles in our Colorado offices. With new and familiar faces, these individuals will focus on advancing our structural and transportation work as well as the multidisciplinary practice as a whole.

“We’re thrilled to enter this new phase of growth in Colorado. Under the guidance of three outstanding leaders, Otak will continue to expand, innovate, and excel in the Colorado market by delivering exceptional client service.”

– Raul Aviles Jr., CEO of Otak

Read on to learn more about the people who aim to expand the positive impact of our work in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Henry Alaman, Regional Director

Heading up the team as the new Colorado Regional Director is Henry Alaman, who brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leadership to his new role.

With over 30 years of experience, Henry Alaman is a seasoned professional with demonstrated expertise in organizational development, leadership, project management, and business development. Celebrating four years with Otak, Henry has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the firm’s Project Management and Construction Management (PMCM) division. He has been instrumental in leading key initiatives such as recruitment, onboarding optimization, training programs, and incentive implementations, which have contributed to Otak’s ability to recruit and retain top talent in the industry.

In his own words, Henry expresses gratitude for the support from his colleagues at Otak, stating, “It’s been a humbling experience to be surrounded and supported by such a talented and engaged staff. They have been the collaborative driving force in the progress we’ve made.”

Todd Kelley, Bridges & Structures Business Unit Leader

Bringing fresh eyes and ideas to Otak’s bridges and structures group, Todd has over 17 years of experience in structural engineering design, including: railroad bridges, highway bridges, industrial structures, bridge inspections, and ratings.

With strong analytical and communication skills, his background also includes project and staff management. Todd received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the Southern Illinois University. He is a licensed professional engineer in Colorado, Missouri, Washington, Idaho, and California, and a licensed structural engineer in Illinois. Prior to joining Otak, Todd worked for American Rail Engineers in Denver, as General Director of Bridge Design.

Todd expresses his excitement to lead at Otak: “In taking this opportunity at Otak, I was drawn to the experienced people and exciting projects. I’ve found my team to be technically savvy, providing a great foundation for the growth of our group. With plenty of diverse and unique structures, Otak’s approach to projects fits my experience – and where I’d like it to go – perfectly.”

Kevin Dooley, Transportation & Infrastructure Business Unit Leader

Kevin has been with Otak’s Louisville office since 2017 as Transportation Project Manager, contributing his talents to much of the region’s major transportation work including: City of Boulder’s 30th & Colorado Underpass, City of Aspen’s Paepcke Transit Hub, Eagle County’s Eagle Valley Trail, City of Longmont’s Coffman Street Mobility Improvements, and the SH119 (Diagonal) Reconstruction project.

Confirming his confidence in the regional team, Kevin shares, “We currently have the best group of T&I staff that I have seen in my time here. From mentorship and training to the work itself, everyone is already adept at working together very well. This has us set up to provide opportunities for everyone to grow professionally while taking on new technical and managerial challenges.”

Building on more than 17 years of civil engineering experience, including the design and management of complex transportation and civil improvement projects, Kevin’s expertise spans roadway and trail design, drainage, and utility design of local agencies and federally funded projects. His field experience gives him valuable insight into the complete project delivery cycle and his hands-on approach to management and design ensures that projects will have an accurate and reliable set of construction documents. Kevin also participates in Otak’s sustainability leadership group, assisting with green initiatives in the company’s practice areas and training.

“The Colorado Region leadership has never been as strong and engaged as the team we have in place now… Their focus on client care, high quality, timely service delivery, solving for our clients, and mentorship skills makes me confident in their ability to develop the best team possible in our market.”

– Scott Dreher, COO of Otak

Otak is excited to continue generating momentum for our work in the Rocky Mountain region with the addition and promotion of top talent. The company is eager to see Henry, Todd, and Kevin thrive as leaders and develop project work and partnerships with key regional clients.

Mental Health Awareness in the AEC Industry: An Amplifying Voices Event

The ‘Amplifying Voices’ speaker series is a live and virtual event where AEC industry professionals are given a platform for discussion around topics that largely lack the awareness they deserve. In this edition, the event was aimed at destigmatizing the conversation around mental health for an industry where it’s particularly relevant.

For an industry with the 2nd (construction) and 5th highest (architecture and engineering) suicide rates, a conversation around mental well-being is especially important in the AEC workplace.

On May 22, 2024, Otak hosted a panel discussion at its Portland headquarters featuring a panel discussion between industry experts working to improve how mental health is viewed – and talked about – across the field.

Great strides are being made by organizations to introduce large-scale, collaborative mental health and mental wellness programs. The event served as an opportunity to continue expanding these efforts by making the topic an essential part of any conversation about industry priorities. Topics ranging from self-care best practices and coping mechanisms for common challenges to the detailing of available resources and wellness programs are among those covered by the panel.

A recording of the full event, along with additional resources, can be found below:

University of Washington – In the Forefront Suicide Prevention
Lines for Life – Construction Suicide Prevention Partnership | About Us
Lines for Life, Portland – Oregon Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Hoffman Construction – Get Us There Safe (GUTS)
The Partners Group – Wellbeing Archives
National Institute of Mental Health – Topics

Watch the ‘Amplifying Voices’ Event

Announcing Henry Alaman as Rocky Mountain Regional Director

Otak is thrilled to lift up one of its own and appoint Henry Alaman as its new Rocky Mountain Regional Director – head of Otak’s operations in Colorado effective April 29th.

Otak is pleased to announce the appointment of Henry Alaman as the new Regional Director for its Colorado operations. Henry brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of leadership to his new role.

With over 30 years of experience, Henry Alaman is a seasoned professional with demonstrated expertise in organizational development, leadership, project management, and business development. His extensive background includes serving as the Facilities and Property Management Director for Multnomah County and the Facilities Director for Oregon State University. Prior to joining Otak, Henry founded and successfully grew his own Minority Business Enterprise consulting company, Gabayan LLC.

“It’s been a humbling experience to be surrounded and supported by such a talented and engaged staff. They have been the collaborative driving force in the progress we’ve made.”

Henry Alaman, Rocky Mountain Regional Director – Otak, Inc.

Celebrating four years with Otak , Henry has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the firm’s Project Management and Construction Management (PMCM) division. He has been instrumental in leading key initiatives such as recruitment, onboarding optimization, training programs, and incentive implementations, which have contributed to Otak’s ability to recruit and retain top talent in the industry.

Raul Aviles Jr., CEO of Otak, said this about Henry’s promotion: “I am thrilled to welcome Henry Alaman as the new Regional Director for Colorado. His exceptional leadership and commitment have played a pivotal role in his success at Otak. With his extensive industry knowledge, Henry is ideally suited to elevate and grow our Colorado team. I am confident that under his guidance, Otak will continue to expand, innovate, and thrive in the Colorado market.”

Henry’s leadership extends beyond his role in PMCM. He actively participates in corporate affairs, including operations meetings, business planning, forecasting, and advising on marketing and business development strategies. He has been a driving force behind Otak’s expansion into new markets, such as datacenters and advanced manufacturing, as well as the opening of a new office in Bend, Oregon.

One of Henry’s greatest strengths lies in his ability to identify and nurture talent. He has been instrumental in identifying the next generation of leaders within the PMCM division, ensuring the sustained growth and performance of the team. Henry’s remarkable ability to motivate and empower his teammates brings out the best in all. No challenge seems too daunting for him, and his unwavering determination and fearlessness in the face of obstacles sets a powerful example. In his own words, Henry expresses gratitude for the support from his colleagues at Otak, stating, “It’s been a humbling experience to be surrounded and supported by such a talented and engaged staff. They have been the collaborative driving force in the progress we’ve made.”

Matt Marshall, director of business development at Otak and former interim Rocky Mountain Regional Director, also had this to say about Henry’s appointment: “I have seen Henry in action thinking, planning, and executing strategically, driving growth in the business and creating opportunity for team members around him. I’m excited to see what he does in Colorado – a region within Otak primed for sustainable growth.”

Otak is confident that Henry Alaman’s leadership will further strengthen the firm’s presence in the Rocky Mountain region and lead the Colorado team to new heights of success.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact Report 2023

Over 15 years, beginning with a commitment to the AIA 2030, we’ve embarked on a journey to continuously understand our impact on the environment and communities where we live, work, and play. In that time we’ve gained valuable insights into what it looks like to make meaningful changes. Now, more than ever, we feel it is imperative to maintain our momentum and prepare to solve the challenges of the future. With that aim we believe in leading by example to infuse our mission to envision, design, and build innovative, resilient and thriving communities into every part of our business.

Take a look at our Corporate Responsibility and Impact Report, with the purpose of providing annual highlights and a baseline understanding of how we continue to be a more resilient, equitable, and just organization now and into the future.

Greenhouse Gas Offsets Breakdown 2023

Since 2019, as part of core initiatives around sustainability, Otak has been quantifying and offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our business operations. Following last year’s advances, we recently wrapped up our efforts to quantify our 2023 emissions and wanted to share the results with you.

Our firmwide emissions increased by 11% from 2022 to 2023, a result of increases to our Scope 3 emissions associated with employee commuting and reimbursed mileage for business travel. The total increase to our Scope 3 emissions was 17%.

Our Scope 2 emissions remain nearly the same as last year. Because our office spaces are leased and we do not have visibility into Otak’s energy consumption through submetering, we apply regional emissions factors on a square foot basis. While there was a slight decrease, it was less than 1% overall.

Continued Offsets During Accelerated Growth

We are proud to continue to work with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to quantify and offset our carbon footprint. BEF provides third-party verified offsets and renewable energy credits. Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are purchased to offset our Scope 2 emissions, which includes office energy consumption across all regions. All other emissions are encompassed in Scope 3. New this year, we have included the GHGs associated with our remote cloud servers; given the focus on data center sustainability, we were surprised to see that the total emissions from our Microsoft Azure servers was less than 1% of our total Scope 3 emissions (1.56 mtCO2e).

2023 Emissions Distribution

Because we have only been quantifying our emissions for five years, and three of those were during the pandemic, it has been challenging for Otak to establish a baseline for our emissions. Now that we can see business operations returning to a “normal” state, we are looking forward to performing some additional analysis in 2024 to develop a reduction plan. As our company grows, our emissions will undoubtedly continue to increase. But, it is critical that we implement strategies to curtail substantial increases that exceed proportional growth in our business.

For our Scope 3 offsets, Otak has decided to contribute to the following verified offset projects:

ACEC Washington Award Winners 2024

Picture of the project team accepting an award at the 2024 ACEC Washington event. — *Photo Credit: ACEC WA*

We’re delighted to share some additional award wins – this time for our project work in the Puget Sound region. The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Washington has awarded two projects from our bridge engineering team with Silver and Gold-level recognition!

ACEC Washington represents the gold standard for the business of engineering in Washington state, creating an environment that encourages quality, safe, impactful, and sustainable solutions for both the built and natural environments. They are the leading organization for promoting engineering companies through professional knowledge and exceptional services for communities across the state, and we’re grateful to be recognized on behalf of our teams who accomplished this award-winning work.

Learn more about each winning project on their respective project pages, and hear directly from our clients on what makes these wins so special.

Dungeness River Bridge – Best in State Gold Award: Social, Economic, and Sustainable Design Considerations

As the firm providing lead design consulting services, bridge engineering, architecture and landscape architecture, and building structural engineering, our approach to this project was creating a space where critical infrastructure and the environment’s natural surroundings intersect. This created a meaningful and useful finished product for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe based on their input and desired outcomes:

“Aesthetically and functionally, the bridge is superb. We are thrilled with the innovative wishbone design, and the flow of traffic merges and splits seamlessly. The Tribe routinely receives rave reviews about the bridge from trail and Nature Center users.”

– Randy Johnson, Habitat Program Manager for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

Willapa Littell Bridge – Best in State Silver Award: Successful Fulfillment of Owner/Client Needs

As prime consultant on this project – Otak performed a variety of essential services including project management, survey, environmental services, bridge and civil engineering, landscape architecture, stormwater management, and CMI work. The challenge for the client was mitigating safety hazards thanks to a highly popular trail combined with a dangerous at-grade crossing on a high-speed state highway while addressing aesthetic concerns among community members. With special thanks to our partners in overcoming speed bumps on the way to final delivery, the project now stands as a testament to innovative engineering that not only functions well, but is also a sight to behold:

“Constructing a 250’ span bridge over a busy highway with little to no lay down/staging area was a challenging endeavor. Otak produced a design that satisfied permit requirements, design requirements, and was aesthetically pleasing, definitely exceeding our expectations.”

– Tim Bell, Project Manager for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

View the rest of the winners on the Seattle DJC’s official website here, along with their write up on the Dungeness Bridge and river restoration here!

ACEC Oregon Award Winners 2024

Otak is proud to announce some recent accolades from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Oregon. The ACEC Oregon Engineering Excellence Awards celebrate the best of the best in the engineering world, acknowledging firms that demonstrate innovation, technical expertise, and a commitment to delivering exceptional projects.

View the project page for each award winner below and be sure to watch the videos that accompany them for direct insight into what makes each project special.

Member of project award team speaking during the ACEC OR Awards 2024.

The Cedar Crossing Restoration team at the ACEC OR Awards Gala 2024.

Cedar Crossing at Johnson Creek – Small Project Award

Check out how Otak’s approach to stream restoration design returned a critical juncture of Johnson Creek at Cedar Crossing to it’s natural features, ensuring that one of the last creeks where salmon actively spawn in Portland, OR is viable for generations to come.

Ash Creek (F Street) Bridge – Honor Award

See how Otak involved the community of Independence, OR to replace an ailing bridge on Ash Creek, providing critical infrastructure through quality survey, geotechnical, roadway, bridge, hydraulic analysis, and environmental permitting work.

Otak’s Ingredients for Holiday Cheer!

Explore the Dishes, Sips, and Songs that Make Up Our Holidays

Everyone has something that elicits the feeling that the holidays are officially here. Oftentimes, that ‘thing’ involves an unmistakable taste, scent, or sound that reminds you of home and your family traditions.

With that in mind, this year we’ve collected the songs and recipes that truly capture the holiday spirit from our team. Take a look and try some for yourself! As you’re baking, mixing, and listening to your favorites this season, share any of the recipes you’ve made from the book on social with the hashtag #otaksholidaycheer2023 – Happy Holidays from Otak!

The Restoration of Wade Creek Wins Two Awards!

More award wins at Otak! We’re happy to share that this fall the Wade Creek Restoration project was the recipient of two awards!

Otak would like to thank the City of Estacada, Greenworks, and Pacific Habitat services for their partnerships on delivering this project to the benefit of the community of Clackamas County.

Read more about the project and the awards below!

What Were the Awards?

State Land Board Award – Stream Category

Led by Greenworks, the restoration of Wade Creek was at the heart of the city’s multi-year effort to address problems with the pond while also creating better connection with the surrounding community. Work included restoring the historic course of the creek to provide improved passage for salmon species throughout their life cycle, adding native plants along the bank to shade and cool the creek, and eliminating steep slopes to create a working floodplain.

The restoration project also added accessible walking trails and a boardwalk to the adjacent park and public library, an amphitheater and community gathering space, stormwater rain gardens, and a pollinator garden. Along with benefiting the environment surrounding the creek, these crucial additions and improvements to accessibility increased the area’s overall sense of community.

John Van Staveren of Pacific Habitat Services was integral to both the completion of the project and the submittal of the Land Board Award, so we would like to extend special thanks to him and the greater firm for all his work advocating for the project.

You can read the press release on the Land Board award win from the Oregon Department of State Lands here.

Oregon ASLA – Honor Award

Also submitted and led by our partners at Greenworks, architects tapped Wade Creek as a Project of Honor at the annual Oregon American Society of Landscape Architects awards banquet for the collaborative and environmentally conscious What method in which it was delivered..

Read more about Wade Creek on our project page, and we’re pleased to have worked on such a transformative and community-driven project.

Reducing Carbon Emissions, Otak’s Colorado Region Places First in Fall Commuting Challenge

Supporting sustainable commuting solutions isn’t just a part of our project work – we’re proud to announce our Colorado team has won its size category for this year’s Go-tober Commute Challenge, held by the organization Way To Go and officiated by DRCOG!

During the month of October, Otakians in Louisvlle and Denver biked or rode public transport to reduce their CO2 emissions from commuting by a whopping 10.1 tons! The team avoided driving a distance of 24,869 miles total.

Check out more stats about Colorado’s total impact in the infographic, and thank you Way To Go, DRCOG and Commuting Solutions for another great Go-tober competition.