GEI Taps Pratt for Water and Environmental Leadership in Pacific Northwest

SEATTLE, Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- GEI Consultants, Inc., one of the nation's leading geotechnical, environmental, water resources, and ecological science and engineering firms, announced today that Jeremy Pratt has joined the firm as a vice president and senior consultant based in Seattle, Wash. supporting GEI clients in the Pacific Northwest and nationally. Jeremy comes to GEI with more than 35 years of environmental experience in the water and energy fields.

Throughout his career Jeremy has focused on developing and growing consulting practice groups and managing large-scale, controversial projects such as the recent 50-year FERC hydro license issued to Okanogan PUD. He has forged a reputation for his skill in assisting clients and stakeholders to resolve long-standing conflicts, allowing projects to move forward. A trained senior facilitator who has met the stringent requirements for listing on the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution National Roster, he has focused on resolving long-standing resource conflicts in complex regulatory environments, such as NEPA review of major facilities.

Jeremy has led a series of large water and energy projects meeting the requirements of FERC hydro licensing, NEPA, CEQA, SEPA, the major federal permitting processes, and environmental compliance in many Western states. His project experience includes hydroelectric and thermal generation, transmission lines, pipelines, dam removal, watershed planning, water supply planning, and natural resources economics and management. Jeremy works with teams, project applicants and local stakeholders concerned with the development, use, protection or environmental management of their sites, communities, or resources.

"We are very pleased to have Jeremy join GEI's growing team of senior consulting engineers and scientists located in Portland and Seattle," said Stephen Verigin, P.E., G.E., West Region manager and senior vice president of GEI. "His expertise in hydro, NEPA and water resources planning, coupled with his deep knowledge of the complex regulatory framework and stakeholder issues involved in the Pacific Northwest will give us the opportunity to support existing and new clients alike, while gaining a greater understanding of the issues that local parties find most important."

Jeremy was most recently a vice president, technical director and principal of Cardno ENTRIX where he served as the national hydro team practice leader, and participated on the national water supply and linear facilities teams. He also served as technical director for the western area environmental management, permitting and compliance practice, and for two years as the Washington operations manager. Jeremy joined ENTRIX from Dames & Moore, where he led the Northwest water practice.

"He has a unique ability to combine his multi-disciplinary planning and science background with skills in facilitation, regulatory compliance, and large project management to build practices, lead teams and keep challenging projects on track," said Ginger Gillin, branch manager of Portland, Oregon and GEI vice president. "He seamlessly integrates environmental conflict resolution into his practice to facilitate difficult multi-stakeholder negotiations to closure."

Jeremy received a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from The Evergreen State University and a master's degree in environmental and energy sciences from Washington State University.

"I am excited to join the GEI team and help bring GEI's outstanding client service record and national leadership in water and hydro services to the Pacific Northwest," says Jeremy. "It is profoundly satisfying to join a firm that has such a deep commitment both to its clients and to the team-oriented values that I share. I've already been struck by the strength of our cross-country support, anchored in years of ongoing and collaborative client relationships. I hope my experience will further leverage GEI's remarkable capabilities, and I'm looking forward to broadening GEI's leadership in the region." 

About GEI Consultants, Inc.

GEI's multi-disciplined team of engineers and scientists deliver integrated geotechnical, environmental, water resources and ecological solutions to diverse clientele nationwide. The firm has provided a broad range of consulting and engineering services on over 35,000 projects in 50 states and 22 countries. For more information, please visit the firm's web site at www.geiconsultants.com.

SOURCE GEI Consultants, Inc.