Congratulations to Kevin Thelin, Our 2020 DJC Icon, and Phenom Under 40, Justin Ford!

We are proud to announce the recognition of two amazing Murraysmith + Quincy staff! Vice President, Kevin Thelin, has been honored by the Daily Journal of Commerce as a local building industry icon, and Justin Ford, civil engineer, has been named a Phenom Under 40!

Kevin Thelin, 2020 DJC Icon
When Kevin Thelin joined Murraysmith + Quincy nearly three decades ago, he brought with him the same commitment to lifting people up that had led him to serve in the Peace Corps and subsequent non-profit organizations in Africa for ten years. Over his tenure at the firm, Kevin has developed a reputation as a dedicated mentor—supporting the growth of our staff through one-on-one guidance—as well as for his relentless energy in pushing the firm to grow and take on new opportunities.

A glimpse of Kevin in his natural habitat over the years.

A powerful example of Kevin’s impact at the firm is his role in growing our transportation team from a staff of two, including himself, to a team of over 50 in the Pacific Northwest. Focused initially on subsurface utility engineering and utility coordination, Kevin helped the department quickly transition into pavement management projects and roadway design, working closely with staff from ODOT, WSDOT, and other agencies to successfully deliver more than 150 transportation projects. Kevin’s leadership paved the way for Murraysmith + Quincy to provide a full spectrum of roadway transportation services, from routine maintenance projects to major interchange and bridge projects that now make up a significant part of our business.

Kevin and crew at an Adopt-a-Road cleanup.

Kevin’s life has been defined by investing in communities at home and around the world—from Africa, where he served in the Peace Corps and got his start in water engineering for non-profit organizations in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) and Rwanda, to raising money in the Hood to Coast challenge (in which he ran 13 times!). While much of his past 20 years at the firm have centered around transportation, Kevin has always kept his toes dipped in water engineering, acting as the founding member of the American Water Works Association’s local chapter of Water for People (1997), a global clean water and sanitation charity, and co-establishing Friends of Minzoto, a non-profit that provides funding for hand-dug wells lined with cement mortar and bricks, closed with a concrete top, and outfitted with a hand-pump.

A young Kevin climbs out of a well in Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) in 1984.

A dynamic leader, Kevin has not only led Murraysmith’s transportation team to exponential growth, but continually serves as a mentor to dozens of staff. His empathetic and adaptive leadership provides unmatched service to our clients, and his successful, long-term working relationships across our organization are a model and a foundation for everything we do and stand for at Murraysmith. We can’t think of a more deserving nominee than Kevin, who openly welcomes questions from staff at all levels while continually looking for opportunities to push the firm toward excellence every day.

Under Kevin’s leadership, our transportation team has tackled impressive projects like the Jackson School Road Roundabout for Washington County in Oregon.

Kevin has helped build and oversees our internal team lead structure as our transportation group has grown to ensure all our team members are connected and have the resources they need to succeed. He maintains high, but realistic expectations as we seek to provide valued service to our clients. I appreciate his technical expertise and his long-term working relationships both in and outside of the firm.”

– Chris Rayasam, CEO, Murraysmith

Justin Ford, 2020 DJC Phenom
Justin Ford is a dedicated water engineer who has grown into a respected leader at Murraysmith + Quincy since joining the firm in 2011. A valuable team member who has earned a reputation as a regional industry leader in protective coating systems for potable water storage, Justin has played critical roles on many challenging projects, including the design and construction of 12 new welded steel tanks and six new concrete water storage reservoirs, along with two dozen storage tank rehabilitation and protective coating maintenance projects. In the past five years, Justin has become one of the water group’s highest performing up-and-coming project managers, leading multidisciplinary teams on multiple projects with constructed values of over $10 million.

Justin on the job.

But it isn’t just Justin’s impressive technical and project management abilities that have made him a rising star at Murraysmith + Quincy. With a genuine and approachable personality, Justin brings a commitment to community wellbeing that shines through in his role as a mentor, supporting staff in their own professional development and inspiring them to get involved with organizations and non-profits outside of the firm.

Never far from water—in the wild or in a tank!

A great example of Justin’s inspirational outreach is his work with the AWWA-PNWS, NW Oregon Water For People Committee, a local sub-section of an organization founded in 1991 to respond to the water, sanitation, and health needs of millions of families in the developing world. Justin has assisted with over 20 Water For People events, involving many of his coworkers, family, and friends in successful fundraisers to raise over $70,000 since 2010. Justin’s involvement in the committee has spanned the last 12 years (and counting!). After volunteering locally for two years, Justin jumped at the opportunity to travel with the World Water Corps—Water For People’s technical volunteer branch—on a monitoring tour of rural water systems in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in October of 2009. In recognition of his work with the organization, he was awarded the National Kenneth J. Miller Award in 2018 and now serves as the NW Oregon Water For People Committee Chair.

Justin receives the 2018 Kenneth J. Miller Award at AWWA-PNWS Conference in Tacoma, WA

As humanity stands toe-to-toe with unprecedented challenges and public emergencies, it is professionals like Justin who will make the difference in helping us not only survive but thrive. Justin has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to quality, value, and service for our firm, clients, industry, and community. Justin takes the responsibility of being an engineer to heart, knowing the profession requires commitment to public service and safety. He has demonstrated ongoing dedication to his local community and has already shown a passion and depth of understanding within our field. Technically sound and open-minded, Justin listens to what his clients and their communities need, and works diligently to see that each project, and every community, has reliable infrastructure that meets their needs today, tomorrow, and long into the future.

Justin with a few of our lively water crew!

[Justin,] I just wanted to take the time to let you know, since we have wrapped up 57^th & Moe Seismic Retrofit’s, that it has been a pleasure working with you over the last few years. Your design and construction services have been superb. I’m excited to see the design complete and the project going out to bid this month for the South Hills 4^th Level Reservoir. Another well done design with lots of intricacy that you had to work through. You always have an upbeat and responsive can-do attitude which translates not only into successful projects that meet budget and schedule, but great owner and contractor interactions alike. However, the item I appreciate the most… is that you make my job easier because you’re always proactive and on top of the projects.”

– Steven K. Wages, P.E., Springfield Utility Board