PCI has secured several prime and subconsultant wins!
Check them out on Page 5.
Kudos to the Ops Team!
Check out this special shout-out to members of our Operations Department. See page 14.
Photo Contest
Congrats to our contest winners! Page 20.
Don’t wait for the quarterly PCI Newsletter to be updated on current events. Be sure to join our 500+ followers on LinkedIn and Facebook for the most recent updates!
PCI Happenings
Check out what our PCI team has been up to! Page 28.
LETTER FROM THE CEO
Hello PCI Team,
Our first quarter of the 2024 year resulted in several big wins. It now appears that the second quarter has been just as successful. In May, Poznecki-Camarillo secured another contract with TxDOT for the San Antonio District Schematic/Environmental. Our interview and proposal team committed several hours to the submittal and interview preparation. Our proposal team included Fernando, Lena, Elizabeth, Jackie, Claudia, Bill, Jeff, Rebecca, and Alex. After being short-listed, our interview team (Fernando, Lena, and Claudia) brought their A-game to the San Antonio District office and received positive input from the interview team. I want to also give a shout-out to the contributions of both Elizabeth and Jackie, who provided support to our Prime Interview team while also actively interviewing for other prime firms. We have also seen several wins as a sub-consultant to other firms. Word around town now is that if a firm is interested in winning a contract with the San Antonio District, they "should team with Poznecki-Camarillo."
This same team also prepared a winning proposal for a Statewide/Austin/Houston Urban/Rural Schematic Environmental contract with TxDOT. PCI placed 10th out of 71 submittals after our proposal team used the experiences and lessons learned from previous winning submittals to secure a win. We are excited to see what kind of work authorizations will come from this additional win.
Much of this success means that more work will be headed our way, and our firm is naturally expanding as a result. As mentioned in our previous issue, PCI was in the market for an Austinarea office. As of now, we are scheduled for a hard opening of our Round Rock office on July 1, 2024. Our Austin-area employees will primarily be based out of that location. This would include Colin McGahey, Elizabeth Story, Chris Dayton, Kailey Butler, Travis Sterne, and Tamara Rodriguez,
On that note, I want to thank everyone who helped coordinate and attended our New Office Open House event in April. We witnessed a successful turnout of local and national VIPs, clients, vendors, and colleagues who not only walked away with our first ever Fiesta Medal, but also toured our San Antonio office.
In addition to our office expansion, our growth can also be seen in the number of recent new hires this past quarter. We are excited to see many new faces in and around the office and look forward to welcoming their expertise and experience in expanding our efforts and offsetting some workload from our incumbent employees.
Lastly, as we delve into the summer months of this year, Texas is forecast to not only face recordbreaking heat, but also a more active hurricane season. While most of our employees are situated in Central Texas, we are aware that some employees are closer to the coastline. We ask that all employees exercise good judgment in their travels/commutes during the upcoming storm season and keep your direct supervisor informed of any concerns. As you and your families travel for the summer, maintain good practices to keep cool and stay hydrated.
As always, we wish our employees a safe but fun summer for any vacations taken and congratulations to any recent graduates.
Fernando Camarillo, PE - CEO
Have some kudos to give to a colleague? Send your letter to amarquez@pozcam.com to have it featured on our next issue!
PCI Birthdays
April
Josh Nault — Apr. 8
Elizabeth Story — Apr. 16
May
Nacho Izaguirre — May 4
Greg Delgado — May 25
June
Diamond Rios — Jun. 15
Carlos Camarillo — Jun. 21
Jackie Lopez — Jun. 22
Coleton Cornish — Jun. 22
Beto Camarillo, Sr. — Jun. 28
Years of service
*Years of Service are calculated as a cumulative total.
April
Jeff Suarez — 20 years
Hugo Tzintzun — 6 years
Lianna Ybarra — 4 years
Greg Delgado — 3 years
Salathiel Ramos — 1 year
May
Mike Morales — 40 years
Richard Rivas — 25 years
Mario Arredondo — 10 years
Kailey Butler — 6 years
Nacho Izaguirre — 4 years
Elizabeth Story — 2 years
Jake Fite — 2 years
John Mendoza — 2 years
Tomas Coronado — 1 year
June
Warren Brown — 7 years
Robert Elizondo — 2 years
Cristian Guajardo — 1 year
New to PCI ELISSA GARZA
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT SPECIALIST
Elissa recently joined PCI's Public Involvement department as its newest public involvement specialist. She brings experience from VIA Transit and has her masters in Public Communications from Syracuse University. Outside her work with PCI, she is developing a non-profit in San Antonio that is focused on providing mental health resources for local teens. We're happy to have you, Elissa!
egarza@pozcam.com
JOSHUA NAULT SURVEY TECHNICIAN
Josh joined PCI's Surveying department as its newest survey technician. He brings extensive field and office experience from the Pacific Northwest area, Las Vegas, and most recently here in San Antonio. He previously served in the US Navy for nine years and has a Survey Technician Certificate. He is actively pursuing his bachelors in Aeronautical Science, with a minor in unmanned flight. When he's not working, he's spending his free time with his wife and three teenagers, wood-working, and riding roller coasters. Welcome to PCI, Josh!
jnault@pozcam.com
Kaylin joined PCI's Surveying department as its newest party chief. With over seven years of experience, Kaylin brings her expertise in field surveying, including title surveys, on both transportation and land development projects. When she's not working, she enjoys spending most of her time outdoors with her pets. As we've most recently learned as well, she can play a mean game of Cornhole, too!
kbowen@pozcam.com
KAYLIN BOWEN
SURVEY PARTY CHIEF
AMANDA PONCE
Amanda joined PCI's Surveying department as its newest field technician. She brings nearly two years of field surveying experience, having transferred from another small surveying firm here in San Antonio. She holds her bachelors in Biology from Texas A&M University - International. Since she's joined, her and Kaylin have been surpassing expectations out in the field. When she's not working hard, she spends her free time with her threeyear old and enjoys the outdoors. Welcome to PCI, Amanda!
aponce@pozcam.com
TAMARA RODRIGUEZ
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT SPECIALIST
Tamara joined PCI's Public Involvement team as a public involvement specialist. She is a recent graduate from University of Texas at Austin with her bachelors in Journalism. Although she'll be based out of the new Round Rock office, she'll be supporting our PI team statewide. When she's no working, she enjoys gardening, painting, and writing. As a selfdescribed extrovert, we look forward to adding her passion for communications to the team!
trodriguez@pozcam.com
Isabel will be working as one of PCI's Environmental Interns for the summer this year. She is currently a senior at Texas A&M with her major in Environmental Studies. She's an active member of Aggie Replant, Sophomores Leading on Promoting Equality, Women in Geoscience, Student Senate, Twelve, and TAMU Geoscience Student Council. She also previous joined PCI at the UTSA BBQ Cook-off and last year's TxDOT Short Course. In her free time, she enjoys gardening. Welcome to PCI, Isabel!
iwysong@pozcam.com
ISABEL WYSONG
SURVEY FIELD TECHNICIAN
CHRISTOPHER BLAIR
Chris joined PCI's Surveying department as one of its newest survey technicians. He brings over eight years of extensive experience out in the field and in office. In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with his daughters or playing golf. Welcome to PCI, Chris!
cblair@pozcam.com
HARBAUGH
Rick joined PCI's Surveying department as a fully remote survey technician. He will be working in a part time capacity from his home in northeast Iowa, assisting in plat preparation, deed and ROW platting, and other technical duties. He holds an associates in Civil and Construction Engineering Technology. In his free time, he enjoys his retirement by woodworking, trout fishing, kayaking, and enjoying time with his wife and daughter. Welcome to PCI, Rick!
rharbaugh@pozcam.com
PHILIP NOLAN, RPLS
Philip joined PCI's Surveying department as its newest survey project manager. Phil brings extensive surveying experience on a variety of projects, most recently with large energy projects. Although Philip will primarily work remotely from his home in Eagle Lake (near Houston), he'll still visit the San Antonio office several times a month. When he's not working, Philip enjoys spending his time on the coast with his wife and working on projects around their home. We're happy to have you, Philip!
pnolan@pozcam.com
SURVEY PROJECT MANAGER
ROSANNA MUÑOZ-BLOOM
Rosanna joined PCI's Operations department as its newest project administrator. Rosanna is joining PCI from the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio as an Academic Program Coordinator. She brings experience working on administrative tasks, including accounting, as well as prior experience working for PCI. She has her bachelors from UTSA and when she's not working, she spends her free time gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Welcome to PCI, Rosanna!
rbloom@pozcam.com
GABRIELA SANCHEZ
Gabriela joined PCI's Engineering department as its summer ACE Mentor intern. Gabriela just graduated from Construction Careers Academy, a magnet school paired with Warren High School that specializes in instruction for architectural, engineering, plumbing, and other related fields. In the fall, Gabriela will be pursuing her bachelors in Civil Engineering at UTSA. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with friends. We look forward to working with you, Gabriela!
gsanchez@pozcam.com
Employee Spotlight
Hugo Tzintzun-Flores, PE, PhD
Congratulations to Dr. Hugo! In April, Hugo successfully attained his Professional Engineering license. Eager to hit the ground running, Hugo immediately began pursuing several TxDOT pre-certifications. As of this newsletter publication, Hugo earned the following precertifications:
• 3.2.1 - Route Studies and Schematic Design
• 4.2.1 - Roadway Design
• 10.1.1 - Hydrologic Studies
• 10.2.1 - Roadway Hydraulic Design
• 10.3.1 - Bridge Hydraulic Design
Travis Sterne
Congratulations, Travis! In May, Travis pursued his first TxDOT precertification, completing the application process for the first time and gaining an ESN. His application was flawless, requiring no feedback or suggestion for edits. After a few weeks of review time, TxDOT came back with an approval. Congrats, Travis!
• 1.9.1 - GIS and Data Analysis
Career opportunities
PCI is currently looking for hard working individuals to fill several positions. If you know of any qualified candidates, please have them apply on our website and notify Beto to anticipate their resume. Below are the current open positions:
• Director of Civil Engineering/Transportation
• Drainage Design Engineer
• Roadway Design Engineer
• Environmental Specialist
• Sr. Public Involvement Specialist
• Project Archeologist
• Survey Field Technician
To view detailed job descriptions on the PCI website, go to pozcam.com/jobs
Find out how you can earn anywhere between $1000 and $3000 by referring a qualified candidate! See more on pg. 40.
symphony of success
By Rebecca Chavez, CPSM Proposal/Marketing Specialist
When it comes to securing business contracts or projects, effective technical proposals play a crucial role. These proposals serve as a bridge between our organization and potential clients, showcasing our expertise, solutions, and approach. In simplest terms, it is one of the ways we win work and when done correctly, it’s music to our client’s ears!
Why Effective Proposals Matter
Proposals are often submitted in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQ) by an agency, organization, or company. The requesting agency (e.g. City of San Antonio and TxDOT) receives multiple proposals responding to their request, reviews the submitted proposals, and then chooses the best firm(s) to be awarded a contract. In some cases, we are competing against 70+ firms.
“No
one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.
- H.E. Luccock
”It’s not just a document where we do a “brain dump” of ideas and solutions to a problem. To be an effective proposal, they are tailored to each pursuit, demonstrate our understanding of the client’s needs, showcase our related expertise, and present a compelling case for why the client should select Team PCI.
When done successfully, it reflects positively on our company’s brand image and credibility, regardless of the outcome. Although a prospective client may encounter our brand for a moment, if it stands out positively, it’s likely to be remembered at a time when they’re ready to utilize our services. Given the choice between a business with a clear, professional brand and one that hasn’t invested in its image, a client would likely trust the former. Strong brands are built on trust, credibility,
and authenticity. They develop over time through consistent messaging, visual cues, quality services, and excellent customer service; all of which can be reflected in the proposal process. As a result, a wellcrafted technical proposal can differentiate our organization from competitors and increase our chances of winning the work.
The Power of Collaboration
Collaborating with subject matter experts (SMEs) is an invaluable component in the proposal process. You can think of them like individual instrument players in an orchestra. Each of them brings value to the ensemble and teamwork creates a masterpiece! SMEs can greatly enhance the quality, specificity, and credibility of our proposals. It’s also essential to understand the unique perspective and challenges that SMEs face.
symphony of success (con’td)
They’re often juggling multiple responsibilities and contributing to an RFP/Q might not be their top priority. Our SMEs are not just contributors; they are the bedrock of our proposals, offering insights that can differentiate us. SMEs come in various shapes and sizes, ranging from leadership professionals to EIT/SITs. Each SME is invited to participate in the proposal process per the proposal’s assigned project manager and/or proposal coordinator.
As you can see from our “Awards” section of this Newsletter, we have won several projects/contracts in both prime and subconsultant roles this year alone, securing work for the future and growth of our company! Now, more than ever, is an excellent time to honor all the hard work that’s been accomplished. Our lead team members (Fernando, Lena, Elizabeth, Jackie, Claudia, Bill, Jeff, and Colin) were pivotal in securing our recent successes!
We’d like to thank them for their guidance and commitment through all the challenges they encountered. It’s also a great time to recognize the new SMEs that contributed to our proposal process for the first time (Albert, Chris Dayton, Isaiah, Coleton, Carolina, and Tomas). Your dedication and contributions helped to provide additional perspective and substance. We are thrilled you are joining our proposal team resources and can’t wait to see what you accomplish with your unique ideas and talents! We couldn’t do without you!!
As an SME, you are more than just experts in your fields, you are our partners in proposal success. By engaging our SMEs early, leveraging the right tools, and fostering a collaborative effort, we will continue to help our pursuit teams navigate the RFP/Q process with confidence. Remember, at the end of the day, it’s all about bringing the right people together to create something truly impactful. With
inspiration from the Beatles, “sometimes we need a little help from our friends” as we “come together” to win!
Let’s make our next proposal the best one yet! In the meantime, let’s celebrate our successes and amazing teamwork!!
”
THANK YOU!!
Thank you to all our SME team members that have contributed their time and expertise to our pursuits.
-Rebecca Chavez
employee shout-outs
By Alex Marquez Technical Editor
As a transportation engineering firm, Poznecki-Camarillo is known for its four major departments/services: Civil Engineering, Surveying, Environmental, and Public Involvement. Our technical experts work hard day, and sometimes night, to meet submittal deadlines, interact with clients and the public, and travel throughout the State for projects. However, the unspoken truth is that much would not be possible at PCI if not for the silent work behind the curtain: the contributions of our Operations team.
For the past (almost) three years, I’ve been privileged to work with some amazing individuals and want to take this opportunity to give special
kudos to my fellow colleagues in the Operations Department.
Upon my initial hiring, I was paired up with Marketing Specialist, Rebecca Chavez. There is not enough space within this newsletter to express how much Rebecca has helped shape me as a professional within PCI. Not too many at the firm fully comprehend the work Rebecca does on
the Marketing and Business Development side. Many recent contracts we’ve been awarded started out with Rebecca, from the initial whispers of an RFQ being released to the final coordination of the awarded contract. Despite the wide bandwidth of her work, Rebecca, from the onset, took on the monumental task of training a new employee who was not just new to the firm,
but as a former educator who was making a significant career change, new to the consulting engineering industry. Everything (and I mean everything) I know about our proposal process, marketing within the scope of a consultative engineering firm, and industry-related licenses/ certifications I’ve gleaned from Rebecca. To this day, she remains a valuable resource to me as each new challenge presents itself, always happy to provide well thought-out answers to any questions I may have. While I could go on and on about all of Rebecca’s amazing contributions, I hope it suffices to say that she remains a priceless asset to
Poznecki-Camarillo and a highly appreciated co-worker to me.
The kudos don’t stop there, however. Another amazing individual within our firm is our Business/Accounting Manager, Tere Reyna. For the past several weeks, I’ve been working closely with Tere to try to document and organize the many processes Tere is responsible for, essentially pulling out 40 years of expertise into a coherent procedural document that any new accounting professional might benefit from. I must say, this is a task in and of itself and I was floored when I began to understand the scope of all that Tere handles on a daily, biweekly, quarterly,
and yearly basis. From the firm’s accounts, expenses, sub invoices, licenses/registrations, taxes, timesheets, insurance, 401K contributions, and audits to supporting our Public Involvement Department with translations. While we reap the benefits of our paycheck bi-weekly, it is all thanks to the many daily efforts of Tere.
Supporting her is our Project Administrator, Jake Fite. Although Jake is relatively new to our department, I’ve been privileged to see how much he’s professionally grown in his time here at PCI. From providing up-to-date firm info through the Digital Board and company Youtube channel, handling expenses, managing safety access to our office and vehicles, to always being an eager hand to support with any special initiative like helping to coordinate company events (team building activities, Cornhole, etc.) and loading/ unloading of vehicles, inventory, supplies, and deliveries to the office. Being a supportive colleague is not a skill one can train into a new hire. So, it’s to PCI’s good fortune that Jake is a naturally helpful individual, as not a day goes by that I don’t hear Jake eagerly say “Absolutely” whenever any employee requests his help.
Another impactful individual in our firm, whose contributions would definitely be noticed if they suddenly ceased, is Marilu Lobato. Although Marilu may not know it sometimes, she plays a huge role in both our internal and external communication efforts. Marilu is the initial voice and face of our firm, as
Employee shout-outs (con’td)
she is most often the primary individual any visitor or caller comes across upon entering/ calling PCI. It is through her that any newcomer gets the initial impression of our firm’s culture, and I have failed to see a day where Marilu greets anyone walking through our doors with anything but a smile. She also plays a significant role in the actual operative functions and internal communications of our office. If our employees are the working parts to the engine that is PCI, Marilu is the grease that ensures everything runs smoothly and efficiently, without which we’d stumble and fall apart. From managing/ordering office supplies, medicine, food, drinks, Wednesday tacos, conference lunches, birthday/ retirement/bereavement acknowledgements, vehicle maintenance, coordinating company events/celebrations, and receipt/packaging of shipments to photography. Marilu’s business is that of invisible labor, managing and coordinating the functions that we often don’t think about until it’s gone awry. For that, I express the utmost appreciation that her contributions allow our team, and our firm, to focus their efforts on their own tasks while fostering an inclusive and welcoming culture to everyone.
None of our work, however, would be possible if not without the efforts of our IT department. There isn’t a single employee at PCI that hasn’t benefited directly from the work of IT Manager, Mike Morales and IT Contractor, Melany Moreno. It’s hard to give kudos to either of these employees exclusively,
as they’ve epitomized the definition of “team” by working so cohesively together, it’s hard to conceptualize where Mike’s work ends and where Melany’s begins. But safe to say that anything related to technology, both Mike and Melany handle. From our phone system, online accounts, software (including installations and management of licenses), IT equipment (laptops, PCs, monitors, speakers, keyboards, stands, wiring, headphones, etc.) to our networking needs [mobile hotspots, building access points, ethernet connections, network servers, access to networks servers (GoToMyPC and VPN), NAS drives, etc.]. Our personal data, including Social Security numbers, bank accounts, retirement accounts, etc., are protected by the security efforts put in place by our IT team and maintained, despite the continual risk of individual phishing/spamming attempts to employees. As our company grows and evolves, our technological needs are forever
shifting. With an employee count standing at over 60, it falls to simply these two individuals to keep things running. It’s d*mn near a scary thought to consider the consequences should our IT infrastructure fail. As a result, our IT team remain another valuable asset to our firm. Ultimately, our Operations team is a heterogenous one, where each of us bring unique experiences and expertise to the table (weekly at our Ops Dept team meetings). Together, we’ve fostered a culture amongst each other to tackle some challenges collectively and support each other on those we need to face on our own. We offer feedback, advice, and sometimes simply emotional support against the challenges that come with our work. So while this writer remains eternally blessed at having witnessed how the last three years have unfolded, I’m eager to see how our team will continue to grow in the years to come. Thank you, Operations team, for all you do.
tech corner
As our firm continues to grow, with incoming new hires and expanding office locations, it becomes more imperative to establish and/or maintain good digital citizenship amongst all staff to ensure our IT department (currently consisting of Mike and Melany) is operating purposefully and efficiently. PCI employees come from various backgrounds, ranging in their understanding of standard digital literacy. To ensure your IT ticket can be prevented and/or handled quickly, here are some helpful Dos and Don'ts below:
Note: Any time you contact the IT department regarding a tech issue, you're submitting an IT ticket.
INTERACTING WITH IT DEPARTMENT
Maintain consistent use of communication platforms (Teams, email, etc.) when coordinating with IT.
To ensure your IT ticket is handled efficiently, communication is best kept to one platform. For example, if you reach out to IT via email regarding a laptop concern, maintain the conversation on that email thread, rather than changing communication channels to Teams or text. Doing so on various platforms or channels, especially between Mike and Melany rather than just one individual, can result in misinformation and coordination issues in successfully completing your IT ticket. NOTE: All IT tickets should be submitted via email to IT@pozcam.com so tasks can be assigned between Mike and Melany appropriately.
Be precise/detailed when submitting an IT ticket.
When you go to the doctor's, you don't just tell them "I don't feel good" and expect them to immediately know what's wrong. Likewise, telling IT that "my computer isn't working" or "my file won't open" doesn't provide enough information for our IT team to resolve your issue. When submitting your ticket, define details such as what you're observing, which applications won't open, provide file locations, and take screenshots if possible. Doing so will minimize the coordination needed and help resolve your ticket faster.
IT does NOT work
24/7/365; plan accordingly.
Although our amazing IT department is on occasion willing to support professionals during the weekends or outside business hours, this is the exception....not the norm. Monday through Friday, both Mike and Melany often work late into the evening resolving IT issues or conducting other administrative functions. With a current staff:IT ration of approximately 35:1, it's unreasonable to expect on-call availability on the weekends. Don't fret though. Coordinating IT needs for any submittals or impending due dates with the IT department can avoid any last minute issues prior to a deadline.
Keep device powered on and connected when it's requested or when there's a pending IT ticket at the end of the day.
IT often remotes into laptops/PCs when resolving an issue. IT tickets are addressed when IT is able to work on them, and this often results in IT resolving tickets after hours. When it's been requested, or when you having a pending ticket, please save work, close out active applications, and leave laptop powered on and connected to internet so IT can resolve your ticket. Doing so helps IT resolve the ticket during your down times, rather than in the middle of your work day.
GOOD DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Good digital citizenship consists of practices that can help employees avoid technology issues and encourage appropriate use of office tech.
Use office equipment for office use.
Whether you work with laptops, PC, mobile devices, or mobile hotspots, PCI equipment is for PCI use. This includes your @pozcam.com email. Contrary to common belief, you are not entitled to privacy when it comes to the data stored on company laptops, devices, emails, or online/ network servers for security reasons. Keeping company equipment for company use reduces the risk of spam, security breaches, and the loss of personal info.
Do not leave laptops or other devices where they can be easily seen/stolen.
Like many professionals at PCI, we live on the constant go, traveling across the state for projects, conducting site visits, doing community outreach, or simply commuting to the office. This constant movement often means that assigned laptops/phones are exposed to potential risks for theft. Replacement for lost/stolen equipment can take weeks, depending on shipment conditions and can only be replaced/serviced a certain number of times a year. To avoid this dilemma, take precautions in keeping company equipment stored out of sight in vehicles, out in public, or while at home. Immediately report any lost/damaged/stolen equipment to IT and your immediate supervisor.
Keep open/lidless containers away from IT equipment and maintain a clean working environment.
Just as it can be costly to repair or replace equipment due to theft, it can be equally costly and time consuming to repair damaged equipment. Common damage seen with IT equipment includes spilled drinks and sticky keys (from sticky fingers). Whether working at home or in office, refrain from using open drink containers near keyboards, laptops, PCs, mice, etc. and instead opt for a closed/sealed container (despite not being spill-proof, a closed container reduces risk of spills).
Do a proper shut-down of equipment between working sessions or at the end of every day.
One of the best things you can do daily to ensure your device is working efficiently is conducting a proper shut-down at the end of every day/working session/between commutes (when you don't have a pending IT ticket). A proper shut-down consists of properly closing all applications and can be found by selecting the start menu, selecting the Power icon, and choosing "Shut Down". Making this a daily practice ensures your device gets nightly updates and avoids keeping running applications in a standby mode, which can cause freeze issues (think blue screen of death) resulting in lost data.
Avoid too many running applications while working.
While many of us multi-task at work, most of our laptops/PCs have a threshold where too many open windows/applications can cause dangerous overheating and performance issues. This includes running too many high-taxing applications at once (i.e. Adobe apps, ORD, ESRI, etc.). To avoid crashes, freezing, and lost work, close out applications when you're done with them and avoid having so many files/drawings/sessions open at once. Although your devices are capable of multitasking, they do have a limit.
Be gentle with company copy machines.
Simply put: copier machines are expensive, and very temperamental. In fact, copiers have delicate sensors in the paper trays that help read paper levels. Overloading paper trays, slamming trays closed, and any other mistreatment can result in damaged sensors and excessive paper jams. To avoid this, be gentle with copiers and only fill trays to the designated fill line.
Keep vacant offices/cubicles free of clutter.
Although our office may appear to have some vacant offices/cubicles, those spaces often have multiple purposes or can be assigned during our hiring process. IT preparation for new hires begins long before other employees are aware. As result, keep vacant spaces clear from your paperwork/materials to avoid them being lost/trashed during set up.
Be mindful of what you save and where you save it.
Perhaps our most important digital citizenship skill of all: data management. Our network servers are where all of our work takes place. Network storage is also extremely expensive. As a result, there are several points to keep in mind.
1. Keep important work-related files on our network servers. — Do NOT save working files that belong in the network on your desktop, Documents folder, or Pictures folder. If you need a replacement laptop, transfer of data from your old laptop/PC to your new one can take longer if too much is stored in these locations. Instead, keep all pertinent work in our network servers.
2. Be mindful of where you save content in our servers. — It happens often. We save a document/file but then cannot be sure where we saved it. So we save it again in its proper location. This results in duplicate files being saved in our network server; a cost of space when our files are large. Although our network server is large, its space is finite and needs to remain tidy and manageable.
3. Keep your U:/ drive clean. — While tidying up Datagate is a monster of a task in itself, your personal U:/ drive is still your responsibility. Do your part in keeping your U:/ drive clear of any old or personal files. In cases where a U:/drive is too full, and an employee hasn't cleaned it out upon notice, IT may resort to doing it themselves on behalf of the employee.
Photo Contest 1st
Jason Treviño
2nd
Elissa Garza
Hugo Tzintzun-Flores
Kailey Butler
Carolina Garcia
Elissa Garza
Reynaldo Reyna
Reynaldo Reyna
Lianna
Ybarra
Travis Sterne
Colin McGahey
Mario Arredondo
Warren Brown
Mario Arredondo
Jason Treviño
PCI Happenings
Fredrick & Deonna
On Easter Sunday, March 31st, Fredrick got engaged to now-fiancé, Deonna. Fredrick proposed surrounded by family and friends celebrating the Easter holiday. Wishing the happy couple many blessings during this new chapter of their lives! Congrats Fredrick and Deonna!
Elissa & Catherine
Elissa proposed to her partner of four years, Catherine, on April 5, 2024! It was a surprise proposal in downtown San Antonio, followed by a surprise dinner with some of their closest family and friends at Smoke on the Riverwalk.
OPEN HOUSE
On April 4th, Poznecki-Camarillo held an Open House event for clients, vendors, employees and friends to celebrate its new office location in the San Antonio Corpo rate Square Building. We proudly unveiled our first-ever Fiesta Medal, and industry colleagues and friends arrived to see the office's new artwork, decor, and reunited with PCI's founders Andy Poznecki and Beto Camarillo, Sr. We'd like to thank all participated in the event's success!
PCI Happenings (con’td)
On
26th,
| Poznecki-Camarillo
Our VPs of Environment and Public Involvement, Jackie Lopez and Elizabeth Story, representing PCI at the WTS Heart of Texas Chapter Gala.
April
PCI attended Engineers Without Borders 3rd Annual Bowling Tournament, a charity that would help fund a low water crossing in a rural community in Nicaragua. Pictured above (left to right) representing PCI are Rick Arias, William Long, Diamond Rios, John Mendoza, Hugo Tzintzun, and Xinyu Zhao.
PCI Happenings (con’td)
In May, PCI sponsored this year's Fiesta Youth scholarship. Funds go towards providing scholarships to college-bound youths (age 17-23). Receiving this year's highest scholarship (Hector Bove Memorial Scholarship) was Hannah Walker.
PCI's Operations Department attended a Board and Brush event in honor of Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week. Together, the Ops team built a craft of their choosing, while providing collaborative support to others. Thank you, Operations, for all you do!
CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT
On May 31st, PCI employees turned out for a friendly, competitive Cornhole Tournament! All players competed admirably, and after a tense final match between two teams (Survey vs. Engineering), Engineering won out with Champions John Mendoza and Isaiah De Leon taking the trophy! Thanks to all who helped put this event together (Nacho, Beto, John, Jake, Alex, Marilu, and Diamond) and for those who came out to watch/participate!
PCI Happenings (con’td)
The PI team kicked butt preparing for and staffing the groundbreaking of Interstate 20 in Midland/ Odessa, Texas. The air was giddy with excitement for this much needed project. “What happens in the Permian Basin affects the world. Delivering this safety and mobility improvement project goes a long way to help solidify the industry in this area and help deliver the products to the rest of the world,” said TxDOT Odessa District Engineer Eric Lykins. The team did an exceptional job.
PCI Happenings (con’td)
The PI team performed a series of miracles to get over 60 letters to the potential Cooperating and Participating Resource Agencies for TxDOT Corpus Christi's upcoming Environmental Impact Statement on Regional Parkway, a proposed new causeway to North Padre Island. Grace under pressure, with quality and ingenuity working hand in hand. We did it!
Marilu's photo of the April 8th Total Solar Eclipse that passed over the northwest side of San Antonio, blacking out the sky for four minutes.
Fredrick and Salathiel from our Survey Department recently attended a High Plains Experience training. Pictured above are both with several other survey professionals from around the state.
PCI Happenings (con’td)
Lena and Kari were in Lubbock, Texas for the I-27 Advisory Committee meeting on April 11, 2024. They were providing PI support services and meeting logistics for this meeting on the Garver team for TxDOT. Per Kari "I always enjoy providing support with Lena at these meetings. It’s been a fun experience to provide hospitality together to our Primes and TxDOT."
PCI Happenings (con’td)
PCI's work on SH 35 at SH 361/Spur 202 was featured in TxDOT TPP's latest PI newsletter, "Connecting our Communities" Summer 2024 edition! Congrats, team, for the shout-out!!
Employee referral
As mentioned in our prior Letters from the COO and Career Opportunities section, we are taking measures to help fill current vacancies. We encourage employees to take advantage of PCI’s Employee Referral Program, an extended benefit to current PCI employees.
Through this program, an employee can receive a referral bonus if they refer a qualified candidate who is subsequently hired and successfully completes one year of employment. To be eligible for the bonus, please provide Beto Camarillo the name of the candidate you are referring for the position.
In addition to the monetary incentive to our employees, our Employee Referral Program also ensures:
• Improvements to our quality of hires.
• Increase in new employee retention.
• Improvement to employee moral.
• Improving the company cultural fit of new hires, thereby reducing turnover. Any questions on this program, or other recruitment efforts, can be directed to Beto.
