PCI Newsletter - Q1-2024

News letter

January, February, March Issue - 2024

Firm Wins!

Check out our consultant wins! Page 5.

PCI's 1st Fiesta Medal!

PCI is proud to unveil its first Fiesta Medal. Page 6.

IN THE HEADLINES:

Total Solar Eclipse to Travel Across Most of U.S. Including Texas

By Alex Marquez Technical Editor

On Monday, April 8th, a total solar eclipse will traverse across the contiguous United States, as well as portions of Mexico and Canada. This will be the last total eclipse visible within the U.S. until 2044.

Photo Contest

Congrats to our contest winners! Page 12.

PCI Happenings

Check out what our PCI team has been up to! Page 16.

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth. In locations where the Sun is completely blocked out, residents will experience a total eclipse, whereas other locations may only experience a partial eclipse, or a slight darkening of the sky. This path of totality is projected to cross most of Texas, starting in the

Del Rio and Eagle Pass area at 1:27 PM (CDT) and ending it's diagonal path near Texarkana around 1:49 PM (CDT). A full interactive map detailing the eclipse path can be found here.

As NASA suggests, "except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun's bright

face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection." Although there are may version available online, be sure to only purchase and use viewers that are "ISO certified." Expect major traffic congestion before, during, and after the eclipse event.

Hello PCI Team, LETTER FROM THE COO

The first quarter of 2024 has seen quite a few developments. After review of our fiscal year, we found that 2023 was one of our strongest years with our Total Revenue ending at $11.5M.

We hope that this, coupled with our recent award of the TxDOT Corpus Christi District Schematic/ Environmental contract, is a sign of good things to come for our firm and employees. On that note, I'd like to give a special shout-out and congratulations to the team who prepared a winning submittal and interview on the Corpus Christi Schematic/Environmental. Our proposal team included Fernando, Lena, Elizabeth, Jackie, Bill, Claudia, Jeff, Rebecca, and Alex. When PCI was short-listed, our interview team (Fernando, Lena, Elizabeth, Jackie, Bill, Claudia, and Rebecca) travelled to the Corpus Christi District office to deliver a winning interview that secured one of seven contracts worth $12-15M! This win will help PCI secure a solid working relationship with TxDOT's Corpus Christi district and we look forward to the opportunities that will come from that.

Additionally, PCI is in the process of securing a new lease on a North Austin location. We are also celebrating our San Antonio location with an Open House event on April 4th, 4p-7p. This event will welcome clients, colleagues, vendors, and friends to our recently opened office in Corporate Square while unveiling PCI's first-ever Fiesta Medal! We encourage employees to attend in-person, get their PCI Fiesta Medal, and see the new artwork and furniture while mingling with colleagues and industry associates.

Our Surveying department is one step closer to acquiring a drone with LiDAR. These next few weeks, Jeff and Fredrick will be travelling to Florida to undergo training and to receive the drone. As our two

licensed UAV pilots, they both will be integral in implementing this new technology to our tool kit. This past February also saw an amazing turnout for the annual Basura Bash. Basura Bash is a one-day, all-volunteer event to clean up San Antonio's waterways and tributaries. Our volunteer coordinator, William Long, hosted a site at the Buddy Calk Trailhead along Leon Creek. We want to thank PCI volunteers (and their families) who showed up to support, including Fernando, Lena, Carolina, Tere, Marilu, Alex, and Hugo. They spent a cold, windy Saturday morning walking the trail and picking up litter that could otherwise pose environmental or safety dangers to pedestrians and local wildlife.

Lastly, we're entering Fiesta season, and while we encourage everyone to step away from the computers and spend some time enjoying the season (hopefully with our new medal on your sash), we ask that you always prioritize safety. Please also note that Monday, April 8th, the state of Texas will be within the path of totalilty for this year's solar eclipse, an event not calculated to occur for another 22 years. Please anticipate that there will be more commuters on the road in and outside of the San Antonio/Austin area, particularly in the Hill Country. Account for traffic in your commute time if heading to the office. Above all, be safe on the roads and at any local events.

Have some kudos to give to a colleague?

Send your letter to amarquez@pozcam.com to have it featured on our next issue!

Adalberto Camarillo, Jr. - COO

PCI Birthdays

January

Mario Arredondo — Jan. 1

Jeff Suarez — Jan. 14

Robert Elizondo — Jan. 14

February

Alex Marquez — Feb. 1

Hugo Tzintzun — Feb. 13

Xinyu Zhao — Feb. 22

Fredrick Lopez — Feb. 27

March

Fernando Camarillo — Mar. 1

Lena Camarillo — Mar. 1

Rick Arias — Mar. 2

Travis Sterne — Mar. 17

Years of service

*Years of Service are calculated as a cumulative total.

January

Lena Camarillo — 16 years

February

Fernando Camarillo — 22 years

Rebecca Chavez — 6 years

Marilu Lobato — 10 years

Jackie Lopez — 10 years

March

Warren Brown — 7 years

Robert Elizondo — 2 years

Cristian Guajardo — 1 year

1ST FIESTA MEDAL!

This year's 2024 medal celebrates the unique heritage of San Antonio, the community PCI has been loyally serving for over 42 years, by featuring the City's iconic structures including the Tower of Americas, the Missions, and La Antorcha de la Amistad.

New to PCI CHRIS DAYTON, PHD, RPA

SENIOR ARCHEOLOGIST

Chris has joined PCI's Environmental department as its first archeologist, introducing archeological services to our firm! Chris brings over 20 years' experience in the field, having also previously served as a Principal and Lead at Stantec. We are excited to see where Chris will take our archeological pursuits! In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with family and creating/restoring knives. You can see his work here. Welcome to PCI, Chris!

cdayton@pozcam.com

NICHOLAS SCHOFIELD, SIT

SURVEYOR-IN-TRAINING

Nic joined PCI's Surveying department as its newest SIT. Nic brings over 10 years' experience in surveying, having started out as a field rodman. He's since worked his way from a draftsman to an SIT, and is now eligible to take his RPLS exam. We look forward to seeing Nic's professional development in the years to come. When he's not working, Nic is primarily afather and husband, spending time with his family and supporting his daughters at their respective sports of choice (softball and gymnastics). He also is a part-time hockey player. We are happy to have you, Nic!

nschofield@pozcam.com

TRAVIS STERNE

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

Travis has very recently joined PCI's Environmental department as its newest Env. Scientist. Travis previously worked at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a Coastal Ecologist. He is an A&M Galveston graduate and currently resides in Corpus Christi with his fiance. He has plans to relocate to the Austin area in the next few months where he'll deliver Env. services from our new (pending) Austin location. Welcome to PCI, Travis!

tsterne@pozcam.com

employee shout-out

By Fernando Camarillo CEO

Here at PCI we know all too well the challenges that come with meeting deadlines, encountering changes to schedules and budget, while working on simultaneous projects, each with their own unique needs. At PCI, we hold firm to our core values of integrity, quality, personal attention, and accountability. While I see the team take stewardship of their roles each and everyday, I want to give a special shout-out to Bill

Miller for his recent example of exceeding our expectations for personal attention and accountability. While working on the US 69 / SH 73 Turbine Interchange Change Order requested by TxDOT to add a connector for a project already under construction, we found ourselves facing a hard deadline for its submittal. Coordinating with sub consultants, gathering submittal files, and compiling the deliverable can be difficult. To meet this deadline, Bill

pulled an all-nighter to get this submittal out to TxDOT. While we always want to encourage a healthy work-life balance, as professional we recognize that there are times where the clock is working against us. We appreciate all you do, and Bill, thank you for doing everything you could to ensure our clients get what they need on time.

employee shout-out

By Jackie Lopez VP, Environmental

I am thrilled to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Kailey Butler and Carolina Garcia for their exceptional efforts in securing environmental clearances for not one, but TWO key projects in El Paso this February!

The first project, El Paso County’s Playa Drain SharedUse Path, will construct a new shared-use path near Playa Drain. Playa Drain is part of the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 Historic District, and is nearly 100 years old, having been developed to carry salty water that leached from cotton fields during irrigation (pictured above).

Kailey spearheaded various environmental studies for the project, including the Surface Water Analysis Form, Section

4(f) Analysis, and Species Analysis Spreadsheet/Form. Equally commendable is the dedication demonstrated by Carolina in the second project, El Paso County’s Border Highway Shared-Use Path. This project spans from Doniphan Drive to Executive Center Boulevard.

our prime engineer, DE Corp, and our cultural resources subconsultant, Acacia Heritage Consulting.

Carolina led this project including preparing the Species Analysis Spreadsheet/Form and the Hazardous Materials Initial Site Assessment.

Both projects received final environmental clearance from TxDOT in February 2024. Kailey and Carolina, thank you for your unwavering commitment and hard work! Please join me in celebrating Kailey and Carolina for their achievements in securing NEPA clearance for these projects! Also, kudos to

Sincerely,

Jackie Lopez

Employee Spotlight

Congratulations to several of our employees who attained pre-certifications through TxDOT and certifications in their field! Employees who earn professional certifications and/or are interested in seeking new TxDOT pre-certifications are encouraged to inform their direct supervisors (and Alex Marquez).

Xinyu Zhao, EIT

Earned his EIT Certification on January 23, 2024

Kari Anne Sutton

Earned TxDOT's 1.8.1 Public Involvement Pre-certification.

Salathiel Ramos

Earned his CST Certification on February 20, 2024

Albert Vega, PE, CFM

Earned TxDOT's 4.2.1 Roadway Design Pre-certification.

CONGRATS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEPT!

Shout-out to PCI's Environmental team for securing another On-Call NEPA Contract with the City of San Antonio. PCI initially established this on-call relationship with the City in 2009 and, in the 15 years since, has remained the incumbent to subsequent contracts, earning the status as the City's "trusted advisor." Here's to many more years!

Thanks to your ongoing engagement with our LinkedIn page, as well as our firm's activity on the site showcasing our growth and community outreach, our LinkedIn page has gained 100 followers over the last 8 months! We have passed the 500 follower milestone! Here's to reaching 1000!

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

• Project Archeologist (Mid-Level)

• Drainage Design Engineer

• CAD Technician

• Roadway Design Engineer

• Sr. Survey 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. 23.

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!

Photo Contest 1st

Mario Arredondo

Kailey Butler 2nd

Photo taken at Mission San Jose while on a site visit!

Richard Rivas

Richard Rivas

Richard Rivas

A geologic feature that we (Carolina and myself) identified while conducting a Geologic Assessment for the US 281 Comal County project. This feature is known as a solution cavity and supplies recharge to the Trinity/ Edwards Aquifers. As measured in the photo, it is approximately 1’ 8” tall, 9” wide and greater than 5’ deep.

Carolina and Warren find a stream during a site visit long US 281 ROW!

Editor's Note: Yup, I submitted this one for consideration, Diamond.

Warren Brown

Jake Fite / Diamond Rios

Warren Brown

PCI Happenings

In February, PCI continued their long-standing support of Big Brothers, Big Sisters by donating $1000 to the South Texas Chapter. This donation helped sponsor their annual Flag Football "BIG GAME."

In March, Hugo's son and his team ranked 1st place in the Laredo Aerial Drone Competition/ Tournament. They will advance to the 2024 Middle School Aerial Drone Championship which will take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma in April. Best of luck, boys!

To celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, in-office staff were treated to massage therapy sessions throughout the day. It was a common sight outside the conference room to see employees emerge completely relaxed and both therapists received praise throughout the day for their consistent attention to every participant.

In-office staff took a break to eat some pie for International Pi Day (3.14.2024), where Diamond was able to get a face full in the true spirit of the holiday!

PCI Happenings (con’td)

As part of PCI's ongoing efforts to "Improving Communities Together, One Project at a Time", volunteers from our firm and fellow community members gathered on Saturday, February 16th to clean up Buddy Calk Trailhead and part of the 2024 Basura Bash. Despite the cold wind, thousands of volunteers, including PCI staff as lead coordinator for the Buddy Calk site, spread out around the city to pick up litter and bulky items along the San Antonio River and its tributaries. We'd like to give a special thanks to all who gave their Saturday morning to keep San Antonio beautiful!

PCI's engineers got to spend a couple of days within Engineers Week to network with colleagues throughout Bexar County with a luncheon, poker, target shooting, and giant pizza!

Will and Elizabeth at the PI Career Expo in Austin, TX, where they sought to recruit aspiring public involvement professionals. Graduates got the chance to ask questions and discover the range of services our Public Involvement team provides to clients.

On February 21st, Josie and Jacob Berger welcome their second daughter, Lillian Kate Berger, to the world. Big sister, Steelie, was so excited to finally meet her baby sister and they are all smitten! Congratulations, Berger family!

PCI made it to Google Earth Street View! While using Street View for control sheets for the 99 Whitsett project, Sal and Fredrick discovered that Google had captured our survey field crewmen on site!

Lianna & Aaron

Lianna got engaged on January 12th to her now fiancé, Aaron at Chris Park at Ruby City in San Antonio, Texas! The happy couple celebrated their engagement with family and friends after! Since, the engagement, they have been full on wedding planning mode for a Spring 2025 wedding.

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 from $1000 for a junior level position up to $3000 for a senior level position, 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.