Team | BLE

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Thomas Lammons, P.G., CHMM

Principal Hydrogeologist & CEO

Mr. Lammons is a founding Principal and CEO of the firm with over three decades of professional experience...

in Hydrogeology, Environmental Regulatory Consulting, and Petroleum Geology. His professional experience includes leadership of technical, science and engineering teams at the project, regional and corporate levels. He has performed environmental site assessments, due diligence consulting, Brownfield redevelopment consulting, UST and contaminant source closures, groundwater and soil remediation, solid waste facility (Subtitle D) siting studies, stormwater and SPCC Plan preparation, regulatory consultation for hazardous waste compliance, fugitive air emission inventories and Title V Permitting. He holds a B.A. in Geology from Furman University, an M.S. in Geology from the University of Mississippi and post-graduate studies in hydrogeology and environmental compliance from Oklahoma State University. Mr. Lammons is a registered Professional Geologist in SC, NC, GA, VA, TN, AL and FL and a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM).

Tom lives in Greenville, SC with his wife, Debbie, of 40 years. They spend time traveling, visiting with their sons, grandchildren, families, and friends, serving in ministries, cycling, skiing, and hiking.

Daniel Bunnell, P.E.

Principal Engineer & President

Mr. Bunnell is a Principal and President of the firm with over three decades of consulting engineering experience.

Mr. Bunnell began his career in Florida as a geotechnical and geotechnical construction materials engineer involved in a variety of large commercial, industrial, ports, and Defense Department Projects. He has managed a geotechnical laboratory and a construction engineering department. He moved to South Carolina in 1987 as the Principal Engineer and Manager of a branch office of an international engineering firm. He co-founded BLE with Mr. Tom Lammons, P.G. in 1996 and continues to serve as a Principal and President. Mr. Bunnell continues to provide geotechnical engineering consulting services on a variety of projects with a concentration on long-time clients within the solid waste industry. He has been involved in various stages of the siting, geotechnical analysis, and construction quality assurance monitoring of municipal, industrial and construction-demolition landfills for several hundred-successful solid waste landfill projects since 1991. Mr. Bunnell directs the activities of BLE’s solid waste technical and engineering staff. Mr. Bunnell received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and a Masters of Engineering with a concentration in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Florida. Mr. Bunnell is a licensed professional engineer in 15 states.

He lives in Greenville, SC with his wife of 39 years. He enjoys cycling the beautiful back roads and mountains of the Carolinas, spending time boating, fishing, and skiing with family and friends, and spending time with his children, their spouses, and the grandkids.

DEPARTMENT MANAGERS

Trevor Benton, P.G.

Environmental Services

Mr. Benton is a senior project leader and client manager with over 20 years of professional environmental consulting experience....

He has extensive experience managing a variety of environmental projects including: assessment and remediation at leaking underground storage (LUST) sites, subsurface geological and hydrogeological investigations, pre-purchase risk assessments for portfolios of petroleum retail facilities, Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments, brownfields, commercial and industrial facilities, and solid waste landfills throughout the Southeast. He works closely with clients and state regulators to ensure projects meet both timeline and budgetary considerations. Mr. Benton holds a B.S. in Environmental Geology from Clemson University and is a registered Professional Geologist in SC, NC, and GA.

Mr. Benton enjoys golf, hiking, snow skiing, and rooting for the Clemson Tigers. He lives in Greenville with his wife, two children, and yellow Labrador Retriever.

Andrew Colby

Solid Waste Services

Mr. Colby is a Senior Engineering Associate and leads the Electrical Leak Location (ELL) services department. He has over 20 years of...

experience in construction quality assurance assurance inspection, testing, and reporting, of geotechnical explorations, erosion and sediment controls, and construction consulting. Mr. Colby primarily provides support in geotechnical and CQA services of Subtitle D Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. He has been involved in coordinating services for owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing, and engineering analyses. Mr. Colby has been involved in providing information to our senior engineering staff for use in the analysis and evaluation of subsurface data for landfills and structures including settlements, slope stability, excavation, and bearing capacity. He also has experience in landfill geomembrane, geosynthetic clay liner, low permeability soil liner installation, final closure construction. Mr. Colby has been involved in various stages of the geotechnical analysis and construction quality assurance monitoring of municipal, industrial and construction-demolition landfills.

Mr. Colby holds an A.A. in Construction Engineering Technology and an A.A. in Architectural Engineering Technology from Greenville Technical College.

Mr. Colby enjoys running, hunting and spending time with his family. He lives in Greenville, SC with his wife and three children.

Robert "Ty" Hawkins, CHMM

Environmental Services

Mr. Hawkins is a Department Manager for Environmental Services for BLE. He has over 20 years of professional experience...

as a project manager and risk management consultant in the field of environmental consulting and engineering. Mr. Hawkins leads of team of professionals including environmental engineers, geologists, environmental scientists, industrial hygienists, wetlands specialists, and safety professionals. In this role, he serves a variety of clients including construction, industrial manufacturers, national oil distributors, attorneys, real estate developers, healthcare, higher education, State and local municipalities on projects across the U.S.

Mr. Hawkins’ technical experience includes Environmental Site Assessments, Property Condition Assessments, Brownfield redevelopment, environmental regulatory compliance, industrial hygiene, facility decommissioning, contaminant assessment and remediation, mold/asbestos, and vapor intrusion assessments. Mr. Hawkins also supports the firm’s growth by serving in a Business Development role and represents the firm in various State and local associations.

Mr. Hawkins received his B.S. in Environmental Science from Lander University in 2001. He is a father of three boys and has been in the Upstate of SC his entire life. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors and playing sports with his family. Some of his favorite sports include basketball, baseball, and golf.

Jeff Helvey, P.E.

Division Director, Solid Waste Services

Mr. Helvey is a senior project leader and client manager with over 24 years of professional geotechnical and solid waste engineering...

He has been involved in siting, design and construction of facilities throughout the southeastern United States. He has coordinated services for owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing, and engineering analyses. Mr. Helvey has been involved in various stages of the siting, geotechnical analysis and construction quality assurance monitoring of municipal, industrial, CCR and construction-demolition landfills for over 300 successful projects. Mr. Helvey directs the activities of 30 engineering technicians, associates, and professional engineers and hydrogeologists on various solid waste projects and works closely with clients to ensure projects meet both schedule and budgetary considerations. Mr. Helvey holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering (minor in Environmental Science and Policy) from Clemson University and is a licensed professional engineer in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. He is the former president of the South Carolina Upstate Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Mr. Helvey is a veteran of the United States Army and enjoys coaching both American football and soccer, playing soccer, and eating too much ice cream. He lives in Greenville with his wife and two boys.

W. Bryan Howard, P.E.

Branch Manager, Columbia

Mr. Howard is a Senior Engineer and Branch Manager for BLE's Columbia, SC office. With more than two decades of experience,...

he manages all BLE’s transportation related projects, ensuring that SCDOT, city and county requirements are met with regards to roadway design, pavement design, geotechnical engineering, and quality control. His project experience ranges from residential infrastructure development to interstate highways and county contract management.

Mr. Howard previously served as manager for the firm’s Asheville, North Carolina branch office from 2005 to 2011 where he was responsible for project quality assurance, marketing, and overall office management. He returned to BLE’s corporate headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina in 2011. Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering degree from Clemson University and is a registered Professional Engineer in SC and NC.

Bryan enjoys golf, softball, canoeing and Clemson football. He was born and raised in Greenville, SC where he still lives with his wife, two daughters, and two Golden Retrievers.

Jesse Jacobson, P.E.

Director of Technical Services

Mr. Jacobson joined BLE in 2011 and is the Director of Technical Services. He has extensive experience in the subjects of retaining walls,...

slope stability analysis, shallow foundations, deep foundations, geotechnical laboratory testing, and geotechnical field-testing. He has worked in the public, private and academic sectors and has managed engineering teams, budgets, and served as the primary client contact for small to very large multi-faceted projects. Mr. Jacobson has served as the geotechnical engineering and construction testing services manager for some of the largest recent construction projects in Western North Carolina, including the 2003 and 2008 Harrah’s Cherokee Casino expansions, the Sierra Nevada Brewery, the Cherokee Justice Center, the Southridge Shopping Center, and the Cherokee Indian Hospital. He has also published several technical papers from his regional experience. Mr. Jacobson holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University, a M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering from Virginia Tech, and is a registered Professional Engineer in NC with over 17 years of experience.

David Loftis, P.E.

Branch Manager, Asheville

Mr. Loftis is a Senior Engineer and the Branch Manager for BLE’s Asheville, North Carolina office. He offers over 20 years...

of experience with environmental site assessments, receptor surveys, remediation system design, site monitoring, remediation system operations and maintenance, hydrogeologic studies, finite difference groundwater modeling, stormwater monitoring, OSHA site specific health and safety plans, and stormwater pollution prevention plans. Mr. Loftis has a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and a registered Professional Engineer in North and South Carolina.

Tyler Moody, P.E.

Solid Waste Services

Mr. Moody joined BLE in 2010 and has over 11 years of experience in geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing.

Since joining BLE, Tyler has worked on geotechnical evaluations of solid waste landfills including slope stability evaluations, settlement estimates, drainage layer and filtration calculations, seismic considerations, wind uplift calculations on exposed landfill covers, and forensic analyses. Tyler has assisted in the design for geogrid reinforced slopes and performed many stability analyses for mechanically stabilized earth walls and gravity retaining walls. Tyler graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. In 2016, Tyler obtained a Masters of Engineering from North Carolina State University with a specialization in geotechnical engineering. His engineering interests include soil mechanics, reinforced slopes, geosynthetics, finite element load/deflection analysis, and slope stability. Tyler is a licensed professional engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, and Louisiana.

When not at BLE, Tyler enjoys swimming with his kids, grilling, bicycling with his wife, and serving at his church in Greenville.

Darren Nease, P.E.

Construction Services

Mr. Nease is a Senior Engineer and Project Manager for BLE. He has been with BLE since 2002 following graduation from Clemson...

University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. His responsibilities involve managing, reviewing and performing geotechnical evaluations, pavement assessments and design, and construction materials/special inspection testing services. Mr. Nease has worked on numerous projects throughout the Upstate of South Carolina, Northern Georgia, Western North Carolina, and within the Charlotte area of North Carolina. Some of these projects have included manufacturing/industrial buildings with sizes ranging from 25,000 up to 1,000,000 square-feet, new retail developments, residential developments, and new roadway/bridge construction. Mr. Nease is a registered Professional Engineer in SC, NC, and GA.

Mr. Nease grew up in Greenville, where he still resides with his wife and two daughters. Mr. Nease enjoys fly fishing, hiking, golfing, and target shooting, and of course, cheering for the Tigers.

Chad Rowland, P.E.

Construction Quality Assurance

Mr. Rowland joined BLE in 2021 and serves as the Department Manager for the Construction Quality Assurance Department...

His primary area of...practice is geotechnical engineering and CQA services for Subtitle D Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. He is a Senior Engineer with experience in Construction Project Management, testing and reporting, inspection, and construction consulting. He has been involved in the design and construction of facilities and has coordinated services for owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing, and engineering analyses. Mr. Rowland has been involved in the analysis and evaluation of subsurface data for landfills and has experience in landfill geomembrane, geosynthetic clay liner, low permeability soil liner installation, and final closure construction.

He has served as the CQA Project Engineer or CQA Senior Engineer for landfill construction projects in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Projects have included compacted clay liner construction, geosynthetic clay liner installation, and geomembrane deployment. He has monitored leachate collection system installation and testing, as well as monitored and served as Senior CQA engineer on final closure construction projects including landfill gas collection system installations.

Mr. Rowland is a registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Project Management and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University.

Project Managers

Andrew Alexander, P.G.

Consultant Hydrogeologist

Mr. Alexander has over 30 years of experience as a professional hydrogeologist providing consulting services for broad...

spectrum of clients.

Mr. Alexander’s specialty services include environmental monitoring, assessment, and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater, waste profiling and waste management, water resource investigation, stormwater and spill prevention plans, environmental permitting, water quality monitoring plans, landfill gas monitoring plans, and geotechnical support services.

Mr. Alexander has served in various managerial and technical capacities over the history of the company.

Mr. Alexander holds a B.S. in Geology from the University of South Carolina and is a licensed professional geologist in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana. Mr. Alexander is also a Registered Site Manager in the state of North Carolina.

Mr. Alexander lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina with his wife of over 30 years. They have two grown children. Mr. Alexander coached youth sports and was a Boy Scout leader for more than a decade. When not a work, Mr. Alexander can be found on the golf course where he served on the board of directors as the Director of Planning and Projects at Fox Run Country Club for 6 years and provided project management and consulting for more than a decade.

James Belgeri, P.E.

Senior Consultant

Mr. Belgeri joined BLE in 2018 as Senior Consultant in the Asheville office. He has extensive geotechnical, geological...

and geophysical experience throughout the Southeast US, as well as experience with drilling and well installation and construction materials testing and inspections.

He holds a B.S. in Geological Engineering from University of Missouri-Rolla and was previously a Fellow at Teach Tennessee Institute and a member of the Virginia Tech Center for Geotechnical Practice and Research (CGPR). He is a registered Professional Engineer in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, and a registered Professional Geologist in Tennessee. Mr. Belgeri’s career includes multiple project and organizational management positions including service on the Board of Directors of a large regional engineering practice. Areas of particular interest in the geotechnical field include sinkhole and Karst studies, rock slope engineering, and expansive geotechnical materials

Mr. Belgeri is married to his wife, Patty, and they have three daughters, eight grandchildren and two great granddaughters. His hobbies include golf with grandsons, working on his tractor, and teaching Sunday School.

Rex Brown, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mr. Brown is a senior project leader and client manager with over 29 years of professional geotechnical and construction materials...

consulting experience. He has been involved in pre-purchase due diligence services, geotechnical explorations, and construction for a variety of projects including: Commercial/Retail mixed use developments, Industrial Facilities, Roadways and Infrastructure projects primarily in the Southeast U.S. Mr. Brown has worked in various stages of the development and construction process for over 500 successful projects. Since moving to Greenville in the mid 1990’s, Mr. Brown has been involved with many of the major projects in Downtown Greenville that have made it a USA Today Top 10 Best Emerging Destination. Mr. Brown works closely with clients to provide value-added solutions and evaluations to ensure the projects stay on schedule and meet budget. Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and is registered Professional Engineer in SC, NC, and GA.

Mr. Brown enjoys golf, DIY projects, and spending time with his kids, their spouses, and grandkids. He can be seen many nights and weekends in gyms attending basketball games of sons playing at the Pro, NCAA D1, High School and Middle School levels. He lives on a small farm in Travelers Rest near Greenville with his wife of 28 years.

Matt Christie, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mr. Christie is a Senior Engineer with BLE’s Construction Services department. With more than 20 years of experience, he has worked...

as a Construction Services engineer on large industrial, commercial, and residential projects across the country. He is responsible for the management of construction materials testing and special inspections projects, including coordinating the engineering technicians and managing all project data. Throughout his career, Mr. Christie has been involved with large DOT projects, many industrial projects, and multiple 1,000,000+ square feet regional distribution centers.

Mr. Christie holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and is a registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina. Mr. Christie is a native of the Greenville area where he currently resides with his wife, son, and dog. He and his wife enjoy spending time watching their son play baseball and football and they spend most summer weekends at the lake or ball field. As a graduate of Clemson University, Matt is all in for the Tigers and enjoys cheering them on year-round!

TJ Daniel, P.G.

Project Hydrogeologist

T.J. Daniel serves as Project Hydrogeologist for BLE. He works primarily with the solid waste department with well installations, compiling...

groundwater statistics and interpreting the data, while ensuring State and Federal groundwater regulatory compliance. He holds his B.S. in Environmental Studies from University of North Carolina Asheville and his M.S. in Hydrogeology from Clemson University.

Mr. Daniel enjoys an active lifestyle, hiking with his fiancé, mountain biking, working out and taking his chocolate lab for walks. He also considers himself a big sports fanatic, cheering on the Green Bay Packers and Clemson Tigers

Reid Doherty, P.G.

Project Geologist

Mr. Doherty serves as a project geologist at BLE. During his decade of professional experience, he has served as a technical...

consultant on various environmental projects, including, but not limited to, Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) sites, Solid Waste Landfill sites, Geotechnical Subsurface Exploration projects, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, Brownfields, and Storm Water Management Plans. Mr. Doherty holds a B.S. in Geology from University of South Carolina and is a licensed Professional Geologist in SC.

Outside of work, Mr. Doherty is an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, who enjoys camping, hunting, fishing, and numerous other outdoor activities with his wife, son, and dog.

Tyler Fletcher

Tank Compliance and Testing

Mr. Fletcher manages tank compliance and testing services at BLE. He has experience in many aspects of environmental field work...

including groundwater sampling, Phase 1 ESAs, monitoring well installation and remediation system operations. In addition to his tank compliance and testing responsibilities, Tyler assists in additional environmental field duties including developing Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plans and Property Condition Assessments (PCAs). He was an intern with BLE for 6 months while completing his B.A. in Communications from USC Upstate, and has been employed full time since graduating in 2015.

Tyler is a member of multiple associations across the Upstate including the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Pulse Young Professionals, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Spartanburg Young Professionals (SYP), Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce, and Upstate SC Alliance. In addition to the local associations, he is also an active member in the South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association (SCPMA) and Carolinas Air Pollution Control Association (CAPCA).

Tyler enjoys Ohio State football and spending time with his wife and two little girls. He and his wife are very active in their local church and enjoy serving in the student ministry program.

Anna Franklin, P.E.

Senior Environmental Engineer

Ms. Franklin is a senior project manager with over 18 years of regulatory and environmental consulting experience. She specializes in air...

quality permitting and compliance for industrial and municipal clients. Her primary expertise includes air construction permit applications, air dispersion modeling analyses, emission inventory preparation and reporting, and compliance assistance with State and Federal air regulations.

Ms. Franklin also coordinates with clients to prepare environmental plans including: Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC), Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans, Slug Control Plans, and Best Management Practices (BMP) Plans. She also assists clients with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, wastewater permitting and compliance, and conducts environmental compliance audits.

Ms. Franklin received her B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from University of North Carolina at Asheville and M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Science from Clemson University. She is a registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina.

Ms. Franklin lives in Greenville, SC with her husband and two children. She spends time with family enjoying Clemson football or hanging out at the pool, lake, or beach.

Sam Interlicchia

Field Services Program Manager

Mr. Interlicchia joined BLE in 2003 as a Project Manager in the Asheville, NC office and has over 25 years of geotechnical and...

construction materials engineering experience in the Western North Carolina area. He has extensive experience in the testing and analysis of construction materials including soils, concrete and asphaltic concrete. His technical responsibilities involved management and review of quality control and quality assurance activities on construction projects. He has been involved in the inspection of shallow foundation systems, drilled piers, excavation, fill control, subgrade preparation, dewatering of construction sites and pavement placement. Projects have included commercial and office buildings, school sites, parking decks, water filtration, and wastewater processing plants. He has also worked on several multi-story projects in the Western North Carolina area that incorporated both deep and shallow foundation systems. His deep foundation experience includes design and construction of displacement and non-displacement driven piles, auger cast piles, micropiles, and drilled shafts. Mr. Interlicchia holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering Technology from Asheville/Buncombe Technical College.

Jimmy Ladd

Chief Building Inspector

Mr. Ladd is a Chief Building Inspector and Technician with over 19 years of experience in building code inspection, construction quality...

assurance inspection, testing, and reporting, of geotechnical explorations, erosion and sediment controls, and construction consulting. Mr. Ladd primarily provides building inspection services for the Construction Materials Department. Mr. Ladd is approved by the SCLLR as a continuing education provider for building code officials and special inspectors in South Carolina. Mr. Ladd is an OSHA Authorized instructor and provides safety training for industry construction personnel.

Mr. Ladd holds licenses and/or certifications from SCLLR, ICC, NICET, ACI, SCDOT, and AWCI.

Mr. Ladd enjoys football, and spending time with his family.

William Mathews, P.E.

Chief Engineer

Mr. Mathews is Chief Engineer with more than three decades of professional engineering experience. He is responsible for professional...

development and technical review/oversight of junior engineers at BLE and for implementing/maintaining AASHTO accreditation of the laboratory for our Greenville, SC office. Mr. Mathews has directed and/or performed the drilling operations, laboratory testing and engineering analysis for numerous geotechnical related construction projects in a variety of geologic settings. He has extensive geotechnical engineering and construction materials engineering and testing experience on industrial, governmental, institutional, transportation, commercial and water/wastewater projects. Mr. Mathews taught geotechnical engineering review classes through the Clemson University Office of Continuing Engineering Education for candidates preparing to take the professional engineering exam. Mr. Mathews holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master of Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is a registered professional engineer in SC, NC, GA and AL.

Bill and his wife have three grown children and enjoy spending time at the lake and listening to live music. He enjoys riding motorcycles in the mountains and on the track whenever he can.

Dan Matz, P.E.

Environmental Engineer

Mr. Matz is an environmental engineer with over 10 years of experience. His technical practice has included managing...

Environmental Due Diligence Services, including Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments, Brownfield Assessments, asbestos surveys and abatements, remediation/corrective action, Spill Prevention Plans, and Stormwater Plans. He provides consulting advice to corporate, financial, and legal clients, providing solutions to meet clients’ goals. Mr. Matz holds a B.S. in Physics of the Environment from Furman University, a M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Earth Science from Clemson University, and is a registered Professional Engineer in SC.

Mr. Matz enjoys running, cycling, triathlon, and Clemson Football. He lives in Greer with his wife and two children.

Dan Osbourne P.G.

Chief Scientist

Mr. Osbourne is Chief Scientist at BLE with over 20 years of environmental consulting experience. Mr. Osbourne is responsible for...

professional development and technical review/oversight of junior environmental engineers and geologists at BLE. He specializes in the characterization of site hydrogeology and determination of groundwater quality, aquifer characteristics, groundwater migration patterns, contaminant plume dimensions, and potential contaminant impacts on the environment. Mr. Osbourne has demonstrated experience in planning, developing, managing and implementing a broad spectrum of environmental services. Some of his experience has included CERCLA Superfund remedial investigations, RCRA groundwater investigations at federal facilities, Brownfields redevelopment sites, remedial investigations / feasibility studies and remedial actions, soil and groundwater remediation projects for the DOD and DOE, Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I, II, and III), and investigations associated with underground storage tank (UST) sites throughout the Southeast. Mr. Osbourne holds a B.S. in Geology from Clemson University and a M.S. in Hydrogeology also from Clemson University. Mr. Osbourne is a registered Professional Geologist in SC, NC, GA, TN, and AL as well as a Registered Site Manager (RSM) for Inactive Hazardous Sites in NC.

Mr. Osbourne is an avid motorcyclist and can frequently be found riding nearby mountain roads. A husband and father of two sons, he also enjoys camping with his family.

Mark Preddy, P.G.

Consultant Hydrogeologist

Mr. Preddy is a senior project leader and client manager with over 29 years of professional geological consulting experience and works...

closely with clients and state regulators to ensure projects meet their timeline, regulatory compliance, and budgetary objectives. Mr. Preddy performs a variety of consulting services related to geological and hydrogeological studies for new and existing MSW, CCR, ISW, and C/D landfill facilities. The location of the detailed facilities investigated have included the Blue Ridge terrain of the Carolinas; Piedmont and Coastal Plain terrains of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama; the Valley and Ridge terrain of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee; and karst terrains of northern Florida, southern Georgia, and northern Georgia. Mr. Preddy also performs statistical analysis of water quality data for landfills, fracture trace analyses, and geologic subgrade inspections of new landfill waste cells prior to and during cell construction activities. He also performs integrated computer aided drawing and drafting (AutoCAD) for preparation of detailed geologic maps of the subsurface and surface.

Mr. Preddy holds a B.S. in Geology from Furman University and a M.S. in Geology (with a minor in water resources) from North Carolina State University. Additionally, Mr. Preddy is a licensed professional geologist in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Mr. Preddy was a member of Furman’s football and track & field teams as an undergraduate in college, and currently enjoys distance running, photography, and overseas short-term missionary trips. He lives in Greenville with his wife.

Larry Simonson, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mr. Simonson is a Senior Engineer with over 8 years of professional geotechnical and solid waste engineering consulting experience. He...

has had field and engineering experience with the design and construction of facilities across the southeastern United States. He has coordinated and performed tasks related to quality assurance during construction, field exploration, laboratory testing, and geotechnical analysis for the design of municipal and construction-demolition landfills and their associated components. Mr. Simonson has performed slope stability analyses for reinforced slopes, the design of new landfills, and for the forensic investigations of distressed and unstable landfill slopes.

Mr. Simonson holds a M.S. & B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and is a licensed professional engineer in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, and Ohio. He is a member of the South Carolina Upstate Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the International Geosynthetics Society.

Mr. Simonson is an active member of Greenville’s Alchemy Comedy Theater, where he regularly performs and coaches comedy improvisation. He and his wife regularly travel from their home in Greenville, where they live as avid gardeners and self-proclaimed foodies.

Gwen Sollenberger, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mrs. Sollenberger is a Senior Engineer with over ten years of experience in managing and performing traditional geotechnical projects...

and multidisciplinary projects with civil design and construction management. She has been involved in coordinating services for owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing, engineering analyses, and special inspections. Mrs. Sollenberger has experience in analysis and evaluation of subsurface data for shallow and deep foundations, ground improvement, pavement design, retaining walls, seismic design parameters, and liquefaction potential. She has worked on projects in 16 different states across varied geologic formations. Mrs. Sollenberger joined BLE in October 2017 after working over 6 years in Dallas, Texas and a short period in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Mrs. Sollenberger holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Central Florida. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

Mrs. Sollenberger enjoys baseball/softball, hiking, backpacking, scuba diving, and traveling. She lives in Greer with her husband, son and two dogs.

Jonathan Usher, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mr. Usher is a senior engineer and project manager with more than 20 years of construction project management and...

geotechnical engineering experience. His construction project management and geotechnical engineering experience includes storm water management, grading, asphalt pavement, bridge, cellular communication tower sites, and landfill projects. Mr. Usher’s primary area of practice is geotechnical engineering and CQA services for Subtitle D Municipal Solid Waste Landfills. He has experience in construction quality assurance inspection, testing and reporting, geotechnical explorations, and construction consulting for landfill facilities. He has coordinated services for landfill facility owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing, and engineering analyses. He also has experience in landfill geomembrane, geosynthetic clay liner, and low permeability soil liner installation, and final closure construction. Mr. Usher has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Clemson University, is a Professional Engineer licensed in AL, FL, GA, LA, MO, NC, SC, TN, and VA, and has a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.

Mr. Usher enjoys jogging, listening to music, and watching Clemson football and baseball. He lives on Johns Island, SC with his wife and three children.

Gary Weekly, P.E.

Senior Engineer

Mr. Weekly has served as a Senior Engineer with BLE since the company's inception. He has been involved in siting, design and...

construction of landfill facilities in the southeastern United States, including in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. He is experienced in Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge geologic provinces and has coordinated services for owners, contractors, and subcontractors including field exploration, laboratory testing and engineering analysis. Mr. Weekley is experienced in the analysis and evaluation of subsurface data for landfills, structures, dams, lagoons and earth embankments including settlements, slope stability, excavation, dewatering, grouting and bearing capacity.

Mr. Weekley holds a B.A. in Civil Engineering from West Virginia Institute of Technology and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Corporate Administrative Office

Shelly Faulkenberry

Corporate Office Manager

As the Corporate Office Manager, Mrs. Faulkenberry ensures the daily operations run smoothly and efficiently. In addition to overseeing the Administrative staff and operations, she is involved with payroll, event planning, accounts payable, purchasing, and vendor contracts. Mrs. Faulkenberry also provides administrative support to the Controller and Principals. She has over 8 years of experience with Bunnell Lammons Engineering.

Mrs. Faulkenberry has a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Shelly lives in Simpsonville, SC with her husband, daughter, and two dogs, Layla and Lilly. She enjoys traveling, fitness and nutrition, and cheering on the Gamecocks.

Lauren Fitzgerald

Human Resources Manager

Mrs. Fitzgerald is a Human Resources Professional with over 10 years of HR experience. She provides advice and counsel to managers regarding personnel practices, policy, and employment laws as well as compensation, employee performance and career development. She also administers all corporate health and welfare benefits, retirement, paid time off and leaves of absence plans. With a team of over 100 employees at BLE, striving for effective communication and a strong company culture are priorities for Lauren as she leads the HR function.

Mrs. Fitzgerald holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University and has been a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) since 2009 and a SHRM Certified Professional since 2016. She is also an active member of Greenville’s Society for Human Resource Management.

Mrs. Fitzgerald enjoys home improvement projects, being with family, and running. She lives in Greenville, SC with her husband, two kids and German Shepherd dog.

Richard Hall

Controller

Brad Medcalf, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Medcalf is responsible for overall fiscal well-being and risk management practices of the company. Additionally, he is involved with developing BLE’s growth strategy and fostering further innovative practices.

Mr. Medcalf brings over 17 years of senior level experience in commercial and middle market banking along with prior public accounting experience. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Master of Accountancy from Samford University. Mr. Medcalf currently serves on the Airport Environs Planning Commission and the Board of Directors for the Greenville Area Parkinson’s Society. He is a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class of 33 and a 2018 Spartanburg Regional Fellow.

He enjoys working out and playing golf as well as shuttling his son to lacrosse and daughter to dance. He is a Greenville native and has been married to his wife Carri for 19 years.

Business Development Representatives

Prescott May

Upstate South Carolina

Mr. May Joined BLE in 2016 as a Business Development Representative, working with BLE's Construction Materials Testing (CMT) and Geotechnical departments. His primary responsibility is developing business relationships and managing client relations. Prescott holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Marketing) and an MBA in Finance from Winthrop University. He is an actively engaged in the community as a member of multiple organizations, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI), South Carolina Economic Developers Association (SCEDA), and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce – Pulse Young Professionals.

A native of Greenville, SC, Mr. May enjoys spending time with friends and family, and being outside, especially hiking or golfing.

Garrett Pittman

North Carolina

Geotechnical and Environmental departments. His primary responsibility is developing business relationships and managing client relations. Garrett holds a B.S. in Technology Education and a M.A. in Industrial Technology. He is actively engaged in the community as a member of multiple organizations. A native and lifelong resident of Western NC, Mr. Pittman enjoys spending time with his wife Johanna, two children, family, and friends. He also enjoys his time at church, hiking, fishing, football, and cheering on the NC State Wolfpack and Appalachian State Mountaineers.

Zack Smith

Midlands South Carolina

Mr. Smith joined BLE in 2022 as a Business Development Representative, working with BLE's Construction Materials Testing (CMT) and Geotechnical departments. His primary responsibilities are developing business relationships and managing client relations. Zack holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Marketing) and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Strayer University. He is actively engaged in the community as a member of multiple organizations, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI), South Carolina Economic Developers Association (SCEDA), and Central SC Alliance.

A native of Columbia, SC, Mr. Smith enjoys spending time with his wife Callie, family and friends, and being outside fishing, watching football, and cheering on the Gamecocks, along with coaching youth football.