Growing WSP USA Water Business Names National Practice Leads
Prominent professionals on WSP’s national water services team have been tapped to lead the strategic development of diverse disciplines in 2020.
NEW YORK —WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, has announced the appointments of six staff to guide the nationwide growth and strategy of specific practice areas within the firm’s water business.
Stephen Rupar, Connecticut water supply engineering practice leader, brings more than 30 years of experience in the public and private water utilities business to his new role as WSP drinking water national practice lead. Throughout his career, Rupar has led numerous water supply improvement studies and designs, including treatment, storage and water main improvements.
James Rydquist, central region water business manager based in Detroit, and Zack Isnasious, engineering manager in San Bernardino, California, will co-lead the national wastewater and water reuse practice. Both Rydquist, with 25 years of environmental engineering experience, and Isnasious, a 36-year engineering veteran, have managed major, multi-discipline wastewater treatment, conveyance systems and reuse planning and engineering projects using traditional and alternative project delivery.
Jessica Field (Schick), drainage design lead in WSP’s Orange, California office, was named surface water/drainage national practice lead. Schick specializes in hydraulic and hydrologic engineering for major infrastructure development, and drainage systems design for municipal and transportation projects. Field’s major project achievements include leading drainage design for the Texas High Speed Rail project.
Jennifer Brunton, senior supervising engineer based in Morris Township, New Jersey, solves water resource-related challenges by integrating engineering and ecology. Brunton brings 16 years of experience with WSP to her new role leading the firm’s national ecosystem restoration practice, including wetlands and streams.
Justin Lennon, senior supervising engineer in Baltimore, Maryland, has been named national practice lead for hydraulic structures/flood control. Lennon focuses on designing river engineering, complex hydraulic modeling, flood control, resiliency planning and design, and stream stabilization solutions.
“Each member of this sub-service line leadership team represents exceptional technical excellence and proven success,” said Chin Lien, WSP director of water business. “Together, they provide the foundation for healthy growth and the realization of WSP’s vision of being a full-service and premier professional water service provider.”
WSP’s new national practice leads are specialists in their respective fields, bringing technical expertise, innovation and thought leadership to their roles. They will provide consistency in technical standards and project execution, staff development and training, and support business development efforts. They will enhance the connections among disciplines, and across the firm, to deliver integrated services to our clients. Establishing these national practice leads brings us another step closer to realizing the firm’s strategic vision of becoming a full-service water provider.
“As we begin a new year and a new decade, and as WSP continues to focus on providing our clients with complete water services, it was good timing to establish these roles,” Lien said. “We already had the right leaders; now they have the right platform to excel.”
About WSP USA
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 9,500 employees in 150 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com
