Trenchless Rising Stars are young professionals whose record reflects ongoing and exceptional growth in their contributions to the profession and increasing levels of leadership, responsibility and sphere of impact. These early career professionals have a track record that reflects a strong career trajectory and the potential to reach the highest levels of achievement in the profession.
David Agan
Bureau of Reclamation
How did you get started in the trenchless industry? By happenstance I got my start when moving from the East coast to Denver to work for Kilduff Underground Engineering. Todd Kilduff is a great mentor and proponent for the trenchless industry! During my initial interview, I had the opportunity to tour several trenchless projects, and it reinforced my desire to be involved in this field. Trenchless (new installations) projects involve all the cool and exciting aspects of geotechnical design – like ground behavior and classification, dewatering, support of excavation, ground treatment, risk evaluation, and horizontal excavation – often all in one project! By its nature trenchless is very interdisciplinary and getting to work with people in different areas of expertise really expands your knowledge base.
What career advice would you give to a young person? Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Questions have potential to present different perspectives, open dialogue, show you’re engaged and interested and most importantly allow for the continuation of learning.
John Altinyurek
Kilduff Underground Engineering
How did you get started in the trenchless industry? My first introduction to trenchless technologies was thanks to my former manager at WSP, David I. Smith. He had asked me work on a project at DC, and the uniqueness of the concept immediately grabbed my attention. Later I had a chance to get involved heavily with microtunnels on the Bay Park project and realized that trenchless is the future of the underground construction industry.
How do you explain what you do to someone who has no idea what trenchless technology is? I usually ask them: “Have you ever had to change your way because the road was closed due to the road being half open? Trenchless avoids doing that.”
Who inspires you and why? My wife. She is always there when I need her. Unbelievable.
How did you get started in the trenchless industry? I was working with Stantec as an intern in Walnut Creek, CA where I began to learn about trenchless methods and geotechnical investigations. During this time, I was able to work with and by mentored by an excellent group of engineers who I truly credit everything I know now to.
The best workday I ever had was … finding out that we were working on a project to improve the water supply in my hometown. It was a very wholesome experience to explain to my friends and family what I do and how the project we are working on will help secure the water supply in our town. Short deadlines can make it easy to have tunnel vision and only focus on the tasks you are assigned for a project. Hearing about this project taking place where I grew up is a constant reminder to me to put myself in the shoes of someone in that community to help better understand the impact of the decisions we make on every project in every community.
Bryce Carson
Bond Civil & Utility Construction, Inc.
How did you get started in the trenchless industry? I grew up in this industry. I started working on my first drill crew while still in school and I have been hooked ever since.
How do you explain what you do to someone who has no idea what trenchless technology is? We install pipes for underground utilities anywhere that it is not possible to simply dig a trench from the surface, typically under obstacles such as rivers, railroads or highways.
What career advice would you give to a young person? To know what you know and what you do not know – that is true knowledge.
Share a challenge you overcame and what motivated you to push through? July of 2023, I joined a new company, Bond Civil & Utility, in order to start up a new Trenchless Division. Every day since has been full of challenges, but having the opportunity to directly shape the business is extremely motivating.
Amin Tehrani
North Texas Municipal Water District
How did you get started in the trenchless industry? My first exposure to Trenchless Technology occurred during my PhD studies, when I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Mo Najafi and Dr. Ellie Kohankar at the University of Texas at Arlington. This experience opened a new door for me in the field of civil engineering. I was fascinated by how innovative and beneficial trenchless technology methods are in overcoming the challenges of pipeline installation and maintenance.
Who inspires you and why? In the trenchless technology industry, there are many people who inspire me, but one person who stands out is Chris Macey. He received the NASTT Hall of Fame Award in 2018 during the No-Dig Show in Chicago, which was also my first No-Dig event. I had the privilege of speaking with him right after he received the award, and over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with him on various committees. What has always impressed me about Chris is his incredible modesty and down-to-earth nature. Despite his many achievements, he remains humble and approachable, which I find truly inspiring
What career advice would you give to a young person? Do not to be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are an essential part of learning and growth. Don’t be discouraged if things don’t work out perfectly the first time. Instead, see it as an opportunity to try different approaches and learn from the experience. The key is to keep experimenting, be curious, and keep searching for the right solution. The most important thing is to stay persistent and never stop learning.