| Robinson, Noble & Saltbush employs twelve geologists
and two environmental scientists with experience ranging up to 40 years.
Our professionals are registered in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California,
and Virginia. All have college degrees in geology, hydrogeology or
environmental science, and most have advanced degrees. Resumes are
available upon request. Below are brief descriptions of key personnel.
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Joseph E. Becker, L.HG., RG
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Mr. Becker serves as President, General Manager, and Principal Hydrogeologist of Robinson, Noble & Saltbush. A Licensed Hydrogeologist in Washington and Professional Geologist in California and Idaho, Joe is highly experienced at conducting hydrogeologic assessments and fulfilling regulatory needs for groundwater studies. Joe is also experienced in the development of complex numerical computer models to assist in the evaluation and understanding of groundwater flow parameters and wellhead protection programs. These models not only serve to solve immediate problems for our clients, but have also been utilized as planning tools to assist them in the current and future evaluation, development, and protection of their groundwater resources. He has particular experience in providing the hydrogeologic investigations necessary to locate and design wastewater infiltration facilities, having completed such work for
King County METRO, LOTT, and others. With more than 20 years of experience as a hydrogeologist, Mr. Becker provides oversight and QA/QC functions for most of
Robinson, Noble & Saltbush’s hydrogeologic and environmental projects. |
Burt G. Clothier, L.HG., RG
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Mr. Clothier is a Principal Hydrogeologist and the Division Manager for the Company’s Hydrogeologic Services Division. An employee of Robinson, Noble & Saltbush since 1990, Burt is a Licensed Hydrogeologist in Washington, a Registered Geologist in Oregon, a Fellow of the Geologic Society of London, and a member of both national and international professional geologic organizations. His primary responsibilities include project management; water rights technical support and expert witness services; geologic and hydrogeologic data collection, analysis, and interpretation; and technical report preparation. In 2006, Burt was appointed to a second 6-year term on the Department of Ecology Technical Advisory Group, providing input and oversight of Washington well-drilling industry regulations. Mr. Clothier also serves as the Technical Associate member of the Board of Directors for the Washington State Ground Water Association. |
John F. Hildenbrand
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Mr. Hildenbrand’s expertise covers the wide array of environmental, health, and safety areas. He has served as a local environmental official in Montana and Washington, managing a wide range of environmental programs covering drinking water, waste water, solid waste, food/ community safety, and disaster response issues. John helped establish and coordinated a groundwater protection district in addition to serving as a technical lead in underground storage tank and hazardous materials programs. John developed and implemented the first, local 2-year community and technical college program directly focused on the environmental industry. As an Associate Environmental Scientist for Robinson, Noble & Saltbush, John manages our Environmental Services Division. Together with his previous experience as Principal for Saltbush Environmental Services, he has been directly responsible for designing and managing over 500 environmental projects and is a voting member on three ATSM technical committees. Mr. Hildenbrand routinely manages all phases of environmental projects and
performs all levels of project-related tasks. |
F. Michael Krautkramer, L.HG., RG
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Mr. Krautkramer is Vice-President and a Principal Hydrogeologist of Robinson, Noble & Saltbush, Inc. With over 30 years of experience, Mike has completed numerous groundwater projects in the Pacific Northwest. These projects include groundwater resource definition, well design, testing and drilling management, ground water/surface water basin analyses, and identification/abatement of aquifer contamination problems. Mike is a Licensed Hydrogeologist in Washington and a Registered Geologist in Oregon and is active in the regulatory and political aspects of water resource management. He provides expertise to many entities, including testimony before the Washington State Legislature. Mike currently serves on the Legislative Committee for the Washington State Ground Water Association and is the Chair of the Ground Water Availability Committee of the National Ground Water Association. Mr. Krautkramer provides services in both domestic and international markets, where he has a reputation as a problem-solver using practical methods to efficiently accomplish project objectives. |
Douglas C. Dow, L.HG.
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Mr. Dow has worked in the groundwater industry as a professional hydrogeologist for over 30 years. He has used his knowledge to prepare technical specifications; supervise construction; and design, test, rehabilitate and evaluate hundreds of test wells and dozens of major production wells in the Pacific Northwest. Doug has designed and operated multiple well data collection programs for evaluation of aquifer characteristics, contaminant migration, saltwater intrusion, and artificial recharge. He is also part owner and operator of Well Scan, Inc., a water well video inspection service. Doug has assisted many clients with water right issues by conducting audits, evaluating current water resources, and recommending appropriate changes to allow maximum use of those rights. Mr. Dow is a Senior Hydrogeologist with the firm and performs project management, hydrogeologic investigations, all phases of field project work, and specialized
geophysical analyses. |
James E. Hay, L.HG.
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Mr. Hay is a Senior Hydrogeologist and the Marketing Manager for Robinson, Noble & Saltbush. Jim previously worked as a consulting geologist in Montana and joined the firm in 1996 after earning Bachelor's degrees in Geology and Biology and a Master's degree in Geology. His field expertise and management skills have been central to the success of many regional and local groundwater projects. In his position with Robinson, Noble & Saltbush, Jim is responsible for both the technical and project management aspects of: drilling supervision and testing of wells for public, private, commercial, and industrial clients; regional groundwater resource evaluations; spreadsheet modeling; analytical and numerical groundwater flow modeling; technical report preparation and legal support; and all phases of wellhead protection plans. Jim has represented Robinson, Noble & Saltbush as a member of the Washington Aggregate and Concrete Association (WACA) since 2002 and served as the Associate Director on the WACA Board of Directors from 2004 to 2006. |
Michael F. Piechowski, L.HG.
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Mr. Piechowski is a Senior Hydrogeologist with Robinson, Noble & Saltbush, and has been with the firm since 1996. Prior to joining Robinson, Noble & Saltbush, Mike spent several years working in environmental hydrogeology, identifying, delineating, and remediating soil and groundwater contamination. Mike’s management skills, field abilities, and technological expertise have been instrumental in the successful completion of many projects. Mike’s experience includes drilling observation and supervision of a number of wells placed via a variety of drilling methods. Mike has directed and conducted the testing of monitoring and production wells for numerous public, commercial, and industrial clients. In addition, he has completed a number of regional groundwater resource evaluations, and has experience with analytical, analytical element, and numerical groundwater flow modeling; and all phases of wellhead protection plans. Mike has extensive experience with groundwater monitoring instrumentation and is proficient in the completion and interpretation of downhole geophysical surveys. As a Licensed Hydrogeologist in Washington, Mr. Piechowski has applied his expertise to a number of environmental projects, including Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessments, site investigations, remedial investigations, and soil and groundwater remediation projects. |
Thomas W. Smith, REA I
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Mr. Smith has worked in the environmental field for ten years completing hundreds of projects. Tom worked previously with Saltbush Environmental Services as a Project Manager and was retained by Robinson, Noble & Saltbush after Robinson & Noble’s acquisition of Saltbush in August 2003. Tom’s expertise and experience covers an array of environmental areas including planning, executing and documenting Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, NEPA environmental assessments, subsurface and remedial investigations, and soil and groundwater remediation projects. Additionally, he has conducted and managed asbestos and lead sampling/abatement projects and underground storage tank decommissioning. A Senior Environmental Scientist and Project Manager with the firm, Tom helps manage the Environmental Services Division, including two years of coordinating and managing 4- to 5-member, summer-hire teams to complete a residential soil sampling project for ASARCO in Tacoma, collecting some 14,000 samples from over 600 properties. Mr. Smith is registered with the State of California as a Registered Environmental Assessor I (REA I). |
Chandler Ellis, L.HG., C.P.G.
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Mr. Ellis is a Principal Hydrogeologist with experience dating from 1975. He has a strong background in groundwater production and monitoring technology and has successfully applied this background to difficult resource development programs and been involved in diverse projects encompassing all major aspects of hydrogeology. His majority efforts have been applied to groundwater resource evaluation and development. These skills and experience have allowed Mr. Ellis to become an expert in “troubleshooting” well problems. A Certified Professional Geologist in the State of Virginia, Mr. Ellis is also an expert in the
techniques and theory of borehole geophysics and is experienced in a wide range of instrumentation, including downhole video inspection. |
Max T. Wills, L.HG.
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Prior to joining Robinson, Noble & Saltbush in 1998, Mr. Wills worked in environmental hydrogeology identifying, delineating, and remediating both soil and groundwater contamination. He possesses an extensive knowledge of Pacific Northwest geology and has a strong working knowledge of surface water hydrology. Max now applies his experience to the application of geologic and hydrogeologic principles for evaluation of groundwater resources. He is responsible for collection and interpretation of geologic and hydrogeologic data, preparation of technical reports, Phase I Environmental Assessments, remediation and groundwater monitoring projects, and supervision of well drilling and testing projects. Mr. Wills is knowledgeable about computer modeling, analysis of complex datasets, and the application of database technologies for the organization and manipulation of hydrogeologic data. |
Scott A. Malone, L.G.
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Mr. Malone began his career working as a geophysical operator and crew chief in the mineral exploration field. He spent four years accomplishing a wide range of surveys in the hard-rock mining industry. His work experience focused primarily on electrical and electromagnetic surveys and their application to complex exploration problems. Scott began applying his geophysical expertise to environmental problems following the metals market crash in 1998. As an environmental geophysicist, Scott performed various surveys including aquifer mapping and measuring the depth to saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers using electromagnetic techniques. He also participated in several large-scale seismic surveys for analyzing stratigraphy and mapping aquifers for major groundwater projects. A Licensed Geologist in Washington, Scott joined Robinson, Noble & Saltbush in January 2002. Mr. Malone’s responsibilities include the collection and interpretation of geologic and hydrogeologic data, Phase I/Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, application of geophysical techniques to groundwater or environmental investigations, supervision of well drilling and testing projects, and technical report preparation. |
Richard A. Bieber, L.G.
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Mr. Bieber joined Robinson, Noble and Saltbush in 2001 with technical experience in Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, contaminant investigations and environmental project management. His prior experience also included graduate work conducting tracer analysis and studying the interaction between surfactants and DNAPL (Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid) compounds. A licensed Geologist in Washington State, Mr. Bieber’s responsibilities with the firm include the collection and interpretation of geologic and hydrogeologic data, supervision of drilling and testing programs, preparation of technical reports, and computer analysis of hydrogeologic problems. Rick has provided hydrogeologic and environmental expertise to numerous industrial and municipal clients in western Washington. He is exceptionally qualified in the use of analytical field instrumentation and has supervised the construction of over 50 water production and monitoring wells. Rick’s experience includes: drilling with cable-tool, rotary, auger, and sonic drilling methods; geophysical logging; surface mapping; and soil classification. This broad range of field work has provided Rick with extensive first-hand experience in the lithologic and hydrostatigraphic interpretation of subsurface materials and aquifer systems. Recently, Mr. Bieber has applied analytical computer models to help maximize production from coastal aquifer systems, while minimizing the potential for seawater intrusion. |
Michael P. Brady
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Mr. Brady joined Robinson, Noble & Saltbush in March 2005 as a Project Hydrogeologist. He earned his Bachelor of
Science degree in Geology with an Environmental Geology concentration from Western Washington University. In his
undergraduate research, Mike focused on an analytical approach to fluid and soil mechanics in the areas of
geomorphology, engineering, and hydrology. As a result, he has a solid base of understanding groundwater and
contaminant flow dynamics and its application to consulting geology. Mike has worked throughout the Puget Sound
area applying his knowledge to various hydrogeologic investigations that include surface and ground water
assessments; water rights investigations; analytical calculations on hydrogeologic data; the drilling and
testing of domestic water supply wells; and the preparation of technical reports. Mr. Brady is a certified
asbestos building inspector and has experience performing numerous environmental investigations that include
Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments; quarterly groundwater monitoring projects; soil analysis and
remediation projects. |
John B. Noble, RG
Mr. Noble began his professional career in geologic and hydrologic mapping for the State of Washington in 1960. He is currently the most experienced consulting hydrogeologist in western Washington and has performed numerous wellfield and aquifer studies. John is the preeminent expert on the unconsolidated sediments of the South Puget Sound area with regard to groundwater resources. He is also considered the acknowledged expert in the application of drilling technology to the definition and development of groundwater resource. In 1997, John retired from full time work and now provides on-call, principal-level consulting services to Robinson, Noble & Saltbush. As such, he assists in the successful completion of difficult projects by bringing more than 40 years
of practical experience to bear. John also provides educational seminars and mentoring for the Robinson, Noble & Saltbush professional staff. Mr. Noble was recently made an Honorary Member of the Association of Engineering Geologists in recognition of his long career in the geologic sciences.
Dennis Salt
Mr. Salt has managed and directed inspection, sampling, testing and quality control projects since 1969. Along with partner Mr. Harry Bush, he founded
Saltbush Environmental Services, Inc. in 1983. Dennis has been the project manager on numerous inspections, contamination studies and remediation projects
throughout the Pacific Northwest. He managed a year-long chemical plant decontamination project and developed a comprehensive Environmental Assessment
service for property transfer transactions and assisted with developing the first nationally accepted Phase I ESA standard with ASTM International. He has conducted numerous seminars on environmental services and site assessments for lenders, insurers and developers. Saltbush merged with Robinson & Noble in 2003; the same year Mr. Bush passed away. Mr. Salt continues to work with Robinson, Noble and Saltbush as a consultant.
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