Chairman
H. Garon Stutzman is Chairman and founder of the So-Deep family of companies. This family includes So-Deep, Inc., So-Deep US, P.C., and So-Deep Michigan LLC.
Garon left Washington Gas Light in 1981 and founded So-Deep Inc. and developed SUE into the recognized profession that it is today. The practices, procedures, scopes of work were all developed under Garon's direction and guidance. The SUE terms "Locating" and "Designating" as well as the four quality levels were his ideas. He was instrumental in developing SUE to recognized professional Engineering/Surveying standards including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) endorsement and subsequent development of the ASCE standard CI/ASCE 38-02 that outlines the principles of the SUE discipline. Garon was able to obtain the first professional Errors and Omissions policy ever written for all aspects of the data collection methods and final SUE work product.
Garon is a holder of a U.S. patent for sewer infiltration mitigation. He is the founder of the Subsurface Utility Engineering profession. Garon was selected the "1990 Entrepreneur of the Year" for the Washington D.C. area by the award sponsors, INC. Magazine, Merrill Lynch and Earnst & Young. He is a lifetime inductee into the "Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame" located in Chapel Hill, NC and a 1993 inductee into Oxford's Who's Who.
President
In 2009, Thomas R. Rock became So-Deep’s fifth President. Tom is responsible for The So-Deep Companies which includes So-Deep, Inc., So-Deep US, P.C. and So-Deep Michigan, LLC. Tom had served as the companies’ Vice President since 2007 before being named the President in 2009. Prior to his position as Vice President, Tom was So-Deep’s District Director of Southeast Operations, where he was responsible for all aspects of the companies’ administrative, marketing, and field operations for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He has 23 years of utility related work experience, with 18 of those working at So-Deep in many different capacities.
Tom is a graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology.
Senior Vice President/CFO
Thuy-Anh Pham/CPA, who joined So-Deep in 1986, is So-Deep’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. She has 25 years’ experience with So-Deep and is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals on the financial aspects of subsurface utility engineering. She is highly regarded in developing fair and accurate pricing of subsurface utility engineering services, managing financial accounting systems and implementing internal control procedures specific to this branch of engineering.
Thuy has extensive experience with government contracts and price proposals following Federal Acquisition Regulations and Cost Accounting Standards. She has been the Company’s representative during many audits conducted by various state governmental agencies. Thuy has been commended by several state Department of Transportation auditors for So-Deep’s accounting procedures, proper documentation and thorough record keeping during audits. She is responsible for all financial accounting, human resources and administration functions for So-Deep, Inc., So-Deep US, P.C. and So-Deep Michigan, LLC.
Senior Vice President/Principal Project Manager
David R. Cole, P.S. oversees So-Deep’s business development group which serves several different markets including transportation, industrial, institutional, energy and aviation. He’s the principal in charge of professional services as well as the principal project manager and professional in responsible charge for projects in several states. Dave is a licensed professional land surveyor in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North Carolina and Illinois.
His diverse portfolio includes responsibility for operations, quality assurance, professional review and contract administration on a multitude of projects with widely varying complexity which adds value to client projects. Dave has over 15 years subsurface utility engineering experience and has several positions of increasing responsibility. His peers recognize Dave for his practical, realistic approach to SUE services and his timely response on all matters. Additionally, he is a frequent speaker on subsurface utility engineering and ASCE 38-02 across the country.
The added value that Dave brings to every project is his ability to work closely with the project owner, the prime designer, sub-consultants, municipalities and other government entities, utility owners and other stakeholders. He is adept at creating a partnering atmosphere that encourages open communication and trust that leads to solutions that are innovative, timely and cost efficient.
Dave earned his Masters Degree in Executive Management from Ashland University and Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Kent State University. He is a member of American Society of Highway Engineers and American Society of Civil Engineers.
Vice President of Southwest Operations
Michael E. Rice was So-Deep’s first employee, joining the firm shortly after it was incorporated in 1981. Mike has more SUE field data collection and project management experience than anyone else in the country. Over the past 30 years he has managed a wide variety of public, private and government projects across the continental U.S. and in Hawaii. From 1981 to 1996 Mike managed all field operations out of our corporate headquarters office in Virginia. During that period, in addition to his operations and project management responsibilities, he helped to develop and refine many of the field data collection procedures and project management methodologies which have since been widely accepted as “best practices” in the SUE profession. He also played an integral role in developing our employee training and certification programs, including our Project Manager Training program.
In 1997, Mike was promoted to District Director and relocated to San Antonio, TX to open and manage our southwest operations. In 2007, he became Vice President of Southwest Operations. In this position, his responsibilities include operations and project management, quality assurance, business development, training and education and field evaluation of emerging or evolving technologies. He specializes in developing highly customized scopes of work, project specific, health and safety plans, and specialized project approach for unique projects.
Vice President of Business Development
Mark A. Warden has 25 years of extensive project management experience. Mark joined So-Deep in 1984 and spent several years obtaining invaluable designating field experience. Since 1986, Mark has continuously performed business development and contract management being promoted from Area Representative to Manager of Customer Service (1990), Corporate Contracts Administrator (1996) and finally Vice President of Business Development (2007).
In addition to his business development responsibilities, Mark is one of So-Deep’s most experienced project managers and is responsible for managing many DOT contracts totaling several million dollars. Mark also manages sub consultants including Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE’s) partners on various contracts and projects. He not only serves as a primary liaison between So-Deep clients and its operations departments, he is an industry expert and conducts informational briefings and presentations on the use of subsurface utility engineering services at the local and national level.
Vice President of Professional Services Southeast
Louis F. Ostendorff, III, P.E. joined So-Deep in 1988 as a registered professional. He is licensed in 18 states and has 36 years of experience as an engineer, over 30 years of experience as a Professional Engineer and 22 years of experience in Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE). During his tenure at So-Deep, he assisted in the successful modernization and automation of company procedures and practices, wrote computer programs to improve accuracy and efficiency of operations and work product and was one of the first non-state DOT licensed engineers to perform utility coordination work for a state DOT utility coordination program (Virginia). He has been involved with all aspects of So-Deep’s survey and engineering operations. Currently, Lou also serves as the Senior Utility Coordination Manager for the So-Deep Companies.
Lou is a Virginia Tech graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining Engineering.
Vice President of Operations
In 1988, Steve Harsanyi, Jr. joined So-Deep and was the first employee to graduate from So-Deep’s Project Manager Training (PMT) Program. In this program, Steve was trained and certified in the necessary skills to perform designating, locating, surveying, records research, and conflict analysis. He performed all of these skills as a Project Manager until 1991 when he was promoted to Branch Manager of the Manassas Park, VA office. In 1998 he was again promoted to District Director for the Northeast.
In 2007, Steve was promoted to Vice President of Operations and takes full responsibility of So-Deep’s field personnel and equipment. Steve is one of So-Deep’s most experienced operations managers responsible for scheduling and deployment of personnel and equipment company-wide. He manages So-Deep’s designating, locating, and surveying crews to maximize job quality and efficiency, reviews all field work, resolves logistical issues and technical questions. He ensures that timelines are met, projects are within budget and that the field crews are safety compliant.
Steve has personally managed thousands of projects all over the country and has been instrumental in So-Deep’s long history of performing high quality deliverables to its clients on time and within budget.
Steve is an engineering graduate of Bluefield State College.
Vice President of Professional Services
Cary A. Skahn, P.E. joined So-Deep in 1990 and has served in many capacities during his tenure. He was promoted to Vice President of Professional Services in 2010. While at So-Deep, he has sealed over $75 million of SUE mapping deliverables. He has extensive experience with the most common CADD and survey platforms. Cary has trained many of our professionals in subsurface utility engineering. Cary has over 30 years of experience in the engineering profession. He is currently serving on the American Society of Civil Engineers Standards Committee responsible for the development of ASCE 38-10 (the engineering guideline for the collection and depiction of subsurface utility data for the subsurface utility engineering profession).
During his career, Cary’s responsibilities have included drainage design, utility relocation design, specifications writing, field inspections and site evaluations, bridge/pipe structural analysis and design, soil analysis/hydraulic analysis, project management and estimating.
Cary is registered as a professional engineer in 37 states and the District of Columbia. He earned an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri.
General Counsel
Mr. Charles Weatherhead is So-Deep's Vice President and General Counsel. He has over 35 years’ experience in general business law, finance and taxation with an emphasis in the organizational and operating structure of professional subsurface utility engineering firms, including their contracts, insurance and risk management.
Chuck is well versed in the legal and technical challenges of providing Subsurface Utility Engineering Services. He is a recognized expert in the issues unique to Subsurface Utility Engineering Agreements, including knowledge of the Standard of Care, Indemnification, Errors and Omissions Insurance as well as many other issues.
Associate General Counsel
Tiziana ("Tee") joined So-Deep from the private practice of law where she concentrated primarily in transactional real estate, insurance and general business matters. With over fifteen years of experience, she brings a wealth of legal experience and risk management skills to the So-Deep team. Tee has law degrees from University of Alabama and Universita’ degli Studi “La Sapienza,” Rome, Italy, and is fluent in Italian and Spanish. Her experience with subsurface utilities and other structures began in Rome where she was responsible for assuring that modern excavation activities avoided priceless 2000 year-old artifacts and other antiquities buried on construction sites.
So-Deep, Inc. © 2012 ~ 8397 Euclid Avenue, Manassas Park ~ VA 20111 ~ 1-800-422-7633
The So-Deep Companies ensure nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact our HR Coordinator at (703) 361-6005 (TTY/TDD users, call 711).
