Client Spotlight: Kyle Sorensen, Project Manager for Antea Group

For Kyle Sorensen, Project Manager at Antea Group, an international engineering and environmental consulting firm, the most rewarding aspect of his work is working with clients to understand their goals and then developing a remediation strategy that will achieve them. With responsibilities that include managing remediation and compliance related projects for a broad range of clients, seeing his projects come full-circle and reach closure is especially gratifying. “It’s a great feeling to close out a project,” he shares. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of clients. Projects include chemical and manufacturing facilities, retail petroleum sites, and even sites in the beverage industry among others. The variety has given me the opportunity to be involved in many different types of projects that have helped diversify my skillset. In addition, it’s allowed me to develop strong relationships with great people along the way.” A primary focus of Sorensen’s work includes Antea Group’s Environmental Liability Management practice, in addition to his role as a resource manager. He started working with Antea Group (then Delta Environmental Consultants) in August 2006 as a Staff Scientist, focusing primarily on site assessment and remediation projects. He later advanced to a Project Professional before being promoted to Project Manager. Prior to joining Antea Group, Sorensen worked with an air emissions testing firm, where he was responsible for stationary source testing for both compliance and internal engineering purposes.

Sorensen initially became interested in environmental remediation because it allowed him the opportunity to assist in helping to preserve the environment and apply real-world solutions. He also enjoyed managing projects from conception to completion, which he takes pride in. He shares, “I enjoy being involved on projects in the beginning phases, from the remedy selection and implementation stage through the field data collection phase, data analysis, and reporting. It’s especially gratifying to receive that “No Further Action” letter in the mail.” A graduate of the University of Washington Tacoma, where he earned a BS degree in Environmental Science, Sorensen recalls how much he enjoyed his course work, especially the labs and field work, which included trips to scenic locations along the Olympic Peninsula, the San Juan Islands, and Mount St. Helens. He continues, “I really appreciated the hands-on experience. My favorite class experiences included full-day field courses where we had the opportunity to collect data, analyze it, and report our findings. My undergrad research project focused on analyzing sediments throughout the Puget Sound to try and identify mechanisms for harmful algal blooms that resulted in paralytic shellfish poisoning. The work was funded through a three-year NOAA grant that my professors and other students continued working on after I graduated.” To stay abreast of the latest technologies and industry trends he participates in internal company trainings through Antea Group, takes advantage of various webinars offered by REGENESIS and others, and attends local remediation workshops. When it comes to working with REGENESIS, he appreciates the collaborative approach they provide throughout the proposal process by designing a solution to fit the project objectives. He continues, “REGENESIS’ proposals set realistic expectations for effectiveness, and their experience in the field has greatly increased the overall success of our injections.” With regard to specific REGENESIS products and solutions, PersulfOx® and PlumeStop® are two that Antea Group uses often. He shares, “On a recent project our proposed design included an application of Persulfox®, followed by an application of PlumeStop®. Due to the successful application of PersulfOx®, the site was able to achieve remedial objectives following the initial application. Because of constraints with the project closure timeline, the follow-up application of PlumeStop® was implemented to ensure rebound didn’t occur, in order to meet the project closure milestones. We’ve also started to integrate PetroFix^® into our project work as well.”

Residing in Charlotte, NC, where he works out of the Antea Group office, Sorensen enjoys the fact that he’s worked on projects in several areas of the Southeast and Eastern U.S., including the Caribbean. He shares, “I have had an opportunity to work on project sites from the Florida Keys to Rhode Island. One location that stands out was the week I was able to spend in the Bahamas doing a Source Water Vulnerability Assessment.” Married to his wife Kathy, the Sorensens are parents to a two-year old son along with their two Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Outside of work, he and his family enjoy trips to the mountains of North Carolina where they take advantage of the many outdoor trails and local breweries. He also enjoys playing golf and is a huge fan of Clemson Football and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. In addition, he and his wife are involved with several local charities. He shares, “We support a variety of volunteer organizations that are close to our family and community, including Toys for Tots, Kids First of the Carolinas, and the Colon Cancer Foundation.”  Sorensen continues, “Our company gives all employees the opportunity to volunteer for a charitable organization during the workday once each year. I’m looking forward to our upcoming volunteer event with “Operation Christmas Child” through Samaritan’s Purse.”

When asked about the most demanding part of his work, project deadlines and stakeholder management are top of mind. He continues, “One of the biggest challenges is juggling evolving project schedules with available resources to meet client and regulatory timelines. Working with trusted partners like REGENESIS is a key strategy to successfully manage these challenges.” And what does he see the future hold for environmental remediation? “We are always looking for better ways to increase performance and reduce client costs,” he says. “The advancements in data management, visualization, and high-resolution site characterization have offered exciting ways for our project teams and our clients to efficiently optimize and understand their EHS data, and I expect to see these trends continue.” Regarding how he would encourage others to join his field of study, Sorensen feels hard work and exposure to the industry are especially important. He concludes, “Work hard and try to get involved in as many different remediation projects as you can. The field experience you gain early in your career will only make you a stronger project manager when the time comes.”

REGENESIS is proud to have Kyle Sorensen, Project Manager for Antea Group, as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates his highly diverse experience and knowledge base in providing successful remediation outcomes for REGENESIS and its clients.