Employee Spotlight: Dave Peterson

Dave Peterson, Principal Hydrologist at REGENESIS®, plays a key role within the company. As someone central to both the sales and engineering processes, he is responsible for tracking the hydrological conditions at contaminated sites and working with engineering consultants and property owners to design solutions that are timely and cost-effective.

Based in upstate New York, Dave has amassed a deep reservoir of experience during his 20+ years with REGENESIS. As one of the “original six” who were part of the company’s launch in 1994, Dave began his association with REGENESIS as a consultant. “At that time,” says Dave, “I was running two offices of a West Coast consulting firm. I authorized paid leave to a geochemist to complete field studies for his doctoral work, and it turned out he was researching the performance of a compound which was to become REGENESIS’ first commercialized product, ORC®.”

Throughout his career Dave has had the opportunity to contribute to the overall growth and success of the company. From the ‘startup days’ in Southern California to eventually working in Europe during the company’s EU expansion. In 1999 he relocated to the Hudson Valley to be closer to the company’s expanded growth on the East Coast.

When asked what it was that made him choose a profession in groundwater and soil remediation, he is quick to point out that, even in his childhood, he had an interest in water. “As a youth, I always liked anything to do with water: boats, beaches, digging canals in the back yard, and jetting hoses into the ground. The local water company had afternoon restrictions on water use and I remember getting “reminded” by their monitors who roamed the neighborhoods on motorcycles, to turn off the water.” Years later, after graduating from Hofstra University with his undergraduate degree, he was working for a land surveyor and decided to pursue further education in engineering. He selected Adelphi University in New York for his Master’s of Science degree, since it offered a strong curriculum in water resource engineering.

For Dave, each day offers a new learning experience. “There is a constant need to do additional research to be better prepared to answer clients and keep up with progress in the remediation industry,” he shares. In addition to the ongoing learning offered at REGENESIS, Dave enjoys other rewarding benefits as well. “One of the coolest perks of my time at REGENESIS has been the interesting facilities I have been to while overseeing remediation applications. Sites include Department of Defense (DOD) sites, where I have seen some high-performance aircraft in flight, the Kennedy Space Center, and the Beretta arms factory in Northern Italy.”

What’s the most demanding part of his job? “It can be very hard to control the flow of demands on my time. It’s a constant juggling act requiring single-minded focus. A typical day involves collecting pertinent site data to develop designs, troubleshooting calls from appliers, directing clients on issues regarding monitoring and performance, working as a resource for the sales team, and working around business challenges,” shares Dave.

Over the years, the environmental industry has experienced tremendous change. Dave cites two significant changes that REGENESIS has been a part of, “The first is the shift away from pump and treat approaches for remediation, to the use of injectable compounds. In particular, the acceptance and wide spread use of bioremediation. The second is moving away from construction-oriented environmental engineering firms doing the bulk of the remediation work, to firms self-performing remediation, using direct-push (probe) methods and bioremediation products.”

When asked what working for REGENESIS means to him, he easily relates his work to the environment. “There’s a number of things about environmental restoration I am proud to be a part of,” says Dave, “But what I value most is my family and friends knowing that I am doing something to help society and the planet.”

REGENESIS is pleased to have Dave Peterson as part of the remediation design services team, where his experience continues to benefit the company and the clients he serves.