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HJA Team

The professional Team at HJA includes licensed and specialty certified professional geotechnical engineers, engineers-in-training, graduate engineering geologists, ACI certified engineering technicians, and NACE certified engineering technicians for metallic coating inspections. An experienced group of support personnel is included in the HJA Team for providing CAD, word processing, human resources, general administration, and accounting services.

The following are key personnel of the HJA Team:

Management

James F. Phipps, P.E. – President / Geotechnical Engineering Department Head

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Mr. Phipps has been performing the duties of a Professional Engineer for over 27 years. In his capacity as President, Mr. Phipps is responsible for overseeing preparation of construction inspection and quality control reports for on-going projects, preparation of geotechnical field studies and investigations for new construction. This includes projects such as single-family residential development, high-rise concrete framed structures with deep foundations and below grade excavations, evaluations for both flexible and rigid paving, and distress investigations of foundations and pavements. He also conducts stability analysis of soil and rock slopes, settlement analysis of large foundations, and lateral load analysis of drilled piers.

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering: Texas A&M University, 1991
Master of Science in Civil Engineering: Texas A&M University, 1993

Licensure:

Texas - #84778
Oklahoma - #24673
Arkansas - #13944

Robert Ray, S.E.T. – Executive Vice President / Construction Materials Testing Department Head

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Mr. Ray has been with HJA since 2017 but has been in the industry since 1982. In his capacity as CMT Manager, Mr. Ray is responsible for overseeing the CMT operations in both HJA offices, reviewing and monitoring of project testing reports, cost estimate proposals, preparing revenue forecasts, project budget and invoicing, and maintaining departmental budgets and profitability while working closely with clients and contractors. His experience includes testing and observation of concrete, earthwork, masonry, floor flatness, reinforcing steel, post-tensioned concrete, non-destructive testing, tie-backs, shallow foundations, drilled pier foundations, auger-cast piles and built-up roofing.

Education:

Eastfield Jr. College

Certifications/Trainings:

NICET Level IV – Concrete
NICET Level II – Soils
ICRI – Certified Concrete Slab Moisture Testing Technician
ACI NETX Chapter – Past President
F.A.C.E. – Floor Profiler Certification

Shaun Alimbini – Vice President / Drilling Department Head / Senior Geologist

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Mr. Alimbini has been with HJA since 2004 as a Senior Geologist and has been the Drilling Department Head since 2015. Mr. Alimbini has over 20 years of total industry experience in the Austin and DFW areas. In his capacity, Mr. Alimbini is responsible for client meetings, coordination of field investigations, visual classification of all soil and rock samples, and supervision of all geotechnical drilling. Mr. Alimbini is also responsible for field mapping of excavated rock slopes and coordination of pier inspections with HJA inspectors.

Education:

Bachelor of Science in Geology: University of Texas at Arlington, 2004

Certifications/Trainings:

Deep Foundation Institute – Specialty Seminar on Soil Nailing, 2008
Durham Slope Indicator – Installation and Monitoring of Inclinometers, 2006
Troxler Nuclear Gauge Safety Training
Hazmat Certified
Environmental Site Assessments – Texas Engineering Extension Service, 2008