Chapman Construction Group, Inc.

After graduating from Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical School, where she studied electronics, Vicki Chapman went to a job interview for an appliance repair position. As soon as she arrived, the interviewer asked Vicki to hop in a truck and before she knew it, Vicki was at a job site. By the time anyone realized that Vicki was only applying for a repair job, not as an electrician, it was too late. She was already on the job.

And so began Vicki's career. She joined an electrician apprentice program and was able to join the electrical workers' union (IBEW Local 103) in 1987. This was at a time when it was quite uncommon to see women on a construction site, but Vicki enjoys her work so much that she persevered to earn the same wages and pension as her union brothers.

Vicki started her own company, Chapman Construction Group, Inc. (CCG) , in 2002, and Sue Chapman joined as CEO in 2009. Sue served in the United States Army Reserve from 1984 through 1992 as a medical specialist, including a deployment to Honduras where she provided medical aid to villagers who would walk for miles to receive treatment. She worked for a medical device manufacturing company prior to joining CCG, specializing in research, manufacturing, and quality control.

CCG is certified as a woman-owned (WBE), disadvantaged (DBE), and veteran-owned (VBE) firm. The company now works with GLXC to provide temporary power at sites throughout the Project. Vicki and Sue are excited to participate in building Boston's future. They are a small company, but being a part of a project of this scope has allowed them to purchase new equipment and grow their safety programs.

A dynamic project like this involves many unknowns and requires firms to deal with constantly-changing scenarios. If Vicki and Sue's experiences have shown anything, it's that they know how to adapt and make the most of any situation.

STEERE ENGINEERING, INC.

Patricia ("Patty") D. Steere, P.E., is the Founder and President of Steere Engineering, Inc. Her father was an engineer at DuPont for nearly 40 years, so you could say there's a tradition of engineering in the Steere family. Patty grew up in Delaware and studied Civil Engineering at the University of Delaware. After graduate school, she took a job as a structural engineer in Boston and rode the Green Line nearly every day for three years while commuting around the area.

Founded in 2010, Steere Engineering is headquartered in Rhode Island (only about an hour south of the Project), with DBE and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The company specializes in bridge contractor support; structural, highway, traffic, and environmental permitting; National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) inspection; and 3D CAD modeling and rendering.

Steere Engineering joined the GLXC team to work collaboratively with Lead Design firm STV, Inc. on designing a 1,200 foot-long pedestrian viaduct. This portion of a community path is part of an effort throughout the Project to install biking and walking pathways. Patty told us that she is excited her firm can be part of such a vast project to create sustainable, healthy, and accessible transportation in the area.

The firm is also responsible for designing a replacement bridge at School Street, as well as over 1,600 feet of retaining walls and 1,300 feet of noise barrier walls. Working on a fast-track project like GLX requires cooperation with several different firms, but Patty explained that her firm is always interested in challenging and complex undertakings. She is proud to have the experience of Bridge Department Manager Michael Adams, P.E., as part of her team to seamlessly manage all the design processes.

Steere Engineering has grown steadily since its founding, as Patty carries on the engineering tradition started by her father. Patty's daughter, Alison, is a Bridge Department Manager at the firm (working with Michael Adams) and her son, Thomas, is their 3D/CAD Specialist, continuing the legacy into a third generation.

Triunity, Inc.

Triunity, Inc. may be based in Denver, Colorado, but Marvin Thomas is firmly rooted in Massachusetts. The CEO and co-founder considers this state home. He has had a residence here since 1989 and raised his daughters in Massachusetts—both of whom work in-state now. That's why Marvin is proud Triunity has been working with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) since 2015.

After earning a degree in electrical engineering, Marvin began his career in the United States Air Force where he received training as a project manager. From there, Marvin partnered with his brother, Jonnie Thomas, who was putting his own electrical engineering degree to use working in utilities and transit systems. The two founded Triunity in 2003 and built the DBE-certified company around their expertise: program management and engineering design.

Because of their past work with MBTA, the GLX Project was on Triunity's radar for some time. They are excited to be a part of the GLXC team now as a subcontractor to STV, Inc., providing project controls, document management and computer aided design (CAD) services. Triunity specializes in Program Management / Construction Management (PM/CM), as well as Systems and Civil Engineering services for the transportation industry, including designing communication backbones and subsystems interfaces. The Triunity team enjoys bringing their extensive experience to the unique challenges of working on the oldest transit system in the country.

Besides their headquarters in Denver, Triunity also has offices in Los Angeles and Seattle, and the company has been involved with projects all across the country. Marvin estimates that Triunity has worked on nearly half of the light rail systems in the U.S., but right now Marvin's focus is close to his home state. He told us that Triunity is excited about the planned multi-use community path connecting several of the new stations and is eager to bring new transportation options to Massachusetts residents.

RL Controls, LLC

RL Controls, LLC (RLC) is a local firm based in Woburn, MA, just ten miles north of Boston. Principle/Owner Lena Walsh explained that the company was founded 28 years ago doing work that mostly consisted of running down and repairing defective signaling equipment. Since those early days, RLC has grown their field repair services to also include installation. That growth has required a diverse engineering team and supporting infrastructure, which RLC is proud to put to work on the GLX.

The firm is a certified Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in Massachusetts. RLC is also certified for the design, integration, installation, service and support of vital and non-vital electronic and communications systems for mass transit vehicles and the infrastructure required to support them.

Lena and her team enjoy doing work that has an impact on any community, but are especially excited to work on a project like this right in their backyard. "We live here, we work here and we raise our families here," Lena told us. "We are very connected to the work that is done here and we take it very seriously."

Ferreira's Towing & Recovery

What began as a small towing company in 1973 has grown into a fleet of specialized vehicles transporting oversized and heavy equipment. Ferreira's Towing & Recovery has decades of experience on major projects and its operations include the deployment of lowbed, landoll and beam trailers. The firm was certified as a Disadvantaged and Women Business Enterprise (DBE and WBE) in 2005 by the Massachusetts Unified Certification Program (Mass UCP).

Ferreira's first connected with GLXC through vendor outreach events. The firm also had prior working relationships with Keolis and Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), which are both current subcontractors on the GLX. In 2018, Ferreira's joined the GLXC team and is charged with rail equipment moves. Their brightly colored fleet can be seen shuttling between project work sites, carrying vital machinery like the rotator crane being towed in the picture below.

The sheer size of the GLX, the scope of the work being performed and the necessary coordination is remarkably impressive, Ferreira's President Mary Jo Glynn, explained to us. So far, the most challenging aspect for her team is the formidable schedule which requires working within limited time frames to get all equipment in place for GLXC team contractors.

The work Mary Jo expects from her team on this project is daunting, but beyond rewarding. “We are all impressed by the impact that this will have on our community, families and friends," she says. "My employees are eager to boast that they worked on the Green Line Extension when it's complete!"

TRANSIT SAFETY & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.

Finding the right partner can make a world of difference for any company. No one knows that better than Jean Claude Aurel, Jr.

Jean Claude graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in Industrial Engineering. After working on transportation projects in his hometown of Chicago and then Houston, Jean Claude founded his own company in 2008. Transit Safety & Security Solutions, Inc. (TSSS) is a DBE-certified firm that specializes in safety and security certification, including risk management and hazard analysis, for large-scale transit projects.

In 2010, TSSS was invited by Fluor Enterprises, Inc. (Fluor) to join a light rail project in Denver. This $2.3 billion project was the first major undertaking for TSSS and proved to be the foundation of a productive business relationship. In the following years, TSSS would continue working with Fluor on projects in Maryland and Chicago. TSSS also joined Fluor as part of the GLX Constructors (GLXC) team.

All of these new projects have allowed Jean Claude to grow his company to include over 50 full-time employees across the country. He enjoys being able to provide employment opportunities and with projects like GLX, those opportunities will surely continue to grow!

This month, TSSS supported the GLX Community Connection Team by donating supplies for a back-to-school drive. Overall, the team collected over $1000 worth of backpacks and school supplies. Items were donated to the Medford Family Network, which offers free parenting education and family support to neighborhood residents. Thank you to everyone who supported with donations!

Tools Unlimited, Inc.

This month, we spoke with Kerry Pires, President of Tools Unlimited, Inc. Kerry was born and raised in Boston and recognized an incredible opportunity to start a business in 1993. Work on the "Big Dig" was just underway, routing the I-93 highway into a tunnel through downtown Boston. There was a lot of construction going on and plenty of supplies would be required. Kerry recognized the need for a tool company that not only had knowledge of their products, but also understood how to supply a large-scale construction project in a timely and efficient manner.

Since then, Kerry and her team are always looking for new projects to join. They knew that rail undertakings like the GLX would be a great opportunity and now Tools Unlimited works with GLXC to sell various tools and construction supplies. Kerry's firm is constantly figuring out how they can best support the project and are excited to see it continue to progress.

Kerry told us that it has been rewarding to know that her company supplies materials and knowledge to this amazing project, which will affect so many people in the greater Boston area. She is proud of the work the Tools Unlimited team has done so far and wanted to give a shout out to a couple of hard workers!

Broco Oil

Robert Brown is a veteran of the United States Naval Construction Force, also known as the Navy Seabees. After his service, Robert started his own business by taking out a loan and purchasing a used oil truck. Now he is the President and Owner of DBE-certified Broco Oil, which currently has 53 employees and has expanded his single truck into a fleet of 30 trucks and service vehicles.

Broco Oil supplies gasoline and fuel for equipment and generators used throughout the GLX. The most challenging aspect of their work has been executing the dispatch of trucks into the city during designated truck hours for the City of Boston. It takes a lot of coordinating and expert dispatching to avoid traffic and make sure crucial fuel gets to the sites on time.

Robert calls the Merrimack Valley, about ten miles north of Boston, home; he was born in Wakefield and now lives in Andover, MA. Being a part of a local project like the GLX has meant a lot to Robert and his team.

"Winning the contract was by far the most rewarding moment," he says of working with GLXC. "Being a smaller company and competing with larger companies is never easy. But our level of service and commitment set us apart from the competition."

Supporting a project of GLX's scale requires strong logistics and a dedicated workforce. Fortunately, the Broco Oil team has what it takes to keep everyone else on the project fueled up.