SmithGroup聘请水景观专家Mark Wagstaff加入芝加哥办公室

SmithGroup, one of the nation’s largest integrated design firms, has hired Mark Wagstaff, PE as a senior civil engineer and waterfront specialist at its Chicago office.  

Wagstaff comes to SmithGroup from the global engineering firm GHD and brings with him more than 20 years of experience solving complex technical issues related to land and waterfront development. A recognized authority in shoreline assessment and erosion control and prevention projects, Wagstaff has led the planning, design, and engineering of revetments, breakwaters, beaches, and habitat restoration projects across the Midwest. The most notable development of his career remains the Chicago Shoreline Protection Project—a $400 million, decade-long joint effort between the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rehabilitate eight miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan.

“Waterfront projects are often complicated and require a sophisticated understanding of how environmental factors, ecological science, and engineering intersect,” states Jason Stangland, director of SmithGroup’s Waterfront Practice. “Mark’s ability to skillfully balance these complexities while creating solutions that improve the quality of life within a community make him a valuable addition to our team.”

In his new role as senior civil and waterfront engineer, Wagstaff will serve as a leader and mentor within SmithGroup’s Waterfront Practice—a multidisciplinary team of engineers, ecologists, landscape architects and urban design experts specializing in design of complex river, lake and ocean environments in the U.S. and worldwide. Adding Wagstaff to this internationally recognized and award-winning group bolsters the company’s efforts to become the leading firm for waterfront environments in the Great Lakes region.

“One of Chicago’s most treasured resources is our lakefront. The pressures of climate change and rising water levels are creating new challenges along the shoreline. Mark’s experience addressing these complexities will enable our multidisciplinary team to continue to be at the forefront of protecting this precious amenity,” says Tim Tracey, director of the firm’s Chicago office.

Wagstaff earned a Master of Science in civil engineering with a focus on water resources engineering and science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil & structural engineering from the University of Sheffield. A registered professional engineer and an active leader within the community, he served as transportation commissioner for the Village of Wilmette from 2005 to 2013. Wagstaff is also a regular volunteer for the Friends of the Chicago River and has worked closely with Students Engaged in Engineering, a youth mentorship and development program sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois.

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