Category Archives: Where It All Began

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Looking to the Future

It takes every single team member to make a firm work to the success of our client’s projects, and to maintain a healthy Alpha Testing. At nearly 400 team members strong, leadership plays a key role in the overall success of Alpha’s operations and plans for the future.

Alpha’s Board of Directors established the new Associate Principal position for selected senior positions, to recognize leadership both in past achievement and in defining future expectations. Mark McKay, PE and Joe Culley SET have been promoted to, and are the first, Associate Principals of Alpha Testing, Inc.

Since joining Alpha, both have embodied the Alpha Mission – “to embrace and solve challenges”. Mark McKay, PE has advanced to Director of Geotechnical Engineering. Joe Culley, SET has advanced to Houston Region Manager.

Join me in extending congratulations to Mark and Joe!

Alpha Testing

Founder’s Award – 2019

Alpha Testing’s Founder’s Award is given annually to those who best epitomize the Mission, Vision, and Core Values of Alpha. Congratulations to this year’s recipients: Henok Abebe and Samson Ayalew (Dallas), Nicole Hall (Fort Worth), Mark Lanham (Houston), and Andrew Lamb (San Antonio).

Founder Awards

Alpha Testing

A Very Merry Alpha Christmas

Our Alpha Testing family has been celebrating the Christmas season over the past two weeks. From bowling to mechanical bulls to go karts, and of course a photo booth or three, a great time was had at each office’s party. Take a look at some pics from the events in the slideshow below!

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Alpha’s Festive 4th!

Our Alpha family celebrated the 4th of July a little early last week, taking the opportunity to enjoy some food, fellowship, and even a photo booth! Here are some of our favorite pictures from the celebrations!

 

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We Are Alpha.

Family milestones matter.

Marriage.  Birth.  Baptism. Graduation. Anniversaries. Leaving home. Reunions – just to name a few.

At work, we continue our internal celebration of our 35th anniversary this year.  In looking back, there are so many events, clients, and projects that could each be lifted up as key points in our history.

We decided to call out the Alpha Testing milestones that have resulted in new offices and a new sense of ‘family,’ as we have grown beyond the original office.  Today, we have Alpha ‘family units’ in Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and multiple locations in Dallas.

The professional growth steps involved have paralleled many of the life milestones we all share.

Brian, Ken, Tony and I encourage and celebrate that ‘tribal’ sense of belonging that comes from being a part of an Alpha Testing regional operation.   Look around, and you can proudly say “WE are Alpha today.” Celebrate the success and the unique aspects of your region!

We hope you join us in celebrating the other Alpha teams in Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Dallas, Balch Springs, and Farmers Branch.  We – all of us – are Alpha Today.

It is an honor to work alongside each of you, in every location, as we all continue to reach toward our Vision 2020 goals!

Jeff Wilt, PG
Executive Principal

We Are Alpha

Alpha Testing

35 years. Thank you.

Alpha TestingI am, however politically incorrect, a devotee of the internal combustion engine (ICE), and the vehicles that they power.  You can have your battery powered anything, golf carts included. But I digress.

As a fan of the ICE, I subscribe to Top Gear (automobiles) and Rider (motorcycles) magazines in the print, actually-mailed-to-me editions.  In the last quarter, these monthly publications celebrated their 300th and 500th issues, respectively.  If Alpha Testing ® was a magazine, Alpha would be publishing our 420th issue this month.

There was some commonality in the content within these two milestone publications, and I find some commonality with Alpha itself as we contemplate our first 35 years.

Each magazine celebrated the original and continuing purpose that would set the magazine apart, the purpose that set the USP for each, the one that made the original staff believe they could fill an unmet need and be valid in an already overcrowded market.  Alpha faced the same challenges, and also celebrates our USP – being first in service, by embracing and solving client needs daily.

Each magazine featured some retrospective aspect, touching on the evolving products, haircuts, and fashion over the years.  All this in an attempt to both laugh at themselves and to provide context and continuity to the reader.  Alpha has been there through it all as well – you should see the pictures – continuously providing trusted engineering that clients use to drive the success of their businesses.

Each magazine boldly states that they remain committed to bringing the best in investigative, creative, and entertaining news to their subscribers, as their industries continue to evolve.  Alpha also brings the best in investigative studies, and is constantly finding creative solutions for our clients in an evolving market.

We are, however, still working on that ‘entertaining’ part.

Each magazine closed with a sincere thank you to their client base, as will I.  Without their subscribers, and Alpha without our clients, the numbers 300, 420, and 500 never would have been reached.

35 years.  I thank you sincerely.

Jeffrey G. Wilt, PG
Executive Principal
Alpha Testing, Inc.

Alpha Testing

The End of an Era!

After 34 years —- Alpha Testing Principal David “Pat” Stettner has officially entered the world of retirement! Alpha celebrated Pat and his wife Rena with a luncheon at our Dallas office last week.

Pat was one of the first employees hired by Alpha’s founder, Jim Hillhouse, joining Alpha on November 7, 1983 when the company was only eight months old. He wore every hat imaginable in his 34 years with Alpha, including project management, IT, accounting, and sales, just to name a few. He also was responsible for opening our San Antonio and Houston offices.

“The last 34 years have been the best 34 years of my life. I have totally enjoyed my work and the people I have had the pleasure of working with at Alpha Testing, Inc. I would not have been able to accomplish what we accomplished without the support I received from you all.” Pat Stettner, Principal

“No single person at Alpha has been more in tune with making sure a client was served properly than Pat Stettner,” said Jeff Wilt, Executive Principal.  “It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Pat for the last 11 years.”

Congratulations, Pat! Time to enjoy the good life!”

Pat Stettner - Retirement Luncheon

Alpha Testing

Founder’s Award – 2017

Alpha celebrated Christmas in each of our service regions throughout December. As part of these celebrations, Alpha awarded our 2017 Founder’s Award to five very deserving members of the Alpha family. This award is given annually to members of our staff who exemplify the Mission and Vision of Alpha Testing.

Thank you to David Schledorn (Dallas), Amber Williams (Dallas), Mahsa Hedayati (Fort Worth), Sergio Quintero (Houston), and Colin Dlugosh (San Antonio) for being wonderful examples of the “Alpha Way!”

Check out our Facebook page for pictures of our staff celebrating the Christmas season!

Alpha Testing

Alpha Testing

ENR Top 500 Design Firms – 2017

Alpha TestingWe did it again – and we did it better! Alpha Testing ranked #308 on the 2017 ENR Top 500 Design Firms. That’s 26 spots higher than last year! We are honored to be among the top firms nationally ranked and recognized by ENR. This growth would not be possible without our outstanding clients, Alpha team, and leadership. We thank you!

Alpha Testing, Inc

2016 Founder’s Award

Alpha Testing, IncEach year at our annual Christmas parties, it has been an Alpha tradition to recognize those who embrace “The Alpha Way” with the Founder’s Award. This year’s recipients of the 2016 Founder’s Award are Chris Pape (Dallas), Rickey Ferguson (Dallas), Gerry Holguin (Fort Worth), Gregory Gilbert (Houston), and Gabi Hernandez (San Antonio). Congratulations to all and thank you for your exceptional service!Alpha Testing, Inc