Leading with Quality, Inspiring Confidence

Aaron Hisel-Ritz
Quality Assurance Project Manager

Q: Can you recall a specific moment or project outcome that reminded you your work directly benefits the community?

One moment that clearly reminded me my work directly benefits the community was during the completion of the SR 99 bridge. It was the final structure I served on as the lead field inspector, and although it appeared to be a relatively modest piece of infrastructure, its purpose was significant. The bridge was built nearly at grade so that a future project could excavate beneath it to complete the SR 509 expressway connection from Interstate 5 to SeaTac Airport.

Standing on that completed structure, I realized that our work on this single bridge would support not only the new rail line, but also a future regional highway connection that will reduce congestion, improve safety and shorten travel times for thousands of people every day. Seeing how this one element would unlock two major transportation improvements made the contribution feel very real and reminded me of the lasting value our work delivers to the community.

Leading with Purpose

Aaron’s leadership is hands-on and built around efficiency. On the Federal Way project, he streamlined reporting and documentation workflows, accelerating response times and enabling more agile decision-making, helping keep the team on schedule while maintaining quality standards.

Q: Can you estimate how your process improvement helped improve coordination between three contractor teams?

Although our systems evolved throughout the project, we were able to estimate meaningful improvements from the scheduling process overhaul. When we assumed responsibility for the daily inspection schedule, the existing method of capturing updates wasn’t as effective as it could be.

I worked with the prime contractor to implement a formal inspection request system that required production teams to submit next-day needs. This enabled us to generate a consolidated, accurate schedule that was distributed to the owner, contractors and all jurisdictions with inspection authority.

As a result, we reduced schedule conflicts by an estimated 60 to 70 percent, cut daily schedule preparation time by more than half and significantly improved transparency for all parties. The new system ultimately became the governing daily schedule for the entire project and materially improved coordination between the owner, contractors and the quality team.

This focus on improving processes has been a constant throughout his career. Earlier on a major airport runway replacement, Aaron developed clearer sampling and testing methods that made results easier to apply in the field, changes that still inform project quality processes today.

His technical expertise spans specialized areas like post-tensioned concrete, masonry and shotcrete inspection — skills he’s built through continuous professional development and industry certifications that keep him at the forefront of quality assurance practices.

Investing in Others

Aaron’s greatest professional achievement isn’t a project milestone or a technical innovation. It’s watching the people he mentored step into leadership roles of their own. Many of the inspectors he’s coached have advanced into project management and supervisory positions, carrying forward the same approach to quality and collaboration he modeled for them.

On every project, Aaron promotes cross-training and teamwork to ensure that quality isn’t just managed but shared.

Q: What advice do you give to new inspectors starting their first major assignment?

My advice to new inspectors starting their first major assignment centers on three principles.

1. Do not be afraid to say you do not know.
   No one arrives with all the answers, especially on a large and complex project. The strongest inspectors are the ones who ask questions, seek clarification and use the knowledge of others to make sound decisions. Admitting uncertainty and requesting support is a sign of professionalism, not weaknes2.

1. Protect your integrity at all times.
   Our work relies on trust, transparency and accountability. Mistakes will occur, but what matters is how you respond. Be honest about what happened, communicate early and take corrective action. Consistent integrity will earn the respect of contractors, engineers and owners

1. Stay curious and continually expand your understanding.
   Pay attention to how the work is built, not just to the portion you are inspecting. Ask why something is done a certain way. Look for opportunities to improve processes or communication. When you try something new and it does not work perfectly, treat it as progress toward a better solution. Persistence and curiosity are what drive meaningful improvements in our field.

The best part of my job is seeing people gain confidence in what they do. When someone you’ve coached starts leading others, that’s a great feeling.

Grounded in Community

Outside of work, Aaron serves as a volunteer leader with his son’s Boy Scout troop, guiding young people through outdoor challenges, skill development and community service projects. The parallels to his professional life are unmistakable: setting clear expectations, building confidence through hands-on experience and teaching others to take ownership of their work.

Q: What about scouting resonates most with you? Any moment with the Scouts that feels similar to leading inspection teams?

What resonates most with me about scouting is how effectively it teaches foundational life skills. The Scout Law contains twelve simple words, but they represent a complete framework for how to conduct yourself. I rely on those principles every day in my professional work, especially when leading inspection teams.

Another element that stands out is the merit badge program. It introduces scouts to a wide range of subjects and requires them to develop a working understanding of each topic before they can advance. This structure reinforces curiosity, self-discipline and goal setting. It also shows young people the value of learning something new, even if it feels unfamiliar at first.

I see a strong parallel between guiding scouts through challenges and supporting new inspectors in the field. In both situations, you help others build confidence, develop practical skills and learn how to take responsibility for their decisions. Watching people grow into capable, reliable contributors is one of the most rewarding parts of both experiences.

Whether guiding scouts or inspection teams, Aaron leads by example: steady, supportive and driven by purpose. His work with the troop mirrors his professional focus on developing leadership and accountability, values he hopes to model for his son.

A Legacy of Quality and Leadership

Throughout his career on light rail, highway and airport projects across the Seattle region, Aaron has demonstrated that quality isn’t just about compliance. It’s about care, communication and continuous improvement. His work strengthens infrastructure and the teams and communities that depend on it.

Q: What motivates you to keep raising the bar for quality and team performance?

What motivates me to keep raising the bar for quality and team performance is the pride I take in the culture we have built. Our team has worked hard to establish trust, transparency and collaboration with one another, with the contractors in the field and with the owner’s representatives. That level of trust is not automatic. It is earned through consistent follow-through, clear communication and a shared commitment to doing the job the right way.

I also believe that continuous improvement is part of our responsibility. The work will never be perfect, but if we see an opportunity to strengthen our processes, reduce risk or support the project more effectively, we should pursue it. Knowing that our efforts directly influence project success and reflect on the integrity of the team is what pushes me to keep raising the standard.

Our job is to make sure what we build lasts. That takes consistency, trust and a genuine respect for the work and for the people doing it.

Inside the A-Team: The People of Atlas

Leadership is more than a title. It’s dedication to making a meaningful impact. Inside the A-Team spotlights the professionals at Atlas who drive progress, inspire others and embody our core values. Their commitment to Life enhances the world around us by prioritizing quality and safety. With Heart, they uplift those around them. With Trust, they build strong teams and lasting partnerships and their Mastery fuels innovation and excellence. These are the people shaping the future, and we are proud to share their stories.

Elevating Construction Quality with Technology and Process Innovation

With experience leading quality acceptance programs on billion-dollar infrastructure projects like the TxDOT and FlatironDragados New Harbor Bridge, Barry Burks, P.E., is shaping how advanced technology integrates into quality workflows — helping clients reduce risk and accelerate the acceptance inspection and testing processes in the field.

Tell us about your role at Atlas and how it connects to shaping solutions for transportation infrastructure.����

As Construction Quality Acceptance Manager, my role begins with developing project-specific Quality Acceptance procedures within the Construction Quality Management Plan. These procedures establish how inspection and testing will be performed across a project’s construction lifecycle. By embedding technology, such as digital inspection forms or automated error checking, directly into those processes, we create efficiencies that save time and cost while maintaining the quality standards clients expect.��

Looking back, what pivotal experience most shaped your career in quality management?��

Working with Dr. Garold Oberlender during my master’s program at Oklahoma State University was transformative. He taught me how reducing the duration of repetitive critical path activities can dramatically impact an entire project’s construction timeline.����

That insight has driven my focus for the past twenty years: finding the smartest application of technology to reduce the duration and cost of hold point activities by speeding up inspection and materials testing. It’s about identifying bottlenecks that slow everything down and systematically eliminating them through better tools and processes.����

You’ll be speaking at on integrating technology into workflows. What’s the biggest challenge and opportunity you see in automation and technology adoption?��

The biggest hurdle is economic timing. Often, adopting new technologies requires upfront investments in equipment, software and training that may take several months to show offsetting efficiencies and cost savings.����

The key is to present stakeholders with a clear, early picture of both the costs and long-term benefits. When people understand the full value proposition, the likelihood of acceptance and successful implementation is improved. You need to build the business case alongside the technical case.����

When clients are rolling out new technologies in QA/QC, how do you help ensure processes deliver results?��

Technology is only as good as the people using it and the processes supporting it. We ensure that every technology rollout includes comprehensive initial training, then reinforce those processes during Pre-Activity meetings before each new work type begins.����

You need to embed the technology into daily workflows and provide ongoing support. The best technology won’t help if your team doesn’t understand how to use it effectively or why it matters.��

Can you share a project that highlights how Atlas delivers quality through both process and innovation?��

The new Harbor Bridge Project is a perfect example of technology and process working together. At 3,200+ feet long and 538 feet tall, it’s the longest concrete segmental cable-stayed bridge in North America. Coordinating quality across 15+ fabrication facilities presented unique challenges.����

We equipped each of our inspection staff with tablet computers and electronic forms, enabling them to complete daily inspection reports and related testing forms directly in the field. These tools reduced documentation time for inspectors while significantly reducing risks through automated error checking of test results.����

When you’re managing the quality acceptance of a $1.3 billion project with components coming from facilities across the U.S. and abroad, every efficiency matters. The technology helped us maintain consistent quality standards while keeping the project moving forward. ��

What motivates you in your work every day?��

For me, it’s seeing a well-thought-through procedure put into action in the field or lab and knowing it leads to timely acceptance of the work. It shows that the effort spent planning and preparing pays off, and it helps our projects move forward without unnecessary delays.��

Every day, we’re contributing to infrastructure that communities will rely on for decades. Knowing that our quality processes contribute to safer, more durable bridges, roads and facilities drives me.����

Outside of work, where do you find inspiration?��

I’m constantly reading journal articles and watching videos and documentaries about emerging technologies across various fields of science and engineering. Seeing how others achieve success through innovation in their work motivates me to explore new approaches in mine.����

Innovation comes from connecting ideas across disciplines and applying them in new contexts. Whether it’s materials science, automation or data analytics, there’s always something that can be adapted to improve construction quality processes.����

Barry Burks will join the panel discussion at Advancing Construction Quality 2025, October 6-8 in Nashville, TN. Discover how Atlas delivers quality at scale on infrastructure projects. Learn more

SAN ANTONIO, February 28, 2024 — Atlas Technical Consultants Inc. (Atlas), a leading infrastructure and environmental solutions provider, has been awarded a $31.7-million, independent Quality Assurance (QA) services contract by Lone Star Constructors NEX, a joint venture between Fluor and Austin Bridge & Road, the primary design-build constructor for phase 1 of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) I-35 Northeast Expansion (NEX) South Project.

“Our task is to see that this phase of the I-35 NEX South Project progresses in accordance with industry regulations and specifications,” Atlas CEO Jacque Hinman said. “We are honored to be part of the effort to improve one of Texas’s most essential highway networks and are ready to assist this exceptional project team in delivering infrastructure that improves safety and mobility and serves regional traffic.”

As the Professional Services Quality Assurance Firm (PSQAF), Atlas will institute and manage a quality assurance (QA) program to ensure that all procured services comply with federal and state standards; the scope also includes reviewing work submittals and audits. As the Independent Quality Firm (IQF), Atlas will run the QA program for the construction work, performing independent QA material testing, inspection, and audits.

With a projected April 2028 completion date and estimated construction value of $700 million, this I-35 NEX South Project encompasses 4.2 miles of toll-free enhancements along the I-35 corridor spanning from I-410 South to I-410 North. The project is funded through TxDOT’s 2023 Unified Transportation Program, a comprehensive 10-year plan guiding the development of six design-build projects within each two-year fiscal period.

The project’s incorporation of three additional elevated lanes in both directions is expected to address an increase in traffic growth on I-35 and reduce travel time.��

About Atlas Technical Consultants

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Atlas is a leading provider of Infrastructure and Environmental Solutions. We partner with our clients to improve performance and extend the lifecycle of built and natural infrastructure assets stressed by climate, health, and economic impacts. With 3,500+ employees nationwide, Atlas brings deep technical expertise to public- and private-sector clients, integrating services across four primary disciplines: Environmental (ENV); Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC); Engineering & Design (E&D); and Program Management/Construction Management, and Quality Management (PCQM). To learn more about Atlas innovations for transportation, commercial, water, government, education, and industrial markets, visit��.

Atlas Contact:
Karlene Barron
Director of Communications
770-314-5270
karlene.barron@oneatlas.com

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The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering’s $588 million Sixth Street Viaduct replacement project in Los Angeles will join the L.A. Arts District to Boyle Heights. The new bridge, to open later in 2022, replaces a 1932 structure that was retired due to seismic vulnerability and a rare chemical reaction in the cement supports. It is funded by the Federal Highway Transportation Administration and the California Dept. of Transportation, as well as city funds.

The new bridge, dubbed The Ribbon of Light, will include a 2,864‐ft‐long tied‐arch continuous concrete viaduct structure and a 193‐ft-long post‐tensioned, cast‐in‐place, reinforced concrete box girder structure at the west approach. Design was completed by HNTB and Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan. Construction is led by contractors Skanska Stacy and Witbeck.

Atlas, through its acquired company Alta Vista Solutions, is providing quality management services, engineering assessment and evaluation for quality assurance and verification, materials engineering and investigations, structural steel inspection, testing and analysis, and source inspections.

“The project challenges have been significant,” says Bahjat Dagher, Project Manager with Atlas. Downtown traffic, dealing with Los Angeles River challenges, working over and under active rail lines operated by five agencies, and managing identified and unidentified utility conflicts top the list. Alta Vista Solutions, an Atlas company, has provided continuous support to the City of Los Angeles since 2017 dealing with typical and atypical construction, fabrication, and erection adversity. “We are grateful for the opportunity to provide our services that contribute to this first-class, high-quality structure that we can be proud of for generations to come” says Mr. Dagher.

“We have traveled to remote areas in California, as well as to states like Arizona, Utah, Ohio, Oregon, Missouri, and even Canada to perform source inspection and ensure the high standards of quality are met during fabrication. Our team of specialists help ensure that fabrication processes, welding, coating, material documentation, nondestructive testing and personnel certifications comply with contract requirements. Additionally, the team performs oversight assessment and verification of in-process quality control (QC) testing,” says Mr. Dagher. In addition, Atlas, through Alta Vista Solutions, provided batch plant inspections, field inspections and materials testing for the structural concrete which included the helical ramp and the ten pairs of unique arches. These remarkable features are what will make the Sixth Street Viaduct an iconic piece of the LA skyline.

Published by Engineering News-Record (ENR)
On July 18, 2022