Coastal Plain Sediment Champions in Wall Township, New Jersey

Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc.
May 20, 2026
Wall Township, New Jersey

The training at GES, Inc. in Wall Township, New Jersey, was filled with positive energy from start to finish.

The 6.5-hour classroom session, TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF THE SUBSURFACE, provided a valuable chance to connect with professionals who take pride in their work and are committed to achieving success through quality.

One unexpected highlight of the class was discovering the Play-Doh artwork created during lunch. Some of the participants would have been strong contenders for an award in creativity and craftsmanship.

We discussed how to identify the lower contact of “Fill,” a notable feature in Coastal Plain sediments, especially where local material has been moved into excavations or landscape depressions. Because Wall Township sits on Coastal Plain sediments just a few miles from the Atlantic Coast, the subsurface offers unique conditions for studying these relationships. In fact, the site is so distinctive that we are considering drilling and collecting a soil core for further examination.

Thank you to the participants, company leadership, and managers for demonstrating professional excellence. It is an honor to support your success and the mission of GES, Inc.

Soil, Sediments, Saprolite, and Superstars in Exton, PA

Groundwater and Environmental Services, Inc.
May 18, 2026
Exton, Pennsylvania

High expectations preluded this training based on my familiarity with the people, culture, and reputation.  It amazes me when the day unfolds where my high expectations are exceeded, and this class was a great example for this.

What a fun and fruitful experience at GES, Inc. in Exton during the 6.5 classroom training, TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF THE SUBSURFACE.  

We talked about soil, sediments, and saprolite....and the class was full of superstars who already had a mastery of the concepts and procedures.   It made the training day a memorable one for me.  

The positive corporate culture was obvious and I attribute that to the leaders and management of GES, Inc. because we all know that doesn't happen by accident.  I tip my hat to the staff, leaders, and executive management who work with synergy to achieve the Vision and Mission.  Well done.

VASSAR 2026: Contaminant Fate and Transport in Fractured Bedrock (with more music weaved into the experience than any other midwestgeo event, ever)

VASSAR COLLEGE, POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK 14-15 MAY 2026
in collaboration with the NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS.

People make the difference.  This year's training, CONTAMINANT FATE AND TRANSPORT IN FRACTURED BEDROCK, at VASSAR was another example of how participants created both a meaningful learning experience but also a memorable one.

Thank you to all of the participants.  Your engagement, positive energy, and willingness to share your own experiences on the subject matter helped raise the "learning bar" based on the course evaluations.  Sometimes it takes courage to raise your hand and ask a question or share a story.  

I'm personally grateful to the camaraderie exhibited during the event, which leads to someone's thoughtful feedback saying one recommendation for future courses is to get everyone together in the evening because there's so much good momentum built during the training day.  THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK!

One of the most memorable moments for me, was the beautiful piano music played each morning before class by Cissy Ming.  That alone is a midwestgeo first, but Cissy was also willing to play after the class where she allowed me to video her playing with the rock core boxes under the piano!  Thank you, Cissy, for sharing your talent and gifts (and lots of super thoughtful questions) during the class.

Special Thank You to our friends at the NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGISTS for a fun collaboration.  I tip my hat to Kelly Weyer, John Nadeau, Gene Florentino, Mark Williams, Chris Wenczel, Robert Garfield, Cheryl Neary, Erik Gustafson, Greg Wyka, and all of the other directors and committee members.  (Thank you, Kelly, for your leadership during the courses with welcoming everyone.)

A classic VASSAR experience was also presented to the entire course at lunch when the "VASSAR DEVILS" performed a harmonious capella.  It's fun to recognize the songs but hear them sang so differently and beautifully with perfect timing and harmony.   On behalf of the entire class, we are grateful to the VASSAR DEVILS and especially Martha Barry for arranging the wonderful performance.

In fact, a special Thank You again to Martha Barry at ALUMNAE HOUSE for referencing last year's event on their dedicated webpage:  https://alumnaehouse.com/photo-gallery#events

On behalf of instructors Matt Reeves, Martin Helmke, and myself, thank you to the participants, the caterers, the performers, and Alumnae House team for helping make the event super special.  -Dan.