Liners and Covers for Agricultural Waste Storage -- Course Instructors

Course Instructors

D. Wade Anderson, P.E., M.S.
Design Engineer - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mr. Anderson has 17 years of engineering experience with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He holds a B.S. and M.S in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Mr. Anderson has developed National Specifications and Practice Standards for the use of Synthetic Liners on NRCS projects, serves as an instructor in the NRCS Liners for Animal Waste Containment Course, and is an active member in ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics. He is a registered Professional Engineer.

Dohn Berger
Director of US Sales - Engineered Coated Products a Division of Intertape Polymer Group.
Mr. Berger has 25 years of experience in the sales and marketing of polyolefin products. Dohn has 16 years of experience with Fina Oil & Chemical Division where he marketed Polypropylene Resins and 9 years of experience with both Polyethylene and Polypropylene Engineered Coated Products with Intertape Polymer Group.

Robert T. Burns, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor - Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University
Dr. Burns has 15 years of experience in environmental and agricultural engineering. Robert holds a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering, M.S. in Environmental Engineering and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from The University of Tennessee. He has worked on numerous agricultural and environmental projects in the US and abroad and has authored over 100 technical publications in the field. He is a registered Professional Engineer.

Van Dobbs
Sales Manager - Plastic Fusion Fabricators, Inc.
Mr. Dobbs has been in the thermoplastic pipe, lining and fabrication industry for 26 years. Mr. Dobbs has experience in sales, marketing, management, design and installation of HDPE pipe systems, lining systems and custom fabrications. He has a B.S. in Marketing from Auburn University.

Sheraz Gill
With the passage of SB 700 several years ago bringing the agricultural sector under air quality regulation in California, Sheraz has become one of the key persons responsible for implementing the Air District's agricultural air quality programs. These programs include the permitting and regulation of existing, new, and expanding dairies and all other agricultural operations. The Air District has been at the forefront of developing rules and policies for the regulation of air emissions from agriculture

Tej Gidda, PhD, P.Eng
Sr. Engineer - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Dr. Gidda has a PhD in environmental engineering from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He works in the biogas field, with particular emphasis on landfill and digester-related biogas projects that are implemented for greenhouse gas reductions and electricity generation. This work is focused both domestically and internationally. Dr. Gidda has authored number papers on biogas-application, in addition to a recent assessment of biogas pre-treatment technologies.

Jason Haelzle, P.Eng
Sr. Engineer - Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
Mr. Haelzle has worked in private sector consulting throughout North America for 9 years with emphasis in agricultural. Areas of expertise include facility permitting, engineering, litigation support and renewable energy related projects. He holds a degree in environmental engineering from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

B. Andy Hartman, P.G., C.P.G., M.S.
State Geologist - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mr. Hartman has 16 years of experience in soil and rock exploration with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He holds a B.S. in Geology from University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and an M.S. in Soil Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Mr. Hartman is a registered Professional Geologist in Tennessee and Georgia.

Barry Kintzer, P.E.
Engineering Consultant, VA
Mr. Kintzer has more than 30 years of experience as an agricultural and environmental engineer for USDA/NRCS. He received his B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He is a registered P.E. in Illinois and Virginia.

Andrew Mills
Marketing Manager Environmental Systems - Layfield Group Limited
Mr. Mills has been with the Layfield Group for over 20 years as an installer, product and research manager, plant manager and now marketing manager. Mr. Mills has led many development projects at Layfield including geomembrane manufacturing, secondary containment market development, and the development of the Arctic Liner, Enviro Liner, and HAZGARD brands of geomembranes. Andrew has published a number of geosynthetics technical papers, case histories, articles, and is the primary author of the www.geomembranes.com website.

Jeff PanKonie
Senior Sales Engineer - Firestone Specialty Products
Mr. PanKonie has 18 years of experience with the Firestone Building Products Company. He has more than 25 years experience in designing, installing and specifying EPDM and other membrane systems. He has recently written and had accepted two ASTM Test Standards. He is a member of ASTM, ASCE, and CSI. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Purdue University..

Clay L. Rodgers, P.G., C.E.G., M.S.
Senior Engineering Geologist - California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region
Mr. Rodgers has 4 years of experience with the Central Valley Regional Board and 18 years of experience in private consulting. His regulatory experience includes oversight of confined animal facilities and municipal solid waste landfills. His private consulting experience includes hydrogeology and engineering geology studies for landfills, compost facilities, confined animal facilities, and wastewater treatment plants. He holds B.A. and M.S. degrees in Geology from California State University at Fresno. He is a Professional Geologist and Certified Engineering Geologist in California.