Hanson Senior Project Manager Mike Todorovic, P.E., couldn’t resist the pull to join the U.S. Navy after his uncle, who served in the Navy Special Forces, told him, “The Navy has the best food.”
All culinary preferences aside, Mike, who works in Hanson’s Chicago regional office, built the foundational skills for his career during his time in the Navy (four years) and U.S. Navy Reserves (eight years) as an aerographer’s mate first class. “My time in the service helped me develop my leadership style,” he said. “It allowed me to manage financial capital and human capital in a highly regulated and complex organization, and it is the basis for my personal core values. It also taught me not to rely on the interpretations of others — and look up the regulations myself — which has been invaluable in my career.”
Serving our country in the military is a special calling — one that deserves recognition. In honor of Veterans Day, we pay homage to the retired and active military among Hanson’s ranks. Several of the employees who have served our country responded to a call to share their stories.
Kyle Geitner, P.E., a civil engineer in the Houston office, served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than five years and was honorably discharged as an E-5 sergeant in 2012.
“I remember being in my senior year in high school, thinking about the Marines who were in Iraq,” Kyle said. “I wondered, if people stopped enlisting, what would happen to those out there fighting the war. Would they have to stay? Would they have no one to replace them? At that moment, I decided I would join and take the place of those Marines fighting so they could have the chance to come home.
“I always knew I wanted to become a Marine,” he added. “It was important to me to serve my country in a time of war, and it also helped me pay for college.”
Wisdom gained from war
Family history in World War II inspired Michael Quill, P.E., Hanson’s digital delivery manager for surface transportation who works in the Chicago regional office, to enlist. Both of his grandfathers and several great-uncles served overseas, and he grew up mesmerized by their stories and heroism. He joined the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps as a college undergraduate, earning a commission as an officer when he graduated in 2006. While serving four years on active duty as a surface warfare officer, he led divisions on two ships: a destroyer and a minesweeper.
“My time in the Navy allowed me to grow as a person in ways I could have never imagined,” Michael reflected. “I was given immense responsibility at a young age, which taught me how to dig deep and prove to myself how capable I could be. I worked and lived with individuals from all walks of American life and experienced cultures around the world. I had adventures that most people would only see in a movie, like refueling alongside an aircraft carrier at night in rough seas.”
Hanson Vice President and Government Market Development Lead Daryl Davis, who works remotely in Little Rock, Arkansas, served in the Navy for 23 years, ultimately as a command master chief, and had the opportunity to surface at the North Pole while serving in the submarine force.
“The camaraderie of those I served with, who consistently said yes to deployments in service of our country, inspired me to grow as a leader and shaped the person I am today,” Daryl said, adding that he is fortunate to work for a firm “that is making a difference for warfighters and their families.”
Military memories
From travel to flying beans, Hanson’s retired servicemen brought home a variety of memories from their time overseas.
Michael recalled: “I still often think about the night sky at sea. Nothing is more humbling or awe-inspiring. I’ll also never forget watching a hammerhead shark swim alongside the ship while entering the crystal-clear waters of Pearl Harbor.”
In 2009, Kyle was in Iraq, performing his duty of burning the trash from the forward operating base where he was stationed. “We had to burn all the waste outside the wire and were in full armor and armed,” he said. “While burning the waste, a buddy and I were talking and joking around when, out of nowhere, something started to explode near us. We took cover and started to inspect the area. That was when bits and pieces of pork and beans started to fall on us. We realized someone had put unopened cans of beans in the waste, and they had exploded while in the fire pit. Once we relaxed, we started laughing. The Marine Corps was a great experience for me, and I made lifelong bonds with my brothers who I served with.”
Speaking of food, Mike — whose uncle persuaded him to enlist with the promise of irresistible cuisine — ended up forming his own conclusion about military menus.
“The Navy does not have the best food,” he said. “The Air Force does.”
Read about our military aviation veterans on the Ascend blog.
Hanson’s active and retired members of the military
This month and all year, we honor Hanson’s employees who have served:
- Senior Vice President and Government Market Principal Steve Alm, P.E.
- Senior Structural Engineer Steven Beran, P.E., S.E.
- Associate Project Manager Joe Crispen
- Vice President and Government Market Development Lead Daryl Davis
- Biologist/Permitting Specialist David Diaz
- Water Resources Engineer Marian Domanski, P.E., CFM
- Civil Engineer Kyle Geitner, P.E.
- Construction Observer Zackary Genovese
- Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Risk Officer Dennis Hollahan
- Project Manager Chris Holt
- Business Development Manager Eric Menger
- Senior Project Manager Daryl Myers, P.E.
- Senior Aviation Consultant Bingham Parkinson
- Digital Delivery Manager for Surface Transportation Michael Quill, P.E.
- Senior Network Analyst Todd Snook
- Senior Project Manager Jeff Stenger
- Staff Consultant (DOT software) Carey Stranahan, P.E.
- Regional Vice President, Aviation Blake Swafford, P.E.
- Senior Project Manager Mike Todorovic, P.E.
- Aviation Civil Engineer Christopher Tutor, P.E.
- Facility Security Officer Tom Vaughan
- Vice President and Civil Practice Lead/Aviation Operations Lead Rob Waller, P.E.
- Geospatial Project Manager Austin Willis, GISP, PMP
- Assistant Vice President and Regional Aviation Lead Joe Worley, P.E.
