MRCE - Key Persons
Anthony is a structural engineer with 31 years of experience designing excavation support, bulkheads, and foundations for buildings, large water treatment structures, storage tanks, and transportation facilities. Anthony has a special focus on the inspection, rehabilitation, upgrades, and design of piers and other waterfront structures. This specialty covers permitting, analysis of wave forces, ship berthing and mooring forces, and structural upgrades to increase dredge depth. Anthony has pioneered use of precast concrete and repeat pattern designs to improve efficiency of new platform construction, and obtain schedule and cost savings.
Between 2015-2018, Anthony took a recess from his MRCE consulting career to support the NYC DOB Forensic Engineering Unit. Anthony became intimately familiar with building codes and emergency response management while giving this public service.
Education
Columbia University, BS, Civil Engineering, 1988
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Geotechnical Engineer
Frank Arland, a geotechnical engineer, joined MRCE in 1984 after serving as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was promoted to Principal in 2007. Frank is experienced in foundation design, heavy construction, and waterfront work, and has a special focus in design, construction, and maintenance of earth dams and levees.
Frank directs geotechnical and structural design projects. He works with clients to define project objectives and schedules, and allocates MRCE engineering resources. Frank works with MRCE engineers to establish project goals, field investigation needs, and outline analysis methods. He works with staff for report content and preparation, and reviews the results of laboratory testing, design analyses, and contract document preparation.
Frank has contributed as an expert witness for differing site conditions claims in soil and rock, and cases involving building damage, pile installation, bulkhead instability, and marine outfall construction.
Frank was recognized as an ENR "Top 25 Newsmaker" for 1997 for his support of the Ponce ocean outfall in Puerto Rico.
Education
U.S. Coast Guard Academy, BSCE, 1979 (Commissioned Officer)
Drexel University, MSCE, 1984
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Principal
- Geotechnical Engineer
James Tantalla, a geotechnical engineer, joined MRCE in 2002. He was the manager of MRCE's in-house Soils Laboratory from 2004-2011. He was promoted to Associate Principal in 2024.
James has managed numerous projects for bridges and transportation facilities, marine facilities, buildings and site development, water/wastewater facilities, utilities and dams. His services range from feasibility studies, geotechnical investigations, foundation recommendations, ground improvement, foundation and retaining wall designs and expert and forensic work. James supervises design and preparation of technical work including analyses and evaluations for settlement and stability projects, design calculations and reports, design drawings, construction specifications and contract drawings.
He has authored several publications on geotechnical subjects such as frozen soil characterization and slope stability analysis.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Geotechnical Engineer
Jan Cermak, a geotechnical engineer, joined MRCE in 1997. He was promoted to Associate Principal in 2015 and Principal in 2020
He has worked across the country and around the world on building, infrastructure, waterfront, and transportation projects. He has broad experience on complex geotechnical sites, and extensive experience developing innovative foundation and excavation support systems in urban environments. Jan has expertise in a number of specialty areas, including design of ground improvement and earth retention systems, advanced numerical modelling, seismic design, and forensic engineering. He brings his expertise and full commitment to each project, small or large, which has earned him the trust of private developers, foundation contractors, and municipal clients. Jan has published and presented worldwide on his geotechnical work.
Education
Czech Technical University-Prague, BS, Structural Engineering, 1993
The Johns Hopkins University, MS, Geotechnical Engineering, 1996
The Johns Hopkins University, PhD, Geotechnical Engineering,1997
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Principal
- Structural Engineer
Renzo Verastegui, a structural engineer, joined MRCE in 2003. He was promoted to Associate Principal in 2024.
Renzo has managed numerous projects for buildings and site development, commercial and educational, railroad and rapid transit projects. He specializes in design of drilled and driven deep foundations, mat foundations, flexible and rigid excavation support systems, groundwater cut-off systems, ground improvement solutions, foundation anchoring systems, underpinning of buildings and tunnels, and rehabilitation of waterfront marine structures. Renzo supervises design and preparation of technical work including design calculations and reports, design drawings, construction specifications and contract drawings.
Education
New Jersey Institute of Technology, BSCE, 2003
New Jersey Institute of Technology, MSCE, 2008
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Structural Engineer
Sitotaw Fantaye, a structural engineer, joined MRCE in 2005 with 11 years of design experience. He was promoted to Associate Principal in 2015 and Principal in 2019. Sitotaw has experience in structural design of excavation support and braced cofferdams, deep foundations, underpinning, utility suspension systems, and temporary structures such as work trestles and street decking.
Sitotaw is recognized for producing efficient structural designs and clear contract documents for geo-structures on sites with unique constraints and challenging subsurface conditions. Sitotaw has experience with the top-down method for excavation, where permanent floor plates are used for excavation support, to reduce construction cost or overcome site constraints.
Sitotaw enjoys creating value for clients, providing original innovative designs and value engineered solutions. He is actively involved in all stages of a project - technical design, development of contract drawings, technical specifications, and construction procedures. Sitotaw stays involved through construction process to provide client support at this important project phase.
Education
Addis Ababa University, Awassa College of Agriculture, Diploma, 1982
City University of New York, BSC, 1994
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Principal
- Structural Engineer
Srinivas Yenamandra, a structural engineer, joined MRCE in 1999. He served as the Supervisor of MRCE's structural foundation engineering staff from 2018-2020. He was promoted to Associate Principal in 2024.
Srinivas has been involved with a wide variety of design and construction projects in New York City and Washington D.C. He has worked on various sectors including commercial and residential developments, highway and transportation, railroads and rapid transit, aviation, and health care facilities. His experience includes design of shallow and deep foundations for bridges and buildings, waterfront and offshore structures, temporary support of excavation systems, retaining walls and underpinning systems. Srinivas supervises design and preparation of technical work including design calculations and drawings, construction specifications and contract drawings.
He is also a co-author for the Foundation Challenges and Innovative Solutions: The Wharf Phase 2, Washington, DC.
Education
M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, 1997
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, MSCE 1999
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Geotechnical Engineer
Tony Canale, a geotechnical engineer, joined MRCE in 1995. He was promoted to Associate Principal 2015 and became a Principal in 2023.
For over twenty-five years, Tony has been involved in a wide range of design and construction projects covering transportation, commercial and residential development, and public utility structures. His responsibilities extend from due diligence and subsurface investigations to design and construction phase services. He brings a collaborative spirit to his projects in an effort to develop practical and inventive solutions that meet project challenges.
Outside the office, Tony is an advocate for the engineering profession, supporting various professional engineering societies, serving as an Adjunct Professor at Manhattan College, guest lecturing at universities and leading engineering outreach programs to K-12 students.
Education
Manhattan College, BSCE, 1994
Virginia Polytechnic University, MSCE, 1995
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Geotechnical Engineer
Walter Kaeck, a geotechnical engineer, joined MRCE in 1987. Walter managed the MRCE soil mechanics laboratory for five years. He was promoted to Principal in 2015.
Walter's experience includes design of shallow and deep foundations, excavation support and underpinning structures, retaining walls and embankments, groundwater control, and ground improvement. He supervises design and preparation of technical work including geotechnical and baseline reports, construction specifications, and contract drawings. Walter has provided expert witness support resolving construction disputes.
Walter specializes in the design of dewatering systems to facilitate safe and efficient excavation below the water table. His expertise blends a technical understanding of groundwater flow theory with practical insight gained from trouble shooting and successful execution of construction dewatering. Walter's proficiency with advanced groundwater modeling tools and alternative groundwater control systems including deep and shallow wells, wellpoints, ejectors, grouting, and cutoff barriers, provides clients with effective designs suited to ground conditions and project demands.
Education
The Cooper Union, BSCE, 1987
Cornell University, M.Eng.