When
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Southwestern Division announced USACE
Galveston District Construction Control Representative Hans Miller as the
recipient of the division’s 2015 Hard Hat of the Year Award, he was the only
surprised person in the room. Believing it would take years to achieve this
professional recognition, he underestimated the measurable impacts he made
during the two years he was assigned to oversee projects along the Texas coast.
The
annual prestigious award celebrates the year’s most outstanding USACE
construction field office team member from four division offices across the
USACE Southwestern Division.
“I
am honored to have been nominated and selected for this award which signifies
an excellent achievement,” said Miller. “To have the respect and appreciation
from my compatriots is the most rewarding achievement I can attain.”
A
Corps employee for six years, he assumed the roles of both quality assurance
representative and construction project engineer on an $11 million Army Reserve
Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility in Robstown, Texas, that was initially
struggling to stay on time. Within weeks, Miller led the contractor from a path
toward default to a successful completion of the construction and finished the
project on time.
“Hans
is an excellent example to his peers and continually steps up to ensure mission
success,” said Andrew Smith, P.E., resident engineer of the Corpus Christi
Resident Office. “One could not ask for a better representation of what it
means to wear the white hard hat and be the ‘Corps Man’ on a job.”
Currently,
Miller inspects placement areas to determine if levee work is required on the
Matagorda and Corpus Christi Ship Channel projects.
Each
year, the USACE Galveston District dredges approximately 30 to 40 million cubic
yards of material from Texas channels to fulfill its mission of keeping
waterways open for navigation and commerce (benefiting 28 ports handling 400
million tons of commerce annually). As part of the dredging process, the
material collected is placed in approved disposal sites or used for other
environmentally-acceptable purposes. The most common PAs are confined but other
PAs include semi-confined, unconfined, and beneficial use sites for marsh
restoration and beach nourishment.
A
native of San Diego, California, Miller is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in
Construction Management from the University of Virginia and has completed
several quality management courses. During his free time, you can find him
golfing or fishing at some of the best spots along the Texas coast.
For
more news and information, visit http://www.swg.usace.army.mil.
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