Pacific Northwest Environmental Industry Summit
Environmental Markets & Energy Transition in the Northwest in the 2020s: A Strategic Review & Executive Networking Event
Where: Washington Athletic Club, 1325 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
When: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 9am-4pm
Pacific Northwest Environmental Industry Summit IX
October 15, 2026, 9am-4 pm, Washington Athletic Club, 1325 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Presented by Environmental Business Journal and produced in partnership with 2020 Environmental Group and 2026 Summit Series Sponsors
Where: Washington Athletic Club, 1325 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101: Johnson Lobby Lounge on 1st floor
When: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 9am-4pm
(Informal networking and offsite social event follows nearby)
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Agenda: October 15, 2026
8:30 – 9:00am – Coffee/Mixer
9-10 am: Welcome & Introductions: Meeting Chair, Grant Ferrier, Editor of EBJ
PNW Environmental Market Report: EBJ & executive perspective on 2026-2027 environmental industry outlook and technology trends: Data centers; AI & digitalization; local infrastructure & resilience; remediation & PFAS.
Special Appearance by Bob Kettle, Seattle’s District 7 Seattle City Councilmember
Moderator: Grant Ferrier, with panel of regional practice leaders: Jen Martin Bouchard, VP & Director of Pacific Operations, EA Engineering Science and Technology; Melissa Asher, Northwest Operations Vice President, Geosyntec; Matt Wheaton, Department Manager Environmental Services, Terracon; others TBA including audience participation
10-11 am: Data Centers as a client category and community/political issue; energy & water infrastructure implications: EBJ market presentation and audience Q&A interaction
11-12 noon: AI, digitalization and applications in service delivery and project execution
Panelists include: Lee Lance, CEO, Ecobot; Adam Sussman, AI Advisor & CEO, FlipType; John Sohl, Founder and CEO, Columbia Technologies
Lunch in the conference room
1-2 pm: Remediation, Redevelopment & PFAS and other contaminants: Market trends in states in testing, water and remediation
2-2.30 pm: Coastal resilience, energy transition and other ‘climate’ markets
Panelists include: Gretchen Taylor, Vice President of Power and Energy, SWCA; Heather Page, Restoration and Resilience Lead, Anchor QEA
3-4.30 pm: Strategic Growth: Insights on M&A, financial partnerships and integration
Moderator: John Cowdery, Callard & Cowdery. Panelists include: Matt Henley, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Verdantas; Dan Spiers, Managing Partner, 2020 Environmental Group; Fred Vinciguerra, CEO, Forensic Analytical Consulting Services
(Informal networking event follows upstairs or nearby)
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PNW EIS IX Agenda Outline
Sessions and Interactive Panels:
- Environmental Market Report: Latest EBJ & executive perspective on key industry trends in the environmental industry and major services and client categories.
- Data Centers as a distinct client category
- PFAS Panel: Markets and Technology in Testing, Water & Remediation
- AI, Digitalization and Technology Applications Impacting Service Delivery
- Climate Resilience and Energy Transition Market Trends and Opportunities
- Strategic Growth thru M&A – Insights from Sellers and Buyers
Lunch served in the conference room and informal cocktail hour after the event
Panelists include: Matt Henley, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Verdantas; Dan Spiers, Managing Partner, 2020 Environmental Group; Melissa Asher, Senior Principal, Geosyntec; John Cowdery, Callard & Cowdery; Lee Lance, CEO, Ecobot; Jen Martin Bouchard, VP & Director of Pacific Operations, EA Engineering Science and Technology; John Sohl, Founder and CEO, Columbia Technologies; Gretchen Taylor, Vice President of Power and Energy, SWCA; more panelists TBA
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Previous panelists for reference
Grant Ferrier, EBJ
Ankur K. Tohan, K&L Gates
Melissa Malstrom, K&L Gates
Amanda Shellenberger, Anchor QEA
Chris Swan, TRANSEARCH International
Dan Spiers, 2020 Environmental Group
Dave Tiernan, TRC
Thom Morin, TRC (formerly EPI)
Gwen Santos, RES
Dave Meurer, RES
Andra Kidd, Verdantas
Annika Wallendahl, Geosyntec
Amy Essig Desai, CEO, Farallon Consulting
Jason Harris, CEO, Triton Environmental
Erich Fisher, SVP, Corporate M&A, ESA
Keith Steele, Sitka Technology Group acquired by ESA, and now VP, ESA Technology Director
Andrew Romolo, VP, Terraphase (and acquisition of Robinson Nobel in Seattle WA)
Kristi Tahmasiyan, Corporate M&A, Terracon
Nimish Desai, CEO, SoundEarth Strategies, Inc.
Gary Lester, CEO, EcoAnalysts
Ryan Liebe, President, Triton Environmental (Canada)
Rebecca Maco, VP Client Services, Brown and Caldwell
Aaron Porter, Senior Coastal Engineer, Mott MacDonald
Richard Price, Program Manager, EA Engineering Science & Technology
Clint MacDonald, SVP, Business Leader of Sonoma Technology (Spheros)
Jerry Boyd, Principal Geologist / Market Director, Remediation, TRC
Leif Embertson, President, Natural Systems Design
Taryn McKnight, VP, PFAS Practice Leader, Eurofins US
Keith Munsey, Northwest Technical Manager, Regenesis
Chris Gdak, Brownfields & Community Revitalization Leader, Montrose
Scott Slessman, Strategic Growth Officer, SWCA
Scott Wright, former Principal with River Design Group, and part of SWCA
Brian Stanford, former CEO of PBS Engineering and Environmental, and now part of Apex Companies
Paul Howard, Corporate Development Director, Triumvirate Environmental
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
2024 Environmental Industry Summit Series Sponsors
Jacobs, Terracon Consultants, EA Engineering Science and Technology, SCS Engineers, WSP USA, SWCA, Cascade, Houlihan Lokey, Alliance Technical Group, Stantec, Eurofins, MTS, Clairvest, Van Oppen & Co.2, Transearch and 2020 Environmental Group
COMPANIES THAT HAVE ATTENDED IN THE PAST
2020 Environmental Group, AECOM, Anderson Environmental Contracting, Apex Companies, Atkinson Construction, Brooks Applied Labs, Cascade Drilling LP, CDM Smith, CH2M, CleanAir Engineering, Clear Water Services, Confluence Environmental Company, Durham & Bates Insurance, Durham and Bates Insurance, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, PBC, EcoAnalysts, Ecology & Environment, Ecology and Environment, Inc, Ecology and Environment, EDR, EHSI, EHS-International, Employment Security Department, WA, EMSL Analytical, Environmental Business Council of New England, Environmental Business International, Environmental Partners, Environmental Risk Information Services, Environmental Science Associates , ERIS – Environmental Risk Information Services, ERM, ESA, Farallon Consulting, Forensic Analytical, Four Twenty Seven, Geosyntec Consultants, Global Remediation Solutions, Great Lakes Environmental & Infrastructure, Heritage Environmental Services, ICF, ICF International, Idaho Laser Labs, Intergral Consulting, JACOBS, Kane Environmental, Kinnetic Laboratories, Kinnetic Labs, Landau Associates, Marine Taxonomic Services, Maul Foster & Alongi, Mead & Hunt, Montrose Air Quality Services, Montrose Air Quality Services, NextGen Today, North Wind Group, Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC), NRC Environmental Services, Pace Analytical Services, Pacific Groundwater Group, Parametrix, PBS Engineering and Environmental Inc., PBS Environment and Engineering, POWER Engineers, PPV, Psomas, Ramboll, RIDOLFI, Safe Environment of America, Salient CRGT, Sandberg Consultants, SCS Engineers, Shannon & Wilson, Inc, SLR, SLR Consultants, Sound Transit, SoundEarth Strategies, Stantec, Stell Environmental, Stoel Rives, StormSensor Inc., SWCA, SWCA Environmental Consultants, Terracon, Terracon Consultants, TestAmerica, TestAmerica Laboratories, TRC, Trinity Consultants, TRS Group, U.S. EPA, Van Oppen & Co. 2, Verdant Web Technologies, Virgina Mason, WaterTectonics, Wash DOT NW
