Who We Are
Our Vision
Our vision is to use the highest standards of professional engineering to satisfy the needs of property owners, general contractors, industrial clients, and transportation agencies. All our engineering projects include global stability calculations, something that is seldom done in the U.S., and we strictly conform to all appropriate codes and standards in our industry. Our vision encompasses being a friendly, easy company to do business with, with our customer’s satisfaction always directing us.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: we strive to be the #1 consulting engineering company in North America that specializes in earth retention projects such as retaining walls, reinforced steep slopes, and similar applications. Additionally, the second division of Earth Retention offers the products used in these projects, such as geogrids, geotextiles, and wire facing systems, at competitive prices – all Made in America. Our products are all fully tested in U.S. laboratories and have the highest material properties available.
Our Core Values
The Culture of Excellence
- Offer our clients common-sense designs, always looking for value-engineering opportunities while adhering to all standard factors-of-safety.
Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
- Treat our clients as if they are our partners and team members.
- Consider our employees as part of our corporate family.
- Develop strong, long-term relationships with our suppliers.
Positive and Rewarding Work Environment
- Share all information with our employees related to company performance, long and short-term goals, our strategic business plan, and give them full opportunity to share their ideas, problems, and personal goals with senior management.
- Implement on a regular basis a recognition program for employees who attain excellence in measurable categories.
Continuous Quality Improvement
- Offer each of our employees the opportunity to receive more education related to their job function.
- Identify opportunities for improvement in design turnaround time, workflow procedures, handling project changes and design revisions, product shipping logistics, and other functions throughout our company.
- Always question: “How can we be better?”
Our Team
Chad Clark, P.E.
Chad is the founder of Earth Retention. He has 28 years of experience in the design and construction of earth retention structures and geotechnical engineering. Chad is currently licensed in 25 states and has extensive experience throughout the U.S. He has supervised the design and construction of over 20 million square feet of earth retention structures consisting of segmental block, reinforced slope, MSE precast concrete panel, cast in place concrete, soldier pile, tie-back, soil nail, and sheet pile walls. Prior to starting Earth Retention, Chad held several prominent positions at geotechnical engineering firms, geosynthetic manufacturing companies and design build retaining wall construction firms. Chad is a 1994 graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering.
Chad Clark, P.E.
Founder
Lance Carter, P.E.
Lance has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and is a registered Professional Engineer. He has more than 30 years of experience in the design, specification, and application of earth retention structures, with emphasis on segmental retaining wall and geosynthetic reinforced soil technology.
Lance Carter, P.E.
Chief Engineer
Matt Thompson, P.E.
Matt has over 20 years of experience in the design and construction of earth retention structures and sound barrier wall systems in the heavy highway, commercial, government, and private sectors. His knowledge has an emphasis on sound barrier walls used primarily for state DOT applications, and earth retention systems consisting of MSE precast panel with steel soil reinforcement, segmental block with geogrid reinforcement, and soldier pile and lagging. Prior to joining ERS, Matt worked for a design-build contractor specializing in the design and construction of rammed aggregate piers, rigid inclusions, helical anchors, steel piles, and drilled shaft foundation systems used for settlement control and slope stability. Matt is a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in 9 states across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Matt Thompson, P.E.
Mid-Atlantic Director of Engineering
Charles Clackett
Charles Clackett
Northeast Director of Engineering
Jim Kelley
Jim is a 1993 graduate of Florida State University with a BS degree in Psychology. He has a 26-year history in the civil engineering products industry as a sales manager for companies including Cast Crete Corp. in Tampa, RMC Allied Materials, CEMEX, Block USA, and now Earth Retention for the past four years. Jim enjoys spending time outdoors with his kids, hunting, salt-water fishing, and anywhere on a beach.
Jim Kelley
Southeast Sales Manager
Erik Pedersen
Erik is a 1994 graduate of Potsdam College in upstate NY and has a degree in geology. He is a seasoned sales manager with 24+ years in the hardscapes/retaining wall industry. Prior to coming to Earth Retention, he worked for Oldcastle APG and EP Henry, expanding both new commercial segmental retaining wall markets and developing top-producing sales teams. Erik resides in Bethesda, MD with his three children, wife of 19 years & their golden doodle.
Erik Pedersen
Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager
Jeremy LeBlanc
Based in Galveston, TX, Jeremy brings over 20 years of experience in sales and project management, specializing in wall design and construction. His extensive career includes roles such as Estimator, Sales Manager, Senior Project Manager, and Division Director at Greenrise Technologies. Jeremy has also served as Construction Manager for reputable companies like Paver Connection and Pro Pavers. He is passionate about building lasting connections in the construction and geotechnical industries. He thrives on fostering relationships while sharing his expertise and enthusiasm for wall design and construction solutions.
Jeremy LeBlanc
Southwest Sales Manager
Jeremy Davidson
Jeremy had an extensive career in architecture before switching fields and joining Earth Retention when the company was formed. He joined the company as an engineer, and now has ten years of experience in designing earth retention structures. During the ten years, he played a major role in hiring, training, and managing most of the engineers with us today. He is now the Design Operations Manager. He enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking and scuba diving, plus being outdoors with his wife and three young daughters.
Jeremy Davidson
Design Operations Manager
Yulin Luan, P.E.
Yulin joined Earth Retention in 2016 after graduating from Georgia Tech with an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering. She gained experience and knowledge in designing earth retention systems while developing her career at Earth Retention. Yulin is a registered professional engineer in Washington State and California.
Yulin Luan, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Susan Rafalko
Susan Rafalko, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Ericka Williams
Erika, E.I.T. is an engineering star performer at Earth Retention. She is a graduate of Ohio State University with a B.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering, and minors in Construction Engineering and Mathematics. In college she was very active in the Alpha Omega Epsilon sorority. Erika is currently a Volunteer Archivist for National Archives and Records Administration.
Erika Williams, E.I.T.
Project Engineer
Nick Thiel, P.E.
Nick is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and has been with Earth Retention since 2017. He graduated from James Madison University with a major in Engineering and a minor in Mathematics, and has prior experience in site civil engineering, environmental engineering, and construction. He was raised and currently resides in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and enjoys spending time outdoors and with his family in his free time.
Nick Thiel, P.E.
Project Engineer
Thao Truong
Thao Truong is a staff engineer specializing in the design of geogrid-reinforced retaining walls and over-steeped slopes. She received her engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019. Having passed her FE exam in 2020, she is now an E.I.T. Engineer, on her path to achieving PE status in a few years. Thao is from Vietnam and has been on the Earth Retention team since 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, chess and traveling.
Thao Truong, E.I.T.
Project Engineer
Omkar Shirke
Omkar graduated from University of Texas at Arlington in 2019 with a Masters in Construction Engineering and Management. His educational background includes civil engineering, design of earth structures, concrete design, and project management. Omkar has also achieved full certification in Oracle’s Primavera P6 enterprise project management software. As an Engineer in Training (EIT) aiming to achieve his P.E. License, he has over 2.5 years of experience at Earth Retention and is now applying his university education in solving real world engineering problems. In his spare time, he enjoys solo-traveling, hiking, cycling & camping.
Omkar Shirke, E.I.T.
Project Engineer
Alex Poole
Alex Poole
Design Technician
Robert Cupp
Robert graduated from Ashworth University’s Computer Aided Design Technician Program. He has been a senior CAD operator at Earth Retention for 3.5 years and supports the engineering team. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, traveling and cooking (he was a former chef for 10 years).
Robert Cupp
CAD Operator
Alpana Gantayet
Alpana is an expert at manipulating construction project search platforms for the generation of sales leads for Earth Retention’s sales team and our clients. She is based in her Indian office and communicates with our management team in the U.S. daily. She has a MBA in Marketing from Indian Institute for Technology & Management (ITM) and Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Telecommunication from Jagannath Institute for Technology & Management (CUTM) India. Her previous professional background includes significant positions at Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (Times Group), Reliance Securities and Fugro Survey India Ltd. Alpana has two children, a husband who is a Naval Submarine Officer, and lives on the coast of northeast India.
Alpana Gantayet
Market Research Analyst
Jennifer Tolan
When she’s not driving marketing initiatives, Jennifer loves to trade her desk for a beach chair, soaking up the sun with a good book in hand on a beach.
Jennifer Tolan
Marketing Development Manager
Denise Kirk
Denise Kirk
Administrative Coordinator
Igor Ognjenovic
As a Principal at IBI Investments/DBA Aberdeen Steakhouse, Igor Ognjenovic spearheaded financial policy development, ensuring compliance and efficiency while overseeing general ledger maintenance, budgeting, and financial reporting. Prior to that, he served as a Technical Project Manager at Proxim Solutions, where he streamlined agile project management processes to drive operational improvements.
In his role as Assistant Controller at Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Igor Ognjenovic managed financial statements, audits, and accounting staff training, leading initiatives that enhanced reporting accuracy and operational productivity. His tenure in various accounting roles has equipped him with deep expertise in financial reconciliation, forecasting, and process optimization.
Igor Ognjenovic holds a Master’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Phoenix and a B.S. in Operations Management Engineering from Belgrade University.
Igor Ognjenovic
Controller
Rodolfo Nicholas
Rodolfo is originally from Veracruz Mexico and has worked in construction for over 18 years. Rodolfo oversees shipping, receiving, packing and delivery, and has worked with Earth Retention since 2015. In his free time, Rodolfo enjoys spending time with family, visiting people in need, and volunteering at his church.
Rodolfo Nicholas
Material Handler
Revolutionizing the way you think about retaining wall projects.
Leverage our industry expertise and robust supply chain to complete your project on time, within your budget, built to last.
Contact Us
Reach out via our website, or give us a call. We’ll give you our full attention, and find solutions for all your project needs. Let us help you get your next project off the ground!
Make A Plan
We understand your project’s distinct needs and craft a plan to tackle them. Going beyond consulting, we join you on the journey from start to finish – gathering feedback and providing insight every step of the way.
Design Your Project
Our team is here to craft the solutions you need. From consultation and design, all the way through sourcing materials, we are prepared to build whatever your project entails.
7 Biggest MSE Retaining Wall Mistakes & How To Avoid Them
To help you avoid painful and costly mistakes, we’ve created this PDF.