Industry leaders have joined the firm during the expansion. Raba Kistner welcomes Ryan Venable, Senior Vice President and Gulf Coast Marketplace Leader to help establish the new offices and lead the firm’s growth strategy in the region, including Houston. Bryan Landers has also joined Raba Kistner as Senior Project Manager in the Beaumont office.
The expansion is part of a broader plan to accommodate growth, efficiently serve clients, and leverage the company’s expertise in the energy sector by providing geotechnical engineering consulting, construction materials engineering and testing services, and environmental consulting services in the Gulf Coast region. The company has several projects under contract in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.
Raba Kistner’s offices in the Rio Grande Valley, Corpus Christi, Houston, and other areas also have extensive project experience with oil and gas plants and pipelines, wind and solar farms, and other sustainable energy developments. The Gulf Coast offices will also focus on flood control, municipal/institutional, commercial development, and highway projects.
“The expansion will allow us to help fulfill our company purpose of building a better world, providing local services to the region, and engaging in the community,” said CEO Chris Schultz, PE.
Ornelas has more than 25 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, management, and the execution of construction quality control testing and inspection services on major construction projects in Texas.
Venable brings to Raba Kistner a 20-year track record of achievement and experience in operations and business development for technology and engineering companies and specialized knowledge in oil and gas, petrochemical, and construction industries.
“I’m excited to join this highly respected firm, help establish the new offices, and lead the growth strategy for the region,” Venable said.
Landers has more than 25 years of experience leading geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing services for industrial, commercial, and private development projects across southeast Texas and Louisiana.
“The new offices are open and we are hiring, with the opportunity to further expand offices and staffing as we grow in the region,” Ornelas said.
Raba Kistner plans to add new employees in the region in the near future and plans to grow their offices to effectively meet the demands of their clients and provide more opportunities to their employees.
Founded in 1968, Raba Kistner Inc. has grown over the company's more than 50-year history, expanding from its corporate headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, to a firm of more than 600 employees operating across the U.S. and Mexico. Today, Raba Kistner is a company of engineers, geologists, scientists, and technologists providing project management and oversight services; environmental consulting; construction materials engineering, testing and observation; geotechnical engineering, testing, and pavement consulting; building sciences consulting; and infrastructure oversight and quality management.
