EMA’s Principals, Cheryl Johnson, President and Chief Engineer, and David Divoky, Founder and Chief Scientist, are specialists in the engineering and science of coastal, riverine and lacustrine (lake) flooding. The firm and its staff of engineers, scientists and technicians provide surveying and floodplain mapping services to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as state and local governments. EMA, founded in 1983, is regarded as one of the nation’s leading engineering firms in the fields of coastal hydraulics, hydrodynamics and numerical modeling.
Watershed Concepts was formed in March 2000 from its parent firm’s former Water Resources group. Watershed Concepts is a division of Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, Inc., of Roanoke, Va. The Greensboro company is a provider of engineering and technical services relating to digital mapping and interpretation for floodplain delineation and analysis. The firm is currently engaged as principal contractor for floodplain mapping of the State of North Carolina and establishing access to the digital maps via the Internet. Watershed Concepts and EMA have collaborated on a number of projects, including the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program.
Johnson and Edelman agree that the combined strengths from the merger will make "a truly well-rounded, full-service water resources team" that, according to Edelman, will further "solidify Watershed Concepts’ emerging position as a national leader" in the important field of floodplain management and related Geographic Information Services.
EMA will continue to operate from its Florida base and maintain its name identity during the transition of ownership and operations. Edelman said no personnel changes are planned in either company as a result of the merger.
Watershed Concepts also maintains offices in Cary and Charlotte, and in Austin, Texas. HSMM provides professional architectural, planning and engineering services worldwide with a staff of more than 460 professional, technical and support personnel. The firm, in its 56th year, is headquartered in Roanoke, Va., with other offices in Lynchburg, and Virginia Beach, Va., Washington, D.C., Charlotte, and Raleigh, N.C., and Florence and Spartanburg, S.C.
Source: Watershed Concepts
