Earth Systems is pleased to announce the appointments of two new Vice Presidents, Amir Khodadadi, PE, and Nick Zoetewey, PE, GE. Amir and Nick reflect Earth Systems’ commitment to providing technical excellence and outstanding service to our clients, along with initiative and guidance for junior staff members. We are excited to have them join our management team.
AMIR KHODADADI, PE – Vice President
Amir Khodadadi, PE, is based in Earth Systems’ Fremont office and specializes in materials testing and inspection. Born and raised in Iran, Amir attended a technical high school that focused on construction, which he credits with sparking his interest in the quality control aspects of the construction process. “The courses were all taught by civil engineers, and they gave us the opportunity to tour their projects, exposing us not only to construction but to the engineering and quality control that goes into every project.” Amir majored in civil engineering in college, and upon graduation worked as a structural engineer for several years before moving to the United States in 2008. While obtaining his civil engineering credentials in the U.S., he gained experience in laboratory materials testing as well as field testing and special inspection, eventually working on several high-profile projects in the San Francisco Bay area.
Amir attributes his success to his background in both structural engineering and construction, which has allowed him to fully understand how the design, construction, and quality control elements must be fully integrated for the best project outcome. Amir’s philosophy is to treat each project, and each client, with honesty and integrity, thereby building relationships that can last a lifetime.
“In construction, we are a team. It is important to build trust and work together. The nature of construction is that not everything goes smoothly all the time. But if something goes wrong, we work together to fix it. Teamwork is the key to making each project a success.”
NICK ZOETEWEY, PE, GE – Vice President
Nick Zoetewey, PE, GE is a geotechnical engineer with Earth Systems’ San Luis Obispo office. In the Zoetewey household, civil engineering has always been a family affair. Nick grew up listening to his grandfather’s stories about working as a civil engineer for the Port Authority in New York City and was particularly fascinated hearing about the tunnel projects his grandfather was involved in. He says he always knew he wanted to be an engineer from an early age but didn’t focus on geotechnical engineering until he attended a career fair while a student at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. He applied to Earth Systems as an engineering intern, which cemented his interest in the profession. After graduation, he worked for several years for a consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay area before returning to San Luis Obispo to rejoin Earth Systems as a project engineer.
Nick specializes in geotechnical investigation and consultation for public works, schools, airport projects, and projects with difficult soil conditions, such as sites where deep foundations or ground improvement may be needed, or where situations are present such as unstable soils or high groundwater.
“My favorite part of the job is working with the soil and developing solutions for my clients that are cost-effective and constructible using local resources. Delivering the product on time is very important to me. I enjoy being the “go-to guy” when my clients have concerns of a geotechnical nature that they think I might be able to help them with. I love the San Luis Obispo County area, and I want to be a resource for our community.”
