Supporting Water Education at the Chandler Water Festival

Our employee-owners were proud to join dozens of volunteers at the 2025 Chandler Water Festival, helping local fourth graders learn about the importance of water conservation and sustainability.

Hosted by the City of Chandler, this annual event engages students in hands-on activities that highlight Arizona’s unique water challenges and the role we all play in preserving this vital resource. As an Arizona wet utility contractor, we understand the importance of reliable access to water. That’s why we’re committed to supporting community education through volunteering and sponsorships at events like the Chandler Water Festival.

We’re proud to be part of a community that values education, sustainability, and partnership in protecting our shared water future.

Celebrating the Reopening of Gazelle Meadows Park

Achen-Gardner was proud to join the City of Chandler officials, members of our project team, and local residents to celebrate the grand reopening of Gazelle Meadows Park. The event marked the completion of significant improvements made as part of our Detroit Basin/Gazelle Meadows Park Storm System and Associated Improvements CMAR project.

Completed in May, the project represents a collaborative effort to enhance both the functionality and enjoyment of this important community space. In addition to storm system upgrades designed to improve local drainage and water management, the revitalized park now features updated amenities that make it a more inviting and sustainable destination for residents.

We want to thank the residents for their patience during construction and hope they enjoy the park’s new features for years to come.

2025 ACEC Conference on Roads and Streets

We attended the 2025 American Council of Engineering Companies Arizona Conference on Roads and Streets at El Conquistador Tucson from September 24-26. Our employee-owners met with project owners, designers, and other friends in the construction industry to talk about how we can continue building better roads for Arizona.

Here are a few takeaways:

• Plan for future growth using AI, like the City of Casa Grande is doing with its Smart City App that keeps people connected to local projects.

• Good communication and creative problem-solving are key. We heard from the Town of Queen Creek about how owners, engineers, and contractors can provide great client service.

• Know the project details and keep everyone informed. Representatives from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community discussed the importance of collaboration as they continue to work on the Pima Road utility and roadway improvements within jurisdictions maintained by multiple agencies.

Thank you to all who stopped by our booth to connect with our employee-owners, take fun swag, and learn about the work we do and the value we bring to our clients. Congratulations to the winners of our grand prizes!

Smith Road is Officially Open!

We’re proud to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the City of Tempe Smith Road Infrastructure CMAR project with Mayor Corey Woods and local community members! Thank you to the City of Tempe, HDR Engineering, and our incredible employee-owners for their hard work and pride in every detail. We also thank the stakeholders who helped shape this community-focused project.

The project included new asphalt paving, fresh landscaping, drainage improvements, beautiful hardscaping, and concrete among other upgrades. This work enhanced the accessibility, safety, and functionality of Smith Road, from Apache Boulevard to University Drive. This critical half-mile street connects to major arterials and accommodates all modes of travel, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Visit the project page to learn more.

Bringing More Value to Every Project

Pictured left to right: Cody Nunez, Ken Kawamoto, Christie Hall, Casey Peery

We are an industry leader in SAVE International (SAVE) Value Methodology and have been incorporating these best practices (internally and externally) for more than a decade. 

We have four employee-owners who are certified Value Methodology Associates (VMAs) through the SAVE organization: Cody Nunez and Casey Peery, Senior Project Managers, Ken Kawamoto, Pre-Construction and Client Services Manager, and Christie Hall, Pre-Construction Manager.

Our VMAs assist project teams by using tools such as cost-benefit analyses and a risk mitigation assessment and management process to ensure that Achen-Gardner projects bring value according to our clients’ needs. They also evaluate project scope and budget details to determine any opportunities to decrease costs while maintaining the full function and scope of the project.

“Having certified VMAs on staff sets us apart because of the function-based, open mindset we bring to projects,” Casey said. “This mindset helps us bring personalized value to each client.”

“Value Methodology takes a look at many factors and how they apply to different stakeholders that will be involved in a project,” Cody said.

Connections Magazine wins State and National Awards

Pictured from left to right: Scott Kirchhofer (Business Development and Marketing Manager), Annie Treichel (Marketing Coordinator), Christy Hanzuk-Spaletta (Marketing Assistant), Cailey Jones (Proposal Manager)

We’re proud to share that Connections, our internal newsletter/magazine, recently won two awards! We received the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Marketing Communications Award and the Arizona Chapter SMPS Phelix Award for Newsletter/Publication!

The purpose of the Connections bimonthly magazine is to allow Achen-Gardner employee-owners to feel seen, heard, informed, and appreciated by listening to them and telling their stories in a way that connects us all. It serves as a tool to reinforce our company values, celebrate achievements, and share stories about and from our employee-owners. This magazine has a modern aesthetic. It features English and Spanish storytelling with digital innovation and interactive elements, offering an experience that resonates with diverse reader interests.

We love that Connections creates a bridge between departments, teams, and leadership, ensuring every employee-owner feels informed and valued. From celebrating milestones to spotlighting individual team achievements, each issue is carefully crafted to reflect the diverse voices at Achen-Gardner. The use of mixed media, such as digital links, QR codes, and print visuals creates an engaging and accessible experience for all readers. This approach to internal communication is what set Connections apart from the competition.

Wearing the Difference

Achen-Gardner recently replaced all of our employee-owner’s Type I hard hats with new Type II safety helmets. Aric Smith, Achen-Gardner Safety Manager, and his team are always searching for new personal protective equipment and high-quality products for our employee-owners. “If you’re looking out for your people, you get them the best,” Aric said. 

2025 Arizona APWA Statewide Conference

Our employee-owners joined more than 800 industry professionals from across Arizona to network and celebrate public works at the 2025 Arizona Chapter American Public Works Association (APWA) Statewide Conference. Highlights included:

• We were a Platinum Sponsor, Public Agency Sponsor, and Prize Drawing Sponsor. We shared information about our project experience and services, and our booth hosted games and giveaways with fun swag and prizes.

• Our City of Phoenix PVC-Lined Concrete Sewer Pipe and Manhole Rehabilitation – North CMAR won a Project of the Year Award! This project rehabilitated more than 17,000 LF of pipe, and 36 manholes were either rehabilitated or constructed. There were 20 sewer bypass operations, including a double containment system crossing the Central Arizona Project canal at the Cave Creek Bridge.

• Abi Goode, Project Manager, and Ken Kawamoto, Pre-Construction and Client Services Manager, led a session called “Pipe Bursting: Is it the Right Tool for Your Project?” They discussed their experience with pipe bursting as a trenchless method of pipeline rehabilitation through projects such as the City of Avondale Sewer Repair and Design Services CMAR project. 

Keeping our community hydrated

We recently donated more than 8,000 bottles of water to help keep our communities hydrated during the summer heat.

• In the Town of Queen Creek, we brought 96 cases of water to Fire Station No. 1. Employee-owners from our local project sites – the Crismon Road Widening - Riggs Road to Cloud Road CMAR project and the Water and Wastewater Distribution JOC – loaded up company trucks full of water and made the delivery.

• We donated 84 cases of water to the City of Surprise Community Resource Center on. Our Cactus Road (BNSF Railroad Crossing to Litchfield Road) CMAR project team met with the City to help load, deliver, and unload more than 2,000 water bottles.

• We donated two pallets of water bottles to the City of Tempe at the Escalante Multigenerational Center with our team from the Infrastructure Improvements – Smith Road, Apache Boulevard to University Drive CMAR project. This was more than 3,800 water bottles!

We’re proud to support the communities we work in. Thank you to the employee-owners and municipalities who made this happen.

Gazelle Meadows Park is Open!

We are proud to share that our Detroit Basin/Gazelle Meadows Park Storm System CMAR project is wrapping up, and the park is open to the public! Improvements include a new basketball court, ramadas, skate park, barbecue grills, accessible parking and sidewalks, new playground equipment, landscaping, and shade structures. This complex job included installing more than 7,000 LF of large-diameter storm drain and extensive wet utility and roadway upgrades, all within a busy residential area. We coordinated with the City of Chandler, design engineers (Entellus and Dig Studio), inspectors (Ardurra), and residents to ensure high-quality results and minimized impacts.

Our team joined Mayor Kevin Hartke for the ribbon cutting, celebrating the success of this project in alleviating neighborhood flooding and delivering a safer, more beautiful community space.