Focused on assuring that all his clients are pleased with services they receive from his civil, environmental, and geotechnical engineering firm, Charles R. Toran Jr. said their mission is to provide services and solutions in a manner which delights the customers.
“Our employees specialize in meeting clients’ needs expeditiously and efficiently, adding value to clients’ organizations and to our society. All employees adhere to the highest standards of integrity, ethics, trust, and respect for the environment and the economic and social interests of all parties,” he said.
For close to 20 years and after completing an estimated 700 projects in the private and public sectors, Toran has operated Sci-Tek Consultants, Inc. under the precepts that it offers its clients deep experience and broad expertise.
“We provide a lot of capabilities and qualifications of a large firm from a small packages,” he described.
A certified Minority Business Enterprise qualified to do business throughout the eastern United States, Sci-Tek is based in Pittsburgh with a second location in Philadelphia. They operate with at least 40 staff inclusive of engineers and geologists with professional registrations, and experienced and certified environmental scientists, planners, technicians and interns. The company boosts annual revenues of roughly $4 million.
Toran defines his company’s expertise as design engineering services for infrastructure such as airports, water and wastewater treatment and collection facilities, roads, bridges, and other transportation systems. Site civil design, surveying, lighting design, water resources engineering and planning, transportation engineering, environmental site assessment and remediation services, NEPA assessments, environmental permitting and compliance services, geotechnical subsurface investigations, geotechnical analysis of dams, foundations, structures, and properties impacted by landslides, subsidence, settlement and acid mine drainage and construction materials testing.
Sci-Teks’ principal markets are; aviation, education, healthcare, housing, industrial, natural gas, transportation, water and sewer, and urban renewal. Clients include architectural and engineering firms, local, county, state and federal government entities, contractors and developers, commercial and institutional as well as manufacturers and industrial.
Toran, a Baltimore native is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business with a M.B.A in Marketing and Marketing Management and he received his Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Mechanical Engineering. A former employee of Chambers Development Corporation and the Westinghouse Electric Company he decided to step out on his own to gain more control of the work he was doing. “I put together a business plan, received some funding and started Sci-Tek Consultants, Inc. in the Uptown section of Pittsburgh in a one room suite,” he said.
Looking back over his career, and pointing out that there is a need for more minority owned engineering firms in the region, Toran credits the success of his firm to the expertise and dedication of his employees.
“The first two to three years were tough but I worked hard and persevered,” he said suggesting to potential entrepreneurs to work toward their goal and never to give up. He also noted that it is wise to have a value proposition and to know ones niche market.
The other two minority engineering firms in the area are Chester Engineers owned by Robert O. Agbede and slated as the largest in the country and Cosmos Technologies, Inc. owned by Frederick Douglas Jr.
Toran pointed out that upon several occasions he has collaborated with each of the firms on various projects.
Excited about the future of his firm, expanding the business into other cities is a goal of Toran’s. “Possibilities could be Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, or back to my hometown,” he said indicating that Atlanta is also a possibility. Sci-Tek expanded into the Philadelphia market in 2011.
Toran recently announced two developments he considers to have significantly expanded their capabilities to provide services. “We now offer in-house surveying services. A staff person has been hired to oversee our survey group, which consists of two licensed surveyors and a field technician.”
A person also has been appointed Environmental Projects Manager to oversee all of Sci-Teks’ environmental site assessment, NEPA and remediation projects.
Locally, Toran has an interest in receiving and maintaining steady work in the Marcellus Shale project. “Early on the Natural Gas related projects we completed included construction materials testing, pipeline design, permitting, and subsurface investigations,” he said.
In 2012 Sci-Tek served as an educational resource for businesses interested in the regulatory aspect of the Natural Gas business in Pennsylvania. His firm participated in the Three Rivers Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers Professional Development Seminar. Discussion took place about the technical and regulatory issues confronting the Oil and Gas Exploration, especially highlighting Act 13; the new Oil and Gas Act in PA and the Erosion and Sediment Control General Permit-2. During the presentation an in-depth lesson on the history, purpose, and challenges of the regulatory process made attendees aware of the enforcement procedures and upcoming training opportunities.
Not as involved in the Marcellus Shale developments as he once was, Toran has a belief that there is still a need for educational and training programs for small businesses in the field. Pressure has to come from business advocacy groups to get more minorities involved.
“That is why it is important for minority businesses to become certified MBEs and to be members of organizations like the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania and the Eastern Minority Supplier Diversity Council,” said the former Marcellus Shale Coalition member.
A strong believer in developing and nurturing young engineers, Toren is President of the Engineer’s Society of PA, a professional society chartered in 1880. Its purpose is to advance the professions of engineering, architecture, and applied sciences through technical activities, public service participation and social organizations. He is the first African American to hold the presidency position.
Sci-Tek has been named by the Pittsburgh Business Times as one of the Top 100 growth firms for 2015, its fifth time making the list. In 2014 it was honored as one of the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprises in the Mid-Atlantic region at the 8th Annual Top 100 MBE Awards Event held in Baltimore.