Staff

Rita Aharonian has been employed by AES since June 2006. Her responsibilities include accounts payable and receivable, scheduling, contracts, project management, and general office duties. Rita has a BA degree in communication studies from California State University, Northridge. In her spare time, Rita likes to participate in local political campaigns and community outreach. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Richard Crook is a 44-year veteran in the field of engineering geology, fault and earthquake risk analysis, and geotechnical hazard investigation. In addition to working as a consultant, Richard has worked as an investigator on a US Geological Survey-funded fault study at Cal Tech. He has also worked as an instructor at the University of California at Riverside and at California State University at Los Angeles. Richard is a member of the Geological Society of America, American Geophysical Union, and the Association of Engineering Geologists. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hoorik received her BS in geology in 1985 from UCLA. In 1988, when environmental awareness was on the rise, Hoorik completed the then-new environmental program at UCLA, becoming one of the first graduates to receive a Certificate of Toxic and Hazardous Materials Control and Management. At AES, Hoorik is responsible for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and the Phase II Environmental Investigations, as well as the Methane Investigation and Methane Mitigation Design. Hoorik also has a professional background in real estate. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Raffi came to AES in 2001 with over 20 years of drilling & construction experience with a number of large engineering & construction firms, including Halliburton & InterDrill. At AES, Raffi oversees all drilling activities, ensuring timely scheduling of field work and soil sampling. He is also responsible for quality control in the soils Testing Laboratory. Additionally, Raffi performs field observations for shoring piles, foundation piles, drainage systems, and compaction tests. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Reza has been employed as a staff engineer for AES since 1994. He received his BS degree in civil engineering from Fresno State University and holds certificates in environmental engineering. Reza is a seasoned veteran in field inspections, including grading, shoring, and deputy work. He also holds certificates in wastewater treatment, hazardous materials, and environmental biology. Reza is a Registered Deputy Grading Inspector and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Vic received his BS in civil engineering from the University of Florida in 1987. He has been employed by AES since 1995, and prior to that worked at two other prominent soils engineering companies. Vic is in charge of the preparation of supplemental and compaction reports and supervises all field inspection, shoring and grading operations. He has been a registered Deputy Grading Inspector since 1992. In his spare time Vic plays the guitar. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ara is a professional engineer with 17 years of hydraulic engineering and 10 years of geotechnical engineering experience. He performs engineering calculations for foundation design, bearing capacity, settlement, liquefaction, slope stability, shoring, and retaining walls. He is also responsible for reviewing geotechnical soil reports and grading/foundation plans for conformance with recommendations. Ara obtained his PhD from the Moscow Water Resources Institute. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Caro Minas founded AES in 1985 after working with a number of major national & international engineering firms for 12 years. He received his BS ('75) & MS ('76) degrees in civil and geotechnical engineering, respectively, from California State University, Los Angeles. In addition to his extensive experience in California & Nevada, he has conducted major investigations for nuclear power plants, harbors, industrial complexes, & gas distribution projects in the Persian Gulf area. Today he is one of the foremost geotechnical engineers in the LA area and oversees all engineering operations at AES. In his spare time Caro likes to travel, play tennis, and is an avid tango enthusiast. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Shant has worked at AES for four years, currently as a staff geologist and general manager. His roles include preparing new proposals, geologic logs, maps and cross sections, in addition to managerial duties. He earned a BA in economics, cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from USC in 2001; and an MS in mathematical finance in 2003, also from USC. He is currently pursuing his second MS in geology from California State University (June 2008). Shant served honorably in the US Army for 6 years as a Sergeant, with a tour of overseas service in Korea. His hobbies include snowboarding, travel, and volunteer service. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jack has been employed by AES since 2001. His daily duties include site reconnaissance, coordination of field exploration, drilling and soil sampling operations, city research, and well placement. He is currently pursuing an associate’s degree in engineering/technology. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Vatchen has been AES' senior Draftsman and cartographer since 1995. Vache prepares engineering and geological survey maps, cross sections, details, drawings and specifications. Vache also drafts methane mitigation design plans. Since graduation from the National School of Science Geographic in Paris with a BS in Cartography in 1970, Vache has accumulated 37 yrs of drafting, surveying, and aero-photography experience. In his spare time Vachen is an avid rock climber and snow skier and is an instructor of both. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it