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Jose "Joe" Acosta
is the Umatilla National Forest development engineer. Joe gets things done
without a lot of fanfare, but the awards and
commendations he has received from all levels of the Forest Service testify
to his effectiveness as an employee and manager.
Joe’s most recent awards include certificates of merit in 2003, 2004, and 2005, along with a spot cash award for work on a major road project and bridge project. He was recognized in 2001 and 2003 for work on a regional certification panel. He has numerous other awards for extra effort, special projects, and safety, in addition to quality step increases in 1992 and 2001.
Joe is the forest’s fish passage coordinator for engineering. He has been instrumental in the use of short-span, treated-timber bridges and has worked with local contractors to develop safe and economical designs of precast footings for small bridges, saving money while helping to protect resources.
In the last 6 years, Joe has been project leader for the installation of three major stream simulation culverts that were part of a research study. He was the designer and contract administrator for the installation of two bottomless arch culverts and three treated-timber bridges. He was responsible for contract administration during construction of two major concrete bridges. Joe’s work with other Federal agencies, State agencies such as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and recreation user groups has allowed the Umatilla engineering program of work to proceed more smoothly and quickly.
Joe holds an associate’s degree in civil engineering technology. In 1980 he began his Forest Service career as an engineering aide/engineering technician through a cooperative education position at the soils lab of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Baker City, OR. In 1982 he transferred to the forest’s Burnt Powder Engineering Zone where he worked on a road survey crew during the summers and later designed roads. In 1987 he transferred to the forest’s Grande Ronde Engineering Zone where he worked as a road designer and later as a project engineer. In 1990 he transferred to the North Engineering Zone of the Fremont National Forest where he worked as a zone road manager and later as a district engineer for the Silver Lake Ranger District. In 2002 Joe transferred to his current position on the Umatilla National Forest in Pendleton, OR.
While at the Fremont National Forest, Joe worked with the San Dimas Technology and Development Center’s study on dust palliatives. An article about this study, Asphotac, A Demonstration of a Dust Palliative, was published in Engineering Field Notes, volume 24, 1992, available at http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf92713819/pdf9273819.pdf (Username: t-d Password: t-d).
In 2003, while working for the Umatilla National Forest, Joe participated in another San Dimas study on the use of chloride dust palliatives that has not yet been published.
Joe has been certified in advanced contract administration for timber sales and public works contract administration for more than 15 years. He was recognized in 2001 and 2003 for his work on a Region 6 certification panel for road construction on timber sale and public works contracts. For the last 3 years, Joe has worked on two major construction projects, including 7.3 miles of road reconstruction and paving and construction of two double-lane concrete bridges. During the same period, he performed contract administration for four timber sales that included over 21 miles of road reconstruction.
Joe consistently demonstrates his ability to work with diverse groups of professionals, bringing them together and leading them toward a common goal. He can wade through confusing and contradictory information and regulations, providing clear and simple explanations to colleagues in other disciplines. His leadership comes naturally. People don’t even know when they are being led.
His supervisory skills are low-key, but effective. When a former employee returned to work, Joe’s supervisor anticipated extensive retraining, but with Joe’s mentoring, the employee’s skill level was at 100 percent in a short time.
Joe has held nontraditional engineering responsibilities, such as special-uses coordinator, fleet manager, facilities manager, recreation manager, mineral permits manager, and acting district ranger. Joe draws on his 20 years of experience in surveying and designing roads and drainage structures when training and mentoring other designers. He continues to broaden his experience by completing training in the passage of aquatic organisms, stream geomorphology, and new road design software.
In May 2004 Joe was selected by the forest leadership team to attend leadership development training.
Joe has been a Lions Club member for 7 years and was secretary of the Silver Lake Lions Club for 4 years. Away from the office, Joe enjoys camping and fishing.
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