About Acela
Our History
Founded in 2014, Acela is a single-source provider of architectural, civil engineering, structural engineering and mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering services.
Our integrated team of multi-disciplined professionals provides a diverse spectrum of design, consulting and project management expertise for private, corporate, government and institutional clients throughout the US.
Acela is headquartered in Allentown, PA with regional offices in NJ, NY and OH.
See our Licenses and Registrations
A labor of love
Since the beginning, our undeniable passion has driven our organic growth from a handful of employees to a small firm with nearly 40 employees. Today, we are honored to be a valued partner to customers and communities throughout the Northeast.
As the future unfolds, Acela is committed to making the most of its unlimited potential. Whether we are exploring new horizons or growing our capabilities, we are ever-evolving to turn challenges into opportunities and exceed industry expectations.
Leadership
A culture in working together responsively under one roof.
Daniel Witczak
Daniel has over 27 years of diverse experience managing and designing engineering projects for a wide variety of projects ranging from municipal, educational, industrial to commercial construction. Daniel is the official Municipal Engineer for the Coplay Borough, Lehigh County, PA. He has been a certified Project Management Professional for ten years and has implemented project management procedures and techniques for a fortune 300 US-based company.
Daniel served in the United States Air Force for over eight years, serving in the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm and in Cuba during Operation Sea Signal. During his military service, Daniel was responsible for managing the operation and maintenance of the Hanscom Air Force Base’s water, sanitary, and natural gas distribution system.
Chris Geary
Christopher has more than 25 years of experience designing and engineering for private construction, institutions, governmental organizations, and educational projects. He has completed the planning, design, permitting, and construction of stormwater and transportation impacts on various land development and subdivision projects. Chris has served as a municipal engineer designing various municipal projects such as parks and roadways. He is a leader in implementing technology to develop cost-effective projects and prides himself on designs that meet stakeholders’ needs and ensure longevity.
Joseph Herman
Joseph has 27 years of experience in a wide variety of projects from education, stadium, healthcare, residential to commercial markets. He has experience throughout the project’s life cycle in design, management and coordination, and construction administration. Joseph continuously challenges himself and the Acela team to design creative solutions and document projects to minimize/eliminate construction change orders.
Joseph is a Commander in the United States Naval Reserves and has proudly served our Country for 34 years. He mobilized for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts (2005), SOUTHCOM (2003), Iraq (2008) during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Afghanistan (2013) during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Jonathan Miller
Jonathan has more than 28 years of experience in various architectural, engineering, and construction firms. His experience includes working on and with design teams, managing teams of designers, preparing designs, specifications, and preliminary budgets. Jonathan has been responsible for architectural design in various sectors along with assisting engineers on site/civil design work for private and municipal clients. He has field experience in utility work inspections. As a construction project manager, Jonathan has delivered structural wall, curtain wall projects and radiation shielding projects for high energy linear accelerators, cyclotrons and proton projects. He excels at client facing relationships and can bridge the gap between client, design team and contractor.
Lori Morgan
Lori has over 25 years of experience helping corporations improve productivity and generate revenue. With a keen eye for detail and technical adeptness, she strives for continuous improvement, often by automating processes through technology to improve efficiency. Lori has cultivated forward-thinking environments by educating staff members on ways to improve through technology. She has spearheaded the automation of the accounting function and electronic filing system while also migrating a large volume of data to accounting software. Lori has built relationships across the organization, as well as with outside vendors and customers. Her collaborative approach has assisted in successfully achieving core goals. Lori’s analytical thinking allows her to evaluate complex details and provide reports to executive leadership to assist with key decision making. In addition to extensive experience with reconciling, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance, Lori has valuable experience with project accounting.
David Brown
David has over 39 years of experience in mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering. Mr. Brown also maintains diverse project management experience, having directed and managed engineering teams for over 25 years. He has proven experience in planning and managing projects from inception through completion. David provides dedicated leadership in supervising and coordinating with owners, architects, engineers, and contractors. Mr. Brown’s areas of expertise include Fire Protection Engineering, Medical and Industrial Gas System Engineering, HVAC and Plumbing Engineering, Energy Management Engineering, Green Building and Systems Design, and Construction Administration.
David is a Certified Energy Manager through the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Mr. Brown is also a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).
Gavin McManaman
Gavin has 25 years of experience in structural design and construction engineering. He is a versatile member of the design team, participating as project lead or design engineer. Gavin’s work history includes design and analysis in various fields, including building design, power plant and water resource management, mass transportation, and infrastructure. He routinely demonstrates a firm understanding of economical construction practices. Gavin has managed project teams from concept to closeout, including site surveys, technical specifications, structural design, submittal review, and construction observations.
Jeremie Schadler
Jeremie has 20 years of experience as an accomplished engineer and project manager with an extensive background in the design and specification of commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential land development projects. His experience consists of land and site planning, lot layout configuration, alignment, and design of new roads, along with integrated utility, grading, and stormwater management design. Jeremie’s experience also includes hydrologic and hydraulic stormwater modeling, PCSM design, PADEP permitting including NPDES and E&S, and PennDOT permitting. In addition to being a Professional Engineer, Jeremie is also a certified Project Management Professional.
Michael Waldron
Michael has more than 27 years of experience in all aspects of site design, municipal engineering, and construction engineering. His experience includes the preparation of plans and specifications for site, roadway, and utility improvement projects along with the preparation of subdivision and land development plans for governmental, industrial, institutional, commercial, and residential projects. He has prepared MS4 stormwater management plans and pollutant reduction plans for approval by PADEP. His expertise includes designing on-lot sewage disposal systems, securing permitting and approvals at the local and state levels. Michael has been responsible for the full range of site/civil design work on public and private sector projects. He regularly represents clients at local planning commission meetings, council and supervisor meetings, and zoning hearing board meetings. Michael is also responsible for construction administration, construction observation, and Resident Project Representative services for both site construction and complete building construction projects.
Executive Officers
Our dogs are our greatest asset – we say it often and with good reason.
Our Staff
Acela is comprised of experienced professionals deeply passionate about their respective disciplines and enjoined in a singular team ethic fostered at our firm’s central operations in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
