An Employee-Owner who is one of the very first AE2S staff members, received the second annual Charles S. Vein Core Values Award. Brian Bergantine, PE, began his career with AE2S 26 years ago, after graduating from the University of North Dakota with his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Over the years he has held many titles, as he progressed from intern to Operations Director at AE2S. Brian, commonly known as “Bergie” to his coworkers and clients, has managed hundreds of projects and is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Utah.

Grant Meyer, AE2S CEO, announced Brian as the recipient of the Charles S. Vein Core Values Award during a companywide Employee Ownership Month and 31st Anniversary celebration. Brian works out of the firm’s Fargo, North Dakota office. “As we look to what we want to be as a firm, we recognize that relying on our core values plays a part in our ongoing success,” says Grant. “Bergie exemplifies the core values of AE2S and demonstrates those values day after day.”

The Charles S. Vein Core Values Award recognizes Employee-Owners who exemplify the AE2S core values of Vision, Passion, Integrity, Attitude, Value, and Relationships. AE2S created the award in 2021 in honor of Charlie after his retirement. Charlie and his wife Leeza were present for the award announcement. “The core values are something we decided early on. Those six values have really been a guide. When I look to the future of AE2S, these core values mean a lot to the success of AE2S,” said Charlie. “Having Bergie leading and mentoring – he’s the next generation from me. When I think of those core values, it’s exactly who he is.”

The award recipient is selected through nominations by fellow Employee-Owners. Several of the nominations mentioned Brian’s friendly personality, vast engineering knowledge, and outstanding mentorship. One nominator said, “I believe Bergie exemplifies the values that Charlie possesses. Bergie was my mentor since my first day at AE2S. I have seen him, firsthand, grow from Project Engineer, Project Manager, Operations Manager, and now Operations Director. At every position that Bergie held, he went out of his way to mentor, and build tight project teams along the way. No matter how busy he is, Bergie ALWAYS made time to teach younger staff, all while delivering an incredible amount of extreme client service to our clients.” Another nominator listed the ways Brian embodies the AE2S core values:

  • Vision: He is always looking ahead at new potential clients and projects while also ensuring the current clients and projects are being taken care of with our brand of Extreme Client Service.
  • Integrity: Ask the people who work directly with him, whether it be coworkers or clients, and they will tell you he presents the information directly no matter if it’s good or not so good news.
  • Attitude: He has a positive, forward-thinking attitude that draws people in.
  • Value: From his years of experience at AE2S and in the water industry he understands value probably better than most and knows how important relationships are.
  • Relationships: Bergie is a straight shooter who builds relationships on trust and his expertise as a good engineer and good communicator.
  • Passion: He has been with AE2S for 25+ years and still enjoys working to help solve our clients’ most pressing needs and leading/mentoring others along the way.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive the Charles S. Vein Core Values Award. Charlie has been a mentor to me since my engineering career began, so it is extra meaningful to receive an award named after him. I have had wonderful opportunities during my career at AE2S to be part of some amazing projects that benefit communities every day. It is easy to be passionate about your job when what you do positively impacts so many lives. And working with awesome clients and coworkers makes it enjoyable to come to work every day,” says Brian.

When he’s not leading projects, brainstorming improved project delivery methods, or analyzing the quality assurance / quality control process, Brian stays just as busy outside of the office. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Heather, and their adult daughters, Jenna and Kylee, who is married to Ben. Brian is an early riser who puts in his morning walk with the family’s Golden Retriever, Remy, starting at 5:30 a.m. In addition to working out, he also enjoys watching a wide variety of sports and playing golf.

Congratulations, Bergie!