2020 Year in Review: Wayne Jalbert, Hancock Associates

What was the most difficult part of working during the pandemic of 2020? The most difficult part was trying to make decisions with the uncertainty surrounding the situation and predicting the net effect on our industry, the economy and our communities. Because it hit so fast, we were left to devise plans to counter its impact without a playbook to reference. It was unique. I am proud to say that our industry of land surveying, civil engineering and environmental consulting banded together and created pipelines of communication, offering advice amongst colleagues. Though competitors, the sharing of ideas greatly contributed to our navigation and ultimately the ability to keep our sector of the economy moving along safely. There were speed bumps for sure and some remain, but we are in a better place. We have a long way to go and we all know many who have been gravely impacted, whether physically by illness or economically. That is not lost on us. Every day we monitor the briefings from our elected officials, the pronouncements from the vaccine developers; and we listen to the concerns of our people, as they are parents, consumers and part of the socioeconomic system trying to survive and rebuild.