DANVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 3, 2024) – Covenant Technical Solutions™ (CTS™) is thrilled to announce the addition of Blake DePaola to its leadership team as the Southern California Vice President of Operations. Contributing significantly to the depth of expertise offered by CTS, DePaola brings more than 12 years of industry experience in supervisory and project management roles, where he led successful multi-million dollar alternative delivery projects that resulted in improved water quality and sustainability in the company’s home state.
“We’re excited to welcome Blake DePaola to our team,” remarks Rob Craw, CEO and founder of Covenant Technical Solutions. “Over the last six years, he has focused exclusively on water and wastewater markets for municipal clients, making his background a tremendous value-add to our team and further strengthening our ability to deliver for our clients. Covenant is well positioned to serve clients across Southern California with a level of service unrivaled in the market.”
When launched in June of 2024, CTS assembled an exceptional team of industry insiders to lead the company and deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions for the water sector. Before joining CTS, DePaola held various positions at Kiewit – one of the largest engineering and construction organizations in the US.
DePaola’s most recent project management responsibilities include the execution of a $480 million progressive design build of two ultraviolet advanced oxidation process (UVAOP) water treatment plants for one of the largest water and power utilities in Southern CA. Known as the San Fernando Groundwater Basin Remediation project, the facility has a treatment capacity of 75 million gallons per day. During his four years on the project, DePaola worked to successfully deliver a guaranteed max price (GMP) to the client, managing the engineering, procurement, commercial and construction resources. The majority of his time was dedicated to managing the construction team of 150 (including staff and craft) while executing a highly logistically complex site in the middle of North Hollywood. During the construction phase, DePaola continued to manage engineering, procurement and commercial resources, managing more than 40 construction-related permits through the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety.
“Blake DePaola was a key team member for over four years on a $480 million progressive design build project to construct groundwater treatment facilities in Los Angeles,” says Allison Linehan, P.E., construction manager for one of the largest water and power utilities in Southern CA. “Over the duration of the project, his open communication, experience, strong work ethic and dedication to ensuring client satisfaction were all critical to maintaining a successful team collaboration between owner and contractor. From design to construction to facility startup, he would always put the extra effort in to ensure success. Blake would be an asset in any role for any project.”
Blake’s Project Management experience extends beyond San Fernando to San Diego, where he managed teams for a $220 million design bid build project at the North City Water Reclamation Plant. In conjunction with the San Fernando and North City management experience, Blake was also the design build manager for the $90 million Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), the City of Santa Monica’s first progressive design build project. While on SWIP, Blake managed multiple engineering, procurement and commercial resources to deliver not only a GMP, but also an Issued for Construction design plan set.
Covenant Technical Solutions is confident Blake DePaola will make a significant impact in his new role as Southern California VP of Operations and looks forward to the new opportunities and creative solutions his leadership will inspire.
To learn more about the expanding team at Covenant Technical Solutions, visit covenanttechnicalsolutions.com/aboutourcompany.
About Covenant Technical Solutions
Covenant Technical Solutions is the premier integrated solutions provider in the water sector, offering a wide array of services from design to construction and commissioning. Committed to empowering ingenuity for superior performance, the company is specialized in water conveyance and groundwater treatment projects, offering a comprehensive suite of services ranging from conceptual to integrated design to alternative delivery methods such as design build, progressive design build, CMAR, and P3 solutions.
Its leadership team is comprised of seasoned industry veterans that have launched, scaled and managed successful companies and some of the largest and most critical infrastructure projects in California over the last decade. Noteworthy projects include the $77 million Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project, spanning from Pacific Grove to Marina, and the $26 million Orange County Water District PFAS Treatment Program, showcasing Covenant Technical Solutions’ commitment to innovation and excellence under Rob Craw’s management.
Visit covenanttechnicalsolutions.com to learn more.