SOLitude Lake Management hires 10 new employees

SOLitude Lake Management welcomed 10 new hires to its team.

These accomplished professionals, spanning from the Northeast,  South and West Coast, bring extensive industry experience and a passion for restoring the health, beauty and longevity of aquatic ecosystems in their local communities, according to the company.

Ben Casscles is an aquatic and fisheries biologist based out of SOLitude’s Worcester, N.Y., office. His specialties include aquatic plant management, fisheries management, water quality monitoring and cold-water fisheries. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fisheries and aquaculture from SUNY Cobleskill and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in lake management at SUNY Oneonta.

Zach Luttrell is a wildlife and fisheries scientist focused on enhancing freshwater resources for clients around Bryan, Texas. He brings experience in habitat management, prey-predator ratios, supplemental feeding, stocking and other strategies used to cultivate healthy, productive fisheries. Zach earned a degree in wildlife and fisheries science from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Patrick Mefferd is a regional manager who leads SOLitude’s scientific, fisheries and operations teams in SOLitude’s Bryan and Tyler, Texas, offices. He graduated from Union Institute & University with a Bachelor of Science in emergency services management and has nearly two decades of management experience across multiple industries.

Jay Gurule is an aquatic specialist who specializes in improving the health and appearance of freshwater ecosystems throughout southwest Florida. He is experienced in the implementation of safe, sustainable aquatic plant management programs and has a particular interest in exotic plant identification and attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Dawn Bachelor is a business development consultant based out of SOLitude’s northern California office. She studied business management at the University of Phoenix and has excelled in business and client relations for most of her life and finds success in her profession by building strong relationships with her clients in Sacramento and San Francisco.

Nick Viles is a business development consultant serving local clients out of SOLitude’s Tampa and Orlando, Fla., offices. He is a knowledgeable resource for communities looking to enhance their aquatic resources and focuses extensively on cultivating lasting relationships with clients and partners throughout central and west Florida.

Alyssa Serignese is a marketing and events coordinator working out of SOLitude’s Virginia Beach, Va., office. She’s responsible for a variety of both administrative and creative projects, assisting the marketing department with trade show and event coordination, lead generation, website and inbound marketing tactics. She graduated from West Virginia University, with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

Sarah Bevier is a culture and development assistant based out of Virginia Beach, Va. She is responsible for cultivating a positive, tightknit company culture through the development of internal programs, educational opportunities and charitable events.

Briana Crockett is a project specialist on SOLitude’s technology and analytics team, based in Virginia Beach, Va. She helps integrate new software platforms and supports clients, partners and company leadership through various IT and analytics projects. Crockett earned her bachelor’s degree in forest recreation management from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Steven Gniadek is a regional administrator based out of SOLitude’s Shrewsbury, Mass., office. He is one of the first points of contact for clients and works hand in hand with regional directors and SOLitude’s scientific teams to ensure client needs are quickly and thoroughly addressed. He attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.