VAA News

With “We CAN Solve Hunger” as the team’s motto, VAA debuted a massive Rubik’s Cube structure at the 2017 Canstruction event hosted at the Mall of America. It was a privilege to participate for the ninth consecutive year and be a part of the six-build team’s donation of over 50,000 meals to Second Harvest Heartland. […]

For a nation subject to annual hurricanes and earthquakes, the question should be asked, how do buildings stand up under the strain of a natural disaster? While two very different approaches are taken to building designs to allow for either extreme wind speeds or high seismic (earthquake) events, the common thread is lateral forces. Acting […]

During a Midwest tour to learn about U.S. agricultural and grain systems, 31 Kazakhstan representatives visited Crystal Valley Cooperative’s facility in Hope, MN. Working with the Co-op and contractor, CEEC, Inc., VAA provided civil and structural engineering, industrial architecture, equipment layout and loop track design for the facility. Join the tour and learn more about […]

VAA’s Community Outreach team challenged employees to match the company donation this week in support of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. With the combined generosity of the outreach team and individual contributions, VAA donated over $1,000 to the American Red Cross. “We put on this challenge for a week to give employees an easy way to […]

It is not every day you see CEO, Jeff Schrock (left) and President, Keith Jacobson (right) in a hair net, but on our last outing to Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) the duo, along with a group of VAA volunteers, helped hand-pack meals for children in Haiti. Meals of raw products, dried vegetables and minerals […]

Over 70 organizations in Hennepin County were presented with a plaque for earning the Wellness by Design award. As a silver-level award recipient, VAA was recognized for making “employee health a priority through creative and effective wellness initiatives.” This is the third time VAA has accepted a Wellness by Design award, demonstrating the continued growth […]

As the title sponsor at the 14th Annual ACEC/MN Scholarship Golf Tournament, VAA – along with 48 Twin Cities-based organizations – raised over $17,000 during the event held at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale. ACEC/MN’s scholarship program recognizes college students studying in the field of engineering. Individuals are evaluated on leadership, school / community […]

Every month should be a safe month. But in June, the National Safety Council (NSC) gives a safety shout out to reducing injury or death in areas in which we spend the most time – on the road, at home and work. As part of the month’s activities, NSC is a proud co-sponsor of Safe+Sound […]

Asking the Right Questions The goal of any design is to make the finished product look simple. When a rail design is complete, the end result is a set amount of linear track serving as a connection from a facility to a mainline or export terminal. However, the design process includes hidden complexities and details […]

Fourteen VAA employees volunteered to build a house in North Minneapolis with Habitat for Humanity (Habitat). With a range of construction skill levels, the team was divided into groups to work on various aspects of the four-bedroom home. Employees mainly contributed to the framing and construction of interior and exterior walls, stairs and front porch. […]