Normandeau’s leadership team has substantial experience in the environmental industry. This has been pivotal to the company’s success. Leading by example, they’ve paved the way for employees to continuously develop and grow in their roles— fostering a culture of learning and collaboration.
Normandeau’s Chief Executive Officer Colonel (retired) Curt Thalken, PE has over 37 years of management, environmental consulting, engineering, and permitting expertise. In his 11 years with Normandeau, COL Thalken has served in positions of increasing responsibility, including serving as Chief Operating Officer for several years.
Since joining Normandeau, Thalken has been responsible for overseeing company operations, including expansion of Normandeau’s Federal and State Government portfolio, an increased presence in renewable energy markets, and has championed innovative technologies to address emerging environmental issues for our clients.
His experience with Normandeau includes extensive oversight of energy transmission (Gas and electric) and power (including nuclear, fossil fuel, hydro, and other renewables) projects nationwide; Federal, State, and Municipal environmental service contracts; and environmental compliance assistance for many private sector entities nationwide.
Prior to joining Normandeau, COL Thalken served on active duty in the US Army as an engineer officer for over 25 years. His experience included working in both austere and developed environments; teaching in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy, West Point NY; and commanding an Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) in Afghanistan. His military career culminated as Commander of the New England District of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)—responsible for all aspects of the Federal Government’s engineering efforts and regulatory programs within New England.
His education includes a BS in Chemistry from the United States Military Academy and MS in Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College’s Thayer School of Engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer in the states of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Florida.
Considered one of the most experienced and respected environmental leaders in North America, Bob Varney is a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England Regional Administrator, who currently is President of Normandeau Associates.
He was the longest-serving regional administrator and top environmental official in New England and is credited with instituting many innovative approaches and policy initiatives that have served as national models. Mr. Varney also was one of the nation’s longest-serving state environmental commissioners, and he has been appointed by US presidents and governors of both political parties.
Mr. Varney has chaired numerous national and regional groups such as the national organization of state environmental agency heads (Environmental Council of the States), State/EPA Superfund Policy Forum, Federal Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), Governmental Advisory Committee to the EPA Administrator on the NAFTA environmental side agreement, Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, and New England Governors’ Conference Environment Committee. He also was a member of EPA’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council and served on the NH Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy (TNC). He currently chairs the NH Chapter of the Environmental Business Council of New England and the CEC Joint Public Advisory Committee (US, Mexico, Canada), an independent tri-national body that oversees environmental aspects of the new USMCA trade agreement and provides independent advice to the top environmental officials of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bob is the recipient of numerous environmental awards such as the EPA Lifetime Achievement Award, NE Water Works Association’s John H. Chafee Award, Environmental Business Council of NE’s Paul Keough Award, the Charles River Watershed Association’s Anne Blackburn Award, and the ECOS Founder’s Award.
Pam Hall joined Normandeau Associates in 1971 soon after the firm was founded and was a “trail blazer” in the emerging environmental consulting business. She became President & CEO in 1988 and led the company for 32 years, until 2020.
As CEO she was instrumental in leading the effort to develop Normandeau from a small regional NH firm to a highly regarded company doing business throughout the United States and internationally. In 2000, she led the effort to make the company employee-owned (ESOP) and has been a trustee of the ESOP since its inception. She also served on the board of directors for 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, and was chairperson from 2015 to 2020. Prior to becoming CEO, she held several other leadership positions in the company and is now executive advisor.
Pam is passionate about corporate social responsibility including employee ownership and empowerment, civic and community engagement, volunteerism, and support of charitable organizations. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, many times in leadership roles. Past boards include the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC-NE), Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire (NHBIA) Executive Board, NH Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Seacoast Science Center (NH), Society for the Protection of NH Forests, NH Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (Coastal America), and the NH (EPSCoR) Research & Industry Council. In addition, Pam was a gubernatorial appointee to the NH Land and Community Heritage Commission, which helped develop the NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), and to Volunteer NH, the State Commission for volunteerism. Earlier in her career, she was also an Incorporator of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, a member of a NH state advisory committee that helped establish the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in NH, and an early technical advisor for the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maine. Current board service includes the UNH Manchester Advisory Board and treasurer of the Southeast Land Trust (SELT) of NH.
Pam has a BA in Zoology, University of Connecticut; an MS in Zoology (marine science) plus additional doctoral work, University of New Hampshire (UNH); a BS (summa cum laude) in Business Administration, UNH; and considerable graduate level coursework in Urban and Environmental Policy, Tufts University. In graduate school, she was elected to Sigma Xi, an honorary scientific society and Phi Sigma, an honorary biological society, and was awarded an NDEA Fellowship for her academic excellence. In 1998, she received the “Environmental Merit Award” from the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC-NE); in 2012, she was honored by the New Hampshire Business Review as one of “NH’s Outstanding Women in Business”; in 2017, she was bestowed with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the NHBIA; and in 2020, Marquis Who’s Who honored Pam with a Lifetime Achievement Award. More recently, Pam received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Environmental Business Journal/Environmental Business International; and was also honored by EBC-NE with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Volunteer NH also recognized Pam for her commitment to civic engagement and volunteerism.
Dr. Trested has over 20 years of experience as an environmental consultant and is one of Normandeau’s senior fisheries biologists. He is a Senior Vice President and the Chief Operating Officer for Normandeau's technical and scientific groups across all offices.
Dr. Trested regularly designs and coordinates environmental studies associated with FERC relicensing and compliance efforts for hydropower clients. He has a strong background in the evaluation and assessment of upstream and downstream passage of diadromous fish species at hydroelectric facilities.
Julia is an ornithologist with Normandeau Associates and assesses offshore and onshore ecological impacts of anthropogenic and natural stressors on birds, bats, marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish. As group manager, she works directly with Normandeau’s technology team to design, test, and deploy innovative technology systems for remote monitoring of wildlife.
Julia has been project manager and technical director on over 100 aerial digital projects including state and federal efforts in support of offshore wind energy.
As Director of Marine Services, Mr. Nestler is responsible for the technical and financial performance of Normandeau’s Marine Services groups. His background is in marine ecology, specializing in impact assessment. As a project manager, he is responsible for complex projects that support licensing and compliance requirements in marine and estuarine environments. His experience includes permitting support and NEPA analysis for marine and coastal construction projects and long-term ocean monitoring for NPDES compliance.
Mr. Nestler has project experience with offshore wind, power transmission, wastewater discharges, power plant intakes and thermal effluents, dredging, LNG facilities, and other ocean and coastal development projects. During the past decade, he has overseen numerous projects providing cost-effective solutions to complex challenges related to ecological resources.
Mr. Stimmell is a biologist with over 20 years of experience encompassing a broad spectrum of aquatic studies including diadromous and resident fish species. With Normandeau Associates, he has been involved in aquatic studies associated with FERC relicensing, Clean Water Act Sections 316(a) and (b), hydroelectric dam diadromous fish passage, instream flow and habitat assessments, and fish community assessments.
Ms. Surprenant is Vice President and Senior Regulatory Specialist with over 37 years of diversified experience in environmental sciences and consulting. Ms. Surprenant has led environmental programs in nearshore, offshore, and onshore ecosystems, supporting environmental compliance monitoring programs, remedial investigations, natural resource studies, and ecological impact assessments. Her background has focused on sediment management, with specific emphasis on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation. She has performed and managed technical services in the federal, energy, transportation and renewables sectors throughout the Northeastern United States.
In 2021, the Environmental Business Council of New England awarded Normandeau’s own Pam Hall with a Lifetime Achievement Award at its 28th Annual EBEE Virtual Awards Ceremony. As part of this honor, Pam was interviewed by EBC board member Mary Ryan about her career and her 50 years at Normandeau.
Through employee ownership, we are committed to being a nationally recognized company that provides high quality, practical environmental solutions.
Normandeau Associates, Inc. is an environmental consulting firm that provides ecological, environmental, and natural resources management services across several market sectors and over a wide geographic range. These services are performed to fulfill regulatory requirements and natural resources management and restoration goals.
Normandeau Associates, Inc. is dedicated to providing high-quality, objective-oriented and cost-effective solutions that meet client needs.
