Below are short biographies of Dragun’s staff. If you are considering Dragun’s experts for project or litigation support and require a detailed curriculum vitae, please contact our office or send an email to info@dragun.com.
Dragun Corporation: Technical Team
Jeffrey Bolin is a senior environmental scientist and principal at Dragun. Jeff joined Dragun in 1989 and has a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Hazardous Waste Management. Jeff is a Certified Hazardous Material Manager (CHMM). He was an adjunct professor at Lawrence Tech University.
Jeff is a trusted advisor to his clients across North America assisting with environmental due diligence, merger and acquisitions, site closures, complex regulatory negotiations, and litigation support. He traveled to France to assist in a high-profile merger, assisted with a complex environmental remediation and regulatory negotiations in Brazil, and assisted with a peer review of a site remediation in Malaysia.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Even you can be good for something; you can be a bad example.” – My father (at least that’s where I heard it first).
Disciplines: Environmental Due Diligence, Mergers & Acquisitions, Site Assessments, Vapor Intrusion, PFAS Assessments, Regulatory Negotiations and Strategy, and Litigation Support.
Michael Sklash is a senior hydrogeologist at Dragun. Mike joined Dragun in 1988 following his B.A.Sc. in Geological Engineering, his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Earth Science (where he specialized in isotope hydrogeology), and 15 years as a Professor. Mike is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).
Mike is an expert in groundwater and surface water. As a university professor and researcher, Mike used his expertise in environmental isotopes to tackle groundwater and surface-water problems across the globe. As a consultant for Dragun, Mike has applied his multidisciplinary groundwater approach to complex groundwater problems across North America. In addition, Mike recently traveled to New Zealand to work on a groundwater nitrate issue, and he taught soil and groundwater to scientists and engineers at a multi-billion-dollar petroleum company in Malaysia. Mike has been an expert witness since the 1980s across both the United States and Canada. He combines his exceptional understanding of subsurface issues with his ability to explain complex issues in lay terms, which is a tremendous asset for an expert witness.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” – Personal
Disciplines: Groundwater, Surface Water Hydrology, Fate and Transport, Environmental Isotopes, Nitrate Source Identification in Agriculture, and Litigation Support.
Matthew Schroeder is a senior engineer at Dragun Corporation. Matt joined Dragun in 1993 and has a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering. Matt holds Professional Engineer (P.E.) registrations in six states.
Matt’s expertise ranges from environmental remediation to environmental compliance. Matt’s thoughtful, scientific approach to environmental issues has earned the trust of many long-term clients. Matt has successfully managed environmental remediation projects from a home heating-oil tank to an 8,000- acre former military base.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” -Aristotle
Disciplines: Remediation, Environmental Compliance, Vapor Intrusion Investigation and Mitigation, Groundwater Modeling, Litigation Support, PFAS Investigation and Remediation, Compliance and Site Closure under Various Regulations.
Christopher Pare’ is a senior hydrogeologist at Dragun. Chris joined Dragun in 1990 and has a B.Sc. in geology. Chris is a Professional Geologist (P.Geo.) in Ontario and a Certified Professional Geologist with the American Institute of Professional Geologists in the United States. Chris has worked across North America in numerous States and Provinces.
Chris manages our Windsor, Ontario, office and has a wide range of experience and expertise, including Site Decommissioning, Site Assessment and Remediation, Soil Vapour/Sub-Slab Soil Vapour Investigation and Mitigation, and more. Chris is able to successfully handle complex issues involving soil, groundwater, and soil vapour and has supported his clients in regulatory negotiations and litigation support (one that went to a State Supreme Court).
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Disciplines: Soil and Groundwater Assessments and Remediation, Excess Soil Management, Storage Tank/Gas Bar Site Decommissioning, Vapour Intrusion, Vapour Mitigation, Agricultural-Environmental Issues, and Permit to Take Water.
Allan Clifford Lawton (“Cliff”) is a project manager at Dragun. Cliff joined Dragun in 1993 and has a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in geology.
Cliff manages and oversees soil and groundwater investigations. His clients depend on his attention to detail and trust his technical expertise as he advises them on important environmental issues. Cliff has developed a niche expertise in advising First Nations Communities on environmental matters. Clifford has conducted numerous peer reviews of Phase One and Phase Two Environmental Site Assessments to assist his clients make informed environmental decisions.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
Disciplines: Quaternary Geology, Environmental Site Assessments, Excess Soil Management, Phase One and Phase Two ESAs, and Peer Reviews.
Mark Resch is a senior geologist at Dragun. Mark joined Dragun in 2008 and has a B.S. in Geophysics. Mark is a Licensed Professional Geologist.
Mark is the senior manager on projects involving Environmental Due Diligence, Underground Storage Tank Removals, as well as site investigation projects, remediation projects, demolition projects, and more. Mark also has extensive knowledge and expertise with vapor intrusion investigations.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Communication is the key to allow for informed decision-making.” – Personal
Disciplines: Soil and Groundwater Investigations, Vapor Intrusion Investigations, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, Underground Storage Tank Removals, and Project Management.
Katherine Rey is an environmental scientist at Dragun. Katherine joined Dragun in 2008 and has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science. Katherine is an Environmental Professional (E.P.)
Katherine manages site investigation and remediation projects. These projects include soil and groundwater sampling, vapour intrusion assessments, remediation oversight, gas bar decommissioning, and more.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “If you don’t say anything, nothing gets said.” – Personal
Disciplines: Soil and Groundwater Investigations, Excess Soil Management, Vapour Intrusion Assessments, Gas Bar Decommissionings, and Phase One and Two Environmental Site Assessments.
Kevin Ho is a geoscientist in training at Dragun. Kevin joined the Dragun Corporation in 2021. He has an Honours B.Sc. at the University of Waterloo where he majored in Environmental Science with a specialization in Geoscience. He has some work experience with the Ontario Geological Survey and in industry. Kevin is eager to learn and gain more experience in environmental consulting at Dragun. He is presently working on a post-graduate certificate, studying Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Personal or Favorite Quote: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
Disciplines: Soil and Groundwater Investigations and Environmental Site Assessments.
Amy Owen is an environmental engineer at Dragun Corporation. Amy joined Dragun in 2007 and has a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. She is a registered Professional Engineering (P.E.) in Michigan.
Amy takes a thorough and detailed approach to her projects. She has hands-on experience in environmental site investigations in the US and Canada, soil and groundwater remediation, site decommissioning, storage tank closures, environmental compliance/permitting for industrial and agricultural projects, ligation support, project database creation and management for large-scale remediation projects, and more.
Personal or Favorite Quote: “Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” – Kid President
Disciplines: Site Assessment/Remediation, Project Management, Environmental Compliance/Permitting, Agricultural-Environmental Permitting, Site Decommissioning, Storage Tank Closures, and Database Management.
Jeffery Wilson is a geologist at Dragun and is a registered professional geologist in Kansas. Jeff has a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Geophysics and a Master of Science in Geophysics.
Jeff joined Dragun Corporation in 2023, but he has worked as a subcontractor with Dragun for several years. Jeff has decades of experience evaluating groundwater flow, remedial investigations, and numerical modeling. His work experience ranges from petrochemical, agricultural, and manufacturing sites to US Department of Defense and Department of Energy sites. Jeff has niche expertise in constructing models using Groundwater Vistas, Visual ModFlow, and RockWorks.
Personal or Favorite Quote: “Attitude is the ‘little’ thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill
Disciplines: Groundwater Investigations, Remedial Investigations, Groundwater Flow and Transport Modeling.
Nizar Zyoud is a senior environmental engineer at Dragun Corporation. Nizar has a B.Sc. in chemical engineering, M.Sc. in environmental engineering, and Ph.D., in environmental engineering. Nizar is a professional engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario.
Nizar is an environmental engineer with more than 20 years of experience in public and private practice and academia addressing the cross-media fate and transport of contaminants and the remediation of complex soil and groundwater sites. Among Nizar’s key strengths is his broad experience helping clients manage investigations and corrective actions at complex sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, and inorganic compounds.
Personal or Favorite Quote: “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” – Colin Powell
Disciplines: List areas of expertise: Soil and Groundwater Assessments and Remediation, Vapor Intrusion Investigation and Mitigation, Groundwater Modeling, Fate and Transport of chemicals in the subsurface, Environmental Compliance (Canada and the United States), Excess Soil Management, Storage Tank/Gas Bar Site Decommissioning, and Permit to Take Water.
Dragun Corporation: Consulting Partners
Joel Gagnon is a geologist at Dragun. Joel joined Dragun in 2020 as a senior consulting partner and has an Honors B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Geology (with specialization in analytical and applied aqueous geochemistry). Joel is a Certified Professional Geologist with the American Institute of Professional Geologists and a Licensed Professional Geologist in the State of Indiana.
Joel has over 15 years experience in various technical roles in consulting and over 15 years experience as a university educator and researcher. As a consulting geologist/hydrogeologist, Joel’s diverse expertise includes a wide range of site types (petroleum, halogenated solvents and pesticides, medical waste, PCBs, 1,4-dioxane, and metals) and regulatory environments (federal, state, provincial) addressing specific regulatory requirements (UST/LUST, RCRA, CERCLA, etc.). Joel has worked for a diverse clientele throughout North America in the manufacturing, commercial/retail, educational, land development, transportation, waste, energy, and mining and resource sectors. Joel’s consulting experience also includes groundwater resource assessments for large residential developments. As a university researcher, Joel focuses on development of element and heavy isotope microanalytical techniques and their application as tracers to fingerprint metal sources – both natural and anthropogenic. Joel’s regular university course offerings include Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Site Assessment, Contaminant Hydrogeology, and Analytical Methods.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “One should not expect good outcomes from doing bad science.” – Personal
Disciplines: Aqueous and Environmental Geochemistry, Contaminant Hydrogeology, Site Assessment and Remediation, Groundwater Resource Assessment, Litigation Support.
Dragun Corporation: Support Team
Peggy Miller is a principal at Dragun. Peggy, along with Dr. James Dragun, founded The Dragun Corporation in 1988 and has B.B.A. in Business and a M.S. in Management.
Peggy was the trusted business partner of the late Dr. James Dragun when Dragun opened in May of 1988. Peggy works closely with the senior technical team in developing and maintaining solid business practices. As the President, she manages the finances, contracts, and other business aspects of the company.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Do what is right, not what is easy, nor what is popular.” – Roy T. Bennett
Tammy Killewald is an accountant at Dragun. Tammy joined Dragun in 1991 and has a Bachelors of Accountancy and an MBA.
Tammy manages all aspects of Dragun’s finances and is part of the senior management team. She brings business acumen, experience, and a passion for excellence to the team. In additional to managing the financial aspects of the company, Tammy is integral to measuring and monitoring all aspects of the company’s performance, including specific metrics relating to continuous improvement.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Amy Reynolds is an Administrative Professional at Dragun. Amy joined Dragun in 2012 and has a B.S. from Eastern Michigan University.
Amy manages all documents at Dragun Corporation, including reports, proposals, marketing, CAD, and more. Amy has an acute eye for details and focuses on excellence for all “deliverables.” In addition to her document and CAD duties, Amy assists our clients when they call or visit our office.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller
Alan Hahn is the Business Development Manager at Dragun. Alan joined Dragun in 1993 and has an A.S. in Science, a B.A. in Environmental Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management.
Alan coordinates all aspects of marketing, including social media, blogs, webinars, seminars, newsletters and more. Alan’s background includes working as a chemist in an analytical laboratory, collection of samples (water, wastewater, soil, groundwater, and hazardous waste). He is also a frequent author on environmental issues.
Personal Quote or Favorite Quote: “Most people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.” – Albert Einstein
About our Founder – Dr. James Dragun
1949 – 2015 In 1988, with great passion, scientific acumen, and conviction, Dr. James Dragun founded The Dragun Corporation. Sho
rtly after he established the company, he released his first book, “The Soil Chemistry of Hazardous Materials.” He would later go on to author or co-author many more scientific tomes including, “Elements in North American Soils” and “Natural Chemicals in Sediments.”
A native Detroiter, Jim completed his undergraduate work at Wayne State University in Chemistry, moving next to Pennsylvania State University where he earned a Master’s and Ph.D. in agronomy at his beloved Penn State. The university recognized Jim’s accomplishments in 2005 when the Department of Agronomy awarded him with the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Upon graduation from Penn State, Jim served with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington D.C. Over the course of the next five years, Jim would work on some of the nation’s highest-profile environmental projects. It was while working for the EPA that Jim became convinced that a sound, scientific understanding of contaminants and how they behaved in the environment was lacking from many of the scientific assessments that he reviewed.
Realizing that his nature did not lend itself to be a government bureaucrat, Jim soon found himself working for environmental consulting firms in California and then back in his home state of Michigan later on. What Jim discovered during his time working for consultants was he wanted to approach projects differently than through industry standards. He believed that consulting meant solving problems as quickly as possible. As Jim was fond of saying, “We get you out of trouble, we keep you out of trouble, and we don’t make trouble.”
Over the course of the next nearly 30 years, Jim earned a well-founded reputation as one of the premier scientists in the environmental consulting community, known for his disciplined, scientific approach to solving complicated, environmental issues and conducting tough-as-nails regulatory negotiations. Jim was also a frequent lecturer in both the United States and Canada. Jim’s expertise in soil chemistry reached China, Europe, and the Middle East, where he was also invited to teach.
Jim’s scientific rigor carried over into the hand-selection of his team of scientists, engineers, accountants, and other staff members. He insisted that his “team” jealously guard the reputation of the company that bore his name.
In 2012, as Jim opted for semi-retirement and to pursue additional interests, he handed over management of the company to his trusted team, most of which had worked at Dragun Corporation for 25 years or more. That team continues to operate the company today with great deference to a strong foundation that Jim established and maintained throughout his lifetime. That legacy lives on.