February 1, 2012

Trident Engineering Opens Branch Office in Carlisle, PA

CARLISLE, PA – Donald W. Vannoy, Ph.D., P.E., President of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc., announced that Trident is opening a branch office in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on February 1, 2012. Dr. Vannoy states, “This office will allow Trident Engineering to better serve our insurance and legal clients in Pennsylvania. Our business in Pennsylvania has shown considerable growth thanks to the efforts of Scott Ulsh, Trident’s Director of Client Relations and Business Development. Dennis Hurley will serve as Branch Manager.” Trident Engineering’s office in Annapolis, MD will continue to serve clients and be Trident’s headquarters as it has been for the past fifty-two years.

December 4, 2011

Donald W. Vannoy, Ph.D., P.E. is named as an Honor Member by UMD Chapter of Chi Epsilon

COLLEGE PARK, MD – The National Office of Chi Epsilon the Civil Engineering Honor Society has approved the nomination of Donald W. Vannoy, Ph.D., P.E., President of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc., as a Chapter Honor Member. According to the bylaws of Chi Epsilon Chapter Honor Membership is bestowed “in recognition of outstanding professional accomplishment in the field of civil engineering.” Dr. Vannoy was initiated as a Chapter Honor Member at a meeting of the University of Maryland Chapter of Chi Epsilon that took place at UMD’s Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building on December 4, 2011.

August 25, 2011

Trident’s Dr. Joseph Davis Assesses Earthquake Damage in Annapolis, MD

ANNAPOLIS, MD – “The Capital”, the hometown newspaper of Annapolis, MD reports that Joseph Davis, PhD., P.E. director of civil engineering for Trident Engineering, said engineers with the firm were out after the quake inspecting city-owned buildings and parking garages. They were making sure the structures were stable in the aftermath of the Northern Virginia Earthquake that occurred on Tuesday August 23, 2011. Many of the buildings in the city, Dr. Davis said, were built at least 50 to 100 years ago. “They were not designed for any seismic activity,” Davis said. The area likely got through the rare earthquake with minimal damage because the epicenter was so many miles away. “We haven’t found any major structural issues,” Davis said. Dr. Davis further states, “I may be out at these buildings again next week if the weather forecast holds true with Hurricane Irene. What are the odds of a 100-year earthquake and a 100-year hurricane in the same week?”

Click to read the entire article at “The Capital” website

May 24, 2011

Trident Engineers make Presentation to New Jersey NASP Group

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – Larry Morgan, Electrical Engineer and Dennis Hurley, Mechanical Engineer of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc. presented “Subrogation Opportunities Resulting from Failures of Home Appliances” to NASP’s (The National Association of Subrogation Professionals) New Jersey Chapter meeting that was held at a PSE&G facility on May 24, 2011 in South Plainfield, NJ. The Trident presentation was part of a program that included fire investigation concerns and the legal issues involved with Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing used for residential gas lines. Trident’s presentation discussed subrogation opportunities, which arise due to the malfunction of consumer appliances, such as clothes dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, hot water heaters, and the like. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Hurley provided an overview of inspection procedures they utilize to maximize the potential for recoveries, and discussed the electrical and mechanical aspects of product failures and defects.
Click for more information about NASP

May 23, 2011

University of Maryland Students Begin Summer Internships

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Cathleen Needham and David Kirk began their summer internships at Trident Engineering on May 23, 2011. Both are Mechanical Engineering majors at the University of Maryland and will enter their junior years at the end of the summer.

Dr. Joseph Davis, P.E. imparts wisdom to summer interns David Kirk and Cathleen Needham.

May 6, 2011

Sandy Dapkunas, P.E. makes Presentation to PAIIA Group

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Sandy Dapkunas, P.E., Director of Metallurgy & Materials Engineering at Trident Engineering made a presentation to the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters (PAIIA) in Annapolis, MD on April 6, 2011. The PAIIA invited Sandy to address the technical aspects of recent regulations that require sprinkler systems for new residences in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Click for more information about PAIIA

May 4, 2011

Hart Kerlin Appears on WBALTV Laptop Computer Fire Newscast

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Hart Kerlin, CFEI, CVFI, Director of the Fire Origin & Cause Department at Trident Engineering, provided technical commentary for WBALTV’s newscast about the dangers of laptop computer fires. Hart discusses technical issues relating to laptop computer fires and steps that consumers should take to avoid this problem.
Click to read the article
Click to link to WBALTV.com

April 28, 2011

Trident Engineering Begins Limited Assessment of Electronic Devices

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Trident Engineering Associates, Inc. has announced that it will provide a new service to its clients in the insurance industry. The purpose of this special package from Trident Engineering is to assess the condition and cause of damage of consumer electronic devices at a reduced cost. Trident’s clients in the insurance industry receive many claims for consumer electronics that are allegedly damaged by lightning, water and other causes. This program allows a cost effective means to assess those claims.

Trident will perform a limited, non-destructive evaluation of electronic devices. The assessment will attempt to determine the condition and cause of the damage to the device. Trident will report its findings in the form of a brief written report or an oral report according to our client’s preference. Please click on the link below to see additional details.

Click for the promotional flyer

April 8, 2011

Larry Morgan and Dennis Hurley to make Presentation to NASP Group

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Larry Morgan, Electrical Engineer and Dennis Hurley, Mechanical Engineer of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc. will present “Subrogation Opportunities Resulting from Failures of Home Appliances” to NASP’s (The National Association of Subrogation Professionals) Maryland/Washington DC Chapter meeting on April 8, 2011 in Annapolis, MD.

The presentation will involve subrogation opportunities, which arise due to the malfunction of consumer appliances, such as clothes dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, hot water heaters, and the like. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Hurley will provide an overview of inspection procedures they utilize to maximize the potential for recoveries, and will discuss the electrical and mechanical aspects of product failures and defects.

Click for more information about NASP
http://www.subrogation.org

Click for the meeting flyer
http://www.subrogation.org/downloads/events/4-08-11MarylandDCChapterMeetingFlyer4458.pdf

January 4, 2011

Dennis Hurley, a Mechanical Engineer at Trident Engineering, has been appointed to the Planning Commission of North Middleton Township, PA. Dennis has served on the North Middleton Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Review Committee for the past year.

January 3, 2011

Trident Engineering Associates, Inc. welcomes Scott N. Ulsh, ARM, FCLS to the newly created position of Director of Client Relations and Business Development. Scott’s twenty-three years in the insurance industry has provided him with an understanding of the needs of Trident’s clients in both the insurance and legal industries. After receiving a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Susquehanna University, Scott worked for Nationwide Insurance in Harrisburg, PA for nineteen years in a range of caseworker and management positions.

Most recently, Scott was employed by Gallagher Bassettt Services in their Mechanicsburg, PA branch as a Claims Supervisor, servicing multiple clients in the transportation sector.

October 23, 2010

Joseph C. Davis, Ph.D., P.E., Director of Civil Engineering at Trident Engineering, gave a technical presentation entitled “Forensic Engineering – Lessons Learned from Recent Failures” to The Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT), the largest and most active Association of registered structural engineers and allied professionals in the State of Texas. The presentation took place at SEAoT’s Annual Convention on October 23, 2010 in Corpus Christi, Texas.

March 11, 2010

Delaware Jury Finds Non-infringement and Non-willfulness in LG Electronics Refrigerator Patents Case

WASHINGTON, DC – On March 11, 2010, a jury in the U.S. District Court in Delaware found that FrenchDoor refrigerators produced by LG Electronics do not infringe a Whirlpool patent, but found that some patent claims covered certain earlier-generation LG side-by-side refrigerators, which LG is no longer making. The jury determined that LG was not willfully infringing these claims. Another Whirlpool patent asserted against LG was found invalid. Whirlpool was awarded $1.78 million for infringement of the earlier-generation side-by-side refrigerators, an amount well below Whirlpool’s quest for total damages of more than $22 million. The management of LG Electronics considers the outcome to be a major victory in their quest to become a top refrigerator seller in the U.S. market.

LG was represented by Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP. With more than 375 intellectual property lawyers, Finnegan is one of the largest IP law firms in the world. The firm practices all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law. For additional information on the firm, please visit www.finnegan.com.

A team of Trident Engineers that was led by Dr. Donald Vannoy and Sandy Dapkunas, who both testified in the trial as Expert Witnesses, supported Finneagan’s case for LG Electronics. Dr. Joseph Davis, Timothy Geis, Dennis Hurley and Scott Smith conducted a series of tests and measurements to bolster the testimony of Dr. Vannoy and Mr. Dapkunas.

November 25, 2009

On November 25, 2009 United States District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga denied plaintiff’s Motion for Class Certification in the case of ERICK KELECSENY, et al., Plaintiffs, vs. CHEVRON, U.S.A., INC., et al., Defendants. The defendants were assisted in their legal defense by a multi-disciplined engineering team that included mechanical engineers, an organic chemist, a marine surveyor and a metallurgist, among others. The case relates to the use of gasoline with ethanol (E10) in marine engines in the State of Florida. Additional information can be found at e10 case history.

June 24, 2009

Dr. Donald W. Vannoy, P.E., president of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc., has concluded his service to the State of Maryland as a member of a seven-member panel of independent, nationally recognized experts on bridge and tunnel design. This esteemed committee has issued their report that includes recommendations for improvements to the bridge and tunnel inspection procedures by used by Maryland’s Transportation Authority. Dr. Vannoy was appointed to the panel by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley in the wake of an August, 2008 crash on the Bay Bridge.

For more information please visit: http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/News/NewsReleases2009

For a copy of the report: Peer Review Report for MTA.pdf

May 20, 2009

Trident Engineering Celebrates Fiftieth Anniversary in 2009

Annapolis, MD
Trident Engineering Associates, Inc. was organized in 1959 by a group of senior faculty members of the United States Naval Academy. The firm was created in order to offer industry and government the variety of professional disciplines and experience possessed by the technical community of a first-class technical institution.

Trident’s main thrust was originally in the areas of research and development, especially with agencies of the federal government. As the country became more conscious of occupational safety, product liability, and consumer protection in general, Trident’s talents and capabilities were drawn into the field of technical liability investigations, now a major part of Trident’s business. This work includes acting as legal expert witnesses and determining the causes of accidents, explosions, fires, mechanical/electrical/structural failures, as well as identifying potential liabilities. The technology required in these investigations includes skills relating to metallurgy, stress analyses, toxicology, heat transfer, electrical equipment failures, flammability of materials, equipment failures, laboratory analysis, and many other disciplines. Trident’s experts also assist U.S. Federal courts in the hearing of patent disputes.

Trident provides experienced engineering and technical investigators on short notice for domestic and international cases. Our ability to respond to the specific needs of the legal and insurance industries enables Trident to offer a thorough, unbiased analysis.

September 8, 2008

Governor Martin O’Malley announced the appointment of Dr. Donald W. Vannoy, P.E., president of Trident Engineering Associates, Inc., to a peer review group, composed of nationally recognized experts, to examine MDTA’s bridge and tunnel inspection program and identify and evaluate best practices used throughout the United States. The peer review group is expected to submit a report containing findings and recommendations in the first half of 2009. For more information please visit: http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/News/NewsReleases2008