Rachel Mertz Named MidAmerica Assistant Regional Director

Modjeski and Masters, Inc. (M&M) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rachel Mertz, PE, SE to MidAmerica Assistant Regional Director.
Ms. Mertz joined Modjeski and Masters, Inc. in 1998. She has served over 25 years in the MidAmerica Office, where she has held key roles in the analysis, load capacity rating, and preliminary and final design of bridges of various sizes and complexity levels. She has managed numerous major river bridge rehabilitation projects, including the coordination of multiple disciplines for moveable bridge projects. She is a certified Bridge Inspection Team Leader and has led the inspection of several major river bridges. She provides local expertise for MidAmerica in the areas of hydraulic modeling/reports and AASHTOWare Bridge Rating.
"Rachel has been an indispensable asset to the MidAmerica Business Unit, playing a pivotal role in its success. Her exceptional project management capabilities and technical expertise have enabled her to oversee and manage many of the unit's largest and most complex projects," stated Vice President Jerilyn Hassard. "Rachel’s leadership will be instrumental in guiding the MidAmerica Region toward continued growth and achievement."
Ms. Mertz has contributed to many notable projects, including:
- Arkansas River Lift Bridge Emergency Services and Rehabilitation, Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Westbound McClugage Bridge Rehabilitation, Peoria, Illinois
- Cedar Street Bridge Rehabilitation, Peoria, Illinois
- Murray Baker Bridge Rehabilitation, Peoria, Illinois
- Florence Bridge Emergency Services and Rehabilitation Phase I, Florence, Illinois
- Illinois DOT Legal Loads Parametric Evaluation, Statewide, Illinois
“I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be able to work for a company that shares my passion for bridge engineering. Modjeski and Masters has given me the opportunity to serve on projects that are both interesting and challenging and I am proud and honored to continue to be a part of M&M’s long legacy of providing exceptional services to our clients.”
Ms. Mertz is a licensed structural engineer in Illinois and holds professional engineer licensure in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Tennessee, and Louisiana. She completed her undergraduate study at the University of Evansville and went on to receive her M.S. in Civil Engineering from Southern Illinois University. Ms. Mertz has conducted bridge research for numerous parametric studies of load rating procedures. In 2018, she and her team were awarded the ACEC-Illinois Engineering Excellence Special Achievement Award for the Illinois DOT Legal Loads Parametric Evaluation.
Ms. Mertz is an active member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois.