Local Leaders Make Waves in Their Fields

In the world of engineering, Mehdi Mehrabi, Ph. D. , P. E. , has just taken on a big new role. He's now the manager of the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) division at McCarthy Engineering Associates Inc. Mehrabi isn't new to the game. He's been a senior mechanical engineer there for a while, bringing a lot of experience and know-how to his new position. Under his leadership, the MEP Division has made some serious strides. They've fully integrated Autodesk Revit, a top-notch design and coordination platform. This move puts McCarthy Engineering Associates in a great spot to work smoothly with architectural teams. With Mehrabi at the helm and the firm's tech capabilities boosted, they're ready to tackle innovative projects from start to finish. Over at Penn State Berks, Michael Fidanza, a professor of plant and soil science, has been named president of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture (PSPA). This isn't just any society. It was founded way back in 1785 and has some pretty impressive founding members, like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. Fidanza's interest in agriculture goes way back to his childhood days working on his dad's mushroom farm. His research focuses on turfgrass ecology and all sorts of related topics. He's also into investigating the benefits of mushroom compost, which is pretty cool considering his background. Ryan C. Givens, a senior counsel at Saxton & Stump, has made it onto the Central Penn Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” list. Givens is a busy guy. He's involved in the firm’s Business and Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking and Financial Services, and Information Privacy and Cybersecurity groups. He joined Saxton & Stump’s Lancaster office in early 2025 and has been advising businesses through all stages of their lifecycle. On top of his legal work, Givens is pretty active in the community. He serves on the board of directors of the Demuth Foundation and volunteers at Lancaster Catholic High School. Barley Snyder has been recognized as one of HRM Outlook’s “Top ERISA Service Providers 2025. ” This recognition highlights their deep experience and dedication to employee benefits and retirement plan matters. Mark Smith, a partner and chair of Barley Snyder’s Employee Benefits Practice Team, was featured in the ERISA Service Providers 2025 edition. Smith has over 35 years of experience in employee benefits law. He's worked on all sorts of benefit plan designs, implementations, and administrations. His expertise covers everything from health and welfare benefit plans to fiduciary law aspects of ERISA.