RESPEC Promotes Three New Vice Presidents to Lead our Facilities and EARTHRES Markets

RESPEC has promoted three outstanding leaders to Vice President roles: Amy Mestas as Vice President of Facilities, Dave Horvath as Vice President of EARTHRES, and Ezaz Khan as Vice President of EARTHRES. Each brings a distinct mix of experience, leadership, and technical insight to their new roles, strengthening RESPEC’s ability to grow and deliver across markets.

These promotions support RESPEC’s Vision 2030 by deepening leadership in critical areas, from resilient infrastructure and solid waste engineering to integrated energy solutions. Together, Amy, Dave, and Ezaz represent the next generation of leaders who will help move RESPEC forward.

Amy Mestas, Vice President of Facilities

Amy Mestas has helped shape some of RESPEC’s most complex infrastructure projects in Alaska. As a licensed structural and civil engineer, she brings two decades of experience designing resilient facilities for schools, healthcare, airports, and military installations, many in remote and high-seismic environments.

Amy led a major structural engineering response following the 2018 magnitude 7.1 Anchorage Earthquake, overseeing inspections, repairs, and renovations for more than 250 structures within a year. That same year, she was named Alaska Engineer of the Year and ASCE Region 8 Engineer of the Year.

Since joining RESPEC through the 2020 acquisition of PDC Engineers, Amy has played a key role in expanding our facilities practice in the Central Region of Alaska. Over the past year, she has led a multidisciplinary team of more than 25 professionals and deepened collaboration across RESPEC’s markets, from Water and Transportation to Mining & Energy and EARTHRES.

Amy’s leadership is rooted in both precision and people. She’s known for her ability to coordinate complex design efforts, guide project teams with transparency, and build client trust in technically demanding environments.

She is also an active community leader, serving as Vice President of the Alaska Professional Design Council, sitting on the UAA Civil Engineering Advisory Committee, coaching youth volleyball, and mentoring students through STEM programs like Smart Girls Rock.

“I’m grateful for the chance to collaborate with leaders across RESPEC to support employee growth, share and scale what’s working, and strengthen cross-market partnerships that solve complex challenges for our clients,” said Amy. “I’m excited to take on a larger role in connecting employees, clients, and communities through projects that make a real impact.”

As Vice President of Facilities, she will continue to scale RESPEC’s infrastructure capabilities while shaping strategies that position us for long-term success under Vision 2030.

Dave Horvath, Vice President of EARTHRES

With more than 30 years of experience in the solid waste consulting industry, Dave has helped shape how clients plan, operate, and modernize their waste management facilities. As a licensed Engineering Geologist, he joined RESPEC in 2024 through the acquisition of EARTHRES and has led the division’s solid waste practice for more than a decade.

Dave’s expertise spans landfill and facility planning, permitting, design and construction sequencing, leachate treatment, odor and gas management, and the beneficial reuse of landfill gas. He has contributed to the industry’s evolution from traditional landfilling toward integrated waste diversion and conversion systems.

“I want to thank the entire EARTHRES team for all their support and professionalism, as I couldn’t be here without them,” Dave shared. “Being part of RESPEC brings great opportunities for growth and success, and I’m excited to step into this role to support the company’s Vision 2030. I’m confident that we’ll continue to achieve great things together, both as a team and for our clients.”

As Vice President, Dave will continue to lead engineering strategies that enhance operational performance for clients and expand RESPEC’s reach in solid waste management infrastructure.

Ezaz Khan, Vice President of EARTHRES

Ezaz Khan brings over 35 years of experience in midstream and downstream energy facilities, wastewater treatment, and gas-to-energy projects. His background includes compressor stations, NGL and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), advanced wastewater treatment, landfill leachate systems, biogas cogeneration, and industrial automation—technical areas that are increasingly important as clients seek integrated, sustainable solutions.

Like Dave, Ezaz joined RESPEC in 2024 through the EARTHRES acquisition and currently leads the mechanical and process engineering group. His work spans the Energy, Solid Waste, Mining, and Environmental sectors. He’s known for blending surface engineering with infrastructure design, helping RESPEC deliver comprehensive services that meet evolving industry demands.

“It’s an honor to work with such a talented team at RESPEC,” Ezaz said. “By combining our surface engineering experience with RESPEC’s subsurface and infrastructure development skills, we can offer full-service solutions to our clients. I look forward to working ACROSS teams and contributing to RESPEC’s growth mission for Vision 2030.”

As Vice President, Ezaz will continue to advance integrated engineering practices and deliver results that move RESPEC and its clients toward long-term goals.

These Leaders Reflect RESPEC’s Values

Amy, Dave, and Ezaz are experienced professionals who are collaborative, accountable, and people-focused. Their promotions reflect the kind of leadership that drives RESPEC forward: passionate about the work, committed to excellence, and grounded in teamwork. They embody what it means to live out our PACT values—Passion, Accountability, Caring, and Teamwork—every day.

Join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved promotions!