Twin Oaks Consulting’s Jason Hasker Answers the Call

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan created a massive logistics problem and humanitarian crisis for the government. Thousands of Afghans who worked with U.S. Forces during the Afghanistan war and their families needed to be evacuated and resettled in the United States.

Jason, a Weston, Luzerne County native and Air Force veteran, accepted the call to aid in the relocation effort in August 2021. He was one of two Mobility Control Officers assigned to head the project. They needed move over 70,000 Afghan refugees arriving at Dulles Airport in northern Virginia to surrounding military bases where they could be reunited with family and friends. 

However, they could not just be in and out. A major concern was that each refugee was processed correctly so that they could receive their Special Interest Visa (SIV), the proper documentation required to enter the United States. In addition to the SIV’s, many of the Afghans had young children or medical issues to address that needed immediate attention. Such items as COVID, measles, and security (proper vetting) concerns required a lot of coordination with other groups to ensure that the operation went smoothly.

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Twin Oaks Consulting, LLC announces the addition of an Electro-Mechanical Systems Department to the firm

Jason M. Hasker, PMP, of Nazareth recently joinedTwin Oaks Consulting as the firm's Principal, Electro-Mechanical Systems.

Prior to joining Twin Oaks Consulting, Mr. Hasker served as an officer in the United States Air Force, followed by engineering and project management positions for Custom Laminating Corporation, Sanofi Pasteur, and Follett while being a leader in a variety of engineering and management roles.

Among his key accomplishments: testing and later decommissioning the Peacekeeper Nuclear Weapon System; demonstrating in-flight testing of the Airborne Laser, a modified Boeing 747; and serving as program manager and technical expert for multiple multi-million dollar classified defense projects.

Following his 13+ year Air Force career, he worked to merge his military flight testing and project management experience with the needs of the local manufacturers. He converted the lamination industry by leading several capital projects to modernize and improve adhesive and perforation capabilities. In the pharmaceutical sector, he helped establish efficient reliability and maintenance programs for vaccine production lines. In the food service and healthcare sectors, he consulted on new product development and refined business relationships with technicians, sales, installers, and customers to result in an overall improved customer experience.

Mr. Hasker received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Pittsburgh in 1999. He followed with his M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2001, and an Equivalent M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Test Pilot School in 2005.

He has also been recognized throughout his career earning the Dr. Theodore Von Karman Fellowship, Tau Beta Pi Fellow, Air Force Historical Foundation Award, and Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, as well as being elected to the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.

For more information on the services now being offered by the Twin Oaks Electro-Mechanical Systems Department contact, Jason at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call him at 484-542-7534.

John Ackerman named Fellow by the American Society of Civil Engineers

John R. Ackerman, PE, PG, received notice that he was elected Fellow by the American Society of Civil Engineers in October 2019.

ASCE is an international technical association with over 150,000 members in 177 countries. In addition to its focus on civil engineering technology, there are nine institutes covering specialty areas of civil engineering. Mr. Ackerman is a member of EWRI, the environmental and water resources institute.

In addition to his Fellow status in ASCE, Mr. Ackerman is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, earning his board-certified status in 1989 and was elected Fellow of the National Society of Professional Engineers in 2005.

John Ackerman named PSPE Engineer of the Year

John R. Ackerman, PE, PG, BCEE, F.NSPE, F.ASCE, Managing Member of Twin Oaks Consulting, LLC received the 2019 Engineer of the Year recognition at the 85^th Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Society of Engineers at the Wind Creek Casino & Conference Center in Bethlehem, PA in September.

The State Engineer of the Year Award publicly recognizes outstanding engineers based on criteria including professional achievements and civic, political, engineering and educational contributions, according the society’s release.

Local engineers receive awards from Keystone Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers

The Keystone Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers recently honored John R. Ackerman, P.E., P.G., BCEE, F.NSPE, with the Chapter’s Engineer of the Year award and Walter J. Poplawski, P.E., F.NSPE, with the Robert P. Eble, P.E., PLS, Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to the Chapter.

Ackerman was recognized for his concept and design for a water harvesting and purification system that received a U.S. patent last year. A resident of Hazle Township, Ackerman is president of Twin Oaks Water Systems, Inc., also located in Hazle Township. His RainMaker concept can produce potable water from unconventional sources ranging from hypersaline product water from oil and gas production to abandoned mine water to virtually any polluted water.

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Twin Oaks introduces award-winning Rainmaker Water Harvesting System

The Rainmaker Water Harvesting System is here! Watch the video to learn more about this award-winner for Best Value in Green Engineering and learn about water harvesting from unconventional sources.

Twin Oaks Water Systems Wins Award in 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Innovation Contest

Twin Oaks Water Systems' RainMaker water harvester has been selected as the "Best Value in Green Engineering” in the 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Innovation Contest.

Twin Oaks’ President John R. Ackerman, PE, PG, BCEE, F.NSPE, M.ASCE of Hazle Township, and Director of Operations Al Handy, PE, of Blairstown, NJ, received their award certificates at a recent event at ASCE’s world headquarters in Reston, Virginia, where Ackerman presented a paper entitled "Water Harvesting from Unconventional, Non-Potable Sources.”

The annual ASCE Innovation Contest is part of the ASCE Grand Challenge, where civil engineers from around the world are taking a pledge to meet the Grand Challenge goal of cutting infrastructure life-cycle costs in half by 2025. ASCE Innovation Contest solutions revolved around four key elements: life-cycle cost analysis, performance-based standards, resilience, and innovation.

“Innovation is interesting because one of the things is it sometimes takes a little bit longer to consider. Innovation doesn’t happen in that fast framework of things you’re familiar with in your routine,” said Kristie Dunkin, a managing director for the Chambers Group in Santa Ana, CA. “It happens in the times when you can sit back and think about something. One of the fundamental approaches is to give people some time to think about things.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Founded in 1852, ASCE is the nation’s oldest engineering society. ASCE stands at the forefront of a profession that plans, designs, constructs, and operates society’s economic and social engine – the built environment – while protecting and restoring the natural environment.

Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education, the world’s largest publisher of civil engineering content, and an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public.

The Society advances civil engineering technical specialties through nine dynamic Institutes and leads with its many professional- and public-focused programs.

For more information on the contest and award winners, visit http://news.asce.org/innovation-contest-winners-showcase-forward-thinking-ideas/.

For more information on Twin Oaks Water Systems, Inc., visit http://www.twinoaks.biz/Services/water-harvesting.html.

Pictured below are diagrams of the two-trailer Model OG RainMaker water harvester unit.

Handy Named Principal Civil Engineer

Alfred G. Handy, Civil Engineering Manager, has been appointed Principal - Civil Engineering for the firm.

Mr. Handy brings a wealth of management experience to the executive management of Twin Oaks.

Twin Oaks Attends U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum

John Ackerman, PE, PG, President of Twin Oaks Research Centre, Inc., was invited to attend the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum  - 2015 on September 4th.  The Forum was held at the Ritz-Carleton in Washington, DC.  Over 700 attendees were present.

The Forum was held in conjunction with the visit to the United States of His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.  The highlight of the Forum was the Ministerial Plenary Discussion on the Fostering an Attractive Investment Climate.  The ministers comprising the Plenary Panel included: H.E. Irbrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance; H.E. Tawfig Alrabiah, Minister of Commerce and Industry; H.E. Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Health; and H.E. Abdullahtif Al-Othman, Governor and Chairman of the Board of SAGIA.

In conjunction with the Forum the "Invest Saudi" Exhibition was held by the Saudi Export Development Authority with leading Saudi companies like Saudi Aramco and the Saline Water Conversion Company present along with numerous Saudi Government organizations.  Mr. Ackerman discussed the Research Centre's new desalinization technology with many of the exhibitors.

"Jeepin' Al" Shows His Heart

The line of Jeeps that would carry the Veterans on a 2 hour trail ride.

On August 29, 2014, Twin Oaks Principal in Charge of Civil Engineering attended the "Wheelers for the Wounded" event in northern New Jersey.

Volunteers provide the opportunity for local veterans to experience a much deserved day of adventure and relaxation in the outdoors. The day starts with a continental breakfast followed by a JEEP ride through the woods of northern New Jersey. They ended their ride with a hot lunch of pulled pork, BBQ ribs, chicken and all the fixin's.

Wheelers for the Wounded-NJ was formed seven years ago and this year had 167 Veterans/families, drivers and volunteers attend.

Wheelers for the Wounded is a nation-wide event that provides a weekend of off-roading for both wounded and non-wounded military veterans.  This excellent multi-state program was conceived by Jason Havlik, a Gulf War veteran.

"Jeepin' Al" and his Veteran son, Jimmy with Al's Jeep