Jason DiFrank joined Penn E&R in January 2020 and serves as a project manager in our Engineering Group. Jay has 15 years of experience serving the environmental and engineering consulting industry. His areas of expertise include due diligence studies and environmental assessments, hydrogeology, ground water, soil and vapor sampling, site remediation, soil identification and infiltration testing.
What is your role at Penn E&R? I am a project manager in our Engineering Group.
What does a typical day at Penn E&R look like for you? My day usually starts here with a cup of coffee, then we have a morning check in with staff and other managers to make sure people know what their workload is for the day. The bulk of my day is spent tending to my projects, which means a lot of time talking with clients and collaborating with other Penn E&R employees. You will likely find me getting a second cup of coffee around 2 pm every day, and then it is back to work again. I also make time to chat with other staff.
Where are you from? I grew up in the suburbs of beautiful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
What college did you attend? I attended THE Pennsylvania State University.
What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime? I think I’m living out my biggest goal right now. I have a great wife and two kids, a nice home, and a great career that I’m proud of. I would like to own some lake front property or a mountain house at some point that I can escape to on the weekends.
What is your proudest achievement? Personally, for me, it would have to be when I started my professional career two weeks after I graduated college. I picked up and moved five hours away from my hometown, didn’t know a single person, started a new job in a place I knew nothing about and was able to create a life for myself. Now I’m married with two kids and have created so many wonderful friendships and relationships that I will have for life.
What hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not at work? I play in an ice hockey league in the fall/winter and softball in the summer. I also enjoy riding my bike, working on my cars and spending time with my family.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I have OCD when it comes to neatness and cleanliness. I hate when things are unorganized or messy. Yes, I’m that Dad that is cleaning up my kids toys when they are still playing with them. Luckily, my wife is borderline the same way, so our home is always neat and tidy. Who doesn’t like fresh vacuum lines in the carpet!?
What is (or are) your favorite sports team(s)? Penn State football consumes me on Saturdays in the fall (which makes my wife unhappy). Growing up in Pittsburgh, I am a huge Penguins, Steelers and Pirates fan. It was not super fun attending games in Philadelphia as a Pittsburgh fan… I had to get used to being insulted every three minutes. I was even told to go back to Pittsburgh one time… sorry Eagles fan, but I live here!
Who is your hero? In second grade, I wrote that my hero was Kurt Russel because I loved [and still love] the movie Big Trouble in Little China. However, in reality, my father is my hero. I idolized everything he did when I was a kid; he was a superhero to me and still is.
What is your favorite part about working at Penn E&R? Honestly, it has to be the people here. From the day I started, everyone was so helpful and kind. From the management to the staff, I truly enjoy interacting with everyone here!
