Mark Heine, CEO and Chairman of Fugro, Presented with the 2025 Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award
Fugro, a Dutch multinational company that specializes in Geo-data acquisition, is a pioneer in mapping, modelling, and monitoring the Earth's surface and subsurface.
Heine leads Fugro's more than 11,000 employees in 52 countries. In the United States, Fugro employs 1,400 people in 17 locations in Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, South Dakota, and California. Heine has been with the company for nearly 25 years. Under his leadership, Fugro has transitioned from focusing primarily on the oil and gas sector to offering a diverse portfolio of services across the energy, infrastructure, and water markets. By leveraging advanced techniques in mapping, modelling, and monitoring Geo-data, Fugro empowers its clients to make informed decisions, helping to reduce risk and uncertainty in both the built and natural environment.
In the US, Fugro's work takes many forms. For example, after Hurricane Helene hit areas in Florida and Georgia in 2024, Fugro used high-definition aerial images to map the impact of the storm. The company is also working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to map the state's seafloor to improve coastal resilience. In Kentucky, Fugro performed a geotechnical study to support the site investigation for a new bridge in Ballard County. And in Michigan, the company is surveying and evaluating the geophysical conditions for the construction of twin small modular reactors for an existing nuclear power plant.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Heine said, 'At Fugro, we see infrastructure as essential to how societies function and evolve. It influences how we live, how we grow, and how we recover from disruption. Whether guided by established policy or new federal investment, our focus is constant: to ensure every dollar spent delivers lasting value, resilience, and opportunity.'
The award was presented to Mr. Heine by Dutch Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar and Ms. Fien Bertrams, Senior Vice President Heineken USA. Freddy Heineken came to the United States in the 1940s to expand Heineken's market. Combining his Dutch business skills with American marketing techniques, Freddy Heineken built the foundation of what is today a global brand.
Ambassador Tazelaar said, 'As CEO of Fugro, Mark Heine represents one of the leading Dutch companies that actively invest in the US. Together, those Dutch companies support more than 1 million American jobs. Fugro is but one shining example of Dutch companies bringing its expertise to bear on this side of the Atlantic, and for that we are grateful.'
The Holland on the Hill Heineken Award ceremony took place as part of the Netherland-America Foundation's Ambassadors' Award program. Members of Congress who are also members of the Dutch Caucus including Representative Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-1), and Representative Beth van Duyne (R-TX-24) attended the event.
Earlier in the evening, Mr. Heine participated in a panel discussion on 'Future Proof Infrastructure.' The speakers from the public and private sectors noted that increasing energy production and manufacturing in the United States will require increased sustainability of our infrastructure. Heine's remarks underscored that 'future proof' is not a buzzword but a mandate. He stated, 'Infrastructure is more than the roads and bridges we drive on. It's integrated systems, electrical grids, and energy pipelines. These systems are being tested by natural disasters. Future proofing our infrastructure is a proactive and necessary approach to develop solutions to adapt to today's challenges to our environment.'
Mr. Heine joins an illustrious group of business leaders presented with the Holland on the Hill Freddy Heineken Award, including: Stu Sjouwerman of KnowBe4 in 2024, Klaas van Lookeren Campagne of CitizenM in 2023, Richard DeLuca Jr., of Merck in 2022, Peter Oosterveer, of Arcadis in 2021, Michelle Browdy of IBM in 2020, Alexander R. Wynaendts of Aegon in 2019, David Hyman of Netflix in 2018, Dick Boer of Ahold Delhaize in 2017, Victoria B. Mars of Mars Inc. in 2016, Paul Polman of Unilever in 2015, and Werner Vogels of Amazon.com in 2014.
Attachment
Carla Bundy Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 202-274-2632 [email protected]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
39 minutes ago
- CNN
VA terminates key union contracts
The Department of Veterans Affairs is terminating collective bargaining agreements with several key government unions representing its employees. In an announcement Wednesday, the VA said the move is in response to an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March that nixed collective bargaining rights for many federal workers in the name of national security. The agency's decision comes after a federal appellate court lifted a lower court ban on the ending of union contracts on Friday, although the Trump administration previously issued guidance that agencies should not terminate any collective bargaining agreements until litigation challenging the order is over. 'Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,' VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. 'We're making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.' The VA said it notified five major unions that their contracts for 'bargaining-unit employees' were being terminated: the American Federation of Government Employees; the National Association of Government Employees; the National Federation of Federal Employees; the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United; and the Service Employees International Union. Contracts covering the roughly 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters or security guards represented by those unions will remain in place, the agency said. The VA said the move will allow staff to 'spend more time with Veterans,' noting that in 2024, nearly 2,000 union employees 'spent more than 750,000 hours of work on taxpayer-funded union time.' Without those obligations, 'those hours can now be used to serve Veterans instead of union bosses,' the agency said. The move will also open up more physical space for veterans' needs, the VA said. 'More than 187,000 square feet of its office and clinical space is currently being used by union representatives free of charge,' the agency said, adding that it has 'cost VA millions of dollars in lost rent and expenses.' The agency also says labor contracts have restricted managers' ability to hire, promote and reward high performing employees and to hold poor performers accountable. The move was met with outrage by at least two of the top unions representing VA employees. AFGE, which represents 320,000 employees at the agency, said it is assessing its options to challenge Collins' move. 'Secretary Collins' decision to rip up the negotiated union contract for majority of its workforce is another clear example of retaliation against AFGE members for speaking out against the illegal, anti-worker, and anti-veteran policies of this administration,' AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement. He noted that Collins' action is 'inconsistent' with Office of Personnel Management guidance instructing agencies to hold off on ending union agreements while the legal challenges played out. Those losing their representation by AFGE and several other unions include nurses, doctors, housekeepers, maintenance, food service workers, lawyers, mental health specialists, cemetery workers and others, according to AFGE. NNU, the largest union of registered nurses in the country, said the VA's announcement to terminate its contract and those of the other unions 'is an attack on those who dedicate their lives in the service of others.' 'We know this administration is hellbent on silencing nurses and other VA workers to steamroll the destruction of the VA,' the nurses' union said in a statement to CNN. 'It is because of VA nurses' ability to speak up about patient safety through our union that our nation's veterans receive the highest level of care.' NNU says it will 'continue to pursue legal action with our fellow unions.' The department's move comes just days after a federal appeals court in California lifted a lower court's preliminary injunction that had blocked several federal agencies from canceling certain union contracts. Trump's expansive executive order applies to more than 1 million federal workers across many agencies, including the departments of State, Defense, Justice and Health and Human Services. The order is aimed at stopping federal unions that have 'declared war on President Trump's agenda,' according to a White House fact sheet. It noted that the largest union – AFGE – has filed many grievances to 'block Trump policies.' 'President Trump refuses to let union obstruction interfere with his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests,' the fact sheet said. The two largest federal employee unions – AFGE and the National Treasury Employees Union – sued in separate courts, saying Trump was retaliating for their advocacy for their members and for federal services. The unions were initially successful in blocking the order in separate federal district courts, but they each lost on the appellate level. NNU, as well as other unions, joined AFGE in its lawsuit against the executive order.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
VA terminates key union contracts
The Department of Veterans Affairs is terminating collective bargaining agreements with several key government unions representing its employees. In an announcement Wednesday, the VA said the move is in response to an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March that nixed collective bargaining rights for many federal workers in the name of national security. The agency's decision comes after a federal appellate court lifted a lower court ban on the ending of union contracts on Friday, although the Trump administration previously issued guidance that agencies should not terminate any collective bargaining agreements until litigation challenging the order is over. 'Too often, unions that represent VA employees fight against the best interests of Veterans while protecting and rewarding bad workers,' VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement. 'We're making sure VA resources and employees are singularly focused on the job we were sent here to do: providing top-notch care and service to those who wore the uniform.' The VA said it notified five major unions that their contracts for 'bargaining-unit employees' were being terminated: the American Federation of Government Employees; the National Association of Government Employees; the National Federation of Federal Employees; the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United; and the Service Employees International Union. Contracts covering the roughly 4,000 VA police officers, firefighters or security guards represented by those unions will remain in place, the agency said. The VA said the move will allow staff to 'spend more time with Veterans,' noting that in 2024, nearly 2,000 union employees 'spent more than 750,000 hours of work on taxpayer-funded union time.' Without those obligations, 'those hours can now be used to serve Veterans instead of union bosses,' the agency said. The move will also open up more physical space for veterans' needs, the VA said. 'More than 187,000 square feet of its office and clinical space is currently being used by union representatives free of charge,' the agency said, adding that it has 'cost VA millions of dollars in lost rent and expenses.' The agency also says labor contracts have restricted managers' ability to hire, promote and reward high performing employees and to hold poor performers accountable. The move was met with outrage by at least two of the top unions representing VA employees. AFGE, which represents 320,000 employees at the agency, said it is assessing its options to challenge Collins' move. 'Secretary Collins' decision to rip up the negotiated union contract for majority of its workforce is another clear example of retaliation against AFGE members for speaking out against the illegal, anti-worker, and anti-veteran policies of this administration,' AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement. He noted that Collins' action is 'inconsistent' with Office of Personnel Management guidance instructing agencies to hold off on ending union agreements while the legal challenges played out. Those losing their representation by AFGE and several other unions include nurses, doctors, housekeepers, maintenance, food service workers, lawyers, mental health specialists, cemetery workers and others, according to AFGE. NNU, the largest union of registered nurses in the country, said the VA's announcement to terminate its contract and those of the other unions 'is an attack on those who dedicate their lives in the service of others.' 'We know this administration is hellbent on silencing nurses and other VA workers to steamroll the destruction of the VA,' the nurses' union said in a statement to CNN. 'It is because of VA nurses' ability to speak up about patient safety through our union that our nation's veterans receive the highest level of care.' NNU says it will 'continue to pursue legal action with our fellow unions.' The department's move comes just days after a federal appeals court in California lifted a lower court's preliminary injunction that had blocked several federal agencies from canceling certain union contracts. Trump's expansive executive order applies to more than 1 million federal workers across many agencies, including the departments of State, Defense, Justice and Health and Human Services. The order is aimed at stopping federal unions that have 'declared war on President Trump's agenda,' according to a White House fact sheet. It noted that the largest union – AFGE – has filed many grievances to 'block Trump policies.' 'President Trump refuses to let union obstruction interfere with his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests,' the fact sheet said. The two largest federal employee unions – AFGE and the National Treasury Employees Union – sued in separate courts, saying Trump was retaliating for their advocacy for their members and for federal services. The unions were initially successful in blocking the order in separate federal district courts, but they each lost on the appellate level. NNU, as well as other unions, joined AFGE in its lawsuit against the executive order.
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Pacific Green Signs a Landmark Offtake Framework Agreement with Re2 Capital to Support 2GWh of BESS Projects in Australia
By GlobeNewswire Published on August 7, 2025, 03:30 IST Sydney, Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pacific Green Technologies, Inc., a global leader in battery energy storage solutions, is pleased to announce that its Australian battery storage business has signed a landmark framework agreement with Re2 Capital Ltd. ('Re2'). The agreement covers seven to 10-year capacity revenue swap arrangements across four Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects located in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, in support of 2GWh of new storage capacity. This industry-first agreement marks a major milestone in Pacific Green's growth trajectory, significantly accelerating the route to market for its 7GWh Australian project portfolio. Scott Poulter, Group CEO of Pacific Green, commented: 'Following our recent agreement with ZEN Energy for 1.5GWh, we are delighted to now also sign this first-of-its-kind framework agreement with Re2 for 2GWh in Australia.' 'Combined, these strategic framework agreements with Re2 and ZEN Energy enable Pacific Green to guarantee revenue underwriting 3.5GWh of battery projects in Australia and signify a major milestone for Pacific Green's development business.' Richard Oduntan, CEO of Re2 Capital commented: 'This framework agreement with Pacific Green is a milestone for both companies and the wider energy market. Through this framework agreement, we hope to further enable the development of critical infrastructure that will strengthen the National Electricity Market in Australia and facilitate continued renewable energy penetration.' Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
