Groundwater Gurus

This is the story of Jim Geraghty, David Miller, and others highlighted in this book who shaped our careers and instilled enduring values during the emerging environmental movement in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Geraghty & Miller was the launch for many of our careers, and provided us with memorable experiences and enduring friendships. We are eternally grateful to have been part of this exceptional company and to have met so many extraordinary people who changed the world.

One of the profound lessons of our consulting careers is that there are career-defining experiences we look back on as life-changing and, in some way, impactful on our culture. Our time at Geraghty & Miller shaped our views on the importance of technical rigor, the quality of writing and communication, client service, and, most of all, valuing colleagues and mentors. These values and lessons have shaped the rest of our careers (and those of many others) to this day.
Not all the lessons learned were easy, but their value endures.
Why is the story of Geraghty & Miller so important?
Geraghty & Miller, Inc. was the Number 1 Groundwater Consulting Firm in the United States in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, in part because groundwater development and protection were new, burgeoning field with limited competition, and in part because of the mix of extraordinary senior individuals who came together to form the firm. G&M was emerging as a national and international groundwater consulting firm as attention to the environment was growing exponentially. During the firm's growth, Jim Geraghty and David Miller were referred to as "Groundwater Gurus" (Appendix A).
This slice of history has not been told, and this book is an attempt to tell part of the story, at least in the eyes of a few participants. It is in no way a complete or comprehensive history, but it is a personalized account of what and how things happened.