ACEC New York to honor three industry leaders at annual Spring Conference - June 8-10

The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC New York) will honor three industry leaders at its annual Spring Conference (June 8-10) at The Marriott East Side in New York City. The honorees are recognized for their exemplary leadership and contributions to New York's consulting engineering community. Francis Lombardi will receive the President's Award; Samuel (Sam) Schwartz will receive the Engineer of the Year Award; and Thomas (Tom) McLaughlin will be the recipient of the New Principal of the Year Award. President's Award: Francis Lombardi, P.E., Port Authority of New York and New Jersey The President's Award is given to a non-member of the council whose leadership and business savvy best supports ACEC New York's mission to be the leading advocate for member companies and the industry as a whole. Francis Lombardi, chief engineer of the Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J., has long been a friend and champion of ACEC New York's goals, objectives and activities. In 2000 he received a Special Awards Presentation (Salute to the Chief Engineers of the Port Authority), and in 1970 was the recipient of an ACEC New York Scholarship. Lombardi started his career with the Port Authority in 1971 as an engineering trainee and rose through the ranks to his present position. Since his appointment to the position of chief engineer in 1995, Lombardi has been responsible for delivering the agency's multi-billion dollar capital programs and oversees such high-profile construction projects as the $300 million contract to restore PATH service to lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks. He also directed the engineering efforts for the redevelopment of John F. Kennedy International Airport, which includes the $1.9 billion AirTrain light rail project; the redevelopment of Newark International Airport, which includes a rail link connecting the airport's monorail service to Amtrak and N.J. TRANSIT; and many other major capital construction projects for the Port Authority's tunnels, bridges and terminals. Lombardi's professional memberships include the Society of American Military Engineers; The Moles; the New York State Society of Professional Engineers and the Queens Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers; he serves on several boards, including the board of consultors to the Department of Civil Engineering at Manhattan College, and the board of managers of the Columbia Engineering School Alumni Association. His commitment to education and mentoring in the A/E/C industry has been extraordinary - participating in activities for the ACE Mentor Program (N.Y. and N.J.); American ORT, Engineering and Construction Industry Chapter; FIRST Robotics Program; the Salvadori Center, among others. Engineer of the Year Award: Samuel Schwartz, P.E., Sam Schwartz Engineering The Engineer of the Year Award is given to an active or retired member of ACEC New York who has made significant contributions to the consulting engineering profession, the council and his or her community. A board member of ACEC New York, Samuel Schwartz's professional service, engineering achievements, and civic and humanitarian activities are more than deserving of this year's award. Schwartz and the company he founded, Sam Schwartz Engineering, have been on the forefront of transportation engineering for more than a decade and have made national and international news for success in the field. An expert in the field of transportation engineering and traffic safety, Schwartz coined the term "gridlock" and is widely respected for his congestion relief strategies. He specializes in developing urban traffic programs utilizing his expertise in traffic demand management, transit systems management, traffic calming, and transportation planning and engineering. Prior to starting his firm in 1995, Schwartz was senior vice president responsible for transportation engineering, infrastructure, and quality control and planning at Hayden/ Wegman Consulting Engineers. He has also served as chief engineer/first deputy commissioner for the New York City Department of Transportation where he was responsible for an 8,000 person agency, and as New York City's traffic commissioner, as well as several key positions within NYC DOT. Schwartz also created the NYC Bridge Centennial Commission, founded the School for the Physical City, had numerous engineering based Op-Ed pieces in local and national papers such as the New York Times, and is probably best known for his daily news column addressing traffic matters in New York City, called "Gridlock Sam." He made national news in Canada representing the City of Windsor in a corridor design dubbed "Garden of Eden," which removes harmful truck fumes from international shipping routes between Canada and the U.S. by tunneling this activity and building large swaths of parkland. In addition to ACEC New York, Sam Schwartz sits on the boards of the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and the Women's Transportation Seminar. New Principal of the Year Award: Thomas McLaughlin, P.E. Henningson Durham & Richardson Architecture and Engineering, P.C. The New Principal of the Year Award is given to the ACEC New York member who has been a principal less than five years and who has made significant contributions in the form of ideas and service to the consulting engineering community. Tom McLaughlin was one of the youngest principals at HDR, a 7,000 person national firm, when he was made a vice president two years ago. Last year he was elected to the Executive Leadership Program, one of only six principals selected to be mentored by HDR's top-level executives. He is also an HDR professional associate, a recognition of technical expertise and leadership in traffic engineering. McLaughlin has over 15 years of experience in traffic and civil engineering and is thoroughly familiar with various aspects of highway design, traffic engineering, toll plaza design, E-ZPass design and transportation planning from scoping through final design. He has project management experience on numerous complex highway, bridge, traffic and transportation planning projects. As vice president for transportation operations, McLaughlin is responsible for the ten HDR offices throughout New York State and New Jersey. He is also a senior project manager responsible for managing technical development, as well as revenues and profitability and staff utilization, for complex projects for the NYS Thruway Authority, Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J. and NYSDOT. He has received the Pathfinders Award, given by HDR to employees who are problem solvers and innovative thinkers, and the Career Skills II award, a national recognition given to the six most highly qualified candidates for HDR's Executive Track program.