I grew up the middle son of two Italian immigrants in Orange County, NY. Both my parents were industrious, my mother exceptionally creative and my father terrifyingly resourceful. No surprise, then, that I was drawn to engineering: the challenge and the opportunity, or maybe the necessity, to create something from nothing. The chance to shape something borne of my own vision.
Formally, I cut my teeth in engineering nearly 20 years ago, working for a small outfit in Westchester. I had already begun taking engineering classes, but there is nothing quite like real-world experience. There I was able to truly get my hands dirty: I did everything from soil testing to wastewater treatment plant operations. And I’m not talking about the glamorous side of wastewater—I mean inhaling filter flies and raking out and leveling sand beds. They say scent may be the most powerful sense, and those moments left a lasting impression, ultimately defining my career.
Do something – even if it’s wrong, just try something. We are never going to get anywhere unless we get started.
With that experience under my belt, I continued on, working toward a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology. As I approached graduation, I settled on a firm closer to home in the Town of Wallkill. I continued my career development in site civil work and began working in municipal engineering, specifically water and wastewater design. I obtained my PE license along with a master’s concentrated in water and wastewater treatment design while working there.
I thought I would stay at that firm forever, but the economy changed those plans, and I moved on to a position in New Jersey, again primarily providing municipal engineering, including planning, zoning and design work. Although unexpected, this transition was one of the best things that could have happened for me professionally; I was exposed to a much more diverse range of projects. While there I obtained my New Jersey PE license.
A few years later, I was asked to help rebuild the Town of Wallkill practice I had worked at before, and I was grateful to accept the opportunity. This decision led to incredible personal and professional growth. Within a year I became vice president, and I was pleased to discover the responsibility fit. My confidence grew as I mentored junior staff, developed relationships with clients and managed the business.
After spending nearly six years in that position, I recognized that following my calling meant working more closely with my community. I decided I was ready for the next challenge and, together with Darren, founded p+d to build our vision for a practice. Our goal is simple: work with our friends and neighbors to share our expertise, build the infrastructure that supports our communities and create relationships along the way. For us, this is what engineering is all about.
All that said, I couldn’t consider myself successful without my family.
My kids inherited my curiosity and fascination with nature, which we try to nurture. My son is an avid astronomer, and the newest cute animal on my daughter’s wish list is a fluffy cow. Our family is a member of the American Museum of Natural History, and we usually visit multiple times a year. We travel widely and openly, from trekking the Grand Canyon from north rim to south, to ascending Mauna Kea and Mount Fuji, to visiting my parents’ house in Italy, to road-tripping across the desolate and horizonless Southwest.