Art Rometo, PE, PMP, MSE, MBA is one of hundreds of skilled GAI professionals who help clients create better communities, transportation infrastructure, energy generation and delivery, and more from our office locations throughout the United States. Today we’ll find out a little about what makes Art tick—the background, motivation, and methods that he brings to the table every day for GAI and GAI’s clients.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your area of specialization and how you were drawn to it?
Art Rometo: I specialize in roadway/highway, and drainage design. I have always enjoyed problem solving and building things, so I was naturally drawn toward a career in engineering. As a freshman at Ohio Northern University, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into mechanical or electrical engineering, so I registered in the undeclared engineering program.
At the time, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) offered a class for civil engineering students that allowed them to work during the summer as inspector’s aides. It sounded like a good experience to me, and I was about out of spending money, so I thought to myself, “Why don’t I declare myself as a civil engineering major, take the ODOT class and work during the summer, and decide if I want to be mechanical or electrical engineer when I return to school in the fall.” So, I changed my major to civil engineering, took the class, and worked that summer for ODOT as an inspector’s aide.
I was assigned to a large reconstruction project, the I-75 bridge over the Maumee River. That is where I fell in love with civil engineering: performing material tests, watching the contractors, and being around the equipment and the construction site. I ended up staying in the civil engineering program and worked 3 summers as an inspector’s aide and 9 months on the ODOT survey crew.
Q: What sorts of projects do you typically contribute to and what role do you play?
Art: I work as a senior engineering manager at GAI. In that role I get to do a variety of things. My favorite things to do are business development and serving as a project manager. I get to work directly with our clients in both of these roles, which gives me the opportunity to find out what their needs are and how we can best serve them. My goal is not only to deliver high-quality projects and excellent service, but also to create and maintain an atmosphere in which our clients enjoy working with us.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
Art: I really enjoy working with clients—coming up with creative solutions to their challenges and exploring ways to save them money. While every project is different, they can often involve similar actions—yet our team looks for ways to both economize and have an improved project outcome. I thrive within this sort of approach, which exercises my love of problem-solving and thinking “out of the box” to come up with different solutions.
I am very fortunate to work for a company where I get to collaborate with a team of professionals who are just as passionate about their jobs as I am.
Q: Why do you feel that GAI is a good place to put your skills to work?
Art: GAI provides a fun atmosphere where employees can reach their full potential. I am very fortunate to work for a company where I get to collaborate with a team of professionals who are just as passionate about their jobs as I am. Working with talented people who love what they are doing and have a good time doing it makes coming to work enjoyable—our team gets a great deal of personal satisfaction from working on challenging projects, and when you love what you do, you typically do it to the top of your abilities.
Contact Art Rometo, 234.203.0761, for more information about GAI’s transportation engineering services—message GAI online and start the conversation about how our multidiscipline professionals can meet your unique project needs.
Art Rometo, PE, PMP, MBA, MSE leads GAI’s Ohio Transportation Group. He has nearly 3 decades of experience in the design and management of complex infrastructure projects, having held key positions in both the public and private sectors—including over 15 years with the Ohio Department of Transportation. Art is a proven team leader who works with federal, state, and local agencies to ensure projects are completed with a strong focus on scope, schedule, constructability, and budget.
