HNTB’s Diana Mendes honored, firm welcomes Robert James

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
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Diana Mendes, HNTB Corporation transit/rail practice leader and senior vice president, was named 2017 Training Professional of the Year Award by the National Transit Institute (NTI). HNTB also welcomed Robert James to the firm's Parsippany, N.J. office as a senior project manager for electrical engineering.

 

Mendes was awarded at the NTI 2017 Transit Trainer’s Workshop in Nashville, Tenn. She has provided training nationwide for the NTI and the Federal Transit Administration for more than 15 years. She has aided personnel from transit agencies, state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to better manage the environmental review process for federal transit projects. Mendes has reached more than 1,200 participants through more than 40 course offerings.

In her role as HNTB’s transit/rail practice leader, Mendes is responsible for strategic planning and implementation, industry representation, business development, service delivery and client satisfaction. She is based in the firm’s Arlington, Va., office and works with transit clients across the country.

In his new role, James is responsible for design and inspection of electrical power, control and communications systems for infrastructure and intelligent transportation system projects.

James holds a patent for connected automated vehicles, and he is recognized for being among the first in the United States to propose using connected vehicles and connected infrastructure to automate vehicles to improve safety. He is a founder of the Smart Road at Virginia Tech and the first to design the facility for testing automated vehicles and concepts.

“Bob brings in-depth knowledge and experience implementing customer-facing intelligent transportation systems,” said Stephen Dilts, HNTB’s New Jersey office leader and vice president. “New technologies are increasingly important. Our transportation clients in New Jersey recognize that emerging technologies can enhance safety and improve mobility for travelers throughout the region.”

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