HNTB’s new hires bring continued focus on infrastructure

From left to right: Eric Elk and Loreana Marciante, HNTB’s two newest hires. | Photos courtesy of HNTB

HNTB Corporation has brought on two new hires in the past week who are expected to focus much of their attention on infrastructure and transportation.

Eric Elk is HNTB’s new government relations director for the firm’s Great Lakes Division. Loreana Marciante, PMP, has joined HNTB as an emerging mobility solutions engineer, based in the firm’s Bellevue office.

Elk brings more than two decades of experience with federal, state and local governments and public-private partnerships. He will be located in the firm’s Chicago office. He currently directs the firm’s government relations activities for Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

He is tasked with developing government and public affairs plans and working in coordination with government relations professionals throughout the firm to maintain relationships with key policymakers who impact transportation infrastructure.

“Eric brings a strategic understanding of how to work across our industry’s numerous stakeholder and client audiences,” said Matt Hintze, PE, president of HNTB’s Great Lakes Division. “He has deep experience navigating the interactions between business, government, media and civil society and will be a core asset to help HNTB and our clients achieve their goals.”

Prior to joining HNTB, Elk founded and ran Fulcrum Illinois, a full-service government affairs consultancy. Before starting the company, Elk worked as a senior advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Kirk for more than 12 years, managing his election campaigns to the U.S. House and Senate, where Elk served as his chief of staff.

Elk is an alumnus of Illinois State University, where he earned a political science degree.

Marciante focuses on advanced technologies programs, particularly in the electric vehicle solutions space. Marciante also supports Zero Emission Vehicle programs nationwide and helps HNTB to bolster partnerships with leading technology solution providers, the firm said.

Marciante also brings nearly 20 years of experience in the urban built environment. Much of her focus has been on the intersection of transportation innovation and sustainable development, including electrification aspects of Smart Cities initiatives, HNTB said.

“Loreana is passionate about developing strategic emerging mobility solutions — including electric, automated, connected and shared vehicles — that lead to positive impacts for people, the environment and U.S. transportation as a whole,” said Jim Barbaresso, HNTB national intelligent transportation systems practice leader, senior vice president and HNTB Fellow.

Marciante has previously worked on the Juan Santamaria International Airport expansion in San Jose, Costa Rica, and the Sound Transit Light Rail System in Seattle. She also brings a commercial real estate development background on projects in the Seattle area, including award-winning Vulcan Real Estate projects in South Lake Union.

Marciante holds a Licenciatura in industrial engineering from the University of Costa Rica, a master’s in environmental studies from Brown University with an emphasis on urban sustainability and transit-oriented development, and professional certificates in Commercial Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Washington.