People Spotlight: Meet George Robbins
Our People Spotlight series gives you an inside look at our technical experts around the world. This week, we are highlighting a project manager from our Transportation business line in the United States and providing insight into his inspiration and work.
George Robbins, PMP, CFCM, DBIA, MBA, is a project manager in our Chicago, Illinois office. He has a wide range of experience in complex project delivery across the transportation, transit, and IT sectors.
What inspired you to join the industry?
I started my career in construction and after a decade, I pursued advanced degrees to broaden my opportunities. I joined a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm where I supported the team on a foundation client project in Richmond, Virginia. Over time, I rose to become the client service leader, overseeing design, bid document preparation, procurement, maintenance, reporting, inspection, and construction work. The role exposed me to various aspects of project management, including budgeting, cost estimating, takeoffs, portfolio planning, risk management, change management, and stakeholder engagement. This experience confirmed for me that a professional engineering career path was the right fit for my continued growth.
This experience confirmed for me that a professional engineering career path was the right fit for my continued growth.”
What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?
My favorite AECOM project is the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s West Lake Corridor project. This exciting design-build endeavor involves building an eight-mile extension of a commuter rail line running parallel to the Illinois-Indiana state line. The route, which stretches from the new Hammond Gateway station to a fresh terminus at Munster/Dyer Main Street, will provide a vital transportation link connecting high-growth neighborhoods to the Chicago metropolitan area. The expansion of the line will improve mobility, stimulate local economic growth, and reduce vehicular traffic and emissions, while incorporating best practices for environmental sustainability and wetland mitigation.
This project is particularly energizing for me because it challenges me to apply a wide range of my expertise in procurement, contracts, information systems, IT systems (including open road tolling and video enforcement), back-office operations, intrusion protection systems, and constructability reviews. I am proud to contribute to the success of this project that will positively impact local communities.
My favorite project from earlier in my career was when I managed the Powhite Parkway Improvement Program in Richmond, Virginia, which was the largest capital improvement project the client had undertaken since their inception in the 1960s. Key elements of the program included relocating Powhite Creek, widening the parkway, adding express lanes with open road tolling and video enforcement, constructing a new toll plaza administration building, and establishing an IT back office linked to the Virginia Department of Transportation database. As the client service leader, I handled planning, budgeting, design, bid administration, contract award, and construction management. This project highlighted the importance of sustainable alternatives in noise reduction and air quality improvements for surrounding communities.
The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s West Lake Corridor project is particularly energizing for me because it challenges me to apply a wide range of my expertise in procurement, contracts, information systems, IT systems (including open road tolling and video enforcement), back office operations, intrusion protection systems, and constructability reviews. I am proud to contribute to the success of this project that will positively impact local communities. ”
Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.
I’m proud that my projects bring significant benefits to communities across various dimensions: economic, cultural, environmental and transportation.
- Economically, our projects create new employment opportunities in local areas and spur development, including jobs and housing along new rail corridors.
- Culturally, we prioritize preserving historical areas, Indigenous sites, fossil beds, and graveyards by redesigning proposed railroad alignments.
- Environmentally, we’ve implemented wildlife crossings, optimized stream routing to minimize flooding risks, and rerouted existing surface streams.
- From a transportation perspective, our efforts result in improved travel times and streamlined modes of commuting, minimizing unnecessary transfers for travelers and reducing vehicular emissions.
These contributions underscore the positive impact of infrastructure projects on our communities.
I’m proud that my projects bring significant benefits to communities across various dimensions: economic, cultural, environmental and transportation. These contributions underscore the positive impact of infrastructure projects on our communities.”
Share a piece of career advice.
Proactive listening and effective collaboration are essential tools for success. Don’t be discouraged by setbacks: exercise patience and work through challenges. Establish a long-term plan and assemble a competent team. A well-functioning, collaborative team provides vital support throughout the project life cycle. Leverage the depth and breadth of resources available to you to make sure each project is delivered to the client’s satisfaction.