Gheorghe Rosca Jr., PE MBA
Project Manager – Associate Vice President
HDR
- One word to describe yourself - Driven
- Alma Mater – California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- Favorite book – The Bible
- Favorite TV show – “Shark Tank”
- Favorite movie – “Glory”
- Favorite hobby(s) – Reading and Running
- What is your favorite transit system (outside of the one you work for or have worked for): Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) New York, New York. As a tourist during the Christmas season Rosca was able to use it with such ease even though it was his first time. That was my first vacation where Rosca solely relied on public transit to get him to all of the places he wanted to see.
Within four years of earning his bachelor’s degree, Gheorghe Rosca Jr. was named HDR Riverside’s rail section manager. For two years, he managed six staff members, and projects ranging from $30 to $100 million in construction value. He was then asked to take over HDR’s Orange County rail and transit section and support a major client in program delivery throughout the next several years. During this time, Rosca also completed his MBA with an emphasis in project management.
Rosca is a California-licensed Professional Engineer and serves on Committee 17 of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), working with transit and railway professionals to develop design criteria for high-speed rail infrastructure throughout the United States. He is a past president of the Railway Association of Southern California and continues to serve on the organization’s board of directors.
Recognizing the need for more trained professionals in our industry, Rosca convinced his alma mater, California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, to start a railway engineering program. He began teaching the first railway engineering course in 2013 as an adjunct professor. The course covers topics such as history and development, regulatory environment, the future of rail in America, geometrics and the infrastructure necessary for safe and economical railroad operation.
Rosca has earned a reputation for being a responsive and accountable project manager who agencies trust for rail- and transit-system capacity improvements and bridge replacement projects.
In recognition of his many accomplishments, the American Council of Engineering Companies named Rosca one of its five Young Professionals of the Year for 2013. His drive and dedication in 2016 continues to make him a standout leader in the transit and rail industry.
"We were called up about eight years ago by one of our clients and they said that one of their bridges needed to be replaced immediately at Trestles Beach right off of San Clemente. We had to be in construction within six to nine months of that phone call. We were able to get that designed and go through all of the strenuous environmental permits within six months. We got the project constructed successfully and it was really neat how everybody worked together to make that happen."
Fun fact about yourself – Rosca is the 8th of 12 kids in the family; he speaks 4 languages, and was born in Romania.
