Big on Boston

 

 

Rob Nagi
Title: Principal – Transportation Systems
Company: VHB/Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Education: B.S. – Northeastern University
Rob is a transportation engineer and planner working on many of the largest and most complex Transportation challenges in and around the greater Boston area. He also serves as the director of the VHB Cares organization – which has provided over $1 million in donations to many local charities in the Boston area through a grassroots fund raising campaign.  Rob lives in Westborough with his wife, Laurie, and their three boys (ages 3, 5 and 8).
 

 

Four years ago, amid reports of a “Brain Drain” that was sapping the business community’s most talented workers, the Greater Boston Chamber created the Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program to identify the leaders of tomorrow and engage them in the business and civic life of our community. Every Monday, Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi has a conversation with one of the more than 200 alumni of the BFL program to introduce the region’s next generation of business leaders to Metro readers.

What is the coolest part of your job? 
Being involved at an early stage in designing some of the most complex and innovative development projects in the Greater Boston area – as well as working in an industry [transportation engineering and planning] that touches so many people from all walks of life on a daily basis.

If you were recruiting someone to work for you, what would be your number one selling point about VHB?
I’m very proud to say our company truly understands the balance between professional and family life.  More importantly, it understands how a happy family life carries over into a happy professional life and vice versa.

What is your favorite thing about working in Boston?
The small town feel of a major metropolitan city.  I’ve always contended that Boston has everything that New York has, but at a much more family-friendly and user-friendly scale.  They have Central Park, we have Boston Common. They have Yankee Stadium, we have Fenway Park. They have the Jets, we have the Pats.  In every case, I’d much prefer our options over theirs.

If you could have any job in Boston, other than your own, what would it be and why?
I’ve always wanted to be a chef at a down-home, comfort food restaurant — not a chain restaurant but more upscale than your local diner. Something I could call my own. Somewhere that you could bring your family, not worry about the noise, and enjoy a burger, fries, beverage, and ice cream in under an hour.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Doing exactly what I’m doing now, except that I’ll be overseeing the construction of the projects that are only someone’s vision today.

Who do you admire in the business world? 
Bill Belichick. I know he’s not a true business guy, but many of his coaching philosophies can carry over to business. Be honest — sometimes brutally so — and always strive to be better no matter how good you think you are.

How can young professionals expand their networks and increase their impact in Boston?
Take advantage of and play an active role in professional and personal networking opportunities (like the Chamber). Read a newspaper or listen to the radio every day to stay up on current events.

Tell us something we should know about you.
I love my wife and kids much more than I love my job and expect that those people working with me have the same feelings.   That being said, I love my job very much.