Mike Cozzolino, PE

I have worked in the transmission industry for nearly 17 years, beginning with my first job after graduating from Notre Dame University with a degree in electrical engineering. During my career, I have had the opportunity to serve a diverse array of clients, ranging from utility providers to industrial entities to renewable energy suppliers. Each sector and client presented unique challenges and learning opportunities, enriching my professional expertise and allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the field.

I’m proud to have managed Gannett Fleming’s first utility-grade battery energy storage project, engineered and managed multiple wind farm projects in Texas, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and designed dozens of powerlines at mines (mostly open-pit copper) throughout Arizona. Visiting these mines is always an incredible experience. The sheer size of the operation never ceases to amaze me. Standing next to a truck when I am only as tall as its axle is both impressive and terrifying.

I am currently managing a high-voltage substation and powerline project in Arizona that will provide power to the only U.S.-based mine for manganese, a federally designated critical mineral. It is the first mining project added to the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) process by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.

I’m also managing a project in New York that will increase the capacity of four transmission lines as part of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The CLCPA has committed to having 70% of the state’s electricity generated by renewable energy by 2030 and 100% zero-emissions electricity by 2040.

For the past two years, I have been active in Gannett Fleming’s Risk and Resilience Committee, which meets monthly to discuss enhancing our client services in risk management, preparedness, resilience, and sustainable design. We want to minimize our projects’ impacts on our clients, their customers, and the environment. Being a member of this committee facilitates a more integrated approach to our services.

As vice president and manager within our Power Business Line’s transmission department, I oversee a wide array of multidisciplined projects. My responsibilities encompass project management, client liaison, and personnel leadership, enabling me to interact with a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders and nurture professional relationships across various career stages. Managing a talented team of engineers, I have the privilege of witnessing their professional growth and contributing to our collective goal of delivering exceptional service to our clients.

I became a part of Gannett Fleming in 2017 when it acquired Laramore Douglass and Popham (LDP), an electrical engineering design consulting firm, where I led the transmission department. Despite its significantly larger size, Gannett Fleming maintained the small-company culture I appreciated at LDP. The transition also provided advantages, such as having steady access to career advancement and professional development opportunities.

Adding DiGioia Gray to our team has deepened our existing transmission and substation engineering offerings, allowing us to serve power and utility clients on a larger scale. DiGioia Gray brings an impressive array of technology-enabled solutions, proprietary software tools, and industry-leading research that enhances our delivery of utility infrastructure projects. It has been exciting to welcome them  and to start working on ways to drive grid and energy resilience together.

As a kid learning to golf, it was, “Slow your swing down. Stop trying to crush the ball.”

Today, it’s understanding that as an engineer and consultant, I don’t always have to know the answer, just where to find it. As engineers, we often feel like we must have the answer to every question. Rather, the value we provide our clients is the ability to guide and advise them by leveraging experience, research, and collaboration with other experts.

Family is central to my life. I grew up in the Southwest Chicago suburbs and still live within 30 minutes of my childhood home, allowing me to see my family regularly. They instilled in me a love of games, and my wife and I are now instilling a love of family time and game-playing in our kids. I golf, play in a monthly Texas Hold ‘em game with my neighbors, and watch my kids play recreational sports.

I am also in the process of renovating my house with my dad. So far, we’ve worked on the fence, shed, kitchen, attic, and stairs. I designed the stairs myself. I was so proud of the work on the horizontal rails that I gave my scratch sheet to my old geometry teacher to prove to his students that trigonometry can come in handy in real life!