Rod Lacy joins HNTB as project director in Denver

Veteran engineering leader brings nearly three decades of transportation industry experience to new role, including KDOT leadership roles

DENVER (May 27, 2022) – Rod Lacy has joined HNTB as a project director and vice president in Denver. In this role, Lacy will manage and ensure the delivery of complex infrastructure projects, overseeing contracting, project controls and quality, and risk and change management. He also will serve as a primary client liaison and be responsible for building and maintaining key client relationships. Lacy will work closely with clients to identify project needs and evaluate strategies to ensure project goals are met.

“Rod has built extensive relationships throughout the transportation industry. His in-depth understanding of client needs and ability to manage large-scale infrastructure projects will be invaluable to our Denver team,” said Reza Akhavan, PE, HNTB Denver officer leader. “We’re thrilled to welcome his expertise and savvy project management skills as we strengthen our client relationships throughout Colorado and deliver critical transportation solutions to enhance mobility throughout the region.”

Lacy comes to HNTB after spending nearly a decade working for design and construction firms in the private sector. He also worked for the Kansas Department of Transportation, where he served in various engineering roles. Lacy was bureau chief of design and a metro engineer, responsible for construction, maintenance and operations of the state and federal highway system.

Among his notable project work during his 29-year career, Lacy served as project director for a turnkey design-build project that increased the vertical clearance of numerous low clearance bridges over I-35 and I-335 in Kansas. Lacy also served as the corridor-wide segment manager for the Southeast Connector project with Texas Department of Transportation. In this role, he oversaw project aspects that included utilities, environmental, geotechnical, right of way and pavement for the build phase of this extensive project.

In addition to his work in the public and private sector, Lacy has worked with the Transportation Research Board AFB-20 Committee for Roadside Safety. He served as a member of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Subcommittee on Design and the AASHTO Task Force for Roadside Safety. Additionally, Lacy was one of the lead authors of the “2011 AASHTO Roadside Design Guide.” He holds a bachelor’s and master’s in civil engineering.