Education
MBA, Chaminade University of Honolulu
Master of Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
BA, United States Military Academy at West Point
Professional certifications
Registered Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Virginia
Memberships and Citations
Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Secretary of Transportation’s Gold Medal Award for Outstanding Achievement (awarded three times)
American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2014 OPAL Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Management
American Society of Civil Engineers’ Civil Government Award
Member, National Academy of Construction
Major practice areas
Brigadier General (Ret) J. Richard Capka, PE
Chief Operating Officer
Formerly the nation’s Top Highway Official, Rick Capka’s exceptional experience includes more than 36 years of managing projects and overseeing federal and state-level infrastructure programs.
In 2008, Rick joined Dawson & Associates as Chief Operating Officer. Since then, he has successfully managed services for more than 60 clients and continues to ensure that each client has full and timely access to our firm’s array of talent and experience.
From 2006 to 2008, he was Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, having served as Acting Administrator from 2005 and Deputy Administrator from 2002. He helped prepare the Bush administration’s surface transportation reauthorization proposals, shaped the management of highway mega-projects and in 2003 was the first U.S. Transportation Official to deploy to Iraq.
Additionally, he led both the successful Federal Highway Administration response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the acclaimed federal response following the collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis in 2007.
Other Experience
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Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA) where he oversaw the $14.7 B Central Artery and Tunnel Project with construction costs averaging $100+ million per month. Rick improved financial stability by gaining federal approval of the project’s finance plan, which guaranteed continuedfunding. His budget remained accurate through the end of the project.
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29 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, achieving the rank of Brigadier General. Rick served as Commander of both the South Atlantic and South Pacific Divisions. In 1997, he earned specific praise from both the President and the Governor of California for his leadership in coordinating the federal response to the Central California’s unprecedented floods.
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Rick was a member of the American Society Of Civil Engineers’ “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure” Advisory Committee.
Natural resources
Transportation
Superfund