John “Jack” Robson is retiring his career as Foit-Albert’s Executive Vice-President, having served his partners, peers and clients with exceptional expertise and a knack for building and sustaining camaraderie. Of his 48 years as a professional engineer, project manager, branch manager, and executive, he has been with Foit-Albert for 28 years, growing the Albany office from a singular staff member to its current staff of 26 and growing. He has since engineering work coming out of the Albany office and ensured Albany employees have the resources needed to complete successful projects and exceed the expectations of each client.

Jack’s love of engineering comes as inheritance of a technically-oriented brain and the nurturing of this skill from his parents—his father a fellow engineer and a founding partner of GPI, and his mother an early advocate for his chosen path since high school. Jack received his BSCE from Clarkson College of Technology in the field of Civil Engineering in 1978 and is licensed in New York and Maryland. He has since overseen more than 150 LDSA projects including bridge and highway design, as well as construction inspection projects. He is a member of the NYS Professional Engineering Society, American Council of Engineering Companies, Association of Transportation Engineers, and many other organizations. His professional success is a testament to following instincts and leaning to inherent strengths.

One of Jack’s greatest professional achievements includes the forged partnerships which led to Foit-Albert’s teaming for the new World Trade Center, Tower 4 build-out and interior design development for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Beyond the obvious reasons of such an accomplishment, this project hit home for Jack, literally, as a Long Island boy remembering the view from his high school watching the Twin Towers being built.

Aside from being an outstanding technical professional, Jack shines in this industry as an ally and the biggest supporter of his colleagues, clients, friends, and family. He is a champion of seeking opportunities which provide mutual benefit to everyone involved in a project, and he never misses the chance to make his fellows feel important.  No one walks away from Jack without the invitation to have a drink, a game, a smoke, a laugh, and/or some Krause’s chocolate and the opportunity for sincere friendship.

Beyond industry and profession, he brings the same energy and loyalty to his family. Jack balances his busy career with his wife Pam of 42 years, his kids John, Bill, and Liz, and his grandkids. Through the years they have managed to make time for cross-country RV trips, fishing/boating, and enjoying the outdoors. In retirement, Jack plans to dedicate more time to making memories with his family.

Jack’s spirit will live as he leaves a legacy of knowledge and friendship which will reverberate through Foit-Albert and beyond for years to come.