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CORPORATE LEADERSHIP

Driven By The Vision Of Our Founder, Dr. Paul Rizzo, Our Corporate Leadership is Responsible
For Our Overall Strategic Direction, And For The Promotion Of Client Satisfaction.
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Rachelle Rizzo

PRESIDENT / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ms. Rachelle Rizzo is the President and CEO of RIZZO International, Inc. She has over 30 years of experience with Paul C. Rizzo Associates, Inc. prior to the ownership transition to RIZZO International, Inc. Her experience includes business development, administrative management, and human resource development for the company’s corporate headquarters, national and international branches. She is responsible for the strategic oversight, leadership, and vision to ensure the company has proper operational controls, management, and administrative procedures and policies in place to effectively grow the company.

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Michael Edwards, P.E.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Mr. Michael Edwards, P.E., serves as the Chief Operating Officer for RIZZO. His duties include oversight of day-to-day operations, and supervision of sales and business development, project management and project execution, accounting, information systems, and quality assurance and quality control. Mr. Edwards engineering experience includes geotechnical analysis and design, nuclear power plant site characterization, forensic analysis, and hydroelectric power plant project siting and development.

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Paul Rizzo, Ph.D., P.E.

CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER

Dr. Paul C. Rizzo, P.E., is RIZZO's founder and current Chief Technical Officer.  Dr. Rizzo has more than 50 years of experience in geotechnical and civil engineering, including dams and water resources, power generation, and infrastructure projects. He is a leading expert in the field of safety evaluations and seismic rehabilitation of dams, and in foundation engineering, structural engineering, and structural dynamics. He has also served on numerous technical panels, committees, and consulting boards charged with the deliberation of seismic hazard evaluation, seismic design basis, and soil-structure interaction. Dr. Rizzo has extensive engineering experience specifically related to hydroelectric and nuclear power plant structures; earth, rockfill, concrete, and roller compacted concrete dams; harbors and docks; and industrial facilities.

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Mara McClain

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION / DIRECTOR OF WBE DEVELOPMENT

Ms. Mara McClain is responsible for facilitating RIZZO’s development as a woman-owned business. In particular, Ms. McClain is responsible for identifying women's business enterprise resources and set-aside opportunities for RIZZO, and for engagement of the women's business enterprise network .

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Eddie M. Guerra, P.E.

VICE PRESIDENT OF CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. Eddie M. Guerra, P.E. is a licensed structural engineer with over a decade of leadership and management experience in civil and energy infrastructure projects across the globe. His project experience spans countries including the U.S., Perú, Brazil, South Africa, Spain, United Kindom, and South Korea, China, Japan, Argentina, and Canada. Mr. Guerra is a recognized leader in the U.S. energy sector—in 2020 Mr. Guerra lead a delegation of engineers to the U.S. White House on matters of nuclear infrastructure.  He's also a frequent speaker at legislative hearings on infrastructure matters and served as the youngest member of the Civil Nuclear Trade Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on the Competitiveness of the U.S. nuclear industry. Mr. Guerra has co-founded non-profit organizations including the Voluntarrado of Engineers of Puerto Rico and the Nuclear Alternative Projects. 

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John Paul Giunta, P.E.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE

Mr. John Paul Giunta, P.E., is currently RIZZO’s Senior Vice President of Finance and is responsible for the finance and accounting department.  His duties include day-to-day management related to all financial matters including reporting, insurance, budgeting, contract review, and financial systems. Mr. Giunta has over 17 years of experience at RIZZO and has been involved in many roles in the company over his career.  Mr. Giunta is a registered Project Management Professional and has served as project manager for some of the largest and most complex projects completed by RIZZO. Mr. Giunta's technical background is in civil and geotechnical engineering.

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Zachary Kurtik

DIRECTOR OF QHSE

Mr. Zachary Kurtik serves as RIZZO's Director of QHSE. He has nearly 10 years of experience in nuclear quality assurance. Mr. Kurtik is responsible for maintaining the Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental Departments and accreditations, including ISO 9001:2015 and AASHTO R18.  As a Certified NQA-1 Lead Auditor, he brings experience working with many industries and many facets of quality assurance.  To support the RIZZO QHSE program, he has experience with and works regularly with quality standards including ISO 9001:2015, IAEA GSR Part 2, OHSAS 18001, 10CFR50 App. B, 10CFR21, 10CFR830 Subpart A, NQA-1, AASHTO R18, CSA N286, CSA N299, and the 1910 General Industry and 1926 Construction OSHA Standards. Mr. Kurtik oversees the entire QHSE program including quality assurance policies and health and safety regulations for projects.

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Jay Copenhaver

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Mr. Jay Copenhaver serves as RIZZO's Director of Information Technology. He has been providing strategic, cost-effective solutions in a senior management role for over 20 years. He has held positions as Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer (International) and Director of Information Technology for three engineering based organizations. He was a member of a 6-person acquisition team (CEO, CFO, COO, CIO, CMO & CHRMO) performing due diligence analysis of companies' IT Infrastructure, software and ERP systems for eleven different companies, nine of which were acquired, and lead the IT team in merging or replacing systems after the acquisitions took place. At RIZZO, Mr. Copenhaver manages IT Infrastructure, Cyber Security, IT Policies, IT Staff and technology vendor relationships at all locations.  

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