HR&A Advisors appoints Eric Rothman as chief executive officer

13 December 2019 Consulting.us

HR&A Advisors, a New York-based urban planning and consulting firm, has appointed longtime partner Eric Rothman as its CEO.

The move will see John Alschuler, who has been HR&A’s chief executive since founding the firm in 1976, step down from the role on January 1, 2020. He will remain an active partner and chair of the firm’s board of directors.

The leadership transition is part of a number of strategic changes to strengthen HR&A’s client focus and impact on urban development, according to a release from the firm.

"We are thrilled that Eric will serve as CEO of HR&A as a new generation of firm leaders work on the most pressing issues facing American cities over the following decades, including climate change, inclusive growth, and the impact of technology on our cities," said Alschuler.

HR&A Advisors appoints Eric Rothman as chief executive officer

HR&A delivers consulting services in the areas of real estate, economic development, and public policy, and serves public, private, and nonprofit clients. The company works at the intersection of city planning, government policy, and financial feasibility, and helps clients create inclusive cities, address economic and racial disparities, and tackle affordability challenges.

The firm’s more than 120 consultants are made up of planners, analysts, economists, lawyers, and architects, among other disciplines. HR&A has offices in New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Raleigh, and Washington, DC.

Projects the company has worked on include the Highline and Brooklyn Bridge Park and DC’s Anacostia Waterfront. The firm is currently developing climate adaptation plans and implementation strategies for more than 20 US cities.

HR&A’s new CEO Eric Rothman has been with the firm for more than 20 years, and is a nationally-renowned expert in transportation planning and economic development. Most recently serving as president, Rothman led the firm’s work on transit-oriented development strategies, providing support to station redevelopment projects such as Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, Union Station in Washington, DC, and Union Depot in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Rothman is also a seasoned real estate and economic development advisor, having led the development advisory team for the redevelopment of 67.5 acres of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in DC, and having served as development advisor to the College of New Jersey on the creation of a public-private partnership for its mixed-use Campus Town project.

Prior to joining HR&A, Rothman was director of business planning for Transport for London, and before that was a capital program analyst at MTA NYC Transit Authority. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from Princeton University.

"I am honored and excited to serve as CEO and lead HR&A's passionate team of urban development and policy experts, building upon John's work that advises countless cities, communities and industries about all facets of urban American life," Rothman said. "I look forward to expanding HR&A's impact on quality of life in urban communities through our groundbreaking work on social inclusion policy, promotion of urban tech communities and innovation places, and strategies for climate change adaptation."