James A. Soltesz
BSCE 1976
President/CEO
Soltesz, Inc.
“Leadership is the relentless pursuit of excellence for others.”
After graduating from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Jim Soltesz started his professional career with a large design-build company in Cleveland, Ohio. Shortly after, he attended Georgia Institute of Technology to pursue his Master’s in Civil Engineering where he was awarded a fellowship in the Structural Engineering Department. After graduating in 1978, he moved to warmer climates in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Jim spent three years with a local Civil Engineering firm in Palm Beach, working on numerous projects throughout southern Florida. He obtained his Professional Engineering license and simultaneously commenced evening classes pursuing his graduate degree in Business. He later enrolled full-time at the University of Cincinnati to complete his Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on finance in real estate.
Jim then traveled to Washington, D.C. to launch his career in engineering, finance, and real estate. For the past 23 years, he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Soltesz, a 150-person engineering firm with offices throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. As the company owner, Jim leads a team of experts to provide local civil engineering, surveying, land planning, and environmental services.
Jim’s company has been involved in many major landmark projects throughout Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, including the NFL stadium FedEx Field, the Washington Monument Visitor Center, MGM Resorts, thousands of residential projects, and millions of square feet of commercial development.
During his career, Jim has volunteered on numerous boards and committees including the Maryland Stadium Authority, the University of Maryland Medical System, Georgetown Preparatory School, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, and more. He has served as the Co-chair of former-Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s Regulatory Reform Commission to conduct comprehensive reviews of business regulations throughout the state and develop solutions to foster economic prosperity. In 2019, the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers honored Jim with the Icon of the Industry award.
Jim holds three United States patents, one in Canada, and one in Europe for smart roads dynamic lane width innovations. He resides in Potomac, Maryland, with his wife of 38 years, Jennifer. Their three grown sons live nearby in the Washington, D.C. area.