Milo Riverso
President and Chief Executive Officer, STV Group Inc.
PhD CE ’84, MSCE ’82
For exemplary service and leadership in the fields of program management, construction, and design management, shaping a number of United States landmarks, such as the One World Trade Center and the Anaheim Convention Center Expansion
As an esteemed leader in construction management and engineering, Milo Riverso knows the importance of building on a strong foundation.
“I like to think of career development as a pyramid, as opposed to a tree. The key is to build up a strong knowledge base and gain experience. From there, you can grow your career, find your area of expertise and move up the ladder,” he says. “A pyramid will withstand the winds of change and uncertainty. By comparison, a tree might grow more quickly in the beginning, but it branches out in multiple directions without a focus and without as strong a foundation.”
From his time as a Purdue graduate student to his current position as president and chief executive officer of STV Group Inc. in New York City, Riverso has left fingerprints on landmarks from coast to coast, including the One World Trade Center in Manhattan and the Anaheim Convention Center expansion in California.
STV Group Inc. consistently ranks among the top engineering and architectural firms in the country.
Riverso was recently inducted into the National Academy of Construction and is a fellow of the Construction Management Association of America. He also serves as vice chairman of the New York Building Congress. His accolades include the Michael Mazzucca Lifetime Achievement Award from the Subcontractors Trade Association, as well as the New York Landmarks Conservancy 2012 Man of the Year.
Riverso gives back generously. He serves as chairman emeritus of the New York City Chapter of ACE, which mentors high school students in their design and construction career goals, and is on the executive committee of the organization’s national board.
One of Riverso’s own mentors was Donn Hancher, former Purdue construction engineering professor and current visiting eminent scholar. Riverso remembers a particular challenge when Hancher gave him a course to teach that Riverso himself had never taken.
“Professor Hancher’s response was, ‘Oh good. I will teach you everything you will need to know during tomorrow’s morning session,’” Riverso says. “Fortunately, I was a quick study, but my students that afternoon had a very nervous instructor. This continued for the entire semester. I would take his class in the morning, and then teach it that afternoon.”
After all of these years — and countless “thinking-on-his-feet” moments — Riverso fondly recalls how his Purdue years laid the foundation for his highly accomplished career.
“Purdue offered a great mixture of design, construction and business management courses. This combination truly prepared me for the working world,” he says. “Further, the University’s connections with professional and trade associations, as well as professors with work experience in the industry, provided an unparalleled opportunity to gain real-world insight into the engineering field.”
When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”Leo Burnett
Career Highlights
| 2011-present | CEO, STV Group, Inc. |
|---|---|
| 2009-present | President, STV |
| 2005-2009 | Executive Vice President, STV |
| 2003-2004 | Senior Vice President, AMEC Construction Management Division |
| 2001-2002 | President, J.A. Jones Construction Group |
| 1997-2001 | President and CEO, New York City School Construction Authority |
| 1995-1997 | Vice President and Project Executive, AJ Contracting Corporation |
| 1989-1995 | Senior Project Manager of Construction, Tishman Construction Corporation |
Education
| 1981 | BS Civil Engineering, Manhattan College |
|---|---|
| 1982 | MS Civil Engineering, Purdue University |
| 1984 | PhD Civil Engineering, Purdue University |