John Rakolta lll is President and Chief Administrative Officer of Walbridge and serves on the Board of Directors.
While safety is a priority for John, as exhibited through Walbridge’s exemplary record, his forward-thinking and disciplined approach also applies to every aspect of the vast Walbridge enterprise; most notably in the areas of emerging markets and real estate development.
As the first family member to serve as president of Walbridge in nearly three decades, John is proud of his third-generation status. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, the family’s achievements motivate him to expand upon Walbridge’s legacy. Throughout John’s tenure, he has played a major role in the company’s market diversity, growth and financial performance by leading the expansion into the hyperscale data center market and brownfield redevelopment projects. John led the organization’s expansion into West Michigan and the revitalization of the Florida operations. In addition, John is advancing his father’s lifelong commitment of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion by championing distinct initiatives within Walbridge and the community.
With transparency being integral to John’s leadership, he promotes a culture of collaboration and innovation for his teammates. This empowering environment has created an energy that resonates with employees, suppliers and customers alike.
John is dedicated to serving his community and routinely volunteers at the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, where he serves on the Board of Directors. In addition, John is on the Board of Directors of MI-Community Bancorp, and serves on the Advisory Board of Weatherford Capital, a private equity firm based in Florida.
Prior to his time at Walbridge, John worked for the Athena Group; a New York based real estate development firm. He holds a B.S. in Building Construction Management from Purdue University, an M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Development program.