R. J. is a seasoned design and construction professional with 20 years of experience in the New York Metro area. As Vice President at Cumming Group, he guides educational, cultural, and community-building institutions through complex capital programs, from early programming and feasibility studies to design, construction, and close-out, providing the strategic insights needed for informed investment decisions. R. J. develops and executes project strategies while overseeing budget and schedule development and management, team selection, contract negotiations, and overall project delivery.
Additionally, R. J. is Cumming Group’s Higher Education Sector Lead, where he drives market strategy, fosters industry partnerships, and ensures clients benefit from best practices, emerging trends, and innovative solutions tailored to their specific challenges on a national level. By connecting our offices and our client institutions across geographies, he brings a national perspective to local projects, facilitating companywide and cross-campus collaboration, leveraging benchmarking insights, and developing scalable strategies that enhance efficiency and long-term campus planning.
Select Capital Program Leadership:
• Vanderbilt University: NYC Campus, 150,000 GSF adaptive reuse and renovation across 13 buildings supporting academic expansion in New York City. Targeted advisory support for West Palm Beach and San Francisco expansions.
• Barnard College: Long-term portfolio leadership over more than a decade, including a $250M science center renovation/expansion, a $150M academic building, and infrastructure investment.
• Columbia University: Provided advisory and portfolio-level support across three campuses, spanning new construction and adaptive reuse projects, including a ground-up tennis facility, residential buildings, and a law school library renovation.
• Rockefeller University: $500M River Campus expansion over the FDR highway, integrating research, academic, and urban waterfront development.
• 92nd Street Y, New York: Led evaluation of master plan scenarios re capital and programmatic tradeoffs, followed by delivery of a $250M phased campus renovation (300,000 GSF) with uninterrupted operations and increased revenue during construction.
• Yale University: Supported a $2B+ multi-campus capital portfolio by coordinating and enabling a team of 15 project managers, cost managers, and schedulers
• Additional work across independent schools, charter institutions, and nonprofit owners.