John Cogliano
Encyclopedia
John Cogliano is a former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. He was appointed to the position by Governor
Mitt Romney
in May 2005. In January 2007 Governor Deval Patrick
replaced Cogliano with Bernard Cohen.
, where his family ran a Plant nursery.
He graduated from Boston College
with a degree
in Political Science
and Economics
and later studied Administration and Management
at Harvard University
.
Cogliano worked at his family's nursery until 1991 when his father and uncle decided to sell the business.
. He was appointed the department's Commissioner in 2002.
Administration
's key initiatives, such as implementing the Fix it First and Communities First policies, streamlining operations and reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and Red Tape at the Highway Department, implementing the use of GPS technology to bring accountability to MassHighway's snow and ice operations, accelerating spending on road and bridge projects to a minimum of $450 million a year, and breaking ground on the project to eliminate the Sagamore Rotary. He also helped develop the Romney
Administration's Long-Range Transportation Plan, which calls for $31 billion in transportation improvements over the next 20 years and will serve as a blueprint for carrying out projects and policies under his Secretariat.
After the collapse, Cogliano chose to hire Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff
, the company that was responsible for overseeing the original construction of the tunnel, to inspect the repairs. The hiring of Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff resulted in an inquiry from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation
. Cogliano admitted that he regretted reusing the firm and the state promised not to hire any Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff employees to work on repairs in the I-90 tunnel.
As a result of the collapse, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew J. Amorello
was forced to resign and Cogliano took succeeded him while retaining his job as Transportation Secretary. Cogliano remained Turnpike Chairman until July 1, 2007 when he was succeeded by State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen.
The scandal created by Cogliano engendered many newspaper articles in Boston’s two major daily newspapers. In an article pertaining to this scandal, Peter Gelzenis, an op-ed columnist for The Boston Herald, angered by the less than forthcoming response from both Secretary Cogliano and Governor Romney, referred to Cogliano as “Tattoo” to Mitt Romney’s “Roarke” on Fantasy Island.
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
in May 2005. In January 2007 Governor Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
replaced Cogliano with Bernard Cohen.
Early life and education
Cogliano grew up in Canton, MassachusettsCanton, Massachusetts
Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,561 at the 2010 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
, where his family ran a Plant nursery.
He graduated from Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
with a degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and later studied Administration and Management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Cogliano worked at his family's nursery until 1991 when his father and uncle decided to sell the business.
Early government career
In 1991 Cogliano was hired as a project manager for the Massachusetts Division of Capital Planning and Operations. In 1997 he moved to the Massachusetts Highway DepartmentMassachusetts Highway Department
The Massachusetts Highway Department was the former name of the highway department in the United States Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1991 until it became the highway division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on November 1, 2009...
. He was appointed the department's Commissioner in 2002.
Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department
John Cogliano served as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Highway Department from 2002 to 2005. As Commissioner, he managed more than 1,800 employees and a budget of $700 million. During his tenure, Cogliano advanced a number of the RomneyMitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
Administration
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
's key initiatives, such as implementing the Fix it First and Communities First policies, streamlining operations and reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and Red Tape at the Highway Department, implementing the use of GPS technology to bring accountability to MassHighway's snow and ice operations, accelerating spending on road and bridge projects to a minimum of $450 million a year, and breaking ground on the project to eliminate the Sagamore Rotary. He also helped develop the Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
Administration's Long-Range Transportation Plan, which calls for $31 billion in transportation improvements over the next 20 years and will serve as a blueprint for carrying out projects and policies under his Secretariat.
Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation
As Secretary of Transportation, Cogliano instituted a hiring freeze, attempted to streamline operations by putting more than 250 additional employees under his control, and initiated the relocation of the Registry of Motor Vehicles from expensive Copley Square offices to a less expensive downtown location.Big Dig ceiling collapse
Cogliano was Transportation Secretary on July 10, 2006 when a concrete ceiling panel weighing 3 tons (2722 kg) and measuring 20 by 40 ft (6.1 by 12.2 m) fell in on a car traveling Boston's Fort Point Channel Tunnel, killing a passenger and injuring the driver.After the collapse, Cogliano chose to hire Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
, the company that was responsible for overseeing the original construction of the tunnel, to inspect the repairs. The hiring of Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff resulted in an inquiry from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation
Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation
The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation is one of the Inspector General offices created by the Inspector General Act of 1978...
. Cogliano admitted that he regretted reusing the firm and the state promised not to hire any Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff employees to work on repairs in the I-90 tunnel.
As a result of the collapse, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Chairman Matthew J. Amorello
Matthew J. Amorello
Matthew John Amorello is a former Massachusetts state senator and former chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority who presided over the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project from 2002 to 2006...
was forced to resign and Cogliano took succeeded him while retaining his job as Transportation Secretary. Cogliano remained Turnpike Chairman until July 1, 2007 when he was succeeded by State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen.
The scandal created by Cogliano engendered many newspaper articles in Boston’s two major daily newspapers. In an article pertaining to this scandal, Peter Gelzenis, an op-ed columnist for The Boston Herald, angered by the less than forthcoming response from both Secretary Cogliano and Governor Romney, referred to Cogliano as “Tattoo” to Mitt Romney’s “Roarke” on Fantasy Island.