Senior Environmental/Transportation Planner Doug Eberhart is a man of many talents and a passion for the environment. His years of dedication were rewarded on December 14 when the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Colorado/Wyoming Section presented him with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award.
As the 23rd recipient of this periodic award since 1989, Doug was honored for having contributed in an outstanding manner to the advancement of the transportation engineering profession and ITE. This award is only given to individuals that have given unselfishly of their time and talents to the furtherance
of the transportation profession and their professional organization, and by example has inspired fellow professionals to greater service.
Doug earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering from Princeton University and his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado. His first job was with the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Then after a few years at the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), he worked with the Maricopa Association of Governments (PPACG) in Phoenix for ten years.
After 17 years in the public sector, Doug has spent 21 years with Wilson & Company, bringing his transportation profession career up to 38 years.
With Wilson & Company, Doug prepares and reviews environmental documents to meet the requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Part of his passion for environmental and transportation planning began when he had the opportunity to meet the man responsible for getting NEPA passed.
“At college, one of my roommates had political connections that enabled me to meet two-time presidential candidate Senator Henry M. (Scoop) Jackson, author of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),” said Doug. “On the appointed day, I hopped on a train and headed for the Senate Office Building in Washington. When I met the author of NEPA in person, I had no idea would be writing NEPA documents as a career!”
If you doubt his zeal for the environment, his personalized “FONSI” license plate will confirm his commitment. FONSI stands for Finding of No Significant Impact, a decision document associated with an Environmental Assessment.
In addition to his passion for the environment, Doug has many hidden talents. Donning his red suit each December, Doug brings presents for all of the children of Wilson & Company employees at the annual Colorado Springs and Denver Children’s Christmas Party.
Musical lyrics are also part of his repertoire. Doug wrote the words for four musicals at college. His lyrics for the song “I Want My Candy Now,” was performed by the Princeton Triangle Club on December 14, 1979, on The All-American College Comedy Show—a one-hour pilot Doug has performed as Santa Claus for the past ten years at the produced by CBS to compete with Saturday Night Live.
For the past 36 years, Doug has been married to Veronica, who is a doctor and now works at the Veterans Administration documenting the condition of military personnel as they leave the service. They have three grown sons, two of which live in Colorado, and one of which is studying to receive his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Notre Dame.
One of the things Doug likes best about working for Wilson & Company is another demonstration of his dedication to a job well done.
“I once hand-delivered a report to a client’s home after business hours, while I was on my way to a social event dressed in a tuxedo,” said Doug. “Besides Wilson & Company, what other firms provide that level of customer service?”
To Wilson & Company’s Santa Claus, lyric composer, golf hole tournament winner, and tuxedo-clad delivery man, congratulations on a lifetime commitment to transportation, reducing Denver’s “brown-cloud,” and improving the environment for future generations.