In An Immigrant's Grandson, Al Gravallese tell the poignant story of a young Italian-American growing up in Boston's North end at the end of the depression. His parents were first-generation immigrants. The courage and tenacity of his grandparents, who left rural poverty in small villages in Italy to seek a new life in America, made a lasting impression on Al. From his father he learned the importance of hard work, first as a brick layer, then a college graduate, a Sloan Fellow at MIT, and an aerospace engineer. He became a naval officer, serving in the Naval Reserve for 31 years. He was appointed deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, later formed his own consulting company, and eventually became corporate vice president of DMJM/FRH a major national architect engineering firm and subsidiary of AECOM Technology Corporation. Throughout his career, Al remained a deeply devout Catholic. In this book, he reveals how he was able to expand the company's business to the new field of program management, securing the largest contracts in the history of the company, including the renovation of the Pentagon and of the Washington Dulles and National airports. He credits his success in part to his upbringing and to those who served as mentors throughout his career. After retiring, Al devoted time to philanthropic activities in support of his church and local veteran's groups. At a time when the role of immigrants is being questioned, Al Gravallese's life is an example to be emulated by future generations.
About the Author: Albert (Al) Joseph Gravallese was born in Boston Massachusetts, the son of first-generation Italian immigrants Albert and Celia (Tirella) Gravallese. He worked his way through college as a brick layer. Upon graduating cum laude from Tufts University with a degree in civil engineering he worked in construction as a highway and bridge engineer. During the Korean War he enlisted in the Navy, received an officer's commission and served on the USS Winston, after which he entered the Naval Reserve Civil Engineer Corps and was active for 31 years. He retired as Chief of Staff, Reserve Naval Construction Force numbering 17,000 officers and enlisted men and women. Following active duty with the Navy, Al was an aerospace engineer at AVCO R&D Corporation, meanwhile earning a Master's degree in engineering at Northeastern University and also being appointed as a Sloan fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After 15 years at AVCO he was appointed deputy assistant secretary for environmental and urban systems at the U.S. Department of Transportation. In 1972, he left the government and formed his own transportation consulting firm, PrimaTec. After several years emerge with another transportation firm, Dynatrend Incorporated, where he became chairman of the board, brought the company public, and subsequently sold it to e.g. and G. in 1985 he joined Daniel, Mann, Johnson, and Mendenhall (DMJM), a national engineering or architectural firm here he was the corporate principal in charge for the acquisition and execution of major federal projects including the renovation of the Pentagon; improvements at Reagan (formerly National) and Dulles airports: a new metro system in San Juan Puerto Rico; design and construction of all Federal Job Corps Centers nationwide and the national disaster assistance contract for FEMA, among others. Al was married to Patricia (Gioiosia) Gravallese, deceased. Together they had four children and subsequently eight grandchildren. Al later married Virginia (Wildnauer) Gravallese, now his wife of 35 years. They live in Leesburg Virginia.