Giancarlo Botazzi Named Vice President at HFA

Botazzi, a Structural Engineer with nearly four decades of experience, joins the senior leadership team responsible for leading HFA from the Franklin, Mass. studio.

BENTONVILLE, Arkansas – April 24, 2024 — HFA Architects + Engineers recently announced that Giancarlo Botazzi (P.E., SECB) has accepted the role of Vice President, effective immediately.    

Until this most recent appointment, Botazzi has served as Structural Discipline Lead / Senior Structural Engineer in HFA’s Franklin, Mass studio, leading the Structural Engineering team with other team leaders. From serving as a discipline lead to EOR on various projects throughout his seven years at HFA, Botazzi has seen how his discipline team has grown and looks forward to continued growth.  

“As I take on this new role, I will continue to mentor and guide the structural group by example while making a point to lead and empower the next generation of structural leaders at HFA. Strategizing and continuing to be forward-looking when building my discipline team to align with the companies’ goals of expansion into our usual market sectors and new sectors will be of the utmost importance to me,” said Botazzi.  

Botazzi is an alumnus of both Northeastern University and the University of Texas, where he gained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering, respectively. As a Structural Engineer, he has designed complex building renovation projects and new single-story and multi-story building structures. He has comprehensive knowledge of design standards and codes for structural steel, concrete, precast concrete, masonry, wood, IBC, and other specific state building code requirements.  

“Having known Giancarlo for over a decade, he has always been a great mentor and teacher, transcending discipline boundaries to ensure project delivery excellence. His ability to simplify structural concepts to the most basic level has been key to HFA’s highly collaborative and multi-disciplined team success. As Vice President, Giancarlo will be able to support HFA’s next generation of leadership while also being able to focus on aligning our structural needs with our overall growth and strategic vision of HFA,” said James Owens (AIA, NCARB), Vice President at HFA.  

 

As he continues to lead the structural team, Botazzi will look closer at how his discipline can strategize and continue to provide more forward-thinking strategies for clients to leverage their strengths better, allowing our partnerships and people to grow professionally.  

“Leadership at HFA is first and foremost about supporting our people, which Giancarlo has always proven. This much-deserved role brings even more emphasis to this while also allowing other leaders on the team to emerge, setting up our Structural Engineering team to thrive as HFA continues to grow,” said HFA COO Ryan Ray (P.E.).  

Botazzi notes the importance of collaboration within disciplines as a key to continued project success, ultimately resulting in high-quality designs and long-lasting partnerships with clients.  

“Our industry is based on highly skilled people working together to assist clients with building projects. I love leading a talented team of professionals working with their peers to develop commonsense and economical designs,” said Botazzi.  

Botazzi concludes, “Having been with HFA for more than seven years, I have seen the company grow exponentially, and with that, I have seen how the firm and our people have thrived. Experiencing the culture and how important a people-centered environment is first-hand has impacted me to continue this approach in my leadership journey.”

Written by
Ashley Hayre

Latest Industrial Insights

Flexible Design Can Future-Proof U.S. Cold Storage Real Estate

Today’s fast-evolving automation and sustainability trends require careful planning and an emphasis on adaptability.

Future-Ready Cold Storage: Developing Smarter, Cleaner, and More Competitive Facilities

The U.S. cold storage market is booming—but most facilities are aging, inefficient, and unfit for what’s next. As automation, sustainability, and skyrocketing demand collide, one thing’s clear: it’s time to design smarter.

HFA Welcomes Ana Larranaga as New Client Partnerships Lead

The industrial sector is moving fast—and so is HFA. Meet Ana Larranaga, our newest Client Partnerships Lead, bringing deep connections, architectural experience, and a passion for helping clients grow.

Ramping up Asset Value in a Tighter Industrial Market

Now that the post-pandemic industrial boom is winding down, making buildings stand out in the marketplace can take some extra effort. Here are tips from HFA Vice President of Industrial + Logistics Marc Jennings (NCARB) and Senior Architect / Client Lead Andrew Akerhielm (AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C)

The Future of Industrial Design: A Conversation with Marc Jennings

Marc Jennings, NCARB, HFA’s Vice President of Industrial + Logistics recently sat down to discuss how the logistics sector continues to evolve with the changing demands in the marketplace and how AEC firms can better meet those current and future needs.

Designing for Future Flexibility: A+E Best Practices for Industrial Development: Webinar

HFA hosted a webinar discussing how to maximize the potential of logistics projects with flexible design practices.
newsletter

Never miss an update.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.