Niranjan Shah – Globetrotters Engineering Corporation

With Niranjan Shah as CEO, Globetrotters Engineering Corporation is operating minority and small business development programs in the Midwest region.  He has been providing management and technical assistance to several centers in Chicago, Minneapolis and Indianapolis.

Founded in 1974, Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (GEC) initially practiced in basic civil, structural and transportation engineering services (planning, design and construction phase engineering for highways, bridges, airports, site improvements, utilities, drainage, and parking) but they have since expanded  to include mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and structural engineering services.

In 1992, Globetrotters established an Information Technology Group to provide direction in management and technological consulting services for seamless integration of communication and computer technology for business, industry, and government agencies.

Aside from Engineering services, architectural services and information technology services, Globetrotters has an extensive background in property management.  From large scale facility/property management services at the International Terminal, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, to various medium sized management services (5 separate suburban apartment complexes, Chicago Park District Parking Garages, and about a dozen other projects) and the thousands of residential units they manage,  Globetrotters has worked as an integral part of many of Chicago’s strategy for economic development.

Niranjan Shah Support

Mr. Shah has a large list of contacts that support him.  Over the years he has received awards and been appointed to many honorable positions based on his professional accomplishments and commitment to public service.  He has also had many distinguished individuals support him along the way.  He has received letters of recommendation by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, former President Bill Clinton, Mickey Kantor, Alok Prasad, Richard Durbin, Nancy Pelosi, and the National Institute of Buildings.

One such letter written by former President Bill Clinton on December 6, 2001, was addressed to “His Excellency Atal Bihari Vajpayee Prime Minister of the Republic of India New Delhi”.  The letter recommends Niranjan Shah for the Padma Vibhushan Award and denotes his involvement with Indo-U.S. relations and the leadership role he took after an earthquake in Gujarat.

The following excerpt is quoted:

“During my Administration, Niranjan was often a source of counsel on Indo-U.S. relations.  He has been a powerful force in gaining support in Congress for Indians and Indian Americans.  And most recently it is his leadership, generosity, and compassion in the wake of the Gujarat earthquake that has earned him the respect of people who care about India.  A formidable fundraiser for the American Indian Foundation, he worked to provide 200,000 pounds of food, medical supplies, clothing, and shelter for victims of this horrible tragedy and was also responsible for assembling top-rate team of structural and demolition experts who assessed the damage there.“

Niranjan Shah Accomplishments

Niranjan Shah has a commitment to community and public service.  He has been involved in economic development, higher education, and other community related activities in the Chicago area.

Trustee, Board of Trustees, University of Illinois, System in State of Illinois (Appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich and confirmed by Illinois Senate in 2003)

Illinois State Police Merit Board (Appointed by Governor George Ryan in 2002 and re-appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2003)

Member, National Finance Committee, John Kerry for President, 2004.

Member, National Finance Committee, DNC, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004

Board Member, Goldwater Foundation for Excellence in Education, 1994-2003 (Appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by U.S. Senate)

Vice-Chairman, Asian American Advisory Committee of Senator Paul Simon (Appointed by Senator Simon)

Nominated to National Institute of Building Sciences by President Clinton in 1997

Member, Economic Development Commission of Chicago (Appointed by Mayor Daley 1992-1997)

Member, Cook County Citizens Budget Review Committee (Appointed by the President of Cook County Board of Commissioners)

Member, Governing Board, Laboratory Schools, the University of Chicago (Invited to serve by University of Chicago President Hanna Gray 1992-1997)

Member, National Steering Committee and National Finance Committee, Clinton for President, 1992, 1996

Member, Illinois Board of Regents, 1991-1995 (Governing board of three state universities, appointed by Governor Jim Edgar and confirmed by State of Illinois Senate) Served as Chair of Finance Committee from 1993-1995

Member, Governing Board, Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago 1991-1995

Invited by President Clinton to Economic Conference with national political, economic, and business leaders of the United States in 1992.  (Shah was the only Indian American to be selected to attend and the only CEO of an Engineering/Architectural business to participate.

Member, University of Chicago’s Visiting Committee on University-School Relations (Invited to serve by University of Chicago President Hanna Gray 1988-1994)

Delegate, Democratic National Convention, New York City (July 13-16, 1992) (Clinton Delegate)

Member, Transition Team for Gov. Jim Edgar of Illinois (Nov. 1989 – Jan. 1990). Served on Transportation and Capital Construction Committee.  Also served on Transition Team of Governor Ryan of Illinois (November, 1998)

Niranjan Shah Awards

The combination of an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering and an Executive Education in Business proved successful for Niranjan Shah.  Over the last 3 decades, Shah has been involved with several big ticket engineering and business projects, and has made large commitments as a public servant for communities both in the U.S. and his native home in India.  He has earned outstanding recognition for many of these projects and the commitments he has made.

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award presented by the Government and President of India (January 9, 2006).

Ellis Island Medal of Honor presented by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, Inc (2006)

Light of Gujarat Award preseented by the Governor of Gujarat in recognition of his contribution to his home state in India (2005)

Business Person of the Year Award presented by the Asian American Alliance in Chicago, Illinois (2001)

International Vishwa-Gurjari Award presented in Ahmedabad (1998)

Citizen of the Year Award presented by Illinois Section of the ASCE (1991)

ASCE Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award presented to Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (Shah CEO) for serving as a lead consultant on the billion dollar Deep Tunnel Project for Pollution Control in Metropolitan Chicago (1986)

Niranjan Shah Education

Niranjan Shah earned a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Mississippi in 1971.  In 1974, Shah became chairman and CEO of Globetrotters Engineering Corporation.  In the mid-1980′s,  Globetrotters Engineering Corporation served as one of the lead consultants on the billion dollar Deep Tunnel Project for Pollution Control in Metropolitan Chicago.  In 1986, this project earned the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (OCEA) Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  He now has a professional affiliation as a Fellow for ASCE.

In 1991, Shah completed the Executive Education program from the Harvard Business School known as O.P.M. (Owner/Presidential Management Program).  Shah has continually earned recognition and awards for his work and public service in both the U.S. and India.

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