Gateway85 Community Improvement District (CID) Executive Director, Marsha Anderson Bomar, was recently recognized as an Honorary Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the highest acknowledgement of notable and outstanding professional achievement attainable through the organization. Since 1933, when the first Honorary Member was selected, only 80 individuals have been so honored.
Her work at Gateway 85 CID, the largest CID in the state of Georgia, includes a focus on mobility, infrastructure, safety, security and economic development. Over the past year, Bomar has led Gateway85 CID, a thriving multi-cultural hub north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County, to an increase in property values, while promoting business development and improving the quality of life for all those who live, work and play in the district.
Bomar, who holds several designations including AICP, ENV SP/Trainer, and F.ASCE, has received numerous honors and recognition for her outstanding contributions and achievements. Most recently she was awarded the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) William Wisely Civil Engineering Award for members who have exhibited continuing efforts to better the history, tradition, developments and technical and professional activities of the Society. She served as International President of ITE and was the first woman to ever hold that position. She was also the first woman to receive the ITE Burton W. Marsh Distinguished Service Award and was named one of Atlanta Woman Magazine’s 2008 Top 25 Professional Women to Watch, as well as awarded the Society for Women Engineers (SWE) Entrepreneur of the Year. She also served as President of the ASCE Transportation and Development Institute and received the Georgia American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Community Service Award for outstanding contributions to her community. Marsha earned a bachelor of science in mathematics and a master’s degree in transportation planning and engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. She also holds a master of civil engineering from Princeton University.
Reflecting on the inspiration for choosing a career in transportation, Bomar says it stems from early observations of her father, a transportation professional in New York City. According to Bomar, “I saw how, through transportation projects, one could impact whole communities across generations. I wanted to be part of that through design and public engagement and be able to contribute in a positive way.” Her goal to have a positive impact on other’s lives has led her to serve as a mentor to many and introduce the field of engineering to professionals in underserved populations.
The award was presented during the ITE Annual Meeting earlier this week in Minneapolis, MN. During her acceptance, Marsha thanked those who mentored her in the early days and encouraged her to raise a hand to volunteer. She has been active in the organization since 1974 and was International President in 1994. For more information please contact Tammy Thompson, Communications Manager, at (770) 449-6542.
