It Takes an Expert - Meet Our Team

Like any major construction project, Transit Oriented Developments (TODs) have challenges such as zoning approvals, community acceptance, financing, location & design, and coordination of multiple parties. Additionally, TODs need to meet government guidelines to unlock the available public funding and economic benefits.

Therefore, it takes an expert to navigate these challenges by:

• Educating the parties about TOD benefits and opportunities
  
• Establishing common goals among the parties
  
• Balancing a successful development with a successful transportation node
  
• Reducing complexity, completion time, uncertainty and costs
  
• Nurturing a supportive regulatory and policy environment with government
  
• Aligning the right transit agencies, municipalities and developers in a project
  

Urban Innovations has assembled a highly-qualified team to make your project a success:

Robert Ardolino, Founder, President & CEO, has developed and successfully implemented a proprietary process for obtaining Federal, state, local and private financing for TOD projects.  His personal relationships with developers, experience in commercial and residential construction and his knowledge of governmental and private funding mechanisms were critical in overcoming the complexities surrounding this process.

Bob has a civil engineering degree and is a 1983 graduate of Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA.  In 1984 he started his own company, Ardolino Industries.  Working together with The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, he established himself as a leader in government financing and public/private partnerships specializing in public and senior housing.  For his efforts he was recognized by his peers in Pittsburgh as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1988. 

In 1989, Bob joined a local construction firm as Vice President.  As head of business development, the firm flourished as a result of Bob’s efforts. Through his ability to evaluate projects at their inception, he repeatedly secured millions of community development dollars for his client’s projects that included restaurant chains, convenience stores, major corporations and non-profit organizations.

In 1995, Bob founded two construction firms that became involved in a wide variety of projects including new construction of chain restaurants, department stores, and daycare centers. Additionally, he consulted for construction firms involved in new construction of big-box retailers, retail chain stores and churches, as well as a major parking garage renovation in the US Steel Building in Pittsburgh, PA.

Bob was exposed to TOD on a consulting project in 2001 and began his research into the topic. Over the next two years, his primary focus was to understand the TOD funding process and to develop an approach to TOD consulting. During the course of this research, Bob worked at both the state and Federal levels, co-authoring policy which established new land use guidelines as they relate to TOD. 

Bob’s numerous media appearances include: Pittsburgh’s Talking, Financial Network, Financial World Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Washington Observer, and The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, California.


Mark F. Sever, Vice President/GM/CFO, a 1976 business graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, has held numerous financial management positions throughout his career with Westinghouse, Price Waterhouse, The Hillman Company, FSC Corporation and The Pitt Penn Oil Group. Additionally, Mark served as President & CEO of the Pitt Penn Oil Group for thirteen years during which he spearheaded major facilities expansions, financing arrangements, and government contract and international business development.

Additionally, for more than a decade Mark served first as a Board Member and then as President of two non-profit petroleum industry organizations based in Washington, DC, working with legal counsel and the Executive Directors to interface with a variety of government agencies. During 2003, Mark served as the Interim Executive Director of one of these organizations and was based in Washington D.C.

In recent years, Mark has worked with an Atlanta-based investment group and European nutraceutical manufacturers to introduce new products to the US market, handling all FDA matters, coordinating with Washington D.C. legal counsel and managing all business activities.


Nancy Basile, Director of Grants, a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, has more than fourteen years of managerial experience in transit authority daily operations. Her most recent position was Executive Director of the Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority in Southwestern, PA. Nancy has extensive experience in writing Federal and state grants, managing capital projects, regulatory compliance, government reporting and financial administration and is well-versed in utilizing FTA systems and databases. Additionally, she has been appointed to a number of regional transportation committees and commissions throughout her career.

Nancy’s other professional experience includes four years with a nuclear energy consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. area. Her duties included coordinating activities with various Federal agencies, working with public/private databases, and quarterly government reporting on behalf of clients.


Thomas Bayuzik, Project Manager , has a firm foundation in the intricacies of community development and local government.  As Director of Economic Development for the City of Pittsburgh from 1999 to 2003, Tom served as a single point of contact to the city’s business community for site selection, financing, permitting, business planning and job training.  Furthermore, Tom left his imprint on Pittsburgh by providing policy recommendations concerning community and economic development to the mayor and city council. 

Tom’s other professional experience includes Executive Director of Indiana County Office of Planning and Development, Director of Economic Development in Oil City, PA, and Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Dubois, PA.


Anthony Vitti, Vice President Business Development, has been in legal practice in California for over thirty-years. Toni has established a wide variety of business relationships with major developers based in California who operate throughout The United States. Through the years, Toni has helped developers coordinate their projects with local governments in California.


Paul McQuade, Business Development, is the founder of McQuade Group, a marketing services firm that has served major organizations across a broad range of industries since 1986. Paul began his marketing career in the mortgage and real estate business. Today, he works in all promotional mediums serving clients as varied as Comcast, McDonalds, Time Warner and San Francisco 49’ers.


Legal Counsel, Pepper Hamilton LLP, established in 1890 in Philadelphia, PA, is a multi-practice law firm with 400 lawyers in 10 offices. The firm provides corporate, litigation and regulatory legal services to leading businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and individuals throughout the nation and the world. Pepper has extensive experience in the transportation industry and in public and municipal finance, and enjoys a long-standing business relationship with the founder of Urban Innovations, Bob Ardolino.


Engineering and Technical Firm Relationships – Throughout his construction career, Bob Ardolino worked with a wide variety of engineering and technical support firms. As Urban Innovations has grown and developed in recent years, these relationships have expanded. Today, Urban Innovations has solid relationships with firms that can handle any technical requirements of your project from engineering to land planning to detailed traffic studies. On every TOD project, Urban Innovations is coordinating all project activities with these firms and all stakeholders.


Developer and Investor Relationships – As Urban Innovations continues to expand activities throughout the country, more and more developer and investor relationships are created. Many of these developers and investors are continuously evaluating new opportunities. Additionally, Urban Innovations has unique relationships with a few major developers and investors that may bring the needed resources to your project.