James Francis “Jim” Capalino, Founder and President of Capalino+Company, is recognized as one of New York’s premier urban problem-solving strategists. His vast experience combines senior management roles in government, public relations, real estate, and construction management, with extensive public sector experience at senior levels of New York City government.
His career blossomed at the age of 16, helping run a $1.3 million youth employment agency, in neighbouring Buffalo, that put 5,000 young people to work cleaning parks and buildings in that city.
Capalino’s government career began in 1972 when he joined the staff of Congressman Edward I. Koch. In 1977, he co-managed the mayoral campaign of Congressman Koch when he was elected the 105th Mayor of the City of New York. Capalino was named Commissioner of General Services, a 2,000+ employee, $750 million agency, at the age of 28 and is still, the youngest commissioner in the City’s history. He managed the Mayor’s successful third term re-election, which he won by the largest margin in the City’s history.
From 1984-87, Capalino served as Senior Vice President and Co-Managing Director of the Edward S. Gordon Company’s Financial District office, where he initiated more than one million square feet of commercial office leases and assisted developers in launching two major Brooklyn office developments. In 1992, he founded and served as President of Capalino, LoCicero, Marino & Tan, Inc., a leading government, public relations and real estate advisory firm.
From 1993 to 1997, Capalino served as Chief Operating Officer of AJ Contracting Inc., where he had responsibility for the firm’s administrative and project management operations, as well as its business development group. Under his leadership, the firm’s revenues grew from $l25 million to $400 million, ranking it 86th out of the nation’s top 400 contractors.
In 2000, he founded Capalino+Company, his own government and community relations lobbying firm. Capalino+Company is a leading government and community advocacy firm, which provide a full range of business advisory services in four fields: advocacy before government agencies, municipal service delivery problem solving, and community relations project management and government procurement advisory services. Based on the Office of the City Clerk of the Council Lobbying Bureau’s 2011 Annual Report, the Capalino firm was ranked second in revenues of all the lobbying firms in New York City.
In 2013, Capalino was awarded the Lewis Rudin Award for Civic Leadership, which is presented to exemplary New Yorkers. Capalino is highly demanded in a number of advisory and board roles.