After five decades of dedicated service, David (Dave) Richwood and Natalina Bernardi, two of our Principals, will be starting the next stage of their careers – their retirement. Their impact on our communities, the mentorship they have provided, and the teams they have built will leave a lasting legacy at BKF. We are all deeply grateful for their contributions.
Dave Richwood’s journey with BKF began over 40 years ago as an intern and worked in the survey department, sparked by a chance conversation about a car with a BKF client. At the time, BKF had around 40 employees. As a 500-firm with 16 offices, Dave has been instrumental in shaping and helping BKF evolve into what it is today, working in every BKF market segment. Many long-term projects that spanned his illustrious career include: Stanford University Developments, Measure A Santa Clara County Traffic Authority, BART to Silicon Valley Extension, and the Port of Oakland Developments. Dave’s leadership and entrepreneurial spirit in survey, transportation engineering, and campus/private development have guided BKF through numerous challenges, ensuring that we embrace new adventures with enthusiasm and adaptability.
“My career at BKF has been a dream come true. I’ve been supported by exceptional colleagues and partners. The clients I worked with are the best in the industry, many of which have become lifelong friends. Something I can take along in my retirement.” – Dave Richwood
Natalina Bernardi’s story is one of resilience and excellence. Immigrating to the United States at a young age, Natalina’s education from UC Berkeley and family upbringing instilled in her a tireless work ethic and engineering expertise. She is inherently business-savvy and has developed renowned client relationships that have not only been the cornerstone of her career but contributed to the immense success of the transportation group she built and the projects she endeavored with virtually every self-help county transportation authority in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Her exceptional talent as a visionary, leader, and expert in transportation engineering, coupled with her genuine care for clients and her team, has been evident in every project she’s undertaken, including marquee capital improvement projects such as the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement in Long Beach and the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector (EBRC) in San Jose.
“My family has been my support and source of happiness throughout my life. When I started my career, I never realized that one could be so lucky to be part of two great families. Working with those around me has inspired me, introduced me to people who I admire, provided me with long-life friendships, and bestowed onto me those that I shall always consider part of my family. Thank you for all the years of challenges that we took on and the pride that we built together.” – Natalina Bernardi
While Dave and Natalina will be greatly missed, they have continued to work side by side with BKF’s team and their ‘right-hand’ partners. This seamless union of continued collaboration among the team, spanning multiple decades, has helped foster organic development and transition. More importantly, it has paved the way for the future of BKF’s engineering, development, public works, and transportation group. With operations continuing as usual, BKF’s clients will continue to work with our professional engineers and leaders as BKF strides into the future.