William Gianelli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Gianelli
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| 3rd United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works | |
| In office April 1981 – May 1984 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Michael Blumenfeld |
| Succeeded by | Robert K. Dawson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 19, 1919 Stockton, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 30, 2020 (aged 101) Monterey, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Engineer & public official |
William Reynolds Gianelli (born February 19, 1919 – died March 30, 2020) was an American engineer and public servant. He worked for the government for many years. From 1981 to 1984, he was the third Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) for the United States. This important job meant he helped manage big construction projects for the Army, like dams and waterways. He served during the time Ronald Reagan was president.
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William Gianelli's Early Life
William Gianelli was born in Stockton, California, in February 1919. He went to college at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned a degree in science in 1941.
Serving in World War II
After college, William Gianelli joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This group of engineers in the Army builds important things for the military and for the country. He served from 1941 to 1945, during World War II.
During the war, he helped build airfields and water systems. He worked on projects in places like Hawaii, Saipan, Okinawa, and Korea. By the end of the war, he had become a Major.
William Gianelli's Career in California
After World War II, William Gianelli started working for the state of California. In 1946, he got a job in the office of the State Engineer of California.
Working with Water Resources
After ten years, he moved to the California Department of Water Resources. He became a staff engineer and helped the director. In 1959, he became a district engineer for the southern part of the department.
In 1960, William Gianelli left government work for a short time. He started his own engineering company called Gianelli & Murray.
William Gianelli's Government Service
In 1967, Ronald Reagan, who was the Governor of California at the time, asked William Gianelli to lead the California Department of Water Resources. In this role, he helped build the California State Water Project. This huge project moves water across California to help cities and farms.
National Water Quality Work
William Gianelli left government work again in 1973. He became a consulting engineer, giving advice to others. From 1973 to 1976, he was part of the National Commission on Water Quality. This group looked at how clean America's water was. It was set up by President Richard Nixon.
Serving President Reagan
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan asked William Gianelli to be the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works). After the Senate approved him, he held this job from April 1981 to May 1984. He also led the Panama Canal Commission, which managed the Panama Canal.
William Gianelli's Later Years
After leaving his government job in 1984, William Gianelli continued to work as an advisor. In 1997, he joined a company called Dawson & Associates. He advised them on environmental permits for over ten years.
He was also the president of the Water Education Foundation from 1985 to 1989. This foundation teaches people about water. William Gianelli gave a lot of money to help the foundation create a special program for young professionals. This program, which helps future leaders in water management, is named the William R. “Bill” Gianelli Water Leaders Class.
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William Gianelli
