Honorable William Gianelli (April 1981 - May 1984)

By U.S. ArmyOctober 30, 2017

Hon. William Gianelli
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Mr. William Gianelli served as the third Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) (ASA(CW)) from April 1981 to May 1984. As the ASA(CW), Mr. Gianelli supervised the affairs of Arlington National Cemetery, during which period he secured the authorization and funding for a Visitor Center at Arlington and interred a Vietnam War Unknown at the Tomb of the Unknown. Under Mr. Gianelli's leadership of the Army Civil Works Program, cost sharing for Corps of Engineers' projects was initiated, and the interagency procedures for the Corps' Section 404 regulatory permit program were streamlined. Mr. Gianelli's leadership in this area helped secure the survival of the Civil Works program.

Mr. Gianelli also served as Chairman of the Panama Canal Commission from 1981-1989, the latter 4 years of which were under special Congressional Authorization.

Prior to Mr. Gianelli's appointment and confirmation as the ASA(CW), he served a total of 21 years with the State of California's Engineer's office and the Department of Water Resources. He was the Director of the Department of Water Resources the last 7 of those 21 years. In addition to the State of California service, for 14 years Mr. Gianelli headed his own Consulting Engineering Firm specializing in the water resources field.. Currently, Mr. Gianelli serves as Senior Adviser, Emeritus, at Dawson and Associates, Inc., located in Washington, DC.