JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – By day, Richard Sollee is building the digital backbone of Jacksonville. By night, he’s training for one of the most grueling endurance races in the world.
RELATED: Jacksonville to host the city’s first-ever IRONMAN triathlon May 16
Recommended Videos
A lifelong Jacksonville resident, Sollee brings that same hometown commitment to his role in the City’s Technology Solutions Department, where he has spent nearly two years modernizing how residents interact with their city government.
Among his notable contributions are a revamped Jacksonville.gov, a new pet adoption app and an AI chatbot designed to help residents navigate city services.
Sollee’s academic path took him from The Bolles School — where three generations of his family have had ties — to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he graduated with degrees in computer science, physics and a master’s of engineering in computer science.
Long before triathlons, Sollee was a competitive rower. He first picked up the sport at Bolles and went on to race at the national level at MIT, along the way setting a world record in the 100-kilometer rowing machine event for lightweight men 19 and under.
Post-graduation, he channeled that competitive drive into distance running and triathlon, completing two marathons and five Ironman 70.3 events — most recently the 2025 Boston Marathon and the 2025 Ironman 70.3 World Championships.
Sollee is newly married. His wife supports his training firsthand, joining him on runs from her bike, and puts her medical expertise to work volunteering in the medical tent at race events.