After nearly fifteen years as president and CEO of the Rhode Island Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors, I will be retiring at the end of this year. The date has been on the board of directors' calendar for quite a while, as we began planning for this event in December of 2013.
In preparation for this change, a succession committee was formed and began meeting in September of 2014. The position was posted in national association publications and websites beginning in March of this year. Over 25 applications and resumes were received, and after reviewing them all, the succession committee narrowed the field to four finalists who were brought in for interviews.
ABC Rhode Island is pleased to announce that Frederick Mason, III has been selected to assume the position of president and CEO of the chapter. Fred's official first day at ABC is September 1, but he has already begun his orientation by attending this year's ABC National President's Conference, which was held in Charleston, SC at the end of July. Fred and I traveled to the conference together, and it proved to be an excellent opportunity for his to meet and get to know the other 68 chapter presidents from across the country.
Mason comes to ABC with a background that involved working closely with Chambers of Commerce in the area, as well as ample experience lobbying at the Rhode Island State House. Over many years, first with Eastern Utilities and then with National Grid, Fred served as director of corporate communications, vice president of business services & public affairs, regional executive and large business manager.
Among his many duties, Fred was charged with going out into the community and representing his company on various chambers of commerce and associations. As previously stated, lobbying was also a large part of what he did. I first met Fred when he served on committees and the board of the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce when I was president and CEO of that chamber from 1992 - 2000.
Over the next two or three months, Fred and I will be working as a team to make the transition as smooth as possible. Running an association is a very unique job. Given his background with chambers and associations, Mason is perfectly suited for the position of president and CEO of ABC Rhode Island.
As I prepare for the next chapter in my life, I wish to thank the many ABC members and board members I have had the pleasure to work with over the past fifteen years. Together, we've grown the chapter to nearly three times the size it was in 2000 as we worked on ABC's mission to help its members gain work; and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.

To learn more about Association Builders & Contractors, or to become a member, visit www.abcri.org on the web.

Robert Boisselle is the president of the Associated Builders and Contractors RI Chapter, Pawtucket.Robert Boisselle, Associated Builders and Contractors RI Chapter