"It has been an all-positive year for the Rhode Island Builders Association!"
With that simple and upbeat statement, Felix Carlone began his second term as RIBA's 34th president. The setting was the association's 2013 annual meeting at Quidnessett Country Club, North Kingstown.
Over 100 members and guests attended the dinner meeting on October 1st, which also saw the re-election of the other officers, election of some new local directors, the nomination of members to several national posts, and the approval of two bylaw changes. Also re-elected were vice president Roland Fiore of South County Sand & Gravel Inc., treasurer Steven Gianlorenzo of Gianlorenzo and Sons Construction Corp. and secretary David Caldwell Jr. of Caldwell & Johnson Inc.
"After several years of hard work, RIBA is over the hump," Carlone said. "It has been an all-positive year with the legislature, the Home Show, our Builders Helping Heroes charity, membership, education and much more."
Carlone stressed the need for recruiting younger members and for a younger presence in the RIBA leadership. He also singled out a number of members, along with executive director John Marcantonio and the RIBA staff, for their contributions to the association's successes.
Elected as local directors with terms expiring in 2016 are David Baud of Baud Builders Inc., Caroline Calcagni of Alfred Calcagni & Son Inc., Joseph Casale of Joe Casale Engineering Inc., Robert DeBlois Jr. of DeBlois Building Co., William Geddes of Geddes Builders, Brian Lombardi of J&J Hardware & Appliance (term expiring in 2015), David Miles of Milestone Homes Inc., Alexander Mitchell of Meridian Custom Homes Inc., and Daniel Paquette of Sterling Construction Management LLC.
Nominated as national directors (to be elected at the National Association of Home Builders Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., in February, with terms expiring in 2014) are John Bentz of Property Advisory Group Inc., David Caldwell Jr. of Caldwell & Johnson Inc., Robert Baldwin of R.B. Homes Inc., Michael DeCesare of DeCesare Building Co., Felix Carlone of F.A. Carlone & Sons, Thomas D'Angelo of Terry Lane Corp./Progressive Realty Group, and Roland Fiore of South Country Sand & Gravel Co.
Nominated as alternate national directors, (to be elected at the NAHB Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., in February, with terms expiring in 2014) are Michael Artesani Jr. of W. Artesani & Sons Inc., Scott Grace of Overhead Door Garage Headquarters, Thomas Kelly of Ecologic Spray Foam Insulation Inc., Daniel Leonard of Anchor Insulation Co., Robert Pesce of Lehigh Realty LLC, Timothy Stasiunas of The Stasiunas Companies, and James Tavares of James P. Tavares Construction Inc.
Nominated as a state director, with a term to expire in 2014, is Stephen Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Building and Remodeling.
Nominated as alternate state directors are Fitzgerald and James Deslandes of Deslandes Construction Inc.
Nominated as voting life director is Raymond Gallison of Newport Plate & Mirror Glass.
Nominated for re-election as RIBA's National Association of Home Builders representative is Barbara Gallison of Newport Plate & Mirror Glass. Nominated as NAHB alternate state representative is Thomas McNulty of E.A. McNulty Real Estate.
Those elected were sworn in by immediate past president Robert Baldwin, who summoned a military analogy to comment on RIBA's progress: "The Titanic has become an aircraft carrier and is now becoming a battle group!"
The election was unanimous, as was the vote on the bylaw changes.
RIBA thanks the generous sponsors of the annual meeting, especially Premier Sponsors Riverhead Building Supply and National Building Products, and Consolidated Concrete Corp. and Douglas Lumber, Kitchens & Home Center, who sponsored the cocktail hour.

Paul Eno is the owner and editor-in-chief of New River Press, Woonsocket and is the editor of the monthly RIBA newsletter, The Rhode Island Builder Report.
Paul Eno, New River Press