The U.S. Green Building Council Rhode Island Chapter appointed five new members to its board of directors and election of officers. The primary mission of the RI Green Building Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is to transform the way buildings are designed, built and operated in the state of Rhode Island in order to promote environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, aesthetically pleasing and durable communities that protect the state's cultural heritage and natural environment and improve the quality of life.
Tom Bovis, assistant vice president of corporate real estate / administrative services, has been employed by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) for 28 years. He oversees the building services, security, office services, warehouse operations, food services and facilities planning department. Bovis was instrumental in the design and construction of BCBSRI's LEED Gold headquarters in downtown Providence. Bovis received his BS in Engineering from Boston University and his MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is currently enrolled in Boston University's continuing education program seeking a certificate in sustainability. Bovis is an active member of International Facility Management Association, Building Owners and Managers Association and CoreNet Global / New England Chapter.
He recently received the Regional Executive of the Year award from CoreNet New England. Additionally, Bovis sits on several boards of directors and in 2008 was elected as an honorary National Vice President of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Richard Corcoran is the former general manager of Viessmann Manufacturing Company (U.S.) located in Warwick. Viessmann manufactures a comprehensive range of high efficiency hot water heating products and renewable energy systems worldwide. Corcoran was responsible for all aspects of the United States operation, including sales and distribution, marketing, customer service and internal functions. He has more than twenty years of experience in the plumbing and heating industry, including positions as the North American OEM sales manager for Grundfos Pumps Corp. and owner of a manufacturers' representative company in metropolitan New York. Corcoran is a member of ASHRAE and the GAMA/HI Education Committee, the Solar Energy Industry Association, the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association and the Radiant Panel Association and serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Leadership Council.
Ken DeCosta, P.E., is senior vice president of PARE Corp., an environmental engineering firm based in Lincoln, with a service area spanning the northeastern United States. PARE's portfolio includes sustainable and low-impact development projects, smart growth planning, and LEED documentation for "green" building certification. In his current role, DeCosta is responsible for the management of PARE's civil, structural, and site development Division. He has nearly thirty years of experience with expertise in the planning, design, and construction administration of large-scale industrial, recreational, educational, commercial, residential, highway, and bikeway projects. DeCosta is affiliated with the American Society of Civil Engineers, NAIOP Mass., Northeastern Economic Developers Association, National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Public Works Association. He has served as past president of the RI Consulting Engineers and is registered as a professional engineer in R.I., Mass., Conn., and Maine.
Robin Main is a partner at the law firm of Hinckley Allen & Snyder in Providence. She is a member of the Green Law Group; her practice is focused in the areas of commercial litigation and environmental law. Main is responsible for legal counsel and guidance to the firm's clients on a broad spectrum of environmental matters, including compliance, permitting, property damage and cost recovery. She also handles complex commercial and environmental litigation, including in the areas of products liability and toxic tort, and has extensive experience representing clients before state and federal courts and regulatory authorities. Main received the 2010 Top Women in Law Award from Mass. Lawyers Weekly and was recognized for her achievements in the area of environmental law in Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition magazine, 2009 and 2010, and Woodward/White Inc.'s Best Lawyers in America. She received her J.D. cum laude from Tulane University Law School and is a member of the R.I. and Mass. Bar Associations.
Lynne Bryan-Phipps is a LEED Accredited Professional and owner of Design One Consortium in Providence. Phipp's architectural firm focuses on interior architecture, offering a holistic approach to design that integrates environmental sustainability, reuse and the psychological effects of the built environment. Phipps' clients include corporations, churches, non-profit organizations, schools and individuals interested in maximizing their spatial potential from environmental, psychological and spiritual perspectives. Phipps received her BFA and BIA from RI School of Design and is a member of the Special Programs Faculty. An associate professor at Mount Ida College, Phipps is also the founder of the Compass School, a K-8 charter school focused on a developmental approach to education guided by the principles of social and environmental sustainability. Phipps has received several awards; she was part of the design team that won Contract Magazine's first "Inspiration Award" for socially responsible commercial interiors for Meeting St. School in Providence.
Elected officers include Steven Kitchin, chair/vice president for corporate education and training, New England Institute of Technology ; Daniel Paquette, vice chair and managing partner/chief sustainability officer for Sterling Construction Management, LLC ; Justin Bownds, treasurer and financial advisor for Merrill Lynch; and Robin Main, secretary and partner at the law firm of Hinckley Allen & Snyder.