With a strong call for all members to get involved in "the new, proactive RIBA," Robert Baldwin began his second term as president of the RIBA on October 4th. The scene was the annual meeting at The Shriners Imperial Room at One Rhodes Place, Cranston.
"With our new, five-year business plan as a guide, we look forward to another challenging but successful year," said Baldwin, RIBA's 34th president and owner of Lincoln-based R.B. Homes Inc.
Re-elected and installed along with Baldwin were vice president Felix Carlone (F.A. Carlone & Sons, Warwick), secretary Roland Fiore (South County Sand & Gravel, Wakefield) and treasurer Steven Gianlorenzo (Gianlorenzo and Sons Construction Corp., East Providence).
Also elected at the meeting were local directors: Louis Cotoia of Arnold Lumber Co., Inc.; Joseph Cracco of Modern Yankee Builders Inc.; Vincent Marcantonio of Marcantonio Design Builders; Lawrence Gemma of GEM Plumbing & Heating Co.; Matthew Davitt of Davitt Design/Build Inc., and Kenneth Coury of Riverhead Building Supply.
Approved for nomination as national directors (to be elected at the NAHB Convention) were Michael Artesani Sr. of W. Artesani & Sons Inc.; John Anderson of Insurance Reconstruction Services/Tech Builders; Brian Arnold of B.R. Arnold Construction Co., Inc.; Robert Baldwin of R.B. Homes Inc.; Michael DeCesare of DeCesare Building Co.; Raymond Gallison of Newport Plate & Mirror Glass; Steven Gianlorenzo of Gianlorenzo & Sons Construction Corp.; Paul Norbury of Norbury Construction Co., and Peter Rogers of Gerard Building & Design Co., Inc.
Approved for nomination as alternate national directors (to be elected at the NAHB Convention) were Colin Kane of Peregrine Group LLC, David Caldwell Sr. of Caldwell & Johnson Inc., Joel DeMelo of DeMelo Construction, and Nicolas Reuter of Picerne Real Estate Group.
Approved for re-election as RIBA's NAHB representative is Barbara Gallison of Newport Plate & Mirror Glass (to be elected at the NAHB Convention.)
Baldwin made it a point to acknowledge and thank executive director John Marcantonio and RIBA's staff and directors, committee chairmen and the past presidents for their recent work. He singled out workers' comp committee chairman Kenneth Jones of Ken Jones Construction Inc., who has "spent countless hours" over a long period to develop approved insurance programs for RIBA members.
Baldwin also cited Cheryl Boyd and Louis Cotoia of Arnold Lumber Co. for heading up RIBA's current membership drive, past president Stephen Olson for accepting chairmanship of the health insurance committee, and Ronald Smith for chairing the new Home Show Committee.
Calling 2011's General Assembly session "one of most successful...in decades" for RIBA, Baldwin also praised lobbyists Joseph Walsh and Gayle Wolf, along with legislative committee co-chairmen Steven Carlino and Edgar Ladouceur.
A number of awards were presented. Honored for serving as local directors from 2008-2011 were Alfred Calcagni of Alfred Calcagni & Son Inc., and Scott Moorehead of SFM Engineering Associates. Also receiving a plaque for his service was Richard Welch of Apple Construction Corp., an alternate national director for 2010-2011.
Also honored for serving as alternate national directors for 2010-2011 were Louis Cotoia of Arnold Lumber Co., Joseph Cracco of Modern Yankee Builders Inc. and Vincent Marcantonio of Marcantonio Design Builders. Recognized for serving as local directors from 2008-2011 were David Caldwell Sr. of Caldwell and Johnson Inc. and Joel DeMelo of DeMelo Construction. Colin Kane of The Peregrine Group was honored for serving on the executive committee during the same period.
Olson and Gianlorenzo shared the master-of-ceremonies role for the business meeting and the award ceremony.
Nearly 90 members and guests were present for the cocktail hour, sponsored by Consolidated Concrete and Douglas Lumber Home Center, and the dinner, compliments of the evening's many sponsors.
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.