Have you ever wondered how a single baseball stadium can change a city? Who gets to choose where to build it? And who determines what it looks like and how it fits into the urban landscape? And what does it take to build it?” Join Gilbane on its #ACEVenture as we discuss all of this…
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | 6PM EASTERN
[ 3PM Pacific – 4PM Mountain – 5PM Central – 6PM Eastern ]
PRESENTERS:
EDWARD M. AUGUSTUS Jr., City Manager, Worcester, MA
City Manager, Edward M. Augustus Jr. is a Worcester native of who has spent more than 30 years in public service. In his current role as City Manager, he is leading the downtown resurgence effort through the development and implementation of a 20-year, $90 million Urban Revitalization Plan and is leading an unprecedented effort to build a new Triple A stadium, Polar Park, with the Worcester Red Sox.
JANET MARIE SMITH, Executive Vice President Planning and Development, Los Angeles Dodgers
Janet Marie Smith is best known in baseball for transforming urban ballparks, creating of a new level of fan experience. This trend was established when she worked for Boston Red Sox President/CEO Emeritus, Larry Lucchino, to open Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992. She is working with Lucchino now on Polar Park for the Worcester Red Sox in Worcester. She previously partnered with Lucchino to renovate Fenway Park in Boston. Her training as an urban planner/architect gives her a unique perspective on how to integrate baseball within urban settings. She is also currently responsible for the Dodger Stadium renovations in Los Angeles where she is EVP, Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
STEVE DUVEL, Senior Vice President, New England Division, Gilbane Building Company
As Senior Vice President, Steve Duvel is responsible for operational, sales and administrative functions for Gilbane in New England, including 365 staff in five offices. Early in his career, Steve traveled nationally, working for a company remediating hazardous waste sites. Steve joined Gilbane in Houston, TX in 1997, transitioning into vertical construction managing multiple large-scale commercial building projects and relocated to Rhode Island in 2000. In addition to his love of construction, he is equally passionate about leadership development and mentoring junior professionals.
NEIL BENNER, Senior Project Executive, Gilbane Building Company
Senior Project Executive, Neil Benner has been managing construction projects for 24 years, 21 of those with Gilbane. Neil is currently the project executive on the Polar Park project in Worcester. He loves construction because each day presents a new challenge and is thrilled to be bringing minor league baseball to Worcester. Even though he graduated college with a history major, he found his way to construction industry via summer internships building residential homes, ultimately achieving his goal for a career in large-scale commercial construction.
LAURA ONESSIMO, Marketing Director, Gilbane Building Company
Laura Onessimo has been in the AEC industry for over 20 years and has national experience in business development, marketing and public relations. She joined Gilbane in 2017 working initially in business development and now heads up marketing efforts for Gilbane in New England. She partnered with Neil Benner, among others, the creating the proposal for that won the Polar Park project! I love marketing and business development because it’s fast-paced and no day is the same, plus there’s lots of room for creativity.
Gilbane Building Company has a long-established national relationship with the ACE Mentor Program. Since 2000, Gilbane has mentored over 400 students from 18 states and 43 cities across the U.S. Gilbane has 112 active mentors, each mentor spends between 30 and 75 hours per year working with ACE students. To date, Gilbane has donated over $1.5 million to the ACE Mentor program.
Gilbane’s Chairman and CEO, Thomas F. Gilbane, Jr., conducts a yearly review of all business units’ participation in ACE and each summer grants Gilbane’s annual ACE Mentoring Award to one or more employees during a companywide town hall meeting. Winners receive $1,000 to donate to their local ACE chapter.