Board of Trustees

Greg Janey is principal owner of JANEY Construction Management & Consulting, Inc., a leading construction management company in the New England region. Mr. Janey founded the company in 1984 and brings a strong engineering background and a wealth of technical expertise to the construction and renovation projects that he oversees both in commercial and residential settings. He manages and monitors projects ranging from $5 million to $200 million in scope.

Mr. Janey served as a founding officer for the Massachusetts Minority Contractors Association, and on the advisory committees for Madison Park High School and the Private Industry Council. He is a past president of the Northeast division of the Construction Management Association of America and the Vice Chair of the CMAA’s national board. He is also a program evaluator for ABET, which accredits college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

Mr. Janey holds an Associate degree in Architectural Technology, a B.S in Construction Management from Wentworth Institute of Technology, an M.S in Civil Engineering from Northeastern University, and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

He was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2008 and to the Institute’s Board of Trustees in 2012. He chairs the board’s Facilities and the Presidential Search Committee and serves on its Academic Affairs and Long- Range Planning committees. He also has served on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee and has been actively involved with Wentworth’s Industrial Professional Advisory Committees.

For over thirty-five years Rose has worked in the Greater Boston construction industry. Rose is the Director of Interiors/Special Projects for Lee Kennedy Company, a Quincy-based construction management firm founded in 1978 whose volume last year was $450,000,000.00. In this role, she is responsible for the renovation and building infrastructure projects of all sizes in the corporate, academic, life sciences, bio-medical, and non-profit groups.

Prior to joining Lee Kennedy Company, Ms. Conti’s career has advanced from being an assistant project manager, a project manager, owner’s representative, project executive and director almost exclusively in the tenant interiors area. Philosophically, Rose follows the dictum, “At the end of the day, my clients are all that matter. Treating them well will always pay off in the long run, and it is a long run.”

Rose has been educating herself on a life-long basis, previously attending certificate programs at WIT for eight years. In the spring of 2012, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. She earned an Associate’s degree in Building Construction in 2009. Prior to studies at WIT, she attended Burdett School, Regis College, and Simmons College School of Management. Rose has an unrestricted MA Builder’s license, is CM-LEAN accredited, is OSHA trained, and CPR/AED certified.

Rose is Past President of the Wentworth Alumni Association. She served as President for two years; she has served as Director, Second Vice President, First Vice President and chairs the golf committee. She is on the Women@Wentworth programming committee. She is a member of the Long Range Planning Committee. She has also been active in the United Way, Patriot’s Trail Girl Scouts, DARE and STAR programs in Burlington, MA, as well as NAWIC (President 2002-03), NEWIRE, IFMA, CoreNet and AGC. Rose is the proud recipient of the 2008 Wentworth Woman of the Year Award, 2015 Wentworth Distinguished Alumni Award, and 2017 Wentworth Gold Leopard Award.

Ryan Hutchins is an executive vice president for Gilbane Building Company, Inc., a real estate and a 145-year old, family-owned construction management firm with annual revenues of $5 billion. As head of New England operations, he leads the continued development, growth and oversite of Gilbane’s Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut offices which comprise of over 280 employees. In 2010, was named to this position as the youngest in Gilbane’s history. In his current role, he oversees the operational, sales and administrative functions of Gilbane’s New England offices. 

Prior to this role, Mr. Hutchins held the position of District Manager of Gilbane’s Massachusetts office. Under his leadership, the district more than doubled the number of staff and construction projects. During that time, the district was recognized as a Best Place to Work in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal for four years and was named for two years as a Boston Globe 100 Top Places to Work. Mr. Hutchins began his career at Gilbane as a co-op student in 1997 and has worked in many different positions of increasing responsibility throughout the company. He brought the corporate interior fit out practice to Massachusetts, where under his leadership, the department exceeded all expectations.

During his tenure as Massachusetts district manager, he oversaw its tremendous growth, more than doubling the number of staff and construction projects. Recognized as an expert in the industry, he has been honored with a Building Design and Construction’s 40 Under 40 Award, the Banker & Tradesman’s New Leader in Massachusetts Award, and was named to the 2013 Engineer News Record’s Top 20 Under 40 list. In 2015, he was named Boston Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 award recipient.  In addition to his numerous professional accomplishments, Mr. Hutchins’ involvement in many industry and community service initiatives is notable.

In 2006, he was recognized with Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40 Award where was chosen from a pool of over 400 applicants from across the nation. In 2008, he was awarded the Banker & Tradesman’s New Leader in Massachusetts Award, a prestigious award that recognizes top leaders in the industry. In 2013, Mr. Hutchins was named to Engineer News-Record’s Top 20 Under 40 in New England list. In 2015, he was named Boston Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 award recipient.

Mr. Hutchins’ civic involvement also includes leadership positions in many industry associations. He currently serves as the Children’s Trust Chair, board member and past Chair of Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology. Prior roles include Founding President of the Young Contractors Forum for the Rhode Island Chapter of Associated General Contractors, former member of MassPort Designer Selection Committee and former Advisory Board member with Lemonade Day Boston.

Mr. Hutchins also continually takes time to share his knowledge as a mentor. Mr. Hutchins created Gilbane’s partnership with Madison Park Technical Vocation High School in Roxbury to support minority participation in the local construction workforce through internships and an annual scholarship towards a construction-related college degree as well as created a mentor-protégé relationship with local M/WBE firm Janey Construction Management & Consulting. In addition, he teaches multiple classes through Gilbane University, the company’s training and development program as well as Gilbane’s Massachusetts M/WBE Contractor Training Program, which develops the business acumen of local trade contractors through a seven-month program.

Mr. Hutchins received a bachelor’s degree in construction management at Wentworth and was elected to the Board in 2011.

Lawrence “Larry” LaFreniere is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Electric Supply Center (ESC), a leading electrical supply distributor in Massachusetts. Mr. LaFreniere acquired ESC in 1997. Since then, he has overseen ESC as it doubled revenue growth year over year.  His company philosophy is distilled in five words – DRIVEN TO HELP YOU COMPETE.  This philosophy is what drives him and his employees to keep focus on customers and continue growing.

Over the last twenty years, Mr. LaFreniere has developed a vast knowledge of building, improving, restructuring, and executing turn-around solutions in the electrical distribution industry. He has expanded ESC to five locations (Burlington, Woburn, Wakefield, Gloucester & Mansfield), including a 135,000 square foot Central Distribution Center in Woburn, MA.

Mr. LaFreniere is actively involved in the community and electrical industry. He serves as a Divisional Board Director for Affiliated Distributors, a Board Trustee for Wentworth Institute of Technology, a Committee Member for the New England Council and Scholar Athletes, and is on the Philanthropic Board of Advisors for Children’s Hospital.

During his early career, Mr. LaFreniere was a sales manager at All Phase Electric Supply and a sales engineer at Westinghouse Electric Company. Mr. LaFreniere received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Mark A. Thompson, Ph.D., became the fifth president of Wentworth Institute of Technology on June 1, 2019.

His career in higher education spans more than 25 years—from teaching and advising students at Marshall University and Morehouse College to serving in senior-administration roles at Quinnipiac University.

Thompson was at Quinnipiac for 21 years (beginning in 1998) before accepting the presidency at Wentworth. He served there as associate dean of the school of business and later as executive vice president and provost. Among other accomplishments at Quinnipiac, Thompson led the establishment of engineering and medical schools. He earned a reputation as a popular advocate for students and valued, progressive member of the university community.

Earlier in his career, Thompson directed the Center for Business and Economic Research and was an assistant professor of economics at Marshall University’s Elizabeth McDowell Lewis College of Business.

He has a bachelor’s degree in economics-finance from Bentley University, an M.B.A. from Western New England University, and Ph.D. in economics from Georgia State University.

His expertise includes urban and regional economics, and economic development. He has worked on regional economic initiatives with many private and public constituents and, as part of those efforts, completed more than 100 technical reports—ranging from economic impact assessments and strategic plans, to feasibility studies and business proposals.

Thompson’s academic research has focused on the consequences of residential housing segregation, issues related to labor market discrimination and assessing the impact of intellectual property rights on the economic growth rates of developing countries. His work appears in academic journals including Economic Development Quarterly, Journal of Economic Development, Journal of Enterprising Culture and Journal of Economics and Finance.

He has also written a book chapter under a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation and made numerous conference presentations.

Born in Providence, Thompson lived in Pawtucket and Barrington, R.I., as a child. His family moved to Eastham, Mass., when he was in the 5th grade.

He is married to Karyn Thompson, an early childhood educator with a master’s degree as a reading specialist. She worked in public schools, had her own nursery school and taught a freshman seminar at Quinnipiac. The couple has two daughters: Elizabeth, a social worker in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Kathryn, a teacher’s assistant at Kennedy Day School in Brighton, Mass., who in the fall of 2019 began working toward her master’s degree in social work at Simmons University.

Bio coming soon!

David Blittersdorf, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of AllEarth Renewables, a company he founded that designs and manufactures grid-tied solar PV tracking systems. AllEarth Renewables manufacturers the dual-axis AllSun Tracker, an affordable, complete grid-connected solar electric system that produces up to 45% more energy than fixed rooftop systems, and which is currently sold in 30 states via a national network of dealer-installers. In 1982 when the wind industry was in its infancy, Mr. Blittersdorf founded NRG Systems, his first entrepreneurial venture that grew into an internationally recognized leader in wind measurement technology. Twenty-two years later, Mr. Blittersdorf stepped down as CEO of NRG Systems to kick-off his second entrepreneurial venture at AllEarth Renewables.

Mr. Blittersdorf volunteers his time to organizations connected with renewable energy, education, and preparing for a post-peak-oil world. He serves in leadership roles and as a member of several boards and advisory groups, including the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas – USA, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Renewable Energy Vermont, the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and the SUNY-Canton Engineering School, among others.

Mr. Blittersdorf received an associate’s degree in Mechanical Design Engineering Technology from Wentworth in 1977 and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1981. He gave the summer commencement address in 2014 when he received an honorary doctorate degree from Wentworth. He was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2013. He is currently serving on the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Jerome H. Casey has been elected vice-chair of the Board of Trustees at Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Casey is the former president and chief operating officer of Sekisui Diagnostics, where his responsibilities included leadership of the global cross-functional organization, development and execution of the business strategy, and meeting the company’s short and long-term financial objectives.

Prior to the acquisition of Sekisui Diagnostics (formerly Genzyme Diagnostics) by Sekisui Chemical in 2011, Mr. Casey had worked at Genzyme Diagnostics for 21 years in various roles of increasing responsibility and held the position of senior vice president of global sales and marketing since 2003. Before joining Genzyme, he worked at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods as assistant vice president in fixed income sales and trading. He began his career at Abbott Laboratories as a sales representative. 

Casey is currently active in several life sciences ventures, serving as an advisor and board member. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He previously was a board member at Wide Horizons for Children, an international adoption agency based in Waltham, MA, and AdvaMed Dx, a Washington, D.C. based industry advocacy organization.

Casey was elected to Wentworth’s Board of Trustees in 2012

Bio coming soon!

Image

Eric received his Bachelor’s degree from WIT in 1995 in Facilities Management, along with a Professional Certificate in Technical Communications.  He has served on the WAA for 14 years, currently as President and previously as Secretary & Director.  As a member of the WAA, Eric chairs the Programming Committee and co-chairs the Golf Committee.  He is a fixture at WIT events including golf tournaments, networking events, campus programs and is regularly there when handing out caps & gowns!  During his time at Wentworth, he received the President’s Award and founded & was President of the Facilities Management Club.  In 2000, he received his MBA from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.  Currently Eric is a Senior Account Development Rep for Humanscale, a worldwide leader in ergonomic and technology solutions for the office environment.

Image

Rick Grundy joined AVTECH in 2001 as Product Development Manager and rose through several engineering and management roles, becoming President & COO in December 2015. He manages day-to-day operations of the business, including strategic planning, product engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain management. AVTECH celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2018 by opening its first international distribution facility in Ireland, opened a sales office in Dubai in 2020, and is proud to have products in 187 countries around the world.

Rick recently led the acquisition of a standalone manufacturing operation based in Pennsylvania. Mirian Solutions, Inc. provides contract manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics services supporting the growth of AVTECH and other customers in various industries across the country.

Rick graduated summa cum laude from the computer science program at Wentworth Institute of Technology, with additional concentrations in mechanical and electrical engineering. Prior to joining the University Advisors, he served as VP of Governance on the board of directors for the Wentworth Alumni Association.

Paul Guarracino is the president and founder of JJM Electrical Company, Inc., an electrical contracting business founded in 1985 that is servicing the construction industry in the Boston area.  JM Electrical Company is an industry leader in the installation of HVAC controls in commercial buildings and works with building automation companies and mechanical contractors.  Mr. Guarracino is an entrepreneur who seeks out new opportunities for growth and new markets to venture into and has built a solid management team to support these goals.

During his early career, Mr. Guarracino completed the Local 103 Apprenticeship Training Program.  He worked as a general foreman for Lord Electric Co, Inc. and obtained both his Journeyman and Master Electrician’s licenses.  He has held leadership positions with the National Electrical Contractors Association of Greater Boston (NECA) and the Local 103 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).  Recently Paul was inducted into NECA’s Academy of Electrical Contracting, which recognizes outstanding leaders nationally in the electrical contracting field.

He received a degree in Mechanical Design Engineering Technology from Wentworth in 1972. He was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2011 as a Corporator.  He was elected to the Board of Trustees in September 2015 and currently serves as the Chair of the Development Committee.

Anil Jha is an innovator and an entrepreneur and serves as an advisor to several technology companies. He is a Board Trustee and advisor for the innovation department at Wentworth Institute of technology. He is also a Board member and business/technology advisor at Aquacycle Inc.

In 2008 Mr. Jha founded HydroNovation Inc. a venture-backed residential water treatment company. As a CEO he developed the strategic direction of the company and oversaw the research and development. After successfully developing the product he sold the company in 2014.

The pioneer of electrodeionization, Mr. Jha’s membrane-based technology eliminated the use, disposal, and subsequent leaching of millions of pounds of chemicals into the groundwater for large commercial systems.

Prior to launching HydroNovation, Mr. Jha was a VP of R&D at Siemens Water Technology Corp. During his career Mr. Jha developed continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) technology, now widely used for ultrapure water and seawater desalination applications. He also managed laboratory systems and business development for U.S. Filter Corp., Millpore Corp., Sterimatics Corp., and Liquipure Corps. At Millipore Corporation Mr. Jha managed and contributed to the development of a $200 million portfolio of purification technologies for pharmaceutical and analytical markets. Mr. Jha has 130 US & international patents and has developed more than 50 distinct water purification products. He is considered a true water technology visionary.

Mr. Jha earned his bachelor of science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He received his associate’s degree in materials technology from Wentworth in 1968.  He also received an honorary degree from Wentworth in April 2015 for his lifetime achievements in water technology developments.

Mr. Jha actively mentors up-and-coming entrepreneurs through a non-profit, Imagine H20, and has begun mentoring students in the Accelerate program, Wentworth’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. He was elected to the Corporation in 2015. He is currently serving on the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Doug Karam is Founder and President of KVAssociates, a Boston-based construction consulting firm that provides owner’s project management services to building owners, government entities, and private institutions. With over 35 years of experience and industry knowledge, Mr. Karam successfully manages a variety of building programs by providing leadership and guidance to design and construction teams. With a focus on healthcare, life science, research, academic, residential, hospitality, and commercial construction projects, Mr. Karam takes pride in building long-term relationships as well as buildings. Prior to founding KVA in 1990, Mr. Karam worked at Turner Construction Company and Spaulding & Slye. He is a member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and a past board member of the Salem Historical Commission.

Mr. Karam received a bachelor’s degree in Building Construction Engineering Technology from Wentworth in 1983 and is a strong supporter of Wentworth’s mentoring program.

Mr. Karam was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2012 and to the Board of Trustees in 2014 and currently serves on the Facilities, Long Range Planning, and Academic Affairs committees.

John Lynch is the past Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Staples, Inc. John left Staples in February, 2018 after 24 years and started Lynch Real Estate Advisors. He has more than thirty years of broad professional experience in real estate, construction, and facilities management.  His financial responsibilities at Staples included managing a 50 million sq. ft. portfolio of office, retail and supply chain properties in the US and Canada.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Lynch directed real estate, site acquisition, new store development, construction and procurement activities for The Ground Round, Inc. Mr. Lynch received an Associate’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology in 1980 and Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1983 from Wentworth and a Master’s in business administration (summa cum laude) with a concentration in finance from Suffolk University.  

Mr. Lynch was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2011 and to the Board of Trustees in 2014.  He currently serves on the Facilities and Long Range Planning Committees.

Image

Ms. MacNeil is currently a principal at MP Boston, the local office of Millennium Partners Boston, an urban real estate developer. Ms. MacNeil’s work primarily as real estate development manager has included several complex urban projects in Boston, including Winthrop Center (a 1.8 million square foot mixed used tower now under construction in downtown Boston as well as, the recently completed Millennium Tower .

Ms. MacNeil is a LEED Accredited Professional. She has her Massachusetts Construction Supervisor’s License. She received a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from MIT Center for Real Estate and holds a bachelor’s degree from Wentworth in Architectural Engineering. She serves as on the advisory board for Historic Boston, Inc. a local preservation organization, as well as the board of directors for Friends of Post Office Square. She is an adjunct professor at Wentworth in the construction management department. She received the Boston Society of Architects Award of Excellence in 2016.

Image

Travis McCready is executive director and national practice leader for Jones Lang Lasalle’s (JLL) Life Sciences Industry Practice.

He heads JLL’s real estate markets efforts, including brokerage, capital markets, advisory and analytics, project and development services, and valuation for life sciences developers and investors across the United States. He has more than 25 years’ experience leading public, private, and nonprofit ventures, with a focus on technology and innovation-based economic development.

McCready is the former president and CEO of the $1.6 billion life sciences funding agency, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and an advisor and board member of TMA Precision Health, a rare disease diagnostics company, and of SimpliFed, a microbiome-based infant nutrition company.

He co-chairs the Academic Institute Advisory Board at Atrius Health, the largest independent physician-led healthcare organization in the Northeast. He serves on the boards of business accelerators MassChallenge and Lever, and of the wet lab incubator MBI.

McCready sits on the boards of WGBH and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, has served on the Economic Development Planning Council under three Massachusetts governors, and been appointed to state and national initiatives ranging from the arts to advanced manufacturing.

A native of New York City, Travis received his B.A. from Yale University, and J.D. from the University of Iowa.

Gary J. Miller is an Executive Vice President and COO at NELCO, a leading designer and manufacturer of radiation shielding products and services. Mr. Miller oversees the estimating department, works closely with the sales and business development teams on all projects, and is involved with all operations at NELCO. He joined NELCO in 1977, and during his career at the company has held the position of Assistant Plant Manager, Plant Manager, General Manager, and Vice President of Projects & Construction prior to becoming an Executive Vice President.

Mr. Miller received a degree in Architectural Engineering from Wentworth in 1977. He has been an active member of the Wentworth Alumni Association and began his two-year term as President of the Wentworth Alumni Association and as an ex officio Trustee on Wentworth’s Board of Trustees May 2013 through May 2015. Mr. Miller was elected to the Wentworth Corporation in 2010.  He was elected to the Board of Trustees in September 2015 and currently serves on the Finance and Trusteeship and Governance Committees.

John “Jack” Pini has broad executive experience in the higher education fund raising and financial services industries. Jack is the recently retired Executive Director, Principal Gifts at Bentley University in which he was responsible for a portfolio of major gift donors. From 2006-09, Mr. Pini served as the Executive Director of Development where he managed all aspects of fundraising, alumni cultivation, and organizational design. He began working in development at Bentley as the Director of Athletic Giving in 2004.

Prior to his work at Bentley, Mr. Pini served as a Senior Vice President for New England Financial (NEF) in the Product Marketing and Sales Division where he led strategic development and marketing of NEF’s product portfolio. Prior to his work with New England Financial, Mr. Pini served in roles of increasing responsibility in the marketing and product development operations of various firms.

Mr. Pini has been active in several non-profit organizations. He is a former trustee of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America and served as the chair of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s development board committee. He is the former President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Leukemia Society. He also served as member of the New England Financial Community Foundation.

Mr. Pini received a B.S. in Accounting from Bentley College and attained his M.B.A. from Babson College.

Mr. Pini was elected to the Board of Trustees in September 2014 and currently serves on the University Advancement and Investment Committees.

Bio coming soon!

Image

Al Spagnolo (AIA, NCARB) is a founding partner and president of SGA, a Boston and New York City-based national award-winning architecture, interior design, planning, branded environments and virtual design and construction (VDC) firm.

With more than 45 years of architectural and planning experience, Spagnolo is responsible for leading SGA’s design commissions. The firm’s highly regarded portfolio reflects his ability to balance design excellence with pragmatism. Under his leadership, SGA has won Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” award for architecture in 2018 and 2021.

Spagnolo supervises SGA’s new business development and serves as the partner in charge for complex commissions in the academic, life science, commercial and urban/mixed use markets.

He received an Associate Degree in Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Ohio State University.

A registered architect in 18 states, he is an active member of several professional organizations in his field, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), BSA, NCARB, the National Organization of Minority Architects, and the Urban Land Institute.

He is a lifetime member of the Alpha Rho Chi professional fraternity, and vice-chair of the AIA Project Delivery Knowledge Community.

A guest lecturer at Wentworth and Boston Architectural College, as well as a regular speaker at national real estate forums, Spagnolo volunteers at Massachusetts General Hospital and supports community organizations such as Building Impact.

Image

Kenneth Turner is president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MSLC), an economic development and investment agency dedicated to supporting the growth and development of the life sciences in Massachusetts. He directs and oversees the cent er 's operations, investment strategy, programs and partnerships.

Before joining the MLSC, Turner served as director of Diversity and Inclusion/Compliance with Massport. He oversaw and managed the Authority's multiple diversity programs, including business and supplier diversity, workforce diversity, and airport concessions, as well as all compliance initiatives associated with Massport's Disadvantaged/Minority/Women Business Enterprise programs.

Turner also served as deputy secretary for administration and finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services.

He has more than 20 years of general management and executive experience in various Fortune 100 media and package goods companies, including having served as senior vice president of Emerging Markets at AOL Time Warner, and held marketing positions at Hallmark Cards and Hasbro Toys.

A retired U.S. Navy Captain and submarine nuclear weapons system officer with 26 years’ service, Turner has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Southern University and A&M College.