Paul Carty, LEED AP BD+C, is an accomplished builder with more than 23 years of experience in the South Florida construction management industry. Paul is Vice-President and Principal at State Contracting and Engineering Corporation, a commercial and civil construction management firm based in Hollywood.

A licensed Florida General Contractor, Paul has overseen numerous projects in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. His building portfolio includes dozens of educational facilities, as well as roadways, bridges, libraries, parks and recreational facilities, toll plazas, and office buildings. Paul graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Building Construction.

The Chief Spokesperson of the Chapter, Paul's interest in green building was sparked when he became project executive of the first LEED building in Broward County, leading the construction team on the South Regional/Broward College Library in Pembroke Pines. This pioneer project achieved Silver Certification in 2007. Paul has since been involved in numerous other green projects, most recently the LEED Gold Pine Crest Central Chiller Plant at the Fort Lauderdale campus of Pine Crest Preparatory School. The project was the city’s first LEED NC Certification.

Paul has served on the Chapter's Board of Directors since 2007. In addition to his duties as President of the Chapter, Paul is also Chair of the Chapter’s Sponsorship, Executive and Nominating Committees.

Paul is Green Advantage Certified and a national faculty member of the Green Advantage Environmental Certification Program. He also serves on the Construction Management Program Advisory Committee at Everglades University.

Born and raised in Trinidad, Paul came to the USA for college. He resides with his three children in Davie.

Sandra Lee — Vice-President
Executive Committee / Officer

Gary Pirtle is currently a Vice President at Pirtle Construction Company. Gary is a Civil Engineer, LEED AP BD+C, a Florida-licensed General Contractor, and a Professional Engineer.

Over the course of the past 10 years as Vice President at Pirtle Construction Company, Gary has been responsible for the construction of more than 25 major projects in Palm Beach and Martin Counties . Notable projects include the FAU Pine Jog Environmental Education Center and Pine Jog Elementary School, both LEED Gold Certified projects in West Palm Beach. The Pine Jog Elementary School was the first LEED Gold Certified K-12 facility in Florida. As a LEED AP, Gary ensures that all of the firm's LEED projects are on track to meet or exceed the targeted certification level.

Gary has more than 30 years of construction management experience. After completing 20-plus years with the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps where he served as a Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer, Gary retired with the rank of Commander. While serving in the Navy, Gary worked on numerous MILCON and Navy Special Projects including Housing, Barracks, Jet Aviation Fueling Facilities, Runway Repairs and Extensions, and Pier Construction. His experience for the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps also gave him construction management skills in interdisciplinary engineering, construction contracting, and utilities management.

Gary holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Civil Engineering, from the Univer sity of Alabama and the Georgia Institute of Technology, respectfully. In addition to his responsibilities as a Director of the USGBC South Florida Chapter, Gary is highly involved in other civic organizations, including the U.S. Navy League – Fort Lauderdale Chapter (Board member) and the South Florida ACE Mentor Program (Board member).

Neyda Otero is an architect, LEED AP BD + C, Green Classroom Professional and the Treasurer and membership Chair for the Chapter.  During her time as Chair, the Chapter has experienced an unprecedented increase of 30% in membership in a period of a year.

In March 2013, Neyda became the Assistant Vice Provost of Design and Construction for Miami Dade College, a state-supported college with eight campuses, 21 outreach centers throughout Miami Dade, and the largest institution of higher education in Florida and the second-largest in the United States, providing quality education to more than 170,000 students.   She provides vision, leadership, oversight and management to the design and construction division of facilities management team and is responsible for all facets of the major and minor capital improvement projects college-wide.

Prior to MDC, Neyda spent 12 years as Director of Project Management and Construction for Pine Crest School, a private all-faith college preparatory school with campuses in Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton.   She was responsible for the planning, management and development of all aspects of new buildings and infrastructure construction, facilities renovations, capital improvement planning, budgeting and the construction oversight of all facilities projects at both Pine Crest School Campuses.

At Pine Crest School, Neyda helped create new policies and procedures to effectively undertake an initial five-year, $30 million capital improvement bond program consisting of multiple projects at both campuses.  The bond program was so successful that the school undertook another $55 million capital improvement bond program in 2008.  Amongst results was the construction of the first Pine Crest School LEED academic building -- the new Lower School Replacement Building at the Boca Raton Campus, which achieved LEED Gold Certification for Schools from the USGBC -- and secondly the City of Fort Lauderdale’s first LEED Gold Certification for New Construction for the Chiller Plant Building Project at the Ft. Lauderdale Campus.  Finally, the new Upper School Replacement Building at the Fort Lauderdale Campus achieved a LEED Silver Certification for Schools.

Prior to joining Pine Crest School, Neyda was Director of Physical Plant for the Broward Campuses of Florida Atlantic University; Director of Design for the Broward County School Board; and project architect for various architectural firms in the South Florida area during her 30-year career in the construction industry.

Originally from Cuba, this USGBC South Florida Chapter Board member graduated from the University of Miami, grew up in Palm Beach County, and currently lives in Pompano Beach.  Neyda has two daughters, one a 2012 graduate of Harvard College, and the other set to graduate from Harvard College in 2015.  In her free time, Neyda enjoys, reading, running, exercising, relaxing and following local art exhibitions. 

Anthony Alfonso, LEED AP, is a Senior Counsel with the internationally respected law firm of Holland & Knight. "Tony" is a member of H&K's Real Estate practice group with a focus on commercial real estate. He is experienced in representing owners, lenders and borrowers in a variety of commercial real estate transactions. As a LEED AP, he is also involved with sustainable development and green-building issues.

Tony received his BA (summa cum laude) in Political Science from Florida International University, and his JD (magna cum laude) from Florida State University College of Law. While in law school, he was a member of the FSU Law Review, where he served as the Administrative Editor. Upon graduation Tony was elected to the Order of the Coif.

In addition to his role on the USGBC South Florida Chapter Board of Directors and as an Officer of the nonprofit organization, Tony is also the Chair of the Chapter's Broward Branch. A popular speaker and frequent writer concerning Real Estate and green-building issues, Tony enjoys spending time with his family and reading in what little free time he gets. Originally from Miami, Tony and his wife, Alissa, and their children, Grey, Ash and Goldie, live in Hollywood. Alissa is a local artist who creates fabric collage pieces using sustainable materials.

Robin Blakeman brings to the Chapter leadership team 25+ years of horticultural management experience with her company, Foliage Design Systems (FDS), in the South Florida market. She has a longstanding passion for sustainability that has lead her on a "fun and extremely fulfilling" volunteer path with the USGBC South Florida Chapter, which currently includes the position of Chair of the Palm Beach Branch and member of the Chapter's Board of Directors.

Starting as the office manager of the Miami office of FDS in 1986, Robin is now Principal of FDS of Palm Beach, Inc. She holds a BA in Business Administration, graduating suma cum laude from Florida International University while working full-time and raising her family.

She is a State Licensed Pest Control Operator Turf & Ornamental and a Certified Trainer for Green Plants for Green Buildings. Amongst many such outreach endeavors, she supports industry international research efforts detailing the air purification properties of live foliage (indoors), and has long been involved with educational efforts tied to Integrated Pest Management, increased building occupant comfort; and industry best practices.

This vibrant green ambassador and landscape-design professional was selected as Small Business Person of the Year for 2011 by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches. Her company has won numerous industry awards.

Robin's other passions include jogging and biking in the great outdoors, container vegetable gardening, reading, and spending precious down-time with family and friends. She and her husband, Glenn, live in The Acreage with their beautiful, talented daughter, Jennifer.

Robert Cannellos, LEED AP BC+C, is a Sustainable Consultant with the earth group at exp. and also is the President of Next Earth Design, a consulting firm specializing in green buildings, planning, construction and sustainability.  Robert's experience includes 22 years in the architecture and construction industries. He majored in Architecture, earning a Bachelor’s degree at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and he has extensive experience in sustainable planning and design of high-performance green buildings with numerous architectural and consulting firms in Arizona and Florida.  Robert has been a Branch Chair, Board Member, Chapter President and currently serves as Immediate Past-President of the US Green Building Council South Florida Chapter.  Robert has been active in the growth and development of the Chapter's five Branches; and continues to focus on the evolution and quality of the Chapter's educational programs, leadership, community involvement and social equity.

Robert has been cited as passionate, thoughtful, creative and tireless.  His extensive experience in ecological planning, development and construction fosters intelligent and responsible design collaborations culminating in socially responsible building design and community planning.  Robert has been known to take the leadership role, or "jump in" and roll up his sleeves to volunteer at any level of service in the nonprofit community.  Dedicated to socially conscious design with a focus on raising the awareness of our environmental responsibility, Robert often serves as an inspiration and a mentor to those who get to know him.  This along with a steadfast respect to our environment creates a tangible palette of experience and skills that are extremely pertinent to our social condition.  Robert will no doubt continue on this path with utmost respect for our future generations, while incorporating the most pertinent aspects of integrated design and community planning.  His critical thinking and innovation in the built environment will craft dynamic solutions to our current challenges that are, without a doubt, the most critical topics faced by our generation..

Raised in upstate New York, Robert also enjoys painting, attending art showings and events, spending time with his family (including his cat Maynard), and restoring his vintage 1950s home in Delray Beach.

Stephen Chang, LEED AP BD+C, is an accomplished builder with more than 10 years of experience in the South Florida construction management industry. Stephen is a Project Manager at Moss & Associates, a privately held construction company that is ranked among the nation’s top 100 building contractors and the seventh largest in Florida.

A licensed General Contractor in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, Stephen has overseen numerous projects and continues his work in South Florida. Stephen is responsible for managing multi-million dollar projects from preconstruction through project completion. He works closely with developers, owners, architects, engineers and sustainability consultants. His building portfolio includes landmark mixed-use developments, luxury high-rise residential facilities, commercial office buildings, educational and higher learning institutions, and biotechnology and healthcare complexes.

Stephen graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree in Building Construction and has been a LEED AP since 2007. He enjoys working on LEED projects and helping the South Florida community become a greener, more sustainable place to work and live.

Born in Jamaica and raised in South Florida, Stephen lives with his wife and two children in Pembroke Pines.

Michael Enderlin, LEED AP, is the Equipment Sales Manager for South Florida Trane with more than 13 years of experience with the company in multiple roles. Trane supports local architects and engineers in their efforts to design buildings to the highest efficiency standards while maintaining the lowest emission criteria. The optimization of both the mechanical and ventilation systems help minimize energy consumption and maximize comfort. Prior to his management role, he spent 10 years as a Sales Engineer, where he provided design support for engineers and selection and sales support to contractors and building owners.

Michael received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas. While in school, he was President of the Booster Club, on the Board of the Order of Omega, and a member of the Golden Key Honor Society.

Residing in the downtown Fort Lauderdale area, Michael is a supporter of the Young Professionals and the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. He is a recreational pilot, and spends much of his free time outdoors, mainly boating on the beautiful waters of South Florida.

 

Patrick McElhaney

John Hardman

Rob Hink, LEED AP, is Principal and Owner of The Spinnaker Group, a highly respected consulting firm whose team has extensive knowledge and experience in the application of the USGBC LEED rating systems. The Spinnaker Group helps companies achieve green-building goals including design consulting, commissioning and energy modeling. The Spinnaker Group also provides sustainable-design and LEED-related training specifically tailored to meet the needs of organizations.

Rob is a Past President of the USGBC South Florida Chapter and has achieved the prestigious title of USGBC LEED Faculty. Rob sits on the organization's Board of Directors, has chaired many committees during his long tenure with the Chapter, which stretches back to its formative years, and is immersed to this day in various Chapter initiatives.

Rob holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is a Commissioning Provider with the Building Commissioning Association. He has more than a decade of full-time green-design and commissioning experience, and more than 25 years experience in facilities management, project management and energy management, and control systems. Rob spent the first eight years of his professional career in the United States Navy nuclear power program serving in the submarine force and acquiring extensive experience in power generation, mechanical and electrical systems, and leadership expertise. After leaving the Navy, Rob taught HVAC and Electrical Theory at the college level.

Rob joined Johnson Controls in 1988, and spent 11 years in the controls industry, eventually serving as regional manager for Systems and Services. While at Johnson Controls, Rob lead the team that developed the "Results Oriented Services" program and was intimately involved in the performance contracting arena. In his last position before forming The Spinnaker Group, Rob was Vice President of Operations for a large national facilities management firm where he developed its maintenance management programs as well as standardized operations protocols throughout the corporation.

Rob's firm is currently involved in more than 200 LEED projects including more than 60 certified projects, both locally and internationally, and the firm has provided commissioning services on more than 300 million square feet of buildings. The firm's spectrum of clients includes 1450 Brickell, MET II, Boca Ciega High School, St, Andrews School, FIU, and UM, Miami Design District ND as well as municipal, county, State and Federal projects. Rob is also working with the Colombian government on green initiatives.

Rob was born in Iowa. He and his wife, Virginia, live in Weston.

Larry Jennings, Treasure Coast Branch Chair

Brian Lomel is a Principal, Sustainability Consultant and chairman of the Energy Services task group for TLC Engineering for Architecture.   He is a mechanical engineering graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a Florida registered professional engineer, a LEED AP BD+C, a Registered Commissioning Authority (CxA), a runner, a gardener, a chef and an amateur movie maker, with more than 25 years of experience in engineering consulting, much of which is focused on tropical environments.

Brian was part of the project team for the first LEED Certified building in Broward County (South Regional Library) and the first LEED Certified building in Palm Beach County (FAU Lynn College of Nursing), as well as many other LEED Certified projects, including the recent Platinum status recipient, Village of Palmetto Bay -- Village Hall.   His current work is focused on greening the built environment, with past projects earning numerous awards including TOBY, FAPA and other green building awards of excellence.

As a featured speaker at numerous international, national and local conferences such as the "Only Sustainable", Subtropical Cities, ASHRAE, NAIOP, Florida AIA, the "Tropical Green" conference presented by Metropolis Magazine, and the Academy of Architecture for Health conference, Brian is frequently promoting the benefits of building green to a diverse audience.   Brian is a regular guest lecturer to students at FIU, FAU and UM on the topic of Tropical Sustainability.

Originally from Georgia, Brian and his wife, Angela, live in Wilton Manors.

Allen Messer, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, AVS, is Director of Pre-Construction with SKANSKA USA, one of the world's leading project development and construction groups, employing 52,000 employees in selected home markets in the USA, Europe and Latin America. Working out of the SKANSKA Ft. Lauderdale office, Allen directs and manages the pre-construction team and process.

Allen has overseen numerous projects throughout the State of Florida. His building portfolio includes Florida International University's College of Nursing and Health Sciences ($40 million, 101,000 sf) and Marine Biology Building ($9.7 million, 57,000 sf); Florida State University's College of Medicine ($49.6 million, 54,000 sf); Florida Atlantic University's Scripps Laboratory ($12 million, 40,000 sf) and the Charles E. Schmidt Biomedical Science Center ($15.2 million, 92,900 sf); Palm Beach Community College's Bioscience Building ($18.1 million, 91,000 sf); Broward County School's Heron Heights Elementary ($24.8 million, 125,755 sf, including photovoltaic panels, animal habitats, and overall sustainable design); University of Florida's M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction ($8.2 million, 42,000 sf); Palm Beach International Airport security upgrade ($36 million); Miami International Airport Terminal J ($75.6 million); Jacksonville International Airport Terminal Expansion ($40 million stage 1) ... and more.

Following a year at the US Air Force Academy, Allen received his BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida. He then went on to earn his MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University while working full-time at Pratt & Whitney GSD in West Palm Beach. Allen is a Professional Engineer, licensed in the State of Florida. Today, Allen continues to embrace education as an Adjunct Professor teaching Estimating and Advanced Estimating courses at Florida Atlantic University. This former Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member also gives back to his community as a Board member of the Boy Scouts of America, as well as for the USGBC South Florida Chapter.

Originally from Chicopee, Massachusetts, Allen and his wife, Donna, live in Southwest Ranches and spend much of their free time traveling.