Leadership
CO-CHAIRMAN
Jay Badame
Building Contractors Association
Tishman Construction Corp.
Jay Badame has more than 30 years’ diversified construction industry experience, including 23 years with Tishman. Mr. Badame joined Tishman in 1985 as a Project Engineer on the South Street Seaport project in Manhattan. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Tishman organization by continuously demonstrating a thorough understanding of how to manage work effectively on a wide range of projects. In 1993, Mr. Badame was put in charge of Tishman's New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware operations. In this role, Mr. Badame led Tishman’s efforts on several major, multi-million-dollar projects, such as the JFK International Airport Redevelopment Program, the Continental Airlines Global Gateway Program at Newark Liberty International Airport, Rutgers University RUNet Program, New Jersey Transit’s Hoboken Terminal and Rail Yard Complex Redevelopment, the FBI headquarters in Newark, the new Atlantic City Convention Center, and the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. As President and Chief Operating Officer of Tishman Construction in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic, Mr. Badame is participating in such landmark projects as the new One World Trade Center, as well as 7 World Trade Center, One Bryant Park/Bank of America Headquarters, and THE Tunnel, a rail tunnel component of the Access to the Region's Core (ARC) project linking New Jersey to midtown Manhattan. In 2002, he oversaw the opening of Tishman’s regional office in Philadelphia.
Under Mr. Badame's leadership, Tishman has expanded its role as a major residential project builder in the New York/New Jersey marketplace with such projects as 123 Washington Street, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences, Hilton Grand Vacation Club, and Spring Street Development to name a few.
Mr. Badame is currently participating in the Department of Environmental Protection's Blue Ribbon Panel on Construction Costs, and served on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Construction Excellence for the Metropolitan Transit Authority. These panel discussions were mandated by the Governor to help guide the agencies on suggestions for alternative approaches to project delivery and potential means to mitigate cost risks prior to bidding or during construction, while expanding the pool of competitive bidders.
CO-CHAIRMAN
David Pinter
National Electrical Contractors Assn. NYC Chapter
Zwicker Electric Co., Inc.
David Pinter drives Zwicker Electric and is responsible for its leadership position in New York's electrical contracting industry. He adheres to the same ethical principles established by his father, Ernest Pinter: Zwicker assumes full responsibility for all phases of a project from start to finish.
Mr. Pinter's personable style and thorough understanding of the industry has enabled him to maintain long-established relationships with major builders and developers while expanding Zwicker's client base. His strategic planning led to the development of the company's Telecommunications, Interiors and Residential Divisions.
Industry Leadership and Philanthropy
David Pinter is active in a variety of professional and philanthropic areas. A past President and Governor of the New York Chapter of the National Electric Contractors Association, Mr. Pinter is currently Chair of NECA New York's Education Committee. In 2007, Mr. Pinter served as the Chapter's Chief Labor Contract Negotiator in the 2007 negotiations with Local #3 IBEW. His role led to an historic agreement with significant changes to work rules and creative new opportunities to address marketplace issues.
Mr. Pinter is recognized nationally and internationally. He is a member of the Electri International, The Foundation for Electrical Construction, Inc. and a member of the National Electrical Contractors Management Education Institute. Mr. Pinter has been inducted into the The Academy of Electrical Contracting. Established in 1968, the Academy recognizes NECA's most exceptional leaders who dedicate their time, wealth of experience and knowledge in advancing the industry.
An active voice on many industry issues, Mr. Pinter serves on the boards of the Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA) and the New York Building Congress.
A graduate of C.W. Post College of Long Island University, Mr. Pinter was also a former member of the Board of Trustees of Long Island University. He is a Vice President of the Board of Directors of the City Parks Foundation where he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for new senior citizen programs. He is also a Board Member of Jewish Homes and Hospitals. In 2007, Mr. Pinter was honored at the UJA Federation of New York's Electrical Division. He also received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from C.W. Post College.
Mr. Pinter holds a New York City Master Electrician's License.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Steven Alessio
Building Contractors Association
Sweet Construction Corp.
Mr. Alessio is the President/CEO of Sweet Construction Corp., in addition to heading Sweet Construction of New Jersey, LLC and Sweet Construction of Georgia, LLC. An architect licensed by the state of New York, Mr. Alessio has over twenty-sevenyears of construction experience, having begun his professional career at Sweet Construction in 1980 serving as an intern while still in college. Mr. Alessio’s ascent through the organizational ranks includes having been named Vice President in 1989 and President in 1995, when he also became a partner, as well as the assumption of principal ownership in January 2003.
A graduate of the New York City public school system, Mr. Alessio earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the New York Institute of Technology in 1980 and continues to take classes at the NYU School of Continuing Education to remain current in industry regulations and trends.
Mr. Alessio currently serves as President of the Building Contractors Association (BCA) and Vice Chairman of the Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA), in addition to his membership in the New York City Construction Industry Partnership (CIP). As a board member for these organizations, Mr. Alessio is an active participant in negotiations with labor unions and serves on the arbitration panel. Cognizant of the role that labor unions play in the New York City construction industry, Mr. Alessio is actively involved in maintaining good working relationships with union tradesmen throughout the city.
As the principal in charge of the Sweet Construction project team for all major projects, Mr. Alessio spearheads the team during all project phases, from the planning and budgeting stages through project completion.
Mr. Alessio was instrumental in the firm’s growth to its present size and stature in the industry, effectively maintaining the standard of quality construction for competitive pricing upon which the organization was founded.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Peter Cafiero
Association of Master Painters & Decorators
Island Painting, Inc.
Peter Cafiero is a third generation painter with over thirty years of experience in the industry. Mr. Cafiero started his career at Hudson Shatz Painting Co. before joining Island Painting in 1999.
Mr. Cafiero is actively involved in the painting industry through his membership in numerous trade associations. Mr. Cafiero is President of the Association of Master Painters and Decorators of New York, Inc., on the Board of Governors of the Building Trades Employers’ Association and is a National Trustee of the Finishing Trades Institute.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Pat A. Di Filippo
Contractors Association of GNY
Turner Construction
Mr. Di Filippo is the Executive Vice President of Turner Construction Company responsible for the New York and New Jersey Business Units. In this capacity, he oversees all activities and is responsible for the performance of these business units, which annually complete over $2.2 Billion in construction volume. Mr. Di Filippo is also a member of the Turner Construction Company Executive Management Team.
Mr. Di Filippo began his career with Turner in New York City. He achieved early success in various positions and attained the title of Vice President and Regional Business Manager in 1998. He later assumed the responsibility of Turner Construction Company's New Jersey Business Unit as Vice President and General Manager. In 2003 Mr. Di Filippo left the New York Region to lead Turner’s Texas Region as President of Turner Construction Company of Texas. In January 2005, Mr. Di Filippo returned to his current assignment as Executive Vice President of the New York and New Jersey Business Units, managing Turner’s largest region.
Throughout his career, Mr. Di Filippo has been involved with and taken a leadership role in numerous high profile construction projects including the United States Tennis Facility in Flushing Meadows New York, Goldman Sachs Tower - 30 Hudson Street in Jersey City, NJ, the Xanadu Entertainment Facility in East Rutherford, NJ, and the construction of the New York Yankees Stadium in the Bronx, NY.
Mr. Di Filippo serves as a Board Member of several prominent organizations, including the U.S. Green Building Council of New York, the Building Trades Employers’ Association (BTEA) as Chairman, the Contractors’ Association of Greater New York (CAGNY), the New York City Construction Industry Safety Council (CISC), Daytop Advisory Committee, Non Traditional Employment for Women (NEW) and the NJ Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).
Mr. Di Filippo received a degree in civil engineering from Rutgers University in 1984.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Michael Gabbay
Contractors’ Association of Greater New York
Plaza Construction Corp.
Over the course of 30+ years in the construction industry, Michael Gabbay has earned a reputation for innovation, excellence, and outstanding leadership. He has been involved in over 20 million square feet of construction in a range of industrial sectors including power and energy, cultural, institutional, education, residential, hospitality and transportation.
Mr. Gabbay is responsible for overall management of Plaza’s new construction activities in the northeast region. Holding to exceptionally high standards of quality, he implements continuous quality control measures and oversees safety training and professional development. As a leader, his focus is on performance. He designed a communications program in collaboration with the Construction Industry Task Force that is now universally applied to optimize performance.
Mr. Gabbay is a member of the Contractors Association of Greater New York. He serves on the Board of Governors of the Building Trades Employers Association, and is a member of the Building Trades Arbitration Committee. Previously he was Chairman of the Greater New York Construction User Council. Mr. Gabbay supports a number of charitable organizations including the Boy Scouts of Greater New York, LIFE Organization and the Intrepid Museum. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Arthur Rubinstein
Allied Building Metal Industries
Skyline Steel Corp.
Arthur Rubinstein is President of Skyline Steel Corp., a steel contractor
specializing in Miscellaneous Metals and Steel Stairs, which he founded
in 1979. He serves as a Vice Chairman of BTEA and as Co-Chair of its' Government Affairs Committee.
He is a Past President of both the Subcontractors Trade Association and Empire State Subcontractors Association; he is an active member of the Boards of both associations, and chairs STA’s Legislative Committee and ESSA’s Workers' Compensation Safety Group.
Arthur also serves on the Board of the NY Building Congress.
In addition to his construction industry activities, he is Past President and a current Board member of Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds, a not-for profit which serves over 5000 children.
For many years he served as Co-Chair of UJA /Federation's Real Estate Committee, which supervised the organization's real estate holdings and provided oversight for capital projects undertaken by the organization's network of agencies.
A graduate of Columbia University, Arthur is a licensed Professional Engineer. He is also a licensed Real Estate Broker.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Michael Russo
Mechanical Contractors Association
Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corp.
TREASURER
Don DeNardo
Contractors’ Association of Greater New York
Lend Lease Construction LMB, Inc.
GENERAL COUNSEL
Robert S. Peckar, Esq.
Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Robert S. Peckar is the General Counsel of the BTEA. As a Founding Partner of one of the country’s pre-eminent construction law firms, Peckar & Abramson, P.C. which he formed 32 years ago, Bob has been a fixture in New York’s construction industry. In addition to having earned a reputation as one of New York City’s highly respected and leading lawyers guiding many of New York’s general contractors and construction managers and other industry members to the avoidance of and creative favorable resolutions to complex legal and business problems, Bob has demonstrated unbridled dedication to the industry through his generous pro bono efforts on its behalf. Together with Lou Coletti, Bob has been central in the efforts of management and labor to find consensus on pressing issues that would result in strengthening the unionized construction industry in New York. In that regard he has moderated Labor-Management Summit meetings, key panel discussions at the annual CIP conference in Florida and most recently has been instrumental in the achievement of the new PLA.
Bob was raised the son of an engineer who built many major projects in New York City and beyond. He worked summers as a union laborer, as an estimator and assistant project superintendent while he attended Rutgers College. He studied law at Columbia Law School and is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey. He is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers.
Peckar & Abramson, P.C. has offices in New York, New Jersey, California, Florida, Washington D.C. and Chicago and represents contractors throughout the world.
GENERAL COUNSEL
Steven M. Charney
Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
Steven M. Charney is the Chairman of Peckar & Abramson, P.C. Mr. Charney's practice includes the ongoing representation of contractors that are among the top ten as reported by Engineering News Record. Mr. Charney's background couples extensive academic and hands-on experience in the construction industry with nearly a quarter of a century litigating for and providing legal counsel to contractors and developers.
A substantial portion of Mr. Charney's practice involves providing counsel and guidance to clients in connection with construction projects and related issues. He has taken an active role in addressing emerging issues affecting the construction and development industries, both in providing guidance to the industry at large and in counseling clients of the firm. Mr. Charney led the Associated General Contractors of America to establish a task force to study mold related issues, and then vice-chaired that task force as it drafted the industry's first guide to understanding this problem.
Louis J. Coletti
BTEA
President and CEO
Louis J. Coletti has over 25 years of experience in New York’s City’s construction industry.
He has been the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Building Trades Employers’ Association since 1997. The BTEA is the nation’s largest contractor organization representing 27 contractor associations and 1,800 union construction managers, general contractors, and subcontractors in New York City. He is responsible for leading the NYC construction industry’s strategy and efforts in the areas of economic development, government affairs, construction safety and workforce development and labor relations coordination.
From 1993-1997 he served as Senior Vice President at the construction management firm of Leher McGovern Bovis and from 1986-1993 as President & Chief Executive Officer of the New York Building Congress.
He serves as Vice-Chairman of the Mayor’s Commission on Construction Opportunities, on the Executive Committee of the Association for a Better New York, is a member of the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy Advisory Board, ACE Mentor Board of Directors and NYU Schack Real Estate School of Construction Management Advisory Board.
In 2008 he was named one of Engineering News Record Magazine's Top 25 National Newsmakers being recognized for his leadership in the a first of its kind in the nation, private sector Economic Recovery Project Labor Agreement with organized labor. That agreement led to the restarting of over $ 15 billion in construction projects that saved or created over 25,000 construction jobs during the economic crisis in 2008.
Mr. Coletti holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the New York University Robert Wagner School of Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University. He also is a graduate of the David Rockefeller Fellows Program of the New York City Partnership.
