Green Building Initiative Announces 2019 Board of Directors

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) is pleased to announce the election of its 2019 Board of Directors. Outgoing GBI Chair Rich Mitchell — managing principal architect of Mackenzie, a Portland, OR, based architecture firm — has passed the gavel after a two-year term to Tim Atkinson, vice president of sales for Stimson Lumber Company of Portland, who also serves as president of the Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers. 

Atkinson takes the reins following the largest two-year growth period in GBI’s history, during which the organization supported more than 465 building projects that earned third-party assessment and certification through its Green Globes and federal Guiding Principle Compliance (GPC) programs. Atkinson has served on the GBI Board of Directors since 2013 and served as Treasurer from 2017 to 2018.

“GBI has carved out a unique niche in the market,” stated Atkinson. “Over the last two years, we’ve seen GBI increase education and promotion of Green Globes and develop customized tools to support private and public sector owners, practitioners, and contractors with understanding that sustainability can be incorporated into every building type — no matter the size, budget, or unique function. With GBI’s Green Globes and GPC programs, the market is remembering that third-party certification can apply to all buildings and be both comprehensive and flexible."

In the last two years, GBI completed major steps toward its goals of increasing its impact in the market and promoting new levels of transparency. Accomplishments include:

• Acquiring the global rights for Green Globes and advancing the revision of Green Globes for New Construction, its flagship rating system, through a multi-year American National Standards Institute consensus process.
• Supporting building owners and their practitioners and consultants through the assessment and certification process of 462 Green Globes building certifications. GBI has certified a total of 1699 buildings using Green Globes and GPC since 2004.
• Increasing understanding of sustainability issues in a building’s life cycle through education and professional credentialing programs that include instruction on New Construction, Core and Shell, Existing Buildings, and Sustainable Interiors (tenant improvements). More than 800 certified Green Globes Professionals (GGPs) and Guiding Principle Compliance Professionals (GPCPs) are supporting building projects throughout the world.
• Launching a revised membership program that provides access to GBI’s member benefits to organizations for as little as $500. Additionally, new bylaws were approved that encourage involvement of the organization’s growing membership in all levels of governance.

The new GBI Board will oversee execution of an aggressive education and promotion plan for 2019. It will include:

• Launching a brand-new user-friendly Green Globes software platform to include portfolio management support
• Releasing a bimonthly thought leadership webinar series to include case studies from portfolio owners, lessons learned from Three and Four Green Globes certified projects, and education and support for pilots of the new versions of Green Globes New Construction and Existing Buildings certification programs, that will pilot in 2019
• Growing membership involvement in GBI’s performance and tool development, government engagement, and education and promotion committees
• Increasing awareness of GBI’s unique GPCP credentialing program to support federal government practitioners and their contractors on Guiding Principles and UFC compliance requirements. GBI has overseen third-party Guiding Principles Compliance assessment of 269 federal buildings and certified an additional 338 federal buildings through Green Globes.

“I look forward to helping GBI continue to increase its positive impact by expanding knowledge of GBI’s collaborative, high-value approach to third-party certification,” stated Atkinson.

GBI President & CEO Vicki Worden added, “We welcome three new Board members to help GBI accomplish its goals in 2019. Our Board members bring tremendous knowledge and dedication to advancing sustainability in the built environment, and we are grateful for their willingness to serve.”

Worden noted appreciation for the dedication and leadership of Rich Mitchell, outgoing Chair, and the contributions of Mary Ann Dickinson of the Alliance of Water Efficiency, whose Board term ended in 2018.

New GBI Board Members

• John Lister, Principal, JL Architects, West Chester, PA – term 2021
• Jenna Rowe,  Sr. Vice President, Sustainability, JLL, Indianapolis, IN – term 2021
• Doug Tucker, Director, Industry and Government Relations, Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., Suwanee, GA – term 20212019

Officers

• Tim Atkinson, GBI Chair, VP of Sales, Stimson Lumber Company, Portland, OR – term 2021
• Warren Gorowitz, GBI Treasurer, VP of Sustainability, Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply, Phoenix, AZ – term 2021
• Vicki Worden, GBI President & CEO, Camden, ME
• Shaina Weinstein, GBI Secretary and VP of Engagement, Portland, OR

Additional 2019 Board Members

• Cristian Barcan, Executive Director, Vinyl Sustainability Council, Washington, DC – term 2019
• Stephen Del Percio, VP and Assistant General Counsel, AECOM, New York, NY – term 2020
• Ralph Egues, Jr., Executive Director, National Hispanic Landscape Alliance, Miami, FL – term 2021
• William Freeman, Consultant, Resilient Floor Covering Institute, Rockport, ME – term 201
• Gordon Gill, Partner, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Chicago, IL – term 2019
• Charles Kibert, Ph.D., Professor, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL – term 2020
• Sydney Lindquist, Global Sustainability Leader, Hexion, Columbus, OH – term 2021
• Kerry Little, Business Sustainability Manager, Arauco North America, St. Stephen, NB – term 2021
• Kathy Loftus, Global Leader, Sustainable Facilities, Whole Foods, Austin, TX – term 2019
• Donald Martin, Principal, Marston Design Studio, Ball Ground, GA – term 2020 
• Rich Mitchell, GBI Immediate Past Chair, Managing Principal, Mackenzie, Portland, OR – term 2020
• Amlan Mukherjee, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Michigan Technical University, Houghton, MI – term 2020
• Richard Schroeder, President & CEO, Cresline Pipe & Fitting Co., and PPFA representative, Evansville, IN – term 2019
• Tim Thiel, Polyurethanes Industrial Marketing, Covestro, Pittsburgh, PA – term 2020 
• Jay Thomas, GBI Past Chair, Principal, Decision Driven Marketing, Duxbury, MA – term 2020
• Ray Tonjes, Founding Chair, Ray Tonjes Builder, Austin, TX – term 2020