(by Marty Helly)
I’m your “new” president. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Marty Helly. Actually, I think most of you know me since I’m being recycled. I last served the Chapter in this position for three years ending in 2012. I an architectural specification writer with over 40 years experience in the construction industry. I passed CSI’s Certified Construction Specifier exam in 1985, one year before I passed the architectural registration exam and two years before I actually joined CSI. I’ve been an active member since joining and have filled numerous chapter and region offices and committee positions including president of the Metro NY Chapter and the NE Region. I’ve served nationally on the Institute Education Committee and on the Institute Board serving as your Institute Director for the Northeast Region. Since relocating to Massachusetts in 1999, I’ve been a member of this chapter, have served on the Worcester board for several terms, made as many dinner meetings as I can, and played golf annually in the scholarship tournament.
In my professional life I’ve been a consultant to some of the world’s largest and most recognized firms as well as to almost unknown solo practitioners. I’ve had the pleasure of working on literally hundreds of projects throughout the country and even some outside it. There are a few you might recognize: the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, Holt Renfrew in Montreal and the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Closer to home in Massachusetts there’s a few of the lab facilities for Abbott and EMC, the Lyman Plant House at Smith College, Forbes Library renovations/restoration in Northampton, the Federal Courthouse in Springfield, the Sullivan Academic Building at Worcester State, the Gelb Science Center at Phillips Academy and the Educational Support Center of the Quabbin School District.
For a few years in the late 90’s I took a break from writing specs and became an architectural representative for a window company. I enjoyed the “industry” side of our business and learned a lot by being on the manufacturing side. My territory assignment – all of NY and New England – was
responsible for the move to Northampton. Then in 2000 the window company’s corporate parent went bust, the job disappeared, and I went back to doing the spec writing I knew how to do well. One thing all of those projects and my time as a window rep had in common: contacts I’ve made through CSI helped me get the work or helped me get the work done.
In the coming year, I’d like to see our chapter help all of its members get more work and get it done more efficiently. With everything that’s going on in the world that’s more important than ever – albeit also with new obstacles. We don’t know how easily it will be to hold large in person networking events that have been our successful bread and butter for our past 50 years as a chapter. This summer, there were no Bravehearts games in the stadium off College Street so we had to skip our annual ballpark family picnic typically enjoyed by more than eighty members and family. We were unable to bring a hundred golfers together to support the scholarship fund, but our members and sponsors stepped up anyway and we are still able to award scholarships to three deserving students.
As a start to our new season of activities, we have the August tour of the Worcester South High School construction. Being on site at a project of this scale allows us to gather and learn with more than enough space to be socially distant. We’ve already lined up some great programs for the fall and are working on logistics to ensure they can also be presented safely.
So thanks for reading – and for voting for me last April (or at least for not voting against me!) I hope to see you at the South High School tour on the 18th.