As many of you know, CMAA – New England has lost a valued member and a dear friend. Professor Mark Hasso was dedicated to CM students and Construction Management. His commitment was not only recognized here in New England, but also nationally following the recent CMAA National Board of Directors unanimous vote to announce the start of the Mark Hasso Educator of the Year award. Professor Hasso was the first recipient of the Educator of the Year award in 2012.

The CMAA New England Board of Directors have created an endowed scholarship in partnership with Wentworth Institute of Technology in Mark Hasso’s memory. CMAA-NE is pledging $25,000. All donations made by June 30th to this endowed permanent scholarship fund will be matched by WIT. The combined $50,000 will ensure a 5% or $2,500 Annual Scholarship administered and awarded by WIT to a Construction Management student under set guidelines for need, academics, and commitment.

CMAA-NE asks you and your organizations to please consider supplementing the Fund with your own donations. Again, all donations made before June 30, 2020 will be matched by WIT. Join us and we can maximize our giving!

If you are interested in donating to the scholarship fund, please make check payable to:

Wentworth Institute of Technology
In note section write: Mark Hasso Endowed Scholarship Fund of the CMAA – NE

Mail check to:

Meredith Eppel Jylkka
Assistant Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Wentworth Institute of Technology
550 Huntington Ave. | Williston Hall 3rd Fl.
Boston, MA 02115

The Advisory and Governance Committee is pleased to announce the results of the 2020 CMAA New England Election.

The following Officers have been elected for a one (1) year term:

President: Tom Ellis, CBRE|Heery

1st Vice President of Programs: Austin Chaffee

2nd Vice President of Membership: David Doane, Massport

Secretary: Jonathan Hausner, Bowditch & Dewey

Treasurer: Missy Reed, Harvard University

The following Directors have been elected for a two (2) year term:

Kristine Gorman, Jacobs

Wendy Riggs-Smith, Massport

Dave Ponte, Nautilus Consulting

Lou Tarmy, City Point Partners

Debra Caminiti, Caminiti Consulting Co.

Sean O'Rourke, WSP

Mohammed Aljuboori, PMA Consultants

These newly elected Officers and Directors join the following Directors entering their second year of their two (2) year terms as well as Clark McCormick, PMA Consultants who will be serving his one (1) year term as Past President:

Bob Barton, STV/DPM

Michael Bertoulin, WSP

Pamela Degan, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Jim Driscoll

Bill Kearney, Wentworth Institute of Technology

Kathleen Ledoux, Massport

Jeffrey Paul, JRP Consulting Co.

John Phillips, Retired

The Advisory and Governance Committee expresses its gratitude to the membership for voting and participating in this process. The Board of Directors and the Chapter Officers look forward to a great 2020-2021 term.

CMAA New England regrets to inform you of the passing of Mark Hasso, PhD, PE, a Founding Father and Board Member of our Chapter, on March 16 after battling pancreatic cancer. Mark was a staunch promoter of construction management, in New England and nationally. He was a notable educator who continually fostered opportunities for his CM students. Mark was a Professor of Construction Management at Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) for over 30 years and was involved in many organizations within the design and construction industry.

Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Mark attended the prestigious Baghdad College and Al-Hikma University. He earned a Masters in Civil Engineering (Highway & Transport) from City University of London, and then both a Masters and a Ph.D. in Civil (Construction Management) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and became a registered professional engineer. In 1989, he began his 31-year tenure at WIT. During this period at WIT, he became a member of many engineering and construction organizations, most notably the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCE), serving in each for over 30 years. Mark was a founding member of CMAA New England (CMAA NE) which was chartered in 1994, and continued serving on the Board until his passing. CMAA NE named Mark the 1998 Person of the Year. For CMAA National, he was on the CMAA Foundation as a Board member, received the first Educator of the Year Award in 2012, and in 2017 became a member of the CMAA College of Fellows. Mark was extremely proud of being inducted as a Fellow, and as CMAA National stated:

“The Fellow designation is the highest honor that CMAA bestows on an individual. The designation recognizes those individuals who are industry leaders, and who have made significant contributions to their profession, the industry, and the Association.”

Mark joined the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in 1976 and was awarded the President’s Leadership Award in 1996. In 2000, he became BSCE’s 153^rd President and in 2008 was given the Citizen Engineer’s Award. Throughout his tenure, WIT recognized Mark on many occasions, and presented him with the 2008 President’s Distinguished Service Award. His professional career achievements are so numerous that to try to enumerate them succinctly would be difficult.

Mark was nationally recognized and received the first ever Engineering News Record New England Region Legacy Award in 2015; given to individuals who have demonstrated significant lifelong contributions to the industry as a whole and to their chosen professions. As noted in WIT news briefs, upon receiving the ENR Legacy Award Mark’s thoughts immediately went to his true legacy: teaching and his students.

“Teaching has always been my passion besides maintaining the professional practice,” he said. “Winning this award gives me further enthusiasm and motivation to achieve more in serving the profession and the academic community.”

As a CMAA NE Board member, Mark’s keen insights enabled him to offer sound advice, solve problems, and help set goals for the organization. His focus was set firmly in the future. A cheerleader for all CM students, not just those who attended WIT, Mark would remind us of the symbiotic relationship between CM students and Construction Management professionals. He would emphasize the responsibility of CMAA to foster the financial and mentoring needs of these students, who could give back immediately, but more importantly, will in the future as CM professionals. When it came to the CM students, Mark was our conscience.

He would urge CM students to apply for scholarships, take the CMIT exam, attend a conference, and join a CMAA NE committee. Their involvement, Mark said, would be good for the students and for the Chapter. Mark would assist students with co-op, and ultimately, full-time positions. He would invite them to participate in conferences to meet other CM students from sister colleges with similar Young Member subcommittees. Mark was a tough professor who cared deeply about his students’ preparation for the work ahead of them as CM professionals.

Mark’s private life revolved around family. He was a devoted son and brother, helping his three siblings and parents as much as possible. When his mother Reina and sister May visited him from Iraq in 1990, extensive military actions had begun in the Middle East. Consequently, they were unable to go home. Mark persuaded them to stay in the US and provided them with food and shelter. When it was time to relax, Mark played scrabble, chess, and backgammon, and wrote poetry. He was a true Renaissance Man. We will miss him greatly.

Due to the constantly changing coronavirus situation, the government and health officials suggestion for social distancing, and for the safety of all, the Annual CMAA NE Chapter’s Golf Outing for CM Scholarships, which was scheduled for May 20, 2020 has been rescheduled to Wednesday September 30, 2020. For those who have already registered and would like to maintain your registration, no action is required. Should you choose otherwise, please contact Jeffrey Paul at 508-269-7639, and your registration fee will be cancelled or returned. We appreciate your patience and understanding during these trying times. Thank you.

Respecting the State of Emergency declared by Governor Baker and the latest CDC strong guidance on social distancing and uncertainty to the end of the current restrictions on gatherings, we have decided to postpone the CMAA NE Annual Awards Luncheon scheduled for Wednesday May 6, 2020, to Friday October 2, 2020. Many thanks to those who were able to meet the original award submission date.  However, due to numerous requests to extend the deadline, we are extending the submission deadline 60 days, while all other Awards criteria remain unchanged.  Submissions will be accepted until Friday May 15, 2020. In light of the current COVID-19 restrictions we have suspended the requirement for a hardcopy submission and will accept only electronic submissions. All submissions will be reviewed as a group, after May 15, 2020.  We will notify you of the results of the selection following a review of all submissions.  

Please be safe as we navigate through this trying time, which may very well extend into the summer, and look forward to a return to normalcy and seeing you in the fall.