THOMAS F. GILBANE JR., chairman of construction and property management firm Gilbane Inc. in Providence, was recently presented with the National Academy of Construction’s Ted C. Kennedy Award. The award recognizes outstanding individual achievement for contributions over a career that has immeasurably improved the design and construction industry.
What does receiving the Kennedy Award mean to you? The Kennedy Award is an incredible honor in our industry, and I’m so proud to receive it on behalf of the Gilbane family. And when I say family, I don’t just mean my relatives. We’ve built and nurtured an incredible business family across our thousands of employees. This award belongs to all of us.
What local project or element that Gilbane Inc. created during your tenure leading the company has set a new standard for construction and design, and what did that mean for the industry? Gilbane has been a health care builder for well over a century. In fact, our first project at Rhode Island Hospital was in 1898. One of the earliest projects in my career was Rhode Island Hospital Ambulatory Patient Center. Years later, Gilbane built Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Those projects helped catapult Gilbane to become one of the largest health care builders. Today, we’re constructing transformative health care projects across the country, applying innovative and sustainable techniques to build state-of-the-art facilities and reduce carbon emissions.
What aspect of Gilbane as a company are you most proud of? Gilbane is a leader in innovation. Our entrepreneurial spirit puts us at the forefront of integrating AI [artificial intelligence], robotics and other cutting-edge technology into our work and projects. What I’m most proud of, though, is our caring culture. Every meeting starts with a “Gilbane Cares” moment where we share stories related to safety, well-being, kindness and service to others. We want Gilbane to be the most welcoming, inclusive and supportive workplace in the industry. And through efforts such as founding the national Construction Inclusion Week, creating our Rising Contractors program that focuses on growing diverse businesses, or supporting the ACE Mentor Program that is inspiring the next generation of construction leaders, we are committed to improving inclusion and diversity throughout the industry.
What are some new local projects and initiatives that Gilbane is working on that the community should be on the lookout for? Gilbane is working with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority to design and construct a proposed new transit center in downtown Providence. This public-private partnership with RIPTA will bring tremendous value and efficiency to building a state-of-the-art, mixed-use transit hub with residential and retail elements. The transit center is an incredibly important investment in modernizing and improving mass transportation, which will benefit Providence’s downtown, the environment and Rhode Island’s economy for years to come.
Congrats to Gilbane! Well deserved!