YouthBuild Boston Appoints Brian McPherson as its next Executive Director
Roxbury, MA. YouthBuild Boston (YBB), a nonprofit that empowers youth and strengthens the community by training young men and women, primarily of color, for careers in the construction and architecture industry, has appointed Brian McPherson as its next Executive Director. McPherson will lead the organization following the retirement of YBB’s longtime, highly respected Executive Director, Ken Smith, in November.
McPherson, currently the Director of Access and Opportunity at the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance is a 30-year member of the construction industry, most recently with Suffolk Construction. Co-Presidents Tom Goemaat and John Wolff made the announcement following an exhaustive 4-month search conducted by the independent search firm Egmont Associates and overseen by a search committee of the board.
“Ken Smith’s decades of leadership have brought opportunity to hundreds of Boston’s young men and women, and Brian’s experience, capabilities and vision will take our organization forward and expand our impact on youth, our neighborhoods and the construction industry,” said Tom Goemaat. “I am thrilled and excited by the possibilities that this appointment brings.”
“YBB serves Boston’s youth and the construction industry extremely well. Brian will be able to take advantage of the tremendous changes and technological advances in the industry, and will equip today’s youth for tomorrow’s careers,” said John Wolff.
“Ken Smith’s dedication to the young men and women of Boston has set a standard for determination, sensitivity and commitment for over twenty-five years,” commented McPherson. “I am excited to build on his legacy, anxious to get started and committed to provide the transformational opportunities that our community needs.”
“I’ve known Brian and worked with him since 2010. No one is better prepared or more qualified to head up this organization than Brian,” said Ken Smith. “While I’ll miss the daily work of youth development, I know that Brian will bring his passion, commitment to community service and his experience in the construction industry to Boston’s young women and men.”
Brian McPherson holds a degree in Architectural Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He began his construction career in 1989 as an Architectural Intern with Clinton Gravely Architect & Associates and rose through numerous Project Management positions with several major construction companies. He returned home to Boston in 1994 with Clark Construction then went on to be a Senior Project Manager with Suffolk Construction, where he stayed for twelve years, rising to become their first Director of Diversity. Being recognized with the Boston Business Journal’s “Leaders in Diversity Award” in 2012, is one of many of his distinguished honors.
About YouthBuild Boston
YouthBuild Boston (YBB) was founded in 1990 with the goal of providing underserved young people with the support and credentials needed to successfully enter the building trades.
Its mission is to empower and assist underserved young people from the Boston area with the essential social, vocational, academic and life skills necessary to navigate a positive pathway to self-sufficiency and neighborhood responsibility.
While YBB promotes the core values of youth development and community service, it stands out as an innovative non-profit offering a hands-on approach to building trades training. Its programs provide opportunities in vocational education, counseling, and other life skills that readily strengthen and prepare students for the workforce upon graduation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Christine Banister, cbanister@ybboston.org