Leading the way

Second annual CCR Awards highlights industry’s leading men and women

Leadership. Professionalism. Dedication. Commitment. These are just some of the tenets exhibited by our second annual CCR Men’s and Women’s Award winners. This year, Commercial Construction & Renovation again pays tribute to some of the commercial construction industry’s leading professionals. These ambassadors are on the forefront of the industry’s path forward, serving important roles in the industry, their company and their communities. Each was nominated by their peers.

Leslie Carrio

President DePaoli Mosaic Company

Leslie Carrio never planned on being a Terrazzo contractor. After a childhood of alphabetizing files and summers answering phones at DePaoli Mosaic, she thought she was destined for a career in education. But life had other plans. In 1998, she joined DePaoli as a project manager. Over the years, her ever-expanding involvement in the company’s day to day operations culminated in her 2009 appointment as DePaoli’s President. Under Leslie’s leadership, DePaoli has focused exclusively on the New England market, reaping a 522% increase in annual sales. Her involvement in the industry at-large grew along with her DePaoli responsibilities. After being appointed to the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association (NTMA) Promotion Committee in 2002, she rose to Committee Co-Chair. She was the first woman to chair a standing NTMA Committee. In addition, Leslie is the first woman to serve on the NTMA Board of Directors. She is currently the organization’s VP and will become Board President in February of 2022.

Michele Harry

Vice President The Macallan Group

Marketing. Branding. HR. There is not much Michele Harry cannot do. With more than 20 years of experience in both areas, she has worked for some of the most successful real estate and construction firms in the Atlanta area. At The Macallan Group, Michele oversees marketing and HR for the firm’s portfolio of companies, including internal/external communications, website design and development, event management, project photography, market research, advertising, social media and PR. On the HR side, she spearheads the company’s talent management strategy and functions, leadership and organizational development, compensation, benefits and employee communications. As a graduate of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Cobb and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Center for Leadership, Michele remains active in myriad community- and industry-related organizations. In addition, she sits on the board of the Davis Direction Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting awareness, affect change and save lives related to opiate/heroin addiction.

Tracy L. Prigmore

Founder TLTsolutions

Terri Sparks

President Communicators International Inc.

Tracy Prigmore’s vision is to empower people to build generational wealth. As founder of TLTsolutions, she creates opportunities for individuals, families and entities to obtain passive income by investing in residential, multifamily and hospitality projects. Today, her real estate investment firm supports a multi-million dollar portfolio of real estate assets under management in multiple states. Over the years, Tracy has built a reputation for bringing real estate ventures to life and maximizing their financial performance through sound asset management, disciplined investment and renovation strategies. As the sponsor and asset manager for real estate investments, Tracy also works with property managers to maximize the value of each asset. This includes guiding the real estate investment process, raising capital and leading the development and execution of the investment strategy—from pre-acquisition due diligence through asset repositioning and disposition. She also founded, She Has a Deal, a platform that creates pathways to hotel ownership and development for women and underrepresented minorities. Upbeat. Uptown. 100% professional. Over her 20-plus career in the fast-paced marketing communications landscape, Terri has come to epitomize the term “advertising executive.” Primarily handling clientele in the construction products industry, she has made her mark by getting to know everything about her clients’ products, services, target markets, history, and more. Since joining Communicators International in 2013, she has been a steady presence in the firm’s mission to elevate the presence of its clients. Today, as President, she is committed to using the firm’s various services to introduce, re-introduce, strengthen, tweak or totally change a clients’ business image. Terri credits her success to listening, asking the right questions and taking lots of notes. Before any bit of heavy duty marketing recommendations are discussed or undertaken, her job is to get to know her clients inside, out.

Highlighting industry’s leading men

Peter Ferri

President & CEO Hunter Building Corp.

For more than 40 years, Peter Ferri has been a noteworthy leader in the retail construction industry. As founder, President and CEO of the Hunter Building Corp., Peter oversees a firm with 80-plus years of collective experience in retail and commercial construction projects, including office spaces, restaurants and hospitality. Specializing in build-outs, remodels, ground-up construction and project management, Hunter Building Group serves the entire US and North America. Before starting the company in 2007, Peter cut his teeth on the retail side of the industry working with TJX Corp. and General Nutrition Centers, where he was responsible for building more than 500 store locations in one year. Driven by his extreme passion for excellence, he takes pride in providing the finest results to his retail and restaurant clients. Through his leadership, which focuses on a devotion to knowledge, integrity and excellence, Peter has built a company filled with customers that continue to turn to him and his team for guidance and support.

Mike Martino

Senior CM/Store Development North America Capri Holdings Limited

Mike Martino was hooked after building his first store in 1982, saying retail is animated architecture where the store’s wares come alive in the design. Spending 25-plus years as a Construction Manager, he moved from cookie cutter Thom McAn shoe stores to European salons, where scaling down a designer’s pricey visions was a delicate process. After a few years off the grid, he jumped back into retail on the owner side with Michael Kors (now Capri Holdings), where there’s less subcontractor management and more strategizing. Between his value engineering expertise and a side venture called Urnaments, doing more with less became Mike’s unique skill set. Technology did the rest. For someone who used slide rulers in Brooklyn Tech and NJIT in the ’70s, Mike relishes the wonderful construction management tools that are now available and credits his colleagues—creative young architects and designers—who introduced him to them. They make managing MK, Jimmy Choo and Versace retail projects much more streamlined and efficient. Blending old style project management with the new.

Andrew Pearl

VP/Regional Director Swinerton

Andrew Pearl was unwavering in his vision to return home to the Northeast and open Swinerton’s first New York City office. So there was no surprise when he delivered on that promise during the San Francisco company’s 134th anniversary—and during the throes of a pandemic. Andrew, Swinerton’s VP and Regional Director, has spent the past 15 years helping build the company’s brand. Founded in 1888, Swinerton is a $5 billion full-service national commercial construction company with 20 offices in nine states, and is ranked No. 17 on the ENR 2021 list of top contractors in the country. Today, he is leading the firm’s plans to once again help make New York City a destination of choice for urban centers. Together, Andrew and Swinerton believe this is the firm’s opportunity to break into New York City and bring a century of knowledge, services, employee-owned thought process to the region. The type of “dedication” required to make it in the Big Apple is what Pearl has brought to the industry from Day One.

Nicholas J. Tricarico

President Tricarico Architecture and Design PC

Although he may not admit it, Nick Tricarico became a licensed Architect more than 50 years ago—long before there was design software like AutoCAD and Revit. He started his career by scaling the corporate ladder for 18 years at Ormond Shops and Melville Corporation, until he decided to build his own dream. From that dream came Tricarico Architecture and Design, which he founded 34 years ago. Through sheer grit and tenacity, Nick transformed a tiny room of equally determined recruits—many of whom still work there today—into a company that has not only stayed ahead of the curve, but helped shape it. Although Nick has retained veterans on the team for decades, he also places tremendous value on sculpting the careers of young, enthusiastic talent. Maybe it’s the countless trade shows he’s attended since the ’80s, or that he has served as the architect of record for 25,000plus stores, but the name Tricarico has become synonymous with retail architecture.