March 2018

Michael Maccarone
National Sales Manager

Chad Gaucher
Inventory Coordinator

Joshua Fickert
Inside Sales Specialist

Brendan Cooney
Inventory Coordinator

James Crowell
Job Site Supervisor

José Martinez
Job Site Supervisor

“When life gets you down do you wanna know what you’ve gotta do? Just keep swimming,” is José Martinez’s favorite line from a movie. If you know José, you know he sticks to his favorite movie line to “just keep swimming” to make his dreams a reality. José graduated from a technical high school in the Dominican Republic in the Industrial Electrician trade. In college, Jose started studying civil engineering in the Dominican Republic, but during his second year, he received a baseball scholarship at Union County College in Cranford, NJ, where transferred to and decided to study architecture. In the last five years before joining our team at ProGroup, José gained over two years of professional experience as a customer service representative and an electrician helper in the Dominican Republic, and for the past three years, he gained experience as a commercial and residential painter in NYC. As a Job Site Supervisor for our Walgreens RAD program, José is responsible for overseeing the construction activities that take place during conversions from planning, organizing and supervising the contractors and staff, to maintaining a safe work environment for our crews and client’s staff and customers. José’s favorite things to do when he is not working include playing baseball and basketball and spending time with his family.

DeShawne Wilcox
Job Site Supervisor

Stephen Tavares
Job Site Supervisor

One thing that Stephen has learned in the last five years is, “if you stay true to yourself, and follow your beliefs, everything else falls into place. Stephen is one of our hardworking Job Site Supervisors who is responsible for managing sites on our Walgreens Conversion program. When he is not at work, you can find him spending time with his kids or reading a good book. Before coming to work for us at ProGroup Contracting, Stephen spent 20+ years learning the ins and outs of several trades such as carpentry and painting, as well as playing drums in marching and rock bands.

Raul Velez
Job Site Supervisor

Nathan Arribada
Job Site Supervisor

Mason Andino
Job Site Supervisor

Marc Gendreau
Job Site Supervisor

Ashton Anderson
Job Site Supervisor

Ashton is one of our dedicated Job Site Supervisors on our Walgreens BDE/CET Program. Before joining the ProGroup team, Ashton gained field experience as a production worker and skilled laborer. He has a variety of skills including, carpentry, carpet installation, demolition and vinyl floor installation. A fun fact about Ashton, is that he loves to fix computers and learning new skills every day.

Cory Gonsalves
Job Site Supervisor

Travon McBride
Job Site Supervisor

Jeff Rodrigues
Job Site Supervisor

Brendan Pettenati
Inventory Coordinator

James Gold
Job Site Supervisor

Felix Perez
Job Site Supervisor

Our Walgreens Job Site Supervisor, Felix Perez, hails from the Dominican Republic, where he earned a degree in civil engineering and gained over 7 years of project management and construction experience in his field of study. Felix has also received Construction Cost Estimating and Cost Control Course Certificates from Columbia University (New York), his OSHA 10 certification and AutoCAD certification. As a father of four, Felix enjoys the Marvel Avengers movies and traveling to new places.

Juan Rojas-Araya
Job Site Supervisor

Fabio Soares
Job Site Supervisor

Forest Hall
Job Site Supervisor

As one of our Walgreens BTE/CET Job Site Supervisors, Forest Hall, is always on the go supervising sites and providing support to our office staff and clients. One of the most interesting jobs that Forest had before joining ProGroup was working close to a whopping 94 hours per week as a door-to-door salesman for an educational company. Because he was constantly on the go at that job, you can bet he was living out his favorite movie line every day, “Run, Forrest, run!” A few other fun facts about Forest is that he currently holds the world record in the fastest quarter-mile run while hula-hooping at 1:31 seconds and that he is related to Milton S. Hershey from Hershey Chocolate.

Trina Martin
Job Site Supervisor

“Be true to yourself, honest with your flaws, and be ready to fail. There is always a way up,” is the personal philosophy of Trina Martin. As one of our Job Site Supervisors for our Walgreens BTE/CET Program, Trina is responsible for providing on-site supervision and support for multiple projects across the country. Before joining our team at ProGroup Contracting, Trina gained over 5 years of experience as a safety director and team/project coordinator, which included work on various commercial and residential remodel and development projects, facility and equipment maintenance management, and day-to-day safety program management. This prior experience taught Trina many important skills such as having effective communication with management, crews and various vendors, and detailed problem-solving abilities. Trina also possesses an active Massachusetts Real Estate License and an OSHA 30 Certificate, is CPR and First Aid Certified and has completed training in ‘Silica in Construction’ and ‘Reasonable Suspicion of Drug and Alcohol Impairment’ courses.

Mike Mezquida
Job Site Supervisor

Tara Gray
Job Site Supervisor

Martha Ramos
Receptionist

Nelson Roias
Project Manager 

Our Project Manager, Nelson, is someone who never gives up. His personal philosophy is, “do it right or not at all.” At ProGroup, Nelson is part of our Walgreens team, traveling the country and supervising sites for our conversion programs. Nelson’s previous work experience includes working in the Carpentry, Mechanics and Landscaping industries. But, one of the most interesting jobs that Nelson had before joining our team at ProGroup Contracting was working for a medical delivery company. He felt it was very rewarding, as he would get people set up on oxygen and assemble hospital beds to make people feel more comfortable in hard times. In his spare time, Nelson enjoys modifying and improving cars and watching shows such as the Big Bang Theory.

Noah Scripter
Recruitment & Training

Our head of Recruitment and Training, Noah Scripter, has certainly made his impact on our team within his short time here so far at ProGroup Contracting. Noah oversees the recruitment process, which includes sorting through applicants, bringing them through the hiring process, tracking their information and getting them acclimated to their new work environment. Noah graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Operations & Information Management. Prior to joining our ProGroup team, Noah worked as a marketing/sales intern for medical imaging company in London, England. He also worked in construction, as a waiter and a party rental crew manager. In his spare time, Noah enjoys golfing, fishing and spending time with his family and friends.

Jonathan Nee
Project Manager

Dakota Roy
Project Manager

In the last five years, the most important thing that Dakota Roy has learned is that, “there’s no substitute for hard work and persistence when it comes to success.” Before coming to ProGroup Contracting, Dakota gained professional experience as an excavation operator for a septic company. In his past few years with ProGroup, he has worked his way up from a painter, to a local crew foreman and now he is our Sr. Project Manager of our Walgreens program. When asked about any positive experiences he has had while working at ProGroup, Dakota states he has had multiple positive instances, some of which revolve around building positive relationships with our Rite Aid, Walgreens and JLL associates. He also states that his favorite off-site company event was our Paint the Ice event that we hosted at the TD Garden with the Boston Bruins. When Dakota finally takes some time to relax, he enjoys watching hockey, playing golf, bringing the dogs to the beach and being the ultimate master of the grill. I’ll take a hamburger or hot dog, please!

Fred Aguiar
Estimating Specialist

Meet Fred, one of our Estimating Specialists. When Fred is not focused on providing and producing estimates for our Commercial and Residential clients, he likes to spend his free time cycling, spending time with his family, and although he may be ashamed to admit, watching Big Brother. After spending 30 years as an Operator in the restaurant business, and now coming over to the painting and construction world, it makes sense that the most important thing Fred has learned in the last five years is that you never know where life can take you.

Bev-Ann Morris
Project Manager

“Don’t expect your dreams to come to you, go to them,” is the personal philosophy of our Project Manager, Bev-Ann Morris. Before joining our ProGroup Walgreens BDE/CET Conversion team, Bev-Ann gained over 7 years of management experience as an operations manager for multiple years and as a project manager for a construction firm. She is also a CPR instructor and trained in MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior). New to ProGroup, she is eager to make her mark and has been a crucial part of implementing our new Walgreens program. In her spare time, you can find Bev-Ann playing soccer or basketball, reading, playing video games or winding down at the end of the day watching Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

Ashley Almeida
Accounts Payable Specialist

Ashley grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts and attended Bristol Community College where she earned her associates degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. As our Accounts Payable Specialist for ProGroup Contracting, Ashley assists the finance and field staff with various duties, such as preparing checks, taking phone sales and maintaining filing systems.

Lisa Farnworth
Finance Controller

Lisa is our Finance Controller here at ProGroup Contracting. She works closely with our CFO to provide related accounting support, ensure the accuracy and efficiency of operations, processing and monitoring incoming payments and insurance claims, HR support and securing revenue by verifying and posting receipts.

Cristina Cardona
Accounts Receivable Specialist

“Live one day at a time, life is too short,” is the personal philosophy of our Accounts Receivable Specialist, Cristina. Before coming to work at ProGroup Contracting, Cristina gained 5 years of accounting experience and 7 years of restaurant experience. As the Accounts Receivable Specialist, Cristina’s main responsibilities consist of monitoring and processing incoming payments. When she is not working, Cristina enjoys shopping and spending time with her family and friends, which would explain why the most important thing she has learned over the last 5 years is, “family first.”

Jeffrey Sylvester
Production Finance Coordinator

Our Production Finance Coordinator, Jeff Sylvester, is a man of many talents. After Jeff graduated Sacred Heart University with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, he started building his professional background in accounting, customer service and as a foreman. At ProGroup, Jeff’s main responsibility is to be the liaison between the Finance and Operations Departments, working to streamline the payment process between our crews and vendors and help the Operations Department manage costs for all their jobs. Jeff is also our Smartsheet Master, who has helped our entire company transition into the new software and is constantly developing new reports to make everyone’s life easier. Jeff says one of his most rewarding experiences he has had on the job when he was one of our Project Managers was, “the ability to get a client’s life back to normal after experiencing some storm damage.” In his spare time, Jeff enjoys cutting down trees for firewood, painting abstract art and making wooden whales.

Rich Carvalho
Project Manager

Brandon Deneault
Director, Estimating – Paint

Our Estimating Director of Paint, Brandon grew up in Acushnet, Massachusetts and attended Wentworth Institute of Technology where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture. Currently, Brandon is attending Southern New Hampshire University to obtain a Master of Science Management degree with a concentration in Construction Management. Brandon holds an Unrestricted Construction Supervisor License as well as an OSHA 30 certification. Unlike one of his favorite phrases, “He don’t know nuttin’,” Brandon sure does know something as he has proven himself to be quite an asset to our team by showing a strong ability to read and understand complex plans and projects. Over the years, Brandon has honed his skills in the painting industry and continues to be an integral part of our estimating team, living out his own personal philosophy of, “you create your own success.” In 2016, Brandon received the internal company award for Estimator of the Year. Brandon’s responsibilities include cost estimating, project management, architectural plan takeoffs and managing the estimating process for the team.

Lisa Canastra
Sales & Business Development Specialist

Since Lisa joined ProGroup Contracting to manage our Key Accounts, she has since advanced into a Business Development role, focusing on our Commercial Property Management clients. Lisa brings her creative love of DIY projects and creating gift baskets into customizing every relationship she has, which is why in a very short period, she has built new relationships that have continued to succeed. This may also explain that if she were given an ability she did not have, it would be “to hear people’s thoughts!” Her interpersonal skills and one of a kind personality are exactly the reasons she gives her clients exactly what they need, which goes to show when she said, “The biggest compliment I’ve received from a client was through all the craziness going on throughout their day, working with me made their life a little easier because communication was awesome and my positive and pleasant personality made their day.”

Kaleigh Roberts
Sales & Business Development Specialist

Kaleigh is our rock-star business development representative who specializes in the Education, Hospitality and Long-Term Healthcare facilities. In her three years with ProGroup Contracting, Kaleigh has managed to already win the 2016 Renovations Project of the Year Award, as well as build strong and long-lasting relationships with her various clients. Her desire to go above & beyond for each and every project she works on explains why she said, “one of my clients sent me an extremely nice email stating that ‘everyone in our organization is always helpful and responsive, and the workmanship on projects are top notch’ which made me feel like I was providing them with the best I had to give.” When asked what the most important thing she has learned in the last five years, Kaleigh says that life goes by way too fast so take advantage of what it has to offer. Say yes more, travel more, and enjoy the small things.”

Tamara Kramer
National Account Manager

If you ask Tamara to give you a fun fact about herself, she’ll tell you that, “all the facts about me are fun!” Tamara grew up in Mansfield, Massachusetts and attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA. She graduated Wheaton College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor Theatre. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Tamara was the Assistant Dean of Continuing Education of Newbury College in Brooklyn, MA. Tamara also spent time as a mental health counselor and a substitute teacher. At ProGroup Contracting, Tamara works in Business Development and is an Account Manager, focusing on the Restaurant/QSR Industries. She is responsible for Restaurant/QSR leads and sales, specifically YUM! Brands and helping to manage those accounts. Tamara enjoys working with the sales team and other departments in hopes of expanding our national reach for the QSR and Restaurant industries. When asked if she has any awards or accreditations, Tamara replies with she is “Mom of the Year,” as her second job is a full-time mom who always puts her kids first.

Jason Pinto
SVP, Sales & Marketing

Jason’s personable approach to business and his clients puts him above the rest and explains why he has been with ProGroup Contracting since 2008! Jay acts as our Sr. Vice President of Sales & Marketing, overseeing the entire National Sales & Marketing Departments, while also maintaining and growing our National Accounts business portfolio. Jason has won the National Commercial Sales Associate of the Year Award multiple times, as well as the Regional Sales Award. Jason has had a number of great customer experiences, but the one in-particular that he tends to reference is with Boston College, “where year-in and year-out, we are able to paint a Highrise Dorm within three days to accommodate their Alumni Weekend.” Before working at ProGroup, the most interesting job Jason has had was as a Paperboy “because it provided an interesting perspective of the neighborhood,” which may explain the reasoning of his favorite movie quote, “say hello to my little friend!” However, we do hope he didn’t have to actually state that quote while on his route!

Brian Shimkus
VP, Commercial Sales & Business Development

If you are looking for someone who’s personal philosophy is “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care,” Brian Shimkus is your guy! Focused on Multi-Family Properties, Brian is responsible for introducing services to new commercial business while building and maintaining strong relationships. While at ProGroup Contracting, he has been honored with several awards such as the 2013 Over 1 Million in Sales Award, 2014 Runner Up for the Northeast Commercial Sales Associate of the Year, 2015 Over 2 Million in Sales Award, 2016 Sales Associate of the Year and was IREM’s 2018 Industry Partner of the Year. Brian’s passion for his clients is specifically shown when he mentions that “Every year, for the last 4 years, I work with the Watertown Boys & Girls Club to complete a painting project. I work with our paint suppliers to get some or all of the paint donated to the project. Every year hundreds of kids get the support from this program and the facility always looks great. I really enjoy working with this program and they would say they love working with us.” In addition to supporting the the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, Brian has contributed his personal time and support to countless charities, non-profits and local community outreach initiatives. Most notably, he has been heavily involved in efforts for The Marion Institute, The New Bedford Public School System, Pan-Mass Challenge, Dana Faber Institute and the Boston Bruins Foundation. Brian is also up for treating clients to some of our special VIP & Sporting events, especially given that his favorite off-the-clock hobbies are coaching basketball & baseball, going to sporting events, concerts and playing sports.

Joann Ruff
President, ProGroup National Program Services

As our talented & well-versed, President of ProGroup National Program Services, Joann specializes in serving large commercial clients as well as clients with multiple locations. Her ability to guide clients through the most demanding and challenging projects has enabled her to build long-lasting professional relationships. After working for ProGroup for over 15 years, Joann says that a great client experiences she had was when we recently helped a client get a project completed by coordinating with a few of his other vendors and he was so happy when we made it happen that he said we were ‘better than taco’s.’ I could not think of a better compliment. Joann would hope that Julia Roberts would play her in a movie about her life, but she has some acting chops of her own, as she once appeared on Bob Vila’s, This Old House, which featured our company!

Ashley Dusoe
Estimating Coordinator

Since coming to ProGroup in June of 2017, Ashley Dusoe has performed a multitude of roles, from our Client Relations Manager, a Territory Manager and now, she is our Local Estimating Coordinator. One of the most important things she has learned in the last five years is that “life is too short to settle for anything other than happiness,” which explains her drive to keep furthering her career and set herself up for success. When she is not at work, you can find Ashley at spin classes and the gym. Similar to Ashley’s favorite movie character, Dory from Finding Nemo, who often says “just keep swimming,” Ashley also enjoys being as close to the water as humanly possible!

David Richardson
Sr. Project Manager

Dave comes to us with an impressive professional background in Project Management, Safety Management and Education. He is also a certified OSHA trainer. As our Senior Project Manager for National Accounts, Dave’s main responsibilities are to oversee one of our largest national accounts, Starwood. When his is not working, Dave enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and being a part of his church ministry. A few fun facts about Dave are that when he was 15, he hitch-hiked from Massachusetts to Florida, and one of the most interesting jobs he had before working at ProGroup was working on a solar project at Epcot in Florida.

David Moura
CEO

Dave Moura, CEO, founded his painting and repair company in 1992. While based out of Massachusetts, ProGroup Contracting services regional and national properties. Under his leadership, Dave’s company has won numerous awards for outstanding overall client service as well as outstanding service for commercial clients with multiple locations. ProGroup Contracting has long upheld a commitment to streamlining painting, maintenance and repair jobs and deliver unmatched project management to its clients, both big and small. Dave is a member of the International Facility Management Association, Painting & Decorating Contractors of America and the Community Associations Institute, and is a friend of the Institute of Real Estate Management. He is consistently active in giving back to his local community through donations of painting materials and services along with art supplies and classroom necessities to schools in need. He is an active supporter of the Marion Institute, a non-profit located in Marion, MA. Dave has also provided makeovers to private homes and hospitals such as Jeremiah’s Project and the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

Courtney Tamulevich
VP, Marketing & Customer Experience

As our Vice President of Marketing & Customer Experience, Courtney is responsible for overseeing the brand strategy and the everyday marketing activities at ProGroup Contracting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University located in Boston, MA, and has extensive experience in working with large brands in both the beverage and consumer electronics industries. Her in-depth knowledge and experience with numerous marketing platforms allows her the ability to run multiple successful campaigns both locally and nationally.

Amanda Barber
VP, Estimating – Renovations

Amanda grew up in Salem, New Hampshire and graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Engineering. Before starting her career with ProGroup Contracting, Amanda gained customer service experience working in the food service, retail and customer experience industries. Since 2006 Amanda has been part of the ProGroup Contracting team. Starting off as a Telemarketer and working her way up to our VP of Estimating – Renovations, Amanda’s career has truly blossomed. Amanda’s current job responsibilities include managing the estimating process, scheduling appointments and ensuring proposals are submitted in a timely manner. She plays a vital role in all aspects of the business, Amanda does it all – and with a smile! Amanda’s personal philosophy is that all she wants is peace of mind and when she is not working, Amanda loves spending time with her growing family.

Chris Langille
Director, Estimating – Renovations

Chris grew up in Lakeville, Massachusetts and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology & his Master’s in Educational Technology from American College of Education. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Chris worked in Boston for two years on an architectural team. Chris also taught Computer Aided Design and Architecture & Drafting for 10 years at Taunton High School. As the Estimating Director of National Renovations at ProGroup Contracting, Chris oversees our entire Estimating Department and provides estimates locally and nationally. When he’s not in the office, you can find Chris spending time with his family or coaching high school football games.

Eric LaFrance
VP, Estimating & Operations

As the VP of Estimating & Operations at ProGroup Contracting, Eric is responsible for overseeing and managing the day to day operations of the National Estimating and Operations teams. Eric grew up in Attleboro, Massachusetts and studied Electronic Engineering at the New England Institute of Technology in Rhode Island. He has over 15 years of Sales Management experience with Circuit City and Best Buy. The most important thing Eric has learned in the last five years is that, “road blocks are often just obstacles.” One positive experience and obstacle that Eric has overcome while working at ProGroup was when, “we were working with a large apartment rental company and they had a fire that totaled many units. We were able shift labor throughout the company and turn twice the units as expected that month. This allowed the tenants that were effected to move into units we just finished instead of moving to temporary housing.”

Peter Suneson
VP, Client Integration & Training

Peter Suneson grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts and attended Columbia University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Peter also earned his master’s degree in Education, studying at Fitchburg State University. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Peter taught psychology and history at various high schools throughout the east coast, spending the majority of his teaching career at Apponequet High School. As ProGroup Contracting’s VP of Client Integration & Training, Peter is responsible for leading our account managers and project managers, overseeing all projects from scheduling to performing the job and working closely with the client to provide guidance and feedback on topics such as application methods and quality control. One positive experience Peter has had while working at ProGroup was when, “we had a client that was extremely nervous of painting a condominium building with difficult access in a major city. There was a Board of Trustees that were highly concerned about the potential risks involved. After convincing the Board that we could perform the work with minimal risk, they decided to award us the contract and with positive end results. They were very thankful and have awarded us future projects.” In his spare time, Peter enjoys riding his motorcycle, skiing with his family, golfing and fishing.

 Tim Moura
President, ProGroup Contracting

Our President of ProGroup Contracting, Tim Moura, is always on the go. Tim is responsible for special development projects, overseeing our major jobs, handling all technology related platforms and many other various day-to-day operations. Before coming to ProGroup, Tim worked for 23 years in retail sales and as a store manager for Circuit City and Best Buy. But, if you’re wondering what Tim’s most unusual job was, he’ll tell you he had a very interesting time working in Almac’s Meat Department as a teenager. When he’s not working, you can find Tim spending time with his family, cooking, relaxing in Maine or visiting his happiest place on Earth, Disney World – he’s been over 20 times!

Lauren Leavitt
Director, Local Marketing

Lauren grew up in Wareham, Massachusetts and attended Bridgewater State University where she earned her degree in Communications. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Lauren interned at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, and was the ResNet IT Administrative Assistant at Bridgewater State University. As ProGroup Contracting’s Director of Local Marketing, Lauren plays a vital role in our overall Customer Experience program, where she is constantly reaching out to clients to get their feedback on how to improve our overall services. Lauren is also responsible for our Customer Testimonial and Referral programs, helping plan and execute company events and community outreach, managing our company’s social media sites and creating internal and external company email newsletters and direct mail campaigns. While all the above may seem overwhelming to the average person, Lauren’s newfound motto is, “Work to live, don’t live to work. Always find your balance.” If you know our elephant loving, kind-hearted Lauren, you would know that her favorite things to do when she is not working is spending time with her family — whether it’s going shopping or getting ice cream with her sisters.

Wayne St. Cyr
Commercial Sales & Estimating Specialist

If you know Wayne, you know that he is an avid golfer & a lover of music.  So much so, that he is a certified Golf Pro, and he toured the nation in an 80’s rock band!  Throughout his childhood, Wayne was a “Military Brat” traveling the country and attending 26 different schools. The fun facts don’t stop there!  After living in Italy for three of his “younger” years, Wayne became fluent in Italian and was also able to pick-up the game of soccer, for which he received a full scholarship to San Francisco State University.  Before coming to work for ProGroup Contracting, Wayne was a Sales Representative for over 25 years, working in various industries such as the automotive industry and in financial services. His personable approach to working closely with various groups of people, makes him one of our top Account Relations Managers.

Scott Camara
Project Manager

Danny Ferreira
Field Boss

Danny has been with ProGroup Contracting since 2000 and in that time he has worked as a painter, a crew leader and has since been promoted to Senior Field Manager. His extensive experience in the field has helped develop many production teams, and his capacity to hire and train painters has proven very beneficial to our company.

Joel Feldman
Sales & Estimating Specialist

Joel started off his education attending school in West Reading, Pennsylvania and eventually made his way to Massachusetts. Joel has been in the painting business for forty plus years, and nine of those have been with ProGroup Contracting. Before working for ProGroup Contracting, Joel was a Sales Representative for Gemini coating, Devoe coating and ICI paints. Primarily, Joel would sell to industrial and commercial clients. Joel has a vast wealth of experience to draw from, making him a valued member of the ProGroup Contracting Team.

John Isidoro
Project Manager

John grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts where he attended Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School, focusing on Automotive Technology. Before coming to work for ProGroup Contracting, John was a foreman at a drywall company, where his experience there has provided him the expertise to be one of ProGroup Contracting’s Job Site Supervisors. As a Project Manager, John is responsible for making sure the properties he is assigned are to be completed to each client’s utmost satisfaction. Some of his duties include, making sure all field staff and equipment are present at each job site and making sure each job gets done on time. When not out in the field or in the office, you can find John playing dominoes with his friends at the club or spending time with his wife and family.

Sarah Baillargeon
Director, National Marketing

Saying that our Director of National Marketing, Sarah Baillargeon, is a hard worker is a vast understatement. She came to ProGroup Contracting having graduated from Bridgewater State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing, while also having earned minors in both Accounting and Public Relations. Sarah works with her team at ProGroup Contracting to create and execute marketing campaigns, manage budgets, conduct research, take job site photos and edit video footage, to name just a few things. Not only does Sarah stay active at work, but active at home too. Her favorite hobbies include hiking, yoga and skiing, but when she needs to just relax, you can find her with her family and friends, or cuddling with her two Golden Retrievers watching New Girl. As her favorite movie quote goes, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Rute Fragoso
Inside Account Manager

If you know Rute, you know that she loves to watch sunrises, spend time in nature and visit her favorite place whenever she can, the beach. Rute was born in Portugal and moved to the U.S. when she was eight years old. She has been with ProGroup Contracting since 2006 and has worked her way up from a painter to Crew Leader to Inside Account Manager. Rute has over 10 years of experience in painting everything, from small residential interiors to large commercial exteriors. She is also RRP certified and OSHA 10 certified. Rute’s attention to detail is what makes our maintenance contract clients trust her to come every day and keep their facilities looking like new. As a Project Coordinator for ProGroup Contracting, Rute’s responsibilities include assisting with payroll, initial client calls, assisting with job set up, costing labor and work invoices and work orders.

Matt Ferreira
VP, Operations

Matt has been with ProGroup Contracting since 2007. While he was still in school, he started out as a helper, learning the ins and outs of painting and more about the business. Matt has now worked his way up to VP of Local Operations, responsible for making sure the properties he is assigned are completed to the utmost satisfaction. Having worked in different positions throughout his years at the company, Matt has a wide range of knowledge in all of the services ProGroup provides.

Leonardo Roias
Sr. Estimator, Renovations

Our humorous and tri-lingual Estimator, Leo, was born in Azores Portugal, where he lived until the age of 12. He then moved with his family to Fall River, MA and went on to earn his degree in Structural Engineering. After college, Leo proudly served the U.S. Army for six years as an Engineer. Prior to joining the ProGroup Contracting team, Leo was the owner of a construction company, where they built and remodeled houses and other properties. He also spent some time as a Foreman and Project Manager at various construction companies learning the ins and outs of the industry. At ProGroup, Leo is part of our Estimating team, where he uses his broad knowledge of construction to help assess the needs of our local and national painting and renovation projects. When asked if he has had any mentionable positive experiences while working with ProGroup, Leo said, “At the end of the day it is all about the client and exceeding their expectations. I can’t really point out one particular project, but they have all been positive experiences.”

Matt Girard
VP, Estimating & Residential Sales

Matt is experienced in all phases of commercial painting, having worked as a painter, project manager, in quality control inspection and in business development. He has an in-depth knowledge of coatings including epoxies, enamels, DTM, urethanes, acrylics and more. Matt has his OSHA 10 and EPA RRP Certifications, is a Benjamin Moore Certified Stain Installer, a Ralph Lauren Certified Installer and has won Residential Project of the Year. He has worked on a wide variety of commercial projects for such clients as Titleist, Home Depot, Burger King and McDonald’s. As our VP of Estimating & Residential Sales, Matt’s duties include estimating commercial and industrial painting projects. A few fun facts about Matt are that he collects antique paint brushes and he loves going to Aruba every year, so much so that his dream is to retire there!

Maggie Arruda
Administrative Assistant

As our Administrative Assistant for ProGroup Contracting, Maggie works closely with all members of the staff. Maggie is one of the “behind the scenes” operations professionals who makes certain that every ProGroup Contracting project runs smoothly. As a loving grandmother whose favorite activity outside of work is spending time with her three young grandchildren, Maggie constantly lives out her personal philosophy to “always have a grateful heart.”

Ryan LaFrance
Project Manager

Ryan grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts and attended Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Ryan worked in sales, as well as ran a power washing company. As a Project Manager at ProGroup Contracting, Ryan’s responsibilities include overseeing the crews to properly ensure the correct methods are used and managing the jobs of our local and national accounts.

Angel L. Santos
Crew Leader

Luis DaCosta
Crew Leader

Dan Canastra
CFO

From unloading fishing boats in downtown New Bedford while in college, to becoming our CFO, Dan Canastra, has worked his way up to the top with his hard work and dedication. Dan received his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Northeastern University, and after college, Dan worked as a controller for Harvard Management Company and as an Accounting Manager for PMRG. As our CFO at ProGroup Contracting, Dan manages the daily accounting and finance tasks and oversees our Finance Department. When he isn’t working, Dan enjoys golfing and spending time with his family.

Sherrie Borges
Controller

Since 1999, Sherrie has been an essential part of the ProGroup family. She helped develop the nationally recognized ProGroup Contracting Production System, which is used by all the ProGroup Contracting franchises across the United States. As our Controller for ProGroup Contracting, Sherrie is the paint schedule traffic controller, manages of the overall paint team and oversees the flow of operations for the paint division. Her approach to production management features an innovative and flexible system that adapts to meet the specific needs of the individual clients on all types of projects. Honored as the National ProGroup Contracting Production Associate of the Year in 2005 and 2006, Sherrie also assisted the ProGroup Contracting Corporate Development Team in the creation of an office manager training program used by franchises nationwide. Sherrie’s personal philosophy is, “I’m stronger because I had to be, I’m smarter because of my mistakes, happier because of the sadness I’ve known, and now wiser because I learned,” and therefore Sherrie is such a valuable asset to our company.

Avery Oldach
Director, Renovation Services

Our Director of Renovation Services, Avery Oldach is always on the go. At ProGroup Contracting, Avery is responsible for entering daily updates from our Project Managers on to the daily schedule, preparing close out photos for invoiced jobs and tracking job close out projections on the Renovations side of our Operations team. But, working at ProGroup Contracting isn’t Avery’s only job! Avery also works as a Realtor® in the Southcoast Massachusetts area as a buyer’s and listing agent. Avery graduated from UMass Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and has previous professional experience working as a Legal Assistant/Title Examiner and Project Manager. Avery loves kayaking, going to the beach and driving range and to travel. The best place she has ever traveled to was Lake Lucerne in Switzerland which she says, “it was so beautiful and looked like a village out of a storybook.”

Carrie Freeman
Sr. Program Manager

The personal philosophy of our Senior Program Manager on our Paint Operations team, Carrie, is to, “do a good job for you first and be proud of what you put out.” Our hard-working Carrie is involved in organizing and executing every step of the painting production process from planning, project setup and client and field communications. Before coming to ProGroup, Carrie earned a degree in Business Administration and gained 12 years of professional experience in Project Management, National Account Management, Production Coordination. If she was stuck on an island and could only bring three things, Carrie would bring along coffee, her Kindle and her dog.

Sean Molloy
Director, Field Operations

Our road warrior, Sean Molloy, will do anything it takes to make sure each job runs smoothly. As our Director of Field Operations, Sean spends most of his time travelling the country, supervising multiple jobsites, overseeing the crews and making sure the client is always satisfied. Sean graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a degree in Construction Management. After college, Sean joined the Marines and served for 2 years. Working for ProGroup, Sean has been honored with the 2016 Project Manager of the Year Award and the 2017 ProGroup Contracting Manny Award for his outstanding dedication, commitment to the company and exhibiting an ability and willingness will take on any project. A few fun facts about Sean are that he loves to ride his motorcycle, he played hockey for over 30 years and his favorite guilty pleasure show to watch is American Pickers.

Scott Strout
Project Manager

Prior to coming to ProGroup, Skowhegan, ME native, Scott Strout, spent two years in the Army over in Hawaii. He also has over 25 years of experience working in commercial, residential and retail construction. As one of our traveling Project Managers, Scott is responsible for overseeing our national account projects and providing day-to-day communication with the crews and clients. When he is not working, Scott likes to spend his spare time at the ocean, boating, camping or hiking. A fun fact about Scott is that he has two sons who are also in the construction field.

Philip Lavra
Laborer

Jason Camara
Crew Leader

Manny Guerra
Crew Leader

Orlando Ramirez
Crew Leader

Chad Trial
Program Manager

Chad Trial is one of a kind here at ProGroup. As one of our Program Managers for the Painting Operations team, Chad’s main responsibilities are to match crews to jobs, track their daily progress and ensure the job is completed on time and to the client’s satisfaction. Fun fact about Chad is that before coming to ProGroup he was a Fire Fighter in the Army. In his spare time, Chad enjoys playing basketball and spending time with family and friends.

Tom Morette
Project Manager

Veronica Langille
Program Manager

Andrew Moura
Estimating Specialist

Eduard Johnson
Field Training & Development

Eduard received an Associate of Science degree from Bristol Community College, has a CAD Technology Certificate and OSHA 10 Certification. Eduard’s professional background includes civil engineering, CAD technology, surveying and was previously a foreman for ProGroup. Now, as our National Director of Field Training & Development at ProGroup, Eduard is responsible for meeting and coordinating with crews and clients, developing client programs from planning to completion and being the liaison between our crews, clients and office staff to make sure the job is done right and on time. In his spare time, you can find Eduard at one of his son’s football games or daughter’s gymnastics meets.

Stephanie Ferreira
Admin

Our Local Admin, Stephanie’s personal philosophy is to be kind to everyone. Stephanie has her Associates Degree in Executive Office Administration and has an Office Support Certificate. At ProGroup, Stephanie’s main responsibilities are to process our crew’s hours and job invoices. A few fun facts about Stephanie are that she is fluent in Portuguese and wishes she had the ability to speak every language.

Cody de Medeiros
Project Manager

One thing Cody de Medeiros has learned in the last five years is that, “hard work goes a long way.” Cody is one of our reliable Program Managers who is responsible for managing jobs that are part of the AIMCO Program. Before coming to ProGroup, Cody earned his bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from UMASS Dartmouth and gained over 4 years of professional experience as a carpenter. When he isn’t working, Cody enjoys golfing, hunting, watching sports and spending time with family and friends.

Seth Baumgartner
Program Manager

“Always do your best work, so if you fail, at least you know you gave it your all,” is the personal philosophy of our hardworking Account Manager, Seth Baumgartner. Before coming to ProGroup, Seth gained over 7 years of professional experience working as a store manager for CVS/Pharmacy and Douglas Wine & Spirits. As a Program Manager at ProGroup, Seth’s main responsibilities include ensuring that clients are satisfied and kept in the loop and working closely with our National Operations Team to help them wherever possible. Seth strives to keep the line of communication open and thorough with every client, and in return he says our clients are very pleased with the daily updates regarding their projects. When he is not working, Seth enjoys spending time with his son, daughter and wife, which would explain why the most important thing he has learned in the last five years is that, “your family is the most important thing in your life, everything else will one day not need you, but your family always will.”

Brianne Sylvia
Estimating Coordinator

Have you ever met someone who enjoys Mondays more than Fridays? If not, meet Brianne Sylvia. Our Estimating Coordinator, Brianne is responsible for managing new leads, tracking estimates and providing support to the Estimating team and Marketing goals. Before coming to ProGroup, Brianne worked in customer experience and project scheduling for two separate counter top fabricators. One of the most important things Brianne has learned in the last five years is that, your attitude towards life determines life’s attitude towards you.

Taryn LaFrance
General Manager

“Everything happens for a reason, treat people the way you want to be treated, and always be true to yourself,” is Taryn LaFrance’s personal philosophy. Taryn was raised in Raynham, Massachusetts, but lived in Florida for over 9 years before returning to New England. While in living in Florida, Taryn studied Public Relations at the University of South Florida. If she could have any special power, Taryn wishes she had the ability to, “read people’s minds, or teleport so that I could see my friends in Florida more often.” Throughout her time with ProGroup Contracting, Taryn has played many key roles within our Marketing and Operations Departments. Now, as our Local General Manager, Taryn plays a vital role, where her superior communication skills allow for her to excel at dealing with every client we work with. Taryn’s main responsibility is to develop and maintain strong relationships with our clients, by working alongside cross-functioning departments to improve customer service. She is an exceptional asset to our team, where she acts as an added support in providing client communication, analyzing and tracking data, working in various client software systems, conducting research, etc.

Joao Correira
Job Site Supervisor

Rafael Santos
Job Site Supervisor

Paul Sylvia
Project Manager

Before starting with ProGroup Contracting, Paul earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Rutgers University in New Jersey and gained over 10 years of experience in sales from multiple positions. As a Project Manager, he is responsible for overseeing all of our national accounts and providing day-to-day communication with the crews and clients to make sure each job is completed to the utmost satisfaction.

Zack Souza
Project Manager

Zack grew up in Acushnet, Massachusetts and attended Worcester State University where he earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry. Before working for ProGroup Contracting, Zack worked at Roseland Nursey where he gained retail and sales experience. In his spare time, Zack enjoys playing golf. As a Project Manager for ProGroup Contracting, Zack’s main job responsibilities include making sure the jobs on the National Schedule get done quickly, while also managing budgets. Zack is also responsible for managing all Walmart jobs that are produced throughout the country.

Joao Correia
Job Site Supervisor

DJ Hudson
National Account Manager

DJ grew up in Dartmouth, MA and attended Texas Tech. Prior to coming to ProGroup Contracting, DJ worked as a Salesman for Kirby Vaccuums for four years, and gained experience working for Robert Half. Now, as one of ProGroup Contracting’s Territory Managers, DJ is responsible for growing our local residential and commercial sales.

Scott Bradshaw
Job Site Supervisor

Marta Matson
Operations Manager, Renovation Services

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Marta grew up in Somerville, MA and Westport, MA and attended Bristol Community College where she studied Communications. Before coming to ProGroup Contracting, Marta worked at American Eagle Outfitters for eight years, where she started as a sales associate and worked her way up to Assistant Store Manager. From her previous job experience, she brings with her an understanding of exceptional customer service. As ProGroup Contracting’s Operations Services Manager, Marta is the first point of contact for our customers once a job lands. She assists the Operations Director in running the local production schedule, offers support to our Project Managers and field staff and oversees our local Site Supervisors and Account Managers. Fun fact about Marta is that when we moved to our new location here in New Bedford, she adopted Jason the Office Cat!

Michelle Ostiguy
Chief Financial Officer

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Michelle grew up in Acushnet, Massachusetts where she attended Old Colony Reginal Vocational Technical High School. Right out of high school Michelle enlisted in the U.S Air Force where she served from 1981-1984. She then went on to pursue her Associates degree for Travel Tourism Mgmt. at Johnson & Whales University, and continued her education at UMASS Dartmouth where she graduated with her B.S in Accounting. Prior to working at ProGroup Contracting, Michelle was the General Manager/Controller for two Boatyards in Falmouth, MA. In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Michelle provides executives with timely and accurate financial statements, ongoing cash flow projections, oversight over accounting and finance operations, as well as design and maintenance of the financial reporting structures.

Sam Curran
Director, Film and Editing

Sam grew up in Lakeville, Massachusetts and is currently attending Emerson College in Boston, MA. Sam is studying Visual Media Art Production and minoring in Marketing. As ProGroup Contracting’s Director of Film and Editing, Sam’s daily tasks consist of traveling to project sites to gather real time footage, filming and editing our customer testimonials and updating our website with video and written blogs. You can follow Sam on his video blog “Sammy on the Streets” to see all of the exciting projects ProGroup is working on!

Matthew Moura
Project Manager

Matt grew up in Lakeville, Massachusetts and is currently pursuing a degree in Business at Stetson University. Matt has been working at ProGroup Contracting for 6 years, filling several different roles. As one of ProGroup Contracting’s Project Managers, Matt is responsible for making sure the properties he is assigned are completed to the utmost satisfaction. Having worked in different positions throughout his years at the company, Matt has a wide range of knowledge in all of the services ProGroup provides.

Matthew Worden
Project Manager, National Accounts

Matt grew up in New Bedford and graduated from UMASS Dartmouth with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. Before coming to ProGroup Contracting, Matt worked as a Product Marketing Specialist at Displays2Go. As ProGroup Contracting’s National Accounts Project Manager, Matt manages the day-to-day production schedule consisting of projects across the country. This includes, but is not limited to: ensuring a high level of client communication, building and maintaining relationships and making sure crews are fully prepared to get the job done fast and done right. Matt also helps to gather information in order to provide estimates as requested.