By Julie Dalton, Platt Builders
The 2023 PRO Awards were held May 10th at the Clarke showroom in Milford. We were led once again by the talented Amy Cafazzo who set the festive tone for the evening despite Michelle Glassburn of Lavallee Systems playfully gunning for the gig. We were welcomed by Clarke’s Jenny Tredeau whose comments reflected the meaning of the night: celebrating the work of the finest remodeling industry professionals in our region.
As guests dined on delicious food provided by Peppers Artful Events, they were able to see all the award submissions on the Wall of Fame which features before and after photos of each project. The Wall of Fame is possible because of each company’s willingness to submit their project photography, the Wall of Fame sponsors, and Joanne Roy’s impeccable organization of information.
Nearly 70 projects were submitted to the judges panel in the hopes of receiving a beautiful wooden trophy created by ArcArt. The judges – all talented design or build professionals who volunteered their time to read and review the submissions – carefully score each project based on both the project and the explanation of the project as it fits within its category. Many of the judges were in attendance and several have since joined PRO since being a part of the panel; judges cannot be PRO members prior to scoring the submissions so having them join after being a part of the event is a huge win for the organization.
We all know you will never forget your first time and this year, Traverse Architects (who joined PRO in order to enter the awards) won their first PRO Award for their Primary Suite design built with Charlie Allen Renovations. Multiple award winners included Fresh Start Contracting, Platt Builders, GMT Home Designs, Kevin Cradock Builders, Masters Touch Design Build, and Encore Construction. Thanks to some new categories this year which honored smart home technology, companies like SDI, TSP Smart Spaces, SimpleHome and Boston Stone Restoration received awards. 
One highlight of the evening was the chance for us to honor those who continue to give back to our industry through mentorship. As the Mentor of the Year sponsor, Platt Builders introduced this year’s winner: Peter Feinmann. Peter is a tireless champion for both personal and professional growth and often shares his meditation practice, Mindfulness Meditation, with others through weekly sessions and was a key inspiration for the popular Remodelers Conversation, a forum for colleagues to connect.
The gala is not just about honoring projects and professionals, It is also a chance for us to inspire the next generation of construction professionals. Through generous raffle donations from Tailwind Air, Lavallee Systems, and SDI this year’s gala raised $1780 which was donated to TradesUp, Inc. a local 501c3 charitable organization. With these generous donations, the organization can continue its mission to support workforce development activities. The flagship program, the Career Kickstarter, awards monies and starter tools to selected graduating seniors each year who plan to pursue a career in the trades. This year TradesUp gave 2 financial awards totaling $3000, and a starter toolset valued at $200, to two deserving teens. Next year, the organization has the lofty goal of doubling its financial awards and providing a tool set to every applicant.
Through generous sponsorships, a volunteer judging panel, and a tireless Awards Committee, the 2023 PRO Awards was a wonderful evening of celebration that honored beautiful work in our industry. We are already looking forward to next years’ event!
