32BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund
The Thomas Shortman Training Fund offers training to 80,000 members of SEIU Local 32BJ
working in the property services industry. The Training Fund is a joint labor-management organization,
cosponsored by Local 32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations.
Every year the Training Fund provides industry, academic, and computer courses to thousands of
Local 32BJ building service workers at over 20 locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and The District of Columbia.
SEIU Local 32BJ
SEIU 32BJ is the largest building service workers union in the country, representing more than 100,000 cleaners, doormen, porters, maintenance workers, window cleaners, security guards, superintendents, and theater and stadium workers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC
32BJ members work in residential apartment buildings, commercial office buildings, and area theaters and stadiums, including New York landmarks like the Empire State Building, Trump Towers, Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium, as well as miles of suburban office space from Hartford, CT to Washington, DC.
32BJ it is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union that has grown more than 60% since 1996. Today, the SEIU is 1.8 million members strong and growing. It devotes almost half of its budget to organizing - far more than most unions.
SEIU 32BJ members come from 64 different countries and speak 28 different languages, but are united in a single fight for fairness and decency for the region's working families. 32BJ members are hardworking immigrants and the children of immigrants working together for the American Dream.
Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations
The Realty Advisory Board (RAB) is a multi-employer association serving the real estate industry in New York City, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut and Northern New Jersey.
The RAB negotiates collective bargaining agreements on behalf of owners and operators of real property with unions that represent their maintenance and operating employees. They also advise and represent members in the administration of their collective bargaining agreements and in matters concerning personnel and human resources.
Urban Green Council
Urban Green Council is the New York Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Urban Green's mission is to lead the advancement of sustainability in the urban built environment, and serve as a model for other cities through education, advocacy, collaboration and research.
Our vision is to see cities that coexist in harmony with their natural environment and contribute to the health and well-being of all.
A non-profit organization established in 2002, Urban Green is supported by contributions from members and sponsors, as well as foundation grants. Our focus is on New York City, Rockland and Westchester. Supported by our in-house experts and a dedicated network of volunteers, our efforts are transforming the metropolitan area and creating models that can be replicated elsewhere.
Urban green provides a wide range of educational, and networking events for our 1,500 members and the green building community at large; conducts research; and advocates for change that will make cities more sustainable. Our website and newsletter (circ. 8,500+) reach an audience comprised mostly of professionals working in architecture, engineering, design, construction, real estate development and management, product development and manufacturing, government, and other related fields.
Program Leadership
James Barry is the Manager of Program Development at The Local 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund. James has over 15 years of experience in adult education and workforce training. Since joining the Shortman Fund in 2003, he has worked to develop, fund and present high performance building education to Local 32BJ union members. To date, James has helped launch a half dozen different green classes for 32BJ members, including the 1,000 Green Supers program. James Barry holds a BA from Fairfield University and several Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certifications.
Lisa Iannucci has been writing about real estate, property management and green building topics for quite some time. She has been a contributing writer to The Cooperator, a publication for co-op and condo owners and management companies, is a correspondent for Multi-Housing News, BobVila.com, FrontDoor.com, and is co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Building and Remodeling and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Property Manager.
Robert Muldoon is the Director of the Green Building Initiative for the Local 32BJ Training Fund. Bob is a policy analyst and manager with over 20 years experience spanning the public, private and non-profit sectors. He previously worked as a regional representative for the national Sierra Club where he focused on campaigns on energy and global warming issues, including Cool Cities, clean cars and national energy legislation. He also has a human resources background, having worked as a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) consultant and manager in the private sector. He began his career as a legislative analyst in the Colorado legislature, specializing in school finance and property taxation. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Indiana University. He also earned the BPI certification as an Energy Efficient Building Operator.
Linda Nelson joined 32BJ as the Director of the Thomas Shortman Training Fund in January of 2003. During that time the Fund has grown from an organization with two locations in New York to a larger educational program with almost 30 training locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and The District of Columbia. Previously, Linda worked at The Partnership for the Homeless where she developed their Network program to help previously homeless people find jobs. Before that she worked for The Partnership for NYC and th Consortium for Worker Education. She received a B.A. in Psychology from Skidmore College and a Masters in Psychology and Education from Columbia University.
Nick Prigo is a Green Buildings Metrics Analyst for the SEIU Local 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training Fund. Nick’s focus has been on studying how building service workers can improve the energy efficiency of large multifamily buildings. He has also played a key role in the design, development, and implementation of the 1,000 Green Superintendents initiative. Nick holds a Bachelor of the Arts from Middlebury College and a Master of Public Administration from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University. He is also certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) as an Energy Efficient Multifamily Building Operator.
Anthony Zotto is a veteran instructor at the Thomas Shortman Training Fund and has 25 years of experience in the HVAC industry, including the installation, service and troubleshooting of small and large tonnage refrigeration and A/C systems, boilers, furnaces, and ventilation systems. He holds numerous BPI and other HVAC certifications and is a partner in the firm GSM Technical Service. Besides being one of the lead instructors for the 1,000 Green Supers initiative he also teaches building analyst and refrigeration license classes.
