Paul Fernandes has been the executive director of CCA Metro, the Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York, since 2014. He leads the organization’s operations to promote the joint interests of more than 20,000 union carpenters and 1,000 contractors with a focus on community relations, marketing, and research.

Mr. Fernandes is recognized as one of the most effective strategists, policy experts, and speakers on construction issues. He has been an instrumental advocate and adviser on numerous economic development efforts, public procurement reforms to generate taxpayer savings while protecting labor standards, reducing workers’ compensation costs, and allowing government to require contractors to participate in training programs to improve workforce skill, safety, and diversity.

Mr. Fernandes was chief of staff of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York from 1998-2014 and assistant to the president from 1995-1997. He was a lead negotiator in 2009 for agreements with the City of New York on $4 billion of projects that created thousands of jobs, saved taxpayers $300 million, opened hundreds of annual training and employment opportunities to local residents, and promoted access to contracts by minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises. These agreements have been extended and expanded since then due to their outstanding results.

He was president and CEO of The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills from 2006-2014 and administrator from 2001-2005. During this time, the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs called the program “a national model for training minority youth for middle class careers” and it was nationally recognized by The Aspen Institute and Construction Users Roundtable (CURT). Mr. Fernandes currently serves as chairman of the board of directors.

A Rutgers University graduate, Mr. Fernandes began his career working as a finance coordinator on Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. This was followed by an appointment as special assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Labor in the White House Liaison’s office. He later served as an aide on campaigns for governor and county executive.

Mr. Fernandes, who was born in New York and has lived on Long Island and in New York City, resides in New Jersey with his wife, Anne.