Michael Busam & Eric Cushman - Gilbane Building Company business leader promotions in Rhode Island & Connecticut

Strategic appointments made to expand Gilbane’s presence in key New England markets

Providence, RI – January 12, 2024 – Gilbane Building Company, a leading global builder, is pleased to announce that Michael Busam has been named business leader of its Rhode Island office. In this new role, Busam will oversee a team of more than 60 construction professionals and work to expand Gilbane’s portfolio of projects within key markets throughout the state.

A 20-year Gilbane veteran, Busam has held a diverse set of roles during his tenure with the Company, most recently serving as Rhode Island operations manager for the last five years, where he was responsible for the successful execution of all aspects of Gilbane’s projects.

As a Rhode Island native, Mike is passionate about his home state and understands its unique business landscape. He has built strong, trusting relationships with civic and community leaders and continues to advocate for the betterment of the state through construction and development.

“Mike has long been an important member of our team in Rhode Island and has successfully held several leadership roles there,” said Mike O’Brien, New England division leader for Gilbane. “His strong relationships throughout the state will help us expand our presence in core markets, such as K-12 and higher education, while diversifying our portfolio in emerging markets.”

Devoted to improving the Rhode Island community, Busam’s leadership involvement includes being an advisory board member in the ACE Mentor Program, vice president of the AGC- RI Chapter, and board member at BuildRI and the Greater Providence YMCA. He has served on various working groups to improve the utilization and growth of disadvantaged business enterprises (DSOBs) with the state’s ODEO office.

Gilbane is also pleased to announce that Eric Cushman has been promoted to business leader of our Connecticut office.  In this new role, Eric will oversee the strategic direction of Gilbane’s business in the state while ensuring career growth for nearly 100 professionals.

Eric began his career at Gilbane in 2007, and his talents and dedication have allowed him to grow quickly and seamlessly through the ranks. Most recently, he has served as Connecticut operations manager for the past five years.

“Eric’s combined abilities in sales, execution, and people skills have made him a highly effective leader in the Connecticut office,” said Mike O’Brien, New England division leader for Gilbane. “His integrity, work ethic, business acumen, and intellect have earned him respect as an executive leader in the local marketplace. He is well positioned to continue our growing market expansion throughout the state.”

A natural entrepreneur and innovator, Eric was tasked to start and lead Gilbane’s Special Projects Group (SPG) in Connecticut in 2013, advancing the group’s collaboration and fostering its strategic growth. Under Eric’s leadership, the Connecticut SPG team completed over 60 projects totaling more than $100 million in construction for clients such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, FactSet, Hartford Hospital, 3M, Aquarion, and Prudential.

Eric has led Gilbane’s venture into robotics and generative AI platforms for the past three years. He is committed to incorporating digital tools that seamlessly fit into our field teams’ workflow.  

He is actively engaged in the local community and serves on the board of Riverfront Recapture.

About Gilbane Building Company

Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from preconstruction services planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.gilbaneco.com.