Paul Fernandes has been the executive director of CCA Metro, the Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York, since 2014, where he leads the organization’s operations to promote the joint interests of more than 20,000 union carpenters and 1,000 contractors. He has extensive executive experience in construction industry labor-management relations, public affairs, and communications with a record of successfully developing and implementing strategies with private sector and government leaders to create opportunity and improve program performance.
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 utilizing 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 on labor agreements for billions of dollars of public and private sector projects including $4 billion of work with the City of New York from 2010-2014 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 since then due to their outstanding results and have served as the model for similar agreements on many public building and infrastructure projects in the region.
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 chair of the board of directors.
In 2023, Mr. Fernandes was nominated by the Council Speaker and appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York to serve as a member of the New York City Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. The mission of NYCEDC is to realize New York City as the global model for inclusive innovation and economic growth, fueled by the diversity of its people and businesses, by strengthening the city’s competitive position and facilitating investments that grow quality jobs and cultivate dynamic, resilient, livable communities throughout the five boroughs.
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 statewide and local office.
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.
