New York Building Congress Welcomes Cheryl McKissack Daniel as Historic Next Chair 

For Immediate Release: February 7, 2026 

New York Building Congress Welcomes Cheryl McKissack Daniel as Historic Next Chair 

Chair of the Board for McKissack & McKissack, the oldest minority- and woman-owned professional design & construction firm in the U.S., will be NYBC’s first Black Chair, as well as third woman Chair 

Board of Directors Class of 2028 members elected for a three-year term

Emeriti Class of 2028 renominated with one retirement; 
several new members in various classes also announced

New York Building Foundation Board of Governors announces Class of 2028 members 

New York, NY (Febuary 7, 2026) — Yesterday, at the Annual Membership Meeting & Construction Industry Luncheon, the New York Building Congress welcomed Chair of the Board for McKissack & McKissack Cheryl McKissack Daniel as the organization’s next Chair. The Building Congress also welcomed new members to its Board of Directors’ Class of 2028, its 2028 Emeriti, and acknowledged a retirement. In addition, the New York Building Foundation, the charitable arm of the Building Congress, announced its Board of Governors’ Class of 2028 members.

McKissack Daniel replaces STV President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory A. Kelly after a two-year term as Chair. She will be the first Black Chair for the Building Congress, and follows Marilyn Taylor Jordan and Elizabeth Velez as the third woman Chair of the organization.   

“This moment is deeply personal to me,” McKissack Daniel said at the event. “I first attended a Building Congress event over 30 years ago, as a young professional navigating an industry where few faces looked like mine. It has made me proud to watch this organization evolve — becoming more inclusive, more influential, and more aligned with the city we hold dear. To serve as chair of this incredible institution is not just a professional milestone — it’s a generational one. The moment we’re in now demands even more from us. New York is facing complex, interwoven challenges – climate change, housing affordability, aging infrastructure, and workforce transformation. The Building Congress must not just react to these issues – we must lead on them.” 

“This organization is in such great hands with Cheryl stepping up to be our next Chair,” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., President & CEO of the New York Building Congress. “Representing the fifth generation of the nation’s oldest minority- and woman-owned construction firm, one with such a rich history and iconic projects, Cheryl has seen first-hand how the industry has changed since she first joined the Building Congress. Now, we can’t wait for her to help us make even more progress, and give prominence to the breadth and diversity of our membership as she leads us into an extraordinary future.” 

In addition, the organization installed the directors in the Class of 2028: 

Franklin R. Alvarado, Turner & Townsend 

Charles D. Avolio, Shawmut Design & Construction 

Altin Batska, Batska Network 

Rachel Birnboim, Perkins Eastman Architects 

Andrew Catapano, Alliant Specialty 

Joseph Chan, YMCA of Greater New York 

Cheryl McKissack Daniel, McKissack & McKissack 

Michael Giaramita, Group PMX 

David M. Greenberg, Columbia University 

Cyrus Izzo, Syska Hennessy Group, Inc. 

Marian Klein, Park Tower Group 

Joseph Lauro, Gensler 

Jill N. Lerner, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, P.C. 

George E. Leventis, Langan 

Edward V. Piccinich, SL Green Realty Corp. 

Sheila Pozon, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 

Todd Rechler, RXR Realty 

David Rothstein, Extell Development Company 

Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., New York Building Congress 

Sevinc Yuksel, Rudin Management Company 

Michael S. Zetlin, Zetlin & De Chiara LLP 

Class of 2028 Emeriti 

Richard T. Anderson, RTA Advisory Services * 

John M. Dionisio, Global Infrastructure Solutions* 

Thomas Iovino, Iovino Enterprises 

Jeffrey M. Levy, J.J Ryan Associates * 

Marilyn Jordan Taylor * 

Elise Wagner  

(*Past Chair or President) 

New Directors 

Daniel J. Baker, MD, Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital 

Sofia Berger, WSP USA 

Brendan Griffith, NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO 

Shari Hyman, Turner Construction Co. 

Sheila Pozon, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer 

Retiring from the Emeriti Class of 2028 

William A. Marino, Tikehau Star Infra 

Welcoming to the Emeriti Class of 2028 

Elise Wagner 

The New York Building Foundation Board of Governors Class of 2028 

Jeffery R. Capazzi, The Jobin Organization 

John M. Dionisio, Jr., Global Infrastructure Solutions 

Christian Esteban, A. Esteban & Company 

Kelly Heuer, Ankura 

Elias Matar, LERA Consulting Structural Engineers 

Jay Quackenbush, Swinerton – NY Division 

Deborah Romano, JLL 

Kirsten Sibilia, Dattner Architects 

Michael Shamma, TY Lin Company 

Christopher Shaw, LF Driscoll Healthcare, Structure Tone LLC 

Andrew Simmons, A&S Rebar 

Michael Smithers, Marsh 

Chris Terceira, P.E., Cumming Group 

Palmina M. Whelan, PWSS 

Maria Wilpon, DLR Group  

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About The New York Building Congress 

The New York Building Congress, a broad-based membership association celebrating its 105th year, is committed to promoting the growth and success of the construction industry in New York City and its environs. It does so by uniting stakeholders to strengthen the city’s built environment, fostering collaboration for economic development, job creation, and professional exchange, while promoting sound policy, partnerships, and ethical business practices. The New York Building Congress aims to lead the building industry – and the people who work within it – toward a more equitable, prosperous, and resilient future in New York and beyond. 

Learn more about the New York Building Congress at www.buildingcongress.com.