In his opening remarks NYBC President & CEO, Carlo Scissura shared that we “can’t live without the Knicks, can’t live without construction.” To follow was a morning full of insight focused on building a healthier five boroughs. The featured Keynote Speaker was the newly appointed Commissioner of New York City Department of Design and Construction, Paul Ochoa.
The DDC under Commissioner Ochoa manages an active construction and infrastructure portfolio of $34 billion. From fire houses and public libraries to essential infrastructure including the East side coastal resiliency, the agency makes a massive impact on the city around us. Commissioner Ochoa brings deep experience serving New Yorkers across three mayoral administrations, including key roles with Department of Sanitation and the Department of Transportation. He was up beat about the Knicks, about New York, and about our partnership. “Let’s get to build.”
The DDC is extremely important to us as Lorraine Grillo, CEO of Bradford Construction Corp. of New York, a Company of the BRAVO Group, is herself a former NYC DDC Commissioner. We were delighted each time Lorraine was acknowledged and thanked by many of the invited speakers.
The morning was marked by the release of the 2026 Healthcare & Life Sciences Report and a lively panel discussion, which was moderated by Raffaela Dunne (Consigli Construction) and featured Jonathan Cogswell (Northwell Health), Marissa Kelly (LF Driscoll), and Melissa Sarko (Ennead Architects). Though they came from different sides of the table, their message was unified and clear: healthcare construction is essential infrastructure, and the modernization of existing hospitals is not optional.
Thanks to Carlos Scissura and the NYBC staff for their commitment to honoring excellence and leadership of New York’s built environment. We were proud to be a sponsor of this breakfast focused on building the future together.
