Newsroom

Company Recognizes USGBC and Green Building Value

Graniterock is pleased to announce that Ben Licari, Government Affairs Manager, and Keith Severson, Marketing Services Manager, have successfully completed the requirements for LEED® training and passed the stringent LEED® Version 2.2 exam. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) is a rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to evaluate the environmental performance of a building.

Ben Licari is a California Registered Geologist with a BS in Geology from the University of California at Davis. He has over 30 years of experience in mining operations Western United States; working as a mine geologist, ore control engineer, mine superintendent, and mine manager. In 1998, Ben has served on the California State Mining & Geology Board as a Registered Geologist with special expertise in mining, groundwater hydrology, water quality and rock chemistry. He joined Graniterock in early 2000 as Director of Government and Community Affairs.

Keith Severson is the Marketing Services Manager and has been with the company for more than 11 years. Prior to that, Keith was in the fast-food industry for almost 20 years. Keith has a degree from the University Of Texas at Austin. His personal interests are in art and recreational running. He has completed 13 Big Sur International Marathons.

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution. Graniterock is a USGBC Member. LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building. This is done through a comprehensive system which offers project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.

LEED provides a framework for evaluating building performance and meeting sustainability goals. Based on scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state of the art strategies. The LEED rating system has five main credit categories: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Each category is divided into credits. Further detailed information is available on the USGBC and Graniterock Websites. Credits are broken into points and additional points can be earned for innovation and becoming a LEED-accredited professional.

Graniterock was founded on Valentine’s Day of 1900, when its first operation, the A.R. Wilson Quarry, was opened in Aromas, and soon became a heavy engineering contractor. Its California Contractor’s License—#22—demonstrates how long the Company has been in business. Plant and branch locations include Aromas, Cupertino, Felton, Hollister, Monterey Peninsula, Oakland, Redwood City, Salinas, Santa Cruz, San Jose, South San Francisco, and Turlock. Many products Graniterock sells and manufactures can qualify for LEED credits. Graniterock’s Pavex Construction Division operates from area offices in Redwood City, San Jose, Oakland, Turlock, and Watsonville, and performs large work such as highway or runway expansion projects, as well as commercial and residential projects. The Company’s Corporate Offices have been located in Watsonville since 1900.

For more information, contact:
Ben Licari, 831.768.2106
Keith Severson, 831.768.2063
Graniterock, 888.ROCK.100