Our Foundation
A Board of Directors governs Simes House Foundation on a day-to-day basis. General membership meetings are held at least yearly, and more often if needed. Directors meet regularly. In addition, an Events Committee plans and holds various community events during the year.
Minutes of both General Membership Meetings and Directors Meetings are available by following the highlighted links. The corporation's Bylaws and other legal documents are also available at the highlighted link.
Our directors
Jim Pierson, president
Jim brings fire safety knowledge, building and renovation principals, RFP and general contractor negotiation experience to the foundation. Jim also offers a willingness to support Business/Management Planning for Operations, Renovation/Reuse Planning and RFP/Negotiations processing.
Education
Jim brings fire safety knowledge, building and renovation principals, RFP and general contractor negotiation experience to the foundation. Jim also offers a willingness to support Business/Management Planning for Operations, Renovation/Reuse Planning and RFP/Negotiations processing.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Babson College
- Associates Degree in Fire Science – Cape Cod Community College
- Town of Plymouth Fire Department for 33 Years- retired November 2007 as Chief of Department
- Self-employed general contractor with Construction Supervisor’s License (no longer held) –Specialized in all types of roofing applications for 25 Years
- Agua Corporation – private water supply
- Scoutmaster
- Town meeting representative
- Lions Club -Treasurer
- John Alden Sportsman Club – Building Committee
Will Shain, vice president
Will brings senior management experience to the Foundation working with several Fortune 500 companies as VP of Sales and Marketing and currently owns and operates his own business in Plymouth, The Alternative Board. He has organizational management expertise and contributes in many ways including leadership, strategy, building & planning, organizational structure, financial oversight and hands-on work projects. His prior volunteer work in other communities has included election to School Board, founding of a Town Safety Committee, committee chair for a long-term Capital Planning group, treasurer of an international professional association with more than 15,000 members, and coach/referee for intramural soccer teams.
Most recently, Will was appointed by former Governor Deval Patrick to the Cape Cod Community College Board of Trustees. He was also recently selected to be an inaugural member of the Ambassadors for the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.
Furthermore, to date Will has:
Will brings senior management experience to the Foundation working with several Fortune 500 companies as VP of Sales and Marketing and currently owns and operates his own business in Plymouth, The Alternative Board. He has organizational management expertise and contributes in many ways including leadership, strategy, building & planning, organizational structure, financial oversight and hands-on work projects. His prior volunteer work in other communities has included election to School Board, founding of a Town Safety Committee, committee chair for a long-term Capital Planning group, treasurer of an international professional association with more than 15,000 members, and coach/referee for intramural soccer teams.
Most recently, Will was appointed by former Governor Deval Patrick to the Cape Cod Community College Board of Trustees. He was also recently selected to be an inaugural member of the Ambassadors for the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.
Furthermore, to date Will has:
- Guided the development of the 5-Year Budget
- Re-written and maintained the ByLaws for the organization
- Developed critical Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest guidelines
- Developed the first Business Plan
- Written the RFP for the Historic Structure Report that guides current restoration efforts
- In collaboration with the Town of Plymouth Procurement Office, ran the effort for bidding and selecting the General Contractor and Architect for the Simes House restoration phase 1
- Wrote the Grant Proposal to Mass. Historical Commission that was awarded $50,000 in historical funding for Phase 1
- Organized and managed the Phase 1 exterior restoration project
Rick Welker, treasurer
Rick brings executive financial management experience to the Foundation, having been a key member of management teams at several large public and private companies as VP/Senior VP and CAO/CFO. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant. Rick has had success in both growth and turnaround situations, including most recently as a member of the executive team at Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. that led the company to a successful IPO in 2004 and substantial growth through 2013. Beacon Roofing Supply had revenue of $2.2 billion in 2013, with 240 branches in 39 states and across Canada. He performed some consulting services after Beacon relocated its Corporate Finance department from Peabody, MA to Herndon, VA in 2013 and has also offered his assistance to the Plymouth 400th Anniversary Committee. Rick chose not to relocate to Virginia as he and his wife, Susan, both native New Englanders, very much enjoy living in Plymouth, where they have resided since 1995. They have three sons, two of whom reside in Boston and one in Kingston. Susan has worked at Plimoth Plantation for more than 10 years.
Rick's prior volunteer work has included being a member of Big Brothers and a member of the Board of Oldefield Farms, a large planned unit development in Enfield, CT. He was the first recipient of the statewide Deane Avery Connecticut Public Service Award prior to his move to Plymouth. Rick is also currently a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Connecticut Society of CPAs and the Institute of Management Accountants. He holds a BSBA degree from Western New England University and was honored as the outstanding accounting major by the WNEU faculty and the Massachusetts Society of CPAs. Rick also holds an MBA in International Business from the University of Connecticut.
Rick brings executive financial management experience to the Foundation, having been a key member of management teams at several large public and private companies as VP/Senior VP and CAO/CFO. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant. Rick has had success in both growth and turnaround situations, including most recently as a member of the executive team at Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. that led the company to a successful IPO in 2004 and substantial growth through 2013. Beacon Roofing Supply had revenue of $2.2 billion in 2013, with 240 branches in 39 states and across Canada. He performed some consulting services after Beacon relocated its Corporate Finance department from Peabody, MA to Herndon, VA in 2013 and has also offered his assistance to the Plymouth 400th Anniversary Committee. Rick chose not to relocate to Virginia as he and his wife, Susan, both native New Englanders, very much enjoy living in Plymouth, where they have resided since 1995. They have three sons, two of whom reside in Boston and one in Kingston. Susan has worked at Plimoth Plantation for more than 10 years.
Rick's prior volunteer work has included being a member of Big Brothers and a member of the Board of Oldefield Farms, a large planned unit development in Enfield, CT. He was the first recipient of the statewide Deane Avery Connecticut Public Service Award prior to his move to Plymouth. Rick is also currently a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Connecticut Society of CPAs and the Institute of Management Accountants. He holds a BSBA degree from Western New England University and was honored as the outstanding accounting major by the WNEU faculty and the Massachusetts Society of CPAs. Rick also holds an MBA in International Business from the University of Connecticut.
Paul Williams, secretary
After a career as a journalist and sales and marketing manager, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge to the Foundation in the way of news and publicity, marketing, Web management and non-profit financial management.
Paul enjoyed 30 years as an editor at The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA. After two years as a sports writer, he was copy desk chief, page one editor, systems editor and newsroom operations manager. Paul was the producer and editor of the Ledger’s initial entry into the online world via a partnership with AOL/Digital Cities. He was the editorial deportment’s liaison to the newspaper’s other departments, including production, circulation, advertising and general management.
Having been made an offer he couldn’t refuse, Paul then spent more than a decade as a sales support manager and software product manager. Working for Unisys Corp. Media Division and later Atex, both manufacturers of large-scale editorial and advertising systems for major publishing companies around the world, he was responsible for RFP responses, sales and marketing materials, product demonstrations, trade show planning and management, and software product design and specification. Among the clients he assisted were The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Singapore Press Holdings, Casa Editorial El Tiempo in Colombia, and Folha de S. Paulo in Brazil.
Tapering off to retirement, Paul moved to freelancing as a wordsmith and marketing advisor. As principal of PAWprint, he helped clients to define, design and deliver print and Web-based sales and training materials and campaigns. Clients included Ipsumm, United Shoe Machinery Corporation, United Global Supply, SportsLink, ILS Logic Systems and CarThink.
Outside the business world, Paul participated in several non-profit activities:
- President and treasurer, Atex Newspaper Users Group, 1988-1998.
- Former treasurer, Second Church, Manomet.
- Founding director, Cranberry Hospice.
Paul remains active in retirement as a certified track and field official specializing in computerized photo finish timing and as webmaster for Mass. Track & Field Officials Association. A lifelong Plymouth resident, he is married to the former Linda Wood, a Manomet townie. They have two children and four grandchildren.
After a career as a journalist and sales and marketing manager, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge to the Foundation in the way of news and publicity, marketing, Web management and non-profit financial management.
Paul enjoyed 30 years as an editor at The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA. After two years as a sports writer, he was copy desk chief, page one editor, systems editor and newsroom operations manager. Paul was the producer and editor of the Ledger’s initial entry into the online world via a partnership with AOL/Digital Cities. He was the editorial deportment’s liaison to the newspaper’s other departments, including production, circulation, advertising and general management.
Having been made an offer he couldn’t refuse, Paul then spent more than a decade as a sales support manager and software product manager. Working for Unisys Corp. Media Division and later Atex, both manufacturers of large-scale editorial and advertising systems for major publishing companies around the world, he was responsible for RFP responses, sales and marketing materials, product demonstrations, trade show planning and management, and software product design and specification. Among the clients he assisted were The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Singapore Press Holdings, Casa Editorial El Tiempo in Colombia, and Folha de S. Paulo in Brazil.
Tapering off to retirement, Paul moved to freelancing as a wordsmith and marketing advisor. As principal of PAWprint, he helped clients to define, design and deliver print and Web-based sales and training materials and campaigns. Clients included Ipsumm, United Shoe Machinery Corporation, United Global Supply, SportsLink, ILS Logic Systems and CarThink.
Outside the business world, Paul participated in several non-profit activities:
- President and treasurer, Atex Newspaper Users Group, 1988-1998.
- Former treasurer, Second Church, Manomet.
- Founding director, Cranberry Hospice.
Paul remains active in retirement as a certified track and field official specializing in computerized photo finish timing and as webmaster for Mass. Track & Field Officials Association. A lifelong Plymouth resident, he is married to the former Linda Wood, a Manomet townie. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Barbara Shain, director
Barbara is a native New Englander, born and raised in Guilford, CT, and attended Middlesex Community College where she studied special education. She also received special education training through the Connecticut Department of Education, and was employed by the Stonegate School in Durham, CT, and the Hampstead Elementary School in Hampstead, NH.
She is a descendant of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who founded the city of Hartford and the Colony of Connecticut in 1636. Her first relative born in the United States, Mary Willett, was born in Plymouth in 1637 on the site of the 1749 Courthouse. Mary’s father, Captain Thomas Willett, was prominent in the town of Plymouth as an Assistant Governor, went on to be one of the founders of the town of Swansea, MA, and later became the first Mayor of New York.
As History and Education Chairperson, Barbara has been able to locate the great-granddaughter of Joseph and Mary Simes in Cape Elizabeth, ME, who has been instrumental in her research with facts, photos and family lore. She also discovered that renowned author and artist, Tasha Tudor, is another great-granddaughter, and has started a collection of Tasha’s books and artwork for future display at the Simes House.
Barbara is a native New Englander, born and raised in Guilford, CT, and attended Middlesex Community College where she studied special education. She also received special education training through the Connecticut Department of Education, and was employed by the Stonegate School in Durham, CT, and the Hampstead Elementary School in Hampstead, NH.
She is a descendant of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, who founded the city of Hartford and the Colony of Connecticut in 1636. Her first relative born in the United States, Mary Willett, was born in Plymouth in 1637 on the site of the 1749 Courthouse. Mary’s father, Captain Thomas Willett, was prominent in the town of Plymouth as an Assistant Governor, went on to be one of the founders of the town of Swansea, MA, and later became the first Mayor of New York.
As History and Education Chairperson, Barbara has been able to locate the great-granddaughter of Joseph and Mary Simes in Cape Elizabeth, ME, who has been instrumental in her research with facts, photos and family lore. She also discovered that renowned author and artist, Tasha Tudor, is another great-granddaughter, and has started a collection of Tasha’s books and artwork for future display at the Simes House.
Galen Green, director emeritus
Galen received his Bachelor of Science degree from Fitchburg State College, majoring in Industrial Arts Education, and later received his Master of Arts degree in Secondary Ed from Framingham State College. After a required, short active duty period in the Air Force Reserve, he accepted a job teaching Industrial Arts in a western suburb of Boston, where he remained for 38 years, teaching general shop courses, mostly in Junior High and Middle School. His classes were early pioneers in encouraging, then requiring, girls to be included in the Industrial Arts curriculum.
The Green family first came to their Manomet house in 1929, and several generations have summered there. Galen bought the house from his mother in 1985, and he and his wife, Leslie, renovated and winterized it, and have lived here year-round since 1990. His lifetime love of Manomet, familiarity with the Simes House, and passion for repairing and restoring anything old, made it easy for him to embrace this wonderful project.
Galen received his Bachelor of Science degree from Fitchburg State College, majoring in Industrial Arts Education, and later received his Master of Arts degree in Secondary Ed from Framingham State College. After a required, short active duty period in the Air Force Reserve, he accepted a job teaching Industrial Arts in a western suburb of Boston, where he remained for 38 years, teaching general shop courses, mostly in Junior High and Middle School. His classes were early pioneers in encouraging, then requiring, girls to be included in the Industrial Arts curriculum.
The Green family first came to their Manomet house in 1929, and several generations have summered there. Galen bought the house from his mother in 1985, and he and his wife, Leslie, renovated and winterized it, and have lived here year-round since 1990. His lifetime love of Manomet, familiarity with the Simes House, and passion for repairing and restoring anything old, made it easy for him to embrace this wonderful project.
