2024 Candidates: Jack de Valpine
Jack de Valpine
I have been a member of A2 since early 2014. Originally, I joined for access to the woodshop, however, through a variety of classes, I have expanded my experience with new skills including shopbot, laser cutter, 3d printing, plasma cutter and manual lathe. With our emergence from the pandemic and move to Allston, I have become more involved as a volunteer, rediscovering A2 as a place not just for the amazing shop resources and classes but also for the great community.
My volunteer involvement has evolved over the period of our re-opening in Allston. Initially, I worked with Sal Mancini (A2 Woodshop Lead) on the production/fabrication of the partitions used to make the studios in Antwerp and Holton. Subsequently, I became involved with the steering committee at its early inception and have continued to date. The steering committee represents one of many ways to volunteer and work to develop initiatives that support A2 and our community. Since education is an important component of income for A2, I have worked to develop analytics to help understand the financial performance of our classes over time. A useful outcome of this effort is monthly reports that are being used to allocate 10% of class income to associated shops. In addition, I am currently serving as an ad hoc member of the board subcommittee focused on the executive director search.
My background is in architecture, design, 3d modeling and computer graphics. Before attending MIT for a Masters of Architecture, I spent several years designing and building furniture in New York City. After graduating from MIT in 1996, I founded a company, Visarc, focused on providing 3d computer modeling, architectural visualization and performance simulation to the building industry. Our clients included architectural design firms, institutional owners such as colleges and universities, and real estate developers. I ran the company in various iterations up until the pandemic hit. Starting in 2014, I also worked with my wife to help her realize her own dream of opening a retail boutique, Greentail Table, focused on tablewares and accessories for home entertaining. This included design and fit-out of the physical store space, which is what motivated my initial membership at A2 where I was able to build a variety of the fixtures and display shelving used in the store. My current involvement with the business involves managing our e-commerce platform, accounting, and payroll.
My objective in seeking a board position is to continue working on the sustainability of this organization. I believe A2 is an incredible and unique resource in the Boston area. Our shops, membership and classes each present opportunities to develop and increase the long term sustainability of A2. We are in a new community, both in terms of our immediate location in the Allston/Brighton neighborhood as well as more broadly in Boston. As a board member I hope to be able to work to advance A2 in terms of its long term sustainability as well as its connection to the community we find ourselves in.
Jack de Valpine
