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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Contra Costa County, CA November 6, 2001 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Tom Butt

Candidate for
Mayor; City of Richmond

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This information is provided by the candidate

Occupation/employer: Architect/Interactive Resources

Date and Place of Birth: 3/23/44, Albuquerque, NM

Party Registration: Democrat

Spouse Name: Shirley Ryland Butt

Your professional/working career (include dates and positions): .1973-present, Interactive Resources (founding principal) ·1971: Mayhew and Thiederman, Architects, Inc.,San Francisco (architectural intern) ·1970-71: Edward Durell Stone, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (architectural intern) ·1968-1970: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (see "military service") ·1968: Edward Durell Stone, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (architectural intern) ·1963-66: Department of the Interior, National Park Service(summer intern)

Board memberships/community activities

Leadership Positions:

·1984-95 - Chairman, West Contra Costa Bayshore Council ·1986-89 - Board of Directors, Richmond Chamber of Commerce ·1991-92 - President, Richmond, California Rotary Club ·1978-01 - President, East Brother Light Station, Inc. ·1983-84 - President, Washington School PTA ·1986-87 - Chairman, Richmond Economic Development Commission ·1987-89 - Chairman, Richmond Beautification Committee ·1980 - President, Point Richmond Business Association ·1976 - President, Point Richmond Neighborhood Council ·1992-93 - Chairman, Mayor's Ad Hoc Committee on Santa Fe Railroad / Point Richmond Community ·1990-91 - Chairman Citizens' Advisory Committee on Disposition of Surplus [School] Property ·1980-01- Board of Arbitrators, American Arbitration Association ·1993-99 Board of Trustees, First United Methodist Church of Point Richmond ·1991-94 Board of Directors, United Concilio West ·1994-96 Chairman, Herms District, Boy Scouts of America ·1999-01 President, Rosie the Riveter Trust ·2000-01 Chairman, West County Agency

Board or Committee Positions

·1976-77 - Richmond CETA Advisory Committee, Richmond, California ·1974-76 Richmond Community Development Commission ·1987-88 - Citizen's Advisory Committee for Richmond, California Shoreline Conservation and Development Plan, the Knox Freeway-Cutting Boulevard Corridor Study, and the North Richmond Shoreline Specific ·West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC)

Professional Organizations and Activities

·1988-95 - Commissioner for Qualifications Appraisal Interviews, California State Board of Architectural Examiners ·Fellow of the American Institute of Architects ·Construction Specifications Institute ·National Trust for Historic Preservation ·Society of American Military Engineers ·Western Construction Consultants Association (WESTCON) ·American Society for Testing and Materials Committee E-6, Performance of Buildings Chair, Task Group E06.21.08 and E06.55.07 ·International Conference of Building Officials ·Roofing Consultants Institute

Avocational Activities and Organizations

·Sierra Club ·California Native Grass Association ·California Native Plant Society ·California Preservation Foundation ·Arkansas Alumni Association ·UCLA Alumni Association ·Arkansas State Society ·Diablo Beekeepers Association

Education (school names, dates [by year] of graduation, degrees attained, honors):

·Master of Architecture in Urban Design, University of California, Los Angeles ·Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Arts, University of Arkansas ·Omicron Delta Kappa, National Leadership Fraternity ·Engineer Officer basic Course, Ft. Belvoir, VA

Military (give branch of service, unit, dates, honors):

·U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1968-1970 ·Engineer Officer Basic Course, Ft. Belvoir, VA ·Served as Basic Combat Training Officer, Company E, 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Ft. Polk, Louisiana; Master Plan Team, Ft. Polk, Louisiana; ·Assistant Operations and Liaison Officer, HHC, 159th Engineering Group, Long Binh, Vietnam. Rank at discharge: 1st Lieutenant. ·Military Decorations (Vietnam Service) :The Bronze Star, The Army Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal

Describe anything you have published, invented, discovered, painted, etc., and events or hobbies that would be interesting for a biographical story:

Licenses

·Licensed Architect, California, Nevada, Arkansas ·Licensed General Contractor, California ·Certified, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

Events

·Caught in Cambodia coup, 1970, had to walk out to Thailand ·Traveled Trans-Siberian Railway ·Designed first solar home in Bay Area ·Had largest wind-powered electric generator in California in 1975; first to feed electrical power from wind into the PG&E grid ·Successfully nominated Point Richmond Historic District, The Richmond Ford Assembly Plant, Hotel Don, and Winehaven to to the National Register of Historic Places; rehabilitated the Hotel Mac and other buildings in Point Richmond ·Founded East Brother Light Station, Inc., a non-profit corporation to restore and operate East Brother Light Station ·Prevailed in Supreme Court challenge Butt v. California, landmark education equality case

Community Service Awards

·1992 Richmond Unified Education Fund Distinguished Citizen Award ·1982 U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious Public Service Award ·1979 President's Certificate for Outstanding Community Achievement of Vietnam Era Veterans ·1999 Fayetteville Public Education Foundation Hall of Honor

Professional Awards

·1982 Honor Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation ·1992 City of Oakland Orchid, Orchids and Onions Award Program ·1991 Portland Cement Association Award of Excellence ·1990 Grand Award for Design Excellence, National Association of Industrial and Office Parks ·1990 North America concrete Building Award of Excellence ·1990 Presidential Citation, American Institute of Architects ·1987 California Preservation Foundation Design Award ·1986 U.S. Department of Transportation Award for Outstanding Public Service to Transportation and Historic Preservation ·1982 Honor Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Historic Preservation Accomplishments

·As principal-in-charge and/or architect-of-record, completed over 100 projects involving restoration, or rehabilitation of historic structures, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

·Lectured widely on historic preservation practice including presentations at the National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Convention, the Monterey (CA) Design Conference, and many civic clubs and organizations.

·Prepared and administered numerous successful grant applications for historic presentation projects, including East Brother Light Station and prepared successful National Register Nominations and Certifications.

·Authored the Manual, Application of Public Policy for Building Projects in the Point Richmond Historic District as a public service to the community.

Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy Accomplishments

·As principal-in-charge and/or architect-of-record, over 100 projects between 1973 and 1983 which incorporated cutting-edge active and passive solar, wind, and other energy conservation technology. These included private homes, apartments and condominiums, commercial and public buildings, and swimming pools. Many were published in local, regional, and national media.

·In 1975, organized and implemented the first statewide California Solar Energy for Buildings Conference. These were repeated in 1976 and 1977 with hundreds of building industry professionals attending.

·Principal-in-charge, author, or project director of the following educational publications providing state-of-the-art information to the public and other design professionals:

·Energy Conservation: Guidelines for Evaluating New Development in Contra Costa County, CA (Richmond, CA: Interactive Resources, Inc., 1976) 255 pages ·Dennis Dahlin, The Working Woodburner, Home Heating and Cooking with Fireplaces and Wood Stoves (Richmond, CA: Interactive Resources, Inc., 1976) 38 pages ·Thomas K. Butt, Project Director, California Sunshine, A Consumer Guide to Solar Energy (Sacramento, CA, California Energy Resources and Development Commission, 1977)Thomas K. Butt, "Solar Energy Homes, New Market or Realtors," California Real Estate Magazine (California Association of Realtors, October 1975) ·As principal-in-charge and/or architect-of-record, Interactive Resources secured six U.S. Government-sponsored grants for research or demonstration projects in solar energy, including:

·AIA Research Corporation Grant (sponsored by HUD) for Phase II Development of Energy Performance Standards for New Builders, 1978 ·Willow Park II Community Center Case Study, DOE Research Project, DE﷓AC02﷓81﷓CS30361, 1983 ·Lectured widely on solar energy and energy conservation, including AIA Chapters, California legislature hearings, and the University of Arkansas School of Architecture.

Voluntary Urban Planning and Design Accomplishments

·Founded the West Contra Costa Bayshore Council, a successful, politically active and educational organization, which changed the direction of planning and development policy along 32 miles of San Francisco Bay shoreline in Richmond, California.

·Served on three citizen's advisory committees which guided implementation of comprehensive studies and planning documents to guide growth on the Richmond, California shoreline for the next 25 years.

Forensic and Diagnostic Architecture Accomplishments

·As principal-in-charge and/or architect-of-record, has completed over 250 consulting assignments relating to construction failure or construction litigation, including 10,000 units of housing.

·Through the auspices of the American Arbitration Association, arbitrated dozens of construction disputes, served on its panel of arbitrator trainers and is a faculty member in yearly continuing education of arbitrators.

·1992-95 - American Society of Testing and Materials Committee E﷓6, Performance of Buildings Chair, Task Group E06.21.14

·Lectures widely on construction defects, failures, and litigation. Examples include:

·"Jobsite Problems, Solutions and Perceptions: Why are the Architect and Contractor Treated so Differently?," The Northern California Construction Institute, 1993 ·"Building Failures and Subsidence," California Building Industry Association, Sacramento, California, 1991 ·"Arbitrator Discusses Complex Problems of Condo Ownership," Contra Costa Times, November 4, 1984 ·"Polymer Modifier and Grouts and Mortar," Ceramic Tile Institute, Dallas, Texas, 1989 ·"Preparation of Condominium Maintenance Manuals," Community Association Institute National Convention, 1988 ·"Construction Defects, A Conspiracy of Silence," Apartment Owners Association of Contra Costa County, Inc., 1985

Articles written on the subject of construction technology, construction defects, failures, and litigation include:

·ASTM E 1643 Standard Practice for Installation of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs. (Principle author and task group chair) ·ASTM E 1745 Standard Specification for Plastic Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact With Soil or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs. . (Principle author and task group chair)·ASTM E 1907 Standard Practices for Determining Moisture Related Acceptability of Concrete Floors to Receive Moisture Sensitive Finishes . (Principle author and task group chair) ·"Concrete Floor Flatness & Levelness Tolerances," The Construction Specifier, November 1994 ·"Moisture Problems in Slabs on Grade: An Update," The Construction Specifier, December 1993· "Thin Brick Veneer," The Construction Specifier, August 1993 ."The Condo Conundrum," The Construction Specifier, · May 1993· "Be Prepared for Building Failures and Disasters," Black's Office Leasing Guide, Winter 1993 ·"Avoiding and Repairing Moisture Problems in Slabs on Grade," The Construction Specifier, December 1992 ·"Common Interest Development Maintenance Manual," ECHO: Executive Council of Home Owners, May 1991. ·"Building Failure: Limiting the Losses," Best's Review, ·September 1990. ·"Thin Brick Veneer: A Guide to Trouble-Free Application," Sun Coast, December 1989.· "How CADD Helped Restorations-Documentation and Design For A California Town," Architecture Magazine,·November 1989. ·"Do You Need A Building Detective?," Facility Manager, Winter 1988-89. ·"Condominium Maintenance Manual," Community Associations Institute Newsletter, Vol. 8/No. 2, June/July 1988. ·"Arbitrator Discusses Complex Problems of Condo Ownership," Contra Costa Times, November 4, 1984. ·"Construction Defects in Residential Condominiums," Courier (Newsletter of the Council of Condominium Homeowner Associations, Inc.), Vol. 2, Nov./Dec. 1984. ·California Sunshine, A Consumer Guide to Solar Energy, California Energy Resources and Development Commission (Thomas K. Butt, Project Director), 1977 ·Guidelines for Evaluating New Development in Contra Costa County, CA, 1976 ·The Working Woodburner, Home Heating and Cooking with·Fireplaces and Wood Stoves, Dennis Dahlin, Author & ·Thomas K. Butt, Project Manager, 1976 ·"Solar Energy Homes, New Market For Realtors," California Real Estate, October 1975 ·Founding member of the Western Construction Consultants Association (WESCON), a northern California organization consisting of design professionals, consultants, and contractors with special interest in the diagnosis and repair of construction defects.

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