BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced that Adam Baacke will join the administration next month as commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance.

 

Baacke comes to the administration from the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he has spent the past nine years, most recently as assistant vice chancellor for campus development. Baacke brings a wealth of experience in city planning, real estate development and capital construction management that uniquely suits him for this role overseeing the state's extensive portfolio of assets and future capital projects.

 

"With major projects planned or underway to serve our veterans, our courts, and the health needs of our residents, DCAMM is at the heart of what we hope to accomplish as an administration. Adam will be a tremendous addition to our team to help further our goals, which include reducing our carbon footprint. I'm confident he can fill the large shoes being left behind by Commissioner Carol Gladstone as she prepares to retire," said Governor Maura Healey.

 

Baacke currently serves as assistant vice chancellor for the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he directs the university's Planning, Design and Construction office. As a member of the university's senior cabinet, he has led and managed campus development, including planning for a one-million-square-foot mixed-use development through a public-private partnership on its East Campus.

 

He has also led a 25-person planning and capital project delivery office for UMass Lowell with an active project portfolio exceeding $150 million. Prior to UMass, Baacke worked for the City of Lowell for 14 years, including seven years as assistant city manager for planning and development where he oversaw the Gateway City's long-range planning and development. He helped conceived, plan and execute on Lowell's 15-acre, 2 million-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment of the Hamilton Canal District and established a $6.7 million program working with private and federal partners to retrofit historic buildings in the city for energy efficiency.

 

"Adam is a talented capital planner with a depth of experience gained with the city of Lowell and most recently as vice chancellor for campus planning at UMass Lowell. I'm excited to welcome him to our team and to work with him to deliver on this administration's capital priorities," said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. "I also want to thank Commissioner Gladstone as she prepares to step down for her years of accomplished service and partnership over these first months of the new administration."

 

Baacke has a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He starts at DCAMM on Sept. 25.

 

"I'm looking forward to working with the talented team at DCAMM to support the administration's priorities, help plan, supply and steward the facilities that enable state agencies to effectively serve their constituents, and contribute to addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the Commonwealth," said incoming Commissioner Baacke.

 

Baacke will take over for retiring Commissioner Carol Gladstone, who took over as commissioner in February 2015. She came to the job with more than 35 years of experience in both public and private real estate and project management, including time as a principal in project management and real estate at Stantec Consulting.

 

During her DCAMM tenure, the agency has initiated over $3 billion in capital investments, including generational investments serving veterans, public health, and higher education, and has laid the foundations for decarbonization of the state's 65 million-plus square feet of buildings.

 

"Adam has been an exceptional partner with DCAMM in his many roles in Lowell and has a deep understanding of the challenges the state faces in its capital assets." said Commissioner Gladstone. "He brings unique experience and abilities to tackle the big challenges ahead in decarbonization and increasing housing supply, both areas where DCAMM plays a key role.".

 

DCAMM is an agency within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) responsible for major public building construction, facilities management, and real estate services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including acquisition of property, disposition of surplus property, and the leasing of space on behalf of state agencies for offices and other facilities. The agency was created by the Legislature in 1989 to promote quality and integrity in the management and construction of the Commonwealth's capital facilities and real estate assets.

 

DCAMM oversees the Commonwealth's capital assets, totaling over 65 million square feet. The agency manages over $3 billion in capital projects, partnering with state agencies on the full cycle of their facility strategies, and working to create and manage forward-thinking, sustainable buildings that meet the needs of the Commonwealth's citizens. DCAMM directly manages approximately 3 million square feet of state buildings, and approximately 2,500 acres of surplus property land.

 

DCAMM supports the growth of the Commonwealth's economy and actively engages with private sector partners to make it easier to do business with the Commonwealth and improve access and opportunity.