In 1961, Paul Welch began his professional career in the early space programs testing numerous electronic subsystems and various materials, including those used on the first heat shields to protect satellites. After graduating from college with a degree in Applied Physics, Paul was recruited as a Senior Engineer and participated in the final testing of the first Lunar Excursion Module [LEM1]. After LEM1 was completed, Paul was recruited by Emerson Electric to serve as Project Engineer developing the first automated computerized avionics testing system to keep military and commercial jet-propelled aircraft flying.
Paul changed his career direction in 1971 to sharply limit the extensive, mandated aerospace-related travel so he could be home on a regular basis to participate in the raising of his children. He received an offer from a company, local to where he lived, to become a principal to grow its business which designed, supplied and installed laboratories and related capital equipment used by industry, hospitals, universities, colleges and schools. In 1978, Paul founded a firm to serve the New York metropolitan area that pioneered “Concept Through Completion Fast-Track Services,” also known as “Owner’s Representative Services” [OR]. He has consistently worked to refine and improve this turn-key [OR] process for the benefit of his company’s valued clients.
Paul’s MRI-related work experience began in the 1980s with the construction of the PETT Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory. While performing other laboratory projects at Brookhaven National Laboratory and elsewhere, Paul was asked to design and then construct one of the sixteen Beam Scattering Collection Modules at the National Synchrotron Light Source Facility. Paul also served General Electric Medical Systems for a five-year period designing, supplying, and installing laboratories able to withstand challenging environmental conditions in facilities which include MRIs, CAT scans, and x-ray equipment. Some of the noteworthy GE projects include designing and installing the medical and testing suites on both the US Navy boats “Comfort” and “Mercy,” the two largest hospital ships in the world, and an advanced CAT scan research facility at Stanford Research Institute in Palo Alto, California.
During 1995 Paul presented a “Project Management” seminar in Cambridge, MA, followed by a three-day “Facilities Planning and Design” seminar in Las Vegas, both by invitation from the American Management Association. Paul also moderated a Project Management Forum at Brookhaven National Laboratory at the request of The Association of Facilities Engineering. In 1996 he organized a series of Project Management seminars for the Long Island Forum for Technology.
In 1996, Paul opened a second office in Santa Barbara, CA to better serve his clients who do business national and internationally. From 1996 to 2000, Paul’s clients included four premier technology companies that were members of the Santa Barbara Industrial Association and which had offices, research facilities, and manufacturing plants in Santa Barbara.
In 2000, Paul served as Consultant, Design Team Leader, and Project Executive on four projects. Two of the projects which were funded for construction received NY State Agency approval within twelve days. The two projects were completed without issuing change orders. The projects had client savings of more than 10% below the budget plus there was continuous use of the facilities during construction with no injuries. All of the clients’
functional and aesthetic goals were satisfied or exceeded with the completion of both projects.
During 2002 and 2003 Paul developed five research laboratory projects. One of the projects was to design research facilities in New York to relocate Nobel Laureate Dr. Luc Montagnier, co-discoverer of the AIDS virus, and his research staff from the Pasteur Institute.
In 2004, Paul began researching the fields of renewable energy and energy conservation measures for the purpose of cost effectively harnessing free energy provided by nature, while reducing energy consumption. The intellectual property that was developed is being used to facilitate new building structures and communities to be energy self-sufficient (distributed generation) by reducing the use of fossil fuels. The research was completed in December 2005. In 2006 Paul and his team designed; then built The Renewable Energy Home using renewable and sustainable energy sources. The Renewable Energy Home, which had Net Zero in 2007 now serves as the home/headquarters for Renewable Community Initiative, Inc.
From 2007 through 2011 Paul was responsible for the design of a home with a calculated Home Energy Rating System [HERS] rating of 99.2 – a [HERS] score of 100 is perfect. He also completed the design and management of renewable energy projects from a fire district and a renowned veterinary hospital to a number of residential installations.
In 2011, Paul began providing pro bono services to form a humanitarian organization that he co-founded. The organization, Renewable Community Initiative, Inc. [RCI], is focusing on bringing renewable energy to the vast majority of American homes and businesses, along with those community and charitable organizations that cannot currently afford the technology. In July of 2013 the IRS granted [RCI] 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity status.
Paul has been an active member of The Project Management Institute, Association of Facilities Engineers, Construction Specifications Institute, Institute of Electrical Engineers, National Physics Honor Society, and has been invited to become a member of the American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology. He has served his communities by initiating a Special Education PTA, chartering a Kiwanis Club, coaching sports for community youth organizations, and giving his time to various humanitarian organizations.
For more than thirty years Paul has been selected to provide services for hundreds of clients ranging from world-renowned scientific researchers, successful business organizations, and numerous educational institutions, many of which are household names. There have never been any safety or insurance claims brought against Paul and the firms he represented. His over fifty years of diverse career experiences have proven that creating and astutely managing teams consisting of the most qualified people with proven Science, Engineering, and Technology [SET], enhanced by a unified positive team approach, can exceed expectations.