New President of Mindful Materials Announcement, a letter to the industry

To our industry partners, colleagues, and friends,

My journey with mindful MATERIALS began more than 12 years ago, when I was in a meeting at HKS and we were all trying to make sense of the growing landscape of material sustainability. That conversation about the need for clarity, consistency, and a shared approach became one of the early sparks that ultimately grew into what is now the mindful MATERIALS movement. What started as a simple need quickly became a collective effort, connecting manufacturers, designers, owners, and contractors around a common purpose: To make a positive impact on our industry.

After an incredible journey at Shaw as part of the sustainability leadership team, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunities, collaboration, and trust that shaped my time there. Shaw will always be an important part of my story, and I’m thankful for the people and partnerships that made the work meaningful.

To the broader industry, thank you for trusting and believing in me over the years to help move this work forward. That trust means everything. Your belief is what motivates me to deliver the clarity, alignment, and simplicity that the Common Materials Framework (CMF) was created to provide. Our ecosystem urgently needs a shared foundation, and I’m committed to helping ensure we deliver it.

Our industry is ready for a shared language. Ready for tools that reduce friction. Ready for a more connected, transparent, and actionable approach to material sustainability. We have come a long way — and the momentum we’ve built together is real.

I also want to acknowledge Laurel Chadzynski, Richard Garrett, and Kaare Sola, whose leadership, dedication, and partnership have strengthened mindful MATERIALS and helped carry this work forward. I’m grateful for their continued collaboration as we take this next step together.

Stepping into the role of President of mindful MATERIALS, I’m energized by the opportunity to help lead this work — to bring people together, to build alignment, and to accelerate practical, positive change across the built environment. None of this happens in isolation. It happens when manufacturers, AEC teams, owners, contractors, and technology partners move forward with a common purpose.

I look forward to what we can accomplish as a united industry. Let’s get to work.

With appreciation,

Tim Conway

President, mindful MATERIALS