Gregory Balestrero

Treasurer

Gregory Balestrero is a passionate proponent of excellence in the pursuit of business results. In a career spanning nearly 40 years in non-profit membership organizations, Greg has met with business and government leaders, in more than 60 countries, in engineering, construction, and a broad range of business sectors. Greg believes that organizations must transform to sustain themselves, integrating the values of community and the planet, with their own corporate strategies and values.

Greg retired from the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 2011, after serving as its President and CEO. During his tenure, the organization experienced unprecedented growth, expansion and maturity. Under his leadership, PMI membership nearly quadrupled to over 340,000 in 180 countries, and certified PM professionals increased from 50,000 to nearly 450,000. With offices, chapters, and members throughout the world, PMI has become a benchmark for excellence for non-profit organizations serving a global constituency.

Mr. Balestrero has believed in giving back to his professional and social communities throughout his career. He served as the 2003-2004 Board Chairman of the Greater Washington (District of Columbia, USA) Society of Association Executives (GWSAE) and an active member and former president of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE). Mr. Balestrero was a member of the Committee of 100 of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Board of Directors for ASAE’s Center for Association Leadership (CAL). Greg is also a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE); the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME); and the American Society for Quality (ASQ).

Greg has been involved in SWFL social and community affairs since arriving in 2013. Following Hurricane Irma, Greg and his wife Frances became sponsors with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) to bring critical information to community associations regarding water quality and the needs for fighting red tide and blue green algae. For 10 years, Greg and Frances were also sponsors of a special scholarship fund for survivors of pediatric brain tumors, with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Following their joint passion for theater and the arts, they are season ticket holders, and Directors Circle sponsors of The Florida Repertory Theater, and season ticket holders of the Gulf Coast Symphony.

Greg earned a bachelor&’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, and he is a U. S. Army veteran. He has been married to his wife, Frances Higgins, for nearly 45 years. His recreational interests include enjoying jazz music, playing guitar, boating, cross country motorcycling, and reading. Together, Frances and Greg enjoy adventure travel that has included trips to Antarctica, Galapagos Islands, British Virgin Islands, Mexico, and New Zealand. They especially enjoy having fun and traveling domestically with their two dogs, Jazz, and Oscar.