Kent Hicks

Owner & General Contractor; Certified Passive House Consultant

Kent Hicks came to Western Massachusetts from the Oklahoma Panhandle in 1980 to study with acclaimed British furniture-maker, David Powell.  After mastering the art of fine furniture making, he began building and renovating residential and commercial properties with the same commitment to craftsmanship.  Today, his portfolio includes hundreds of beautiful, energy efficient new and renovated homes, as well as authentic historic restorations.

Kent’s commitment to mitigating climate change and passion to learn the best practices in building science have made him an innovative leader in the construction of high-performance buildings.  From the Energy Crafted houses of the 1990’s to today’s Deep Energy Retrofits and Zero Net Energy buildings, Kent has garnered decades of technical expertise and a thorough understanding of emerging challenges, such as moisture management, superior indoor air quality, material toxicity and life cycle assessment of product and process.

Kent’s search for the most responsible way to build led him to Passivhaus design, a standard that combines rigorous energy efficiency specifications with comfort and precision engineering quality.

Lynn Hicks

CO-OWNER

Lynn is co-owner of Kent Hicks Construction and assists with human resources, public relations and management decisions. Lynn is passionate about  reducing individual carbon footprints. She is grateful to be living on the East Branch of the healthy Westfield River.

Denise Keay

BUSINESS MANAGER

Denise has 30 years of experience as a business manager/comptroller. In recent years, she has found her niche working at smaller companies that display integrity and a strong positive direction, and we are glad she did. Denise brings extensive knowledge of bookkeeping and many other talents to our expanding business. She and her husband recently purchased a second home in Florida where they plan to spend the winter months playing golf and sipping drinks by the water.

Véronique Bryant

BOOKKEEPER

Véronique has 29 years of experience as an administrative and executive assistant in the Netherlands and the US. When she is not at Kent Hicks’ office keeping the books, she works with her clients on social media and graphic design, and enjoys working with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Véronique is also a mosaic artist and dabbles in figurative drawing and watercolor painting. Her passion is traveling and languages.

Sarah Bartholomew

OFFICE MANAGER, MARKETING

Sarah comes to the company as a recent New York City transplant. She has extensive project and office management experience that is enriched by being a licensed Expressive Arts therapist and a former art installer at the de Young Museum in San Francisco.

Ben Norrichs

PROJECT MANAGER

Ben grew up in California and moved to Massachusetts in 2006 to attend graduate school. He is a former neuroscientist, a father of two, and a carpenter with a passion for building.  As a project manager, Ben is committed to maximizing the sustainability, comfort, beauty, and quality in everything he does.

Ben Bowman

PROJECT MANAGER

Ben finds purpose and joy in working for a more just and sustainable world. Pursuing these passions, he has lived and worked at a Catholic Worker house in St. Louis, managed an internship program and permaculture project in coastal Ecuador, and studied sustainable construction at the Endeavour Centre in Ontario, Canada. He looks forward to a time when it will be normal for buildings to sequester more carbon than they emit.

Adam Chartier

PROJECT ASSISTANT

Adam grew up in Portland, Maine. His interest in green building started with a single design class at his local community college in 2015, and moved to Massachusetts in 2018 and enrolled in the construction technology program at UMass Amherst. When he graduates, he aspires to design and build buildings to the highest performance standards.

Emma Cafiero

INTERN

Emma is an incoming senior at UMass Amherst, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a minor in Building Construction Technology. She has taken a variety of sustainability classes that have lead her to develop a passion for PassiveHaus, achieving net-zero energy standards, and Green Design. She plans to attend graduate school with a focus in Sustainable Design and Regional Planning.

Tim Ballard

JOB FOREMAN

After many years as an independent contractor, Tim joined KHCC to be part of a team committed to climate action within the building industry. As a builder, the challenge of balancing structural needs, carbon smart principles and aesthetic virtue provide the opportunities for collaboration in which he thrives. Tim is quick to laugh, slow to speak, and approaches building with an equal sense of industry and artistry.

Ryan Hutchinson

CARPENTER

While Ryan has been involved in the building process from frame to finish, his expertise is in finish carpentry and kitchen work. Ryan is glad to be part of a team that is committed to lowering the carbon footprint and providing energy-efficient homes. He is particularly interested in using reclaimed materials for finish work—bringing old and new together.

Tom Coughlin

WOODWORKER/CARPENTER

Tom has been building fine furniture for 25 years— and acoustic guitars for 15 years. His interests extend to post and beam structures and modest but interesting housing. As a member of the Kent Hicks Construction team, Tom enjoys the process of combining historical design details with an efficient house that is comfortable for its occupants.

Ben Leedy

CARPENTER

Ben gained the base of his carpentry experience in the Boston area after receiving a master’s in architecture from Wentworth. He enjoys the collaboration, problem solving and creativity that goes into building a beautiful, high-performance house.  Outside of building/making things he enjoys biking, basketball and staying active.

Chris Arbour

CARPENTER

Chris got his start in carpentry working for a custom framing company out of the Berkshires of Massachusetts. This also cultivated his interest of furniture making and woodworking which he does with his spare time when he’s not hiking, playing music, or reading. He wishes to work towards a future that preserves the natural world. Progress with sustainability is attainable.

Glenn Leonard

WOODWORKER/CARPENTER 

Glenn’s woodworking career spans 43 years and all aspects of the building trade, including 30 years as a business owner. He feels compelled to do the best work he can, which always keeps him interested and learning from others. He now wishes to convey his passion and accumulated knowledge to the next generation.

Eddie Janis

Angela Robins

LABORER

Angela Robins is a woodworker and educator, rooted in traditional Scandinavian and Japanese woodworking traditions. She has taught skin on frame boat building, as well as bowl turning and woodcarving. She is excited to develop her carpentry skills at a company that values energy efficient homes and high quality work.