History
Founded in 1680, the Town of Warren Rhode Island boasts over 300 years of rich history and distinctive architecture. Among its many historical contributions are a thriving fishing industry, boat building, textiles, and once being the original home of Brown University.
However, by the turn of the 21st century, many of Warren’s iconic and historic buildings had fallen into disrepair, suffering from decades of deferred maintenance. A significant portion of these structures, some of the town’s largest and most historically important, were owned by non-profit organizations facing declining membership and lacking the resources to carry out essential maintenance and restoration efforts.
In response to this growing concern, a group of concerned residents—many of whom were homeowners of historic properties—came together in 2013 to form the Warren Rhode Island Heritage Foundation. Governed by a board of directors, the foundation’s mission is clear:
The Warren Heritage Foundation is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life in the town of Warren Rhode Island by protecting, restoring, and maintaining structures, buildings, and open spaces of historical and architectural significance.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marcia Blount
President
Marcia Blount runs a highly successful Warren business and has been an active volunteer in the town and state for decades. Marcia has served on the boards of Save the Bay, Warren Preservation Society and the George Hail Library. She is President and Chief Financial Officer of Blount Boats, Inc. a family owned shipyard founded in 1949 by her father and located on the Warren River. Marcia is a graduate of University of Wisconsin and earned an MBA from Columbia University. She owns and has restored a 1903 Queen Anne Victorian home on Washington Street in Warren.
Julie Blount
Vice President
Julie Blount is currently Vice President of Blount Boats, Inc. and manages Human Resources, Safety and Marketing. Committed to the Warren community, Julie has been a member of the Massasoit Historical Association and a founding member and Co-President of the Warren Preservation Society. She has served on the Warren Harbor Management Commission, Warren Charter Commission and the board of the Bristol Art Museum. She is currently the Council and Trustee Chairman for the Warren United Methodist Church. Julie holds a BFA degree from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She owns and has restored an 1843 Greek Revival home on Wheaton Street in the heart of Warren’s historic district.
Jerry Dauterive
Director
Jerry Dauterive is professor of economics (retired) and former dean in the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI. Prior to his appointment at Roger Williams in 2008, he held administrative and faculty appointments in the College of Business at Loyola University New Orleans. In addition to past service as chair of the Bristol Economic Development Commission, Jerry has served on the boards of the East Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Hope Trust in Bristol. He was previously a member of the New Orleans World Trade Center Board of Directors. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Texas Tech University. He lives in Bristol, RI. He currently serves on the boards of the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society and Preserve Rhode Island.
Alexander Scott
Secretary
Alexander Scott has a fascination with Warren’s history and a deep commitment to preserving its built environment. For starters he owns and has restored the historic Eddy-Cutler House c 1806 on State Street in Warren. Alexander has been a member of the Massasoit Historical Association, founding member and President of the Warren Preservation Society and Vice Chairman of the Warren Historic District Study Committee. Additionally, he leads tours of the historic district. Alexander holds a BSME from Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. Alexander served as Project Manager, Technical Director and Vice President of Engineering for General Dynamics, Gulf & Western and ITT Grinnell until his retirement.
Sally Barker
Director
Sally Barker has always loved historic buildings. She worked for Preserve Rhode Island as Site Manager of the Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum, c. 1862, for twelve years. She oversaw many restoration projects, guided tours and curated the collection of decorative objects and furnishings. She lived in and helped restore the Bristol Ferry Lighthouse, c. 1855 (the finishing touch being the replication and installation of the original lantern). Sally is an exhibiting member of the Providence Art Club. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado with a BFA in Art History and the Fine Arts. She lives in Touisset with her family and three dogs.
Gordon MacDonald
Director
Raised in Bristol and Barrington, Gordon has called Warren home since 1984. His father’s career at Pearson Yachts and a childhood spent sailing around Narragansett Bay contributed to his own maritime career interests. He worked on seismic vessels, supply boats for oil rig support, and sailed deep sea on tankers to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Later he spent ten years working as a licensed merchant marine officer on tugs and barges in New York Harbor and finished his career as a Terminal Operator at Exxon-Mobil East Providence. Gordon has restored several houses in Warren’s historic district. Now retired, Gordon is a member of Warren Preservation Society and the Warren Heritage Foundation. His love of the sea and local history coupled with his hands-on experience and practical knowledge has been an invaluable resource for our Grant Program.
Julie Fantechi
Director
Since settling in Warren in 2020, Julie has immersed herself in the history and preservation that defines this town. Discovering her own piece of history in her 1783 home, she was drawn to the vibrant community of preservationists who share her passion for architecture, history, and the meaning in our shared heritage.
Julie works in the education field, leading corporate universities in the real-estate industry, dedicated to empowering learners to build careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living.
Barbara Hail
Director Emeritus
Barbara Hail worked at Brown’s Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology for thirty-four years, the last twenty years as Deputy Director and Chief Curator. She has authored and/or edited four books on the material culture of Native America and on museology and collecting. In addition to her role as a Director of the Warren Heritage Foundation, Barbara currently serves on the Board of the Haffenreffer Museum, the Barrington Preservation Society as Chair of the Museum Committee, and the Adirondack Garden Club as Chair of Archives and History. She is president of the Brown/Pembroke alumni class of 1952. She is the widow of Edward G. Hail, great grandson of George Hail for whom the George Hail Free Library was named. Barbara studied History and Anthropology at Brown University and Cornell University (BA, MA). She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her Junior year. She continued her study of American History at Columbia University on a Danforth Fellowship for Women in 1966-67.