AIC's 53rd Annual Meeting

Héctor J. Berdecía-Hernández (He/Him) is a heritage conservator specializing in immovable cultural heritage with a strong track record of leadership in the arts and culture sector. Héctor is the founding Director-General / CEO of the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR), where he is responsible for driving the overall strategy and growth of the institution, ensuring its mission aligns with evolving trends and challenges. He leads the development of key initiatives, special conservation and preservation projects, research initiatives, oversees operations, and manages high-level partnerships, while fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Hector is also an adjunct professor of preservation technology and materials conservation in the Graduate Program in Architectural Conservation and Rehabilitation at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. My career includes extensive experience working on heritage conservation and research projects in both the public and private sectors in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico.

He holds an M.S. in Historic Preservation with a concentration in Architectural Materials Conservation from the University of Pennsylvania, along with a B.EnvD. in Environmental Design-Architecture and a double major in History of the Americas from the University of Puerto Rico. I have also studied Conservation Science Courses within Georgetown University and the Universitá degli Studi de Firenze.

His research focuses on the conservation of historic buildings and sites, with an emphasis on vernacular and 20th-century modern construction, traditional building materials and technologies, and their conservation, preventive conservation of collections, as well as issues related to public policy in heritage preservation and sustainable development.

Hector is an active member of several leading professional organizations, including the International Institute for Conservation (IIC), the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), where he serves as Chair of the Architecture Specialty Group (ASG), the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Additionally, he serves at the Association for Preservation Technology International (APTi) and has been elected to the College of Young Practitioners of the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism.