“May I have the envelope, please?” The votes are in, the ballots have been tabulated and LCCA is pleased to announce the winners of the Member of the Year, APEX Project of the Year and Governors awards.

The LCCA Member of the Year Award has 4 classifications – General Contractor, Subcontractor, Supplier and Associate. This is truly an award selected by your peers and all members are eligible to vote in the 3 categories outside of their own classification. This year’s winners are:

LCCA General Contractor Member of the Year
Pepper Construction Co.

LCCA Subcontractor Member of the Year
Waukegan Roofing Co.

LCCA Supplier Member of the Year
Meyer Material Co.

LCCA Associate Member of the Year
NorStates Bank

The LCCA APEX Project of the Year Awards Program recognizes a project in the Lake County area (Lake County or any county touching Lake County) built by LCCA members. Entries are judged by an independent panel on:
• Quality of construction
• Design/Engineering
• Impact on the community
• Spirit of cooperation among parties
• Safety record

This year the program was expanded to include 3 separate categories – Building, Road/Excavation, and
Utility. This year’s LCCA APEX Award winners are:

LCCA APEX Project of the Year – Building
Parking & Infrastructure – Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center
Submitted by Joseph J, Henderson & Son, Inc.
Owner – NAVFAC Midwest

LCCA APEX Project of the Year – Road/Excavation
Darrell Road Improvements
Submitted by Berger Excavating Contractors, Inc.
Owner – Lake County Department of Transportation

LCCA APEX Project of the Year – Road/Excavation
Des Plaines River Water Reclamation Facilities Addition
Submitted by Concord Construction Services
Owner – Lake County Public Works

Finally, the prestigious Governors Award is selected by the LCCA President and awarded to a LCCA member for exemplary service to the association and construction industry. This year’s winner is Suzanne Zupec, Campanella & Sons.

All award presentations will be made at occur at the November 13, 2009, Annual Meeting Extravaganza (see above) at the Ivanhoe Club in Ivanhoe, IL. Congratulations to all winners and APEX project participants.

At its October 8, 2009 meeting the LCCA Board of Directors received a report from the Nominating Committee and approved the following slate of Officer and Director candidates for the 2010 Board of Directors:

Nominees for the 2010 Officers
President – Rick Grabowski, Prinmar Corporation
1st VP – Mike Ryan, HH Holmes Testing Laboratories
2nd VP – Steve Dalbec, Concord Construction Services
Treasurer – Hugh “Skip” McCann, Dam Snell & Taveirne
Secretary – Tim Penno (Ex-Officio), LCCA
Immediate Past President – Lyle Ehlers, Boller Construction

Nominees for 2010 Board of Directors
(Composed of five Officers selected above and five Directors chosen from the membership of the association)
Bruce Diederich, Waukegan Roofing
Karen Johnson, Roughneck Concrete Drilling & Sawing
Tim Staples, Camosy Construction
Steve Thelen, Thelen Sand & Gravel
Suzanne Zupec, Campanella & Sons

The election of Officers and Directors will occur at the November 13, 2009, Annual Meeting Extravaganza (see above) at the Ivanhoe Club in Ivanhoe, IL.

LCCA is seeking a full-time administrative assistant to work in the association office and provide periodic off-site meeting support. This is a new position within LCCA. The successful candidate must be proficient in Windows Office and have basic computer skills. Basic responsibilities include telephone and office reception, filing and copying. “People” skills are a must. The successful candidate must look and act professional and will interact daily with members. A competitive wage and limited benefits will be offered. Referrals from LCCA member firms are appreciated. To apply or for more information, please contact Tim Penno at the LCCA office at (847)623-2345 or email tpenno@lcca-il.org.

The College of Lake County (CLC), Lake County Partners (LCP), and the Lake County Workforce Investment Board (LCWIB) will host a small business symposium entitled “Saving Money & Resources through Green Practices.” The symposium will take place at the University Center of Lake County Building (Grayslake Campus) on Friday, November 13, 2009, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. The registration fee is just $20.

The program includes a keynote presentation by Michelle Sheldon of Eco Promotional Products, Inc. and features two panel discussions on “Going Green: Energy Audits, Rebates and Alternatives” and “Going Green: Doing Good, Saving Money, and Earning Good PR.”

Don't miss this opportunity to learn practical approaches to going green that can save your small business money and resources while also building a reputation for environmental concern that distinguishes you in the marketplace. The program will include time to network with presenters, and each attendee will receive a flash drive with resource information.

Program registration closes November 6, 2009. For more information about this event, please contact Jan Bauer of the CLC Small Business Development Center at (847) 543-2033 or email illinoissbdc@clcillinois.edu.

Don’t be afraid, only good luck will occur at the 2009 LCCA Annual Meeting Extravaganza on Friday, November 13^th! The event will again be held at the beautiful Ivanhoe Club - 28846 North Thorngate Drive in Ivanhoe, IL.

Cocktails & Hors d’oeuvres will begin at 6:00 pm. Dinner and Las Vegas style entertainment by Vito Zatto will begin at 7:00 pm. Following dinner, the Association will hold elections of its officers and directors for 2010-2011 and conduct its awards program featuring the Member of the Year Awards, the APEX Project of the Year Awards and the prestigious Governors Award. After the awards, the celebration will continue with dancing and more entertainment by Vito Zatto.

Space is still available for this event. The Extravaganza cost is $160 per person. Tables of 8 or tables of 10 may also be purchased for just $150 per person. Dinner selections include either a 6 ounce Grilled Filet Mignon or a Plantain Crusted Mahi-Mahi or a Pasta Pinwheel. Please see the enclosed reservation form to register via fax or register and pay via credit card online at www.lcca-il.org/events.

The 2010 LCCA Winter Workshop is officially a GO!!! Twenty LCCA members and friends will travel March 11-21, 2010 and tour unique and historic architectural sites in Turkey.

For a limited time, additional space may be available. The projected trip price is just $3,740 per person (based on double occupancy) not including air taxes, fuel surcharge and certain other charges. All accommodations are in first class and deluxe hotels with group airfare through Turkish Air – which is affiliated with United Airlines. The package includes 9 hotel nights, 9 breakfasts daily at hotel, 5 lunches during full day sightseeing tours, all entrance fees to program museums and historical sites, services of an English-speaking, officially licensed lecturer/guide, gratuities to guide and driver, a welcome dinner at fish restaurant on the Bosporus Sea and a farewell dinner & show in private room at the Kervansaray Night Club with a Whirling Dervishes performance.

This notice is your final opportunity to participate in this trip! For more information, please call the LCCA office at (847)623-2345 or Helen Varri of the Lake Forest Travel Bureau at (847)234-4940.

It’s coming. A season of winter snow and ice are not far away. Act now to beat the winter blahs later with LCCA’s Winter Conference. The 2010 event will again be held jointly with ASA of Chicago. Together, we will travel to the beautiful beaches and Caribbean waters of the Grand Cayman Islands. A registration form is enclosed.

Dates: January 13-17, 2010
Location: Westin Grand Casuarina
Grand Cayman Islands
Cost: LAND ONLY
$1,475 per person (double occupancy)
$1,995 per person (single)
$25 per person late registration fee
w/ $500 per person registration deposit

Air Travel/Upgrades: Air Travel, Hotel Upgrades & Travel Insurance will be made available through the LCCA/ASA travel agent.

LCAA/ASA needs to sell 14 more rooms to meet our room block commitment. Please check your calendar and consider attending this annual event.

2010 will be a bellwether year for labor negotiations. Most LCCA/MARBA agreements are set to expire May 31, 2010 and must be renegotiated. As such, MARBA’s work has already begun on 2010 labor negotiations with Bricklayers District 1, the Carpenters District Council, Cement Masons Local 11, Laborers District Council, Operators Local 150 and Technical Engineers Local 150.

Last month, Ogletree, Deakins was selected by the Negotiation Task Force & Craft Committees as legal counsel for all negotiations. The Negotiation Task Force will meet next on December 1, 2009.

Three of President Obama’s nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) were recently approved by the US Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee. The nominations of Mark G. Pearce, a Democrat and an attorney who represents unions, and Republican HELP Committee staffer Brian E. Hayes will advance for anticipated full Senate approval. However, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has placed a hold on full Senate approval of the nomination of union lawyer Craig Becker. At issue are concerns over whether the new majority Democrat NLRB will simply institute the provisions of the controversial Union Card Check Program, which has stalled as legislation.

Lake County Transportation Alliance (LCTA), Lake County Partners (LCP), and Lake Cook Transportation Management Association (TMA) are jointly sponsoring the Fall Investor Forum 2009: The Illinois Capital Bill and ARRA - Impacts on Lake County on November 17 from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the Key Lime Cove Resort in Gurnee (1700 Nations Drive). The forum will feature some excellent speakers, a full breakfast, and a great networking opportunity.

Speakers will include Jack Lavin, Chief Operating Officer for Governor Patrick Quinn's Office, as well as William Strauss, Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. In addition, Marty Buehler, Lake County Division of Transportation Director and Engineer, will let us know which Lake County road projects have been or will be funded by the federal stimulus (ARRA) and state capital legislation.

Strauss will present the audience with an economic review and outlook for the U. S. and Midwest. Lavin will speak about the impacts of the ARRA and the state's capital legislation on Lake County and the state.

The forum is free of charge to all LCCA members via its membership in LCP/LCTA, but registration is required - by November 11. For non-members, there is a $20 charge. To register, please contact Rita Lumadue at Lake County Partners and tell her your are registering as member of LCCA via phone (847)247-0137 or email rlumadue@lakecountypartners.com.

Recently, LCCA has fielded numerous inquiries regarding the Illinois Preference Act. Some local public entities are requiring contractors to attest to compliance with this law which requires all employees on a public works site to be Illinois residents during periods of high unemployment.

Parts of this law have twice been ruled unconstitutional. Further, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has deemed the remainder of the Act to be unenforceable and are NOT and will NOT enforce the law (see attached info).

These legal facts are not stopping local bureaucrats from using the Act to exclude union contractors from public works projects bidding. If you face this requirement in your bidding, please contact LCCA immediately. LCCA is attempting to build a record for legislators, so that this unconstitutional law could be repealed.

Rose Kennedy once said “If you can’t run with the big dogs, go sit on the porch.” Well, as LCCA members let’s get off the porch and set out to run with the BIG DOGS. Your Education Committee has been brainstorming for new ideas, and thoughts for seminars, lunch learning sessions, etc. AND we would love to have more input from YOU, our members, on what YOUR thoughts and needs are.

So with that said, feel free to e-mail me at timstaples@camosy.com or Tim Penno at tpenno@lcca-il.org with your ideas, thoughts, criticisms and let’s run with the big dogs, cause we ain’t sittin’ on the porch.

As for seminars, the “NO B.S. Bonding/Line of Credit” seminar last month was a tremendous success. Upcoming possible seminar topics include: diesel emissions standards, mechanics liens, electronic/computer law, and arbitration vs. litigation.

I have also found some interesting Webinars geared to the construction industry. As I get more information, I will include it in future newsletter articles. Webinars are great! You can participate in them right at your desk or in the office conference room with other employees.

A few final thoughts – while the industry as we all know it sucks in general, for contractors, suppliers, and especially labor. With some positive thoughts and endurance we will all make it through. So, if you see a friend who hasn’t worked for a while, a competitor with sales down, or someone with what I call the “bummies” – give them a handshake with a smile, a hug, and some words of encouragement. You will be surprised to see how far a small gesture of kindness goes.