Well, here it is – September already.  I hope that the summer has been a good one for you. As always the season has been an education for me.  I have always thought it was important to learn new things both professionally and personally.  While I think that I am a quick learner, some lessons come easier to me than others.  A few I need to revisit more than once.  One of those lessons is communication. 

In my March newsletter I spoke about a program we were presenting called “Strategic Collaboration”.  While the title of this seminar was pretty cerebral it was a wonderful, down to earth seminar geared to “seeing the other side”.  You know, that side that is diametrically opposite of yours.  The side that of course, only an obstinate, opinionated, bull-headed, son-of-a-gun would support!

In that newsletter I said “As we start the season we should also start with a new attitude. Strategic Collaboration is not about hype; instead it’s built on a sound foundation of supporting data.  The Harvard Business School funded a research project that discovered that companies that focused obsessively on meeting the needs of customers, employees (and I would put GC’s and subcontractors in here) and owners while developing leadership at all levels outperformed comparison companies in four critical areas:

• Revenues increase 4 times faster
• Job creation is 7 times greater
• Owner equity grows 12 times faster
• Profit performance is 750 times higher.

So, please take the time to listen.  Take time to put yourself in their place.  Have patience.  Communicate your needs - not everyone is a mind reader.

Well, work got busy, times got hot (not only the weather – but tempers too).  I forgot some of those lessons.  Those lessons would have not only made my business a better place to work at, but they would have also made me a better person in my personal life as well.  I have been guilty of being that obstinate, opinionated, bull-headed, son-of-a-gun that I complain about (of course, I would NEVER admit that to my husband). 

In October we will be offering a similar program.  I plan on attending.  I hope you will join me.  Then it can be us against “them”! 

Now is the time to get your project nominated for the LCCA APEX Award that will recognize a project in Lake County built by LCCA members. Applications were mailed last month and are due back to the LCCA Office by September 29 to be eligible to win.

Eligibility - The Project of the Year Award will be presented to a Lake County project completed within the last year. Nominees may be submitted by any LCCA member associated with the project. Any type of construction project is eligible for the award – building, road, utility, etc. – large or small – new construction or rehab.

Judging Criteria - Entries will be judged on:

• Quality of construction
• Design/Engineering
• Impact on the community
• Spirit of cooperation among parties
• Safety record

In addition to the Project of the year award, we will also be presenting General Contractor, Sub Contractor, Supplier and Associate of the Year Awards. Last year’s winners are not eligible this year and include:

General/Prime Contractor – Jos. J. Henderson & Son

Subcontractor – AirCon Refrigeration & Heating

Supplier – Burris Equipment

Associate – H.H. Holmes Testing Laboratories

Nominating forms will be in the mail late September. 

LCCA’s Political Action Committee (LCCPAC) recommended to the Board, and they approved a new Political Endorsement Policy to permit LCCA to publicly endorse candidates for local and state offices who share industry views on issues such as transportation, economic development and other issues that will improve the construction industry in Lake County.

According to PAC Chair Steve Dalbec, Jos. J. Henderson & Son, “This endorsement will not be given lightly and will not be a condition of receiving PAC support.” It will provide LCCA an opportunity to spotlight key candidates that will make a difference in Lake County.

Another beautiful day for golf greeted LCCA members again this year. The golf course staff made the event flow smoothly and the food was outstanding. Once again, Scott Nelson, H.H. Holmes Testing, did a masterful job as event Chairman and thanks to the Nelson clan for jumping in and helping with everything from sorting shoes to selling tickets.

For the second year in a row, a 59 bested the field in the annual Scramble Tournament tying last year’s Low Gross Award. Winners were:

1st Place – McClure Engineering - 59

Bill Bassler - Abbott Laboratories

John Kraucumas - Cambridge Homes

Kevin Pelli - McClure Engineering

Todd Vikre - McClure Engineering

2nd Place – McCann Industries, Inc. - 62

John Burke

Jeff Potts - Martin & Associates

Ernie Prudhomme – McCann Industries

Kevin Vignocchi - Keno & Sons

3rd Place – Keno & Sons Construction Co. - 63

Bob Fergus - Okeh Electric Co.

Bill Glickauf - - Keno & Sons Construction

Ted Maj - Keno & Sons Construction

Karen Vignocchi - Keno & Sons Construction

4th Place – Pickus Construction & Equip. - 63

Bryan Grabowski - Ocwen Financial

Nancy Grabowski

Rick Grabowski – Pickus Construction & Equip.

Bill Koeler - CCL

LCCPAC Raffle – There were three winners in this year’s LCCPAC Raffle. Bob Murphy had the winning ticket for $1,000 and Tracy Baldacinni and William Legans also won cash prizes. The LCCPAC was also richer by over $1,500!

Door Prizes – As always, Chairman Nelson found some spectacular prizes to give away. Gerry Dumalski walked away with the Home Cinema. Bryan Grabowski took home the 32” LCD Sony Bravia. Special thanks to the companies that donated door prizes from Sox tickets to family packages at Six Flags.

We had over 250 golfers participate in this year’s event and we congratulate the winners and appreciate all the golfers. We would also like to thank Countryside Golf Course for their professional attention to details that helped make this year’s event a success. If you have comments on the outing, we would love to hear from you. Call Gary at (847) 623-2345 or email gdowty@lcca-il.org.

Sponsors - Every year we owe a special thanks to the many members who sponsor the outing, helping to hold costs down for everybody who plays. This year’s sponsors were:

Hole In One Sponsor

Enterprise Fleet Service

NorStates Bank

Beer Tent Sponsors

Chicago Area Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust

West Side Tractor Sales Co.

Golf Shoe Bag Sponsors

Burris Equipment Co.

Vulcan Construction Materials, LP

“Cool Your Can” Sponsor

Waukegan Roofing Co., Inc.

Hole Sponsors

Avalon Petroleum Company

Blue Book Building & Construction

Blue Boy Portable Toilets, Inc.

Burris Equipment

Case Construction Equipment

Cecchin Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Corporate Imaging Concepts

Dam Snell & Taveirne, Ltd.

IBEW - Local 150

J.J. Henderson & Son

Lance Construction Supplies

McCann Industries, Inc.

McClure Engineering Associates, Inc.

Machinery Movers, Riggers & Machinery Erectors LU 136

Meyer Material Company

Multiple Concrete Accessories

Pasquesi Sheppard LLC

Patten Construction Products

Stuckey Construction Co., Inc.

US Cellular

Once again, the LCCA membership has stepped up to sponsor the Annual Golf Outing. The direct impact on participants is a savings of over $50 per person. So be sure and thank the following members for their participation.

Hole In One Sponsor

Enterprise Fleet Service

NorStates Bank

Beer Tent Sponsors

Chicago Area Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust

West Side Tractor Sales Co.

Golf Shoe Bag Sponsors

Burris Equipment Co.

Vulcan Construction Materials, LP

“Cool Your Can” Sponsor

Waukegan Roofing Co., Inc.

Hole Sponsors

Avalon Petroleum Company

Blue Book Building & Construction

Blue Boy Portable Toilets, Inc.

Burris Equipment

Case Construction Equipment

Cecchin Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Corporate Imaging Concepts

Dam Snell & Taveirne, Ltd.

IBEW - Local 150

J.J. Henderson & Son

Lance Construction Supplies

McCann Industries, Inc.

McClure Engineering Associates, Inc.

Machinery Movers, Riggers & Machinery Erectors LU 136

Meyer Material Company

Multiple Concrete Accessories

Pasquesi Sheppard LLC

Patten Construction Products
Road Rage, Inc.

Stuckey Construction Co., Inc.

US Cellular

The 2006 edition of LCCA’s Holiday Party is scheduled for Friday, December 1, 2006. This year we have changed venues and the party will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Mundelein.  And get ready for some southern partying as we celebrate Mardi Gras with all the trimmings. A parade, beads and, of course, some Dixieland music will highlight the event. But this is a smaller room than in the past so we expect to sell out early.

If you want to attend one of Lake County’s great parties, put your group together and block out the date. Reservation forms will be in the mail this month. For those who have never attended, this is the best entertainment value in Lake County. Great food, drink, conversation and entertainment fit for a King (and Queen)!!          

This is a great opportunity to entertain employees, clients or other special people while leaving the arrangements (and the headaches) to us! Get your tables together soon.  

The 2007 Winter Workshop to China is beginning to fill up. According to Chairman Allan Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment, we have 31 confirmed and have room for 15 more. The following have been confirmed for the trip:

Gregg & Penny Marsh, ACME Brick & Supply Co.

Dale & Maureen Berger, Berger Excavating

Bob & Susan Boller, Boller Construction Company

Dee & Jack Frost, Jack Frost Ironworks

Ben & Sandy Madey, Madey Enterprise, Inc.

Don & Charlene Manusos, Manusos General Contracting

Rick & Nancy Grabowski, Pickus Construction & Equipment

Allan & Meline Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment

Nate & Jane Pickus, Pickus Construction & Equipment

Rudy & Lynn Drost, T.J. Adams Group

John & Gay Fosberg

Larry & Eileen Frederick

Claudia Hoogasian

Roy & Nancy Holmgren

Dana & Debbie Hudson

Marshall & Diane Lowe

The Winter Workshop will depart on May 10 for Beijing and include stops at Pingyao, Xi’am, Lhasa (Tibet) and Shanghai before returning on May 25. The cost of the 16-day trip is $5,500 per person double occupancy and includes air, hotels and many meals. If you are interested in joining LCCA for this unbelievable trip, just log on to www.lcca-il.org/events and download the reservation form with all the details. Or call Gary at the LCCA Office for more information.

Dennis Malec has been appointed the new training director for IBEW Local 150. He replaces Bill Yukna who has retired. Bill has built a great program over the years and we know that Dennis will take it to the next level. Congratulation Dennis!

“I’m Okay, You’re an Idiot”

Back by popular demand, the LCCA Education Committee is pleased to announce the return of the General Contractor – Sub Contractor Strategic Collaboration seminar. Members who participated last spring were very pleased with what they learned.

“Money well spent! My whole team benefited from this course!”

 -Bruce Diederich, Waukegan Roofing

“Very informative seminar! Ted has a way of getting everyone to participate – even the quiet ones like me. The day flew by.”

 -Tim Staples, Camosy, Inc.

The need for cooperation between general and sub contractors increases with the complexity of the process. Yet, despite the complex nature of construction, the industry finds itself mired in confrontation to everyone’s detriment.

Ted Garrison, a nationally known speaker with more than 25 years of experience in construction, will be the facilitator – and you will be participating in the discussion, not just listening! Ted works extensively with AGC and ABC chapters around the country. When we approached him with this subject, he admitted no one had asked for this particular topic but “This is definitely a topic that needs to be discussed more!” This program, which was developed specially for us, is the result.

The seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the LCCA Office on Thursday, October 5, 2006. The cost is $225 per person and includes all course materials, lunch and breaks. If you learn anything at all, this cost will be recouped in a few months! Registrations will be limited and we will try to keep the participants balanced between General Contractors and Subcontractors to improve the learning experience.

On July 12, local mayors and other elected officials met to select a list of transportation improvements that will be considered at the Transportation Summit to be held on September 20 at CLC. As a result of this meeting, the Route 53 extension is back on the table.

Many projects will be considered at the summit including many on the list as a result of last year’s summit. Some familiar projects include Routes 45, 60, 83, 21, 41 and 120. Participants this year will once again be asked to prioritize projects in 4 categories:

1.  Projects ready for preliminary engineering

2.  Projects ready for design engineering

3.  Projects ready for construction, and

4.  Regional corridor projects

According to Dave Young, Lake County Transportation Alliance, the results of this summit will drive the legislative transportation agenda for the next year. Our legislative delegation is committed to support whatever is agreed to by summit participants.

Beginning July 1, diesel powered vehicles over 8,000 pounds are limited to idling for 10-minutes in any 60-minute period in the Chicagoland area and the St. Louis Metro-East regions.  Violators will be fined $50 for a first conviction and $150 for a second or subsequent conviction.  The affected areas in Chicagoland include Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry and Will Counties, Aux Sable and Goose Lake Townships in Grundy County and Oswego Township in Kendall County.

The affected areas in the St. Louis Metro-East include Madison, St. Clair and Monroe Counties.

The new law does include 16 exemptions to the idling limits as follows:

1. if the outdoor temperature is less that 32 degrees or greater than 80 degrees.
2. if the vehicle has a sleeper berth and the driver is occupying the vehicle for rest or sleep.
3. if the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is less than 8,000 pounds
4. if the vehicle is forced to remain motionless due to traffic, a traffic control device, or at the direction of law enforcement
5. if the vehicle idles while operating defrosters, heaters, air conditioners, or other equipment solely to prevent a health emergency
6. if the vehicle is used in an emergency capacity by police, fire, etc.
7. if the engine idles for maintenance, servicing, repairs, or diagnostic purposes
8. if the vehicle idles as part of a government inspection
9. when the vehicle is required to operate auxiliary equipment (such as leading, unloading, mixing, processing cargo, or controlling cargo temperature)
10. if the vehicle is an armored vehicle
11. if the vehicle is a bus it may idle 15 minutes in any 60 minutes period to maintain passenger comfort
12. if the vehicle idles due to mechanical difficulties
13. if the vehicle is used on the air side of the airport terminal to service or supply aircraft
14. if the vehicle is a bus owned by the public transit authority and is on a designated bus route
15. if the vehicle is an implement of husbandry exempt from registration
16. if the vehicle is owned by an electric utility and is operated to power necessary equipment

When the temperature is between 32 and 80 degrees, operators may not idle more than 30 minutes in any 60 minute period while waiting to weigh, load, or unload freight, unless the vehicle is in a line of vehicles that regularly and periodically moves forward.

In addition, the new idling limits do not apply to auxiliary power units and generator sets.

Associated Professionals Inc. is seeking motivated, energetic, hard working individuals for the following entry-level positions in their Elgin Office:

Field Support – On-site trouble-shooting GPS systems.

Data Prep – Build 3D models using Trimble software. CAD background preferred.

Outside Sales – Focus on generating new customer relationships and expanding sales.

For details, call Kim Markman (847) 931-0095