Midwest Construction’s Best of 2007 Awards

A Record Setter
It’s in the record books!.

by Craig Barner

The Midwest Construction’s Best of 2007 competition received 114 entries, the highest since the competition was introduced in 1998. Entries were received from each state the magazine covers: Illinois, Indiana, eastern Missouri and Wisconsin.

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As I wanted, the jury was skeptical but not hypercritical. Submissions were carefully evaluated, with the pros and cons being weighed, in judging that that fair, open and honest. In fact, it was the best jury session in my seven years of overseeing this program.

It was not easy to pick the winners because of their quality. Entries came from a broad mix of entities: public and private owners, general contractors, architects, specialty contractors and developers. Projects ranged from dramatic skyscrapers to small residential projects.

A jury of nine distinguished construction and design professionals was selected to judge the submissions and comprised the following:

• William Bast, vice president of Thornton-Tomasetti Group in Chicago.

• Mike Fabishak, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee.

• Warren Hill, chairman of Hill Mechanical Group in Franklin Park, Ill.

• Aleisha Jaeger, project manager of Opus North Corp. in Indianapolis.

• Michael Kaufman, partner of Goettsch Partners in Chicago.

• John Mick II, vice president of Bloom Consultants in Chicago.

• Ray Prokop, vice president of Wight & Co. in Darien, Ill.

• Richard Smith, principal of Loebl Schlossman & Hackl in Chicago.

• Tim Snyder, construction manager of the Trump Organization in Chicago.

Prior to judging, the jurors received the written descriptions that arrived at Midwest Construction’s office by Aug. 31. On Sept. 20, jury members donated their day and came to the magazine’s office in the Prudential Building in Chicago to discuss each project with their fellows. They also looked over late submissions.

Jury members read the project descriptions and viewed photographs taken during the entry’s various stages of construction. In weighing a project’s merit, consideration was given to the complexity and number of challenges faced, the teamwork displayed in completing the job, the aesthetic quality of the finished project and other factors that the jurors deemed fitting.

Once each juror had the opportunity to review submissions, discuss them with his or her fellows and view project images, the floor was opened for award nominations. If a juror was affiliated with a project, he or she abstained from voting. A project won if a majority of jurors found it worthy of distinction.

With these points in mind, the jury selected 34 projects in 14 categories. In some categories, project-of-the-year awards and awards of merit were given. In others, only the project of the year or only the award of merit was granted.

Brief descriptions of each winning entry are on the following pages. The winners will be honored at an awards luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers.

Craig Barner
Editor