News Category: Press Releases

We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Mark Skender, former CEO of Skender Construction. He passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on April 18, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer.

A lifelong Chicagoan, Mark was born on December 3, 1963. He graduated from Carl Sandburg High School, earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Mark served as CEO of Skender from 2014 to 2020 and Executive Vice President from 1989 to 2014. He was more than a leader – Mark was a visionary who helped shape the future of our company into one of Chicago’s most forward-thinking and community-focused construction firms.

During his tenure, Mark championed lean construction practices, embraced new technologies and fostered a culture of transparency and teamwork. He was co-founder of the Lean Construction Institute’s Chicago Community of Practice and an adjunct professor at Northwestern University.

Those who worked with him knew his steady leadership, generous spirit and unwavering belief in the powers of innovation and collaboration. His influence lives on in the buildings he helped bring to life and in the people and teams he inspired every day.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s wife, Roxanne, and his children, Elena and Daniel, and to the Skender family, his many friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Skender, a leading general contractor, has been named a finalist for multiple industry awards. These recognitions highlight Skender’s excellence in construction management, quality, safety, ethics, team strength and collaboration.

37^th Annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards (Ceremony on April 23, 2025)

// General Contractor of the Year
// Community Impact Project of the Year – Fifth City Commons
// Special Achievement of the Year – Nourish Project / Greater Chicago Food Depository

REJournals Awards – Indiana (Ceremony on May 15, 2025)

// General Contractor of the Year

REJournals Awards – Illinois (Ceremony on June 5, 2025)

// Interior General Contractor of the Year
// Multifamily Project of the Year – The Leo
// Affordable Housing Project of the Year – Fifth City Commons
// Champion of Diversity – Lisa Latronico

Skender has been recognized by the Great Lakes Construction Association (GLCA) with the Safety Achievement Award for the third year in a row and the fifth time since 2016. This prestigious award honors outstanding safety performance in 2024 for firms exceeding 500,000+ hours worked.

At Skender, safety is a fundamental part of our lean, people-first approach to project delivery. Our certified safety team develops comprehensive, job-specific safety plans, integrating weekly site inspections, predictive analysis, proactive reporting and seamless coordination with all stakeholders to ensure the highest safety standards.

“Our teams don’t just follow safety procedures–they take ownership of them,” said Dan Torres, Safety Director for Skender. “By fostering a culture where everyone–from trade partners to field staff to corporate office–is empowered to prioritize safety and quality, we create productive jobsites where people can do their best work and return home safely every day.”

This latest honor marks Skender’s ninth industry-recognized safety award since 2013.  A key indicator of safety performance is the experience modification rate (EMR), which assesses past injuries and future risk. Skender’s EMR stands at 50% better than the national industry average, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in construction safety.

Skender, a leading general contractor with offices in Chicago and Indianapolis, has been named a finalist for the 2025 General Contractor of the Year Award by both the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards and the Indiana Subcontractors Association (ISA). These recognitions highlight Skender’s excellence in construction project management, quality, ethics, field staff strength, safety and trade partner collaboration.

In Chicago, Skender has a strong history of recognition at the Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards, having previously won Interior Contractor of the Year in 2024, 2022, 2018, 2016, and 2015. This year, two Skender projects are also being honored: Fifth City Commons is a finalist in Community Impact Project of the Year, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Nourish Project is being recognized for Special Achievement of the Year.

In Indianapolis, Skender’s growth has been rapid since it entered the market in 2020, and for the second consecutive year, ISA has named Skender a finalist for its highest honor, GC of the Year. Last year, Skender was also a finalist for Indiana GC of the Year in the Midwest Real Estate News Awards and winner of a project-of-the-year award by the ISA. Skender’s expansion in Indianapolis has been driven by a 400% increase in project volume from 2022 to 2024, prompting the company to relocate to a larger office. The firm’s focus on long-term relationship building and its diverse portfolio of projects continues to fuel its success.

Read more about Skender’s growth in the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Skender, a full-service construction firm, today announced the hiring of Andrew Lehrer as Project Executive in its growing Mission Critical group. A distinguished engineering leader with more than 20 years of experience in critical and resilient infrastructure, Lehrer brings deep expertise in high-performance, always-on facilities, advanced laboratory environments, critical operations hubs, high-rise mixed-use and corporate headquarters projects.

Lehrer joins Skender following noteworthy leadership roles at Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD) and Cannon Design, where he led large, diverse teams of engineers and oversaw complex, large-scale projects across the life sciences, high-tech, and mission-critical sectors. He created ESD’s life sciences business unit – leading the design of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and technology engineering for a series of complex, infrastructure-heavy, resilient assets.

A licensed professional engineer in Illinois and California, Lehrer has designed and implemented cutting-edge solutions for some of the industry’s most demanding environments. His expertise in liquid cooling infrastructure—essential for AI-centric data centers—positions Skender as a leader in next-generation digital facilities.

Lehrer has worked closely with Skender for more than two decades. His deep relationships within the team and shared approach to collaborative problem-solving made joining Skender a natural next step.

“Skender’s approach to mission-critical projects aligns perfectly with my own philosophy—prioritizing collaboration, risk mitigation, and speed to market while balancing performance with cost efficiency,” Lehrer said. “I couldn’t pass up the chance to help build a new and innovative team in this market.”

“Andrew brings the engineer’s mindset with a high level of focus on risk mitigation, along with a deep respect for cost and speed of everything,” said Andy Halik, Senior Vice President, Skender. “His unique perspective can help Skender clients achieve tangible benefits through the preconstruction and construction process.”

Lehrer is an advisor, mentor, and industry thought leader, serving as a Washington University in St. Louis MEMS advisory board member, ASHRAE member, and former executive board member of ACE Mentor Chicago. His client portfolio also includes work with the Obama Presidential Center, Chicago Public Schools, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Skender veteran with more than two decades on the firm’s executive leadership team will lead the firm’s strategic growth initiatives.

Skender, a privately held, leadership-owned building construction firm, today announced the promotion of Jerry Ball from Chief Operating Officer to President and Chief Executive Officer. Ball replaces former CEO Justin Brown.

Since joining Skender in 2003 as Chief Financial Officer, Ball has been a key member of the company’s executive leadership team, directing financial, operational, administrative and strategic initiatives. Most recently, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer. In his new role as President and CEO, he will be focused on strengthening Skender’s industry-leading client service and project experience, innovating to improve overall outcomes, and enabling more value-added, cross-market collaborations.

“As 2025 begins, Skender’s business momentum has never been stronger,” said Ball. “We’ll continue our enthusiasm for shaping our Chicago and Indianapolis skylines and communities, consistently outperforming the market while executing on high-profile projects. Most importantly, we’ll leverage our award-winning workplace culture and Lean approach to exceed our clients’ expectations at every turn, in every market sector.”

Ball graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago and served in the United States Army.

Skender’s leadership team also includes:

// Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer, 24 years with Skender
// Stacy Laughlin, Chief Financial Officer, 13 years with Skender
// Afshan Barshan, SVP and leader of the firm’s multifamily sector, 20 years with Skender
// Alex Panici, VP and leader of the firm’s high-rise commercial and residential sector, 9 years with Skender
// Andy Halik, SVP and co-leader of the firm’s interior construction sector, 13 years with Skender
// Brian Bukowski, SVP and co-leader of the firm’s interior construction sector, 18 years with Skender
// Brian Kane, VP and leader of the firm’s healthcare and science sector, 17 years with Skender
// Brian Simons, SVP and leader of the firm’s Indianapolis office, 18 years with Skender
// Clay Edwards, SVP and leader of the firm’s self-perform sector, 19 years with Skender
// Dan Marijan, SVP and leader of the firm’s field teams, 19 years with Skender
// Dan Ulbricht, VP and leader of strategic accounts, 8 years with Skender
// Jamie Nieves, VP and leader of strategic accounts, 3 years with Skender
// Todd Andrlik, SVP and leader of marketing, 8 years with Skender

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, has announced six key leadership promotions as part of its strategy to drive growth, innovation and operational excellence in the New Year. These promotions highlight Skender’s commitment to nurturing talent and delivering exceptional client service.

The promotions include:

Nelson Frech, Senior Project Manager, Team Leader. Since joining Skender’s Indianapolis team in 2022, Nelson Frech has stood out across a range of responsibilities, from business development and estimating to field support and project management. His commitment to mentoring new employees and fostering team unity has been a standout. Nelson’s problem-solving skills, along with his proactive leadership, have driven success on projects such as IU Health, Jane Pauley Community Health Center, IU School of Nursing, and Ivy Tech Kokomo. In 2024, he was also recognized as one of the Indianapolis Business Journal’s “20 in their Twenties.”

Mike Muehring, Senior Project Manager, Team Leader. A Skender team member since 2016, Mike Muehring brings 20 years of construction industry expertise to his new role. His recent projects include interior work for Salesforce Chicago and office renovations for Greenberg Traurig, RWE and Ice Miller. Mike’s leadership, mentoring capabilities, and calm demeanor have helped foster trust among his colleagues. Respected by clients and collaborators, his dedication to excellence and support for team growth are what make him truly stand out.

Will Hansen, Senior Superintendent. A member of the Skender team since 2017, Will Hansen has consistently demonstrated the ability to elevate team morale and execute complex projects. Known for his solution-oriented mindset and mentorship, Will has earned respect across the industry from clients, subcontractors and colleagues. His contributions to high-profile projects like Invenergy, Chubb, Equity LifeStyle, LinkedIn, and Bank of America are examples of his sharp eye for detail and proactive problem-solving.

Jake Lawniczak, Senior Project Manager. Since joining Skender in 2022, Jake Lawniczak has built a reputation for promoting collaboration and maintaining strong client relationships. A mentor to junior staff, Jake’s proactive communication and problem-solving skills have helped many projects run smoothly. His portfolio includes work on the 333 W Wacker repositioning and projects for Echo and Drive Capital.

Tom Walsh, Senior Project Manager. A Skender veteran since 2012, Tom Walsh’s promotion reflects his ability to combine technical expertise with a collaborative, mentorship-driven approach. His leadership has strengthened team and client relationships, and his dedication to growth has earned him respect throughout the company. Recent projects under his guidance include Ace Hardware HQ, Littelfuse, Skadden and Bank of America.

Stephanie Salazar, Senior Project Accountant. Since joining Skender in 2016, Stephanie Salazar has demonstrated outstanding leadership, accountability and calm problem-solving skills, especially on complex jobs. With her collaborative spirit, level-headed approach, and dedication to excellence, she has earned the trust of clients and colleagues alike.

“We are thrilled to kick off 2025 with the promotion of these six exceptional leaders,” said Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender. “Each of these individuals embodies our core values of being a true partner, refreshing and proactive. I’m excited to see how they continue to contribute to Skender’s success in their new roles.”

Skender, a leading construction firm dedicated to serving communities through charitable giving and social action, donated over $400,000 and volunteered countless hours in 2024 to a variety of foundations, organizations and civic programs.

Philanthropic giving is nothing new to Skender, which over the last 15 years has donated nearly $10 million to hundreds of non-profit organizations. In 2024, Skender contributed to more than 70 charities, including the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Cancer Society, Art for Life Chicago, the American Heart Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Over the Rainbow, Camp Out for Kids, and Habitat for Humanity.

“Skender continues to build a legacy of integrity within the communities it serves,” said Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender. “Fostering positive change and impact is a key pillar of our culture. As a builder, we understand our impact on the environment and our communities, and feel a responsibility to raise up our people and our business by forging relationships and making charitable contributions that drive progress.”

Skender’s 2024 philanthropic highlights include:

ACE Mentor Scholarship: In partnership with ACE Mentor Chicago, a non-profit focused on introducing high school students to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction, Skender awarded two scholarships to students in 2024.

Almost Home Kids: Every year, Skender employees work with Almost Home Kids to buy wish-list gifts and spread holiday joy to families and children facing medical complexities.

Chicago Veteran Winter Stand Down: In honor of Veterans Day, Skender’s DEI committee organized an employee volunteer day to help serve meals and distribute clothing to local veterans experiencing hardship and homelessness.

Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program: Skender believes in fostering relationships with non-profits and schools that provide apprenticeship opportunities to their students, especially in cases when this helps to lessen the financial burden for students who could not otherwise afford a college prep experience. In 2024, Skender was proud to offer two students from Cristo Rey High School in Pilsen employment.

Genesys Works: For the seventh consecutive year, Skender partnered with the non-profit Genesys Works to provide pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities. Currently, Skender has one student going through the program and is providing college tuition assistance and employment for two graduates of the program.

Habitat for Humanity: In service to Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Women Build’ program, Skender raised a record-breaking $75,000 in 2024 for the global non-profit housing organization. Additionally, Skender hosted a large Women Build fundraiser event and Skender team members joined the Habitat for Humanity build-day event to build homes for families in need of housing.

Knockout Cancer: Skender’s Tony Scott entered the boxing ring to support the Reaumond Foundation and help raise money for pancreatic cancer patients, families and research. Skender was also the presenting sponsor of the event.

Revolution Workshop: To raise awareness about job opportunities in commercial and multi-unit residential construction, Skender hosted a series of Revolution Workshops at several jobsites, which allowed participants to shadow workers and see how specific jobs function. Additionally, Skender regularly participates in interview days for Revolution Workshop cohorts to prepare them for real-life interviews upon graduation. As part of its DEI goals, Skender annually sponsors a graduate from Revolution Workship, a Chicago trade school or other non-profit organization for membership in the Carpenters, Laborers, or Painters union. This year, Skender is sponsoring a Revolution graduate who joined the Carpenters Union.

Superheat: Featuring Skender’s Dan Ulbricht on guitar and Courtney Boatwright on vocals, the charity band Superheat has a rich history of performing at fundraising events. The band has helped raise millions of dollars for charitable causes and organizations, including Music Will, Memory Rock for the Alzheimer’s Association, City of Hope, Gilda’s Club and Habitat for Humanity.

Women in Construction: Skender is dedicated to creating opportunities for employment, growth and advancement for women in the construction industry. Through the leadership of Chief People Officer Lisa Latronico, who was recently named a 2024 Globe St. Woman of Influence in the Diversity Champion category, Skender increased its share of women in the workforce to 18.33% in 2024.

Exploding demand in healthcare, education and municipal sectors—coupled with successful relationship building—has led to the builder’s rapid Indiana growth and office move.

Significant growth across key industry sectors and all project sizes is driving Skender’s presence in Indiana. Skender can now claim more than 5 million square feet of completed and active construction experience across the state. Project volume jumped by 400% from 2022 to 2024, with projects spanning the healthcare, municipal, office and education sectors.

Skender, a Chicago-based provider of full-service, turnkey construction solutions, combines homegrown Hoosier-state knowledge with the resources and capabilities of a national top-100 builder, allowing it to get more involved in supporting developers and owners with dynamic services.

“After committing to serving our clients with the utmost passion, commitment and value-driven offerings, we’re seeing how those values and decisions help build positive, long-lasting relationships,” said Brian Simons, senior vice president and head of location operations at Skender. About 90% of Skender’s awarded projects in Indiana have come from repeat clients or referrals, and office revenue has doubled every year since opening. “We’re proud to have earned the trust of so many clients, and look forward to being their valued partner long into the future.”

Skender first established an office in Indianapolis in 2020 when Indiana University Health (IU Health), one of the country’s largest healthcare institutions, brought Skender in to assist with significant expansion and upgrades to IU Health facilities around central Indiana.

“It has been an exciting journey since we established that first office back in 2020,” said Simons. “We opened our Indianapolis doors with a total of just four employees in the office and four years later we are excited to announce our expansion and relocation seven miles north to Westfield. This move will more than triple our leased space, better accommodate our now 16-person local team and allow for additional hiring over the next 12 months.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Skender to Westfield! Their decision to relocate here is a testament to our business climate and we are excited about the opportunities this will bring for our workforce as they continue to expand,” said City of Westfield Mayor Scott Willis.

Skender has completed corporate buildouts for office tenants including Baker Tilly, Nike and Kainos as well as healthcare buildouts for Jane Pauley Community Health and Midwest Eye Institute. Skender has also completed many high-profile medical projects on behalf of IU Health including the construction of IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center, IU Health Capitol View medical office building, IU Health North PEM Suite, and the renovation of IU Health West Hospital’s outpatient clinic and expansion of its infusion clinic. IU Health projects currently underway include:

\\ IU Health South Support Building New Construction. Skender, along with Garmong Construction, is underway on a 1,100,000-square-foot support building and parking garage, serving as the central hub of the new IU Health AHC campus. Project completion is slated for December 2025.

\\ IU Health North Renovations. Skender is underway on multiple equipment replacement and renovation projects within an active IU Health hospital.

\\ IU Health Riley Greyhound Renovations. Skender is renovating medical offices that will expand IU Health Riley services in Carmel and Westfield upon completion in November.

In addition to its work with IU Health, Skender has worked on several local municipal and education projects that have made noticeable differences in the community, including:

\\ Hamilton County Health Department Upgrades. In September, Skender completed significant mechanical infrastructure upgrades at the Health Department, which included a completed system upgrade with associated electrical and controls, all while maintaining County operations at the building.

\\ Hamilton County Jail Addition. A ground-up addition to the existing jail, which included the addition of new chillers, boilers, water systems, pumps and air handling units. All upgrades required multiple phases and intricate sequencing to allow municipal operations to continue without disruption.

\\ Hamilton County Courthouse and Judicial Center Renovation and Expansion. A four-floor interior renovation, modernization and expansion.

\\ Hamilton County Historic Courthouse Exterior Upgrades. A complete façade upgrade project.

\\ Indiana University School of Nursing Renovation. A 35,000-square-foot occupied renovation of an existing building was completed in July 2024.

In 2024, Skender was proud to be named a finalist for two Indiana General Contractor of the Year awards — one by REJournals and the other by the Indiana Subcontractors Association. Skender won the Indiana Subcontractors Association award for Project of the Year in the $10-million-and-under category.

Photos:

\\ IU Health Capitol View – Skender worked on the new IU Health Capitol View, a 250,000-square-foot  medical office building with a 310,000-square-foot parking structure.

\\ IU Health South Support Building – Skender, along with Garmong Construction, is underway on a 1,100,000-square-foot support building and parking garage, serving as the central hub of the new IU Health AHC campus. Project completion is slated for December 2025.

\\ Hamilton County Historic Courthouse – Skender recently completed a complete façade upgrade project.

\\ Hamilton County Government and Judicial Center – Skender recently completed a four-floor interior renovation, modernization and expansion.

Company recognized for exceptional workplace culture by Crain’s Chicago Business for the eighth time.

Skender, a leading general contractor and construction company, is proud to announce its 30th “Best Place to Work” award, this time from Crain’s Chicago Business. Of the 100 finalists in this year’s Crain’s competition, Skender ranked 9th among companies with more than 150 employees and 29th overall. This recognition marks Skender’s eighth workplace award from Crain’s, cementing its reputation as a top employer in the Chicagoland area.

Since 2008, Skender has been recognized by three distinguished organizations for its dedication to fostering a dynamic and supportive work culture. Each of these awards is based on comprehensive workplace evaluations and, most importantly, direct input from employees, reflecting Skender’s commitment to cultivating an environment where people feel valued, engaged, and empowered.

“Our 30th ‘Best Place to Work’ award is a testament to the incredible culture and values-driven team we’ve built over the years,” said Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender. “The recognition from Crain’s, in particular, speaks volumes about our ability to continuously evolve, creating a place where people genuinely enjoy working, collaborating, and growing.”

The latest award from Crain’s Chicago Business celebrates Skender’s inclusive, forward-thinking approach to workplace culture. The company’s dedication to professional development, employee well-being, and collaborative team spirit have been central to its long-term success.

For more information on Skender’s award-winning workplace culture and career opportunities, please visit Skender Careers.

Nelson Frech, Senior Project Manager at Skender, has been named to the 2024 class of “20 in their Twenties” by the Indianapolis Business Journal. The award recognizes young professionals who have demonstrated significant professional achievements, leadership, growth and positive community impact.

Born and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Nelson’s educational journey led him to Purdue University, where he earned degrees in construction engineering and political science, followed by an MBA and JD from Indiana University.

Since joining Skender’s Indianapolis office in 2022, Nelson has played a pivotal role in leading project teams to maximize client value and deliver the premier construction experience.

Nelson’s professional background is rooted in building public projects for the education, municipal, and healthcare industries, including the construction of over 2 million square feet of educational facilities across Central Indiana. His professional career is distinguished by his dedication to creating opportunities for minority-owned businesses and fostering diversity within the construction industry. Nelson offers mentorship to minority-owned businesses in Central Indiana, is an active member of Skender’s DEI Committee, and participates in the Indy Chamber Peer Advisors Program.

Beyond his professional contributions, Nelson is enthusiastic about generating momentum across education initiatives. He serves on the board of directors and the governance committee for Adelante Schools, an innovation partner of Indianapolis Public Schools. Nelson has been a guest lecturer at Purdue University and a volunteer with the ACE Mentor Program, where he shares his expertise with the next generation of construction professionals.

Skender, a full-service construction firm, today announced the hiring of experienced business growth executive and strategic account leader Matthew Nemshick as Director of Data Center Accounts. In this new role, Nemshick will assist in expanding Skender’s footprint in mission-critical construction, which comprises essential, always-on facilities such as data centers and other high-tech infrastructure.

Nemshick joins Skender with 17 years of experience in the construction industry. He previously worked in business growth roles at Clune Construction Company, DW Hammer and Kelso-Burnett. He currently serves as Board Ambassador and Past President of the veteran support charity SALUTE, Inc.

“I am grateful to join the talented team at Skender, a firm I have long admired and respected for its integrity, innovation and sustainability,” Nemshick said. “Building a data center or mission-critical facility is a substantial investment and requires meticulous coordination, collaboration and execution. Few builders can provide such a premier, turnkey construction experience as Skender, and it’s exciting to be on board for the growth of this offering.”

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, today announced five senior workforce promotions to support a culture of operational excellence, provide its team with opportunities to grow in their careers, and enable the firm to continue delivering the premier construction service to clients and partners in both Indiana and Illinois.

“It is a delight to work alongside such humble, hungry and smart people every day,” said Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender. “No one at Skender is afraid to roll up their sleeves to get the job done, and it’s incredibly gratifying to see the results of their efforts in our completed projects, our long-standing client relationships, and our incredible company culture. Congrats all around!”

Senior promotions are as follows:

Jack Bauschelt, promoted to Senior Project Manager. Since joining Skender in 2017, Bauschelt has continually exemplified natural leadership qualities, delivering outstanding work and earning the respect of both clients and colleagues alike. Jack’s proactive approach to problem-solving and his relentless pursuit of excellence have been instrumental in the successful completion of numerous projects.

Jen Haub, promoted to Controller. Since joining the Skender team in 2022, Jen has made an indelible impact on Skender’s accounting operations. With more than two decades of accounting experience under her belt, Haub brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. Her remarkable proficiency has been instrumental in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of Skender’s financial statements, a responsibility she has shouldered with remarkable skill and precision.

Al McReynolds, promoted to Senior Superintendent, Team Leader. Al has been an integral member of the Skender team since 2015, showing exceptional dedication not only to his projects, but also to his teammates, providing them with guidance and support at every turn. Skender clients love working with Al, noting his professionalism and the genuine care he shows in every interaction. His ability to build strong, positive relationships is unmatched.

Tony Scott, promoted to Senior Project Manager, Team Leader. Tony joined the Skender team in 2015, and has been a cornerstone of strength, efficiency and enthusiasm on his team ever since. His remarkable organizational skills and ability to tackle challenges head-on have not only led to his personal success, but have also positively impacted his team’s performance. Tony has a natural talent for mentoring people, guiding them to excel in their roles, and helping them grow.

Caleb Streitmatter, promoted to Senior Superintendent. Caleb began his Skender career in 2016 and has consistently showcased his skills and leadership by overseeing all field operations for the firm’s Indianapolis office. Caleb has not only demonstrated a deep understanding of the intricacies of his role but has also displayed a genuine commitment to the growth and success of the Indianapolis team. His dedication to excellence and his unwavering work ethic have earned him the admiration and respect of his colleagues.

Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender, has been named a 2024 “Woman of Influence” by GlobeSt in the Diversity Champion category. The prestigious annual award competition recognizes women leaders for their remarkable achievements and personal impact on the broader professional community.

As the long-time head of Skender’s People & Culture team, Lisa spearheads the cultivation and presentation of an award-winning company culture characterized by a profound sense of community, respect and dedication to core values. With a team of eight, she leads initiatives that foster a vibrant, inclusive workplace for Skender’s 320-strong workforce, emphasizing continuous improvement and learning to support the company’s dynamic growth.

Lisa is a driven advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Under her watch, Skender has significantly diversified its representation in the company. Currently, women make up 50% of Skender’s C-suite, 30% of its leadership team and 17% of its total workforce. Lisa has built her passion for creating a positive and supportive work environment for underrepresented communities into Skender’s recruiting efforts, spearheading key partnerships with nonprofits to place individuals from diverse backgrounds into roles across the company.

Under Lisa’s leadership, Skender has earned 30 “best place to work” awards from three different awarding organizations. In 2020, she was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of Chicagoland’s “Notable Leaders in HR” for her impact on the local business community.

GlobeSt.com, an ALM publication, is a leading source of news, analysis and intelligence for the commercial real estate community.

REjournals has named Skender a finalist for its 2024 Indiana General Contractor of the Year. The honor, which recognizes outstanding construction operations and achievements in the Hoosier state, follows another recent award for Skender’s Indianapolis office.

In March 2024, Skender won the Indiana Subcontractors Association award for Project of the Year in the category of construction projects under $10 million. Skender was also a finalist for General Contractor of the Year at that ceremony.

Skender began working in Indiana in 2020 with a focus on building relationships and providing outstanding service and value. Project volume in the firm’s Indianapolis office jumped by 300% from 2022 to 2023, and 90% of its work last year came from repeat clients or referrals.

REjournals Indiana award winners will be announced on May 16.

Skender won the Indiana Subcontractors Association award for Project of the Year in the category of construction projects under $10 million at a ceremony in Indianapolis yesterday.

The award recognized Skender’s office buildout for the technology company Kainos in the Salesforce Tower in Indianapolis.

In addition to winning the Project of the Year award, Skender was also a finalist for General Contractor of the Year.

Skender began working in Indiana in 2020 with a focus on building relationships and providing outstanding service and value. Project volume in the firm’s Indianapolis office jumped by 300% from 2022 to 2023, and 90% of its work last year came from repeat clients or referrals.

The Great Lakes Construction Association (GLCA) awarded Skender the Safety Achievement Award for the second consecutive year, and the fourth time since 2016. The award recognizes outstanding safety achievements during 2023 in the category of 500,000+ worked.

Skender’s blended approach of safety, production and quality is part of its lean, human-centric project delivery. Our certified safety team develops comprehensive, job-specific safety plans, which consist of weekly project inspections, meticulous planning, predictive analysis, reporting systems and diligent coordination and communication with all stakeholders.

“Safety on our jobsites is paramount to our teams at Skender,” said Dan Torres, Safety Director for Skender. “From our trade partners to our field staff, we empower our people to focus on what matters: Producing quality work, keeping themselves and their teams safe, and getting home to their loved ones.”

With this honor, Skender has earned eight construction industry safety awards since 2013. Another measure of safety in the construction industry is the experience modification rate (EMR), which the National Council of Compensation Insurance uses to calculate the past cost of injuries and future chance of risk. Skender’s EMR is 43 percent better than the national industry average.

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, today announced six promotions among its leadership team to support the firm’s strategic goals for growth, innovation and continued operational excellence in the new year.

The promotions are as follows:

Courtney Boatwright, promoted to Creative Director, from Senior Creative Manager. Since joining Skender in 2011, Courtney has steadily embodied Skender’s core values through her internal interactions and her external deliverables alike. Her branding and design talents have long influenced and guided Skender’s marketing initiatives, and her deep impact to the brand’s bottom line has been felt companywide. In her new role as Creative Director, she will be responsible for overseeing all creative production aspects of Skender’s brand, marketing campaigns and initiatives.

Kate Calenberg, promoted to Director of Learning & Development, from Talent Development Manager. Kate joined the Skender team in 2004 and, after a decade in project management, jumped into learning and development, carefully cultivating the new hire onboarding process. Always willing to go the extra mile to mentor employees and carve out time to help collaborate and resolve issues, Kate is extremely process-oriented and works diligently to help other employees embrace those fundamentals. In her new role, she will be responsible for the effective development, direction and presentation of training and development programs for all operational employees.

Patrick Sullivan, promoted to Director of Field Operations, from Senior Superintendent, Team Leader. Since joining Skender in 2015, Patrick has been an invaluable resource in managing field activities and operations for crucial client projects, including recent large-scale buildouts for Salesforce Chicago and Bank of America. His keen insights and communication skills make him an asset in ensuring the fast and safe completion of various projects, and he is adept at executing key construction and administrative activities to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget. In his new role, he will help oversee field operations, guiding projects and teams to safe, timely, on-budget completions.

Brian Bukowski, promoted to Senior Vice President, from Vice President. Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. Since 2021, Brian has co-led the Interiors group, focusing on driving financial success, efficient operations, and the team’s vision. Across a wide variety of client experiences in Illinois, and nationally, Brian’s focus is always client satisfaction and continuous improvement. As Senior Vice President, Brian will continue to provide strategic and operational leadership to Skender’s award-winning Interiors group.

Andy Halik, promoted to Senior Vice President, from Vice President. Andy joined Skender in 2011 and has over 18 years of experience in the construction industry. He has a knack for promoting collaboration and partnership among his colleagues, and his keen business sense and ability to nurture client relationships is truly unmatched. Alongside Brian Bukowski, Andy co-leads the Interiors group, focusing on market strategy, client service and motivating the team toward continued growth. As Senior Vice President, Andy will continue to co-lead the award-winning Interiors group with strategic vision and a commitment to growing relationships.

Brian Simons, promoted to Senior Vice President, from Vice President. Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He has steadily advanced his career in operations through his personalized approach to client service and his aptitude for fostering collaboration and cohesion among his teams and colleagues. Since 2020, Brian has led Skender’s Indianapolis office, which was recently expanded and has more than doubled its workforce to support a host of new projects in the Hoosier state. As Senior Vice President, Brian will continue to lead Skender’s Indianapolis construction operations with a focus on delivering the best value for clients.

“We are delighted to kick off the new year with the promotion of these six incredible Skender leaders,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO at Skender. “Each of these talented individuals embody Skender’s deep commitment to client service, community building, operational excellence and high performance and I am excited to see what 2024 brings as they settle into their new roles.”

Skender, a leading building contractor focused on crafting social change through positive impact, continued its legacy of giving in 2023 through a wide variety of charitable donations, volunteer work and civic participation.

Since 2010, Skender has donated more than $8 million to hundreds of charities. In 2023, the firm contributed more than $400,000 to 70+ non-profit organizations, including Northwestern Medicine, IU Health Foundation, American Heart Association, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Over the Rainbow, American Cancer Society, Lurie Children’s Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Steppenwolf Theatre, Easterseals, Epilepsy Foundation, Team Bright Side and Gilda’s Club Chicago.

“Skender has long been centered around four key pillars of social responsibility,” said Lisa Latronico, Chief People Officer at Skender. “Those values include taking responsibility for our employees, our communities, our business and clients, and the environment. Our history has been shaped by our dedication to progressive philanthropy, and it gives me great pride to see the impact of the volunteer work and charitable donations our organization has made in 2023.”

Skender’s 2023 philanthropic highlights include:

ACE Mentor Scholarship: In partnership with ACE Mentor Chicago, a non-profit focused on introducing high school students to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction, Skender awarded its annual $10,000 college scholarship to Ashton Mitchell, a senior at Penn State University who is studying architectural engineering. The scholarship supports the next generation of rising industry professionals, and all ACE Mentor Program alumni are eligible.

Almost Home Kids: Traditions are a meaningful part of the culture at Skender, and each year employees work with Almost Home Kids to buy wish-list gifts and spread holiday joy to families and children dealing with medical complexities.

ASPIRE Monument: In August 2023, Skender unveiled ASPIRE, a new community monument located at 6701 S Wentworth Avenue in Chicago’s historic Englewood neighborhood. This remarkable installation, standing 25 feet tall and crafted by local art activist Maxwell Emcays, commemorates the legacy of the site, formerly home to Kennedy-King College. The artwork celebrates those who foster the academic aspirations of local students and the promise of the area’s future generations to achieve their highest potential.

City of Hope: Skender’s own charity band, the Square Feets (featuring Dan Ulbricht and Courtney Boatwright from Skender, plus other industry friends), once again jammed out at the House of Blues for City of Hope’s 2023 Reach Social benefiting cancer care and research. The event attracted 800 people and raised $228,000.

Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT): Skender continues to provide support to CWIT by participating in their mock interview event for women who are seeking opportunities in the trades. Skender also donated personal protective equipment for the CWIT shop classes.

Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study Program: Skender believes in fostering relationships with non-profits and schools that provide apprenticeship opportunities to their students, especially in cases when this helps to lessen the financial burden for students who could not otherwise afford a college prep experience. In 2023, Skender was proud to offer two students from Cristo Rey High School in Pilsen apprenticeships in the Workplace Culture and Accounting departments.

Feed My Starving Children: Skender employees attended an event with Feed My Starving Children, which helped to pack 100,000 meals to be distributed around the world.

Genesys Works: For the sixth consecutive year, Skender partnered with the nonprofit Genesys Works to provide pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities.

Greater Chicago Food Depository: Skender hosted two events at the Greater Chicago Food Depository in 2023: An all-company volunteer event and a meal packing day where employees packed enough pasta to provide nearly 10,000 meals for people all across Chicagoland.

Habitat for Humanity: In service to Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, Skender raised nearly $50,000 in 2023 for the global nonprofit housing organization. Additionally, Skender hosted a large Women Build fundraiser event with a performance from the Square Feets and joined three Habitat for Humanity build day events in Chicago and Indianapolis, in which Skender team members volunteered to build homes for families in need of housing.

Joseph E. Gary Elementary School (PK-8) Career and College Days: Skender employees participated in separate College and Career Days at Gary Elementary School, providing insight about construction-related college programs, work experiences and career paths for junior high students. Skender helped students learn about all aspects of the construction business – project management, safety, technology, finance, culture, and marketing.

Memory Rock for Alzheimer’s Association: In another incredible performance, the Square Feets participated in the Memory Rock for Alzheimer’s Association event, helping to raise more than $100,000 for Alzheimer’s research.

Music Will: The Square Feets helped raise over $140,000 while performing at the Music Will Benefit Chicago to support music education in Chicago Public Schools.

Revolution Workshop: To raise awareness about job opportunities in commercial and multi-unit residential construction, Skender hosted a series of Revolution Workshops at multiple jobsites, which allowed participants to shadow workers and see how specific jobs function. As a result, Skender was able to hire a graduate from the Revolution Workshop program, who is currently in a pre-apprenticeship program with the Carpenter’s Union. Additionally, Skender regularly participates in interview days for Revolution Workshop cohorts to prepare them for real-life interviews upon graduation. As part of its DEI goals, Skender annually will sponsor a graduate from RW, a Chicago trade school or other non-profit organization for membership in the Carpenter’s, Laborer’s, or Painter’s union.

The Special Olympics: In February, Skender participated in an annual chair hockey tournament benefiting the Special Olympics.

Women in Construction: Skender is dedicated to providing opportunities for employment, growth and advancement to women in the construction industry. Through the efforts of Chief People Officer Lisa Latronico and Skender’s People & Culture team, women make up 50% of the company’s C-suite and 26% of its leadership team. In the Skender workforce at large, there are 17% female and 35% minority employees.

Skender has been named one of the “Best Places to Work” by Crain’s Chicago Business for the sixth consecutive year. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 4 in the large companies category and No. 13 overall.

Each year Crain’s and an independent research firm determine the best places to work through a comprehensive evaluation and employee assessment of experiences and perspectives. Workplace policies, practices, demographics, benefits and culture are part of the evaluation.

With a focus on collaboration, high-performing teams and process efficiency, this is the seventh time in a decade that Skender has earned the prestigious Crain’s recognition; and makes 29 best-place-to-work awards (by three unique organizations) since 2008.

Collaboration is central to Skender’s character: from our commitment to building meaningful client relationships to our valued trade partnerships to our belief that every voice in our company has value. The result is a truly refreshing project experience for our clients, our partners and our employees.

Skender, alongside Chicago real estate development firm Sterling Bay, and design firm Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), today unveiled ASPIRE, a new community monument located in Chicago’s historic Englewood neighborhood at 6701 S Wentworth Avenue. This remarkable installation, standing 25 feet tall and crafted by local art activist Maxwell Emcays, commemorates the legacy of the site, formerly home to Kennedy-King College. The artwork celebrates those who foster the academic aspirations of local students, and the promise of its future generations to achieve their highest potential.

Commissioned by Sterling Bay with construction and architectural design support from Skender and LJC, ASPIRE stands as a symbol of hope, inspiration, and achievement, capturing the indomitable spirit of all Englewood students who dream big. Environmental Systems Design (ESD) provided electrical and structural engineering support.

“ASPIRE was curated to celebrate the virtuosity of Englewood’s scholars and to highlight the transformative impact that education has on shaping brilliant futures,” said Keiana Barrett, Chief Diversity & Engagement Officer at Sterling Bay and longtime Englewood resident.

“With this monument, and the community-forward development plans we will soon announce for this site, we hope to strengthen the legacy of enterprise and collective growth in Englewood, while providing inspiration and inclusion to its residents for years to come.”

For over 18 months, the three firms and Emcays conducted several in-person meetings with neighborhood stakeholders to solicit feedback on various themes to inspire the artwork. Over the course of these discussions, it was agreed that capturing the spirit of achievement and ambition to foster pride and unity amongst local youth would be a meaningful message to memorialize. “My passion and hope for Englewood inspired the creation of this piece,” said Emcays. “It is a visual reference for the limitless potential of the community.”

Emcays was introduced to Sterling Bay by Andre and Francis Guichard, owners of the renowned Gallery Guichard in Bronzeville. “The Englewood monument by Maxwell Emcays is a powerful symbol that unites the community and inspires individuals to embrace shared values, cultural diversity, and a sense of historical continuity,” said Andre and Francis Guichard. “It can serve as a catalyst for positive change, fostering unity, understanding, and personal growth among community members and visitors alike.”

The base of the installation features an embedded time capsule, which houses artifacts chosen by Englewood community organizations, illustrating the character of the neighborhood. “The 6th Ward is the ward of innovation, equity, and advocacy,” said Alderman William E. Hall. “This statue is a reminder of where we came from, and a beacon of hope for the future.”

The collaboration between Sterling Bay, Skender, LJC, and Maxwell Emcays exemplifies the power of corporate-community partnerships in supporting local arts and culture. “Englewood’s schools and its dedicated teachers have educated incredibly talented students over many generations, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless young people born and raised in this neighborhood,” said Alex Panici, Vice President at Skender. “We hope that by memorializing the achievements of students of the past, future generations are reminded of what’s possible with the power of education.”

Lamar Johnson, Founder & Executive Chairman of LJC, adds, “This memorial expresses the vitality, energy, and aspirations of the Englewood community. We are incredibly proud to be a part of this creative team and see this memorial shine day and night.”

Skender recently awarded its annual $10,000 college scholarship to Ashton Mitchell, a senior at Penn State University, studying architectural engineering.

In 2022, Skender launched its scholarship program in partnership with ACE Mentor Chicago, a non-profit focused on introducing high school students to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction. The scholarship supports the next generation of rising industry professionals, and all ACE Mentor Program alumni are eligible.

Skender’s inaugural scholarship recipient was Alondra Santos, then a rising senior at the University of Illinois Chicago majoring in civil engineering. After graduating, Santos joined Skender’s healthcare construction team as a project engineer.

More information about the scholarship is available at https://acementorchicago.org/

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, today announced multiple C-suite and senior workforce promotions. This evolution in the firm’s leadership was strategically planned to support Skender’s premier construction services, nurture its existing culture of operational excellence, and provide its team of top talent with a wide range of opportunities to advance in their careers.

Promotions are as follows:

Lisa Latronico, promoted to Chief People Officer, from VP of People and Culture. Lisa joined Skender in 2001 and has overseen the HR function since 2006. An advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, under her watch Skender has boosted its representation of women in the company to 25%, well above the industry average of 11%. Under Lisa’s leadership, Skender has earned 29 “best place to work” awards from three different awarding organizations. In 2020, she was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of Chicagoland’s “Notable Leaders in HR,” an annual list that recognizes HR leaders who have made a significant impact within the local business community. In her new role as Chief People Officer, Lisa will be focused on maintaining the company’s award-winning culture, introducing learning programs that align with company growth, and finding and hiring the industry’s top talent.

Stacy Laughlin, promoted to Chief Financial Officer, from Controller. Stacy joined Skender in 2012. Over the last 11 years, she has built a cohesive finance and accounting team, helped to introduce and integrate forward-looking financial technology such as Procore and Power BI, enhanced the budgeting process and advanced the company’s financing capabilities. In her role as Chief Financial Officer, Stacy will be responsible for overseeing the financial and technology teams and providing strategic leadership to establish long-range goals, strategies, plans and policies, while also managing the preparation of financial statements, audits and tax reports.

Jerry Ball, promoted to Chief Operating Officer, from Chief Financial Officer. Since joining Skender in 2003, Jerry has been a key member of the company’s executive leadership team, directing financial, risk management, administrative and operational initiatives. In his new role as Chief Operating Officer, Jerry will be focused on cultivating a people-first, “one-Skender” mindset, providing employees with training, mentorship and coaching, building client relationships, enabling cross-market synergies and providing everyone in the company with the tools and resources for optimal performance.

Clint Siebert, promoted to Director of Technology, from IT Manager. In his eight years at Skender, Clint has taken the company almost entirely into the cloud while at the same time growing and mentoring a team of IT professionals. His deep understanding of the needs of the business and how technology can help position Skender as a solutions-driven firm has enabled the company to stay in front of security matters, create a scalable infrastructure, and provide innovative connectivity and access to all Skender jobsites and offices. In his new role as Director of Technology, Clint will manage and direct the company’s IT and construction technology operations, ensuring the department continues to provide efficient and effective technical support service across all verticals and corporate teams.

Ryan Cotter, promoted to Preconstruction Executive, from Senior Preconstruction Manager. Since joining the firm in 2016, Ryan has proven himself to be a true collaborator with Skender’s developers, architects, engineers, consultants and trade partners, and has helped to create a comprehensive vision for the firm’s preconstruction services. In his new role as Preconstruction Executive, Ryan will be further expanding the preconstruction team and enhancing the firm’s estimating and preconstruction services, as well as leading client relations to strategize the estimating of projects company wide.

“Skender’s excellence as a company is due to the unparalleled talent and dedication of the people who work here,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO at Skender. “These strategic updates not only reward the hard work of these five individuals, but they also open up exciting new opportunities for the broader Skender team and enable our corporate departments to continue working in sync to deliver the premier construction experience our clients have come to expect. I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to them all!”

For the second consecutive year, Skender was named the General Contractor of the Year (Office) at the Illinois Commercial Real Estate Awards, hosted by REjournals. Skender’s workforce diversity, industry expertise, and achievements in new construction and interiors during the previous calendar year were recognized.

Skender’s 2022 accomplishments include:

>> Completing the substantial renovation of 3500 Lacey in Downers Grove, IL
>> Starting Phase II of Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Nourish Project
>> Giving back with volunteering and charitable contributions to education, health and affordable housing
>> Completing Torrence Place, a three-story, mixed-use affordable housing and health clinic development in Lansing, IL
>> Completing the award-winning 345 N Morgan, a new hospitality-infused office and retail development by Sterling Bay
>> Completing the 133,000-SF redevelopment of a 93-year-old historic property in Maywood
>> Breaking ground on 741 N Wells (The Leo), a 201,000-SF multifamily rental and retail tower in River North
>> Completing the award-winning lab and workspace for Hazel Technologies in Fulton Market
>> Breaking ground on a 250,000-SF medical office building in downtown Indianapolis
>> Completing Milwaukee Tool’s Chicago office in the historic Old Post Office
>> Completing Vista Property’s 609 W Randolph office building in West Loop
>> Completing the new workspaces for Equity LifeStyle, CCC Intelligent Solutions and Sloan
>> Completing Mustacchi Manor, a three-story, 16-unit supportive living apartment community in Matteson, IL

In addition to back-to-back General Contractor of the Year (Office) honors, Skender won Science Project of the Year for Hazel Technologies.

Skender recently won the Safety Achievement Award from the Great Lakes Construction Association (GLCA). The award recognizes outstanding safety achievements during 2022 in the category of 500,000+ hours worked. This is the third time Skender has earned GLCA’s top safety award since 2016 and totals seven construction safety awards won since 2013.

Skender’s blended approach of safety, production and quality is part of its Lean, human-centric project delivery. Our certified safety team develops comprehensive, job-specific safety plans, which consist of weekly project inspections, meticulous planning, predictive analysis, reporting systems and diligent coordination and communication with all stakeholders. Another measure of safety in the construction industry is the experience modification rate (EMR), which the National Council of Compensation Insurance uses to calculate the past cost of injuries and future chance of risk. Skender’s EMR is 43 percent better than the national industry average.

Skender today announced the appointment of four new shareholders along with five executive and project management promotions. Skender is a privately held, leadership-owned building construction firm dedicated to providing employees with ample opportunity for advancement and success in their careers.

The new Skender shareholders are as follows:

Brian Kane, also promoted to Vice President, from Project Executive. Brian Kane joined Skender in 2008 as a Project Engineer and has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. As Vice President, Brian will continue to lead Skender’s specialized healthcare and life sciences construction teams on various hospital, outpatient and laboratory projects. He has completed numerous projects on behalf of Northwestern Medicine, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Loyola Medicine, NorthShore and others. Brian earned a degree in engineering from the University of Illinois.

Alex Panici, also promoted to Vice President, from Project Executive. Alex joined Skender in 2016 as Project Manager and has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. As Vice President, Alex will continue to lead new construction office, hotel and high-rise residential project teams. He recently led ground-up construction projects in the Chicago CBD including 345 N. Morgan, an 11-story office building in Fulton Market and 609 W Randolph, a 15-story office project in the West Loop. His team is currently leading construction at 741 N Wells, a 21-story mixed-use residential building in River North. Alex earned a degree in construction management from Illinois State University.

Dan Stefka, Field Operations Manager. Dan Stefka has more than 35 years of construction-related experience. He joined Skender in 2013 as a job site foreman. As Field Operations Manager, Dan is responsible for scheduling workforce, equipment and logistics and ensuring overall safety of the site.

Dan Torres, CHST, STS-C, Safety Director. Dan Torres has 20 years of construction experience, including 14 years as a commercial union carpenter and 15 years as safety professional. Dan is a certified fall protection inspector, first-aid CPR trainer and OSHA outreach trainer and holds multiple certifications from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

The four new shareholders join existing shareholders Justin Brown, Jerry Ball, Dan Marijan, Afshan Barshan, Clay Edwards, Lisa Latronico, Brian Simons, Brian Bukowski, Joe Pecoraro, Tim Rogers, Andy Halik, Todd Andrlik, Dan Ulbricht, Ashlee Pforr, John Estes, Pete Conlin, Patrick Sullivan, Luke DeTolve, Brian Ribordy, Jeff Krause, and Stacy Laughlin. All shareholders were appointed based on their outstanding leadership, client service, work ethic, loyalty, ability to be team players and devotion to Skender’s core values.

Additional Skender promotions are as follows:

Lauren Bauer, promoted to Senior Project Manager, from Project Manager. Lauren joined Skender in 2019 as a Project Manager and has over a decade of experience in the construction industry. Lauren’s role as Senior Project Manager involves preconstruction, job-start planning and management of commercial ground-up projects in the City of Chicago. Her team recently completed construction of 609 W Randolph in the West Loop. She is currently managing construction at 741 N Wells, a 21-story mixed-use residential building in River North. Lauren earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Taylor Betthauser, promoted to Project Manager, from Project Engineer. Taylor joined Skender in 2018 and has five years of experience in the construction industry. In her new position as Project Manager, Taylor is responsible for managing the day-to-day details of construction projects including scheduling, change orders, invoicing and progress reports. She has helped deliver numerous healthcare construction projects for Northwestern Medicine and Lurie Children’s Hospital. She has also worked on tenant interiors projects such as LinkedIn and Brookfield Properties. Taylor earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Ben Miltzow, promoted to Director of Self-Perform, Carpentry, from Manager. Ben joined Skender in 2019 and has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry. In his role, Ben oversees Skender’s in-house carpentry capabilities, working with Skender project teams and clients to effectively schedule and estimate carpentry services while managing projects, coordinating trades and ensuring the highest levels of quality.

“I am grateful for the hard work each of these individuals have put in over this past year to meet the complex and evolving needs of our clients and our business, especially given the unprecedented nature of our current industry environment,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO, Skender. “Our team at Skender is truly top tier and it’s been incredibly gratifying to watch these smart and talented people develop into powerful and effective leaders.”

Skender, a building contractor with a long history of giving back to the community, continued its philanthropic legacy in 2022 by supporting dozens of non-profit organizations through volunteering, charitable giving and civic participation.

“Doing good and giving back matters deeply to our team,” said Justin Brown, President & CEO at Skender. “We are driven to make real change through our ongoing community-building and philanthropic initiatives, and it’s incredibly gratifying to see the positive impact that our contributions can have on those in need.”

Recognizing its responsibility to the world and striving to build a legacy of integrity, Skender focuses its philanthropic efforts on four pillars of social responsibility: People, communities, business and clients, and the environment. Skender concentrates much of its charitable giving on supporting education, health and affordable housing initiatives. Since 2010, Skender has donated nearly $8 million to 300-plus nonprofit organizations.

Skender’s 2022 philanthropic highlights include:

Habitat for Humanity: As part of Habitat for Humanity Chicago’s Women Build program, Skender raised more than $30,000 for the global nonprofit housing organization. Skender team members volunteered at multiple Habitat for Humanity build days throughout the Chicagoland area, helping to build homes for families in need of affordable housing. In 2022, Skender’s Ashlee Pforr was named to Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Directors.

ACE Mentor Chicago: In 2022, Skender launched a scholarship program in partnership with ACE Mentor Chicago, a non-profit focused on introducing high school students to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction. The $10,000 scholarship supports the next generation of rising industry professionals. Skender’s inaugural scholarship recipient was Alondra Santos, a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago who is majoring in civil engineering. In addition to the scholarship, Skender’s Brian Bukowski served on ACE’s Fundraising Host Committee.

City of Hope: Skender’s Dan Ulbricht and his band, the Square Feets, performed at the 25^th Anniversary REACH Social to raise money for the treatment of cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Dan, a guitarist and vocalist, started performing at charitable fundraisers 20 years ago, and since then has helped bring the industry together to raise millions for City of Hope, Alzheimer’s Association, Music Will, Federation of Women Contractors, and many more.

National Alliance on Mental Illinois (NAMI) Chicago: After five hours of competitive bracket play, Skender won Bisnow’s 3×3 charity basketball tournament, resulting in $35,000 in winnings going to the NAMI’s Chicago Office, one of the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organizations dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Genesys Works: For the fifth consecutive year, Skender partnered with nonprofit Genesys Works to provide pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities.

Almost Home Kids: Traditions are a meaningful part of the culture at Skender and each year our employees—er, elves—work with Almost Home Kids to buy wish-list gifts and spread holiday joy to families and children dealing with medical complexities.

Skender is shaped by progressive philanthropy, a focus on people and vibrant community-building initiatives. Our history of compassion includes charitable contributions to these 300-plus organizations.

 

After five hours of competitive bracket play, Skender earned the top spot at Bisnow’s first annual Tournament of Champions 3-on-3 charity basketball competition. Skender’s team went undefeated with $35,000 in winnings going to the team’s chosen charity, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago. Ticket proceeds were donated to C.H.A.M.P.S. Male Mentoring Program. The tournament was played on the penthouse basketball court at 167 Green Street in Fulton Market.

Today, Skender announced management promotions for six rising leaders at the Chicago-based commercial construction firm. Skender would like to congratulate the following on their recent promotions:

Marty Barrett, Senior Project Manager. Marty joined Skender in 2017 and has 12 years of experience in the construction industry. Marty has worked on over 2.5 million square feet of projects throughout his career, including some of Chicago’s most notable healthcare and commercial projects. He earned a degree in civil engineering from Marquette University.

Tony Scott, Senior Project Manager. Tony joined Skender in 2015 and has nine years of experience managing day-to-day activity of interior construction projects throughout Chicagoland. Tony has been involved in more than 1 million square feet of projects. He earned a degree in building construction technology from Purdue University.

Kelly Allen, Project Manager. Kelly joined Skender in 2020 and has seven years of experience in the construction industry. An integral part of her project teams, Kelly is currently dedicated to a high-profile, 485,000-square-foot interior construction project in Chicago. She earned a degree in civil and environmental engineering from Villanova University.

Jack Bauschelt, Project Manager. Jack joined Skender in 2017 and has eight years of experience in the construction industry. Recently, Jack has been a key part of Skender’s Indianapolis team, working closely on projects for Indiana University Health, such as the new regional academic health center in Bloomington and the Capitol View medical office building in downtown Indianapolis. He earned a degree in business administration and management from Purdue University.

Zuli Cortes, Project Manager. Zuli joined Skender in 2019 and has 11 years of interior construction experience. Most recently, Zuli was part of the teams that delivered a 32,000-square-foot renovation for a Chicago-based law firm, and new amenity space at 225 W Wacker. He earned a degree in construction engineering and management from Marquette University.

Colleen O’Brien, People & Culture Manager. Colleen joined Skender in 2013 and has advanced through several project- and people-oriented roles. She is instrumental in many Skender programs such as internships, talent acquisition, process automation, Lean Coffee, and high-performing teams training. She earned degrees in communications and psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago.

“These are collaborative and hardworking leaders who guide our high-performing teams to deliver quality and value-driven projects for our clients,” said Lisa Latronico, Vice President of People & Culture, Skender. “We congratulate Marty, Tony, Kelly, Jack, Zuli and Colleen for their exceptional work as we strive to deliver the premier construction experience.”

We proudly introduce our first-ever ACE+Skender scholarship recipient, Alondra. She is a rising senior at the University of Illinois Chicago, majoring in civil engineering and helping pave the way for more women seeking careers in architecture, construction and engineering.

Skender partnered with ACE Mentor Chicago to offer an annual $10,000 scholarship to support the next generation of rising industry professionals and align with our ongoing efforts to attract more women to construction. Three cheers for Alondra!

Skender, one of the nation’s top building contractors, announced the hiring of three industry veterans to support its continued growth: Eric Fiket, Jen Haub and Andy Reinhard. Skender welcomes them in the following roles: 

Eric Fiket, Senior Project Manager. Eric brings 16 years of industry experience and joins Skender from Linn-Mathes, following roles at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Eckenhoff Saunders Architects and FitzGerald Associates Architects. As senior project manager, he is responsible for planning and delivering new construction projects with Skender’s commercial projects team. Eric earned a degree in architectural studies from the University of Illinois Chicago.

Jen Haub, Assistant Controller. Jen brings 20 years of accounting experience and joins Skender from Pepper Construction, following roles at Ragnar Benson Construction and RSM McGladrey. In this role, she works with Skender’s finance and accounting team to maintain records, prepare financial reports, and ensure accuracy across accounts and projects. Jen earned a master’s degree in accounting from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from North Central College.

Andy Reinhard, Senior Estimator. Andy brings 17 years of industry experience and previously held estimating roles at Shawmut Design and Construction, and Leopardo Companies. As senior estimator on the commercial team, he guides new construction projects through the planning, design and execution phases, supporting project budgeting, bidding, scheduling, constructability, logistics and value analysis. Andy earned a degree in civil engineering and construction management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Our firm has been growing significantly over the past few months with exciting opportunities and projects across all markets,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO, Skender. “We’re excited to welcome Andy, Jen and Eric to team Skender as we remain laser-focused on providing an unrivaled building experience from preconstruction through construction and delivery.”

Today, Skender announced executive and senior management promotions for three rising leaders at the Chicago-based commercial construction firm. Skender would like to congratulate the following on their recent promotions:

Jeff Reist, Project Executive. Jeff joined Skender in 2015 and has 16 years of experience in the construction industry, including multifamily, adaptive reuse, historic restoration, hospitality and other commercial projects. Jeff has demonstrated a remarkable ability to foster a team-building environment, as he consistently coaches others to achieve their highest potential. He is a great adopter of Lean practices, a steadfast and tactical project manager, and he is continuously focused on team and overall company improvement.

Lauren Torres, Project Executive. Lauren joined Skender in 2013 and has 13 years in the construction industry, including some of Chicago’s most notable corporate interiors projects. Lauren has epitomized a strong and balanced work ethic as she has steadily built meaningful relationships both internally and externally. She has grown as a leader through mentorship and continues to pay it forward by mentoring her teammates and demonstrating an intrinsic drive to help others succeed.

Jacob Boyle, Senior Project Manager. Jacob joined Skender in 2016 and has 12 years of experience in the construction industry, including corporate interiors, healthcare, mission critical and life sciences projects. Jacob’s forward-thinking, out-of-the-box approach to project management has been a refreshing and vital addition to the Skender team. Jacob demonstrates his ability to persevere through adversity, eagerly and effortlessly taking on every opportunity.

“The leaders at Skender are ushering our teams forward into a new year of delivering high-quality, value-driven projects for our clients across the Midwest,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO, Skender. “We congratulate Jeff, Lauren and Jacob, who exemplify the kind of collaborative, hardworking leadership we strive for that provides clients a premier building experience.”

Skender is pleased to announce the expansion of its Indiana presence and the hiring of Jamie Nieves, a seasoned economic and business development professional and Indiana native. As vice president of business relationships, Nieves will work with Brian Simons, vice president, who heads Skender’s Indianapolis office and oversees construction teams. Skender began work in Indiana in early 2020 and has been involved in the construction of significant healthcare, retail and office projects totaling over 1 million square feet throughout the state.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jamie to team Skender. Her experience creating partnerships in both the private and public sector to benefit communities in the region, as well as her robust background in civil engineering and infrastructure, will be incredibly valuable as we expand our work in Indiana,” said Simons, who graduated from Purdue in 2003.

About Jamie Nieves

Nieves joins Skender from Indianapolis-based DBE/MBE engineering consulting firm Shrewsberry & Associates, where she was director of business development. Prior to moving back to her home state of Indiana, Nieves was business development manager at engineering firm ECS Southeast in North Carolina and held senior economic development roles at the Kentucky Association for Economic Development and Northern Kentucky Tri-ED. As a leader in business retention and expansion, she has secured more than $86M in capital investment for Midwest communities and hundreds of jobs throughout the communities she has served.

Nieves holds bachelor’s degrees in marketing and finance from Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and she began her career in the architecture, construction and engineering industry with Gibraltar Design in Indianapolis.

“I was drawn by Skender’s focus on long-term relationship-building and creative, collaborative problem-solving,” said Nieves. “I am looking forward to building on both my personal Indiana roots, as well as the high-quality work Skender has already completed with its partners here. Through our work, we can benefit communities throughout Indiana.”

Skender’s Work in Indiana

Skender is a leading national construction firm with strong Midwestern roots and award-winning new construction and renovation projects in healthcare, lab sciences, office, multifamily, mixed-use and other building types. In Indiana, Skender has completed or is in process on multiple projects including:

IU Health Bloomington Hospital
Bloomington, Indiana

Skender partnered with F.A. Wilhelm to build the new IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center on the campus of Indiana University. The state-of-the-art complex, which opened in December 2021, includes 620,000 square feet for in-patient and out-patient clinical services, and 115,000 square feet for academic instruction.

IU Health Capital Projects
Indianapolis, Indiana

Skender has been engaged in the planning and construction of capital and infrastructure projects with IU Health, and the team anticipates construction to commence in 2022.

Allen Crossings
Fort Wayne, Indiana

In partnership with Echo Development, Skender will begin construction on a multi-unit, 11-acre retail development near the Parkview Hospital campus in northwest Fort Wayne in spring 2022.

Aspire Indiana Health Clinic
Indianapolis, Indiana

Skender has commenced the demolition and renovation of an existing clinical space to create a new full-service clinic for the nonprofit healthcare provider to serve the northeast side of Indianapolis.

Skender and Sterling Bay hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at 345 N Morgan this morning with 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett, Deputy Mayor Samir Mayekar and project architect Eckenhoff Saunders Architects. This groundbreaking marks the start of construction on the 200,000-square-foot boutique office and retail building located in Fulton Market.

“Sterling Bay began pre-development on 345 N Morgan many months before COVID-19 was on anyone’s radar. In fact, we were ready to begin digging at the site in early March 2020, just days before everything – including this particular project – came to a swift halt,” said Andy Gloor, CEO, Sterling Bay. “Today, after navigating over a year’s worth of pandemic-related challenges, we are proud to break ground on this state-of-the-art development that will build on Fulton Market’s reputation as a premier destination to collaborate and do business in Chicago.”

Acquired by Sterling Bay in 2014, 345 N Morgan is a speculative development that will offer future tenants open, customizable floor plates for maximum flexibility and collaboration in an unbeatable location. Designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, the space features sleek, modern finishes, soaring ceilings, arched windows, and welded metal accents, drawing on the neighborhood’s industrial past. Amenities include private outdoor terraces, a 5K-square-foot roof deck with sweeping views, a conservatory bar & lounge with a double-sided fireplace, a full-service fitness center, a coworking library and several high-tech conference spaces to meet the needs of today’s virtual world.

In addition to offering tenants a completely customizable workplace experience, 345 N Morgan will also complete construction in just 13 months, significantly faster than comparable developments of a similar size, allowing future tenants to move into their new office space as early as September 2022.

“Skender is proud to be a part of the team that will bring 345 N Morgan to completion on an accelerated timeline. COVID-19 has caused countless development delays and disruptions across Chicago, but this project will deliver in just over a year – that’s a significant accomplishment even by pre-pandemic standards,” said Justin Brown, President & CEO, Skender. “We understand the high level of integration that this project demands and are committed to executing the seamless, collaborative and efficient process for which Skender is known.”

As part of its commitment to expand opportunities for minority-owned firms, Skender has formed a joint venture partnership and JLL Construction, a local certified minority-owned business, in the development of this project. JLL Construction is headquartered on the west side of Chicago and, like Skender, has an extensive portfolio of projects in the Fulton Market area. As development progresses, 345 N Morgan will meet the city’s standards for M/WBE engagement at the 26/6 participation level.

Skender would like to congratulate the following executives and senior managers on their recent promotions:

Alex Panici, Project Executive. Since joining Skender in 2016, Alex has built exceptional client relationships, displayed tremendous leadership in the commercial construction market and is extremely tuned in to his project teams and their needs. Alex continuously sees challenges given to him and the team as opportunities instead of obstacles. He graciously values feedback and views constructive criticism as a chance for continuous improvement, all components for high-quality Skender leaders.

Brian Kane, Project Executive. Since joining Skender in 2008, Brian has constantly sought ways to improve himself, his team, and Skender as a whole. He consistently promotes a culture of learning and continuous improvement so that his team is set up for success on project delivery. Brian plays a key role in business development, cultivating external relationships at every stage, which has led to steady growth in Skender’s healthcare, owner’s services, and travel-with-client construction.

Jason Utah, Senior Project Manager. Jason joined the Skender team in 2016 and has contributed exponentially to the stability and growth of the firm’s Healthcare team. He has been instrumental in the establishment and success of the new lab sciences construction market, while also providing outstanding preconstruction, budget development and owner services. As Senior Project Manager, Jason is responsible for delivering projects on schedule, maximizing productivity and efficiency, and controlling project costs for his healthcare and lab clients.

Kevin Chan, Senior Project Manager. Since joining Skender in 2015, Kevin has been an important player on the Healthcare team, developing relationships, educating new employees and serving as the go-to person for owners, facility staff and end-users alike. During the last year, Kevin managed several critical jobs, ensuring efficient schedules and optimizing value. He continues to go above and beyond the assigned work, delighting clients and making the process of building easier for all parties involved.

Ryan Cotter, Senior Preconstruction Manager. Ryan joined the Skender team in 2016 and has helped create a clear vision for the firm’s comprehensive preconstruction services. He is a true builder and collaborator with architects, engineers, consultants and trade partners. As Preconstruction Manager, Ryan aligns our internal teams with client goals to support project budgeting, bidding, scheduling, constructability, logistics and value analysis. He efficiently and reliably guides our commercial projects through the planning, design and construction phases.

“I’ve been so proud of our team that has continued to step up during this unpredictable year to anticipate our clients’ needs and deliver the most efficient and effective building solutions amidst a tough market,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO, Skender. “These rising stars at Skender are exemplary of the type of leadership that will keep us competitive as we work toward stronger building outcomes.”

Congratulations to Skender Project Executive Ashlee Pforr on being named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Women in Construction and Design. This is the second consecutive year that Ashlee has earned the editorial honor.

“The women featured here lead in all corners of the field,” according to the Crain’s Chicago Business feature, which recognized 65 professionals in its May 3 issue.

Ashlee was recognized for her leadership, mentorship and commitment to advancing the industry and her peers.

Click here to see the full feature at chicagobusiness.com.

Skender has been named one of the “Best Places to Work” by Crain’s Chicago Business for the fourth consecutive year. The award is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best companies to work for in Chicago.

Each year Crain’s and Best Companies Group, an independent research firm, set out to find the local businesses that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. Determining the Best Places to Work in Chicago involves a comprehensive evaluation of each participating company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics, as well as a separate assessment of employee experiences and perspectives. The complete list of winners, in alphabetical order, is available here.

This is the fifth time in eight years that Skender has earned the Crain’s recognition. In the last 15 years, Skender has won nearly 30 best-place-to-work awards by three different awarding bodies. If you’re interested in joining our team, please click here to see our open opportunities.

Today, Skender announced executive and senior management promotions, as well as new shareholders at the leadership-owned construction firm.

Skender would like to congratulate the following executives and senior managers on their recent promotions and appointments:

Andy Halik, Vice President. Andy joined Skender in 2011 and has 15 years of experience in the construction industry. In his expanded leadership role, Andy will co-lead the Interiors group, focusing on market strategy, client service and motivating the team toward continued growth. Andy’s ability to nurture client relationships, his keen business intelligence, and the ability to work in partnership with his peers are all reasons for this recognition.

Brian Bukowski, Vice President. Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 17 years of experience in the construction industry. Brian will co-lead the Interiors group in his expanded leadership role, focusing on driving financial success, efficient operations and the team’s vision. Across a wide variety of client experiences in Illinois, Nevada and California, Brian’s focus is always client satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Brian Simons, Vice President. Brian joined Skender in 2007 and has over 16 years of experience in the construction industry. In his expanded leadership role, Brian will oversee Skender’s satellite Indianapolis office, which was awarded a significant IU Health project in 2020, while continuing executive oversight of healthcare teams in Chicago. Brian has steadily advanced his career in operations because of his devotion to clients, personalized customer service and ability to foster team cohesion.

Clay Edwards, Senior Vice President. Clay joined Skender in 2006 and has 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He has been appointed the new leader of Self-Perform and Construction Technology. This group optimizes value, safety, production and quality for Skender clients through offerings such as general labor, demolition, rough carpentry, BIM, 3D laser scanning and high-definition surveying, intelligent project tracking, drone mapping and immersive reality. With extensive interior construction expertise, Clay will also continue to provide executive-level counsel and client services for tenants and end-users.

Joy Perryman, Director of Risk Management. Joy started with Skender in 2015 and was soon promoted to manage the risk management department, working closely with operations to identify ways to mitigate risks in daily procedures. Joy is known for her detail-oriented work evaluating and administering insurance programs for all Skender’s business lines, working closely with the executive team to negotiate contracts and promote Enterprise Risk Management throughout the organization. She is a certified Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS), Certified Risk Manager (CRM) and member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

Mike Muehring, Senior Project Manager. Mike joined Skender in 2016 and has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry. As a Senior Project Manager, Mike is responsible for delivering projects on schedule, maximizing productivity and efficiency, and controlling project costs for his interiors clients throughout Chicago.

Todd Andrlik, Senior Vice President. Todd joined Skender in 2017 and has 21 years of marketing experience, including 16 in the construction industry. He quickly reinvigorated the marketing team, created effective strategies, generated bold brand awareness, and shaped external communication efforts. He plays an influential role on the leadership team by using his insight and creativity to maximize strategy.

“Our leadership team is energized and poised to continue delivering the proactive, collaborative and value-driven construction that our clients and the marketplace expect from Skender,” said Justin Brown, President and CEO, Skender. “Together, we are laser-focused on creating the premier building experience and helping our clients achieve groundbreaking results.”

Concurrently with these promotions, Skender is pleased to recognize new shareholders. Skender is a leadership-owned business aimed at sustainable, long-term success and ample advancement and succession opportunities. Shareholder appointment is a merit-based recognition of hard work, loyalty, collaboration with colleagues, outstanding service and embodying Skender’s core values.

New shareholders are: Andy Halik, Dan Ulbricht, Ashlee Pforr, John Estes, Pete Conlin, Patrick Sullivan, Luke DeTolve, Brian Ribordy, Jeff Krause, Stacy Laughlin and Todd Andrlik. They join existing shareholders: Justin Brown, Jerry Ball, Dan Marijan, Afshan Barshan, Clay Edwards, Lisa Latronico, Jeff Janicek, Brian Simons, Brian Bukowski, Joe Pecoraro and Tim Rogers.

About Skender

Skender is a full-service building contractor and one of the nation’s top 100 construction firms, according to Building Design & Construction. We combine Lean process with high-performing teams to deliver unmatched results and maximum value. Headquartered in Chicago with a satellite office in Indianapolis, Skender serves its clients in the Midwest and across the country. For more information on Skender, visit www.skender.com.

Skender, one of the nation’s largest building contractors, is participating in the seventh annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction campaign during the week of September 14-18.

Coinciding with Construction Safety Week, the national campaign raises awareness about fall protection. According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, falls from heights are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in construction. The goal of this campaign is to prevent falls from roofs, ladders and scaffolds by encouraging the proper planning, equipment and training.

To support the national campaign, Skender is taking extra time on its projects to discuss lessons learned, site-specific hazards, and preventative measures for avoiding fall-related injuries. “We have a strong culture of safety and regularly come together to support continued training and education,” said Skender Safety Director Dan Torres. “Every day, we walk our construction sites and carefully evaluate all potential hazards. During this campaign, we give special attention to fall protection and our site-specific safety plans, as well as our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Skender was recognized today as a best place to work on the Crain’s Chicago Business 2020 Best Places to Work list. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 8 in the large companies category and No. 29 overall. With a focus on collaboration, high-performing teams and efficiency, this is the fifth time in eight years that Skender has earned the prestigious Crain’s recognition; and makes 27 best-place-to-work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) since 2008.

Crain’s sets out to find the local businesses rated highest by their employees for creating quality workplaces. Its survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in the Chicago area. In a wide-ranging questionnaire, Crain’s asked about everything from workplace comforts to benefits and culture. A record 14,522 employees participated in the publication’s survey this year.

Collaboration is central to Skender’s character: from our commitment to building meaningful client relationships to our valued trade partnerships to our belief that every voice in our company has value. The result is a truly refreshing project experience for our clients, our partners and our employees.

 

The national construction industry publication Engineering News-Record (ENR) recently published its 2020 Top Midwest Contractors edition. Based on 2019 revenues, ENR ranks Skender #28 in the Midwest and #9 in Illinois. In the commercial construction and renovation sub-rankings, Skender earned the #4 and #9 spots, respectively.

Some of Skender’s prominent projects in 2019 included the 14-story, 167,000-SF Hyatt House hotel (photo above), the 90,000-SF headquarters build-out for Mondelēz International, the six-story supportive housing facility for Sarah’s Circle, LinkedIn’s 46,000-SF Chicago office expansion, and multiple projects for Northwestern Medicine.

Chicago-based Skender is a full-service building contractor specializing in the new construction and renovations of commercial, healthcare and multifamily facilities. Infused with the principles of Lean project delivery, Skender works closely with clients and partners to create value, increase quality, reduce waste and deliver tangible benefits throughout the entire construction experience. With a thoughtful and thorough approach refined over six decades, Skender takes the time to listen to and understand its clients, partners, their needs and their intentions, striving to deliver the premier building experience at the greatest value.

 

To fully support its construction and modular manufacturing businesses during the next phase of the economic recovery, Skender today announced that Mark Skender has chosen to step away from his role as CEO of Skender Construction and is formally assuming the role of CEO of Skender Manufacturing. Justin Brown will assume the role of CEO and continue his role as president of Skender Construction, which remains focused on general contracting services for all property types.

This move solidifies Mark Skender’s current leadership role in the manufacturing business and allows him and the other Skender Manufacturing leaders to concentrate on attracting investment and securing modular manufacturing projects.

“I have long been passionate about the transformative possibilities of modular construction for our industry and society. I am excited to embrace a leadership role fully dedicated to realizing the potential of modular building,” said Mark Skender. “This leadership realignment represents a natural evolution for our company and positions each of our unique businesses to be as strong as possible moving into the future.”

Mark Skender will direct the Skender Manufacturing leadership team of Pete Murray, president; Tim Swanson, chief design officer; and Stacy Scopano, chief technology officer. The leadership team will maintain a strong alliance with Skender Construction while operating as separate organizations for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Skender has been named one of Crain’s 2020 Best Places to Work in Chicago. The complete list of winners, in alphabetical order, is available here.

In partnership with Best Companies Group, Crain’s surveyed thousands of employees on the types of working conditions, benefits and corporate culture that make a company a great place to work. The awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in Chicago.

Winners were determined by the results of a weighted survey of employees and employers, conducted by Crain’s in partnership with Best Companies Group.

To be considered for participation, companies had to:

• Be a publicly or privately held business
• Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business, or government entity
• Have a facility in the Chicago area (including the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake in Illinois, Lake in Indiana, McHenry or Will)
• Have a minimum of 25 full-time or part-time employees working in Chicago
• Have been in business a minimum of one year

Determining the Best Places to Work in Chicago involved a two-step process. The first step consisted of evaluating each participating company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. This part was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the best companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and analyzed the data and used its expertise to determine the final ranking.

This is the fourth time in seven years that Skender has earned the Crain’s recognition; and makes nearly 30 best place to work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) in total over the last dozen years. Skender will be honored at the 2020 Best Places to Work in Chicago awards event on Friday, April 17 at the Hilton Chicago. The ranking of the 100 top employers will appear in the April 20 issue of Crain’s Chicago Business.

Lisa Latronico, partner and vice president of people and culture at Skender, has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of the area’s “Notable Leaders in HR” for 2020. Editors at Crain’s selected and honored executive human resources leaders who have made a significant impact within the Chicago business community.

Latronico, who joined Skender in 2001 and has overseen the HR function since 2006, advocates for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as strong mentorship and talent management. According to the editorial feature in the February 3 issue of Crain’s Chicago Business, “Lisa Latronico has boosted the representation of women [at Skender] to 21 percent. That compares to 9.1 percent in the U.S. construction workforce, according to the National Association of Women in Construction.”

Under Latronico’s leadership, Skender has earned more than two dozen “best place to work” awards from three different awarding organizations.

“Lisa and her team are a driving force behind our culture and embody our core values of true partnership, refreshing and proactive,” said Mark Skender, CEO, Skender. “They inspire us all to go above and beyond and achieve excellence not just in our work, but in our relationships with one another.”

Underscoring its commitment to an award-winning employee culture that fosters talent and innovation, Skender is pleased to announce five key leaders have been promoted:

Clay Edwards to Executive Vice President and Partner. Since joining Skender in 2006, Edwards has managed millions of square feet of interior tenant improvement (TI) projects throughout Chicago. A client-centric and results-oriented leader, Clay is the head of Skender’s Tenant Improvement market and founder of the firm’s Construction Technology and Self Perform Groups. Clay’s expertise is integral to Skender’s business development efforts as he cultivates new and existing relationships, and his interior tenant improvement teams are consistently at the forefront of many of Chicago’s top tech, legal and corporate HQ projects. As an industry thought leader, Clay is frequently cited in commercial real estate news media outlets regarding tenant improvement interior construction topics and is often a featured speaker and writer on related trends. He holds a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering from Purdue University.

Andy Halik to Project Executive. Since joining the firm in 2011, Halik has led numerous interior construction teams on transformational buildouts in Fulton Market, Merchandise Mart and the Old Post Office. These include Google, Conagra Brands, Walgreens and others. Halik is recognized for fostering long-term client relationships in multiple market sectors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Ashlee Pforr to Project Executive. Since joining the firm in 2010, Pforr has overseen numerous interior construction teams on award-winning buildouts, including HERE Technologies, Bank of America, SRAM, Echo Global Logistics, Cars.com, Hinshaw & Culbertson and others. Pforr is recognized for her mentorship and talent development. She earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Iowa State University.

Rob Shilney to Senior Project Manager. Since joining the firm in 2014, Shilney has been an instrumental leader on numerous buildouts for global clients in the technology sector, including Facebook, Glassdoor, Dentons, Morgan Stanley and others. He earned a Bachelor of Science in technical resource management and construction management from Southern Illinois University.

Al McReynolds to Senior Superintendent. McReynolds joined Skender in 2015 and has more than 20 years of industry experience. He has been an asset in ensuring the success of Skender’s field operations at Northwestern Medicine. He has served as superintendent for numerous high-profile buildouts at Northwestern Medicine and will continue to help lead Skender’s healthcare field operations teams.

“Each of these individuals embodies Skender’s core values of building proactive and positive partnerships with all clients,” said Mark Skender, CEO. “As we begin 2020 with bright prospects, Clay, Andy, Ashlee, Rob and Al will certainly contribute to our continued success.”

Skender Director of Residential Design Angela Spadoni, AIA was recently named to Bisnow’s Chicago Power Women & Rising Stars list as an honoree. With more than 10 years of international and domestic experience, Spadoni has an impressive background in multifamily, condominium, retail and mixed-use high-rise design. At Skender, Spadoni oversees multifamily design projects, including the design of housing modules produced in Skender’s new Chicago manufacturing facility.

Sponsored by Bisnow, this annual initiative aims to shine a light on women making a big impact on the commercial real estate industry. This year, Bisnow is honoring both leading power women and ‘rising stars’ in the community. Rising stars are women who are early on (under 20 years) into their careers who have been identified as the next generation of leaders in Chicago commercial real estate.

A celebratory event will be held this Wednesday, December 4 at 325 W. Huron Street. For more information, visit https://www.bisnow.com/events/chicago/chicago-power-women-rising-stars-2672.

Comprised of philanthropic-minded professionals, Builders’ Board of Skender Foundation hosted its annual Harvesting Hope fundraiser on October 17 at Venue West. This year’s charity partner and beneficiary was Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). More than 300 people attended the event and raised $43,000 for CCH.

Founded in 1980, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is the only nonprofit in Illinois dedicated to advocating for public policies that curb and can ultimately end homelessness. CCH leads strategic campaigns, community outreach and public policy initiatives that target the lack of affordable housing in metropolitan Chicago and across Illinois. In addition, CCH presses for access to jobs, training and public schools.

“Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is honored to have been chosen as the beneficiary for this year’s Harvesting Hope fundraiser. We are so grateful for the incredible partnership of the Builders’ Board and all the work they did to make the event such a success. Funds raised will support our Youth Futures mobile legal aid clinic, which reaches more than 4,000 homeless youth and students each year. Thanks to you, CCH will be able to help even more homeless young people access shelter, healthcare, education and legal ID records,” said Beth Malik, Lead Youth Futures Attorney at Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

“We are beyond thrilled with the outcome of this year’s Harvesting Hope event,” said Skender Foundation Executive Director, Belinda Moore. “It is an honor to support Chicago Coalition for the Homeless in such an impactful way and bring recognition and awareness to the important work that they do in our city. Many thanks to attendees, sponsors and silent auction donors for their generous contributions. Without their help, we couldn’t help local charities that promote health, wellness and education.”

In previous years, Harvesting Hope highlighted Purple Asparagus, Snow City Arts, Embarc Chicago, Foundations of Music, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’s Emergency Needs Fund, Common Threads and Urban Initiatives.

Skender Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, Summer Eclipse, on Thursday, July 18 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. A total of $411,000 was raised in one night by sponsors and more than 500 event attendees. Of that, $30,000 will be donated to Little Wish Foundation while the balance will be dispersed to other charities dedicated to education and wellness throughout the year. In 2018, Summer Eclipse donations went to more than 100 different charity organizations.

This year, Skender Foundation highlighted Little Wish Foundation at Summer Eclipse. Founded in Indianapolis in 2010, Little Wish Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that grants wishes of pediatric oncology patients. The wishes may be small (most cost between $500 and $1,000), but their impact on children’s lives is immeasurable. The organization services fourteen children’s hospitals in seven states, including Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Rush University Children’s Hospital. To date, Little Wish has granted 1,950 little wishes to children with cancer during their treatment period.

“Each year, Skender Foundation hosts Summer Eclipse with the goal of providing opportunities, tools and resources to those in need. We chose to highlight Little Wish Foundation to help brighten the lives of children suffering from cancer, and feel honored to be able to make a positive impact on their journeys,” Skender Foundation Executive Director Belinda Moore said regarding the motivation behind Summer Eclipse.

Since its 2012 inception, Skender Foundation has raised over $5,600,000 for more than 300 charitable organizations. To learn more about Little Wish Foundation, visit littlewishfoundation.org.

Nearly 100 Skender employees, friends and family volunteered on Saturday, June 22 at Skender’s annual volunteer day to build the bed frames for 50 bunk beds. Through a partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), the day will benefit 100 children across the Chicago metropolitan area in need of beds.

“We were honored to partner with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and utilize our volunteers’ talents in the building trades for an amazing cause,” explains Belinda Moore, Executive Director of Skender Foundation. “The work of our mix of friends, family, Builders’ Board members and professionals will help push forward Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s mission of ensuring that no children have to sleep on the floor.”

During the Build Day, volunteers came together under the guidance of Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build 50 bunk bed frames. Those beds will then be packed, delivered and assembled at the homes of families on the waiting list with SHP to provide accessible, stable and safe beds for 50 families and 100 children in need.

Founded in 2012, SHP is a nationwide nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that builds and delivers beds to children who don’t have beds to sleep in. As of 2019, the organization has 150 chapters around the United States and has built over 4,000 beds.

“Skender has always impressed me from the very first day that I worked on one of your job sites and still to this day everyone at Skender impresses me both on the construction side of things and now the willingness to help others in need giving up your own time to do so!” said Jason Jansma, SHP Chapter Co-President IL-Chicagoland.

Recognized today at the reception of BuiltWorlds’ Machines Conference, Skender was voted the winner of the DISRUPTOR award for the Modular Builders category among those featured on the 2019 Machines 50 List. Skender’s Director of Residential Architecture Angela Spadoni attended the event to accept the award following her presentation on modular construction and evolving project delivery.

The year’s Machines 50 List features innovative solutions advancing equipment, machinery and tools at the frontier of the built environment. With emerging technology transforming construction in the shop and in the field, BuiltWorlds aims to showcase companies that are pushing the boundaries of both product and process.

BuiltWorlds’ panel of expert judges selected one LEADER and one DISRUPTOR from each of the seven categories on the list: (1) 3D printing, (2) equipment tracking & fleet management, (3) field robotics, (4) equipment marketplaces, (5) modular builders, (6) prefabrication solutions and (7) vehicles.

With a focus on innovation, teamwork and efficiency, Skender has earned more than 26 best place to work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) in total over the last dozen years.

Skender was recognized today as a best place to work on the Crain’s Chicago Business 2019 Best Places to Work list. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 11 in the large companies category and No. 41 overall. With a focus on innovation, teamwork and efficiency, this is the fourth time in seven years that Skender has earned the Crain’s recognition; and makes over 26 best place to work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) in total over the last dozen years.

Since 2008, Crain’s has set out to find the local businesses rated highest by their employees for creating quality workplaces. Its survey and awards program are designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in the Chicago area. In a wide-ranging questionnaire, Crain’s asked about everything from workplace comforts to benefits and culture. 4,522 employees participated in the survey this year.

Collaboration is central to Skender’s character: from our commitment to building meaningful client relationships to our valued trade partnerships to our belief that every voice in our company has value. The result is a truly refreshing project experience for our clients, our partners and our employees.

Skender is always in search of great talent—learn more about our culture and see our open opportunities.

Skender CEO Mark Skender was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Wisconsin–Madison Construction Club. This prestigious award recognizes individuals who have impacted the engineering and construction industries, demonstrated a commitment to excellence, and have shown an interest in developing students, the future leaders of the profession, throughout their career.

Mark is being recognized for his integral role in the development of Skender’s long-term vision, strategic direction, organizational design and values. With the recent opening of its 105,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Chicago, Skender has successfully integrated construction, design and manufacturing all under the same brand. In this new facility, Skender is able to apply modular construction techniques to various healthcare, hotel and apartment projects.

Mark also helped pioneer Chicago’s Lean construction movement and speaks frequently on the subject. He is a founding member of the Lean Construction Institute’s Chicago Community of Practice.

Mark earned a bachelor’s degree from UW–Madison’s civil engineering program and holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Skender, a Chicago-based construction, design and manufacturing firm, has been recognized as one of the industry’s top employers over the past decade, most recently as a finalist in the Crain’s Best Places to Work list for 2019. Further proving its commitment to continuous improvement of the firm and professional growth of its employees, Skender is pleased to announce the following individuals’ recent promotions on its expanding operations team:

Pete Conlin to Director of Field Operations from Senior Superintendent, Team Leader. Conlin joined Skender in 2011 and successfully completed several large-scale tech build-outs, including Motorola Mobility, Google, ConAgra Foods and GGP. Conlin continues to demonstrate his strong loyalty to Skender and his team, and currently plays an integral role in building out Skender’s new manufacturing facility prior to production start. In his new role, he will oversee all field operations of tenant improvement projects.

John Estes to Director of Field Operations from Senior Superintendent, Team Leader. Estes joined Skender in 2013 and has been a driving force behind Skender’s successful field operations at Northwestern Medicine. He has served as superintendent for numerous high-profile build-outs at Northwestern Medicine and, as team leader, helps guide Skender’s healthcare field operations teams. In his new role, Estes will oversee all field operations of healthcare projects.

Jeff Krause to Director of Field Operations from Senior Superintendent. Krause joined Skender in 2017 and has overseen field operations of Skender’s 14-story, 200-room Hyatt House hotel project in the Fulton Market neighborhood of Chicago. Through his vast experience leading field operations of high- and mid-rise developments, Krause has led Skender’s team through the successful Hyatt House project that has consistently been ahead of schedule. In his new role, he will oversee all field operations of ground-up projects.

Brian Ribordy to Director of Field Operations from Senior Superintendent, Team Leader. Ribordy joined Skender in 2011. Prior to his current work at North Shore Place assisted living, Brian successfully completed the Woodlawn Station affordable housing project in Chicago and Grandbrier of Prospect Heights ground-up memory care and assisted living facility. He continues to demonstrate his expertise in managing ground-up projects in the affordable and senior living sectors. In his new role, Ribordy will oversee all field operations of multi-unit projects.

Dan Torres, CHST, STS-C, to Safety Director from SPQ Manager. Torres, who joined Skender in 2018, specializes in safety, production and quality with a mindset that each are interconnected and of equal importance. During Torres’ time as SPQ Manager, Skender won its sixth construction safety award since 2013. Another measure of safety in the construction industry is the experience modification rate (EMR), which calculates past cost of injuries and future chance of risk. As further evidence of an exceptional safety record, Skender’s EMR is 22 percent lower than the national average.

“These five individuals epitomize our core values and embody what it means to be a leader at Skender,” said Justin Brown, President. “Their enthusiasm and proven track record of driving successful projects in the field is unparalleled, and their ability to execute projects, meet deadlines and satisfy our clients is impressive. We are thrilled to announce their well-deserved promotions and look forward to their continued leadership over our field operations teams.”

Skender has been named a finalist for the 2019 Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business. This is the third time in six years that Skender has earned the Crain’s recognition; and makes over 25 best place to work awards (by multiple awarding bodies) in total over the last dozen years.

Since 2008, Crain’s has set out to find the local businesses rated highest by their employees for creating quality workplaces. Its survey and awards program are designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in the Chicago area. In a wide-ranging questionnaire, Crain’s asked about everything from workplace comforts to benefits and culture. 4,522 employees participated in the survey this year.

The winners’ rankings will be revealed on April 11 at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel.

Skender announced today that Mark Skender has been selected as a 2019 BuiltWorlds Maverick Award winner. This annual list highlights innovative professionals in the AEC/RE space who are pushing the built industry forward. This year’s list of winners features 50 architects, engineers, technologists, contractors, real estate moguls, venture investors and urban designers from some of the leading companies around the world.

Mark has played an integral role in the development of Skender’s long-term vision, strategic direction, organizational design and values. He is the driving force behind Skender’s recent vertical integration and modular manufacturing facility, and a pioneer in Chicago’s Lean construction movement. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Other Maverick Award winners will be recognized at the 2019 Summit in Chicago in May, where Skender Chief Design Officer Tim Swanson will also be speaking.

Skender recently won an award for outstanding safety from the Great Lakes Safety Training Center, qualifying for the top division with over 500,000 hours worked and an exemplary safety record for 2018.

Every Skender project prioritizes safety, production and quality with a mindset that each are interconnected and of equal importance. As a result of our progressive approach, this honor marks the sixth construction safety award won by Skender since 2013. Another measure of safety in the construction industry is the experience modification rate (EMR), which calculates past cost of injuries and future chance of risk. As further evidence of an exceptional safety record, Skender’s EMR is 22 percent lower than the national average.

Skender, a vertically integrated design, construction and manufacturing firm based in Chicago, has been named to Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019,” the publication announced today. This year, more than three dozen editors, reporters and contributors sought out the most notable innovations of the year in 35 industries and across every region of the world. They considered the impact of each company on both industry and the larger culture. Skender was ranked number 10 in the Architecture category.

“At Skender, we’ve always championed innovations and improvements that push our industry past the boundaries of what has ‘always’ been done,” said Mark Skender, CEO of Skender. “We’re honored to be included with such pioneering and inspiring companies from across all industries, that will truly shape the future of how we live and work around the world.”

In 2018, Skender built upon its 60-year history in the construction industry by launching a vertically integrated advanced manufacturing capability and acquiring a design team. At the firm’s new factory on Chicago’s southwest side, Skender will use emerging technologies to design, engineer and manufacture modular building components such as smart apartment and hotel units, and healthcare treatment rooms. The modules are built in the factory then assembled onsite, removing significant waste, risk, time and cost from the conventional construction process. The company expects to revolutionize the way housing, hospitality and healthcare spaces are built, making the process more efficient and less expensive while maintaining or exceeding the highest quality performances and aesthetics. Skender’s first modular productions will be rolled out in mid-2019.

Earlier this month, Skender also launched the Future Built podcast, featuring Skender leaders in conversation with other industry innovators about design, construction, technology, urban planning and other related topics.

The “World’s Most Innovative Companies” is Fast Company’s signature franchise and one of its most highly anticipated editorial efforts of the year. Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies issue (March-April 2019) is now available online at https://www.fastcompany.com/MIC, and will be available on newsstands nationwide beginning February 26.

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About Skender

Skender is revolutionizing how the industry builds by unifying construction, design and advanced manufacturing to create a more efficient, streamlined process—and a single source of truth. We bring together every stage of the journey for designing and constructing commercial, healthcare and multifamily properties. Our Lean, integrated and tech-infused business model focuses on optimizing and innovating, ensuring our clients and project partners walk away feeling energized about the design and construction process. For more information on Skender, visit www.skender.com.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Since 2011, Fast Company has received some of the most prestigious editorial and design accolades, including the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) National Magazine Award for “Magazine Of The Year,” Adweek’s Hot List for “Hottest Business Publication,” and six gold medals and 10 silver medals from the Society of Publication Designers. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta and the publisher is Amanda Smith. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

Underscoring its commitment to an award-winning employee culture that fosters talent and innovation, Skender is pleased to announce five key leaders have been promoted to partner:

Brian Bukowski to Project Executive and Partner. Since joining Skender in 2007, Bukowski has been integral to the growth of the firm’s interiors team, specifically in the technology sector. He is responsible for helping lead large-scale tech office projects for Skender, most notably Google and Motorola Mobility. He oversees multiple interior construction teams and mentors Skender’s next generation of unrivaled talent. Bukowski earned a Bachelor of Science in building construction management from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Jeff Janicek, CHC, to Vice President and Partner. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Janicek has played an instrumental role in expanding Skender’s healthcare portfolio since joining the firm in 2015. As Vice President of Skender’s healthcare group, he is responsible for cultivating relationships with major Chicago-area health systems. Janicek earned a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering from Bradley University.

Joe Pecoraro to Project Executive and Partner. Since joining the firm in 2005, Pecoraro has played an instrumental role in driving Skender’s Lean-focused culture. As a leading adopter of Lean construction, Pecoraro utilizes its principles in his work in the multifamily residential, affordable housing and senior living sectors. He oversees Skender’s multi-unit housing team and has spoken for a national audience as part of the Lean Construction Institute. Pecoraro earned a Master of Science in project management from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Tim Rogers to Project Executive and Partner. Since joining the firm in 2010, Rogers has led numerous interior construction teams on award-winning buildouts, including Capital One, Morningstar, Mead Johnson and others. Rogers’ dedication to success and client service includes running jobs on the West Coast and in Chicago. Rogers oversees multiple interiors teams at Skender and is recognized for mentorship and talent development. He earned a Bachelor of Science in building construction management from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Brian Simons, CHC, to Project Executive and Partner. Since 2007, Simons has played an instrumental role in driving Skender’s Lean-focused culture for healthcare clients and expanding the firm’s healthcare portfolio. Simons oversees a team of more than 20 healthcare construction professionals and manages numerous relationships with major Chicago health systems. Simons earned a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering and management from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

“These five individuals embody what it means to be both a leader and a teammate at Skender,” said Mark Skender, CEO. “Their enthusiasm and proven track record of driving Skender’s revolutionizing vision is unparalleled, and their work in expanding their respective markets’ footprints in healthcare, multifamily and interiors is invaluable. We are thrilled to announce their well-deserved partnerships at Skender. I am personally looking forward to their continued contributions to the company’s strategic initiatives and growth.”

As partners, these five individuals will continue to lead their teams and focus their operational efforts on market expansion. They join their colleagues Mark Skender, Chief Executive Officer; Justin Brown, President; Lisa Latronico, Vice President, People & Culture; Afshan Barshan, Executive Vice President; Dan Marijan, Executive Vice President; and Clay Edwards, Vice President on Skender’s leadership board.

Skender Foundation recently announced the promotion of Belinda Moore to executive director. In her new role, she is responsible for developing and implementing the foundation’s vision and strategic plan. Moore has been integral to Skender Foundation’s growth since the organization’s inception in 2012, most recently serving as associate executive director since June 2017.

In her tenure with Skender Foundation, Moore also served as volunteer committee chair and member of the Builders’ Board, a subcommittee of Skender Foundation comprising philanthropic-minded leaders working together to inspire positive, sustainable change in Chicago. Previously, Belinda held multiple accounting and administrative roles for Skender, one of the nation’s largest building contractors.

Moore will continue to oversee the planning and execution of events; direct program and committee implementation; coordinate volunteer opportunities; and lead the approval process for grant applications.

“Belinda has been a vital contributor to the foundation’s development and success over the past seven years,” said Cheryl Skender, Skender Foundation Chair and President. “Her passion for giving back to the community will continue to drive the foundation’s vision: to perpetuate the legacy of giving.”

2018 was an unprecedented year for Skender Foundation, reinforcing its mission to perpetuate the legacy of giving. It began with the launch of Skender Foundation’s first endowment fund, which will involve an impactful, financial contribution of $150,000 over the course of three years to VOCEL, a nonprofit organization dedicated to early childhood education.

The foundation raised $380,000 at its annual summer fundraiser, Summer Eclipse, and also hosted Skender’s annual volunteer day in September, which saw record attendance and output — producing wood wall panels for two homes benefiting underserved communities via the Appalachia Service Project. The Skender Foundation Board of Directors added two new members and a record number of dollars were raised at the Builders’ Board annual fall event, Harvesting Hope, benefiting Purple Asparagus.

In its commitment to continuous improvement and professional growth, Skender is pleased to announce the following individuals’ recent promotions to senior positions on its growing operations team:

Nestor Acance to Senior Superintendent from Superintendent. Acance, who joined Skender in 2017, recently completed a 20,000-SF renovation at the Latin School of Chicago and is currently working on the 85,000-SF training center addition and renovation for Chicagoland Laborers’ Union.

Tom Boehm to Senior Superintendent from Superintendent. Boehm joined Skender in 2017 and successfully completed the 150,000-SF build-out for Cars.com prior to his current 37,500-SF interior buildout work at a real estate investment company.

Bob Kedzorski to Senior Project Manager from Project Manager. Kedzorski joined Skender in 2016 and most recently helped lead Skender’s successful completion of the 225,000-SF restack project for HERE Technologies’ new Americas headquarters in Chicago.

Jeff Reist to Senior Project Manager from Project Manager. Reist joined Skender in 2015 and managed multiple West Coast projects for Fletcher Jones, in addition to the Science of Spirituality in Lisle, Illinois, and Perspectives Charter School on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Dave Ruzich to Senior Superintendent from Superintendent. Ruzich joined Skender in 2016 and successfully completed the 45,000-SF Midtown Crossing Apartments in Des Plaines, Illinois, prior to his current work at Perspectives Charter School.

Each of these individuals embodies Skender’s core values of building proactive and positive partnerships with all clients,” said Mark Skender, CEO. “As we begin 2019 with bright prospects, Nestor, Tom, Bob, Jeff and Dave will certainly contribute to our continued success.”

Today, Skender announces the retirement of Joseph Skender, Chairman of the Board of Directors. As he embarks on this new chapter of his life, this turning point allows a moment of reflection on the company’s journey from his family’s basement to one of the top construction firms in Chicago.

“There’s no way I could’ve imagined what this company would become when my father and I started the company decades ago,” said Joseph Skender. “I’ve always thought that as you’re climbing a ladder you shouldn’t look down. However, I am taking a moment to stop and be thankful for the journey that went into making Skender what it is today. It’s been an amazing ride.”

Reflecting on Skender’s growth

Throughout the years, Skender grew to the caliber of firm it is today by always looking forward. When Joseph Skender graduated from DePaul University in 1980, he joined the small carpentry company his father, Joseph Skender, Sr., started in 1955. Through most of the 1980s, the firm’s work focused on remodeling projects managed by less than 10 employees. Near the end of the decade, the firm undertook two major projects, a mixed-use residential building in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and its first senior housing project for the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago. As the projects grew in scope, Joseph put the tools down and transitioned into a strategic leadership role. By 1990, Joseph’s brother Mark Skender (now Skender’s CEO) joined the firm as VP and Partner, and the company moved into its first office in Palos Hills, Illinois. Throughout the ‘90s, Joseph and Mark developed and implemented growth strategies as the firm won bids for increasingly significant projects and solidified its eventual award-winning corporate culture.

In the early 2000s, Skender broke $30 million in revenues, established itself as the contractor of choice in the senior housing market, and opened an office in downtown Chicago. By the end of the decade, Skender had achieved more than $100 million in revenues, consolidated its offices to Chicago’s Loop, and diversified its offerings across sectors including healthcare, public projects, retail and corporate interiors to continue company growth even in an economic downturn.

Skender’s accelerated growth under Joseph Skender’s leadership resulted in the firm’s listing on Inc. Magazine’s “500 Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Crain’s Chicago Business “Fastest Fifty Growing Companies in Chicago.” Through this rapid growth period, the company culture stayed strong and was recognized as one of Chicago’s and Illinois’ best places to work.

“Our people and our passion for quality has stayed consistent as the company has radically changed,” remarked Joseph Skender. “I’m most proud of the opportunities we’ve created for people, both inside and outside the organization. We are dedicated to continued employee education and training, and have always been generous to those in our community. Establishing the Skender Foundation, which strengthens the reach of our charitable giving, impacts the lives around us in ways we can never fully grasp.”

What’s next for Joseph

Joe and his wife, Cheryl Skender, Chair and President of Skender Foundation, are staying active at this time in their lives. They have a trip to Africa planned this fall to hike to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda and witness the great migration in Kenya. Additionally, their fourth grandchild is on the way to keep them on their toes.

“We love to travel, and our home in Utah will allow us to stay active with our family,” said Joseph Skender. “As a family company, that has always been one of our top priorities: our family. I look forward to watching the future unfold at Skender in the solid hands of my brother, and with two of my sons on the team as well.”

Looking forward at Skender

“I am so grateful for the strong foundation Joe has set at Skender over the past four decades that allows for our culture of quality and innovation,” said Mark Skender, CEO. “I know he has great confidence in our recent vertical integration and modular manufacturing facility, which was made possible through his dedication to the company and his belief that we can change the industry status quo.”

In his retirement, Joseph Skender will take on the title of Chairman Emeritus. Mark Skender remains CEO, and Cheryl Skender will continue as Chair and President of Skender Foundation.

Today Skender Foundation announced two new appointments, Jared Funk and Tim Swanson, to its board of directors.

Jared Funk is vice president at Lenox Advisors and his involvement with Skender Foundation dates back to 2013 when he joined the Builders’ Board, a subcommittee of Skender Foundation comprised of young, driven professionals with a passion for helping others. He served as sponsorship committee co-chair in 2014 and 2015 as well as co-chair of Harvesting Hope and the Builders’ Board in 2016 and 2017. His commitment to the organization has helped spread the foundation’s mission of perpetuating the legacy of giving through providing health, education and wellness opportunities. Funk holds a degree in economics from Vanderbilt University as well as a Master of Education in organizational leadership.

As chief design officer at Skender, Tim Swanson leads Skender’s team of architects and designers, bringing his passion for integrating the design and construction process to the firm’s clients. He formerly headed up CannonDesign and led its City Design practice, a national group focused on helping cities around the world grow and prosper. He is an advocate for smart growth and sustainable development, working with leaders at the intersection of urban planning, public health, and education. Tim earned a Master of Architecture with a specialization in urban development and infill from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and undergraduate degrees in fine arts and economics from Colgate University.

As board members, Jared and Tim will help oversee the nonprofit foundation’s business activities and build new partnerships. “We are excited to leverage Tim’s and Jared’s passion for helping Chicago’s youth into larger roles on the Skender Foundation Board of Directors,” said Skender Foundation Chair and President Cheryl Skender. “Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and I am looking forward to leveraging their ideas and networks to further expand our philanthropic footprint.”

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About Skender Foundation

Skender Foundation was launched as a 501(c)(3) public foundation in 2012 and has donated more than $2.6 million to over 200 deserving charitable organizations that support community education and wellness in the Chicagoland area. The foundation’s mission is to provide access to resources and relationships that help people make good life decisions through greater education and wellness. For more information on Skender Foundation, visit www.skenderfoundation.org.

Skender today announced that Michelle Levy has joined Skender as strategic account manager. Levy spent the last six years as an urban retail brokerage associate and office/industrial researcher for CBRE. She previously specialized in urban retail tenant and landlord representation, and consulted for numerous restaurants and small eateries in downtown Chicago. Levy’s background in real estate provides a foundation of industry knowledge and the ability to leverage her network to now provide integrated design, build and manufacturing solutions.

“I am delighted to welcome Michelle to our growing strategic accounts team,” said Skender Vice President Dan Ulbricht. “Her expertise in real estate brokerage will help us expand and strengthen our relationships across all of Skender’s market sectors.”

Levy holds a B.S. in communication from the University of Kansas. She is a licensed real estate salesperson in Illinois and a board member for Women in Retail Leasing.

On Saturday, October 13, nearly 100 volunteers gathered at Skender’s new manufacturing facility for the firm’s annual Volunteer Day. Volunteers built wood wall panels for two homes that will be delivered to families in need via Skender’s partners for the event, Appalachia Service Project and Solid Rock Carpenters.

The volunteers wrote messages of hope on the wall panels to bring comfort to the future inhabitants of the homes. Additionally, Skender employees leveraged their construction expertise to help Solid Rock Carpenters launch this framing day concept to bring to other organizations in the future.

The participation for this event was the highest yet for Skender’s volunteer day, and the volunteers left feeling inspired and excited.

Skender’s annual employee volunteer day will take on new importance this year as Framing Day—a day to volunteer locally and build housing to then be shipped in modules to where it is needed most. Through a partnership with Solid Rock Carpenters, the day will benefit the Appalachia Service Project and take place on Saturday, October 13 onsite at Skender’s new advanced manufacturing facility.

“We are very excited to be partnering with Solid Rock Carpenters and utilizing our volunteers’ talents in the building trades for an amazing cause,” explains Cheryl Skender, Chair and President of Skender Foundation. “Our mix of friends, family, Builders’ Board members and professionals will help Solid Rock Carpenters create a replicable volunteer framing program that any organization willing to roll up their sleeves and swing a hammer can execute in the future.”

During the Framing Day, volunteers will come together under the guidance of Solid Rock Carpenters (SRC) to build wood wall panels for single-family homes. Those panels will then be shipped to sites chosen by the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) to provide accessible, stable and safe housing for low-income families. SRC will continue to work with onsite volunteers to help assemble and finish the homes at their final destination. Skender and SRC are also collaborating on a manual for use during future Framing Days.

SRC was founded in 2005 to provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds and skill levels to build homes and bring hope to those impacted by Hurricane Katrina. SRC has since expanded to provide volunteer opportunities and build safe, accessible homes for underserved populations across the U.S.

“We were founded to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, which opened our eyes to the urgent need for housing in low-income communities throughout the country—and the enthusiasm from volunteer groups to help. The Framing Day program will help us scale our volunteerism to include more organizations, perform the volunteer activities locally, and add more destinations where there is a need,” said Scott Engle, co-founder of Solid Rock Carpenters. “We are creating something that will connect volunteer enthusiasm with the communities that need it most. Thanks to modular construction, the work can be done anywhere—in a church or company parking lot, for example.”

Skender’s volunteer day starts at 8:30 am CT and ends at 2:00 pm CT on Saturday, October 13, at the Skender Manufacturing facility at 3348 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60641. The minimum age to frame wall panels is 12 years old; youth volunteers aged 7-11 can participate in a birdhouse building activity.

Skender was recently named as one of San Francisco Bay Area’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). The award recognizes companies that excel at employee relations, use innovation to motivate employees, implement creative compensation programs and more.

An independent research firm evaluates each company’s entry based on key measures in various categories. They include compensation, benefits and employee solutions; employee enrichment, engagement and retention; employee education and development; recruitment, selection and orientation; employee achievement and recognition; communication and shared vision; diversity and inclusion; work-life balance; community initiatives; and strategic company performance.

This recognition is the 24th best-place-to-work award won by Skender over the last decade. In Chicago, Skender has been named a Best and Brightest Company to Work For 11 years in a row since 2008.

As one of the nation’s largest general contractors, Skender began managing construction projects for clients in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2010. Skender opened its local San Francisco office in 2016, expanded the following year and has grown the local team to now comprise more than 20 construction experts. Skender’s San Francisco operation has successfully completed renovation and new construction work in the Bay Area and beyond for numerous clients, including Prezi, Fletcher Jones, Capital One, Here, JPMorgan Chase, Paramount Group, Preservation Partners Development, Harley Ellis Devereaux, ESD and Bay Labs.

# # # 

About Skender

Skender is revolutionizing how the industry builds by unifying construction, design and advanced manufacturing to create a more efficient, streamlined process—and a single source of truth. We bring together every stage of the journey for designing and constructing commercial, healthcare and multifamily properties. Our Lean, integrated and tech-infused business model focuses on optimizing and innovating, ensuring our clients and project partners walk away feeling energized about the design and construction process. With offices in Chicago and San Francisco, we offer expertise to local and global brands. For more information on Skender, visit www.skender.com.

Skender ranked among the top 130 construction firms in the U.S., according to a report compiled by Building Design+Construction magazine. As part of the publication’s 2018 Giants 300 Report, which ranks U.S. building contractors by annual revenue, Skender earned the No. 80 spot with 2017 revenues of $400 million.

Building Design+Construction also ranks U.S. contractors by building sector. Skender earned the No. 31 spot in the list of top retail contractors, No. 35 among the top office contractors, No. 55 among the top healthcare contractors, and No. 67 among the nation’s top multifamily contractors.

In August, Skender was recognized by Midwest Real Estate News. In the magazine’s “2018 Best of the Best” issue, Skender ranked among the top 25 general contractors in the Midwest. This ranking was also determined by 2017 revenues.

In addition to these industry accolades, Skender was recently recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business. In the publication’s “Chicago’s Largest Privately Held Companies” list, Skender earned the No. 137 spot of nearly 370 privately-held companies. This ranking was determined by 2017 revenues. Skender was also named to Crain’s Chicago Businesses’ “Best Places to Work” list, earning the No. 6 spot of 100 companies.

Skender Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, Summer Eclipse, on Thursday, July 19 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. A total of $380,000 was raised in one night by sponsors and more than 500 event attendees. Of that, $30,000 will be donated to The Bridge Teen Center while the balance will be dispersed to other charities dedicated to education and wellness throughout the year. In 2017, Summer Eclipse donations went to more than 100 different charity organizations.

Located in Orland Park since 2010, The Bridge Teen Center has served over 5,900 different teens and families from 128 Chicago Southland and Northwest Indiana communities. The organization’s mission is to provide free programs for students in 7th to 12th grade during after school and unsupervised hours.

“Skender Foundation was built on providing opportunities, tools and resources to those in need to make better life choices. We chose to highlight The Bridge Teen Center based on our aligned missions to provide a safe place where students can find hope, purpose and direction in their lives,” Skender Foundation Associate Executive Director Belinda Moore said regarding the motivation behind Summer Eclipse.

Since its 2012 inception, Skender Foundation has raised over $2,300,000 for more than 200 charitable organizations. To learn more about The Bridge Teen Center, visit http://thebridgeteencenter.org/.

Skender is pleased to welcome to its team two industry veterans who have a combined 55 years of experience in the construction industry. 

Jerry Winchester has joined Skender as Senior Project Manager. With nearly 25 years of construction experience, Jerry Winchester brings large-scale healthcare, luxury hotel, higher education and multifamily project experience to Skender. He previously led construction projects for Power Construction, including the 685,000-SF Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center and 381,000-SF Presence Center for Advanced Care in Lakeview. Jerry holds a B.S. in construction management from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Matt Baker has joined Skender as Senior Superintendent. Matt Baker brings to Skender more than 30 years’ experience in the construction industry. Most recently, he worked at Leopardo Companies, where he was a project superintendent since 2010. Matt’s recent project experience includes interior build-out work for Grant Thornton, Grubhub and Whirlpool. Matt holds a B.S. from Elmhurst College.

Skender is revolutionizing how the industry builds by unifying construction, design and advanced manufacturing to create a more efficient, streamlined process—and a single source of truth. We bring together every stage of the journey for designing and constructing commercial, healthcare and multifamily properties. Our Lean, integrated and tech-infused business model focuses on optimizing and innovating, ensuring our clients and project partners walk away feeling energized about the design and construction process. With offices in Chicago and San Francisco, we offer expertise to local and global brands.

Construction costs have been consistently rising just when the industry can least afford it. Today, a new report from Skender offers “101 Ways to Build Smarter.” The 18-page eBook, available for download at www.skender.com/buildsmarter/, is a resource filled with quality-enhancing and value-optimizing possibilities for building owners, developers, architects, brokers, contractors, corporate real estate and workplace executives, and all those involved in the building process.

Skender, a fully-integrated construction, design and manufacturing firm with offices in Chicago and San Francisco, has amassed this list of insider tips, industry secrets and best practices through their work building for some of the world’s largest companies and most innovative brands. Working with their trade partners, end-users, vendors and global industry experts, Skender’s eBook uncovers practical ways to drive quality up, without a similar increase in cost. Driven by Skender’s commitment to the high-efficiency, waste-reduction principles of Lean construction, the eBook conveys the value of collaboration and transparency.

“It is essential that everyone involved in a new building look for innovative ways to deliver high-quality projects while stemming the tide of rising costs,” said Mark Skender, CEO. “In this eBook, we are sharing some of the best practices we’ve learned with our clients and project partners over the past six decades. Many of these ideas have inspired us to revolutionize how the industry builds through our recent vertical integration.”

While the eBook delivers high-level concepts specific to several project types—including corporate interiors, affordable housing, senior living, new office buildings, multifamily, hospitality, higher education, retail and healthcare—more than half of the tips can apply to any construction project. The following four ideas, sampled from the eBook, can enhance efficiency and improve quality across all commercial developments.

1. Lock in pricing to hedge against rising interest rates. In an inflationary environment, lock in materials and equipment costs as soon as possible. As prices escalate, it often pays off to pre-purchase materials to avoid price hikes.
2. Build lighter and smarter. Sometimes owners ask for materials and equipment that are larger or more powerful than the anticipated use requires. Your contractor may know of a less expensive way to get the job done.
3. For owners, installing smart tech now can mean big facilities management savings later. Installing certain technologies that represent cost increases during construction can deliver large future savings, such as remote programming of HVAC and security systems.
4. Go Lean. Start by hiring an integrated design and construction team with experience in Lean Construction, our industry’s take on the Toyota Way. These pros will share a focus on reducing wasted materials, time and labor costs.

Skender recognizes that firms looking to build new facilities, expand their footprint or renovate existing spaces must collaborate and crowdsource ideas from industry veterans, including design gurus, construction experts, end-users and developers alike. According to a corporate real estate end-user client, “In days past, the building process was very linear: everybody handed something off to another. But now it’s got to be more collaborative, to adhere to our budgets and time frames.”

These ideas and tips are more than theory, vetted through hundreds of projects and field experience with Skender’s myriad corporate real estate and developer clients, and they can relieve the shared burden of escalating construction costs. Download the free “101 Ways to Build Smarter” eBook at www.skender.com/buildsmarter/.

Skender ranked among the top U.S. contractors, according to Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine’s recently published list of the largest contractors by revenue.

Ranked at No. 208 out of 400 U.S.-based contractors, Skender moved up 26 spots from last year’s spot with 2017 revenues of $400 million.

Some of Skender’s prominent projects in 2017 included the 168,000-SF HQ relocation for GGP, a 100,000-SF multifamily rehabilitation, a 62,000-SF affordable senior housing facility in Chicago, as well as several projects for major Chicago healthcare systems. Skender’s San Francisco office also expanded in 2017 with many new projects and project team hires.

Skender was recently named as one of the 2018 Best Places to Work in Illinois. Established in 2006, the awards program is facilitated by Daily Herald Business Ledger in partnership with the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC), MRA-The Management Association, Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Advocacy Council.

This statewide program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Illinois, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses. Skender took home the second-place honor in the mid-sized company category.

“The Skender community is made up of incredibly talented and innovative individuals that make it refreshing to come to work every day and extend our core values to our clients. Every employee at Skender impacts the environment through thoughtful contributions to our cultural framework,” said Lisa Latronico, Skender Vice President of People and Culture.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Illinois. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Illinois as well as analyzed the data to determine the final rankings.

Skender was one of 75 companies recognized and honored at the Best Places to Work in Illinois awards ceremony hosted by Daily Herald Business Ledger on May 17 and will be profiled in a special publication.

This recognition is the 22nd best-place-to-work award won by Skender over the last decade. Earlier this year, Skender was named the No. 6 Best Place to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Skender, serving as base building and interior construction manager, has broken ground on Chicago’s newest Hyatt House extended-stay hotel. The new 14-story, 167,000-square-foot hotel is located in the heart of Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood at 105 N. May Street. The Hyatt House will be the first hotel in the Fulton Market district to cater to extended-stay corporate travelers, and includes amenities ranging from an indoor pool and multiple green roof features to upgraded common areas such as the bar and lounge with city views.

Scheduled to open in summer 2019, the hotel building will offer a first-floor lobby and future retail space. The pool, workout center and lounge are situated on the 14th floor, with 200 guest rooms on floors 4-13. Sterling Bay is the hotel’s developer and Skender is collaborating with project architect Eckenhoff Saunders Architects.

The hotel’s exterior cladding comprises hand-laid masonry, precast concrete panels, unitized window wall systems, metal panels and intricate storefront system. Building information modeling (BIM) is being used to coordinate all site utility, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems around the post tension and reinforced concrete structure. Additionally, in line with their commitment to Lean construction principles, Skender included Target Value Design in their pre-construction services to eliminate inefficiencies during the project’s schedule.

Skender’s subcontractor labor force to build the hotel will include local community hires from the surrounding West Loop neighborhood, as well as ample participation from minority-owned business enterprise (MBE) and women-owned business enterprise (WBE) firms.

Skender has performed construction extensively throughout the Fulton Market District. At 1K Fulton, Skender teams have built spaces for Google, the SRAM headquarters and Swift & Sons. Across the neighborhood at 1330 W. Fulton (Fulton West), Skender has constructed the firm’s own headquarters and the headquarters for Sterling Bay, as well as spaces for The Climate Corporation and Glassdoor.

Skender was recognized today as the No. 6 best place to work in the Crain’s Chicago Business 2018 Best Places to Work list. To determine the top 100, Crain’s partnered with an independent workplace excellence research firm to survey nearly 9,000 employees at Chicago-area companies. The 100 finalists were further assessed using a variety of criteria including benefits, policies, practices, employee experiences and workplace culture. The award program was open to all publicly or privately held organizations, either for-profit or not-for-profit, and organizations, with at least 25 employees working in the seven-county Chicago area. Of the 100 finalists, Skender ranked No. 6 overall, and No. 4 in the medium-sized company category.

With a focus on innovation, teamwork and efficiency, Skender has earned more than 20 best-place-to-work awards in the last decade. Collaboration is central to Skender’s character: from our commitment to building meaningful client relationships to our valued trade partnerships to our belief that every voice in our company has value. The result is a truly refreshing project experience for our clients, our partners and our employees.

Skender is always in search of great talent—learn more about our culture and see our open opportunities.

About Skender

Skender is revolutionizing how the industry builds by unifying construction, design and advanced manufacturing to create a more efficient, streamlined process—and a single source of truth. We bring together every stage of the journey for designing and constructing commercial, healthcare and multifamily properties. Our Lean, integrated and tech-infused business model focuses on optimizing and innovating, ensuring our clients and project partners walk away feeling energized about the design and construction process. With offices in Chicago and San Francisco, we offer expertise to local and global brands.

Skender recently completed the 64,000-square-foot interior build-out expansion for social media management company Sprout Social at 131 S. Dearborn.

Skender previously completed Sprout Social’s seventh floor build-out in 2016. To accommodate rapid growth, the client decided to expand its footprint to the eighth floor, which previously served as a call center. The one-story build-out added open-office seating, interior private offices, flex space, conference rooms, a training room, large boardroom, makers space, two additional intermediate distribution frame (IDF) rooms, as well as a second café with full presentation capabilities. The tech-driven project required the restoration of the HVAC system and addition of a unique underfloor electrical infrastructure. The first five weeks of the project were spent on demolition alone as the previous space required complete demolition and roughly 50% of its raised floor had to be raised to create a level surface.

Serving as general contractor, Skender worked in collaboration with architect Partners by Design, MEP engineer Syska Hennessy Group and owner’s representative Development Resources, Inc. to successfully complete the build-out.

Skender has been named a finalist for the 2018 Best Places to Work in Chicago. Since 2008, Crain’s Chicago Business has set out to find the local businesses that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. This year, Crain’s partnered with Best Companies Group to survey Chicago employees about everything from their workplace to benefits to company culture.

This survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in Chicago. The full Best Places to Work in Chicago ranking—plus two lists that spotlight the employers who rank especially high among women and baby boomers—will be announced at an event on April 12 and featured in the April 16 issue of Crain’s. It will also be available online at www.chicagobusiness.com.

Determining the Best Places to Work in Chicago involved a two-step process. The first step consisted of evaluating each participating company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. This part was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the best companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process, and also analyzed the data and used its expertise to determine the final ranking.

For more information on the Best Places to Work in Chicago program, visit www.bestplacestoworkCHI.com.

 

Embracing Vertical Integration, Skender Expands on its Core Construction Business, Launches a New Advanced Manufacturing Company, Acquires Design Team, and Hires Design and Construction Technology Industry Leaders

Envisioning a radically more efficient future for the building industry, Skender announces its expansion beyond construction, becoming a vertically integrated company including construction, design and building component manufacturing functions. The expansion includes significant investment in the launch of a new Chicago-based advanced manufacturing subsidiary and the acquisition of the boutique design firm Ingenious Architecture. Skender has also recruited two industry trailblazers: architect and thought leader Tim Swanson and construction technology innovator Kevin Bredeson. As part of the transformation, Skender Construction has rebranded as Skender, reflecting the expansion beyond its core construction business.

“Fragmentation has crippled our industry far too long,” states Mark Skender, the company’s CEO. “Our new business model revolutionizes how the industry builds by demolishing the silos between design and construction, and introducing manufacturing. Combined with our Lean project delivery approach and culture of perpetual innovation, we can now fully realize the potential of vertical integration to significantly reduce risk, delays and waste while maximizing value, quality and positive experiences for our clients. It’s a uniquely stress-free building solution.”

Challenging traditional assumptions is at the heart of the Skender culture, which is rooted in collaboration and the Lean construction approach of waste reduction, transparency and ideation. “We are asking new questions,” explains Justin Brown, Skender President and Partner. “Why can’t we apply sophisticated design principles to modular manufacturing? How can we eliminate weather delays by bringing large parts of the process indoors? How can we significantly boost productivity without sacrificing quality? We are not just rolling out a new business model—we’re rethinking everything about building design and construction, from concept to completion and beyond.”

Skender Launches a New, Chicago-based Advanced Manufacturing Start-up

Launching a new, start-up advanced manufacturing company, Skender will open a manufacturing facility on the southwest side of Chicago that will employ union labor to build modular building components. Relocating some or most of the onsite construction process to the manufacturing facility will centralize and stabilize labor, realize a standardized assembly line process for higher-quality building components, and eliminate weather-related delays during much of the construction process. Among the many benefits are increased flexibility, shorter schedules, reduced costs and greater speed to revenue.

Both a CEO search and a rigorous facility selection process are currently underway; production is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2018. More details will follow this initial launch announcement.

Skender Acquires a Design Team Focused on Efficiency, Integration

Leveraging technology to enhance architecture firm partnerships and maximize design efficiency, Skender is making multiple investments in people and technology. The company has made two key executive hires, including Kevin Bredeson as Chief Technology Officer and Tim Swanson as Chief Design Officer. In the new role of CTO, Bredeson will use his recognized leadership in design and construction technologies to ensure Skender’s technology stack is constantly evolving, supporting forward movement toward maximum efficiency and optimal integration. Kevin’s past technology leadership experience includes tenures at Suffolk Construction, Pepper Construction and Gilbane Building Company. Swanson, a thought leader and regular speaker on the value of integrating design and construction, joins Skender from CannonDesign, where he led the Chicago office and the firm’s national City Design practice. Swanson will serve as leader of Skender’s new integrated design team.

To provide the design expertise required to fully integrate the building process, Skender has also acquired Ingenious Architecture, a team of 10 research-based, technology-savvy architects and designers. The new design team will work under Swanson’s leadership to offer Lean, integrated services such as design-build, design-assist and design-for-manufacturing to new and existing healthcare, hospitality and multifamily clients. To further bolster productivity and enhance client experiences, the team will collaborate with the new CTO to infuse operations-focused technologies, such as virtual design and construction (VDC) and building information modeling (BIM), with emerging technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality and drone imaging. The team will continue to serve their existing Ingenious Architecture clients, primarily focused on the healthcare and corporate/commercial sectors, as well as collaborate across the firm’s projects.

In Skender’s award-winning corporate interiors business, the integrated design team will provide support to third-party architectural firms chosen by Skender’s clients, contributing their expertise to enrich the construction-architecture firm relationship.

About Skender

Skender is revolutionizing how the industry builds by unifying construction, design and advanced manufacturing to create a more efficient, streamlined process—and a single source of truth. We bring together every stage of the journey for designing and constructing commercial, healthcare and multifamily properties. Our Lean, integrated and tech-infused business model focuses on optimizing and innovating, ensuring our clients and project partners walk away feeling energized about the design and construction process. Headquartered in Chicago, we offer expertise to local and global brands. For more information on Skender, visit www.skender.com.

Skender broke ground on the new 26,000-square-foot Esperanza Health Center at 4700 S. California Avenue in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood.

The two-story clinic will serve an area in great need of health care services. Large portions of residents in Esperanza’s service area live below twice the poverty level and have been designated as medically underserved with a health professional shortage by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Esperanza, meaning hope in Spanish, is living up to its name as the new facility will be a fully accessible building, providing critical services that are currently lacking in this area of southwest Chicago.

By teaming up with local specialty care and community-based organizations, the new facility will house comprehensive medical and wellness services, and utilize forward-thinking design, featuring a dynamic façade comprised of color-shifting metal panels, to attract and unite the surrounding community. The two-story facility includes clinical office space, 30 exam rooms, space for additional diagnostic and treatment services, a retail pharmacy, as well as 69 parking spaces.

Skender, serving as construction manager, is collaborating with architect JGMA and McNitt Consulting on the project, which is on track for a February 2019 completion.

Little Kids Rock will host a fundraiser, Big Kids Rock, on February 27, 2018 at City Winery in the West Loop. This year’s event will help raise funds for Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives by restoring, expanding and innovating music education in our schools. Skender Construction’s band, Not to Exceed (NTE), will perform and consists of Chicago-based construction industry musicians with a vibrant, rock-inspired sound, powered by strong vocals and unified rhythm. NTE members bring to the stage a vast history of performances at high profile Chicago venues such as House of Blues, Joe’s on Weed Street, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Hard Rock and various street festivals.

Little Kids Rock pioneered Modern Band, a music program that teaches kids to perform, compose and improvise the music they love—be it rap, reggae, rock or R&B. The organization trains teachers to run the innovative program, and donates accompanying instruments and resources as necessary to teach popular music in a way that empowers students to experience instant achievement. Little Kids Rock has been serving Chicago Public Schools children and teachers since 2008, and is currently active with over 32,000 students, 150 schools and 160 trained and equipped teachers.

The “big kids” of the Big Kids Rock benefit concert are titans of various industries, including lawyers, doctors, bankers, entrepreneurs, engineers and others who have been impacted by the power of music and want to share that gift with the next generation of music-makers. Every $5,000 raised helps Little Kids Rock launch a Modern Band music program in another school, serving nearly 200 students per year.

Skender Construction recently completed the 60,000-square-foot, 15-story rehabilitation of The Elgin Tower Building, a historic centerpiece in downtown Elgin, Illinois.

Condemned in 2014 due to a fire, the former bank turned office building underwent a complete gut rehab transformation into 44 market-rate apartment units with modern finishes. Demolition included the removal of old coal fired boilers and radiators to update the building with energy efficient water heaters and individually controlled fancoil units within each apartment. Skender and the design team worked with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to protect and preserve the building’s historic elements, which involved retaining original terrazzo in the corridors, refinishing or recreating wooden landmark unit entries, rebuilding elevators to operate within the existing shafts, replacing exterior windows and coordinating local street closures to facilitate the project’s temporary loading dock. Exterior façade tuckpointing, stone replacement and abatement activities were completed by outside contractors, but coordinated through Skender to maintain the project schedule.

Skender, serving as general contractor, collaborated with St. Louis-based architect Webster Design, owner Capstone Development Group and the City of Elgin to complete the monumental project.

Skender Construction Chairman Joseph Skender was inducted into Midwest Real Estate News‘ Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Each year the magazine inducts a new class of the biggest names in the commercial real estate industry. Joseph was selected from a pool of more than 500 nominations and joins 96 others in this year’s class.

In high school, Skender began working summers with his father who owned a small residential construction company in the south suburbs of Chicago, eventually working his way through college on a variety of construction jobs. Since taking a leadership position at the firm in 1980, Skender has helped Skender Construction grow to become one of the largest general contractors in Chicago.

Skender is a busy supporter of charitable and community organizations, and co-founded Skender Foundation, a 501(c)(3) private foundation dedicated to helping organizations impacting education and wellness. Skender serves on DePaul University’s board of trustees and is a member of the Executives’ Club of Chicago and Economic Club of Chicago.

Midwest Real Estate News officially announced the Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame class of 2018 in the December/January 2018 issue.

Skender Construction recently completed a 90,000-square-foot headquarters relocation project for Wilson Sporting Goods, the American sports equipment manufacturer.

Located on the fifth and sixth floors of One Prudential Plaza, the sports-inspired, open-office workspace incorporates brick walls, a wood ceiling in the café and a communicating stair. The stair required Skender to remove a large section of the 6th floor slab and provide structural reinforcement around the new opening.

Wilson’s passion for sport is branded throughout the office with custom graphics of sponsored athletes and a café floor striped with different fields of play for football, basketball, golf and tennis. The reception lounge features custom metal display boxes with glass fronts and internal lighting that will hold vintage sporting artifacts mounted for display. The reception desk includes leather hides that were stitched together to resemble baseball stitching.

Skender, serving as general contractor, collaborated with architect Gensler and owner’s representative Newmark Knight Frank to successfully complete the build-out.

Skender Foundation recently announced the promotion of Belinda Moore to associate executive director of the nonprofit organization.

Belinda has been integral to Skender Foundation’s growth since the organization’s inception in 2012, most recently serving as volunteer committee chair of the foundation and member of the Builders’ Board, a subcommittee of Skender Foundation comprised of philanthropic-minded leaders working together to inspire positive, sustainable change in Chicago. Previously, Belinda held multiple accounting and administrative roles for Skender Construction, one of the nation’s largest building contractors.

In her new role, Belinda is responsible for developing and implementing the foundation’s vision and strategic plan. She also oversees the planning and execution of events; program and committee oversight and implementation; coordination of volunteer opportunities; and the approval process for grant applications.

“Belinda has been a vital contributor to the foundation’s development and success over the past five years,” said Skender Foundation Chair and President Cheryl Skender. “Her passion for giving back to the community will continue to drive the foundation’s vision: to perpetuate the legacy of giving.”

Skender Construction recently announced that Vice President of People and Culture Lisa Latronico has been promoted to Partner at the firm.

Lisa has played an instrumental role in driving Skender’s Lean and employee-focused culture. Since joining the firm in 2001, Lisa has pioneered many award-winning employee enrichment and recruiting programs, leading the firm to consistent recognition as a best place to work in Illinois and Chicago. She oversees Skender’s human resources team to cultivate the next generation of unrivaled talent and superior culture. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Governors State University and a certificate from DePaul University in human resource management.

“Lisa is an extraordinary leader and teammate, and as such, we are thrilled to announce that Lisa has been named a partner at Skender. Her enthusiasm is unparalleled, with a deep focus and commitment to distinguishing Skender through our people and culture. More so, she has become a valued executive leader and strategic partner, helping to guide our company’s future,” said CEO Mark Skender.

As Vice President and Partner, Lisa will continue to lead the human resources team and focus her operational efforts on employee enrichment, retention and recruiting. She joins her colleagues Joseph Skender (Chairman of the Board), Mark Skender (Chief Executive Officer), Justin Brown (President), Afshan Barshan (Executive Vice President), Andrew MacGregor (Executive Vice President), Dan Marijan (Executive Vice President) and Clay Edwards (Vice President) on Skender’s leadership board.

“When I joined Skender in 2001, I recognized something special in Joe and Mark Skender. Their integrity was instantly apparent and admirable,” Lisa said. “A deep affection for our culture and team quickly developed. That same affection and team approach inspires me every day as I strive to create meaningful programs for our employees and their families to feel connected, empowered and engaged like I did from the very beginning.”

Skender Construction announced today that it recently joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership. Skender is offsetting 100 percent of its annual Chicago office electricity use, or 250 thousand kilowatt-hours (kWh), with the purchase of green power via renewable energy certificates (RECs) from Renewable Choice Energy.

Skender Construction is currently the only general contractor Green Power Partner in Illinois. As a Green Power Partner, Skender joins DePaul University, the Morton Arboretum, and a wide variety of leading organizations committed to leading their industries in the reduction of carbon emissions and the movement toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally-preferable carbon-free resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass and low-impact hydro. Using green power helps accelerate the development of those sources in the United States and advance the American green power market.

As a Green Power Partner, Skender’s Chicago headquarters earned enough points to pursue LEED Gold certification for commercial interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Skender Construction recently completed a 21,000-square-foot office build-out for The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto Company and creator of digital tools to help farmers sustainably increase their productivity.

Located at 1330 W. Fulton Market, the new open office workspace incorporates rustic wood walls and a custom art feature wall at the entrance. The Climate Corporation’s passion for agriculture is manifested throughout the office with an antique tractor on display and huddle rooms built out as silos using oversized barn doors. Two dedicated workshops house The Climate Corporation’s equipment and ongoing projects, and a large breakroom with a custom chain link design wall offers ping pong and foosball for employees.

Skender, serving as general contractor, collaborated with architect Shive-Hattery and owner’s representative COR Consulting to successfully complete the build-out.

Skender Construction recently won the “gold medal” safety award in the construction achievement category from Raffles Insurance. More than 70 other companies were eligible in this category and Skender earned the top honor, which recognizes outstanding safety, loss prevention and claims management.

Every Skender project prioritizes safety, production and quality with a mindset that each are interconnected and of equal importance. As a result of our progressive approach, this honor marks the fifth construction safety award won by Skender since 2013. Another measure of safety in the construction industry is the experience modification rate (EMR), which calculates past cost of injuries and future chance of risk. As further evidence of an exceptional safety record, Skender’s EMR is 27 percent lower than the national average.

Three Skender Construction projects were recently honored at Designight 2017, the annual design excellence awards event of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). At the event, AIA Chicago recognized outstanding work from Chicago architecture firms for projects designed and built throughout the world. The three Skender-built projects that earned recognition were:

• Morningstar: The 26,000-square-foot build-out of Morningstar’s global headquarters in Chicago was awarded a Citation of Merit in the Interior Architecture Awards category. Selected from nearly 100 entries, the project was designed by Perkins+Will and built by Skender for Morningstar’s technology employees. The space includes open concept space and a custom-built stage area called “The Drum,” which serves as an auditorium with bleacher-style seating shaped like Morningstar’s signature logo.

• Safe Haven Veteran Village: The 55,000-square foot affordable veterans housing development received a Citation of Merit award in the Distinguished Building Awards category. Serving as general contractor, Skender collaborated with architect UrbanWorks to successfully complete the Melrose Park, Illinois project, which includes 12 buildings and 35 residences on five nearby but separate sites. All of the buildings are wood construction with cement board, brick and a cedar veneer.
• Echo Global Logistics, ECHO Wall: Designed by CannonDesign and built by Skender, the ECHO wall received Special Recognition for Architectural Branding within the Divine Detail Awards category. Located at the entrance of the transportation logistics firm’s new office, the ECHO wall is constructed from raw Cor-Ten steel and resembles a scalar representation of the box trailers that are the hub of Echo Global’s business.

The 62nd annual Designight celebration was held at Navy Pier’s Grand Ballroom on October 13.

Skender, one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing contractors, has helped many organizations attract talented employees by building out inviting workplace interiors that promote collaboration and well-being. Now the Chicago-based firm has done the same for its own headquarters space, in a relocation and expansion lease in the Fulton Market district.

Skender is moving into its new 38,000-square-foot space at 1330 W. Fulton, a Sterling Bay property known as Fulton West. The new location is 50 percent larger than its previous space at 200 W. Madison to accommodate Skender’s rapid growth, and the move to Fulton Market reflects the firm’s high-energy culture.

“We set out to build a premier office space that fits our culture and enables us to continue hiring top construction talent,” said CEO Mark Skender. “In two years, we have doubled in size, growing from 114 to 226 employees.”

The flexible, open-plan workspace features exposed concrete ceilings and numerous collaboration spaces with the latest video conferencing technology. Three large multipurpose rooms feature overhead doors that open to a central corridor and coffee bar. A variety of unique lounge spaces create an inviting environment for teamwork.

“This is an exciting milestone for Skender,” said President Justin Brown. “Through our work for clients, we’ve seen how a dynamic, appealing workplace can help attract the best employees and sets the table for collaboration and innovation.”

Serving as general contractor, Skender worked with architect Perkins+Will to complete its new headquarters.

Skender Construction ranked among the top 100 construction firms in the U.S., according to a report compiled by Building Design+Construction magazine. As part of the publication’s 2017 Giants 300 Report, which ranks U.S. building contractors by annual revenue, Skender earned the No. 82 spot with 2016 revenues of $335 million.

Building Design+Construction also ranks U.S. contractors by building sector. Skender earned the No. 31 spot in the list of top retail contractors, No. 37 among the top office contractors, No. 51 among the top healthcare contractors, and No. 68 among the nation’s top multifamily contractors.

Additionally, Skender was recently recognized by Midwest Real Estate News. In the magazine’s “2017 Best of the Best” issue, Skender ranked among the top 20 general contractors in the Midwest. This ranking was also determined by 2016 revenues.

In addition to these industry accolades, Skender recently earned multiple “Best Place to Work” honors. The Daily Herald Business Ledger named Skender as a Best Place to Work in Illinois for the ninth consecutive year. And for the tenth consecutive year, the National Association for Business Resources named Skender one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. The regional competition honors companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative and thoughtful human resources approach.

Skender Construction recently started interior construction of the 168,000-square-foot headquarters for retail real estate company GGP, formerly known as General Growth Properties, at River North Point.

GGP is relocating 700 employees to its new headquarters at 350 N. Orleans. Once complete, the space will reflect GGP’s brand and culture with a bright, collaborative work environment that includes open workstation areas, private offices, conference rooms, reception, satellite pantries, large café and teaming areas throughout. The space will also include a two-story viewing atrium.

Serving as construction manager, Skender is working in collaboration with Chicago-based design firm ARCHIDEAS, Environmental Systems Design and JLL to complete the project by January 2018.

Jeff Krause has joined Skender Construction as a senior superintendent. With more than 20 years of construction experience, Krause brings to Skender an impressive background in ground-up high-rise, healthcare, education and institutional projects. He will be working with Skender’s housing and healthcare teams to manage projects in those markets.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff to the Skender team,” said Skender Construction President Justin Brown. “Jeff’s knowledge of complex, ground-up construction is an exceptional addition to our company and we’re excited to have him help push us forward on large-scale projects.”

Prior to joining Skender, Krause was a senior superintendent at Power Construction where he oversaw a variety of large-scale, high-profile projects, including the 42-story Ritz-Carlton residences, 690-unit Marquee at Block 37, 56-story Essex on the Park, 300,000-SF residential mid-rise building at 1200 W. Madison, and the new hospital / bed tower at Rush University Medical Center. He earned a bachelor of science degree in construction management from Western Illinois University.

“The energy level here at Skender Construction is like nothing I have seen in my 20-plus years in the industry,” said Krause. “It is contagious and has sparked tremendous enthusiasm that I look forward to sharing with our clients and project teams.”

Skender Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, Summer Eclipse, on July 20 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). This year’s event highlighted Chicago Youth Programs (CYP), an award-winning organization that serves children across the entire city with a simple philosophy—to impact the long-term outcome of a child’s life, you must serve the child long-term.

A total of $400,000 was raised in one night by sponsors and more than 500 event attendees. Of that, $30,000 will be donated to CYP while the balance will be dispersed to other charities dedicated to education and wellness throughout the year. In 2016, Skender Foundation donated to more than 100 different charity organizations.

CYP provides over 40 comprehensive programs to at-risk youth, from birth through 25 years of age, living in the Washington Park, Near North/Cabrini Green, North Lawndale and Uptown/Rogers Park neighborhoods. CYP is dedicated to serving those least likely to have access to support. These neighborhoods have some of the highest rates of youth living in poverty out of all 77 of Chicago’s neighborhoods.

“Skender Foundation and Chicago Youth Programs spent a beautiful evening in Chicago celebrating our shared commitment to serving the city’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Cinaiya Stubbs, deputy executive director of CYP. “We are thrilled to have been included and look forward to the impact that the donation from Skender Foundation will make in the lives of our youth and families. From healthcare to violence prevention, mentoring, academics and college readiness—all will be supported by the donation.”

“We are thrilled by the support we received at this year’s Summer Eclipse,” said Cheryl Skender, Skender Foundation President. “Chicago Youth Program’s mission is truly inspiring and we were honored to highlight CYP at this year’s Summer Eclipse. A big thank you to our generous sponsors for their donations and to attendees for making it a wonderful evening.”

Skender Construction recently completed a 64,000-square-foot interior office buildout for Mead Johnson, a leading nutrition company for babies and children. The baby formula company, a new division of Reckitt Benckiser’s, has relocated from Glenview, Illinois to 444 W. Lake Street in downtown Chicago.

The three-floor project included a 1,500-square-foot slab cut for a self-supporting feature staircase with custom rails and a 2,000-square-foot one of a kind Arktura ceiling system. The space also contains a high tech audio visual system, high-end lobby, open floor plan, conference rooms and executive offices.

Serving as general contractor, Skender worked in collaboration with Partners by Design, Environmental Systems Design and Development Resources, Inc. to complete the project in 20 weeks.

Skender Construction recently completed J. Michael Fitzgerald Apartments (JMFA), a new 62,000-square-foot affordable senior housing facility in Chicago’s North Park Village neighborhood. The five-story, 63-unit independent living facility is located within an existing senior housing campus and designed to match the existing surrounding aesthetic. The project includes a precast concrete structure design, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC system, double elevator shaft, ground floor multipurpose room, library, computer room and fitness center.

Serving as general contractor, Skender worked in collaboration with St. Louis Design Alliance, Harley Ellis Devereaux and Eriksson Engineering Associates to complete the residential complex. JMFA features one-bedroom apartments with full kitchens and baths. A new section of road was also added to the adjacent campus to improve traffic flow to and from the building.

Skender Construction ranked among the top contractors on local and national industry lists recently compiled by two publications. This month, Skender earned the No. 15 spot on the largest contractors list published by Crain’s Chicago Business. Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine ranked Skender at No. 234 on its list of the top 400 contractors in the United States. Both rankings are based on 2016 revenues. Last year, Skender posted revenues of $335 million.

In addition to these accolades, Skender recently earned multiple “Best Place to Work” honors. The Daily Herald Business Ledger named Skender as a Best Place to Work in Illinois for the ninth consecutive year. And for the tenth consecutive year, the National Association for Business Resources named Skender one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. The regional competition honors companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative and thoughtful human resources approach.

Skender has completed the 39,000-square-foot build-out and interior renovation for marketing software company Signal. Located at 222 N. LaSalle, Signal’s new space is sleek and functional, featuring communal areas and conference rooms named after Chicago brewpubs.

The renovation, completed over a 20-week schedule in the 90-year-old Builders Building, required the demolition of existing offices and the construction of an open-plan workspace that features glass partitions, several conference / meeting rooms, kitchenettes and two restrooms.

Skender worked in collaboration with facility planning and design firm Eastlake Studio and owner’s representative CBRE to successfully complete the build-out.

Todd Andrlik has joined Skender Construction as Vice President of Marketing. With nearly 20 years of construction and professional services marketing experience, Andrlik brings to Skender an impressive background in strategic planning, content marketing, digital marketing, branding and managing high-performing teams. He will be working with Skender’s executive leadership team to develop and execute branding and marketing initiatives to support the company’s strategic direction.

“We are very excited to welcome Todd to Skender,” said Justin Brown, President of Skender Construction. “Todd’s knowledge of the construction industry and track record of executing marketing programs are a great addition to our team. His leadership and talent for developing strategic marketing initiatives will help push us to the next level.”

Prior to joining Skender, Andrlik served as Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Leopardo Construction, where he was a member of the executive leadership team and responsible for developing and implementing all marketing communications initiatives.

Andrlik earned a Master of Business Administration from Roosevelt University with a concentration in integrated marketing communications as well as a Bachelor of Science in public relations from Illinois State University. He also holds a certification in public relations and international business from Salzburg College in Austria. Since 2012, he has served on the editorial advisory board of Illinois Real Estate Journal. Outside of his marketing career, Andrlik is a bestselling author and editor of history books.

“I am thrilled to join such a talented team and look forward to contributing to Skender’s continued growth and success,” said Andrlik.

Skender Construction was recently named as one of the 2017 Best Places to Work in Illinois. Established in 2006, the awards program is promoted by The Daily Herald Business Ledger in partnership with the Human Resources Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC), the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, MRA-The Management Association, the Student Business Advocacy Council, the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group.

This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Illinois, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses. The 2017 Best Places to Work in Illinois list is made up of 29 companies in the small employer category (15-99 U.S. employees), 25 companies in the medium employer category (100-499 U.S. employees), and 21 companies in the large employer category (500 or more U.S. employees). For the fourth time in five years, Skender Construction took home the Number 1 honor in the medium employer category.

“Our People and Culture Team make this possible by helping to keep our employees engaged and creating wonderful programs that make people want to come to work every day,” said Lisa Latronico, Skender Construction’s Vice President of People and Culture.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Illinois. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Illinois as well as analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.

Skender Construction was recognized and honored at the Best Places to Work in Illinois awards ceremony hosted by The Daily Herald Business Ledger on May 18 and will be profiled in a special publication on June 26. The final rankings will be announced at the event and on the Business Ledger website.

Skender Construction and the Woodlawn community, along with state and local politicians, including U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, celebrated the groundbreaking of Woodlawn Station, a 95,000-square-foot transit-oriented development in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood. The development, located just under the Cottage Grove Green Line CTA terminus station, will feature a main building that contains 55 units and two additional buildings containing 12 and 3 units respectively.

Woodlawn Station marks the Preservation of Affordable Housing’s (POAH) fifth new construction project along Cottage Grove Avenue.

“Residents of Woodlawn Station will soon be able to leave their new apartment and walk steps to high quality restaurants and cafés, shops and services located on the ground floor. They’ll be able to walk steps to the Green Line to get downtown or take the 63 bus to the new Obama Library,” said Aaron Gornstein, POAH President and CEO. “At POAH, we believe in the power of mixed-income communities. This project will provide replacement housing for 35 former Grove Parc Plaza residents, another 20 units for middle-income residents and 15 units of market rate housing.”

Woodlawn Station strives to not only improve the lives of its residents, but also to support local entrepreneurs who will be moving into its ground-level retail space. These businesses will be offered lower rents and generous tenant improvement packages. One such business is locally renowned Ain’t She Sweet Café, the first retail tenant announced for the building.

Skender will serve as general contractor for the Nia Architects-designed apartment community funded by POAH, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other lending partners. Construction is expected to take 12 months and construction materials will include steel and precast on the 55-unit building, and CMU and wood framing on the 12- and 3-unit buildings.

“Chicago has a great need for affordable housing and we are honored to play a small part in bridging that gap. We take pride in being able to make a meaningful contribution towards an exciting future for this culturally rich neighborhood,” said Joseph Pecoraro, Project Executive at Skender.

Skender Construction, a leading Chicago-based general contractor, announced today a new executive appointment to strengthen the company’s business development initiatives.

Dan Ulbricht has joined Skender as Vice President. A 19-year commercial construction and real estate industry expert, Ulbricht brings industry experience, an understanding of real estate development and an aptitude for managing strategic relationships. He will be working with Skender’s executive leadership team to augment partnerships and expand new markets.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dan to the team,” says Justin Brown, President of Skender Construction. “Dan’s knowledge of the construction industry is complemented by both his skills in marketing as well as strategic accounts. He has a talent for understanding clients’ perspectives and translating their needs into constructive solutions. He is a great cultural fit for Skender and is someone whose outlook aligns with where we are going as a company.”

Prior to joining Skender, Ulbricht served as Vice President of Strategic Accounts for Leopardo Construction, where he was a trusted advisor in facilitating communication and working with CEOs, CFOs and real estate directors. In 2014, he was named to Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40 class. Ulbricht is a partner at Fort Knox Studios, a premier rehearsal, production and recording facility with locations in Chicago and Nashville. Ulbricht is also a past president of the Chicago Chapter of CoreNet Global and an active participant in Little Kids Rock, Beacon Therapeutic and City of Hope.

“I have always been impressed by the spirit and energy of the people at Skender. I am excited to now be a part of the dynamic team that pushes the boundaries of this industry and continues to transform the construction experience,” says Ulbricht.

Tom Conroy, SE, has joined Skender Construction as a senior project manager in Chicago. With nearly 30 years of construction and project management experience, Conroy brings an impressive portfolio of large-scale stadia, luxury hotels and high-rise, mixed-use development projects to the firm.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tom to Skender’s operations team,” says Mark Skender, CEO. “His experiences and talents in project management and tremendous portfolio are great additions to our strong project management team. Tom will also help drive our strategic plans for growth in several market sectors.”

Conroy comes to Skender from McHugh Construction, where he served as senior project manager overseeing luxury hotel, mixed-use development and high-rise projects. Most recently, he led construction of multiple renovation projects for Navy Pier, Inc., including the Ferris wheel replacement, reconfiguration of the Illinois Street / Streeter Drive intersection, installation of overhead roadway signage, reconstruction of the Polk Bros Fountain, renovation of Polk Bros Park and portions of the Family Pavilion.

Conroy also led the $40 million concrete construction of FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Cleveland Browns. His other major projects include the Capella Telluride, a luxury 8-story, 100-rooms hotel with 60 condominium residences in Telluride, Colorado; State Place, a 27-story, 640,000 square foot, four-building residential and retail complex in Chicago, Illinois; and large-scale renovation projects at Hyatt Regency Chicago.

A Chicago native, Conroy earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in civil engineering, with an emphasis on structural engineering, from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). He is a licensed structural engineer and member of the American Institute of Steel Construction and American Concrete Institute. “It is exciting to be part of an energetic and trusted company like Skender. I am looking forward to working with the strong teams of construction professionals and helping grow their presence in various markets,” says Conroy.

The Builders’ Board of Skender Foundation, comprised of young professionals, hosted its annual fundraiser, Harvesting Hope, on October 20 at House of Blues Chicago. This year’s charity partner and beneficiary was Embarc, a nonprofit three-year program that provides experience-based learning opportunities to low-income high school students. More than 300 people attended the event and raised $25,000, which will enable Embarc to continue to inspire and prepare their students for college and career success.

Embarc is the nation’s only teacher-led experiential program, founded in 2010 by teachers Imran Khan and January Miller at West Englewood’s Harper High School. From a pilot of just 100 students, Embarc has quickly grown into a highly-demanded, social and cultural education program projected to serve more than 700 students in the 2016-2017 school year in 14 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools throughout the city. Embarc’s theory of change is simple: you can only become what you can see. Rather than addressing the achievement gap by simply driving academic skills, Embarc innovatively aims to close the achievement gap by addressing non-cognitive skills, sparking a passion and perseverance for long-term goals, and teaching students the action steps it takes to achieve those goals.

“Embarc’s students, teachers, team and volunteers are incredibly honored by Skender Foundation’s support,” says Imran Khan, CEO & Co-Founder of Embarc. “The Builders’ Board worked tirelessly to pull off an incredible event. The dollars raised at Harvesting Hope will bring a full year of Embarc’s award-winning program to a class of 25 CPS high school students this school year, providing transformative experiences around the city coupled with a curriculum that drives their academic, postsecondary and life success.”

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Harvesting Hope,” says Harvesting Hope Co-Chair, Brian Sanchez. “Embarc was a very inspirational organization to work with and we were moved by its mission from day one. Thanks to the generosity of this year’s sponsors and attendees, Embarc will hopefully be able to expand their student base and increase the number of cultural programs and outings.”

In past years, Harvesting Hope highlighted Foundations of Music, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’s Emergency Needs Fund, Common Threads and Urban Initiatives, all local charities promoting wellness and education.

Skender Construction announced today that five employees have been promoted.

Luke DeTolve was promoted from superintendent to senior superintendent. DeTolve has over a decade of experience managing ground-up and interior tenant improvement construction for major clients including Motorola Mobility, DeVry University and Cision. He joined Skender Construction in 2012, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

John Estes was promoted from superintendent to senior superintendent. With over 20 years’ experience managing construction projects, Estes has built both ground-up buildings and interior environments for senior living and healthcare clients, including Northwestern Medicine and Mercy Housing Lakefront. He joined Skender Construction’s team in 2013.

Dan Stefka was promoted from project foreman to field operations manager. Stefka has over 30 years’ experience in construction and joined Skender Construction in 2013. Stefka has helped manage day-to-day construction for Motorola Mobility and other high-profile clients.

Belinda Moore was promoted from project accountant to senior project accountant. Moore joined Skender in 2004 as an administrative assistant, and she has managed project accounts for the company’s multi-unit housing and healthcare projects.

Cathy Jenrich was promoted from project accountant to senior project accountant. Jenrich joined Skender in 2011, and she has worked on projects at Northwestern Medicine for the past five years.

“Luke, Jon, Dan, Belinda and Cathy have demonstrated a great work ethic and the ability to develop successful relationships with trade partners, their peers and our clients. I look forward to their continued success as our company grows,” said CEO Mark Skender.

Skender Construction has promoted two members of its team to oversee the company’s daily operations.

Brian Bukowski and Brian Simons were promoted to Project Executives, from Senior Project Managers. Bukowski and Simons will lead operations for all construction, project management and project administration activities throughout the firm.

Bukowski joined Skender Construction in 2007 as a Project Engineer. He has managed nearly 3 million square feet of corporate interior buildouts for clients across Chicago. Bukowski has managed projects for Motorola Mobility, Dentons, 1871 and others. Bukowski has 14 years’ experience in the construction industry and holds a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Management from Purdue University.

Simons also joined the company in 2007 as a project manager. Over the course of his 14-year career, he has managed complex projects in the healthcare and multi-unit housing market sectors. Some of his clients include Northwestern Medicine, Ingalls Health System and NuCare Senior Development. Simons holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering from Purdue University.

“Both Brian and Brian have contributed to the growth of the company and have demonstrated tremendous leadership in the way they manage projects and build relationships. We’re looking forward to them contributing to the company’s very bright future,” said CEO Mark Skender.

Skender Foundation has appointed Jeffrey Skender and Brian Skender to serve as directors of the foundation. Both members of the foundation’s young professionals division, Builders’ Board, Jeffrey and Brian will act as liaisons between Builders’ Board and the foundation’s Board of Directors while also assisting to improve overall operations, fundraising and membership efforts.

Jeffrey Skender is a broker at Cushman & Wakefield and founding member of Builders’ Board. He earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Jeffrey is also a mentor for the Chicago Innovation Exchange at the University of Chicago as well as a member of The Chicago Leadership Alliance.

Brian Skender, a project manager at Skender Construction, has been integral to the growth of the Builders’ Board since its inception in 2012, most recently serving as president. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. Brian is active with Safe Families for Children, a host parenting volunteer network for families in distress.

“Both Brian and Jeff have been vital contributors to the foundation’s development and success over the past three years,” says Skender Foundation Chair and President, Cheryl Skender. “Their leadership qualities and passion for giving back will continue to drive Builders’ Board and its vision: to perpetuate the legacy of giving.”

Skender Construction has completed construction on a new two-floor office space for PSAV, a global event technology service provider. The 75,000 square foot space at 5100 River Road in Schiller Park, IL features a bright, open design to encourage teamwork and collaboration.

The design utilizes natural light and high-end finishes for a warm, modern feel. Open work stations run along the windowed outer walls. Conference rooms and private offices are located in the space’s interior and feature full glass fronts to capture natural light. Ceilings were raised and partially opened to create a sense of openness and visual appeal. The main café includes large booths for impromptu gatherings.

“The new space has changed the work environment for PSAV,” said Skender senior project manager Ashlee York. “The space is more open and connected – people talk more and gather more.”

An internal stair, a major design feature, connects the office’s two floors. The custom staircase is slightly curved, to mirror the curved outer wall of the building. The nontraditional shape required close collaboration between trade partners, suppliers and structural engineers to fabricate each piece in sequence and to stay on schedule.

The new space in Schiller Park houses PSAV’s corporate office. The more than 200 employees of the corporate office moved into the space in July 2015. PSAV’s corporate office was previously located in Schaumburg, IL.

“PSAV continues to grow in the global event technology marketplace and we needed an office that reflected who we really are,” stated Annette Moody, Senior Vice President, Product Management, PSAV. “Working with Skender, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, and Savills Studley, we were able to create an office environment to allow for a new level of collaboration and communication.”

Savills Studley was the owner’s representative for this project, Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) provided the architecture and design services, Sentinel Technologies was the technology consultant and ESD provided the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer services.

The Builders’ Board of Skender Foundation, comprised of young professionals, hosted its annual fundraiser, Harvesting Hope, on October 15 at House of Blues Chicago. This year’s charity partner and benefactor was Foundations of Music, a nonprofit organization that provides programs designed to implement culturally relevant, hands-on music education for children in Chicago. More than 350 people attended the event and collectively raised $30,000, which will enable Foundations of Music to deliver music programming to at least five additional schools.

Founded in 1988, Foundations of Music (formerly Rock for Kids) impacts more than 7,000 students in more than 30 Chicago public schools annually. More than 550 students receive direct music instruction from the organization’s artist in residency program in the form of general music and choir, as well as songwriting and production. Nearly 80% of classroom teachers surveyed reported that their students showed improvement in behavior, general demeanor and attitude as a result of their participation in the program.

“Foundations of Music relies on the support of people and organizations like Skender Foundation to make it possible for us to deliver high-quality, low-cost music education programming to some of Chicago’s most economically challenged neighborhoods,” says Steven Hartley, Executive Director of Foundations of Music. “We are grateful for the effort the Builders’ Board made on our behalf and for their generous support.”

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s Harvesting Hope,” says Harvesting Hope Co-Chair, Brian Sanchez. “Foundations of Music was a very inspirational organization to work with and we were moved by its mission from day one. Thanks to the unprecedented generosity of this year’s sponsors and attendees, Foundations of Music will be able to bring music education programming to several new underserved schools.”

In previous years, Harvesting Hope highlighted Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’s Emergency Needs Fund, Common Threads and Urban Initiatives, raising money for these local charities promoting wellness and education.

Skender Construction has completed construction of the 165,000 square foot office relocation for Enova International, a global technology and analytics-driven online lender. The new space, at 175 West Jackson Boulevard in Downtown Chicago, utilizes open space and an efficient layout to foster collaboration and provide room for future growth.

The bright, energetic space incorporates bold colors, open ceilings, exposed plywood and retro-modern lighting and furniture throughout. Large graffiti murals splash across several raw wood internal walls. The murals, commissioned by Enova, were created by School of the Art Institute of Chicago student Zachary MacTavish and teacher Miguel Aguilar. Special design and engineering considerations were required to accommodate a 24/7 call center that occupies one floor of the new space, including 24/7 heating and cooling, K-13 ceiling insulation treatment for noise abatement and durable design and materials to withstand constant use.

The new office, which opened in June 2015, spans 3 floors and incorporates open and private offices, cafes, multi-function rooms, gathering spaces and a game room. It is home to Enova’s more than 860 Downtown Chicago employees, with room to accommodate the company’s rapid growth.

“The space Skender constructed will enable our company to continue to attract the top-notch tech and analytics talent that drives our business,” said David Fisher, CEO. “It’s been great to have such a vibrant space in downtown Chicago that fits our culture and way of working.”

CBRE was the owner’s representative for this project, Partners by Design provided the architecture and design services and ESD provided the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer services.

Skender Construction has completed construction of Southwick Place, a 40-unit affordable housing development located in south suburban Matteson. The apartment community is owned by Over the Rainbow Association (OTR), an Illinois nonprofit association dedicated to providing affordable, barrier-free housing solutions for people with physical disabilities. All units within the 37,000-square-foot complex exceed the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, designed to remove barriers for people who use wheelchairs or need other assistance with mobility.

“Southwick Place joins eight existing Over the Rainbow Association properties and two more apartment communities in development in the Chicagoland area. These homes positively impact the lives of nearly 300 people with physical disabilities by creating barrier-free living spaces, thus helping them to live independently and control their own lives,” said Eric Huffman, executive director of OTR. “For a number of brand new Southwick tenants, this is a very first fully accessible home, and they are elated and thankful for the opportunity to live and thrive with dignity. With Southwick, we really wanted to make a statement by pushing the boundaries from a design and construction standpoint. We wanted to convey that affordable housing doesn’t have to be so basic; it can be exciting.”

Skender served as general contractor for the Weese Langley Weese-designed, IHDA-funded apartment community. The team worked under a compressed schedule, with construction beginning in July 2013 and ending in May 2015. The building takes on a geometrical form with an angled roof system, and the facade is a vibrant combination of color and materials, connected by a floor-to-ceiling glass vestibule that allows sunlight to enter each floor. In order to exceed ADA compliance, unique design elements in the apartment community included wider hallways, limited carpet to better accommodate wheelchairs, large roll-in showers, elevated counter tops, additional elevators, varied base details, matching thresholds, drop-in cook tops, wall-mounted oven ranges, precisely positioned kitchen sinks and easy-to-open custom windows.

“From the beginning, Over the Rainbow’s mission motivated our team and we were all on board to create the best possible home for adults with mobility impairments,” said project manager, Brian Skender.

Skender Construction announced today that it has added a new senior superintendent to its growing healthcare team.

John Weaver, LEED AP, CHC, has over 30 years’ experience managing construction for major healthcare institutions across Illinois. Weaver has served as senior superintendent for high-caliber projects such as Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, The Heart Hospital at SwedishAmerican and The Methodist Medical Center of Illinois Replacement Hospital. Weaver was a general superintendent at Turner Construction Company.

Jeff Janicek, Vice President at Skender Construction, said Skender is strategically building a team experienced in managing healthcare projects of the future, as providers are approaching the built environment with efficiency and the patient experience in mind.

“Instead of building large replacement hospitals, providers are reinventing and remodeling their existing facilities to optimize patient satisfaction. Healthcare has become more localized, and is becoming more nimble to meet its patients’ changing needs. Our team is well-positioned to lead in this market, and we’re ready to help clients as they transform their industry,” he said.

Skender Construction was named one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For for the eighth consecutive year.

The regional competition, sponsored by the National Association for Business Resources, honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resources practices and employee enrichment. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.

“Our employees are our greatest asset, and so many of our employees have played a hands-on role in building a culture that emphasizes entrepreneurship, innovation, client service and fun. It’s been very rewarding to watch Skender’s culture evolve as we’ve grown,” said Lisa Latronico, Vice President of People and Culture at Skender Construction.

Skender was recognized with fellow winning companies at an awards luncheon at Oak Brook Marriott on July 10. A consistent leader in employee satisfaction, Skender has also been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Daily Herald for six consecutive years.