(front, left to right)
Joe Sweeney, Ingram's Magazine
Don Greenwell, The Builders' Association (Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor)

Tom Whittaker, J.E. Dunn Construction (Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor)
Rosie Privitera Biondo, Mark One Electric

JoLynne Bartolatta, Fogel-Anderson Construction

(back row, left to right)

Jim Schnefke, McCownGordon Construction

Doug Irvin, Lockton Companies

Dirk Schafer, J.E. Dunn Construction (Co-Sponsor)

Darin Heyen, Pearce Construction Co.

Paul Neidlein, Turner Construction

Rory O'Connor, Grand Construction

Richard Wetzel, Centric Projects

Phil Thomas, A.L. Huber Construction

Mike Callahan, Stinson Morrison Hecker

A City of Surprises

In a dozen years’ worth of annual Construction Industry Outlook assemblies, two stand out for their general lack of optimism: 2010 and 2011. But early May 4, a number of construction executives gathered to reflect a genuine optimism that the worst of the sector downturn was truly behind us. They constituted the 13th annual assembly in the Downtown offices of The Builders’ Association, engaging in two hours of thoughtful discussion deftly directed by the host organization’s Don Greenwell and his assembly co-chairman, Tom Whittaker of J.E. Dunn Construction Co. Both organizations sponsored the event, a discussion that elicited optimism from people with perspectives on project work, the surety business, legal affairs in const-ruction and increased activity within the design community. The discussion touched on a wide range of relevant developments within this vital sectorof the regional economy, including the heightened level of competition—and the benefits of strong competitors—the fallout from those who couldn’t pull through, the impact on the work force and much more.