Held recently at the Wintrust Financial offices in Rosemont, Calahorrano invited many representatives to participate in three panel groups:
- Women Entrepreneurs in Construction
- General Contractors – Developers
- Construction Design Professionals
“We had about 90 attendees that included attendees, panelists and invited guests,” he said. “Our speakers were very knowledgeable about their industry and shared their experiences, challenges, and insight and offered suggestions on how to have success in the industry.”
Calahorrano said the General Contractor/Developer panel shared current challenges the industry faces with financing, labor force, government regulations and current political changes. The Construction Design Professionals panel, composed of seasoned architects, provided insight on the planning and design changes as well as their take on the migrant situation and shortage of affordable housing.
He said the panel that resonated with audiences was hearing from the women construction business owners as they shared their stories arriving in their leadership positions, experiencing the successes and challenges of running their businesses, industry trends, and contributions to fostering the next generation of women in the workforce.
Estefania Roa, president of L.B. Hall Fireproofing and part of the Women in Construction panel, was grateful for Calahorrano’s invitation to be a panelist.
“The purpose of the talk was to share some inspiration, but what I truly took away was a reminder that, at the end of the day, persistence is what makes the difference,” she said. “Going back to my childhood and reminiscing about my roots was a beautiful experience. It reinforced that it doesn’t matter where we come from, but who we choose to become every day.”
He plans to build upon the series with 2024 events about clean, renewal energy, solar panels and electric vehicles tentatively scheduled for February and one on manufacturing in July.
“Our first event that we recently hosted focused and highlighted Latino contractors,” he said. “I wanted to highlight the panelists and showcase their knowledge, experience, challenges and accomplishments in the construction industry with the hope that it leads to more opportunities in a prime level. I was grateful for the participation, this being our first event.”
Calahorrano also thanked the following event sponsors and partners:
- Gold Sponsor: Chicago Voice & Data Authority
- Platinum Sponsor: JLDC Construction
- Silver Sponsor: Alera Group
- Bronze Sponsors: BEAR Construction Company, d’Escoto Inc., Illinois Tollway, Dimelo Media and Negocios Now
- Partners: City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services
- Chicago Transit Authority-CTA
- Capitol Development Board-CD
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago– MWRD
- A portion of the proceeds will go R.O.C.O-Rescue Our Children Organization, an organization that serves the undeserved children in the Chicagoland area
About the Building Opportunities Series:
The Building Opportunities Series organized by JLC & Associates is set to feature a series of panel discussions on various topics pertinent to Chicago, including areas like construction, solar panels, electric vehicles, data warehouses, manufacturing, and more. Keep a lookout for more upcoming events in this series. Call 1-630-501-7448 for more information. ###
Media Contact
Marie Lazzara, JJR Marketing, 630-400-3361, [email protected], www.jjrmarketing.com
SOURCE Building Opportunities Series
