The Illinois Tollway today celebrated the leaders of the first 18 firms to graduate from its Technical Assistance Program administered by the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) Scholarship & Education Foundation.
The Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program prepares established firms including disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned firms, as well as veteran-owned and small businesses, to participate as prime contractors and subcontractors on highway and vertical construction contracts, including the Tollway 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois capital program.
“These business leaders are now better prepared to pursue contract opportunities – not only with the Illinois Tollway, but with other government agencies and the private sector,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Greg Bedalov. “We are very proud of what these entrepreneurs have accomplished and look forward to having the opportunity to work with them in the future.”
Move Illinois provides contract opportunities for firms of all sizes and types to compete for contracts on Tollway projects. That includes opportunities for both prime contractors and subcontractors on major projects, such as the Illinois Route 390 Tollway Project, I-490 Tollway Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294), but also work to keep the 292-mile Tollway system in a state of good repair and vertical construction projects such as reconstruction of Tollway maintenance sites.
The graduates will be recognized for their accomplishments on May 18 at a ceremony in Montgomery, Illinois. The first firms to graduate from the Technical Assistance Program through HACIA includes 18 Chicago-area firms from various industries, including concrete construction, steel fabrication, landscaping, trucking, roofing, flooring, painting, demolition and security.
Warren Bennie, BCE in Franklin Park
Israel Ferreyra, Yankee Service in Melrose Park
Juan Garcia, American Decorating Inc. & Construction in Elgin
Michael Gomez, Gomez & Sons Trucking Inc. in Harvard
Daniel Hall, Sentry Safety Solutions Inc. in Chicago
J.R. Harmon, Hii Construction Co. in Chicago
Teresa Hollingbird-Jackson, Aseret Development Series in Westchester
Torrence Lambert, Spirit Wrecking and Excavation Inc. in Chicago
Laurana A. Leon-Coleman, AGB Investigative Services Inc. in Chicago
George Marsh, Genesis Construction Services Inc. in Chicago
Carlos Navas, ADV Builders Inc. in Glendale Heights
Tony Reyes, Walton Contractors in Chicago
Fausto Segura, Segura TR Inc. in Elgin
Joel Sevilla, HGR Construction Services in Elmhurst
Miguel Sotelo, Orion Land Water Snow Inc. in Gilberts
Marco Tejada, HD Concrete Inc. in Plainfield
Mike Trimuel, Trims Trucking Inc. in Harvey
Kenneth Webb Sr., Fact Finders Group Inc. in Matteson
Participants in the Technical Assistance Program receive comprehensive, customized business development assistance to build financial understanding and business plan development for increased business stability and growth in the transportation-related construction industry. Services are customized to the assessed strengths, challenges and needs of participating firms. This includes education, guidance and feedback on general business and construction-specific operations, including strategic planning and assistance with the Illinois Department of Transportation pre-qualification application.
Each participant in the program must earn annual revenue of at least $750,000 and have a minimum of five years in business with subcontractor experience on major highways, roads, bridges or vertical construction projects, as well as moderate computer skills and proficiency in blueprint reading, general documents and specifications.
The HACIA Scholarship & Education Foundation is one of several organizations that the Tollway partners with on the Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program. The program is designed to help small businesses gain the experience and expertise to handle more complex projects while increasing the pool of contractors available to perform wok on Tollway projects. There are a total of seven agencies that work in partnership with the Tollway to provide technical assistance for emerging businesses in Chicago, Cook County, the south suburbs and Rockford.
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