Board of Directors

George Ferrell, Officer-in-Charge

Mr. Ferrell has been in the construction industry for thirty-five years. He began his career with Henry Bros. Co. as an estimator and later became a Project Manager.

In 1987, Mr. Ferrell was elevated to President of Henry Bros. Co. In 1993, he became Executive Vice President of Henry Bros Construction Management Services, Inc. George is the Chair for the Builders Association Government Relations Committee.

Immediate Past Chairman

Paul R. Hellermann, President/COO

Bulley & Andrews

Mr. Hellermann is responsible for estimating, project management, field operations, marketing and the management of day to day operations of the $100 million general contracting firm, Bulley & Andrews, that operates in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. The firm employs about 150 tradesmen and self-performs demolition, concrete and carpentry. A 1974 Construction graduate of Bradley University, he began his career as a Project Engineer for a construction firm in Des Plaines, Illinois.

In 1976, he moved to E. W. Corrigan Construction Company as a Project Manager, eventually becoming Vice President of Construction. In 1988 he accepted a position at Bully & Andrews as Executive Vice President and in 1992 was named President and COO. Paul is currently President for the Naperville Public Library Board of Trustees. He is also the 2003 MARBA President.

Benjamin Johnston, Vice President/Corporate Counsel

James McHugh Construction Company

Ben oversees all legal matters for James McHugh Construction Company, a century-old general contracting firm, and advises its executive team on corporate and strategic matters. He is active within the industry as well, serving as a trustee of the Carpenters' Welfare and Pension Funds and a representative to the Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association.

A member of the Illinois bar, Johnston graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois School of Law in 1988. Prior to joining McHugh in 1996, he served as associate general counsel for Handy Andy Home Improvement Centers and was an associated with Pederson and Houpt, PC.

Leon W. LaJeunesse, President

Custom Contracting, Ltd.

Leon LaJeunesse has 27 years of experience in commercial construction and launched Custom Contracting, Ltd., a full-service construction firm specializing in healthcare-related construction, in 1987. He served two years as Treasurer for the Chicago chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is very passionate about working with clients and the construction industry in regards to energy-efficient, environmentally responsible green construction.

His affiliations and memberships also include: ASPE (American Society of Professional Estimators); ASHE (American Society for Healthcare Engineering); CSI (Construction Specifications Institute) and Local 181-Carpenters Union.

Sherwin Mirsky, President

James Schaeffer & Schimming, Inc.

Mirsky has worked at James Schaeffer & Schimming for 40 years and been co-owner of the business since 1976.

James Schaeffer & Schimming is a land surveying company with a 70-year history covering a variety of Chicago-area projects, including high rises, shopping centers, athletic facilities, industrial and commercial developments, airports and roadways. All field personnel are members of Local Union 130 Technical Engineers.

John E. O'Malley, President

Case Foundation Company

John O'Malley has spent most of his life in the deep foundations industry, including the last twenty years as President of Case Foundation Company. O'Malley began his rise through the ranks of Case by working as a laborer while a student at Loyola University. He advanced to Labor Foreman, Estimator, Project Manager, Vice President and President.

Under O'Malley's leadership, Case has grown into a widely respected and successful full-service deep foundation specialist company. John is a member of the Association of Drilled Shaft Contractors (ASDC), the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

Chairman

J. David Pepper, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer

Pepper Construction Companies

David Pepper is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago-based Pepper Construction Group, a national general contractor/construction manager. Key operating groups such as project management, marketing and accounting and finance report directly to him.

He serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for Good Shepherd Hospital and is a member of the Northwest Suburban Council Boy Scouts of America's Executive Board. He is an active member of the AGC Foundation Research/Education Committee, serves on the Executive Committee for Junior Achievement of Chicago and is on the Board of Directors for United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Chicago. Dave is also Treasurer of the Builders Association Foundation.

Vice Chairman

John Russell, Vice President and Project Executive

W. E. O'Neil Construction Company

Mr. Russell received a B.S. Degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign and completed an Executive Management program at Kellogg Graduate School of Management. John has overall responsibility for all retail projects that O'Neil performs. He has relationships with several national retailers and developers and is involved in projects across the country.

John is an active member of the ICSC. John has a keen interest and significant knowledge in the area of information technology and has led several IT implementations for the company. He is a past member of W.E. O'Neil Safety Committee and has refined the company's policies in this area.

Howard Strong, President

George Sollitt Construction Co.

Howard Strong started work with The George Sollitt Construction Company in 1975 as an Assistant Superintendent. Over the last 29years, Howard has worked in all aspects of construction, including field supervision, estimating, and project management, covering a wide range of construction projects. These have included majorhospital, educational airport, industrial and municipal projects in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. He is currently CEO and President of The George Sollitt Construction Company. Howard earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at Boston University, as well as a Construction Management degree from Bradley University.

Treasurer

R. Lynn Treat, Field Operations Coordinator

Ryan Companies U.S., Inc.

Lynn Treat comes from a construction family and has been around construction since he was old enough to remember. It is this lifelong exposure and interest in the construction industry that provides Lynn with the expertise to deliver the best value. With over 33 years of hands-on experience, Lynn has acquired knowledge with the many facets of the construction process.

As a Field Operations Coordinator for Ryan, he coordinates cost estimating, technical design and development, construction activities and subcontractor negotiation. He is responsible for directing the Ryan team to obtain the goal of exceeding customer expectations. Lynn is well respected by his peers for his knowledgeable perspective and ability to offer cost-effective solutions to construction challenges.