Brand-New Look

The Building Indiana News Blog now has a brand-new location: http://www.buildingindianablog.com/. Along with its own domain name, it has a new look and the latest info going on with Building Indiana News. Check it out here.

And if you haven't stopped by the Building Indiana News website lately, it's also sporting a brand-new look, new graphics, and a new "Get Involved" section, which has all of the info on the Swanky Office Awards, Q & A, and more.

You won't hear from us on this blog anymore, so please update your bookmarks and enjoy the new buildingindianablog.com!

2008 Swanky Office Award Winners Have Been Announced!

Congratulations to the inaugural winners of the 2008 Swanky Office Awards! The six area businesses were selected as award recipients for achieving the highest form of creativity, appeal, and sophistication. They include the following:

• Best Exterior Design: Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Best Conference Room: The Troyer Group
• Dynamic Dimension: Horseshoe
• Best Interior Design: First Financial Bank (Crown Point)
• Best Entrance: Medspa Women’s Healthcare
• Best Technology: Ozinga Indiana RMC, Inc.
  

For more pictures and info, visit www.buildingindiananews.com. The nominations for the 2009 Swanky Office Awards are now open, so get your nominations in!

Always Offering the Best and Latest Information

We hope you saw our last issue of Building Indiana, filled with useful and interesting facts and figures. If not, it's not too late. You can always check out the Building Indiana News website.

Our upcoming issue will also include the 2008/2009 CAF Directory. What a great way to get in touch with anyone and everyone in the northern Indiana construction industry!

On the Horizon

The September/October issue of Building Indiana News should be on your desk, or better yet, in your hands by now. If it hasn't arrived, it should be arriving soon. We're excited about our final 2007 issue of BIN. We're taking a different approach this time around, one that we hope you'll find helpful in making business decisions to assist in your business growth. Thanks for continued reading and support of northern Indiana's leading business magazine.

Cubs and Fighting Irish

Well, Friday is here and we're all looking forward to the weekend. I'm hoping my Fighting Irish can pull off what would amount to an upset at home if they beat Michigan State. OK, I'll keep my hopes low, for the moment. Keeping my hopes high is difficult, being that I am a Cubs fan. Speaking of which, it's time to finish off the Brewers and head into the playoffs. Enough of my sports rant for the day. The next issue of BIN comes out Oct. 1. We're always open to new story ideas. Enjoy your weekend everyone. Dan

Building and Construction Trades elects new president

National labor management leader Mark Ayers was elected Thursday to serve as President of the Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD), AFL-CIO.

Beginning Oct. 1, Ayers will take over for Edward C. Sullivan, who has served as president since 2000 and previously served as General President of the International Union of Elevator Constructors.

“I look forward to addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities that present themselves to the union construction industry,” Ayers said Thursday. “I will do all that I can to enhance our stature as the world’s No. 1 choice for quality, skilled labor in the construction industry.”

Locally, union officials are excited about Ayers’ election to the top post.

“It’s very important there’s a good working relationship among contractors, local building trades officials and union officials in Washington. We’ve enjoyed those good working relationships in northwest Indiana and look forward to working with Mark in furthering the interests of area contractors and craftsmen,” said Dewey Pearman, executive director of the Construction Advancement Foundation.

“This will bring unity to the Building Trades. It’s a good move,” added James Strayer, business manager of Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council.

Ayers is currently the Director of the Construction and Maintenance Division of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Additionally, Ayers was business manager and financial secretary for IBEW Local 34 in Peoria, Ill.; co-founder and co-chairman of the Central Illinois Chapter of NECA-IBEW Local 34 Quality Connection and secretary-treasurer of the West Central Illinois Build and Construction Trades Council.

Covering all of Northern Indiana

The upcoming issue of Building Indiana News will feature comprehensive stories from companies in St. Joseph County, Newton County and Lake County, along with numerous other features on projects and developments throughout northern Indiana. The next issue arrives....Oct. 1!