Hats off to our industry stars

NAWIC Detroit honored standouts in the city's construction community at their annual Construction Industry Awards and Recognition Night March 8, 2019 at the Detroit/Wayne County Waterview Loft. The theme was “Hats Off to Our Industry Stars,” and many attendees showed up in their finest hats - from chic chapeaus to fedoras to hard hats. Four construction professionals were recognized for their leadership in the industry in NAWIC Detroit, two firms and two projects were recognized for their contributions to the industry.

Tarolyn founded Onyx Enterprise, Inc., a certified woman and minority-owned engineering, consulting and construction firm headquartered in Detroit. She has grown the company and now has offices in Cleveland, OH and Atlanta, GA. She is board treasurer for the Michigan Virtual Charter School and a member of the University of Michigan College of Civil Engineering and University of Michigan Engineering Alumni Board (MEAB) boards. She is also co-founder and chairperson of the Detroit chapter of the National Association of Minority Consulting Engineers (NAMCE).

A NAWIC member for less than two years, Leslie has demonstrated a significant dedication to the association, the construction industry and NAWIC membership. She has volunteered at NAWIC’s annual Scholarship Golf Outing and served as co-chair of the 2018 NAWIC Michigan Regional meeting.

The new corporate material testing laboratory is a 38,000 square foot steel structure built on a brownfield site and is part of DTE Energy’s Warren Service Center. It replaces an antiquated building that held a similar purpose where all testing laboratories for the company were located. The lab processes over 150,000 samples per year, which helps facilitate regulatory compliance, safety, and performance. DTE Energy set specific goals to ensure the new facility would be energy efficient and utilize sustainable materials and systems. The design and construction team included NSA Architects, PEA, IMEG, and Iron Horse Architects, Doublejack, Electric and De-Cal Piping.

Kathi is recognized nationally as a safety leader. She serves on national standards committees and conducts training workshops with Women Build Nations, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), NAWIC and other organizations where she presents on personal protective equipment, sanitation and harassment on the job. Kathi served as a commissioner for Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration (MIOSHA) Construction Safety Standards and has been recognized as one of the 100 women making a difference in safety by the WISE Common Interest Group of the ASSP.

Established 73 years ago, Commercial Contracting Corporation (CCC) has steadily grown as a privately owned, third generation business, providing a wide range of construction and equipment installation services. The company is an ENR Top 200 Contractor and was named a Top Work Place by the Detroit Free Press in 2017 and 2018.

Sachse Construction, inFORM Studio, and several trade partners embarked on a special project to expand Pewabic Pottery’s historic studio on East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, MI. Originally constructed in 1907, the studio is a National Historic Landmark and Detroit mainstay, contributing its handcrafted tiles to the cityscape and beyond for over 100 years. The project marked Pewabic’s first expansion since 1912 and it represents a major new development in the East Village neighborhood. Continuing Pewabic Pottery’s commitment to Detroit, the addition provides more space for production, ensuring the organization can continue to grow.

A seasoned NAWIC member, Dr. Karatas has organized and hosted Project Accelerate (PA) – a NAWIC-supported program that empowers under-represented women in the Detroit area interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry – for the past three years. Invited to visit the White House for a Policy Briefing with the Michigan African American Thought Leaders, Dr. Karatas promoted NAWIC and PA to representatives from the Department of Education, Department of Labor and the Department of Transportation.

Paige Construction celebrates five years in the construction industry this year. A Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBENC) located in Detroit, the company specializes in providing trained professional workers to perform abatement and facility management support services in automotive, healthcare, commercial and industrial facilities. Paige Construction participates in DTE Energy’s 2019 mentorship program and is a sponsor of PACE (Property Asset Clean Energy) Detroit 2030, a program that encourages energy savings audits to help property owners save energy within their facilities.

2019 Judges:

Catherine DeDecker, Vice President, Spalding DeDecker

John Hartwell, Apprentice Coordinator and Field Representative, Operating Engineers Local 324

Donna Rice, Senior Project Manager, City of Detroit Building Authority

Tricia Ruby, President and CEO, Ruby & Associates

Michael Smith, Vice President, Associated General Contractors