Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties building on 90 years of work

A founding member of the Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties still is a member as the association approaches its 91st year.

That founding member is J.L. Adler Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. in Joliet.

Jay Adler, owner of the company, has served on the association’s board of directors since 2016 after his brother Michael Adler died, Jay said in an email. Michael had served on the board since 2004, Jay said.

The 200-member association held its 90th anniversary celebration March 24 at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.

The Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties provides “a unified representation of our membership in all matters pertaining to the industry in Will and Grundy counties, according to the CAWGC website.

“We’re the voice of construction,” said Les Cheney, executive director and labor relations direction of CAWGC.

It is a great group of business people that are having the same problems you are having, and we all work together to support one another.”

—  Bob Baish of Plainfield, owner of Baish Excavating Inc.

Benefits of the association

Cheney joined CAWGC in 2006 as part of his former company, L&M Concrete, and became chairman of its board in 2010. He said CAWGC members are businesses associated with the construction industry, “from extremely large road builders to small little mom-and-pop companies.”

“I think the unique thing about the Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties is the fact that, even with the bigger companies, you get to know the owners,” Cheney said. “In some areas of the country, that’s not the case. You also know the estimators, the superintendents, the operators, the laborers, the carpenters.

“And a lot of our companies, with their help, they’re like families, and I truly mean that. That’s not to say we never have bumps in the road or headaches. But it really appears we’ve been able to work through them together.”

Jay Adler said his earliest CAWGC memories revolve around the golf outings and steak fries that gathered “the leading construction companies in Will and Grundy counties for a day of camaraderie.”

Today, Adler works on several committees: scholarship, Mike Adler Memorial Golf Tournament, Oktoberfest and steak fry. He also is a past vice chair of the board.

Adler said professional benefits include marketing, notifications of upcoming area work and “many opportunities to mingle with the owners and top decision-makers of local construction companies.”

Furthermore, CAWGC’s long-term success is because of “the leadership and commitment of all of the past and current staff,” Adler said.

He encouraged companies in the industry to join.

“Help become a voice for the local construction industry with potential developers and government agencies,” Adler wrote in his email. “Rub shoulders with the area’s top builders, and share insight on everyday events, good and bad, with others experiencing the same.”

Bob Baish of Plainfield, owner of Baish Excavating Inc. in Oswego, said in an email that he joined CAWGC in the late 1980s and has served on the board for about 20 years.

Baish also works the grills at CAWGC’s annual cook-offs and was awarded member of the year in 2007, according to the Baish Excavating website

For Baish, CAWGC benefits include “great networking, help with union negotiations, support for training” and reasonable dues. He, too, encouraged industry professionals to join.

“It is a great group of business people that are having the same problems you are having, and we all work together to support one another,” Baish wrote in his email. “We also have several social events that welcomes developers and local politicians, so you have a great chance of having a face-to-face with someone you need to meet.”

Jason Cox, a partner in the family-owned Len Cox & Sons Excavating in Crest Hill, said his company actually joined CAWGC about 16 to 18 years ago because of a grievance the company had with an employee.

“There was a fee to hear the grievance at the contractors association; the fee was waived if we joined,” Cox said. “It had been something we had thought about joining for years.”

Cox, who has served CAWGC as chairman of the board for the past 13 years, said the association offers many good benefits to members.

“I personally think the benefits with labor negotiations is the best benefit,” Cox said in his email. “We help to negotiate nine union contracts in the Chicagoland area. We help to try and settle any labor disputes that arise from time to time.”

Cox also praised CAWGC’s social events. About 700 people attend the annual steak fry, including contractors, employees, politicians and labor leaders. CAWGC’s two golf outings are named in honor of two former board members who helped foster CAWGC’s success, Mike Alder and Todd Sandeno, Cox said in his email.

“We, our board and staff work closely as a group to help all members, especially contractors to stay successful,” Cox said in his email. “I like to think we all work as a team for the betterment of the association, whether negotiations, labor issues or at our social events.”

Anyone in the union contracting field should consider joining, Cox said in his email.

“We like to think this is a hands-on association that cares for all members,” Cox wrote. “Whether you’re one of the largest contractors in the state or a mom-and-pop operation, everyone is treated with the same respect and dignity.”

CAWGC history

1933: A group of Joliet businessmen and contractors founded the Joliet Contractors’ Association to support the local commercial construction industry.

1961: The Joliet Contractors’ Association changed its name to the Will County Contractors Association to reflect its larger geographic region of representation. CAWGC also began negotiating trade union contracts and hosting membership events and seminars.

1974: The Will County Contractors Association merged with the Grundy County Contractors Association to become the Contractors Association of Will and Grundy Counties.

2002: CAWGC bought the building at 233 N. Springfield Ave. in Joliet to serve as its headquarters.

2012: CAWGC remodeled its headquarters to include a 665-square-foot room for meetings and seminars. It later added bid assistance, computers, high-speed internet and a plan room with an engineering copier.

2021: CAWGC installed a state-of-the-art video conferencing room.

For information, visit cawgc.org.