University of Chicago Hospitals receives "President's Award" from Black Contractors United for minority hiring

October 25, 2002

On October 25, 2002, Black Contractors United (BCU) presented their annual President's Award to the University of Chicago Hospitals for their "extraordinary effort on behalf of African American contractors" in the construction of the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital.

The Award honors the Hospitals' commitment to "go beyond the call of duty" in their efforts to include minority and women contractors in the construction process.

"The University of Chicago Hospitals has created access and promoted continuity in the development of women and minority owned businesses," according to BCU.

BCU also awarded their "Compliance Officer of the Year" award to Joan Archie, of the Chicago Urban League, who worked with the Hospitals to find Chicago-based, minority-owned business that offered the skills needed for this substantial project.

With 74 percent of the contracts already completed, total minority and women's participation in construction of the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital is 38.4 percent, representing more than $44.5 million in building contracts. With 32.3 percent of the construction budget going to minority business enterprise firms and 6.1 percent to women's business enterprise companies, the Hospitals exceeded their goals of 25 percent MBE and five percent WBE participation.

"Our work with the Chicago Urban League to reach out to African American and other minority and women contractors for the Comer Children's Hospital building project has resulted in business practices that we expect to replicate and expand upon in years to come," said Kenneth Kates, Executive Vice President of the Hospitals.

The 224,000-square-foot, 155-bed Comer Children's Hospital, which will open in 2004, will provide an ultra-modern yet child- and family-friendly setting for all inpatient children's health care at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

BCU also presented the President's Award to South Side Chicago Alderwomen Leslie Hairston and Dorothy Tillman.