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Sidney Epstein Receives CBC Award of Honor
Sidney Epstein, chairman of Chicago-based architecture firm
A. Epstein and Sons International Inc., recently received
the 2003 Award of Honor from the Chicago Building Congress
in recognition of a career spanning more than 60 years.
Epstein began work with the firm in 1943 as a structural engineer
and has served as the company chairman since 1983.
Established in 1921 by Epstein's father Abraham, A. Epstein
and Sons International Inc. is reportedly one of the largest
firms in the United States that provides architecture, engineering,
construction and interior-design services. Epstein projects
are an integral part of the Chicago architectural landscape,
such as the diamond-shaped Smurfit Stone Container Corp. headquarters
on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street.
Epstein is committed to a number of civic and charitable causes.
In 1956, he founded the Chicago Youth Centers, an organization
working to meet the needs of children growing in some of Chicago's
disadvantaged neighborhoods, in addition to other endeavors.
A. Epstein and Sons International maintains its Chicago headquarters
along with offices in Los Angeles; Warsaw, Poland; and Israel.
Each year, the CBC honors an individual for his or her contribution
to Chicago's building industry with the Award of Honor.
AEM: Equipment Makers Optimistic About 2004
The construction machinery manufacturing industry expects
overall business to remain slow through the end of 2003 but
anticipates 2004 growth in the 3 to 5 percent range, according
to the annual industry forecast of the Milwaukee-based Association
of Equipment Manufacturers.
Machinery manufacturers participating in the annual AEM outlook
survey expect construction-equipment business in the United
States to close our 2003 with a 0.4 percent loss followed
by growth in 2004 of 5.5 percent.
"We are certainly more optimistic than we have been in
the past few years," said Ron DeFeo, the recently elected
chairman of the AEM.
Sales increases in 2004 are predicted for all major product
groups covered in the forecast.
Earthmoving equipment sales were projected to increase 4.9
percent in 2003 and 7.2 percent in 2004. The segment includes
excavators, loaders, trenchers, off-highway haulers, tractors,
scrapers, graders and log skidders.
Light equipment was expected to increase 1.1 percent
in 2003 and 5.1 percent in 2004. The segment includes breakers,
saws, trowels, light towers, generators, pumps, vibrators,
compactors, screeds, lasers and mixers.
The lifting segment was projected to decline 7 percent
in 2003 but increase 2.4 percent in 2004. The market includes
lattice boom and hydraulic cranes, tower cranes, aerial lifts,
boom trucks, rough-terrain forklifts and telescopic handlers.
Bituminous machinery was expected to decline 1.5
percent in 2003 but gain 7.1 percent in 2004. The segment
includes cold planers, asphalt pavers, rollers, soil stabilizers
and asphalt plants.
Concrete and aggregate equipment was predicted to
drop 7 percent in 2003 but increase 3 percent in 2004. The
segment includes crushers, screens, feeders, conveyors, washing
equipment, rock drills, batch plants, pumps and pavers.
Attachments and components were expected to increase
0.6 percent in 2003 and 6.4 percent in 2004. The segment includes
buckets, blades, demolition tools, tires/wheels and hydraulic
and electrical components.
Miscellaneous equipment was expected to increase
0.3 percent in 2003 and 3.8 percent in 2004. The segment includes
trailers, shoring, equipment washers and landfill compactors.
Funding under TEA 21 transportation legislation will be a
major factor in market growth, and the impact of federal funding
on states' ability to earmark money for transportation improvements
is significant.
The U.S. Congress failed to reauthorize TEA-21 by its September
deadline but passed a five-month extension, to Feb. 29, in
which to work out a six-year funding package.
In other news, AEM officers, including Ronald DeFeo, were
recently elected to head the organization.
Other elected officers include First Vice Chairman Charles
Stamp Jr., vice president of public affairs worldwide for
Moline, Ill.-based Deere & Co.; Second Vice Chairman Gerald
Shaheen, group president of Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar
Inc.; Treasurer Charles Martz, president of Lexington, Ky.-based
Link-Belt Construction Equipment; Secretary Dennis Slater,
the AEM's full-time president; and Vice Chairman-Construction
C. Mike Simpkins, president of Kewanee, Ill.-based Compaction
America.
Two Midwesterners sit on the AEM's board of directors: William
Gehl, chairman/CEO of West Bend, Wis.-based Gehl Co., and
Glen Tellock, president of Manitowoc, Wis.-based Manitowoc
Crane Group.
Scholarships Entries Sought
The Rosemont, Ill.-based National Roofing Foundation, the
separate but related educational and research organization
of the National Roofing Contractors Association, is accepting
applications for its scholarships for the 2004-2005 academic
school year.
The scholarships, which provide recipients with $1,000 per
year for up to four years of undergraduate study, are awarded
to employees, immediate family of employees or immediate family
of members of NRCA-contractor members.
Applicants must be high school seniors or graduates who plan
to enroll or students who are already enrolled in a full-time
undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year
college, university or vocational-technical school.
Recipients will be chose based on academic record, potential
to succeed, leadership and participation in school and community
activities, honors, work experience, statement of educational
goals and third-party appraisal. Financial need is not considered.
The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2004. For information,
contact Chris Seidel at (847) 299-9070 or e-mail him at cseidel@nrca.net.
Daley Named Honorary Member
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was named an honorary member
of the Washington-based American Society of Landscape Architects.
He will be inducted in May.
Six others individuals, all outside the Midwest, also received
the honor.
Honorary membership is one of the highest honors the society
bestows on non-landscape architects, the organization said.
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