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Chicago Outreach Works
A recent story, "Owners Offer New Incentives to Lure Choosy Contractors," seemed to overlook the tremendous opportunity the O'Hare Modernization Program presents for women and minority-owned construction firms. Just this year alone, OMP expects to award $1 billion in contracts, more than any other public agency in Illinois. Rosemarie Andolino, OMP executive director, has made a concerted effort to connect women and minority-owned construction firms with majority firms that are bidding this work. The three agency-sponsored "open houses" have given M/WBE firms access to information crucial to bidding successfully on this project.
The most recent "open house" incorporated not only OMP's upcoming opportunities but those of several public agencies, including Chicago Transit Authority, Illinois Toll Highway Authority, Illinois Dept. of Transportation, Chicago Housing Authority, Public Building Commission and several City of Chicago departments. Never before have so many contracting agencies been together in one room and accessible to women and minority-owned construction firms. To suggest that these "open houses" are a cover up is patently unfair, not to mention totally incorrect.
As a leading organization that advocates for women-owned construction firms, Women Construction Owners and Executives is grateful to Ms. Andolino for her tireless effort to bring women and minority contractors together with majority firms on this massive modernization project. This project is a substantial investment in Chicago's future. With ongoing outreach efforts it will serve to provide contracting opportunities for many women and minority-owned construction firms now and in years to come. WCOE appreciates the "open houses" and urges OMP to continue them.
Clarification
A former executive of Washington, D.C.-based J.A. Jones/Tompkins Builders Inc. was awarded damages in her four-year-long legal battle asserting sexual harassment charges against the firm's former president, Edward Small. On Aug. 1, a Washington, D.C., Superior Court jury awarded $1.3 million to Sandra Fowler, the firm's former manager of business development.
The award came after a mediation in November 2005, in which the court entered a default judgment against the defendants, adopting the allegations of the complaint as true because no defense was presented. The defendants, J.A. Jones and two related legal entities, did not attend the mediation because they had filed bankruptcy after the lawsuit had been filed. Defense counsel for all three Jones entities withdrew from the case in November 2004. The current proceeding was an ex parte proof hearing before a jury, where only the plaintiff is represented. The jury determined the amount it felt it should award based upon unopposed evidence of damages and the court's entry of default against bankrupt defendants.
The jury awarded Fowler $1 million in punitive damages. In addition, the jury awarded Fowler $300,000 for lost wages, benefits and emotional stress. J.A. Jones went out of business in 2003, and Tompkins was sold to Turner Corp., New York City. Turner purchased the Tompkins' name and assets but not its legal entity, and it is not involved in the case.
Fowler's attorney, Michael Hoare, Washington, D.C., says she is seeking the $1.3 million from Tompkins' insurers.
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