Labor unions, the biggest developers and general contractors in Chicago, the Associated General Contractors of America's Chicagoland branch, the Chicago and Cook County North America's Building Trades Unions and the United Way all came together to launch a new group aimed at increasing minority and women participation in the construction process.
The initiative, named HIRE360, was introduced on December 9 at a press conference with speeches from Don Biernacki, senior vice president of construction at Related Midwest and the chairman of HIRE360's board; Ralph Affrunti, president of the Chicago & Cook County Building Trades Council; Mike Meagher, president of James McHugh Construction; Charise Williams, director of external affairs at the Chicago Federation of Labor and HIRE360's executive director Jay Rowell, a former director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security and deputy state treasurer.