FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 22, 2005

ROC’s advisory council names recipients for service awards

[PHOENIX] –The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) Industry Advisory Council (IAC) named eight Building Blocks of the Community award recipients and two corporate awards of merit at its second annual awards program. Through Building Blocks of the Community, the IAC recognizes construction industry members for their community service work in Arizona.

“Members of the construction industry have been giving back to their communities across the state, and this program allows the ROC’s Industry Advisory Council to highlight those contributions,” say ROC Director Israel G. Torres. “General contractors, industry associations, subcontractors and corporate associates have participated in community service projects that make Arizona a better place to live, work and play.

The Building Blocks of the Community recipients and projects are:

General Contractors

• Central Arizona: hardison/downey construction inc., Assistance League of Phoenix Philanthropic Center. (Phoenix)
  By transforming a union hall in need of repair to a child-friendly facility, hardison/downey construction inc. provided a new facility for the Assistance League Of Phoenix. The general contractor donated financial resources, labor, and project management for the 7,912-square-foot Philanthropic Center.
• Northern Arizona: HomCo Ace Home Centers, various community service projects. (Flagstaff)
  The president of this organization embodies the spirit of community service through his leadership, volunteerism and financial contributions. He takes an active leadership role in community fund-raising events including the Northern Arizona Building Association Swing into Spring Golf Tournament and Jim Steves Memorial Golf Tournament, and donates labor and materials to various projects in Flagstaff.

• Southern Arizona: US Home Corp./Lennar, Swing for Life. (Tucson)
  This homebuilder supports the non-profit Swing for Life organization. Through the support of a Celebrity Charity Weekend, Swing for Life donates to organizations in Tucson including World Care, Miracle Square and Teen Challenge of Tucson.

Contractor Associations

• Central Arizona: Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Arizona Chapter (ACCA-AZ), Project Cool Aid. (Phoenix)
  The ACCA-AZ helped residents in Phoenix and Tucson beat the heat, particularly those households with small children, people with health conditions, and elderly family members, who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of the heat. Through Project Cool Aid, the ACCA-AZ assisted 62 families with home cooling system repairs and replacements.
• Northern Arizona: Mohave Valley Contractors Association, Academy of Building Industries (Fort Mohave)
  The communities in northern Arizona experience a large high school dropout rate while the construction industry suffers from a lack of skilled labor. The Mohave Valley Contractors Association generously supported the opening of the Academy of Building Industries, a high school in Flagstaff that focuses on construction industry trades, through direct financial contributions, fund-raising efforts, loan negotiations, and community support.
• Southern Division: Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA), Chipping Away at Arthritis: SAHBA/Lute Olson Golf Tournament (Tucson)
  SAHBA has been conducting a golf tournament with the University of Arizona Arthritis Center for 17 years to fund the research laboratory that develops arthritis medications and therapies to benefit millions of people. The event took on special meaning this year, when the event honored UofA Arthritis Center founder Saul Tobin, and SAHBA’s efforts generated a donation 14 percent larger than the past four-year average.

Subcontractors

• Central Arizona: Sturgeon Electric Company Inc., Salvation Army (Tempe)
  The Salvation Army’s Phoenix facility needed improvements to its senior living center, family life center, daycare unit, playground area and the Christmas angels warehouse. Tempe-based Sturgeon Electric Company donated pre-construction services, labor, tools and materials to the project.
• Southern Arizona: Achilles Air Conditioning Systems Inc., Arizona Builders Alliance Volunteer Day at House of Neighborly Service (Tucson)
  Achilles Air Conditioning Systems upgraded buildings of the House of Neighborly Service, which addresses the social, physical and spiritual needs of south Tucson residents. The project included rebuilding the kitchen and dining room, installing a new ceiling, installing new flooring, adding a Native American garden, re-surfacing the playground, and installing ADA walkways.

Corporate Associates

• iMiX Group LLC, Town of Buckeye Skate Park (Maricopa County)
  The native-born Buckeye resident and company owner wanted to enhance the quality of life for residents in that community. iMiX Group donated concrete and staff time to the park for skateboarders and in-line skaters.
• KGUN 9 Television, Building Good News (Tucson)
  While Arizona’s contracting industry does many good deeds from remodeling domestic violence shelters to donating funds to non-profit organizations, not enough citizens know about this generosity. KGUN 9 in Tucson wanted to be clear, accurate and to the point about the industry’s community service work so the station aired a 30-minute program to highlight recent projects.

The Building Blocks of the Community Awards took place Saturday, Aug. 20, 2005, at The Wigwam Resort & Golf Club in Litchfield Park, and was attended by approximately 500 people. The Premier Sponsor of the event was the Associated Minority Contractors of America-Phoenix Chapter. Other sponsors included the American Subcontractors Association of Arizona Inc., Hunt Construction Group, Thomson Prometric, Builders’ Book Depot/CASA Fenix Enterprises, Arizona Masonry Guild and American Builder Magazine.