Honor Given by The Coalition for United Community Action-ORTC   
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (June 13, 2011)—R. Lynn Treat, director of field operations at Ryan Companies US, Inc.,  and Ryan Companies US, Inc. have been named Contractor of the Year by the The Coalition for United Community Action-ORTC, Inc. (CUCA). The award commemorates Treat’s minority outreach efforts as Ryan’s director of field operations and as the past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Builders Association of Chicago, as well as Ryan’s commitment to minorities’ and women’s economic opportunities and workforce diversity initiatives.

Treat was presented the award at CUCA’s 39th annual Unity Testimonial Awards Banquet on Friday, June 10 at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.

The CUCA works with community organizations, labor unions, contractors and government agencies to develop construction training programs for unemployed and underemployed minorities and females. Since 1970, CUCA has evolved from using a direct action approach with labor unions and contractors, to becoming an integral structure of the labor force itself.

According to the selection committee, this award is given annually to the individual and/or company best exemplifying the goals and aspirations of the association to reach out and help minorities and women in the construction industry. It is given to an individual who demonstrates strong leadership and understanding, and helps minorities network in the industry.

“Today I am proud of my longstanding career in the construction industry and my lasting relationship with Ryan Companies,” Treat said. “I have been fortunate to be part of organizations, like Ryan, the Builders Association and others, that understand the value and opportunity in working to advance the position of women and minorities in our industry.”

Treat has almost 40 years of construction experience. He has been with Ryan Companies for the last 14 years. Treat helped to establish Ryan’s presence in the Chicago marketplace more than 12 years ago. At Ryan, he oversees the Great Lakes Region’s field operations including cost estimating, construction activities and subcontractor and labor negotiations. In this role Treat offers cost-effective and value-added solutions to construction challenges in all types of projects.

Through its companywide Emerging Business and Workforce Inclusion Initiative, Ryan extends its mission of building lasting relationships with vendors, subcontractors and the communities in which it works.  Ryan is committed to providing economic opportunity and workforce diversity initiatives.  One way the company does this is by increasing opportunities for M/WBEs to perform on Ryan projects.  At Ryan it is standard practice to provide M/WBEs with opportunities to bid on and participate in the construction of public and private projects.  Such projects include:  Best Buy, Target stores, Dominick’s stores, YMCA at Kelly Hall, Northern Illinois Food Bank and Wirtz Beverage of Illinois.   

Treat has been an active member of associations in the building and construction industry, including The Builders Association of Chicago, Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association (MARBA), Chicagoland Laborers’ Training and Apprentice Fund and the Builders Foundation. In his various roles he has supported and worked to promote the advancement of women and minorities.

About Ryan Companies US, Inc.
Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a national builder, designer, developer and real estate manager specializing in fully integrated solutions for more than 70 years. With a mission to build lasting relationships, Ryan delivers full-service customized solutions based on industry expertise and total collaboration — pairing customers’ expectations with a specialized team of constructors, architects, engineers, developers, property managers and financiers. In its first 12 years of operation, Ryan’s Great Lakes region has completed more than $1 billion in projects for customers such as Deere & Company, Isle of Capri, Target Corporation, Dominick’s, Loyola University Health System, Froedtert Health, Cisco Systems, Hitachi and Iron Mountain. Ryan serves customers throughout the United States with offices in the Midwest, Southwest, Great Lakes and Southeast regions.