Industry Comes Up Big for Cleveland Builds
More than 150 CEA members and guests gathered at the Hill ‘n Dale Club in Medina and raised $50,000 in support of Cleveland Builds Thursday, May 6th. This clay-shooting event was conceived of by Brian Exl, who is the Cleveland General Manager for OCP Contractors, and Tim Linville. OCP also served as the presenting sponsor for the event. The success of this event was due to all sponsors and CEA staff, especially CEA’s Coordinator of Education and Programs, Courtney Smyser.
In attendance was Keith Laschinger, who began his work with CEA and Cleveland Builds Monday, May 3rd. Laschinger will serve as the Executive Director for Cleveland Builds and as CEA’s Director of Workforce Programs. On the strength of his more than 20 years of non-profit leadership experience, he was selected by a committee including members of the CEA, Cleveland Builds and ACE Mentor Program boards. Over the last six years, Laschinger has led community development corporations, non-profits, and schools through strategic planning and resource development planning. As part of his portfolio of work over the last three years, he has served as the Executive Director of the Friends of Max S. Hayes High School, and he will continue this work. Prior to launching his own consulting business, he served as the Executive Vice President and Vice President of Advancement at Saint Martin de Porres High School. Through this work, he acquired resource development expertise, cultivated relationships with diverse constituents, and was a key leader of an organization in its infancy.
Just before his official start date with CEA, Laschinger participated in a Cleveland Builds board planning meeting convened by co-chairs Tim Linville and Dave Wondolowski and facilitated by Mark Kessenich. Kessenich serves as the CEO at Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee and previously served as the President and CEO of the Wisconsin Regional Training Program/BIG STEP, a program that has informed much of the planning for Cleveland Builds. Among other decisions made at this meeting, the board underscored the importance of the success of the first pre-apprenticeship class. This class will launch in July and Jason Shank of Plumbers Local 55 has agreed to assemble and lead a team of apprenticeship instructors from the various trades.
Prior to the class’s launch, the Cleveland Builds team will promote the class and vet candidates, with a goal of placing as many motivated Clevelanders into the trades as possible this Summer. Participants must be over the age of 18, have a GED or high school diploma, have a driver’s license and access to reliable transportation, and pass a drug test. All prospective participants will also be interviewed and evaluated for their aptitude to succeed in the class and eventually at work. To promote the program, Cleveland Builds will partner with existing partners including the Spanish American Committee and Urban League of Greater Cleveland among many others. All CEA members and union employers invested in a more diverse, qualified workforce in construction and other emerging sectors of the modern regional economy are urged to become a part of helping Cleveland Builds reach its full potential.
For more information about Cleveland Builds, please visit clevelandbuilds.com. Prospective participants can also express interest in the pre-apprenticeship class by clicking the “career seekers” button on the site. Keith Laschinger can be reached at [email protected], [email protected], or by phone at (216) 236-4062.
