Salute 2001 honors new era in construction, design

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The 17th annual Salute to Design & Construction and the Springfield Busi-ness Journal's concurrent special section recognize the design and construction industry as the fourth largest contributing industry to the local economy.|ret||ret||tab|

The event, which culminates with an awards banquet Nov. 8 at the Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, is presented by more than 20 area educational, professional and business groups related to the construction and design industry.|ret||ret||tab|

According to 2001 Salute Coordinator King Coltrin of Great River Engineering in Springfield, this year's more than week-long celebration will kick off Oct. 30 with a 10 a.m. proclamation ceremony and press conference at the recently completed Jordan Valley Ice Park, 635 E. Trafficway.|ret||ret||tab|

Tours of the facility will be offered after the brief ceremony, which is open to the public.|ret||ret||tab|

As part of the salute events, teams of volunteer speakers will visit area high schools and middle schools to discuss the variety of careers available in the local construction industry. Speakers also will work to stimulate student interest in preparing themselves for entry into the increasingly specialized design- and construction-related work force.|ret||ret||tab|

The 2001 Salute to Design & Con-struction photo contest, Faces & Places in Construction, boasts a record number of entries this year. A new rule allowing digital camera and high-quality laser-printed photography has resulted in renewed interest among amateur photographers in the industry, as well as increased variety in subject matter and creativity, said Sheryl Letterman, executive officer with the Springfield Con-tractors Association and an event spokes-person. |ret||ret||tab|

Top photographs in both the Faces and Places in Design and Construction categories are prominently reproduced among the pages of this week's SBJ special section.|ret||ret||tab|

Tickets for the Salute to Design & Construction banquet, which features scholarship and award presentations, in-cluding 2001's Developer of the Year and Superintendent of the Year honors, are available from the Springfield Contrac-tors Association, 1313 N. Nias Ave., 417-862-1313, and from numerous other locations throughout the area, including the Springfield Area Chamber of Com-merce.|ret||ret||tab|

The Springfield Business Journal salutes the design and construction professionals who work so hard to build better places to live, work and play in Springfield and southwest Missouri.[[In-content Ad]]