SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced the award recipients from the 33rd Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward conference, recognizing the achievements and efforts that helped to grow and support the state’s minority- and female-owned businesses in 2023.
“Sharing and promoting the good work of our contracting community to make state projects more inclusive and accessible is one of the highlights of Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “This year’s conference was the best one ever held at IDOT, helping to pave the way for a more level playing field and strengthen communities up and down the state.”
The 2023 award recipients:
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise of the Year – Brewster Companies, Maryville
- Engineering Firm of the Year – KAD Engineering LLC, Downers Grove
- Prime of the Primes – The Killian Corporation, Mascoutah
- Roberto Orozco Memorial Award – Ronald Brown, Mattoon
Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward is a two-day conference sponsored by IDOT’s Office of Business and Workforce Diversity to provide the tools and resources that help firms participate in state projects through the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. Held Feb. 21 and 22, this year’s conference saw record-breaking attendance, welcoming more than 400 participants representing a variety of prime contractors and subcontractors.
Watch for registration details for next year’s Today’s Challenge, Tomorrow’s Reward at www.idot.illinois.gov.