Chicago

LCI Community of Practice

Chicago, IL

Welcome to the LCI Chicago Community of Practice (CoP) website! The LCI Chicago CoP hopes to continue to act as the premier forum where area Lean thought leaders, practitioners and enthusiasts openly share experiences, best practices and lessons learned; thus transforming the design and construction projects that are delivered throughout Chicago and the Midwest. LCI Chicago CoP core members strive to be the force that leads the design and construction industry to a new paradigm of high-performance collaboration.  If you are looking for a more active role in the Chicago CoP, have questions or suggestions, please contact us!

CoP Highlights

Bob Krier Award Night

Each year, the Chicago CoP recognizes an Individual, a Company or a Project Team that has moved the design and construction industry forward by advancing Lean as an Operating System at our annual Bob Krier Award Night. The award is based on implementation of Lean design, construction tools and techniques, innovation in implementing Lean tools and its impact on the community. Watch your inbox for the details of this incredible event being planned for April, 2024, including the award nomination process.

Lean Construction Golf Outing

The LCI Chicago CoP Lean Construction Golf Outing to benefit the Bob Krier Scholarship was held on June 28, 2023. Foursomes included representatives from each of the four disciplines: Owner, Architect/Engineer, General Contractor, and Trade Partner. A special set of Lean Rules and Awards made this golf outing truly unique!

Check back for details about the 2024 event or sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates.

LCI Chicago Student CoP

The LCI Chicago Student Community of Practice is the mainstay for student organizations at Northwestern University, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Illinois State University, Bradley University, and Purdue University (in partnership with the LCI Central Indiana CoP) interested in the implementation and advancement of Lean in the greater Chicagoland area. The LCI Chicago CoP is focused on providing our Student Community of Practice with valuable learning, event, and networking opportunities to introduce students to Lean design and construction principles and to prepare students to become leaders in the industry.

Scholarship Opportunities

2023 Bob Krier and Tim Vander Molen Scholarship: This year, our Chicago CoP is excited to announce that we will be awarding five (5) scholarships for higher education Design & Construction discipline students enrolled full-time in trade school, community college or university degree programs in Illinois or Indiana. Learn more about scholarship criteria and download the application HERE. Don't delay! The last day to submit your application is November 10th.

Student CoP Partners

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Leader Contact: Antoine Menassa
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Leader Contact: Edwin Fernandez
Illinois Institute of Technology
Leader Contact: Steve Nargang
Illinois Institute of Technology
Leader Contact: Hannah Lux
Illinois State University
Leader Contact: Jason Love
Northwestern University
Leader Contact: Ratna Kunwar
Bradley University
Leader Contact: Ryan Woosley
Purdue University (in partnership with Central Indiana CoP)
Leader Contact: Alex Vermillion

Scholarship Award Announcement

The Chicago CoP is pleased to announce the (3) recipients of our 2022 Bob Krier & Tim Vander Molen Scholarships. Congratulations!

Caleb Jacob – Illinois State University

Caleb is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at Illinois State University. He is graduating May 2023. He is also the student lead for our Student Chapter at Illinois State University. Currently, he is an intern at River City Construction.

Deepak Verma Dantuluri – Purdue University

Deepak is pursuing his Master of Science in Construction Management Technology at Purdue University. He graduated in December 2022. He had a few internships experiences where he was part of an Integrated Project Delivery team and witnessed how Lean tools are applied to the project.

Marie Denis – Illinois State University

Marie is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at Illinois State University. She will be graduating May 2024. She is a member of our Student Chapter at Illinois State University. She has a few internship experiences. Her passion in Sustainability and Lean is extraordinary.

Save the Date!

Stay tuned for the list of exciting events being planned for 2024! Event invitations will be sent approximately four weeks ahead of the event. Once they are on the calendar you can view them on the Upcoming Local Events section below.

Core Members

Chicago CoP
2024
  • Leader - Anthony Camasta, The Hill Group
  • Finance / Sponsorship Co-Leader - Ken Bauwens, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc.
  • Finance / Sponsorship Co-Leader - Christine Strom, Northwestern
  • Events Leader - Impact events - Christin Araullo, Vader National Group
  • Lean Coffee Leader - Brian Garcea, RG Construction
  • Academics Leader - Ratna Kunwar, Gilbane Building Company
  • Lean Learning Leader - Emerson Dority, Gilbane Building Company
  • Golf Outing Event Leader - Sean Hill, Glass Solutions, Inc.
  • Bob Krier Event Leader - Mark Lomeda, Bulley & Andrews LLC
  • Leader Emeritus - John Zachara, Integrated Facilities Solutions, Inc.
  • Advisor / Midwest Liaison - Jenny Han, The Boldt Company

Annual Sponsors

The Chicago CoP would like to thank our 2023 sustaining sponsors whose contribution help fund local events and workshops to promote awareness and adoption of Lean. If you are interested in sponsoring the LCI Chicago CoP, learn more about our sponsorship program HERE!

Chicago’s CoP Sustaining Sponsors (2024)

field crew huddle youtube channel cover image
Field Crew Huddle

Explore the Field Crew Huddle website to see how community of practice members are contributing to a platform for sharing methods, improvements and lessons learned on project sites or shops. Want to be featured? Now accepting submissions.

Learn More

Upcoming Local Events

06
Wed
Mar

Prefabrication and Construction (Chicago Student CoP)

Chicago Community of Practice
21
Thu
Mar

A Lean Coffee

Chicago Community of Practice
18
Thu
Apr

A Virtual Lean Coffee

Chicago Community of Practice
21
Wed
Aug

A Virtual Lean Coffee

Chicago Community of Practice
21
Thu
Nov

An IN-PERSON Lean Beer

Chicago Community of Practice

Upcoming National Events

07
Thu
Mar

LCI Certification: What Is the Difference?

Webinar