F.H. Paschen Recruits Next Generation of Construction Professionals at the 9th Annual P.I.E. Day

On February 08, 2024, the halls of George Westinghouse College Prep buzzed with anticipation as students, faculty, and staff gathered for the 9th annual P.I.E. (Paschen: Innovations in Engineering) Day event. Hosted by F.H. Paschen, this annual event serves as a gateway to the Paschen Engineering Scholars Program, an initiative that has been shaping the future of aspiring engineers since its start in 2015.

The Paschen Engineering Scholars Program, now in its 9th year, continues to inspire and empower students. Attendees were invited to a day filled with a curated curriculum, hands-on activities, and insights into construction, with pizza and pie. This unique program not only develops technical skills but also builds problem-solving abilities, providing real-world work experiences and unlocking doors to promising career opportunities.

Senior Vice President, Dave Alexander kicked off the event by talking about the history of F.H. Paschen and offering a deeper understanding of the Paschen Scholars Program.

Next students engaged in a unique team-building event. Armed with straws and rubber bands, they embraced a challenge that not only highlighted their collaborative spirit but also emphasized the importance of creativity and adaptability in engineering.

The 9th annual P.I.E. Day event was successful, and the new cohort of scholars awaits the upcoming Hard Hat Ceremony, the legacy of P.I.E. Day continues to shape the next generation of engineering pioneers.

On Thursday, May 25th, four Paschen Engineering Scholars celebrated their graduation from the program at the annual Hard Hat Ceremony.  It was the fifth group of CPS George Westinghouse College Prep students to graduate from the program. In addition to the senior class graduation, six freshmen from Westinghouse College Prep will be introduced as the latest class of Paschen Engineering Scholars.

The Paschen Engineering Scholars Program curriculum includes hands-on activities to develop technical skills, building problem-solving abilities, and gaining real-world work experience to improve the scholars’ knowledge of and access to career opportunities in the STEM and construction fields.

“I was very happy about inducting our 8th class of rising sophomores into our program. But I was even more excited about announcing that four of our graduating Paschen Scholars and two other Westinghouse students will be joining us this summer for the Paschen Bridge internship program. Special thanks to all the employees that helped to make this event a success.” Said Executive Vice President, Joe Scarpelli.

The four graduates were accepted into the schools of their choice and will begin their post-secondary education in the Fall. Additionally, the graduates will receive an $800 Amazon gift card for books and technology, and $200 worth of college essentials.

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 and a big welcome to the Class of 2026!

Five years after the opening of the 41^st Street Pedestrian the 43rd bridge is now open in the Kenwood neighborhood of Near South Side of Chicago. This ADA bridge now gives the neighborhood direct access to the lakefront for pedestrians and cyclists. The 43^rd Street Pedestrian Bridge is the fourth of five new or reconstructed bridge projects steered by the city’s Department of Transportation.

This bridge was designed by AECOM in collaboration with Cordogan and Clark & Associates with F.H. Paschen as the primary contractor on the project. Work began in November 2020, with crews demolishing the overpass in June of 2021. Besides giving the neighborhood greater access to the lake, it also allows for emergency vehicles to cross Lake Shore Drive and the adjacent railroad tracks.

For a closer look at our project, check out our video!

43rd Street Bridge Over South Lake Shore Drive is Now Open! – YouTube

This year students, faculty, and staff of George Westinghouse College Prep attended the 8th annual P.I.E. (Paschen: Innovations in Engineering) Day event on Wednesday, February 1st. F.H. Paschen hosted the event at Westinghouse College Prep as an introduction to their Paschen Engineering Scholars Program.  

The Paschen Engineering Scholars Program began in 2015 and exposes students to curriculum and hands-on activities that develops technical skills, builds problem-solving abilities, and offers real-world work experience as well as access to career opportunities in the STEM and construction fields. 

Project Engineer, Michael Campbell kicked off the event with a history lesson of F.H. Paschen and giving background information on the Paschen Scholars Program. Following the presentation students competed in groups to build the tallest standing towers with marshmallows and toothpicks. The event also included testimonies from current scholars, which allowed potential candidates to hear from their peers on what it means to be a Paschen Scholar.  

Following the event, students interested in the program will apply to be a Paschen Scholar. Applications are followed-up with interviews with F.H. Paschen team members, who will then select six students that will be welcomed into the program at the annual Hard Hat Ceremony at F.H. Paschen in May. 

The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership), the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and F.H. Paschen are working together to create the talent pipeline needed to continue building a bright future for Chicago.

The construction industry remains a driver of economic growth. The third week in September is designated as Construction Appreciation Week, during Workforce Development Month, celebrating the hardworking men and women of American construction who are instrumental in development of our infrastructure.

CDOT is working on several roadway changes and mobility improvement projects in Chicago’s Jackson Park that will support the Obama Presidential Center and the Chicago Park District’s South Lakefront Framework Plan. The project will increase green space, improve connectivity and safety for people walking and biking, and accommodate future traffic demand.

The Partnership, CDOT and F.H. Paschen are collaborating to bring these career-pathway jobs to Chicago, connecting local residents with construction jobs on the project. This collaboration aims to address today’s workforce shortage; the need to diversify the skilled trades where people of color and women have been historically underrepresented; and the need for career-ladder jobs with family wealth building wages and benefits.

CDOT awarded a construction contract for the Jackson Park Transportation Improvements to F.H. Paschen, which is meeting the unprecedented workforce goals for area residents on this state-funded project, via IDOT’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program. The contract includes goals of hiring 15 percent of residents of neighborhoods adjacent to Jackson Park and 50 percent Chicago residents. The project also provides opportunities for on-the-job training and creates pre-apprenticeships for local residents.

To apply for these positions, local area residents can go the project’s website: https://jacksonparkimprovements.org/jobs

On Sunday, December 20^th at IBEW Local 134, construction companies F.H. Paschen and Turner Construction Company handed out meals to one-hundred Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Chicago Builds students and their families.

Chicago Builds is a citywide, two-year off-campus training program for CPS junior and seniors interested in pursuing a career in construction after graduating high school.

Chicago Builds Campus Manager Isaac Carter emphasized the true team effort it took to pull the event together, “It is critical to the program’s sustainability to secure and have active participation & support from industry partners. We are thrilled to have had this opportunity with F.H. Paschen and Turner to provide our students and their families with a special token of support to lift their spirits during these unprecedented times.”

“This year has been such a challenging year for everyone. Though these are not the best circumstances, Turner Construction wanted to do our part and help the students and families of the Chicago Builds Program,” says Rick Blair, Vice President, General Manager of Turner Construction.

The meals were prepared by three local businesses near the Chicago Builds campus at 3000 S. King Dr. Catering the dinner was Dirty Bird Southern Kitchen and Premier Melon & Express. Desserts were catered by Shake Them Cakes.

“The year, 2020, has been one of the most emotionally draining years for all of us. I’m truly grateful to be a small part of this hot food drive that’s being provided by F.H. Paschen and Turner Construction. They’re definitely showing the term ‘I am my brother’s keeper’ still exists,” says Dirty Birds chef/owner James Sanders.

“Many students aren’t aware of available career opportunities in construction or how lucrative they can be.” F.H. Paschen Vice President Charles Johnson reiterated the importance of early intervention and engagement with students interested in construction. “We are committed to developing the next generation of construction professionals, events like these allow us to introduce ourselves and make those initial connections.”

Students and their families were also formally invited to a virtual meet-and-greet with the F.H. Paschen executives following the Holiday season.

During Q1 of 2020, F.H. Paschen developed and hosted two workforce development events to improve the process for those who are looking for employment in certain construction trades: Opportunity Day and Career Pathways Day. The two inaugural workforce events were the first in a series of programs aimed at discovering, training, and developing the construction workforce of tomorrow.

For those affiliated or already in a union, interviews with hiring managers will occur three times a year; these will be advertised as ‘Opportunity Days’. The first Opportunity Day was held at The Plant, in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, and was well-attended with over 130 people.

For those not affiliated with a union, presentations and networking with union representatives and workforce partners will also occur three times a year. These events will be advertised as ‘Career Pathways Events’. The first Career Pathways Day was held at The Hatchery, in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, and saw several unions and trade organizations host tables for the 25 attendees.

Our new initiatives do not supersede our current union obligations, but rather serve as an additional resource for the men and women interested in a career in construction. As an industry leader, this investment to educate, train and develop the workforce of tomorrow is essential to achieving our goal to serve the communities in which we work.

“Construction community job fairs in the Chicago area can be difficult to navigate, especially for individuals who are new to construction or may have barriers to employment. The Career Pathways Event hosted by FH Paschen was refreshing because the event was specifically designed for those looking to enter the sector. Not only were traditional union pipelines represented, but also organizations like Revolution Workshop whose missions are to help people with barriers overcome them and be better prepared for a construction career. It was a tremendous opportunity for Revolution Workshop to recruit for our pre-apprenticeship program and continue to network with contractors, unions and other community-based organizations serving the construction sector.”   

“Chicago Women in Trades supports F.H. Paschen’s initiative on hosting career-starting, and career-advancing, opportunities events. We are proud to be a part of the Career Pathways series.”

On Tuesday, December 10, F.H. Paschen invited members from 3 local social impact organizations to a holiday event filled with powerful discussions, a drive for empowerment, and a delicious meal. The discussion included participants from Chicago CRED, Safer Foundation and Revolution Workshop and highlighted future opportunities for career networking events and industry seminars to start them down the path for a career in construction. F.H. Paschen led the conversation on what the path to success looks like.

“We’re not just hosting a dinner. We’re having an important conversation with some well-respected organizations to give their participants a foundation for and insight into a meaningful career,” said F.H. Paschen COO Chuck Freiheit. “You have to start by talking about expectations along with the soft skills needed to work in the construction industry, from knowing how to work in teams to basic financial planning.  We believe in developing the whole person, so once individuals begin their career, they’re prepared and are ready for any potential adversity that may come their way to make for a lifelong career.”

Chicago CRED – CRED believes the best solution for ending gun violence is recruiting men most likely to be perpetrators or victims of shootings and transition them to jobs in the legal economy that pay as much or more than what they earn in the violence-plagued illegal economy.

Safer Foundation – Safer Foundation is a nonprofit social impact organization focusing on human capital development for people with criminal records. At Safer, they focus on helping their clients secure and maintain employment because they understand that employment offers the best chance at successful reentry.

Revolution Workshop – Revolution Workshop is a social enterprise that provides carpentry and woodworking workforce development for unemployed or underemployed people in partnership with area businesses.

The commitment to building capacity for women, diverse, small and veteran-owned businesses was instituted by Bud Paschen over 30 years ago. Bud recognized that by collaborating with these businesses and communities he was not only growing their business, but Paschen’s as well. Paschen’s consistent and meaningful engagement has led to the contracting of over 200 diverse subcontractors in 2018. 

In September alone, Paschen attended and/or hosted 10 outreach events for diverse businesses. Outreach events allow our team to meet and educate new diverse businesses on how to do work with us and the agencies/clients with upcoming opportunities.  

Paschen’s outreach efforts go far beyond Chicago. Project teams in Atlanta, D.C. and Dallas have attended and hosted outreach events as well. 

On National Rebuilding Day, April 27th, F.H. Paschen joined the Cook County Department of Capital Planning and Policy and Rebuilding Together to repair two homes in the Chicago Heights community. 

Our construction crews spent the week leading up to National Rebuilding Day remodeling the two homes. Renovations included the installation of all new kitchen appliances, vinyl flooring, and accessibility upgrades.

Paschen is a proud partner of Rebuilding Together in both the Chicagoland and Metro Washington, D.C. areas.

F.H. Paschen hosted its 4th Annual P.I.E. (Paschen: Innovations in Engineering) Series event at George Westinghouse College Prep School, where we introduced the Paschen Scholars program to a new set of interested candidates and discussed the field of engineering and how it applies to careers in construction. 

Ryan Kinney of Westinghouse opened the event and Antonia Winfrey of Paschen gave an overview of the day. Joe Scarpelli gave a presentation on the history of F.H. Paschen and background on the vast array of projects the company has completed.  

The presentation this year consisted of a question and answer panel featuring four Paschen employees. The panelists, a Project Engineer, Project Manager, Project Superintendent and Vice President spoke with a grand total of over 100 years of construction experience. Westinghouse students and parents were engaged and asked incredibly thoughtful questions. 

Then, of course, we had pie! 

Paschen is proud of our relationship with Westinghouse, and we are looking forward to welcoming the next group of Paschen Scholars into the program. 

To learn more about the Paschen Scholars program, click here. 

In partnership with Peoples Gas and the Special Olympics, F.H. Paschen participated in the 2019 Chicago Polar Plunge! Our team consisted of 16 Paschen employees who braved the chilly temperatures of Lake Michigan and plunged in support of Special Olympics Chicago. 

We were fortunate to partner with Peoples Gas, one of the larger corporate sponsors for the Chicago Polar Plunge, who raised over $125,000 for the Special Olympics of Chicago! 

The Paschen Plungers were glad to support the incredible organization. 

F.H. Paschen’s D.C. Team Organizes Annual Food Drive

For the second consecutive year, F.H. Paschen staff are collecting food for those who are less fortunate in Northern Virginia. The donations will benefit Food for Others in Fairfax. The food bank primarily serves the elderly and families with children in the community. “We’re holding the food drive because we want to improve the community where we live and work not just through exceptional construction work, but also by giving back,” Anthony Edwards shared.

Anthony said staff selected Food for Others because of the way it operates. “It’s set up more like a grocery store, so people have a chance to pick what they enjoy eating which is especially important for kids,” he explained.

Last year, the D.C. team collected nearly 279 pounds of food in only two weeks. Everyone in the office and field donated along with subcontractors. The goal this year is to triple the amount collected in 2017. The food drive started on November 1 and will continue until December 15. The donations will be delivered to Food for Others on December 17.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Holiday season, F.H. Paschen and Stalworth Underground partnered with St. James AME Church and local grocer, Pete’s Produce, to provide Thanksgiving dinner for 25 families living in the Chatham, West Chesterfield, Roseland, and Auburn Gresham communities.

We have spent a considerable amount of time in those communities as we modernized the Chicago Transit Authority’s 95th Street Station. It’s important to us as an organization to serve and give back to the communities in which we have impacted so greatly with our construction.

This past Monday, November 19th, our project team celebrated our time in those communities with the neighbors of the 95th Street Station.

In partnership with Alderman Michelle A. Harris and Chicago’s 8th Ward, F.H. Paschen collected school supplies for students and teachers in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood.

The school supplies will be distributed at the ‘Back to School Parade & Jamboree’ tomorrow, September 8th, at Jesse Owens Park. The parade begins at the 8th Ward Office and proceeds along 87th and Jeffrey Streets to Jesse Owens Park.

The free end-of-summer celebration includes book bags, school supplies, food, entertainment, and haircuts and hairdos for boys and girls.

Tomorrow’s jamboree starts at 10 am and registration information can be picked up at the 8th Ward Office, 8539 S Cottage Grove Avenue.

In partnership with the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Park District, Chicago CRED, and KaBOOM!, we constructed the brand new Pullman Peace Park park in Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood.

Our project management staff spent the week prepping the site for the festivities that took place on Friday, August 10th.

We would like to thank our partners for inviting us to participate in this tremendous event that allowed the Pullman neighborhood to come together for the children of the community.

For more information on our partnership with Chicago CRED, click here.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

F.H. Paschen is one of the first corporate partners of Chicago CRED (Create Real Economic Destiny), an organization dedicated to ending violence through preparing at-risk young men, including returning citizens, for job opportunities throughout Chicago. CRED believes the best solution for ending gun violence is recruiting men most likely to be at risk for shootings and transition them to jobs, thus relinquishing the need to earn money through illicit means.

Today, Michael Reed, a CRED graduate, is a full-time employee of F.H. Paschen working on the CTA 95th Street Terminal Improvement Project. Through this opportunity, Mr. Reed will gain real world construction experience and skills and will earn construction related certifications that will allow him to advance in his new career.  The Company anticipates that through its partnership with CRED, Michael is just one of many who will have an opportunity for a real life change while working on some of Chicago’s largest construction projects through F.H. Paschen.

F.H. Paschen not only provides a job opportunity, but also teaches skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce, making the company a perfect match with CRED. F.H. Paschen looks for more than talent and work ethic when hiring, and F.H. Paschen has always believed in investing in those in our community who need help. While serving others, F.H. Paschen is also always serving the communities in which they work. F.H. Paschen is committed to the Chicago CRED partnership.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

Congratulations to Vaniqua Lee of our Florida office on being recognized by the South Florida Chapter of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) as Woman of the Month for June 2018!

The NABWIC was founded to increase the national awareness of African American women in the construction industry. The award is given to recognize the recipient’s dedication, commitment, and valuable contributions to enhancing economic opportunities through various programs.

Vaniqua has been with Paschen for 6 years, serving as the “jack-of-all-trades” for our Florida office. She was hired as an administrative assistant, promoted to a marketing coordinator, and currently is a Project Engineer. Vaniqua commented, “My time here has been filled with learning, sharing, motivating, and definitely worth the PASCHEN.”

We salute Vaniqua on this well-deserved honor!

For most Falls Church residents, it’s just another humid mid-Spring day. But for 40-year resident Andy Parks, it’s special. He’s sitting on his porch enjoying the spring rain with his dog Summer for the first time since last August.

It’s a moment made possible by F.H. Paschen staff volunteering with Rebuilding Together on Saturday, April 28.

“You couldn’t put a price tag on that day,” Senior Estimator Anthony Edwards explained.

Before that weekend, Andy lived mostly confined to the home he shares with his wife Kitty. It’s not that Andy didn’t want to leave; he physically couldn’t on his own.

Andy had double-knee replacement surgery closely followed by other health problems, and is now confined to a wheelchair. Without an access ramp, the wheelchair made getting out of the house a major obstacle. He could only leave his house to attend doctor appointments, but even those outings posed a problem since couldn’t get out of the house without assistance. The local fire department had to be called for each appointment to help Andy out of the house and down the porch.

Noticing the urgent need, Andy’s physical therapist referred him to the local chapter of Rebuilding Together. Rebuilding Together, Inc. is a national non-profit organization that focuses on safe and healthy housing solutions by connecting low-income homeowners with volunteers who can help.

F.H. Paschen staff volunteered with Rebuilding Together to help Andy and Kitty live a more mobile life. “When we were there it felt like we were helping a family member out, it didn’t feel like work,” Edwards said, “They opened their arms up to us like they’ve known us their entire lives.”

Over a two-day period, Paschen staff volunteered nearly 20 hours, and using their construction expertise, built a ramp from the front door to the driveway. In addition to the much-needed ramp, Paschen staff, with help of other volunteers, made many other interior and exterior improvements to the home. The crew completed tasks including repairs to the kitchen range hood, installing a fire extinguisher, cleaning the gutters, and fixing the backyard fence.

“It was an awesome fulfilling experience, and to give back to someone is such an amazing feeling,” Administrative Assistant Amy Dineen shared, “especially with him not being able to leave on his own since last summer.”

When asked how his life has changed, since the ramp installation, Andy quickly replied with a smile, “I can get outside now.” If gratitude could be personified, it just might look like a man on his porch relishing the rain with his dog.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association, Inc. (MWMCA), an organization created to advance minority-owned firms, has named Paschen the “Most Inclusive Prime Contractor of the Year.” This honor underscores Paschen’s long-time commitment to community engagement, diversity and inclusion through their philosophy of creating real opportunities for all.

“Inclusion is important in broad terms because it allows small businesses owners who have been historically disadvantaged opportunities, but on a more personal level it means women and men can feed their families,” MWMCA President Wayne Frazier said. “Paschen is doing things differently than other primes. They are bringing the same attitude of inclusion that they’ve fostered throughout their company for many years.”

As part of the company culture, Paschen has committed to exceeding MBE/DBE/WBE project goals, in addition to hiring a diverse team throughout the organization.

Paschen’s accomplishment was formally recognized on May 11, 2018 at the MWMCA’s 15th Annual Spring Breakfast in Baltimore.

To read our press release, click here.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

The Paschen Scholars made their second visit to the 41st Street Pedestrian Bridge construction site. When the Scholars visited last, they met with our Project Manager and Project Engineer to review the plans and walk the site containing only our trailers.

Since that time, steel has been erected, a temporary bridge was built and much progress has been made. The Scholars were given a tour of the site and were prepared with many questions for our Project Manager. The questions ranged from the amount of RFI’s on the project to date to why they took the time to work on the BIM Coordination. They also discussed scheduling and how the project sequencing was decided to ensure minimal down time during the winter.

The Paschen Engineering Scholars program is more than an average internship. Three years of STEM curriculum, summer internships, exposure to college engineering programs, construction site visits, classroom-to-site applications, and one-on-one support ensure each student can seek the STEM career of his or her dreams with confidence.

We are looking forward to many more site visits with our Paschen Scholars!

Learn more about our Paschen Scholars program and our work with Westinghouse College Prep.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

F.H. Paschen celebrated the completion of the first phase of the CTA 95th Street Red Line Station Improvement Project alongside joint venture partner Milhouse Engineering & Construction. A skilled, diverse workforce of over 1200 executed this work, including residents from the local community who will enjoy access to the improved station regularly.  

“We lead by example. A diverse workforce is ingrained in the history and culture of Paschen, and for each project we build a diverse workforce represents the community,” said Matt Moss, Vice President of F.H. Paschen. “Through collaboration with CTA and our design partner, EXP, we were able to maximize the station’s architectural impact and operational function, providing the best value to the CTA and their customers.”

Committed to growth and building capacity in diverse and local businesses, Paschen and Milhouse have awarded 30 percent of this project’s subcontracts to disadvantaged businesses.

The new South Terminal re-opened Sunday, April 15, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, local aldermen, a handful of elected officials and students from the F.H. Paschen Scholars Program on-site to announce the milestone. The station is located in the center median of the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-94) at 95th Street.

To read our press release, click here.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

F.H. Paschen hosted its 3^rd Annual P.I.E. (Paschen: Innovations in Engineering) Series event at George Westinghouse College Prep School, where they introduced the Paschen Scholars program to a new set of interested candidates and discussed the field of engineering and how it applies to careers in construction.

Ryan Kinney of Westinghouse opened the event and Antonia Winfrey of Paschen gave an overview of the day. Joe Scarpelli gave a presentation on the history of F.H. Paschen and background on the kinds of projects the company has done. Finally, Tim McCann of Sitech Midwest gave a presentation about the use of technology in construction.

Following the presentation, students were given to chance to network with the presenters and Paschen representatives who were in attendance, to find out more about their career paths and learn more about the Paschen Scholars program.

Special thanks to Charles Johnson, Ashley Prosser, Sharon King, Rick Aiello, and Alan Osinski for attending the function on behalf of F.H. Paschen.

Paschen is proud of our relationship with Westinghouse, and we are looking forward to welcoming the next group of Paschen Scholars into the program.

To learn more about the Paschen Scholars program, click here.

On November 30th, F.H. Paschen received an Appreciation Award for our support of the Chicago Public Schools Trade Apprenticeship Pipeline (T.A.P.) Program, which encourages and assists recent CPS graduates to get involved and pursue careers in the trades.

The award was unexpected, but gratefully accepted by our very own Chuck Freiheit. The event was supported by SodexoMAGIC—a facilities management company led by Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who attended the ceremony that evening; and sponsored by the Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO).

Paschen is proud of our work in the community, and is dedicated to serving our youth in the construction industry. Click here to find out more about our work in the community.

F.H. Paschen participated for the first time in the Oak Brook Heart Walk for the American Heart Association (AHA) on September 23. In our first year of participation, we organized six teams with over 50 walkers, which included Paschen employees, family members, and even pets. As a result of our efforts, we raised over $14,500 to support the AHA and their mission.

Paschen is a proud sponsor of the AHA’s Hard Hats with Heart, the Association’s nationwide movement to end heart disease and stroke within the construction industry. According to the AHA, nearly 1 in 3 American adults are living with some form of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or after-effects of stroke. In the construction industry, the prevalence of CVD is higher than in any other industry.

“It was great to see the company come together for this cause. Almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by heart disease, so this really means a lot to our employees and their families,” said Anthony Izzi, Paschen Vice President and Hard Hats for Heart Steering Committee Member.

The money raised by the American Heart Association funds research and education while leading to many important advances, including the first artificial heart valve, CPR, pacemakers, and dramatic reductions in heart disease and stroke deaths. Paschen is proud to be involved with such an important organization aimed at bettering the health of our industry and the nation.

F.H. Paschen, in conjunction with Hard Hats with Heart, is participating in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart Walk for the first time this fall. Hard Hats with Heart is a construction industry focused group dedicated to supporting AHA’s life-saving mission, which includes raising awareness and money to fund research projects and other educational programs. Paschen Vice President Anthony Izzi, who serves on the Steering Committee for the Chicago Chapter of Hard Hats with Heart, said “This is a very important cause for our company and industry, as heart disease and stroke are extremely prevalent in construction.”

According to the AHA, cardiovascular disease is listed as an underlying cause of death for nearly 1 of every 3 deaths in the United States. It also costs billions of dollars a year in both health expenditures and lost productivity, yet 80 percent of heart disease is preventable.

The goal of the Heart Walk is to encourage preventative action to reduce cardiovascular disease, spur internal team building, and have fun being active; all while acting as a fundraiser to support AHA’s mission. Paschen has five teams participating from the Corporate, Estimating, Building, Stalworth, and JOC divisions. The Heart Walk consists of both one and three mile courses, and is family and pet-friendly.

If you would like take part in the walk or donate to this important cause, click here  for the Paschen company page.

AHA Heart Walk Details:
Saturday, September 23
8am-11am
1400 Kensington Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523