Stalco and HIA hold "The Lion's Den" CEO Roundtable, networking

Stalco Construction, Inc. and Hauppauge Industrial Association (HIA) held "The Lion's Den" CEO Roundtable and "Welcome to the Jungle" Networking Reception. More than 250 real estate, finance, architecture, engineering, and construction professionals attended the event, which took place at Stalco's headquarters at 1316 Motor Pwy. The reception began with the CEO Roundtable-a discussion on business growth strategies in a challenging economic environment. Stalco principal Kevin Harney hosted the event. CEOs and senior executives of 30 leading Long Island-based corporations participated in the roundtable. Harney kicked-off the discussion with a message that an organization's commitment to its employees can result in greater profits than simple cost-cutting measures. According to Harney, his firm has immensely benefited from involving Stalco's entire team of 40 employees in strategic decision-making and business development. This approach has allowed Stalco to tap into everyone's creativity and experience, and made the employees personally invested in the company's success. Harney backed his message by statistics: Stalco has achieved 65% profit growth-highest ever-during one of the worst periods for the construction industry in decades that claimed one in five construction jobs. Stalco's 2009 project volume doubled to $80 million from $40 million in 2008 and increased employment by 38%. Harney credited what he calls a Seven Phase Approach-a business plan developed in 2008 with the aim of converting the threat of a serious economic recession into an opportunity. As part of the plan, Stalco principals Harney and Alan Nahmias promised that none of the firm's employees would be laid off due to the recession. In return, they requested that everyone on the team, from senior executives to receptionists, commit to contribute extra time and effort, meet all deadlines, and actively participate in developing business opportunities for the company. Every single employee joined an industry association or a non-profit organization, attends meetings and events at least once a month, and develops contacts with prospective clients and partners. Stalco subcontractors have joined the effort and contribute a small portion of their fees to the marketing budget that Stalco utilizes to pay for promotional, advertising, and marketing activities that benefit all involved firms. "We put a plan in place and we executed it well. We re-invented the way we did everything, from bidding and procurement to the actual building. It was a phased program that got every employee involved. We promised each and every employee a paycheck every week and benefits every month. All they had to do was commit to the firm and follow the program," said Harney. The plan has worked very well. Stalco has expanded its presence in New York City, where it has already won more than $20 million worth of new business since the beginning of 2010, in addition to $50 million worth of new projects on Long Island. Stalco has also tapped into new markets, from retail and commercial offices to worship and industrial facilities. The roundtable participants discussed Stalco's experiences and shared their own success stories that focused on quality of service and maintaining relationships with clients, developing creative solutions that benefit their customers, and retaining talented and motivated employees. Following the event, Stalco donated $3,000 to the HIA Scholarship Fund-$100 for every CEO who attended the CEO Roundtable. The event was the fourth in the Stalco Long Island Movers & Shakers Networking Reception series that serves as the region's main venue for exchanging ideas and networking among business and real estate executives. The receptions traditionally bring together hundreds of Long Island industry and political leaders and benefit local causes and charities. Headquartered in Islandia, with a regional office in New York City, Stalco Construction, Inc. is a full-service general contracting and construction management firm active on Long Island and in the Greater New York area. Established in 1992, the firm builds commercial and institutional facilities for office, retail, educational, healthcare, governmental, cultural, and religious clients. Stalco's personnel include professional engineers, architects, project managers, superintendents, and support staff. The value of the firm's on-going ground-up, interior, and capital improvement projects exceeds $80 million. Stalco's current and recent work includes the $7.3-million Battery Park City Community Center in Manhattan; the $1.4-million Home Fair store at the Atlas Park Mall in Glendale, NY; Ultra Diamonds stores in Manhattan and Riverhead, NY; the $11.3-million renovation of the landmarked Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, NY; the on-call CM contract for the 778,000-square foot CA, Inc. Global Headquarters in Islandia, NY; the $1.2-million Dental Hygiene Laboratory and Knapp Hall at SUNY College in Farmingdale, NY; the $20-million expansion and renovation program for Three Village Central School District in Suffolk County; The Hicksville Fire Department Fire Station 2; and the $2.7-million Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Administrative Building in Coram, NY. *** Photo caption: More than 250 real estate, architecture, and business executives attended Stalco Construction and Hauppauge Industrial Association's "The Lion's Den" CEO Roundtable and "Welcome to the Jungle" networking reception in Islandia, NY. Left to right: Cameron Engineering's Robert Wilkinson; Stalco's Robert V. Isbit; BBS Architects & Engineers' William Robertson; Schuckman Realty's Edward Gottlieb; HIA's Terri Alessi-Miceli; Stalco's Kevin G. Harney, Alan Nahmias, Lauren Mancuso, and Kevin E. Dunathan; Bohler Engineering's Joseph Deal; Brown & Altman's Keith Brown and David Altman; and Wilk Marketing Communications' Peter Wilk. Photo by Joe Lachat/Wilk Marketing Communications