Office of Business & Workforce Diversity

              w w w. d o t . i l . g o v
State of Illinois
Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor
Illinois Department of Transportation
Milton R. Sees, Secretary
The 2008 Build Your Future conference was recently hosted
by Caterpillar (CAT) at their Demonstration and Learning
Center in Peoria, Illinois. This first annual conference, a
joint venture between Caterpillar and IDOT, focused on
providing business tips to Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
(DBE) firms. Along with networking opportunities, the
conference provided DBE contractors and consultants
invaluable information to assist their businesses growth and
success. Workshop topics included Starting a Business,
Hiring and Retention, Job Safety (OSHA), Planning and
Promoting Your Business and Managing Financial Aspects
of Your Business. Information was also provided on various
ways (renting, leasing and purchasing options) to build
your equipment fleet and how to care for it as well.
Paul Moreno, owner of Millennia Professional
Services of Illinois, Ltd., shared his success story as
a DBE consultant and tips that helped him grow his
business. Paul started as a sub-consultant and is now
doing IDOT projects as a prime consultant. One
of the areas his presentation touched upon was
controlled growth; growth that is too fast and with-out
a deliberate plan is not necessarily beneficial.
Following lunch, participants spent time in
CAT’s Demonstration Arena viewing product
demonstrations. Several took the opportunity
to actually drive machinery and/or simulators.
Conference participants’ names were also entered
in a drawing and Herman Johnson, the owner
of J&J Construction and Excavating Inc., a
DBE construction firm from Peoria, Illinois,
won two weeks’ use of a CAT skid loader.
CAT and IDOT look forward to planning next year’s event.
Caterpillar Hosts 2008 Build Your Future Conference
Herman Johnson of J&J Construction and Excavating Inc,
winner of the free two week free rental from Caterpillar.
A U G U S T 2 0 0 8
Pictured are OBWD’s staff at Caterpillar’s Build Your Future Conference.