Chicago
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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!
Lean Project Award 2026
JUST IN! CALL FOR APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
We are excited to announce the call for applications for the Lean Project Award 2026, an esteemed recognition honoring project teams that exemplify the highest standards in Lean project delivery. This award celebrates teams and projects that have demonstrated exceptional application of Lean principles to achieve outstanding value for clients, foster strong team collaboration, and drive continuous improvement throughout project execution.
Through this award we want to recognize teams that successfully maximize customer value, minimize waste, and cultivate a culture of collaboration and continuous learning across all phases of the project lifecycle.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of our industry by highlighting what worked well and inspiring peers to pursue operational excellence.
Application Criteria:
All projects that had a substantial completion date of prior to Dec 2025 are eligible.
We are looking for three key areas in the application process
- Value and waste reduction
- Collaboration and implementation
- Continuous improvement and Conditions of Satisfaction
Timeline:
- Application Due date: April 10th, 2026
- Interviews (short listed projects): Week of April 20th
- Announcement: May 1st, 2026
- Award handout: Bob Krier Award Night, June 2026
Please submit your questions and application as indicated in the application link.
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. This year’s event date will be announced soon. Once registration is open you will be able to view the details and register from the link in the “Upcoming Local Events” section below.
Lean Construction Golf Outing
The LCI Chicago CoP Lean Construction Golf Outing to benefit the Bob Krier and Timothy Vander Molen Scholarship takes place annually. Foursomes include 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!
This years event date is still being finalized – stay tuned for more information!
LCI Chicago Student CoP
Scholarship Opportunities
Student CoP Partners
Save the Date!
Stay tuned for these (and more!) exciting events being planned for 2026! 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.
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1/29 - Lean Coffee - Hill
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2/26 - Lean Coffee
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3/19 - Lean Beer
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4/22 - Lean Coffee
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5/28 - Lean Coffee
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6/25 - Lean Coffee
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June (TBD) - Annual Lean Golf Outing
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7/22 - Lean Coffee/Beer (TBD)
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8/27 - Lean Beer
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9/23 - Lean Coffee
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10/29 - Lean Coffee
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11/19 - Lean Beer
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December (TBD) - Year-End Appreciation Event
Core Members
- Leader - Ratna Kunwar, Power Construction
- Vice Leader - Ryan Woosley, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc.
- Finance / Sponsorship Co-Leader - Ken Bauwens, Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors, Inc.
- Events Leader - Impact Events - Christin Araullo, Vader National Group
- Events Vice Leader - Impact Events - Chase Horejs, FH Paschen
- Lean Learning Events - Leader - Emerson Dority, Turner Construction Company
- Lean Coffee Events - Leader - Brian Garcea, RG Construction
- Golf Outing Event - Leader - Sean Hill, GSI
- Bob Krier Event - Co-Leader - Ratna Kunwar, Power Construction
- Bob Krier Event - Co-Leader - Anthony Camasta, Hill Group
- Academics Leader - Claire Rosenstine, The Boldt Company
- Leader Emeritus - Anthony Camasta, Hill Group
Annual Sponsors
Chicago CoP Sustaining Sponsors - 2026
