Trade Talks

Trade Talks: Lonnie Mack

Flooring For Life Growing up in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing projects, Lonnie Mack wasn’t thinking about a career in flooring. He was approached by someone looking for people in his neighborhood who wanted to…

Trade Talks: Fred Vaughn

Fred Vaughn got his start in construction as a laborer. But when he reached the top of the pay scale, he knew it was time for a change. “They weren’t giving me…

Trade Talks: Ron Calhoun

Ron Calhoun is a proud union pipefitter, but he didn’t always know much about the trades. The West Side native dreamt of becoming an attorney and a federal agent, and he knew…

Trade Talks: Rafael Roberson

Rafael Roberson has always enjoyed working with his hands. After graduating from Dunbar Vocational High School, he took advantage of a community hiring program centered around a construction project at Rush Hospital.…

Trade Talks: Tavius Christmas

Like many kids, Tavius Christmas once had dreams of becoming a police officer. But when he began learning about electricity as a student at Chicago Vocational Career Academy, it sparked a new…