AUGUST 2026
TIMES THE
TURNER CHICAGO NEWSLETTER
THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
SOURCEBLUE SELF-PERFORM
PROJECT SNAPSHOT The Obama Presidential Center is a 19.3-acre civic, cultural, and community campus in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park. The campus includes the 225-foot Museum Building, the Forum, Library, Home Court, landscaped gardens, and extensive public green space. Designed to inspire, empower, and connect people, the Center brings together education, public engagement, recreation, and community spaces.
Proudest Moment?
CAROLINE KOZIEL Engineer
When reflecting on my time at OPC, I am most proud of how much I have grown, from starting as an intern to where I am today in my career. The last five years have been the most challenging, exciting, and transformative years of my personal and professional development.
CLIENT
The Barack Obama Foundation ARCHITECT
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects VOLUME
Confidential SQUARE FOOTAGE
450,000 sq. ft. TIMELINE
August 2021 - June 2026
SPECIAL PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
COMING
IN OCTOBER! IT’S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL ONE—STAY TUNED!
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THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Desiree McKinney
Desiree is an engineer on the Obama Presidential Center Finance team. She has been with Turner 7 years and spent 4 years interning before joining us full time. Since childhood, Desiree has wanted to play a role in contributing to the industry behind the buildings that define her hometown. Growing up in Chicago, she was inspired by the city’s remarkable architecture and legendary skyline. During her experience at Turner, she’s enjoyed her current role which provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with the full project team, the owner, and all subcontractors on a daily basis. Mega projects often require individuals to focus on specific trades and responsibilities, but on OPC, she has had the chance to work across all disciplines, building strong relationships.
What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? I was a chess player many, many years ago.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND THE WEEKEND?
With family and friends
DESIREE’S
Chicago Snapshot LOU MALNATI’S OR GIORDANO’S
GIORDANO’S COFFEE ORDER OR GO-TO MORNING BEVERAGE?
Iced Americano with a splash of cream
SHEDD OR ART INSTITUTE
SHEDD WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT?
Shinhwa Korean Steakhouse
KETCHUP ON A HOT DOG
FOR AGES 6 AND UNDER
L TRAIN OR DRIVE
METRA
CUBS OR WHITE SOX
CUBS McKinney Family .4
McKinney’s Son, Daughter, & Niece Visiting OPC
THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
CHICAGO ON THE MOVE
TEAM UPDATES & MILESTONES NEW HIRES
Lucia Amat Ayala
John Perna
Shelley Ryan
Aidan Smith
Zak Spica
John Yarwood
Field Engineer Chicago Main Office Estimating
Cost Accountant Chicago Main Office Finance
Marco Rodriguez Assistant Engineer Chicago Main Office SPO
TRANSFERS
Transfers In / Out No Transfers In or Out this Month
MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES
August Alex Garay - 20
Aiden Drake - 1
Hugo Salinas - 10
Daniel Altmeyer - 1
Kellee Clay - 5
Robert Shaver - 1
Marcello Gonzalez - 5 Bill Laitar - 5 Ashlee Essex - 5
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Asst. Acct.-Ops Finance Chicago Main Office Finance
Assistant Engineer Vantage Data Centers Project Lighthouse
Sr. Project Superintendent UChicago Medicine Cancer Center
Field Engineer Advocate Aurora Health West Expansion & Bed Tower
THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
AUGUST
Events AUGUST 4
Click here!
AUGUST 14
AUGUST 15
INTERN PRESENTATIONS
RYAN FIELD SUPER FLUSH
NAT’L TURNER SOFTBALL TOURNEY
From jobsite visits to working with various departments in the office, our interns gave us a glimpse into the wide range of tasks and projects they took on this summer. Each intern highlighted a key project, sharing their process, successes, and challenges along the way. It was great to see how much they learned, the skills they developed, and the experience they gained throughout the summer.
Our team at Northwestern Ryan Field put the new stadium’s plumbing to the test with the Super Flush, simulating the rush the stadium will see during busy gameday moments like halftime. With kickoff getting closer, the team is flushing out the kinks now before thousands of fans put it to the real test!
It’s officially been three years since Turner Chicago won a softball game at the Cincinnati tournament... We may not have brought home many W’s this year, but we did bring home a clear recruiting strategy: find some athletes before next year. If the Bears can turn it around, so can Turner Chicago Softball… 2027 is our year.
AUGUST 20
VANTAGE BUILDING 13 TOPPING OUT Project Lighthouse hit a major milestone with the topping out of WI13, the third of four planned data centers on Vantage’s campus! The team celebrated the only way construction knows how, with a topping-out ceremony, a site-wide lunch, and a brief moment to admire the progress before getting right back after it. .6
UPCOMING EVENTS CAN BE FOUND ON TKN
THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
SUMMER 2026
Snapshots
From weddings and FIFA World Cup games to lake days, finish lines, and first days of school—here’s a look at how our Turner Chicago team spent the summer!
Chaidez, World Cup Game
Hodgson & Wife, Swiss Alps
Hayes Family, Brewers vs Mets
Brosnan, Baseball Game
Kirby, Family in Copenhagen
Davis, Niece’s First Day of Culinary School
Van Zeyl, Hawaii Family Vacation
Zdeb, Wedding in Poland
Gutierrez, Chicago Triathlon
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McCoy, Mackinac Bridge Swim
Klopfenstein & Wife
Drake, Bachelor Party
O’Carroll, Daughter’s First Day of Daycare
Glennon, College Friend Reunion
Kim & Wife, Wedding Day
O’Connell & Husband, Family Party
THE TIMES | AUGUST 2026
WINS
CHICAGO
PURSUITS THEORY & COMPUTING SCIENCES BUILDING TRUST
Project Equinox Lemont, IL | $70,000,000
TRACKING TEAM IS TRACKING, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE CLIENT Confidential Client, Chicago Stadium Illinois
$2,500,000,000
Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo Century Plan Brookfield, IL
$300,000,000
Wirtz Realty Corporation, 1901 Chicago Project - Performing Arts Center Chicago, IL
$70,000,000
Advocate Health Care, Stone Renovations Chicago, IL
$40,000,000
Advocate Health Care, Stone Building Patient Room Floors Chicago, IL
$15,000,000
Lufthansa German Airlines, Infrastructure Updates Chicago, IL
$10,000,000
IN HOUSE
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TEAM IS CURRENTLY RESPONDING TO A REQUEST FROM THE CLIENT
United Airlines, Terminal 1 Program Chicago, IL
$2,000,000,000
O’Hare International Airport, Global Terminal Chicago, IL
$1,200,000,000
Confidential Client, Project Calumet Data Center Dolton, IL
$500,000,000
University of Chicago, New Dorm Tower Chicago, IL
$170,000,000
United Airlines, Concourse D Chicago, IL
$TBD
The Morton Arboretum, Morton Follow the Water Trail Lisle, IL
$TBD
Northwestern University, Engelhart Hall Redevelopment Evanston, IL
$TBD
Have something you’d like to be highlighted or featured? We want to hear about it! Email snorris@tcco.com with your request.