INTM Alum Wins Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce James Tyree Small Business Award

Photo credit: Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Press Release, June 5, 2018

Cornelius Griggs (MITO ’07), President of GMA Construction Group, recently won the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce 2018 James Tyree Emerging Business Leadership Award . The Tyree Award has been presented annually for seven years to a small business that has demonstrated growth, job creation and philanthropic values. It includes a cash prize to fuel further business growth and civic engagement.

Griggs and his business partners founded GMA Construction Group in 2009. It is a full-service General Contracting, Construction Management and Cost Engineering firm that takes pride in helping its' employees both advance as construction professionals, and also serve as active participants in the communities where they work. GMA’s projects include renovating and building educational, healthcare and affordable housing in Chicago are other major U.S. cities.

GMA was selected from among more than 30 applicants in a process that included a “Shark-Tank” style presentation to a group of judges. In a press release about the award, Jack Lavin, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, said: "GMA Construction Group's mission and track record of positively impacting people and entire communities show it's a unique business and a tremendous asset to Chicago. Cornelius Griggs is an exceptional person running an exceptional company, while also mentoring young men and women in Chicago."

While building his company, Griges has also served as Program Chair of the Construction Management Program at City Colleges of Chicago, Kennedy King College. In conjunction with the Dean and faculty, Griggs has developed course curricula for such courses as Construction Estimating, Scheduling, Blueprint Reading, Construction Cost Accounting and Construction Contracts and Specifications. He has also helped analyze the objectives of these courses and integrated training aids, media material and job-related tours into lessons plans.