25 Years...and Counting!

This July, Commonwealth celebrated 25 years of being an employee-owned engineering firm providing world-class consulting expertise to the electric power industry and our utility, municipal, institutional, and industrial clients.  You can read more about this particularly meaningful milestone on p. 28 (p. 30 of the .pdf) of Jackson Magazine's August issue. 

The festivities included monthly fun activities, the official unveiling of new glass panels in our hallway of history; a Friday evening gala at the newly renovated Robert Snyder Hall in Jackson College's impressive Potter Center, where we recognized our founding shareholders and employees; and a spectacular day full of food, frolicking, and fun at our employee family picnic on the grounds of our headquarters in Jackson, Michigan. 

We feel truly honored to work with such accomplished colleagues, many of whom serve on the committees setting tomorrow's industry standards, and even more honored to be given the trust and loyalty of our outstanding clients -- among them major utilities, industrial leaders, and some of the world's most prestigious educational and healthcare institutions. 

Here is a look back at some of the best memories from this past week...we hope you enjoy them!

 



On Thursday, President Dennis DeCosta proudly revealed
 two new commemorative panels representing the past 25 years.











Friday evening's gala attendees enjoyed the culinary delights of
Continental Services before the program.



 

 

Guests raved about the humorous delivery of keynote speaker, author,
and former professional comedian, Garrison Wynn.

 

 

 

 Saturday's family picnic included: two bands, one dessert contest, a pinewood

derby championship, inflatables for kids, and the Great Anniversary Giveaway.

 

 

 

25 years meant 25 lucky employees took home 25 very cool prizes.

 

The other winner was the fight against cancer, as President DeCosta
and the VPs took to the dunk tank to raise money for Relay for Life.

 

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Gratitude

This Thanksgiving, we here at Commonwealth have a lot for which to be thankful... 

• We have the privilege of providing services for some truly outstanding companies with whom we enjoy working.  Our clients are our raison d'être.
• We get to work on some very interesting and important projects that power people's lives. 
• We are an employee-owned company and tight-knit team who like our work and each other.
• We have the opportunity to make a difference with wonderful holiday programs like Operation Good Cheer, Toys for Tots, Cascades Humane Society Winter Drive, Angel Tree Giving, and more.

And now there's one more reason...

 

http://www.topworkplaces.com/frontend.php/regional-list/company/freep/commonwealth-associates

We're proud to be named a 2012 Top Workplace!  Congratulations to all the terrific companies on the list and the incredible people behind them.

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An Event to Remember....

Sure, we're a Top 30 Design Firm and we work hard to get there.  That said, we also have a fun side.  As you may have read in last month's post, October was our "Fall Fun Month." It was chock full of activities designed to bring employees together for a time of fun, fellowship, and good food.  Our talented team works hard to bring world-class solutions to our clients' toughest challenges, and a bit of levity helps to maintain the balance that keeps us at our very best.  We are committed to being an Employer of Choice and this is just one way that we work at it every day. 

Here's the story in pictures:



Oktoberfest was a blast with festive music, freshly-grilled brats, homemade potato salad, soft pretzels with
choice of toppings, and a keg of ice-cold root beer.

Data Management's Diane Wilkie, won first place
in the Oktoberfest homemade potato salad contest,
securing the coveted "Golden Potato Award."



Entries arrive in advance of lunchtime voting in
our 2012 Pumpkin Decorating/Carving Contest.

No pumpkin decorating contest would be complete
without yummy pie with which to feed our employee-judges.

 

Employees were invited to participate and vote in a Halloween
Hallway & Office/Cube Decorating Contest.  Team Lower Level
welcomed visitors downstairs with fun pictures of team members.

 

Having previously inhabited the lower level before relocation
to the East Building, the Electrical Systems Department's
presence could still be felt in the Haunted Forest.
 

If visitors survived the other creatures in the Haunted Forest,
this fierce animatronic feline was just waiting to pounce on his next meal.
 

The East Building's Haunted Hallway completely transformed
this Substation cube farm into a spooktacularly fun place for
employees and kids alike with a haunted hay ride and treats.

 

Of course, the whole experience would not be complete without
a good old fashioned scare from Substation's Pat Keene.
 

Visitors to the Haunted Forest for the annual Marketing Department
Halloween Party enjoyed delicious and nutrious treats.
 

Folks lined up waiting for the party to start and the food to flow.

 

Who knows who one might meet in the Haunted Forest?
Substation's Bob Uddin made it out just in the nick of time.

 

Someone wasn't so fortunate.  She apparently flew straight
into Purchasing's wall.  This is a shot of the fresh crime scene.

This week, Linda Gray (VP of Business Development) and Rich Collins (VP of Transmission & Distribution) are in Columbus, Ohio, for the Electrical Transmission and Substation Structures Conference.  Attendees are invited to stop by Booth 3 to register to win a hot new Kindle Fire!

 

 

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States and lots of important races and proposals will be decided around the country.  No matter how you vote, it is important that you participate in this great facet of our republic democracy. 

 

 

Sunday, November 11th is Veterans Day.  This very special day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.  We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay. 

 

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