McCarthy Employees Go to Bat for Charities

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., recently hosted its 13th Annual Architect/Engineer Charity Softball Tournament.  Under the McCarthy Heart Hats community outreach program, all proceeds from the annual event are donated to a St. Louis charity of the tournament winner's choosing.  Since its inception, the event has generated more than $70,000 for area charities.

This year, the co-ed tournament held at the Bridgeton Municipal Athletic Complex attracted participants from 18 local architectural and engineering
firms. The combined team of Simms Building Group, Inc. and Trivers Associates captured first place, splitting their winnings of $3,500 between
Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center and the Salvation Army.  The second place team of Horner & Shifrin team elected to split its $1,500 prize between Kids in the Middle, Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. In addition to the softball competition, a grilling competition
rounded out the event. Six grilling teams competed for the Master Griller title, which ultimately went to PayneCrest Electric & Communications.  A
$1,500 donation will be made to their chosen charity, Epworth Children & Family Services.

"Trivers has been a participant in the McCarthy Softball Tournament for a few years now, and it has always been a great experience," commented
Architectural Designer Michael Meyer, LEED AP, with Trivers Associates. "The tournament has consistently been a great environment to raise money for charity through fun and competition. The Simms/Trivers team worked together, rising to the championship, while having fun and enjoying the atmosphere all for a great cause."

Floyd Simms, president and CEO with Simms Building Group, agreed. "This event exceeded our expectations.  From the selection of the venue to the
variety of available foods, this affair was first class all the way.  The Simms/Trivers team toughed it out to beat over a dozen other teams to win
the overall championship, and it was all of course for a great cause."

For 13 years, the Architect/Engineer Charity Softball Tournament has generated much needed funds for St. Louis community organizations. In 2008,
St. Louis-based architectural and interior design firm The Lawrence Group celebrated as tournament champion, donating winnings to two local charities, Studio STL and Life Skills. Other past recipient organizations have included:  Kids in the Middle, Camp Wartburg, Multiple Sclerosis Society,
Ranken Jordan, Loyola Academy of St. Louis, St. Patrick Center, Downtown YMCA, St. Louis Shriners Hospital, Alzheimer Association and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

"When we started this event more than a decade ago, we saw it as a fun way to bring the local building professionals together to help make a difference in our community," said Scott Wittkop, president of McCarthy's Central Division.  "It is an inspiration to see the impact the tournament continues to have on those participating and the organizations it assists."

In addition to McCarthy, the teams participating in this year's softball tournament represented the following companies:  Burns & McDonnell; Cannon
Design; CH2M-Hill; Chiodini Associates; EDM Inc.; Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum (HOK), Inc.; Horner & Shifrin, Inc.; Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc.; KPFF Consulting Engineers; The Lawrence Group; Maverick Technologies,LLC; McClure Engineering Associates; Oates Associates, Inc.; Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. (PGAV); Ross & Baruzzini, Inc.; Simms Building Group, Inc.; Trivers Associates; and Volz Engineering.

The six teams competing in the grilling competition were:  Hilti North America; Industrial Sheet Metal Erectors, Inc.; Maverick Technologies, LLC;
Negwer Materials, Inc.; PayneCrest Electric & Communications; and T.J. Wies Contracting, Inc.

Founded in 1864, McCarthy is one of the oldest privately held construction firms in the nation.  The McCarthy Heart Hats community outreach program is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and recognizing McCarthy employees' volunteer efforts in employees' communities.

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