Business

Michael Segreti, president of REX Electric and Technologies, announced several promotions on the management team. Mike Bosco has moved into the position of executive vice president of sales/business development. Bosco has been with Rex for 23 years, the majority of that time being spent in senior management roles overseeing operations. Mike Ahern will be moving onto the global sales team along with Will Sutila, and Jim Jaskolski has been promoted to vice president of operations for the Electrical Interior Division. Rex Electric & Technologies is a leading electrical and technology contractor. Family owned and operated since 1919, it was founded …

  Franklin Park-based Tukaiz recently expanded its large format capabilities with the installation of two HP Latex 3500 high-volume production printers. “These are exciting times for our company and clients,” says Frank Defino, Jr., vice president and managing director at Tukaiz. “With the addition of these high-efficiency machines, Tukaiz can offer more large-format services along with highly diverse printing options. Many of our client applications require high volumes with exacting quality on a wide variety of substrates. The addition of these devices will further support our ability to deliver customized materials created, printed, finished and fulfilled from our campus.” (tukaiz.com)

Tukaiz, an award-winning marketing services production company based in Franklin Park, has announced the opening of its in-house boutique creative division, agenz. Specializing in campaign strategy and design creation for both digital and traditional media, agenz also offers instant access to Tukaiz’ award-winning marketing production services. The addition of a dedicated agency allows Tukaiz to move rapidly from creative conception to final production delivery, according to Tukaiz President and Managing Partner Dan Defino. “Having a comprehensive agency capability right on our campus gives us yet another service we can offer clients who understand the value of streamlining their marketing efforts …

by Sheldon Shacket “What ever happened to that Siding-1 building on the corner of Oakley and Clybourn?” Ask its founder, Bill Conforti, and his response will go well beyond the matter-of-fact. As he stands across the street from the demolished 3066 N. Clybourn Ave. construction site, Bill becomes more than a little emotional when reminiscing about the 28 years he spent developing his Siding-1, Windows-1 Exterior business and constructing the company’s headquarters on that site. As a supplement to the higher volume siding and windows business, Conforti had also opened Cobblestone Development in the building next door. “I actually formed …

  Frankie’s Deli has had a lot to celebrate lately. The venerable Italian food emporium marked its 50th anniversary with a five-day culinary extravaganza in late November that culminated in a visit from Italian Senator Renato Turano. “My family has been doing business with Turano Baking Co. for half a century and it was important for us to make them a part of our celebration,” says Frank Conforti Jr., son of company founders Frank Sr. and Connie. “We were truly honored that Senator Turano flew all the way in from Italy to join us!” As icing on the birthday cake, …

by Tina Valentino West suburban pizza-making maestro Jack Curatolo earned top honors at a competition hosted by the St. John Vianney Knights of Columbus Cardinal Cody Council #8070 in Northlake. When Grand Knight John Ainsworth put out the call for local pizzerias to duke it out at a best pizza competition in January, 17 well-known parlor’s rose to the challenge. A fundraiser with serious bragging rights for the winner, the competition was judged by Northlake Mayor Jeff Sherwin, Police Chief Robert Crawford and Cuomo Catering owner Tom Cuomo. Nearly 100 guests paid a nominal fee to get in on the …

REX CEO Dominic Sergi announced that REX Electric & Technologies LLC has formed a strategic alliance with Dairyland Electric Co. Inc., a premiere electrical contractor based in southeast Wisconsin. According to Sergi, the alliance is designed to help clients of both REX and Dairyland Electric realize better service and value for the electrical contracting and technology services provided by the two contractors. “We have seen growth in all of our markets and we want to provide our clients with the best solutions to their electrical contracting and systems integration needs,” Sergi says. He noted that REX is one of the …

The FIAT 500 has been popping up everywhere lately, and it’s turning heads wherever it goes. As agile and sexy as it is economical and eco-friendly, it may be the perfect city car. And it has that inimitable sense of style that every Italian possesses and every American craves. “You can buy something cheap and small for $16,000, or you can buy something that has Italian heritage and style,” says Carmelo Scalzo, vice president of FIAT of Chicago. “With the FIAT 500, you get the best of all worlds. It’s affordable, it’s great on gas and it has that special …

It’s not unusual to hear business owners boast that they’re the best. But it’s another matter entirely to prove it as Luigi and Anthony Scola have done — winning an award in June for the nation’s best CARSTAR auto repair franchise. “It was a real surprise when it happened,” says Luigi Scola, who co-owns CARSTAR Scola’s Collision Center in Brookfield with his brother Anthony. “We go to the CARSTAR conference every year, and there are 440 nationwide stores. It makes us feel very prestigious and very proud that we won it.” Franchisee of the Year is the highest award in …

When driving east on the Kennedy Expressway, it doesn’t take much to pass up Norridge without noticing it. A town of less than 15,000, Norridge was incorporated in 1948 and is almost completely surrounded by Chicago. It is a town made up largely of European immigrants, first- and second-generation Italians and Polish, hard-working people who take care of their families and each other. It might be easy to miss Norridge if you’re not looking for it, but there is no missing what has been happening on Lawrence Avenue just east of Cumberland Avenue for nearly 30 years. When Cumberland Chapels …