Zak | Companies, Inc. - In The News

The "Shadow" Program
Heideman Associates, Inc. in cooperation with Parkway High School South is helping to introduce high school seniors to engineering. As a full-service engineering firm, Heideman acted as the “Engineering Host” for the group. Dick McMichael, Director Mechanical Engineering Systems was able to introduce the high school seniors to our professional staff of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural and civil engineers. As the teens visited each engineer, they were able to gain a more realistic understanding of what is involved in being an engineer.

By enlightening each teen through “shadowing”, the seniors are able to evaluate and analyze their career goals. One of the teenagers indicated, “I liked the experience of exploring all the different types of engineers.” Gaining a realistic perspective of what opportunities are available to them in engineering will surely go far in helping them make the right decisions in choosing their college, curriculum, and mentors.

Jerry Hartfield Serves His Country in Afghanistan
Jerry Hartfield, a structural engineer from Heideman’s Springfield office, was called up by the National Guard to serve his country more than eight months ago. We had read about men and women being asked to serve in faraway places but it was never anyone we knew. It was always a story on the evening news or in the newspaper. Now it was happening to someone we knew, worked with and respected.

Jerry, a family man with a lovely wife and children, is now stationed in Afghanistan after a brief tour of duty in Germany. Jerry’s cube in the Springfield office still bears his nameplate, personal items and a yellow ribbon denoting his dedication to his country and his service in the Guard. Other than the yellow ribbon, you would never know that Jerry was gone.

E-mails from Jerry filter out periodically keeping us apprised of his situation. Most recently, Jerry sent us a copy of the journal he had been keeping since he began his stint overseas. Jerry indicated he is very grateful that Zak Companies has chosen to support his efforts and maintain a place for him until his return. He is also grateful that his family and friends continually keep in touch and help him overcome the loneliness of this tour of duty. What Jerry doesn’t know is how proud his family and friends are that he is serving his country. We are proud to be able to call him friend and we are happy to know that when his service is completed, he will once again be back in the Zak family of companies.

Zak | Companies, Inc. Blood Drive
July 22, 2004

The summer heat was apparent and as is the case each year in St. Louis, the Red Cross was short on blood. Surgeries were being cancelled and concern for emergencies was growing. Several members of the St. Louis office decided we should help the Red Cross in their plea for blood donations. With the cooperation and participation of Bob Zak, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zak Companies and Follman Properties, we successfully held a building wide blood drive on July 22, 2004. Thirty six people presented to donate, 6 were first time donors and 30 productive units were collected. The result of this drive according to the Red Cross was that “90 lives have been touched and these lives may go on to touch 270 others.”

Read more Zak Companies News.