Yesterday evening, Local 1059 Business Representative and United Way Elgin Middlesex Campaign Cabinet Member Nathan Moniz, along with UW-EM’s Director of Development Jennepher Cahill, were very proud to present Allan Drewlo with the Jim MacKinnon Community Builder Award! 

This annual award of distinction was named at the recent Labour Appreciation Awards Night, which we were proud to host at our facility, and is named after Jim MacKinnon, former Business Manager of Local 1059. The Jim MacKinnon Community Builder Award was created in the spirit of Jim’s lasting legacy, passion, and advocacy; in turn, the award recognizes activists in our community who also embody these traits and who create opportunity and hope for all of the individuals whose lives they touch.

Allan consistently invests in his community, and he is – quite literally – a community builder. He also recognizes the importance and quality of unionized work. For years, Allan has directly employed LiUNA Local 1059 members through Riverside Concrete Forming and The Ironstone Building Company, and he utilizes subcontractors that employ labour members. He subcontracts to other Building Trades Unions contractors for his many construction projects in and around the London area. 

In addition to creating housing in the London community, Allan is a philanthropist. He donates to a number of causes including United Way Elgin Middlesex, and the yearly Ironstone Impact initiative.

Congratulations on this well deserved award, Allan! It’s a great honour to have helped recognize your passion, commitment, and community spirit.