Affiliations

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Member (retired), United Brotherhood of

  Carpenters & Joiners

Former member, American Society for Healthcare

  Engineering (ASHE)

Former Board Member, Chicagoland Associated General

  Contractors of America (CAGC)

Former Board Member, Builders Education and     

  Training Foundation

Former Member, Construction Management Technology Curriculum Advisory Committee, College of Lake 

  County, Grayslake, Illinois

Former Board Member, Construction Industry

  Service Corporation (CISCO)

Former Member, Carpenter Craft Committee,

  Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association (MARBA)

Founding Former Treasurer, US Green Building   

  Council, Chicago Chapter

Founding Former Member, Lean Construction

  Institute Community of Practice Chicago–Core Group

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Certifications & Training

American Society of Healthcare Executives Healthcare

  Construction Certificate

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United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) Department of Education and Training (DET) Programs 

• Collaborative Leadership: Building Jobsite Leaders

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Leadership Training for Managers, Dale Carnegie

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The Leadership Advantage, Dale Carnegie

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Education

Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, Apprentice and Training Program (formerly Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters)

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Leon LaJeunesse has spent his entire career in the construction industry wearing multiple hats— laborer, manager, owner— at Custom Contracting. He also has a well-earned reputation as a visionary leader in his industry sector.

 

The third generation of his family involved in the trades in Chicago, Leon began his career working with his uncle as a millwork apprentice. After a few years of increasingly responsible positions, including carpenter foreman with a sizeable regional contracting firm, he decided to pursue his dream of starting his own business.

 

In 1987, Leon and Carol founded Custom Contracting Ltd., with, according to Leon, the aim “to create the kind of company I would like to work for.” Over the course of three-and-a-half decades, through his hard work and leadership, Custom Contracting has become “the kind of company that others want to have work for them.”

 

Leon served as president of Custom Contracting until 2022, when

he led a strategic reorganization. “The time has come,” he said, “to

take another intentional step to transition the company to a new generation—something I call Custom Contracting 2.0—to propel our business forward.”

 

In August 2022, Leon formally turned over the reins of top leadership

to Donna LaJeunesse. Less than three months later, he announced

that Donna had gained majority ownership of Custom Contracting, setting the stage for Custom Contracting to be certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) with WBENC, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois.

 

During his tenure as president, Leon positioned Custom Contracting as a leader in sustainable construction practices and as a recognized expert in healthcare construction. He takes his leadership roles in industry and professional organizations seriously, with wide ranging interests and collaborative efforts with academics, the professions, and specialty trade contractors.

 

Leon continues to help guide and shape the future of Custom Contracting as a member of the executive team, working closely with Donna and lending his first-hand knowledge and experience.