• Posted: November 30, 2022
• better careers, better communities, better construction, Elbert Walters III, Electrical Contractors' Association of Chicago and Cook County, Matthew Off, McWilliams Electric Company, Millennium Park, Rick Jamerson, tree lighting ceremony

 

It’s the 109th year of celebrating the holidays in Chicago with the city’s official tree lighting ceremony and the 2022 event did not disappoint. This year’s Christmas tree, a 55-foot Colorado Blue Spruce, donated by the Glisovic family of Morton Grove, has more than 12,000 strands of lights or nearly 6 miles of string light, courtesy of Powering Chicago and this year’s elected contractor, McWilliams Electric Company. 

“It’s an absolute honor that McWIlliams Electric was chosen to do the lights this year,” said Maureen Mikulski, EVP & CFO at McWIlliams Electric. “It’s a chance for us to show the city and everyone we work with, how great our electricians are.”

Though Powering Chicago contractors have been helping to light the city’s Christmas tree for decades,  it was especially fitting for McWilliams Electric to light the tree this year as a capstone to their 100th year in business. Coordinating this project was a welcomed and unique challenge for McWilliams Electric.

“It was a team effort to figure out how to do this,” said Matthew Off, project manager at McWilliams Electric Company. “We wrapped every individual tree branch and then we went to the top of the tree and draped them down.”

This project allows Powering Chicago to demonstrate the immense skill that its contractors and electricians bring to their work daily.

“From developing an electrical plan to acquiring all the necessary materials for the lighting, our union electrical contractors are working hard to ensure that this year’s tree brings a smile to the face of everyone who sees it,” said Rick Jamerson, president of the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Chicago and Cook County.

Passersby may notice that the lighting on this year’s tree is white and blue with a red star on top to symbolize the Chicago flag.

“On behalf of all of us at Powering Chicago, I’d like to wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season,” said Powering Chicago Executive Director, Elbert Walters III.

Chicago’s “official” Christmas tree in Millennium Park will shine brightly near the intersection of Michigan Ave. and Washington St. from November 18 through January 9.