<p>Amid a rancorous political climate nationally, PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc. paid tribute to local labor and business cooperation at its annual construction industry awards luncheon.  The labor-management organization honored three construction leaders and one company for advancing St. Louis as the best place to build.  The event attracted more than 270 people.</p>
<p>Noting that PRIDE will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year, PRIDE Executive Director Jim LaMantia said the nation could learn much from the St. Louis construction industry's tradition of labor-management cooperation.  "PRIDE co-founder Dick Mantia once described it thusly: &lsquo;In the end, the things we had in common were more powerful than all of our differences,'" said LaMantia.</p>
<p>LaMantia pointed to recent collaboration by labor and business that helped attract British car maker Emerald Automotive to St. Louis, provided incentives to energize the local homebuilding industry and $108 million in funding for the two largest construction projects in downtown St. Louis.</p>
<p>Award recipients included:</p>
<ul>
<li>Edward Jones Co., which earned the PRIDE Industry Impact Award;</li>
<li>Jim Frey, a senior vice president of general contractor Alberici Group, Inc., who received the Al Fleischer Management Award.;<br /> </li>
<li>Nathan Broccard, retired former business manager for Operating Engineers Local 513, who received the Dick Mantia Labor Award; and<br /> </li>
<li>Edward Hassinger, district engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation, who received the Joe Rinke Owner Award.<br /> </li>
</ul>
<p>PRIDE, founded in 1972, is an acronym for Productivity and Responsibility Increase Development &amp; Employment.  For more than 35 years, PRIDE has worked to maintain harmony and build cooperation among St. Louis area AFL-CIO construction craft workers, contractors, construction buyers, architects, engineers and suppliers.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>