09.30.2005: Kroeschell Helps Calamos Investments Keep their Corporate Cool

Chicago, IL— In the investment world, stress goes with the territory. So how do you keep your employees cool while managing $41 billion in assets? If you’re Calamos Investments, you turn to a leader in mechanical engineering construction and design. And in Chicago, that means Kroeschell.

In 1906, Kroeschell built and installed the first commercial air conditioning system in America. And today, they’re pushing the envelope again with a new cooling system that’s changing the way companies around the globe keep their cool under pressure. It’s called an under-floor air distribution (UFAD) system, and under the direction of project engineers ESD, Kroeschell installed and commissioned the revolutionary system at Calamos’ new global headquarters in Naperville, Illinois, creating open workspaces that are affordable to cool and easy to reconfigure with minimal work disruption.

In addition to improving ventilation efficiency and air quality, UFAD technology reduces life-cycle building cost and energy usage. But more importantly, it creates a comfortable work environment where over 300 Calamos employees can individually regulate the temperature within their office or cubicle, thanks to special diffusers built in the floor.

For Calamos, employee comfort was more than an afterthought; it was a driving force. “We wanted to create an environment that enables our associates to do their best work because we regard our human intellectual capital as a key component of our success," says Calamos founder, chairman and CEO John P. Calamos, Sr.

To achieve that end, Kroeschell implemented fast-track construction to keep completion of the 142,000 square-foot facility on target. The new building, triple the size of the company’s previous corporate headquarters, went from cornfield to corner office in only 20 months. And while completed quickly, every effort was made to make sure the building was a credit to the community it calls home.

Now that the UFAD system has been successfully installed and commissioned, Kroeschell will provide ongoing operational support services to make sure that the system continues to run as it should for years to come.

“From the Tribune Tower to the Field Museum, we’ve played a key role in the completion of buildings that define the Chicago landscape,” explains Ed Swietek, president, Kroeschell, Inc. “And now we’re proud to continue that legacy in Naperville.”

Designed by Lohan Anderson, 2020 Calamos Court has officially applied for leadership in energy and environmental design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it one of the first privately developed buildings in the greater Chicago area to apply for this coveted distinction.

About Calamos Asset Management
Calamos Asset Management Inc. (NASDAQ: CLMS) provides investment advisory services through its subsidiaries to institutions and individuals seeking superior risk-adjusted returns over the long term. With roots dating back to 1977, the company applies its proprietary investment process across an expanding range of investment strategies within the equity, global/international, balanced, high yield, convertible and alternative investment classes. For more information, visit www.calamos.com.

About Kroeschell, Inc.
Located in Chicago since 1879, Kroeschell Inc. provides a wide range of industrial, mechanical and electrical engineering solutions for some of America’s best-known companies and institutions. Abbot Laboratories, Caterpillar and the University of Illinois at Chicago are just a few examples of organizations that have relied on Kroeschell’s design and build expertise to lower operating costs and enhance their corporate edge. From power control and distribution to the design, installation and maintenance of complex HVAC systems, Kroeschell offers custom engineering solutions for commercial, industrial and institutional clients with highly specialized needs. More information about Kroeschell is available on the Web at www.kroeschell.com.