7-Jun-15 – It may be a new Riverwalk but the security guards patrolling it are with a company that has given the City of Chicago eight years of service. The city in return has given them more than $32 million.

SkyTech Enterprises, Limited, has had a contract with the city since December 5, 2006. It was among eleven companies, including Securitas Security Services, a much larger firm, that responded to a request for bids advertised in the Chicago Sun-Times on May 1, 2006.

Its contract has been extended 12 times and SkyTech currently has a deal with the city’s Department of Fleet & Facility Management until the end of this year. The company provides unarmed security guards at City of Chicago facilities, not just the Riverwalk. Since 2007, the city has paid SkyTech $32,530,774.

Asberry “Tony” Rakestraw, Jr. Anna Rakestraw

With headquarters in a four-story office building on South Michigan Avenue at East 26th Street, two people, Asberry “Tony” Rakestraw, Jr., and his wife, Anna Rakestraw, own SkyTech. Tony, a Vietnam War veteran, is president and owns 51 percent of the company. Before starting SkyTech, he was Director of Information Technology for the State of Illinois.

Anna is vice president, in charge of the company’s human resources, and owns 49 percent.

The Chicago company has been in business for 15 years, according to its website. It has provided armed security for Naval Station Great Lakes, north of Chicago. SkyTech says its clients include the Internal Revenue Service and United States Health & Human Services Department.

Defendant in federal case that was dismissed

In 2012, John McClellan, Jr., sued SkyTech and the Rakestraws over breach of contract and violation of public policy claims in a case that wound up in U.S. District Court.

McClellan was an employee of another security firm that was replaced by SkyTech to provide security at a U.S. Army ammunition plant in Oklahoma. He says SkyTech was required by federal law to abide by an agreement between McClellan’s old security firm and the ammunition plant to allow him to keep working there, but SkyTech chose not to hire him. The case was dismissed on August 3, 2012.

Besides armed and unarmed uniformed officers, SkyTech services include closed circuit television monitoring, crowd control, process serving, security receptionists, and vehicle patrol.

SkyTech requires its full time security guards to be at least 21 years old, have a high school diploma or General Education Certificate, a 20-hour security training certificate, and pass medical and drug testing.

Tony Rakestraw, president of SkyTech, did not respond to requests for an interview to discuss security on the Riverwalk, but there does not appear to be any serious incidents yet. The only incident on the Riverwalk reported at all this year to Chicago police was a theft west of Clark Street on January 27. It was most likely a theft from the construction site.

Technically, the Riverwalk has hours of operation, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. While there is no gate or other barrier, a spokesperson for Mayor Emanuel’s office says security people do check on the Riverwalk periodically during overnight hours.

(Above) Progress on the sloping steps of River Theater on Friday. Concrete posts at the top of the Riverwalk room were being installed. No official opening date has been announced but the city says it will happen in early June.