Billiard cues were one way Dominick Camosy began his carpentry career.

Camosy created cues before leaving Italy, coming to the United States in 1902 and eventually opening a construction business in 1910 in Illinois and later moving it to this area, according to a Camosy Construction history.

One hundred years later, his grandchildren — John Camosy, company president, and Raymond Camosy, chairman — reflect on the business.

Q: What’s your feeling about directing a 100-year-old business?

Raymond joked it didn’t seem like 100 years.

“But generally, to last 100 years means you’ve weathered a lot of storms, good and bad times. Many companies don’t make it, so this is kind of impressive.”

John: “It puts responsibility on you that goes beyond your generation. It’s likely my son will want to do this, so we want to keep the legacy going.”

Q: How have you survived the recession?

Raymond: “We cut overhead and had temporary salary reductions but didn’t lay off anyone in the office.”

John: “Even before the economy went down, we made a conscious effort to work on public facilities. There were a lot of public buildings being outgrown. Twenty years ago, we did about 50/50 public work and private work. Now we’re about 75/25. We’re not giving up on the private sector; it will catch up. ”

Raymond said government projects usually proceed when money is approved. “So you don’t have to worry about whether they’re going to build that police station.”

Q: What construction industry changes have made the biggest impact?

Raymond didn’t hesitate: technology.

“It used to be, if you had a walkie-talkie, you were advanced. I remember when most subcontractors didn’t have fax machines. Think of what draftsmen used to do with pencils, and now they put it on a computer and do it in 3-D.”

John: “We can even see on a computer if a piece of steel is going to be in the way of an air duct.”

Q: What obstacles does the industry face?

John: “Finding the next market. Will it be municipal sector work, as it has been?”

Raymond: “Tomorrow it could be hospitals and water treatment plants.”

Q: What’s past 2011, when Camosy could wrap up several projects?

Raymond, laughing: “That’s way too far out. You might as well ask about 2081. But we now are seeing signs of earlier activity in the non-profit sector.”

John: “Kenosha growth might be a little slow now, but we have expectations that things are getting better here; more industry and people will be moving in and more schools will be built.”