AGC Honors Missouri Chapter for Diversity & Inclusion Excellence

AGC of Missouri (AGCMO) received the Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award for AGC Chapter of the Year at the 2019 AGC Convention in Denver, Colorado. Pictured from left: Len Toenjes,AGCMO; Frank Wilson, BFW Contractors; Monica Bailey, McCarthy Building Companies; Steve Lewis, AGCMO; Eddie Stewart, president – AGC of America; Becky Spurgeon, Interface Construction; Bill Wagner, S. M. Wilson & Co.; and Kim Waller, Willis Towers Watson.

AGC Honors Missouri Chapter for Diversity & Inclusion Excellence

The Associated General Contractors of America recognized the Diversity and Inclusion accomplishments of local chapters and members at its 100th annual conference, held April 1-4, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. AGC presented “Diversity and Inclusion Excellence” awards to the Missouri chapter and five companies during a general session for conference attendees with the goal of promoting diversity and inclusion in the organization by recognizing excellence. 2019 marked the second year AGC has recognized members for this purpose at the annual conference.

“These awards recognize firms that have established outstanding programs that have helped make the construction industry a more diverse, inclusive, and better sector in which to work," said Eddie Stewart, AGC president and president/CEO of Caddell Construction in Montgomery, Alabama. “By making our industry more diverse, we can solve a lot of our workforce challenges, and become a better, safer and stronger industry.”

AGC of Missouri (AGCMO) received the Chapter Award for implementing several initiatives to support diverse companies and workers in the Missouri construction market. AGCMO is the only construction industry association in Missouri with a dedicated executive serving as the subject matter expert on diversity and inclusion. The AGC of St. Louis, which later merged with AGCMO, was also the first of 92 chapters of AGC of America to hire a Vice President to create an Inclusion Department. This department now facilitates the AGCMO Diversity Committee, whose members secure construction services and contractors, suppliers, and service providers that perform those services.

AGCMO was recognized for its outreach into the Missouri minority- and woman-owned business community through the support of several local organizations by direct participation and sponsorships. One organization supported by AGCMo is the Regional Union Construction Center (RUCC). The organization’s mission is to increase the capacity and long-term viability of emerging minority- and women-owned union construction firms in the St. Louis area. AGCMO financially supports and serves on the RUCC Board of Directors. AGCMO members also serve on the advisory boards of companies that participate in the RUCC program. Steve Lewis, AGCMO vice president said “The program is a tremendous success and companies in the program have experienced significant growth in revenue and profit.”

AGCMO is an investor and also represented on the board of directors and Technical Assistance Committee of the Contractor Loan Fund, a $10.6 million private equity fund that provides financing for minority- and women-owned businesses. “AGC of Missouri’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion has provided a greater understanding of the barriers that minority and women business owners experience,” Lewis said. “As a result, we have been able to respond by offering programs and resources to assist them with facilitating more opportunities for building trust and for firms working together.”

Members of the AGC of Missouri Diversity Committee. (Front row from left) Roger Spearman, A-1 Private Investigations; John VanAsdale, BSI Constructors; Sedrick Brandt, Brandt Contracting; Emily Martin, Aschinger Electric; Michael Zambrana, Pangea Group; Michael Kennedy Jr., KAI Enterprises. (Back row from left) Steve Lewis, AGC of Missouri; Roslyn Croft, Tarlton Corporation; Steve Faust, Icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering; Frank Wilson, BFW Contractors; Scott Wilson, S.M. Wilson & Co.; Monica Bailey, McCarthy Building Companies; Howard Hayes, Paric Corporation. Members not pictured: Don Buchmueller, E.M. Harris Construction; Steven Harris, RubinBrown LLP; Amy Heeger, AME Constructors; Thomas Kuhn, Millstone Weber; Vicki LaRose, Civil Design; Donald Rosenbarger, Delta Companies; Patricia Schaefer, D & S Fencing Company; Robert Taylor, Realm Construction; Ronald Wiese, Alberici Constructors.

Brynn Huneke, director, diversity & inclusion, member engagement for AGC of America said in a statement: “AGC of Missouri, as one of the first AGC chapters to dedicate time and resources to diverse businesses, has been a leader in advancing diversity and inclusion within the association. AGC of America was honored to present them with the 2019 Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award for an AGC Chapter.”

Other Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award Winners

United Rentals received the Service/Supply Firm Award for its efforts to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the company. United Rentals encourages its local distributors to engage with their local communities to support training and outreach programs for diverse groups, and is also a sponsor for many organizations focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.

Chicago-based Ujamaa Construction received the Diverse Business Award. Ujamaa was honored for its vision to provide exceptional construction services in a socially responsible manner and for maintaining a balance of corporate governance and social responsibility by bringing diversity into the workplace and providing employment opportunities to underserved populations.

Three firms representing large, mid-sized and small construction companies were honored for their accomplishments during the past year. Austin Commercial, based in Austin, Texas, was the repeat winner of the Large Contractor Award for the second year in a row. The Large Contractor Award is given to companies with annual revenues greater than $200 million. Shoemaker Construction Company, located in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, received the Mid-Sized Contractor Award, given to companies with annual revenues between $36.5 million and $200 million. Central Builders Inc., out of San Antonio, Texas, received the Small Contractor Award for companies with annual revenues less than $36.5 million.

Committee Chairperson of the Year

In a separate ceremony during the conference, AGC of America honored Frank Wilson, chairman of the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee, as its Committee Chairperson of the Year. Wilson was recognized for his work in promoting diversity and inclusion in workforce development and contracting. He is the first African American to receive this honor in the AGC’s 100- year history. Wilson is president and CEO of BFW Contractors, a company founded in 2006 that specializes in construction management, demolition and site preparation.

The Diversity and Inclusion Council was established to provide a platform for members to connect with each other and assist with developing and driving AGC’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. Wilson served as the inaugural chairman of the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee from 2017-2019. Under Wilson’s leadership, the steering committee established the Diversity & Inclusion Awards program and developed educational sessions on diversity and inclusion; hosted an eight-part business development webinar series; and released a report titled “The Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry.”