American DBE Magazine - Summer 2018

Summer 2018

Hensel Phelps Wins with Small,

Diverse Firms

AGC Pursues

Diversity & Inclusion Dynamix Engineering's

Triple Bottom Line Ohio DOT affirms commitment

to Inclusion

EFK Moen

BUILDS COMMUNITIES

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) offers small businesses and job seekers a place to grow.

The Department of Supplier Diversity is strongly committed to maximizing the inclusion of small businesses in MWAA's contracting opportunities.

To learn more about small business certifications, outreach events, current and upcoming contracting opportunities, and doing business with the Airports Authority, please visit http://www.mwaa.com/supplierdiversity.

For employment information and career opportunities at the Airports Authority, please visit the Department of Human Resources at http://www.mwaa.com/about/careers.

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30 Features

Industries

08 EFK Moen

30 Aviation

Community Builders

13 Hensel Phelps

Hensel Phelps Reaps Rewards with Small, Diverse Firms

33 Transit

COMTO Champions Multi-Modal Transportation

18 AGC Diversity & Inclusion Awards

36 Civil/Highway

Power Players

Business Development

AGC Diversity & Inclusion Council to Promote Business Case

22 Dynamix Focuses on the Triple Bottom Line

People, Planet, Profits

26 Ohio Department of Transportation Ohio Department of Transportation Affirms Commitment to Inclusion

On the cover: Linda Moen, president of EFK Moen (photo courtesy of Dinnius Photography)

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Seattle ‘Inspiring Possibilities’ for AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference

// Summer 2018

Former Federal Transportation Official Victor Mendez Discusses the Future of Transportation

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Trends in the Major DBE Markets for 2018 and Beyond

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Multiple Defendants Charged in $200 Million Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

Other 46

NAMC News - The Digital Divide

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Upcoming National Events

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Branding Campaigns Copywriting & Editing Crisis Communication Graphic Design & Layout

Summer 2018 Volume 6, Issue 2 Publisher: Shelton A. Russell Managing Editors: PR PROS, LLC Creative Director: BRANDilly MC

Media Coaching & Training Public Relations & Media Relations Research & Strategic Planning Social Media Management Strategic Communication Video Production Services

Digital Media: Premier Web Design Solutions Editorial: Peggy Beach David Burstein Wendell Stemley Sara Magargee Philip D. Russell Jordan Taylor Headquarters: 514 Daniels Street, #186 Raleigh, NC 27605 Website: www.AmericanDBE.com

About American DBE Magazine: American DBE Magazine is the premier industry resource for individuals and stakeholders who work within the design, construction and transportation industries. American DBE Magazine is published quarterly and distributed in all 50 states — plus Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands — to diverse business program administrators, business owners and professionals in the design, construction and transportation industries.

Subscriptions: American DBE Magazine is published quarterly in Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall editions. The annual subscription rate is $24.99 including online editions, special industry reports, and four issues; single copy list price is $6.99 plus postage originating from Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Advertising Sales: editor@AmericanDBE.com | (919) 741-5233 (Office) Summer 2018 //

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From the Publisher

Celebrating Five Years of American DBE Magazine

T

his issue of American DBE Magazine celebrates our five-year anniversary of publishing this trade periodical for entrepreneurs and professionals doing business in the design, construction and transportation industries.

As with any new venture, the first five years have been filled with ups and downs, joys and pains; and wins and losses. However, so far we have met the challenge and look forward to the next five years.

On behalf of the team of professionals who produce our publication, I want to thank all of our readers who have shared words of support and encouragement that serve as wind beneath our wings. In many instances, those words came at just the right time to provide a boost when it was needed most.

I also want to thank our advertisers who are the lifeblood of any trade publication. We commit to being an even better partner for your organization going forward, and we look forward with anticipation to the great things we can do together in the future.

This issue of American DBE highlights diverse entrepreneurs and organizations achieving success in the design, construction and transportation industries. Our cover story on woman-owned EFK Moen of Missouri demonstrates how diverse firms in the industry both create economic opportunities and build communities where they operate.

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Another feature story highlights Hensel Phelps Incorporated, one of the nation’s largest construction firms, and how the company maximizes its support of small and diverse firms by focusing on building sustainable relationships with its business partners. The final feature story highlights the Associated General Contractors of America’s new Diversity and Inclusion Council. The AGC leaders hope this effort will create better relationships between their national organization and diverse construction firms across the country.

This issue also highlights the Ohio Department of Transportation’s renewed commitment to inclusion as evidenced by a substantial increase in DBE participation on its contracts and a growing list of firms getting certified to do business in the state of Ohio. Another Ohio-based story profiles Dynamix Engineering, a mechanical, electrical and plumbing design firm led by Eugene Griffin.

Dynamix is completing work on the Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina and has continued to thrive by focusing on people, profit and our planet.

There are many other interesting and intriguing stories in this issue of American DBE Magazine, which we hope will add fuel to your organization’s success and inspire you to be a champion for diversity and inclusion in your industry. Enjoy!

Best wishes,

Shelton A. Russell, Publisher American DBE Magazine

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Feature

EFK Moen

Community Builders

By Sarah Magargee

C

ommunity is at the heart of everything civil engineering firm EFK Moen does; from building the highways that connect communities, to nurturing and developing future civil engineers at the high school and college level. “Civil engineers are community builders in every aspect of the job,” said EFK Moen president and principal owner Linda Moen. “We take that seriously here.”

A woman-owned business, Moen founded EFK Moen along with three partners in 1998 in the St. Louis County Economic Council Business Incubator. Since those humble beginnings, EFK Moen has expanded rapidly and today operates four offices in Missouri, Illinois and Georgia that employ a total of 50.

The firm’s core business is in roadway, highway and interstate design, primarily with the Department of Transportation (DOT). “We are highway designers, and our priority is and always will be the DOT,” Moen said. “It is not the most profitable, but it is what we like to do. The bigger the corridor, the better.”

Additionally, EFK Moen offers structural/bridge design, professional land surveying, traffic studies and traffic signal design, hydraulic studies, detention and drainage systems, site design, community involvement and construction management.

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Missouri Department of Transportation External Civil Rights Director Lester Woods Jr. presents Linda Moen with the 2018 Outstanding Consultant of the Year Award at the MoDOT External Civil Rights Symposium in March 2018.

An EFK Moen employee performs bridge inspection services on a MoDOT bridge.

"When you start a firm like this you not only have to know your business, you also need to have a good back office and perform like a large company."

Roots in Transportation EFK Moen’s roots in the transportation industry run deep.

All four founding partners initially worked with the Missouri DOT (MoDOT). Also, Moen’s father was a civil engineer with MoDOT. “My father encouraged me to start working with MoDOT when I graduated, and it was a great job for the 13 years I was there,” she said.

“In time, though, I was doing more management and wanted to return to the hands-on work, so I decided to start my own company.”

Moen attributes much of her success to starting in a business incubator and the guidance she received from the fellow civil engineers.

“Civil engineering is an awesome industry where everyone is open to helping each other,” Moen said.

“Civil engineers are true community builders in every sense - they build the physical communities in which we live and also build the engineering community by helping one another out.”

Moen said that the hardest part of starting her firm was figuring out how to enhance their professional profile. “We knew we didn’t want to be a small business that operated out of a garage,” she said. “But to do that we had to be able to compete with the big guys.”

Moen worked hard to identify the areas of business where she needed to focus to grow. For example, like many small companies, EFK Moen started out using QuickBooks software to manage accounting. The fledgling firm hired an accountant and then began using a more robust accounting platform to help them compete for large government contracts.

“This was our most important hire early on,” Moen said. “When you start a firm like this you not only have to know your business, you also need to have a good back office and perform like a large company. We would have broken up pretty quickly if we did not recognize that there were some things we were not good at. I don’t think everyone thinks that way in our industry.”

Linda Moen, EFK Moen president and principal owner

Rapid Growth EFK Moen experienced rapid growth during the company’s early years and opened its first branch office in March 2004 in Fairview Heights, Illinois. In 2011, Moen and her team began looking for new market opportunities and decided to take a risk by opening an office in Chicago.

Moen said: “That was probably our time of greatest debt. Our business had been very slow in Missouri and Southern Illinois, and to open up a new market we had to borrow quite a lot of money. Convincing the bank to give us that huge line of credit was probably one of my biggest victories, too!”

The Chicago office proved to be a wise investment, and EFK Moen quickly built an impressive client list in the new market. In 2017, EFK Moen opened a fourth office in Summer 2018 //

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EFK Moen provided structural engineering design work on the MoDOT Mississippi River Bridge Project.

Atlanta, Georgia. Moen said that these expansions came at a time when Missouri and Southern Illinois were investing less in DOT projects. By opening new offices in hot markets, the company was able to continue thriving.

Throughout the years, the EFK Moen team has always remained loyal to MoDOT and their hometown of St. Louis. In March 2018, Moen and her team were recognized as the MoDOT Outstanding Consultant of the Year, an award recognizing a prime consultant that excels in upholding the requirements of the federal DBE Program and has a record of partnering with MoDOT while developing strategic partnerships with other DBEs. Lester Woods, civil rights director for MoDOT, said that EFK Moen is one of the larger DBEs in the Missouri market and works hard to be a champion for other DBEs by putting them on their team whenever possible. EFK Moen also works closely with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in developing a diversity council and helped MoDOT improve their mentorprotege program.

EFK Moen’s success with MoDOT is evident in the many projects the firm has completed. In 2010, EFK Moen completed the first consultant-designed diverging diamond interchange (DDI) in Springfield, Missouri. At the time, DDIs were a new concept in the United States and provided an inexpensive and efficient way to move high volumes of traffic through a narrow interchange.

“When you see it you realize how simple and effective it is and wonder why it had not been done before," Moen said.

“This is part of what I like so much about civil engineering

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“This is part of what I like so much about civil engineering - we have been building roads for centuries, and we are still finding new ways to do things.”

Linda Moen, EFK Moen president and principal owner

- we have been building roads for centuries, and we are still finding new ways to do things.

The firm was also honored to work on a major reconstruction project in downtown St. Louis, the CityArchRiver Improvement Project. For this, EFK Moen designed the I-70/Third Street interchange that runs between the city and the famous landmark Gateway Arch.

Additionally, EFK Moen worked on a portion of the plaza landing.

Keys to Success: Collaboration and Hard Work Collaboration is the basis for Moen’s management style and a driver behind her success. She explained that at the heart of every project is a successful collaboration between herself and her employees. “I love that at EFK Moen, everyone’s attitude is ‘What are you working on and how can I help?’” Moen said.

To encourage collaboration, Moen created staff trading cards for all her employees that feature their picture on one side and a list of their strengths on the other. Employees trade these cards so they can have a good idea of where specific resources are in the company and reach out when necessary.

The supportive, collaborative work environment Moen creates has resulted in excellent employee satisfaction and longevity. “Almost all our managers have been with us for the full 20 years EFK Moen has been in operation,” Moen said. “The longevity and experience of their managers give our employees a sense of security and fantastic mentoring.”

Moen also said that EFK Moen has a diverse staff, employing many more female engineers than other firms.

“I think we attract them because this is a woman-owned company,” Moen said. “We have a great staff.

EFK Moen is a successful company because of our people.”

is the best part of being a business owner.”

Moen’s spirit of collaboration extends beyond the workplace and into the broader community. She and her staff work hard to reach out to high school and college students, offering internships and educating youth on civil engineering as a career.

Perhaps most importantly, EFK Moen is known throughout DOT and beyond for hard work. “We work hard and create a good project,” Moen said. “We genuinely care about our clients and are not just out to make a buck. Every project that we book is something we know we can accomplish and do well. Our clients know this, and it has taken us far.”

“When we were first contemplating starting our own company, someone told me that ‘Your success will help your friends,’” Moen said.

“I took that to heart and always make sure that our success benefits our employees, their families and children, our neighbors, and our community as a whole. For me, this

As for the future, Moen plans to work on growing the four offices in the coming year by working toward being a part of some significant projects in Missouri. She said, “There are some amazing projects that I would like to be a part of in our home state. I can’t wait to see this happen.”

Committed to building a

well-trained and diverse business community & workforce, providing services both locally & nationally in the areas of:

Summer 2018 //

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Committed to the Success of Small Businesses Our success as a builder is only possible with the support of great project partners. Small businesses play a vital role in every project we build, and by investing in their future, we not only strengthen our industry, but also the communities we serve.

We are committed to providing economic opportunities that stimulate growth and development for the small business community. Over the years, Clark has awarded billions of dollars in contracts to certified small businesses. Our successful track record on projects across the country is positive proof of the valuable contributions that small and local firms make.

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Feature

Hensel Phelps

Reaps Rewards with Small, Diverse Firms

By American DBE Staff

T

he construction industry frequently fosters short-lived, transactional business relationships due to the short-term nature of construction projects. This reality can be especially true for trade subcontractors who are typically called upon to provide a specific scope of work, and who often compete against several other subcontractors that provide the same services. However, Hensel Phelps Construction Company has made relationshipbuilding a key component of its supplier diversity program, and this strategy has created awardwinning success in doing business with small and diverse firms in the construction industry.

Hensel Phelps is one of the largest general contractors and construction managers in America, ranking No. 21 in the Engineering News-Record 2018 list of the top 400 contractors. The company is based in Greeley, Colorado and is a multibillion-dollar, employeeowned national contractor with a wide variety of successfully completed projects. Key industries currently served by the company include missioncritical government projects, transportation, aviation, education, hospitality and commercial construction.

Hensel Phelps Director of Supplier Diversity Brad Lewis receives a National Diversity Excellence Award from Associated Builders and Contractors Chair George R. Nash Jr. in March 2018.

One of the corporate values of Hensel Phelps is a commitment to small business outreach and development. Brad Lewis, corporate director of supplier diversity, leads a team of professionals who are charged with building relationships with small and diverse firms in the markets where the company operates; assisting those firms Summer 2018 //

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“Our initiatives and plans are geared toward true small-business capacity building and capability enrichment.”

Brad Lewis, corporate director of supplier diversity

In March 2018, the Hensel Phelps | HNTB | Beck design-build team won the Tampa International Airport $303 million Main Terminal Curbside Expansion and Central Energy Plant project. Hensel Phelps received a perfect score in every category, except being a certified W/MBE firm, ending up with a unanimous 97/100 points. in gaining opportunities on projects and ultimately helping to build successful firms in the construction industry. Lewis’ leadership – and the engagement of Hensel Phelps personnel across the country – helped the company execute more than $753 million in small business contracts during 2017.

The U.S. Small Business Administration recognized Hensel Phelps’ success by awarding the company its 2018 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence.

The SBA award honors large prime contractors that have excelled in their utilization of small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors. The year 2018 represents the third time the company has received the award.

“Our initiatives and plans are geared toward true smallbusiness capacity building and capability enrichment,” Lewis said in a statement. “They are the future large businesses of the industry. We want to support their growth and build a lasting relationship.”

In addition to a robust outreach effort that includes hosting and participating in subcontractor networking sessions, the company utilizes three core initiatives that build relationships with small and diverse companies: The Head Start Bonding Assistance Program, the Technical Assistance Program, and the Emerging Trade Partners Program.

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Hensel Phelps Supplier Diversity Manager David Fisher (middle) and a Hensel Phelps project manager (left) meets with a prospective vendor at a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority trade fair.

Head Start Bonding Assistance Hensel Phelps acknowledges the need for small firms to build capacity and recognizes that a key component of capacity building is surety bonding. To that end, the company partnered with The Barbour Group in 2009, to create an initiative to assist firms with gaining surety bonding on projects exceeding $50,000. “We believe it is easier for firms to get a $50k bond than it is to get a $500k bond,” David Fisher, Hensel Phelps manager of supplier diversity said.

Requiring bonding on smaller projects both protects Hensel Phelps and encourages firms to engage in the process of working with a surety company earlier in their growth and development. This requirement also can expedite a firm’s growth by way of developing the business acumen and administrative skills necessary to complete the bonding application process. “The Head Start Bonding program is a much easier process, has lower risk, and helps firms start to build their capacity sooner,” Fisher said.

The Barbour Group, LLC (TBG) and Hensel Phelps crafted the exclusive bond program to help small business contractors qualify and secure contracts for projects $50,000 and higher. “Since its inception, we have supported in excess of $50 million in bonded contracts with no issues or claims to-date because of the multiple components of advocacy interwoven throughout each stage,” said Karen Barbour, president of TBG. “Together, our partnership with Hensel Phelps continues to change the economic fortunes of subcontractors by building bonding capacity across the small business construction community.”

Technical Assistance Program The Technical Assistance Program (TAP) is a half-day training event hosted by the supplier diversity team. “TAP outlines all of the different expectations we have as a general contractor in areas like supervision, scheduling, manpower, safety and quality control,” Fisher said. “We also talk about how to engage our business development staff and estimators to get companies opportunity-ready to work for Hensel Phelps.”

TAP is generally offered once or twice per year, and Fisher said the next program will take place in late July or early August 2018. The program brings in key personnel from different areas of the company like operations, business development, estimating and quality control to teach potential business partners how to be successful in working for a large general contractor.

“We usually have about 30 attendees in TAP,” Fisher said. “Once firms complete the program, we spend one-on-one face time with them to begin looking for opportunities to work on one of our projects.”

The supplier diversity team of Hensel Phelps created the Emerging Trade Partners program in 2016 as a means to identify high-potential small and diverse companies that are well-positioned for opportunities with the company.

Emerging Trade Partners Program The supplier diversity team of Hensel Phelps created the Emerging Trade Partners program in 2016 as a means to identify high-potential small and diverse companies that are wellpositioned for opportunities with the company. Participants in the program are selected by the supplier diversity staff to receive mentoring, one-on-one business development assistance, and project support.

The goal of the program is to build relationships between the program participants and Hensel Phelps project team members, and to communicate best practices for a successful project experience. The two-year program began with a group of 10 participants in 2016, and a second group of 10 firms entered the program in 2018. To date, 13 of the 20 firms in the program have secured work on a Hensel Phelps project.

Cap 8 Doors & Hardware is one of the companies participating in the program. Cap 8 owner Lisa Williams believes the program made a significant impact on the success of her firm. “It’s been about two and a half years that I’ve been part of the program, and it’s been tremendously helpful,” Williams said. “I’ll give you an example: we ran into a little bit of an issue on one of the jobs that we were working on. David [Fisher]

actually came to my office and he developed a model for me that impacts all of our projects now.”

Current Projects The Hensel Phelps supplier diversity team is currently gearing up for the Maryland Purple Line project. The company was selected as general contractor for the construction of two operations and maintenance facilities and six complex stations.

Complex stations are transit stations that consist of more than one level and have vertical transportation like an elevator or escalator. The company expects to start on these projects in 2018 and is actively striving to build relationships with potential subcontractors to participate in the project.

Fisher said relationship building is at the core of all of Hensel Phelps supplier diversity efforts. “Our overlying theme is the building and cultivating of relationships,” he said. “That is 98 percent of the game – establishing relationships; because with relationship comes the transference of information and communication. With no relationship, things could fall by the wayside, or fall through the various cracks in our industry; but having a strong and consistent relationship within the partnership, that is the meat of our programs and efforts.”

Summer 2018 //

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Capacity builders advocating for contractors nationwide.

410.876.9610 • thebarbourgroup.com

Feature

AGC Diversity & Inclusion Council

to Promote Business Case

By American DBE Staff

D

iversity and inclusion is a component of corporate responsibility or community engagement in many organizations. This placement often removes the initiative from the core lines of business and into the realm of philanthropy or community relations, apart from profit-generating operations. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Diversity & Inclusion Council plans to change this narrative for the national association and its affiliate chapters, as well as its member construction firms across the country.

The AGC established its Diversity & Inclusion Council in January 2017, as a means for AGC members to exchange best practices and ideas around the concept of diversity and inclusion in the construction industry, and to promote the concepts throughout the organization. The council is led by a 17-member steering committee chaired by Frank Wilson, a member of the AGC of Missouri and the owner of BFW Contractors in St. Louis.

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Steve Lewis, Vice President of the AGC of Missouri is the AGC’s representative on the council and has worked closely with Wilson in the Missouri chapter for more than eight years. “The AGC of Missouri became the first AGC Chapter to have dedicated staff to promote diversity and inclusion and it has been a pleasure to assist Frank in growing a successful company and becoming a leader in the AGC organization,” Lewis said.

Other members of the steering committee represent AGC member firms including large contractors, diverse firms, and industry suppliers.

Wilson said, “We want to highlight the best practices of what different contractors or association members are doing in the industry regarding diversity and inclusion.”

The steering committee created three subcommittees to provide a comprehensive approach to pursuing the mission of the council.

The Marketing, Branding, and Communications Committee is focused on “getting the messaging right internally and with our external stakeholders,” according to Wilson.

"Diversity and inclusion means we are reflecting everyone."

Frank Wilson, owner of BFW Contractors

A key part of the messaging is communicating that diversity and inclusion is not only an issue of race and gender, but includes everyone, regardless of their background and experiences. “We want to consider how we can best reflect the image of our communities,” Wilson said.

“Diversity and inclusion means we are reflecting everyone.”

The Workforce Diversity subcommittee is focused on identifying best practices to promote diversity throughout the

AGC Immediate Past President Art Daniel (left) presents the 2018 AGC Diverse Business of the Year Award to Miguel Galarza, president of Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction Inc. Daniel is accompanied by AGC Diversity & Inclusion Council Chair Frank Wilson (3rd from left) and William B. Noonan, executive vice president of Willis Towers Watson. construction industry. This committee works to address the severe workforce challenges facing the construction industry, where many more industry workers are leaving through retirement than are entering the construction industry. Although some of the workforce challenges create opportunities for all types and categories of workers entering the industry, Wilson notes that there are still challenges at the higher ranks of construction companies.

“Most of your construction companies nationwide are still led by white males in the C-suite,” Wilson said.

The Business Diversity subcommittee has the mission of seeking out best practices by AGC members, construction companies, local chapters and diverse firms in advancing diversity and inclusion in the industry. “We want to see innovative approaches they have for supplier diversity, or the different community outreach programs that may have been developed,” Wilson said. “We also want to highlight successful diverse businesses that we should recognize and celebrate.”

The council also administers the AGC’s Diversity & Inclusion Awards. The awards program began in 2017 and the first awards were presented at the (annual) 2018 AGC National Convention in New Orleans. AGC created the awards program to recognize companies that share AGC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. The goal of the awards program is to raise awareness of the value a diverse workforce and inclusive environment bring to a company.

By recognizing diversity and inclusion champions, AGC

hopes to inspire other AGC member-companies to engage in activities that will promote diversity and inclusion, both within the Association and the industry.

AGC has five categories for the awards program: General or Specialty Contractor (less than $36.5 million in revenues); General or Specialty Contractor (greater than $36.5 million but less than $200 million in revenues); General or Specialty Contractor (greater than $200 million in revenues); Chapter Diversity & Inclusion Award; and Diverse Business of the Year.

Companies recognized with the AGC Diversity & Inclusion Award in 2018 included: Yerba Buena Engineering, Austin Commercial, Bjork Construction, the Massachusetts Port Authority, and the San Antonio Chapter of the AGC. “These awards honor member firms and chapters that have established exceptional programs dedicated to expanding the diversity; and with it, the strength of the construction industry,” said Art Daniel, the association’s president and president and COO of AR Daniel Construction Services in Cedar Hill, Texas.

“Launching these awards is a key part of a much broader effort we have underway to foster an even more diverse and inclusive construction industry.”

Another goal of the council is to lead the development of research on the economic impact of diversity and inclusion efforts on business profitability. The council plans to Summer 2018 //

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make the business case behind their efforts to further demonstrate why diversity and inclusion is a business imperative.

Wilson said, “We want to address questions such as: ‘What is the return on investment for diverse business programs?’ or, ‘What is the cost benefit of having diversity in an organization?’”

Wilson believes that the construction industry should lead communities across the country in promoting the benefits of diversity and inclusion, because the construction industry is what builds the physical environment people live in. “We are an association of builders; everything we build has some relation to the built environment,” Wilson said.

“When you think about communities, we are the foundation and framework for communities everywhere. So we have to be focused on how communities are put together, just as much as we are about assembling and building the community.”

The AGC’s second annual Diversity & Inclusion Awards will be presented at the 100th Annual AGC National Convention in Denver, Colorado in April 2019. The council will receive award nominations from AGC members until October 15, 2018, and then the steering committee will deliberate to select the 2019 award winners.

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The 2018 AGC Diversity & Inclusion Council Steering Committee Members

Monica Bailey

Renee Banks

Carole Bionda

Rita Brown (Vice Chair)

Rebecca Fountain

Linda Graves

Amy Hall

Kari Karst

Michael Kennedy

Steve Lewis

Douglas Maibach

Debra Nelson

Henry Nutt, III

Toni Lynn Pascal

Angela Berry Roberson

Dennis Walker

Director of Diversity Contract Compliance McCarthy Building Companies Inc.

CEO KOR Building Group, LLC

President KAI Design & Build

Sheetmetal General Superintendent Southland Industries

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President/CCO G.W. Peoples Contracting Co. Inc.

Vice President, Diversity & Community Affairs Gilbane Building Company

Vice President AGC of Missouri

President Pascal Construction Company

Frank Wilson (Chair) Owner BFW Contractors

VP/General Counsel Nova Group Inc.

President Ebony Construction Co. Inc.

Executive Vice President Barton Malow Company

Director of Diversity Contract Compliance Ferrovial Agroman (US) / Webber

President BCC+

President BX Civil & Construction Inc.

President Elevate Communications

Senior National Association Manager United Rentals Inc.

r e a y l p

Dynamix Engineering is currently working on a 700,000 sq. ft. project for the $400 million Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, S.C. The Dynamix scope of work includes full-service mechanical, plumbing, electrical engineering and master plan through construction.

People. Planet. Profits.

Dynamix Focuses on the Triple Bottom Line

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w

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By Jordan Taylor

“I

’d rather be in a bad deal with good people, than in a good deal with bad people.”

That’s the guiding sentiment that leads Eugene Griffin, president and CEO of Dynamix, a Columbus, Ohio-based building design and engineering firm he started in 1997. For Griffin, growing a successful business is all about building strong, quality relationships with people and treating clients like partners—not just customers.

From Day 1, Griffin wanted to own his own business, specifically an engineering firm. After graduating high school, he attended the State University of New York at Alfred and completed an associate’s degree in Air Conditioning Technology.

He spent a few years working for a company that manufactured Heating/Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment and discovered he was more interested in engineering. After college,

Griffin moved to Columbus, Ohio and went back to school, this time pursuing his newfound passion.

He completed a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Franklin University in Columbus and obtained his Professional Engineering license.

Griffin said, “It’s been a fun ride. It’s been filled with tremendous opportunity and growth— beyond my wildest dreams.” Early on, he said one of the toughest lessons he learned was that, ‘Not all projects and not all business is good business.’ Griffin said he encourages young or new entrepreneurs to learn their craft well, get experience, build strong business relationships, but also understand that each project needs to be a good fit. He said those are tough decisions for business owners because it’s often a choice not to pursue work when the company needs the contract. “Not

Dynamix Engineering President and CEO Eugene Griffin has led the company since inception and is Principal-In-Charge of the Marketing and Business Development and Healthcare divisions of the firm.

“Being on the wrong project has cost us a lot of money.”

Eugene Griffin, president and CEO of Dynamix

all projects line up with the values of who we are,” Griffin said. “Being on the wrong project has cost us a lot of money.”

Fortunately, for Dynamix, there have been many more good projects that align with the company’s core values, than bad deals. One of the most successful projects undertaken

by Dynamix is also one of Griffin’s proudest personal and professional accomplishments—the Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina. After decades of working with one of the key project managers on various other projects over the years, his key contact on the project jokingly said to him: ‘I’m mad at you. I didn’t know you were a minority business. We haven’t been taking credit for that.’ Griffin was proud of the fact that Dynamix was awarded the contract simply on the

basis of who they are and the quality of service they provide. “You have to build strong relationships and get to know your clients well,” Griffin said.

“My goal is always to build a quality firm.”

The Lexington Medical Center project overall was a $400 million expansion and partial renovation; working on more than 700,000 total square feet in a 12-story building.

The scope of work awarded to Dynamix was Conceptual Design and Master Plan & Programming that also included an LED study with lighting solutions and an energy audit; along with upgrades to the 3-story central utility building. Mike Greeley, vice president of operations for Lexington Medical Center said: “Dynamix thoughtfully—and with detail—will tell me how they are going to solve my problem. They make complicated things seem simple and easy, and I am never made to feel as if I have asked for something unreasonable. I choose to use people that I trust, that will bill us appropriately, and that will get the job done. Dynamix fits that description.”

According to Griffin, Dynamix’s long-term success is built on quality people, quality work, forward-thinking, technology and sustainability. Dynamix utilizes varied technologies throughout the design process, including: Building

Information Modeling (BIM), Energy Modeling, Light Analysis, Wi-Fi Predictive, Laser Measurement & 3D space implementation, Customized Controls Graphic Interfaces, Air Measurement & Monitoring and Thermal Imaging.

The company’s integrated use of such tools provides upfront knowledge for effective decisionmaking, a reduction in initial and long-term costs, shortened construction schedules, and servicebased solutions that meet the clients’ needs.

Over the past 21 years, Dynamix has grown from 12 employees to 68; and revenues have increased from $1 million during the company’s first year in business to more than $12 million. The company has completed work in 24 states and has consistently ranked on the list of Top 100 Mechanical Engineering Firms over the past several years (ranking compiled by ConsultingSpecifying Engineer Magazine).

Stacy Cunningham, the marketing manager for Dynamix said: “I’ve learned so much about running a successful business, both during an economic boom and economic downturn. Working for Dynamix has been a phenomenal experience that has helped me to grow both personally and professionally.”

Cunningham began working for the company in 2002.

Summer 2018 //

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Over the past 21 years...

Dynamix has grown from 12 employees to 68 Revenues have increased from $1 million during the company’s first year in business to more than $12 million The company has completed work in 24 states and has consistently ranked on the list of Top 100 Mechanical Engineering Firms over the past several years

24 States

According to corporate documents, under Griffin’s leadership, Dynamix has designed a Pebble Project, engineered the first OFSC LEED ® silver certified school for Cincinnati Public Schools and is now in the process of designing more LEED ® certified projects. [The Pebble Project, envisioned and created in 2000 by The Center for Health Design, has been teaching and assisting healthcare providers to use an evidence-based design process in their healthcare capital projects. Research is focused on quality of care, patient safety, staff safety, and environmental safety – Source: healthdesign.org]. Griffin’s project experience also includes work with the Ohio Department of Transportation, the City of Columbus, and nearly a dozen hospitals and medical facilities, public schools, recreation facilities and municipal facilities.

The opening sentiment that guides Eugene Griffin is echoed throughout the company and repeated by partners, employees, clients—and even included on the website and marketing materials: “In an industry that is growing every day, Dynamix recognizes the importance of the long-term, established relationships we have with other design and construction firms. We partner with

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Top 100

The Lexington Medical Center at an earlier stage in the project. those who share the same values and work ethic we do in order to provide outstanding results. Our turnkey design/build services integrate our Architectural, Engineering and Construction partners into a single team, which allows for rapid project delivery without compromising quality.”

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ENVIRONMENTAL COLLECTION, TESTING & LABORATORY SERVICES

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d b e

p r o g r a m

s p o t l i g h t

Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jerry Wray and Office of Outreach Administrator Terry Bolden network at the 2018 ODOT Civil Rights Transportation Symposium in Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio Department of Transportation

Affirms Commitment to Inclusion

By American DBE Staff

T

he outlook seemed bleak for diverse firms seeking opportunities at the Ohio Department of Transportation in December 2014, after the Federal Highway Administration completed a review of ODOT’s DBE Program. The review found that ODOT’s program had major deficiencies and found noncompliance by the FHWA. The FHWA’s solution to return the program to compliance was to enter a conciliation agreement with ODOT, establishing a specific plan and timeline for the agency to implement several recommendations to improve the overall administration of the DBE Program.

The Central State University Chorus entertains participants during the closing session of the 2018 Civil Rights Transportation Symposium.

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ODOT presented scholarships to three students pursuing transportation careers during the 2018 Civil Rights Training Symposium.

Fast-forward a little more than three years and the outlook is much brighter for DBE firms in Ohio. The ODOT program has made extensive improvements and has assumed a leadership role for diversity and inclusion in Ohio’s transportation industry. The agency is now considered a premier source of opportunities for small and disadvantaged firms, and is now surpassing goals for the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises on federally-funded highway projects.

ODOT Transportation Director Jerry Wray led the department’s DBE Program transformation by taking an active role in communicating the importance of diversity and inclusion in the agency. He also approved a restructuring effort with the goal of aligning the agency’s civil rights programs for better efficiency; and supported the hiring of additional staff to increase the visibility, accountability and reach of the DBE Program.

Wray said: “For ODOT, this is about more than simply checking a box. We are changing the culture to ensure that everyone who is qualified to work with us has the opportunity. I’m proud of the progress we have already made, but there is much more work to be done.”

ODOT’s restructuring effort led to the creation of the new Division of Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) in July 2015. The creation of ODI consolidated the agency’s civil rights programs into one department, led by Deputy Director Lauren Purdy. Prior to the creation of ODI, different components of ODOT's civil rights program were housed in different parts of the organization.

“ODOT had a lot of different and separate puzzle pieces,” Purdy said in an ODI marketing video. “You had the DBE piece, the MBE piece, and the contractor compliance piece; and they were all separate. ODI takes all of the puzzle pieces and fits them together so you can finally see the big picture of opportunity, diversity and inclusion.”

ODOT’s DBE Program is administered primarily though two sections of ODI, the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, and the Office of Outreach. The role of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise is to manage business certification programs, DBE goal setting, DBE Supportive Services, Contractor Compliance, and the DBE Fraud Hotline.

The Office of Outreach is responsible for engaging the community and potential small and diverse businesses

in ODOT contracting opportunities.

This office coordinates the annual Civil Rights Transportation Symposium, matchmaking events, pre-bid meetings, and provides individualized assistance to businesses to help increase access to contracting opportunities on ODOT projects.

The combination of effort by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and the Office of Outreach has transformed ODOT’s DBE Program and led to increased opportunities for small and diverse firms seeking contracting opportunities in the state of Ohio.

One result of the transformation is the significant increase in the number of firms certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.

“We have more than 1,600 DBEs certified in the state of Ohio,” Office of Outreach Administrator Terry Bolden said. “We had around 900 DBEs before the creation of ODI.” This increase has significantly increased the number of ready, willing and able firms for ODOT transportation opportunities.

The success in increasing the number of certified firms is largely due to the agency reducing the length of time it takes to complete the certification

Summer 2018 //

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(From left to right) G. Michael Payton, John Wooldridge, Stephanie Hightower, and James Tressel discuss the importance of team building at the 2018 ODOT Civil Rights Transportation Symposium.

process. Before the creation of ODI and the new Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise that is led by Administrator Deborah Green, ODOT had a backlog of DBE certification applications that routinely took longer than the 90day requirement identified in the federal DBE Program regulations.

However, since the addition of more certification staff, ODOT has reduced the length of time substantially, and now completes all certifications in less than 90 days. “Our improvement in our certification process, along with the addition of four outreach managers located in different regions around the state, has increased our credibility and the confidence of small and diverse firms seeking to do business with ODOT,” Bolden said.

ODOT has also strengthened its compliance and monitoring efforts by providing training and assistance to engineering and operations personnel responsible for project management. The increase in training and guidance provided to operations staff has emphasized the importance of the DBE Program in successful contract administration, and clarified the requirements

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of ODOT employees and prime contractors completing ODOTfunded projects.

ODOT’s renewed commitment to opening doors to small and diverse firms has resulted in an increased goal for DBE firms for the threeyear period from 2017-2019. The overall DBE goal was derived largely from the results of a disparity study completed in 2016. The study found that the target participation for DBE firms, given their representation in the ODOT service area, should be 15.6 percent of contract dollars awarded by the department funding from the FHWA. The current goal of 15.6 percent is 5.7 percent above the previous three-year DBE goal of 8.9 percent. In addition to the overall DBE goal for federallyfunded contract awards, ODOT is also committed to achieving the State of Ohio Minority Business Enterprise Goal of 15 percent. “We were able to achieve the DBE goal in 2017, and we are on track to exceed the goal in 2018,” Bolden said. “This is significant because we have over $2 billion in opportunities that are happening across the state this year.”

Bolden’s Office of Outreach has made substantial efforts to get

the word out that ODOT is open for business and is committed to diversity and inclusion. In April 2018, his office led the planning and implementation of the second annual Ohio Civil Rights Transportation Symposium. The event brought together more than 500 small and diverse entrepreneurs, transportation industry professionals from different agencies, major contractors, and ODOT personnel to highlight the benefits of diversity and inclusion in the transportation industry. The two-day event featured keynote speakers such as former FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez, plenary session speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities. The goal of the event was to encourage dialogue between industry stakeholders around industry best practices, upcoming opportunities, and strategic initiatives to advance inclusion within the Ohio transportation industry. “We started the symposium in 2017, and it was even bigger and better this year,” Bolden said. “Our theme was Inclusion-CommitmentResults, and that is what we are striving for at ODOT; to not only have diversity and inclusion, but to create results as well.”

34TH ANNUAL AIRPORT BUSINESS DIVERSITY CONFERENCE The Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport present AMAC’s 34th Annual Airport Business Diversity Conference: Inspiring Possibilities on August 21 - 25, 2018 at the Westin Seattle. This conference is AMAC’s flagship event – serving as a hub for education, advocacy and networking opportunities that promote diversity and inclusion in airport contracting and employment. Join us as we welcome AMAC members and industry leaders to the Puget Sound region and Washington State!

34TH ANNUAL AIRPORT BUSINESS DIVERSITY CONFERENCE INSPIRING POSSIBILITIES

August 21 – August 25, 2018 @ The Westin Seattle For sponsorship opportunities and to register: www.amacbusinessdiversityconference.com

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S OF EXCELLENCE

REGISTER TODAY! www.amacbusinessdiversityconference.com

aviation

Seattle for

‘Inspiring Possibilities’

AMAC Airport Business Diversity Conference

By American DBE Staff

A

s one of the busiest and fastest growing airports in America, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) holds a wealth of possibilities for diverse firms seeking business opportunities in the aviation industry. Sea-Tac plans to showcase its growth and the resulting business possibilities when it hosts the 2018 AMAC 34th Annual Airport Business Diversity Conference from August 21-25, 2018, in Seattle. “We are expecting up to 1,000 guests at this year’s conference,” said Luis Navarro,

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director of social responsibility at the Port of Seattle and local conference co-chair.

The planning team adopted the theme “Inspiring Possibilities” for the conference; and the Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac, will take center stage in highlighting opportunities for diverse firms as part of its ongoing $2 billion capital improvement program. The program includes a $1 billion new international arrivals facility that is expected to open in 2020, and a nearly $700 million North Satellite

Modernization Project that will ultimately include 14 new gates. SeaTac anticipates spending $3.2 billion on capital improvements by 2022.

The Port of Seattle plans to share its success in creating business opportunities with conference participants including diverse businesses, major concessionaires, contractors and airport industry professionals from across the country. “We have a strong policy and robust program for women and minority owned firms,” Navarro said. “We want to share our success

Sea-Tac anticipates spending $3.2 billion on capital improvements by 2022.

Sea-Tac Airport has a 22 percent goal for Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE) and a 5 percent goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) on federally-funded airport improvement projects.

the program is having during this time of unparalleled growth at our airport.” Navarro said.

In addition to architecture, engineering and construction opportunities arising from the upcoming construction projects, the Port will highlight concession opportunities that the new terminal facilities will create. “We expect to have 22 concession opportunities available in the first quarter of 2019,” said Dawn Harper, SeaTac Airport senior manager of airport dining and retail, and local conference co-chair. “We are also looking to create incubator spaces in the terminal to provide the opportunity for small businesses to begin operating food and retail concessions in the terminal.”

Sea-Tac Airport has a 22 percent goal for Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE) and a 5 percent goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) on federally-funded airport improvement projects. Airport improvement projects include civil projects such as runway extensions, taxiways development and bridge projects.

Local government and business leaders, including the Mayor of Seattle and Governor of Washington, are invited to speak at the conference and Navarro believes the event will be an opportunity for airport leaders from across the country to learn from one another. “We want to use this opportunity to share what is happening in Seattle, and to learn from airport industry leaders about what is happening at other airports around the country,” he said.

Lance Lyttle, managing director of the Port of Seattle, said: “We are thrilled to share our airport and our region with the AMAC community.

We are famous for a lot of things in the Seattle region; everything from innovation to our incredible natural environment, to our role as a global gateway and foundations in diversity and small business opportunities.

We are looking forward to sharing the Greater Seattle and the Martin Luther King Jr. County values with our peers in AMAC.” The location of the conference will offer participants a chance to visit one of the most picturesque parts of the United States. Navarro expects participants at the conference to

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Managing Director Lance Lyttle

be impressed with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. “People will be able to see Mt. Rainier from downtown and enjoy the beauty of the Cascade Mountains and all of the water,” he said.

Networking and matchmaking is a key consideration of the conference planning committee.

The agenda offers business owners the opportunity to meet face-to-face with airport officials, contractors and concessionaires at a business matchmaking session. The goal of the matchmaking session is to create pathways between firms seeking new business opportunities in the airport industry and organizations that can partner with them to make it happen. Conference guests seeking more in-depth networking can also participate in the Bill Walker Memorial Golf Tournament. The outing provides participants the chance to “do business on the green” in groups or indivudally.

The educational sessions at the conference contain specialized breakout sessions organized into Summer 2018 //

31

four separate tracks and general sessions. The tracks include: Airport Concessions; Architecture, Construction and Engineering; Professional Development; and Federal Aviation Administration/Government. Conference planners believe this strategy will allow participants to customize their experience based on their business interests.

The AMAC Foundation will use the conference as a platform to connect with aviation students in the Greater Seattle Region through its annual Project LIFT program, which is a forum-style mentoring session for students interested in fields related to aviation and aviation-related business. The program exposes students to potential careers, educational paths to success and provides networking opportunities with professional mentors to further students’ academic development. This year’s program will take place at the Raisbeck Aviation High School and the Museum of Flight. The museum is the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world. “Over 100 youth will get to meet leaders in the aviation industry and workforce development,” Navarro said.

Krystal Brumfield, AMAC president & CEO, expects this year’s conference to be one of the best in its 34-year history. “We are proud to support diversity in the aviation

AMAC President and CEO Krystal Brumfield speaks to participants at the 2017 AMAC Business Diversity Conference in Houston, Texas. industry and are excited about this opportunity to bring airport operators, government officials, corporations and Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (MWDBEs) entrepreneurs together in Seattle from around the country,” Brumfield said.

Why Bonding Matters Surety Bonds Protect

In 2017, the surety industry spent over $1.3 billion to pay subcontractors and suppliers, and to advance the completion of bonded projects.

Surety Bonds Empower

Bonds are available and contractors who focus on increasing their bonding capacity build solid and sustainable businesses. If you are looking for bonds under $400,000 and have good credit, you can get bonds through various Quick Application or Fast-Track Programs.

The SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program also is available to help contractors establish a relationship with a surety company and helps to provide additional backing for contractors.

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America Supports Contractors

The Model Contractor Development Program (MCDP) provides small, minority and women contractors with education that supports growth and sustainability, and an individually customized plan to achieve bondability.

US DOT Bonding Education Program (BEP) in partnership with SFAA helps small businesses become bond ready. The BEP is a hands-on, multi-component program designed to address what businesses need to do to become bondable businesses.

Bondable Businesses = Sustainable Businesses

www.surety.org

Transit

COMTO champions

Multi-Modal Transportation

2018 COMTO “Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Award” winners join COMTO officials for a group photo at the conclusion of the ceremony.

By American DBE Staff

T

he Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) has maintained its advocacy and leadership efforts to move the transportation industry forward, despite the lack of new legislation or investment in infrastructure from Congress and the Trump Administration in 2018. Just as it takes a rising tide to lift all boats, COMTO President Brad Mims understands that increasing diversity and inclusion in the industry must begin with increasing opportunities. Therefore, COMTO’s strategy has been to stay heavily involved in policy discussions and legislative activities important to the transportation industry, and to educate the COMTO membership on key initiatives needed to advance the industry.

COMTO is one of more than 200 local and national organizations to send a letter to House and Senate appropriators in June 2018, urging them to continue rejecting the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to transit and passenger rail programs, and to continue the BUILD competitive grant program. BUILD stands for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development,

and is a Transportation Discretionary Grants program that replaced the pre-existing Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program.

BUILD Transportation grants are for investments in surface transportation infrastructure and are awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. BUILD funding can support roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation.

COMTO is also actively seeking to advance the creation of a DBE Program in the Federal Rail Administration.

COMTO has worked on this initiative for several years and made progress during the Obama Administration; however, progress has slowed in the time since President Trump took office. “It’s been tough,” Mims said. “But we have to keep the discussion going and hopefully get some movement on getting that program started. There are a lot of dollars being spent on rail, and we need to be a part of it.”

Summer 2018 //

33

Despite having to cancel its annual “A View from the Hill” program that connects members with federal legislators - due to a major snow storm in March 2018 - Mims has continued to meet privately with members of Congress to keep transportation funding and diversity in the transportation industry top of mind in Washington, D.C. COMTO hosted its annual Celebrating Women Who Move the Nation Awards Program in March to honor women making a significant impact in the transportation industry across all modes of transportation.

The 2018 honorees included 15 distinguished women from across the transportation industry. Three of the honorees from the highway, transit and airport modes of transportation included: Leslie S. Richards, PennDOT Secretary of Transportation; Stephanie Wiggins, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Deputy CEO; and Kim Day, Denver International Airport CEO. “We want to honor women from across all modes of transportation to show the impact women have in our entire industry,” Mims said.

Workforce Development is a subject high on Mims’ list of priorities for COMTO in 2018. The organization is partnering with nonprofit and government agencies like the Women Transportation Symposium (WTS), Transportation Research Board (TRB), and American Public Transportation Association (APTA), to pursue workforce development initiatives in areas related to smart transportation. “We know that things like smart vehicles and other new technologies in transportation are where the jobs will be in the future,” Mims said. “We want to make sure COMTO is at the table to understand the skill sets required for these jobs and how minorities can be involved.”

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The organization will use its 2018 National Meeting and Training Conference to advance multimodalism from July 28 – August 1 in Baltimore, Maryland. The theme of the event is “Multi-Modal Transportation: Many Paths to One Goal,” and will feature transportation and government leaders from across the country sharing industry trends and best practices to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry. “We are expecting more than 700 people at the conference, and it will be one of our biggest ever,” Mims said.

Key transportation leaders expected to participate in the conference include Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, Acting Federal Aviation Administrator K. Jane Williams, and APTA Chair Nathaniel Ford. The agenda includes 45 educational workshops, including a special presentation on bonding by the Association for Improvement of American Infrastructure, and a presentation on livable communities

by Railvolution.

“We have a robust and varied program,” Mims said. “We are looking to advance our cause in the whole issue of growing HUB and DBE visibility and participation in the industry; and we are looking to create strategies concerning the dollars that are going to our community; not only federal dollars, but state and local dollars.”

COMTO will continue its support and development of young people in the transportation industry by hosting its annual CITY (Careers in Transportation for Youth) Intern Program in conjunction with the annual conference. Twenty-four students will participate in two days of seminars and workshops to learn about the transportation industries and the wide variety of career options available to them in the future. The students also will participate in various sessions of the general conference in order to gain exposure with industry professionals and the current trends

COMTO President and CEO Brad Mims speaks to participants at the 2017 “A View from the Hill” program in Washington, D.C.

Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings gives remarks at the 2017 Congressional Black Caucus/ COMTO Transportation Braintrust in Washington, D.C. happening in the transportation arena.

The conference will conclude with a scholarship luncheon and awards banquet on the final day. COMTO will award 12 college students scholarships totaling $80,000 for educational pursuits toward a career in the transportation industry. The scholarship awards are funded by a mixture of sponsors including COMTO National, COMTO local chapters and corporate members.

Mims encourages transportation professionals from across the industry to join COMTO and to participate in the 2018 conference. Mims said, “The best way to find out more about the organization and the conference is to visit our website at www.comto.org to see all we have going on.”

TAKE A LOOK AT US NOW NC

North Carolina Department of Transportation Office of Civil Rights Inspiring excellence together to advance North Carolina’s economy by providing access to education, training, and technical assistance to small and diverse businesses. We support equal opportunities to applicants, employees, and stakeholders. Our mission is to level the playing field and to help remove barriers for the participation of small and diverse businesses on NCDOT contracts.

NORTH CAROLINA’S ECONOMY DEPENDS ON IT. NCDOT Office of Civil Rights 1511 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1511 919-508-1808 Phone https://www.ncdot.gov/about/regulations/equalopportunity/

Helping Small Business Move Forward

How We Help • • • • • •

Bonding Education Program Women & Girls in Transportation Initiative DBE Certifications Procurement Assistance Capital Access Program Counseling and Technical Assistance

NCDOT Office of Civil Rights 1511 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1511 919-508-1808 Phone

https://www.ncdot.gov/about/regulations/equalopportunity/

South Atlantic Region

North Carolina • Kentucky • Virginia • West Virginia

For additional information contact: Alyssa Mako, Interim Project Director amako@TheInstituteNC.org (919) 956-2331 U.S. Department of Transportation Small Business Transportation Resource Center

www.TheInstituteNC.org

Civil/Highway

T e c h n o l o g y + I n n o v at i o n = F o r m u l a f o r S u c c e s s i n T r a n s p o r tat i o n

Former Federal Transportation Official Discusses the

Future of Transportation

By Peggy Beach

M

ore investment in the nation’s transportation system is desperately needed, according to Victor Mendez, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation (2014-2017) and former Federal Highway Administrator (2009-2014). Mendez is now the principal of his own firm, VMM Consulting, which provides consulting and advisory services to clients in the transportation and technology industries.

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Mendez said that numerous studies indicate that trillions of dollars are necessary to bring the nation’s transportation system up to an efficient state. “We have had decades of underinvestment,” Mendez said.

“For example, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has rated our transportation system at D- due to its state of disrepair, lack of efficiency and concerns about safety. I don’t know about you, but when I was young and in school, if I brought home a D-, that was not good news for my parents and, especially, for me!”

Mendez said that it is imperative for Congress and the Trump Administration to find ways to create new investments for the nation’s infrastructure. He said: “Many municipalities and states are using a major portion of their transportation revenues to maintain the existing system. Many opportunities to invest in new system improvements are not funded due to the lack of overall revenues.”

However, the news is not all bad, Mendez said. During his term as administrator for the Federal

Victor Mendez shares his thoughts on the future of transportation infrastructure and the business opportunities for small and diverse companies at the 2018 Ohio Department of Transportation Civil Rights Training Symposium in April 2018.

Some of the major technology considerations in transportation include: vehicle technology, including autonomous (driverless) vehicles; drones (construction, aviation, pipelines, rail, etc.); and robotics.

Highway Administration, Mendez directed the agency’s implementation of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

ARRA funds made $26.6 billion available for bridge and highway projects across the country, helping to revitalize infrastructure and creating jobs through more than 13,000 projects. The act was ambitious in its approach; asking local officials to use the funds and ensure that communities were made safer, greener, more livable and less congested. Under Mendez’s tenure, all of the legislation’s projected milestones were met.

“ARRA was a major investment in the nation’s economy,” Mendez said. “In the highway and bridge arena alone, the investments were focused on saving or creating jobs, stimulating the economy and improving our transportation system.”

Mendez also said that public-private partnerships (P3s) can be part of the transportation investment solutions.

He said: “Seeking private-sector investment is certainly an approach that works. There are several examples throughout the country that demonstrate how P3s are successful (the Chicago Skyway in Illinois and the Pocahontas Parkway/Richmond Airport Connector in Virginia). Other countries have used P3s successfully as well. However, it’s important to note that P3s are not a

silver bullet that will solve all revenue challenges. If used in the appropriate instance, P3s can bring significant investment to projects that otherwise do not have the revenues to get off the ground.”

Technology and Innovation According to Mendez, technology and innovation are significant trends in transportation. He said: “Technology holds endless possibilities to help all of us solve today’s and tomorrow’s transportation challenges. When I was the deputy secretary at USDOT, we were working on technology issues that will increase safety, improve our quality of life, and reduce congestion on the nation’s highways.”

Some of the major technology considerations in transportation include: vehicle technology, including autonomous (driverless) vehicles; drones (construction, aviation, pipelines, rail, etc.); and robotics. Mendez also mentioned smart highways and smart cities, which use electronic data to manage assets more efficiently.

Additionally, a lot of research is underway for autonomous and driverless motor carriers (large trucks). Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) will allow trucking companies and motor carrier enforcement authorities to monitor the hours that drivers are allowed to drive during 24-hour time frames. While both of those trucking technologies are focused on improving highway safety, both of them also have detractors whose concerns need to be addressed.

Summer 2018 //

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Mendez named three instances where technology applications could help with transportation issues: 1

Currently, 94 percent of serious crashes are due to human error. It has been estimated that vehicle crashes can be reduced by 90 percent because technology will reduce non-impaired human error, he said.

2 The U.S. Census estimates that 49 million Americans are over age 65, and 56 million people have some form of disability. Automated vehicles have the potential to provide new mobility options to all of these Americans. Mendez said, “Our elderly and disabled population will be able to more easily travel to their destinations with the use of these [new] technologies.”

3

Mendez said that technology can help more commercial vehicles safely and efficiently deliver their cargo, which will also improve safety for the rest of the population in passenger vehicles. In 2014, Americans spent an estimated 6.9 billion hours in traffic delays, cutting into time at work or with family, increasing fuel costs and vehicle emissions. Automated vehicles will help to smooth traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion, he said.

Women- and Minority-Owned Business Opportunities The rise in technology and innovation is creating many new economic opportunities for small businesses, including women-owned and minority-owned businesses, said Mendez. He continued: “Women and minority businesses must take a leadership role in preparing their employees for future success. It’s imperative that small businesses position their operations to take advantage of these new technology opportunities in order to continue their success. This means that besides improving their current business practices, small businesses need to ensure that their employees are trained and provided with educational opportunities that help them thrive on the technology front.”

Mendez said that the technology area “is ripe for people from all walks of life to participate in the potential economic opportunities that the tech world brings. But we all need to commit to the principles of opportunity, diversity and inclusion to ensure that everyone has a fair chance to participate.”

High-Quality, High-Impact Training for DBE/ACDBE/UCP Professionals

Essentials of DBE/ACDBE Program Management Training

May 16-17, 2018: Dallas, TX

November 14-15, 2018: San Diego, CA

What You Will Learn: DBE/ACDBE Program History, Background, Purpose and Trends  Duties/responsibilities of the DBELO/ACDBELO  DBE/ACDBE Reporting  The Airport Concession DBE Program  Review of Joint Ventures for Concessions  Counting DBE Participation/Commercially Useful Function (CUF)  Compliance Monitoring & Reporting  Goal Setting & Good Faith Efforts  The Latest “Final Rule” (49 CFR Part 26, Nov. 3, 2014)

Register at www.natdbe-ti.com/registration/

National DBE Training Institute, P.O. Box 3113, Wilmington, NC 28406 Phone: 910.762.6297 | Fax: 910.762.5963 | Email: kwa-office@kwaplanning.com | Web: www.natdbe-ti.com

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PROUD TO GIVE BUSINESSES A LIFT CATS is proud to provide opportunities for businesses to create local jobs through the advancement of transit projects. CATS also seeks to create an environment that gives small and socially or economically challenged local businesses the opportunity to compete for publicly funded contracts by participating in the Small Business Opportunity (SBO) and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs.

On the LYNX Blue Line project, for example, CATS spent $42.9 million with 38 DBE firms to build the new light rail system.

As the major provider of public transportation to Charlotte and the surrounding region, CATS relies on the communities we serve to build and operate the service every day. By working together on these new opportunities, we can all keep our communities moving in the right direction.

For more information, visit ridetransit.org.

business development

Trends in the Major DBE Markets for 2018 and Beyond

By David Burstein

S

trategic and business planning require companies to set their strategies not for where the markets are today, but for where they will be heading in one to five years. When market trends change (either positively or negatively), this is observed first as a change in the number of available proposal opportunities. These changes in proposal opportunities later become changes in backlog, revenues and cash flow.

Since 2003, PSMJ Resources Incorporated’s “Quarterly Market Forecast” surveys track proposal opportunities as early indicators of future conditions and present them in quarterly update reports. In addition to providing an overview of the entire architecture/engineering/construction market, PSMJ’s “Quarterly Market Forecast” reports detail conditions in seven geographic regions, 12 major markets, and (annually) 52 submarkets.

The surveys ask questions about the respondents’ markets, sub-markets and geographic regions. The responses allow PSMJ to compute a Net Plus/ Minus Index (NPMI) by subtracting the number of respondents who respond negatively from the number who respond positively. If the same number of participants respond both positively and negatively, the plus-minus index is zero. If more respond positively, the index is positive; and if more respond negatively, the index is negative.

The higher the positive or negative value of the index, means the stronger the positive or negative response (The maximums are +100 percent and -100 percent).

40

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR TRANSPORTATION – NPMI TRENDS Latest Quarter by Region 100% 80% 60%

68% 51%

40%

44% 33%

32%

39%

19%

20% 0% Overall Results

Northeast

South

Midwest Southwest Mountain

West

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR EDUCATION – NPMI TRENDS Latest Quarter by Region 100% 80% 60%

67% 52%

46%

40%

47% 32%

30%

29%

20% 0% Overall Results

Northeast

South

Midwest Southwest Mountain

West

The accompanying charts show the NPMI trends for the past 10 years. To eliminate seasonal variations, the charts show only the 4th quarter for each year up to the current year, in which they show each quarter. Included in this article are the markets that are of the most interest to most DBE firms. These all show positive proposal opportunity trends, indicating a bright future for at least the next one to two years. PSMJ also makes other reports available upon request.

Al Edwards, managing director of Corporate Environmental Risk Management (CERM), a DBE-certified consulting firm in Atlanta, has used the information provided by PSMJ to grow his company. “We use the information we receive from PSMJ to look at regional trends in particular market areas and disciplines to help us make more informed business decisions,” Edwards said.

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR TRANSPORTATION – NPMI TRENDS Historical Trends (Overall Market) 100% 75% 50%

45% 46%

16%

35%

18%

25%

15%

26%

60%

56%

62%

51%

46%

51%

Year End 2015

Year 2017 2017 2017 2017 End QTR 1 QTR 2 QTR 3 QTR 4 2016

0%

0% -25% -50% Year End 2007

Year End 2008

Year End 2009

Year End 2010

Year End 2011

Year End 2012

Year End 2013

Year End 2014

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR EDUCATION – NPMI TRENDS Historical Trends (Overall Market) 100% 75% 50% 42% -4%

25%

29% 2%

-1% -7%

36%

43%

50% 55%

40% 40%

46%

-2%

0%

These all show positive proposal opportunity trends, indicating a bright future for at least the next one to two years. // Summer 2018

-25% -50% Year End 2007

Year End 2008

Year End 2009

Year End 2010

Year End 2011

Year End 2012

Year End 2013

Year End 2014

Year End 2015

Year 2017 2017 2017 2017 End QTR 1 QTR 2 QTR 3 QTR 4 2016

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS – NPMI TRENDS Historical Trends (Overall Market) 100% 75% 50% 25%

33% 26%

-10% 15%

15% -6% -27%

0%

0%

23% 30% 30%

38%

5%

-26%

-25% -50% Year End 2007

Year End 2008

Year End 2009

Year End 2010

Year End 2011

Year End 2012

Year End 2013

Year End 2014

Year End 2015

Year 2017 2017 2017 2017 End QTR 1 QTR 2 QTR 3 QTR 4 2016

Summer 2018 //

41

The additional charts show proposal activity for the transportation, education, government buildings and environmental markets. All of the markets show a positive trend for proposal activity ranging from a low of +38 percent for government buildings to a high of 51 percent for transportation. These reports show that companies across the country are reporting that they are experiencing a positive trend in proposal activity in the respective markets.

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL – NPMI TRENDS Historical Trends (Overall Market) 100% 75%

63%

53% 18% 34% 28% 33% 18%

50%

36%

38%

30% 28%

48% 51% 45%

25% 0% Year End 2007

Year End 2008

Year End 2009

Year End 2010

Year End 2011

Year End 2012

Year End 2013

Year End 2014

Year End 2015

Year 2017 2017 2017 2017 End QTR 1 QTR 2 QTR 3 QTR 4 2016

PROPOSAL ACTIVITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL – NPMI TRENDS Latest Quarter by Region

Dave Burstein is a Director and Senior Consultant with PSMJ. As part of his responsibilities, he provides consulting and training on a wide range of management and leadership topics. Prior to joining PSMJ, Dave worked for 26 years at Parsons Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most respected engineering-construction firms.

100%

82%

80% 60%

57% 45%

40%

45%

40%

50% 38%

20% 0% Overall Results

Northeast

South

Midwest

Southwest

Mountain

West

business development

Multiple Defendants Charged in

$200 Million Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Submitted by U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office

United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on April 3, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a 22-count Indictment charging three defendants with a 12-year fraud and money laundering scheme involving over $200 million in government-funded contracts intended to benefit small businesses.

The Indictment named individuals Brian L. Ganos (age: 57) of Muskego and Mark F. Spindler (age: 56) of Menomonee Falls, and the business Sonag Company Inc. as defendants. In a related case, Nicholas Rivecca, Sr. (age: 68) of Hartland, agreed to plead guilty to an Information charging him with conspiring to defraud the United States.

The indicted defendants were charged with a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.

According to the Indictment, the conspiracy involved operating construction companies with straw owners who qualified as a disadvantaged individual or as a servicedisabled veteran, but who did not actually control the companies. The conspirators then fraudulently obtained small business program certifications to win governmentfunded contracts to which they were not entitled. The Indictment alleges that “the conspirators enriched themselves, undermined the small business programs, and deprived honest small businesses of opportunities for work.”

Specifically, the Indictment and Information allege the following: • Nuvo Construction Company Inc. was misrepresented to be majority-owned and controlled by J.L. in order to obtain certifications as a Small Disadvantaged Business from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) from Milwaukee County. In reality, J.L. worked full-time for a different entity in Minnesota and did not actually control Nuvo.

Summer 2018 //

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• C3T Inc. was misrepresented to be majority owned and controlled by T.A. to obtain verification as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.

In reality, for long stretches, T.A. had virtually no involvement in C3T. • Pagasa Construction Company Inc. was misrepresented to be majority owned and controlled by O.M. in order to obtain certification as a Small Disadvantaged Business from the SBA. In reality, O.M. relied on the assistance of conspirators to form Pagasa.

The Indictment alleges that the defendants used those certifications to obtain over $200 million in federal, state and local contract payments. These included federal construction contracts that were set aside for Small Disadvantaged Businesses or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses.

The Indictment also alleges that the scheme included using Nuvo’s DBE certification to win ready-mix concrete contracts based on the false representation that Nuvo provided ready-mix concrete independently when, in truth, Nuvo’s concrete operations depended heavily on Sonag Ready Mix. As a part owner of Sonag Ready Mix, Nicholas Rivecca, Sr. agreed to plead guilty to that portion of the scheme.

According to the Indictment, on multiple occasions, the conspirators engaged in efforts to conceal the scheme and obstruct investigations into the matter. It alleges that, when interviewed, Ganos and Spindler each gave materially false statements to federal agents.

The Indictment also alleges that Ganos conspired with Sonag

44

// Summer 2018

Company Inc. and others to launder proceeds of the fraud scheme in order to disguise and conceal the nature, source, and location of those fraud proceeds. As a part of that conspiracy, Ganos is alleged to have transferred fraud proceeds from accounts of Nuvo and C3T to accounts that Ganos controlled. The Indictment further charged Ganos with three counts of concealment money laundering transactions, one of which involved the purchase of a Corvette with proceeds of the fraud scheme, and seven counts of spending money laundering transactions.

United States Attorney Krueger stated: “These charges send a clear message to firms that seek public funds. Cheating will not be tolerated. Lying to regulators is a serious crime. And attempts to obstruct investigations will be prosecuted vigorously. We commend the collaboration and commitment of the federal agencies that investigated this case. Their work will help protect programs that assist honest firms led by disadvantaged individuals and veterans who were injured while serving our country.”

Special Agent-in-Charge Justin Tolomeo of the Federal Bureau of Investigation added: “The FBI considers these charges an aggressive move toward justice for the legitimate minority, disadvantaged and service-disabled veteran small business owners of Wisconsin, who were harmed when the defendants abused the government programs that were designed to help them succeed. The FBI credits effective interagency collaboration for this success.”

"The GSA Office of Inspector General will aggressively pursue contractors who make false representations in order to obtain federal contracts” said Special Agent-in-Charge, Stuart G. Berman.

“Schemes to fraudulently access

“These charges send a clear message to firms that seek public funds. Cheating will not be tolerated."

Attorney Krueger, United States Attorney

opportunities designated as set-aside contracts cheat the government and deserving bidders.”

Special Agent-in-Charge Gregg Hirstein of the VA Office of Inspector General added: “The VA’s Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-aside program is designed to assist our nation’s service-connected veterans in their legitimate post-service endeavors, not to further enrich already well established successful companies.

The VA Office of Inspector General aggressively pursues cases in which this program is defrauded. Anyone aware of an ongoing similar fraud scheme can report that to the VA OIG Hotline by calling 1-800-4888244 or emailing vaoighotline@ va.gov.”

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service will investigate all allegations of abuse related to Government set aside programs designed to encourage and support veteran, woman and minority owned small businesses. DCIS will pursue all appropriate criminal, civil and administrative actions against individuals who abuse these programs for illicit financial gain,” stated John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Field Office.

The maximum penalties for each of the wire and mail fraud-related charges are 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of criminal proceeds. The maximum term of imprisonment for conspiring to defraud the United States is five years. The maximum term of imprisonment for the money laundering conspiracy and for each of the three concealment money laundering charges is 20 years in prison. The maximum term of imprisonment for each of the seven spending laundering charges is 10 years in prison. Each of the 11 money laundering charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount laundered and subjects the defendant to forfeiture of all money and property involved in the laundering transaction.

The forfeiture notice of the Indictment indicates that the United States seeks to forfeit real property located at 201 Zephyr Way, #2800, Winter Park, Colorado, and at 5500-5510 West Florist Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible; and more than $2.2 million seized from two bank accounts. Each of those assets is subject to civil forfeiture actions filed by the United States.

are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Source: Press release provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office—Eastern District of Wisconsin]

The case is being prosecuted by United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger and Assistant United States Attorney Zachary J. Corey.

The related civil forfeiture cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott J. Campbell.

An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants

Colette Holt & Associates provides legal counsel and consulting services to governments and businesses.

Colette Holt & Associates is a firm of nationally recognized experts in conducting disparity studies and designing, implementing and defending successful affirmative action programs. Led by Ms. Holt, our team has decades of experience in legal issues, statistical analysis and best practices in program administration.

• Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Programs • Affirmative Action and Compliance Consulting and Training • Disparity and Availability Studies • Speaking and Presentation Services • Expert Witness Services • General Counsel to American Contract Compliance Association

(773) 255-6844 • colette.holt@mwbelaw.com • www.mwbelaw.com Summer 2018 //

45

NAMC News Wendell Stemley, NAMC President

Digital Divide Leaves Minorities Searching for Inclusion in Tech Fields At a recent Congressional hearing, Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) brought to light a very serious issue that the National Association of Minority Contractors has echoed for some time. There is a digital divide between minorities as tech consumers versus minorities as tech entrepreneurs and employees.

On one hand, the tech industry has done a very good job of implementing and distributing mobile applications for the minority consumer. Companies such as Intel, Google, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat are an everyday part of life. On the other hand, only one of 28 minority applicants receives a job in this field.

Minorities also encounter difficulty securing early-stage funding for startup companies; finding success at a rate of only one out of 1,000 minority entrepreneurs being able to obtain funding for a tech startup.

According to the Associated Press, minority employees are also underrepresented in high-paying, professional jobs when compared to their white counterparts.

Whether in business, technology, science or architecture, more than any other group, black workers are disproportionately excluded. For this reason, many minorities are left with no choice but to seek lower-wage jobs in less prominent fields.

Even with a rise in the total number of black students graduating from college, this does not automatically translate to higher paying jobs or professional employment. In fact, experts believe that professional employment for many minority students still remains out of reach in the U.S. where opportunities are hampered because of the plaguing issue of exclusion based on race. The Associated Press report also shared that the ratio of white to black employees in management remains 10 to 1. Meanwhile, in the areas

46

// Summer 2018

of math and computers, the ratio is 8 to 1; in education, 7 to 1; and 12 to 1 in law. In technology hub Silicon Valley, tech companies and startups are struggling to achieve inclusion and diversity in the technology field.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, Washington, white employees outnumber minority workers at a ratio of 28 to 1 in both math and computer-related fields.

Another issue is the lack of access to supercomputers or data centers. At a cost of $200 million per center, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) usually do not receive the same level of support from federal or corporate funding sources to support investments in the computer systems for their technology programs. In direct contrast is the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois, home to a petascale supercomputer called “Blue Waters;� with its $208 million price tag authorized by the National Science Foundation, a U.S. government agency. Large scale server farms like this one at the University of Illinois power the Gmail user experience and stream online programming apps like Netflix.

A big problem for small business consultants trying to break into the technology field is that many of the jobs in the industry are virtual and offer little or no job security. They are part-time, short-term contract jobs, with variable hours and no benefits.

Having access to opportunities in the tech industry is greatly needed in minority communities. By being part of the building process of some of these data facilities, NAMC leaders have witnessed the impact of these $200 million data centers across the country on local communities through utilizing skilled workers; and installing data lines, chiller systems, water infrastructure, and megawatt power distribution centers.

Educators and industry experts generally acknowledge that inclusion is the only way to level the playing field of diversity and opportunity. Tech giant Google has had a data center presence in the Georgia region. Over the years, the company has invested more than $1.2 billion in Douglas County.

This fully operational site created over 350 jobs and supports the communities in which employees live and work. Google has awarded more than $7.5 million to Georgia nonprofits and schools, and their employees are volunteers in the

community. Additionally, related projects have developed muchneeded recycled water system technology for the center’s cooling needs. Minority communities could benefit greatly from data center technology, construction jobs and long-term operations, along with the opportunities provided by fulfillment centers used by companies like Amazon and eBay. As difficult as it is for Americans trying to break into the technology field, it is even more challenging for minorities. Black unemployment rates remain nearly twice as high as white unemployment rates. Black households earn less income and have dramatically less wealth than white households. This is true at all levels of education and in every region. According to a report from the Asset Funders Network, the median wealth of single AfricanAmericans is stunning at less than $1,000; while listed at $1,000 for Latinos, and $30,000 for single white men. Without question, there is less poverty now than there was

50 years ago. Minorities also have started to close the education gap – in graduating from high school, attaining a college or advanced degree – but there still remains a need for technical resources and federal partnerships to increase the opportunity for inclusion.

Based on several reports and national media coverage, companies that dominate the tech industry sectors still appear to be more comfortable with what is familiar, rather than diversity; and some still maintain hiring practices that are passively discriminatory toward black and brown graduates, consultants and contractors. NAMC is committed to continuing to advocate for diversity and inclusion across the technology industry, not only relating to opportunities to design and build data centers and other technology infrastructure; but also in employment and other entrepreneurial opportunities.

Upcoming National Events Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) National Meeting and Training Conference

American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA) 2018 National Training Institute

July 28-August 1, 2018 in Baltimore, MD I www.comto.org

August 28-September 2, 2018 in Cleveland, Oh I www.accaweb.org

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) 63rd Annual Meeting & Education Conference

National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) National Women’s Business Conference

August 15-18, 2018 in Orlando, Fl I www.nawic.org

September 23-25, 2018 in Spokane, Wa I www.nawbo.org/events

Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) 34th Annual Airport Business Diversity Conference

National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) 2018 NMSDC Conference + Business Opportunity Exchange

August 21-25, 2018 in Seattle, Wa I www.amac-org.com

October 14-17, 2018 in Austin, TX I www.nmsdcconference.com

Summer 2018 //

47

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