11 minute read
Karen Carter Richards..........................................................Forward Times Publishing Company, Inc
from Top 30 Women 2021
by d-mars.com
Karen Carter Richards
aren Carter Richards serves
Kas CEO and Publisher for the Forward Times Publishing Company, Inc., a multimedia company that publishes weekly; the largest Black-owned and independently published newspaper in the southern region. Karen is the daughter of the late Julius P. Carter and Lenora “Doll” Carter, original founders and publishers of the historic publication, which has served the community since 1960. Karen has continued the iconic legacy of her parents and after more than thirty years of working in the family business in various administrative and managerial positions, she has taken over the helm and transitioned the business into one of the leading multimedia companies in the country. As a second generation publisher, Karen has creatively expanded the mission of the Forward Times and has continued her family’s publishing legacy to ensure that it remains the strongest information vehicle and most trusted voice for African Americans in the city of Houston and throughout the southern region. The Forward Times has never missed a week of print. Following the untimely death of her mother in 2010, Karen launched “The Julius and Lenora Carter Scholarship & Youth Foundation,” which supports students by granting scholarships and internships to those who aspire to have a career in journalism and communications. Karen served as First Vice-Chair for the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) from 2015-2019. She was also selected as NNPA Publisher of the Year in 2018. In June 2019 Karen was overwhelmingly voted as the new Chairman of the Board for the NNPA (The Black Press of America). NNPA is a trade association of the more than 200 African Americanowned community newspapers from around the United States. In June 2021, Karen was re-elected to a second term. Because of her commitment and dedicated service, Karen has received numerous awards for her outstanding contributions. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Southeast Management District and the Houston Texans YMCA. In 2021, Karen was elected to serve on the Astrodome Conservancy, a private, nonprofit organization, whose mission is to promote the Astrodome’s legacy through preservation and development, advocate for public access, and create programming that inspires and engages. Karen is a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum (ALF) Class 48. Karen is the proud mother of three children: Jesse, Chelsea, and Nykayla.
Karen Carter Richards CEO, Publisher & Editor Forward Times Publishing Company, Inc.
4411 Almeda Road Houston, TX 77004 (713) 526-4727 www.forwardtimes.com
d-mars.com Top 30 Influential Women of Houston
By Subcontractors USA News Provider
It is a great responsibility and privilege, serving as CEO of MCA. My dad, Rick Cortez, is the most influential mentor in my life. Working with him and seeing his success growing up constantly fueled my motivation to build upon the foundation laid by him. He built MCA on the belief that if we take care of our employees and our customers, then the business will grow itself. My goal, along with my siblings, is to continue that tradition.”
—Ricky Cortez, CEO of MCA Communications, Inc. C ommunications technology solutions are ever-changing and progressing. And if you are not evolving with it or ahead of it, you may find your company and projects at-risk, drifting in the background behind the competition. With consistent forward-looking principles and results, since 1983, headquartered in Houston, TX, MCA Communications, Inc. (MCA) continues to serve its clients with first-rate safety, quality, and customer service. Rick Cortez founded the company 38 years ago, and with his three children now leading the company, this next generation is driving MCA forward, continuing to build on their father’s legacy as a trusted technology integration firm.
Ricky Cortez, the oldest, took over as CEO earlier this year, with his siblings, Jennifer and David Cortez managing the human resources and operations departments. “All three of my children gained experience in this field, working in numerous positions at MCA before earning a leadership position with the company. Also attending the University of Houston, that just enhanced their knowledge at MCA, learning the technical and business side of the company. It was important to me that they learn the business from the ground up, so they could fully understand what it takes to run a successful business. I am very proud that my children have proven themselves as leaders at MCA, building upon the foundation I have laid to continue to successfully serve our clients,” Rick said. This widely recognized and awardwinning minority-owned telecommunications inTop 30 Influential Women of Houston 2021tegration and services com-
pany has an impressive client roster that includes MD Anderson, Memorial Hermann Hospital, the University of Houston, Houston ISD, Chevron, and ExxonMobil. MCA offers a wide selection of quality solutions, with the installation of network cabling and audio visual systems for schools and hospitals a core service contributing to the company’s rapid growth. “This firm’s innovative technology solutions, competitive pricing, and exceptional installation standards exceed expectations. There is a high demand for MCA’s service in this area for education and health facilities, as we have a proven, solid, and long-standing reputation for work in this area,” said Ricky.
The firm’s growth in the AV market continues to birth its expansion, with MCA recently moving into a new facility in 2018. This 50,000 sq ft office and warehouse includes a state-of-the-art training facility, AV lab, and technology showroom. With the ability to train and develop their own skilled workforce, MCA maintains one of the largest skilled workforces in Texas. “This AV solution as the core service is the main reason we were able to move into this new facility, allowing us to better serve our clients and to offer a more collaborative work space for our employees,” Ricky said. During the pandemic, MCA’s training room has also served as a web-streaming studio, hosting organizations like the City of Houston, Harris County, and the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) for virtual events.
Over the last 38 years, with a proven track record, reputation, and notable supremacy in safety, MCA has earned recognition and formed long-standing partnerships with other esteemed organizations like the Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (GHBP) and the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC). And MCA can boast receiving honors that include being ranked as a Top 50 Systems Integrator in the U.S. by Systems Contractor News and 2020 Technology Firm of the Year by the GHBP.
MCA is transitioning to the next generation, and I am very proud to see all three of my children now leading the company. They have the experience, energy, and passion to take MCA to the next level.”
—Rick Cortez, Founder / Chairman
SUBC: Tell us about your company’s approach to client projects, with a focus on safety, quality, and customer service. MCA: Many technology integrators are focused on just selling products and chasing new projects. But our talented team at MCA is focused on building long-term customer relationships and becoming a trusted resource and technology partner. A majority of our clients today have been our partners for over 25 years, and through those relationships we have grown our business by adding services for those clients, as opposed to just adding more clients to the roster. Though growth is important, our mindset is about quality over quantity. At MCA, we put our employees and customers first, resulting in a culture focused on providing excellent customer service and an amiable work environment.
SUBC: Regarding the new facility/addition in 2018, how have you already seen the facility support MCA's long-term goals?
MCA: The biggest benefit of our new facility is that we now have space to show and educate customers on the new AV and IT solutions we provide. We like to think of our office as a working demo space, and many clients have found a lot of value using our space for making decisions on which technologies to use for their new building.
SUBC: With continuous advances for the installation of network cabling and audio-visual systems for schools and hospitals, how has MCA stayed current/ ahead of the curve to successfully serve this clientele in this specific area of services?
MCA: Technology is constantly evolving, so we built an AV lab in our new office, and our team of technology engineers use that space to test out new products before recommending them to our clients. In addition, our training room is used to educate our employees and our customers on the latest technology trends.
SUBC: What does it mean to you to be a minorityowned firm in this competitive field, with great success and longevity for 38 years?
MCA: I believe it means that we have a unique culture, because we are a very diversified company. We have employees at MCA who come from all different backgrounds, yet the company feels like one big family. We believe our culture is why our employees chose to work at MCA and why our customers have worked with us for so long.
SUBC: We are in a place where speed is important, especially when it comes to communications, but talk about MCA prioritizing quality and safety over speed.
MCA: A focus on safety and quality has always been a major part of our culture. Throughout our 38 year history, we have maintained one of the best safety records in our industry and have won numerous safety awards.
SUBC: What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your field, and how do you overcome those challenges with a successful outcome for clients?
MCA: One of the biggest challenges in our field is managing our manpower, as our schedules are typically dependent on other trades, and our window to complete our scope of work is very small compared to other trades. This is just the nature of our business, and through the many years of experience working Top 30 Influential Women of Houston 2021on fast-track projects, we have developed strong 125 teams that excel in these situations. In addition, MCA maintains over 250 full-time field employees throughout Texas and has recently built a training center that provides entry level training and continuing education opportunities to ensure we always have the resources available to handle any challenge. SUBC: There are companies that take advantage of businesses, providing subpar communications services. Have you ever had to overhaul a competitor’s work for clients? And what was the outcome? MCA: Yes, in many instances, our competitors will cut corners in an effort to reduce the cost to win bids and then hope to make it up on change orders. This will usually result in a poor-quality system that will have to be replaced within a few years. Due to our commitment to providing quality work, MCA provides all customers with a 25-year warranty for network cabling projects and has a reputation for excellent customer service. SUBC: In the midst of COVID-19, how has MCA adapted, continuing to provide quality services, while keeping employees and clients safe? MCA: The key to survival for any business is being able to adapt, and when the pandemic started we quickly implemented new safety precautions to ensure our team of essential workers would remain available to support our clients. We also converted our training center into a live broadcast studio and assisted with live streaming events for our clients and partners. In addition, we have installed numerous Zoom video conferencing rooms and back to work solutions, such as temperature sensors to assist our clients in safely returning back to the office. MCA’s service team has also installed wireless antennas for COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites throughout Houston. SUBC: In your quest to maintain zero accidents, tell us about your safety program. MCA: Our safety program consists of a dedicated team that includes a full-time safety manager, a full-time Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) trainer, and 10 full-time field safety PSRs who help train and enforce all safety procedures directly in the field. In addition, all 250plus employees at MCA are OSHA trained. SUBC: Are there any new solutions you now offer that you can tell us about? MCA: Because technology is always evolving, we are always adding new solutions. Some of our newest solutions include video collaboration systems, digital signage, distributed antenna systems, LED video walls, and sound masking systems. Under MCA’s new generation of leadership, Ricky, Jennifer, and David will expand upon the strong foundation built by their father and founder of the company, Rick Cortez, investing in and developing the future generation of leaders in this field. For more information about MCA Communications, Inc. and to schedule an appointment for a demo or tour of their new office and training center, please email info@mcacom.com or call (281) 591-2434. You can visit MCA on the web at mcacom.com.
