16 | April 2021
By Subcontractors USA News Provider
T
RBCA SUBCONTRACTORS USA
here are now more than four million minority-owned companies in the U.S., with annual sales totaling almost $700 billion. According to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, over the last 10 years, minority business enterprises accounted for more than 50 percent of the two million new businesses started in the United States and created 4.7 million jobs. We can be hopeful of the promise for a more level playing field for minority-owned businesses, but not complacent, as there are still great strides that need to be made to encourage and strengthen the minority business community. The Harris County Disparity Study 2020 highlights the disparity in Houston for Black contractors, with just 9.1% of Harris County's contracts with minority-owned and women-owned businesses, compared to a 28.4% market share, and 0.5% of the county’s contract dollars going to Black-owned businesses. And According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an evident lack of diversity in this industry, as African Americans make up 6% of architects and engineers and 6% of construction workers.
The Advocate Advancing the Development and Growth of Houston BlackOwned Businesses
“We are community-value oriented. We fight to get Black contractors working, which means in preconstruction and contracting, for the purpose of hiring other Black people and training them. That’s the strategic partnership. That’s the only plan we got. It never changes. Never.”
—John Proctor, Chairman of Regional Black Contractors Association
There also remains an imbalance when it comes to access to capital, contracting opportunities, and other entrepreneurial development opportunities for minority-owned firms. Minority-owned enterprises achieving sustainability and longevity is valuable for the local and national competitive advantage. Diverse business ownership is essential to our nation's continued economic success and growth. Advocating for the development and growth of Black-owned businesses is the Regional Black Contractors Association (RBCA). Under the leadership of John Proctor, chairman and Kimberly Shaw, president and CEO,
the RBCA remains a very effective partner for minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, working their relationships with state, municipal, and corporate leaders and their supplier diversity executives, elected and appointed officials all for the cause to support African-American business development. Locally, statewide, and in Washington, DC, the RBCA stays active and committed in monitoring pending legislation that might affect their member’s businesses and growth. With a proactive and strategic approach, the RBCA quickly mobilizes to work with key policy makers to support and ensure that every opportunity is available for the RBCA's membership. Today, the RBCA is the premiere African American construction member services organization serving a membership base of 100 plus that includes:
• Architecture/ engineering trades firms • Owners • Developers • General contractors • Construction management firms • Subcontractors • Real estate firms The RBCA, headquartered in Dallas, TX, now has an office right in the heart of our city, allowing it a more personal approach to serve businesses in Houston and the surrounding areas. With the opening of their office, the RBCA is empowered to make an even greater impact with its implementable solutions combating inequality for Black business owners.
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Sources: • The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship • Harris County Disparity Study 2020: (https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/ app/plugins/pdfjs-viewer-shortcode/pdfjs/ web/viewer.php?file=https://cdn.hpm.io/ wp-content/uploads/2020/06/30185703/ DisparityStudy2020.pdf&dButton=true&pButto n=true&oButton=false&sButton=true#zoom=a uto&pagemode=none) • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: (https:// www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm; https://www. bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm) • Houston Public Media: (https://www. houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/ business/2020/12/14/387703/study-showswomen-and-minority-owned-businessesunderrepresented-among-port-of-houstoncontractors/)
