91视频

NAMC-Oregon member firms Advanced Tribal LLC and Angela Watkins Smith with Minority Construction Group were recognized with 91视频 Oregon Building Diversity awards in May.

Leon Araiza developed an invaluable network that includes NAMC-Oregon and partners such as Andersen Construction as he built his company, Advanced Tribal LLC. Araiza is president and owner of the Salem-based MBE/DBE multidisciplinary company, which provides design-build, construction management and general contracting services for the commercial, government and residential sectors. Through NAMC University, he began expanding his business acumen by talking with Andersen鈥檚 estimators, leaders and other staff.

鈥淚鈥檝e got an opportunity to work with Andersen and go through the bidding and pricing experience with them. And, of course, just getting to be on a large project and perform a couple of scopes, it will benefit us not just financially, but it was a good process that gave me multiple runs as to how to tackle it,鈥� he said.

Despite the difficulties the COVID pandemic has presented to both his business and his Native American community, Araiza serves as a voice for people of color on topics such as racism and unconscious bias in the industry. He has shared publicly some of the names he has been called on jobsites and how, as a business owner, inspectors approached his white employees instead of him.

While there still is much work to do, Araiza said partners like Andersen Construction are helping to change the culture of the construction industry.

鈥淚 think this should be looked at as a game changer to fulfill the diversity and inclusion movement. This is a term that has been used for years and it used to be, really, kind of lip service, but this approach really could be a game changer,鈥� he said.

With a commitment to giving back, Araiza is a training agent for the Northwest College of Construction and works with apprentices, providing on-the-job training and mentoring.

With nearly 25 years of experience in working in the construction industry, Angela Watkins Smith has seen just about every aspect of a project take shape, from estimating to procurement to a finished product that can transform a property.

Smith, chief operating officer of Minority Construction Group, began her career in government procurement and contract administration before working as a small business advocate and program manager focused on business development.

She then worked for a general contractor before starting her own company in 2018. Smith understands firsthand the challenges of owning and operating a business while bidding, running a project, managing employees, processing change orders, issuing contracts and handling invoices.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen the mistakes that get made in the bidding process and how that can adversely affect a company鈥檚 bid and their business. I鈥檝e also seen great requests for proposals and RFPs that are poorly written,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of work to procure and buy each line item in the bid and you need great estimators to include the pricing for everything. It鈥檚 also a lot of work to do the interview and continue marketing.鈥�

Smith and her employees serve as a project management team that can help contractors with the administrative processes involved in project work as well as ensure diversity. Smith said it鈥檚 rewarding to see small business owners turn less desirable structures into beautiful buildings that are appreciated by the community.

Smith is on the board of directors for Constructing Hope, an organization that provides construction work training for people after prison, and she recently played a key role in renovating a building that is the organization鈥檚 new headquarters.

NAMC-Oregon partners Mel Jones, senior diversity and inclusion manager at JE Dunn Construction, and Todd Duwe, vice president of business development for Perlo Construction, also received Building Diversity awards. The Portland Building reconstruction project also was recognized. General contractor for that project was NAMC-Oregon partner Howard S. Wright. The awards program honors COBID-certified firms, as well as the individuals, projects, public agencies, organziations and large private companies that support them.