Congratulations to the 2021 91ÊÓÆ” Building Diversity honorees.

Within these pages you’ll read about the important work of local leaders to advance diversity and inclusion in the building industries and make our region a more equitable place for all.

These individuals and companies have created value for their employees and clients, as well as the industries and communities they represent. The core function of this program is to share the innovative initiatives and methods the honorees have used to overcome systemic barriers that affect too many of our fellow building industry professionals. It’s also an opportunity to highlight and promote the great work being done locally by BIPOC-owned firms and DEI leaders.

If you can’t make the event, we’ll have an on-demand version of the 2021 91ÊÓÆ” Building Diversity virtual program beginning Tuesday, June 1, at the following link: www.djc.spiritmedia.com/buildingdiversity2021.

As part of the event, we had the opportunity to sit down with several local leaders to discuss DEI efforts in the industries. The first is was an in-depth panel discussion with three of the BIPOC-owned firms we honored – Leon Araiza of Advanced Tribal LLC, Angela Watkins of Minority Construction Group and Rob Quaempts Wenaha Group.

We also sat down with former Oregon State University legend, NBA All Star and current head of diversity with MEI Group Steve Johnson to talk about his journey to the building industry, how he defines success and what we can do as allies to ensure opportunities for everyone.

We hope you find this information inspiring and actionable. If you get a chance, please reach out to the honorees to congratulate them and learn more about the work they’re doing.

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GeoEngineers maintains a robust Inclusive Contracting Program to identify qualified COBID firms to add to project teams in Oregon and the 37 other states where the company does business. For 2021, GeoEngineers set an ambitious utilization goal of 30 percent of all subcontracted dollars being passed to certified firms.

Through its WSDOT Hydrology and Hydraulics On-Call contract and partnership with women-owned Entitlement and Engineering Solutions (EES), GeoEngineers is helping EES expand its expertise. At the same time, GeoEngineers’ staff has learned from the different skill sets and experience at EES, helping them become more well-rounded engineers.

GeoEngineers’ projects often impact the surrounding community. The Woodburn High, Middle and Elementary Schools help develop solid foundation designs that will serve a student population of mostly Latino students for many years to come. GeoEngineers encourages its employees to participate in professional education and industry organizations as part of their regular duties, often for groups that directly support inclusion and diversity.

Over the past 40 years, talented women have used GeoEngineers’ broad ownership, decentralized structure and emphasis on diverse collaboration to carve out successful careers in a transportation engineering industry where they have been underrepresented.

“We believe that more diverse firms are better for the industry and are committed to building up our partners. GeoEngineers is actively pushing our Inclusive Contracting Program beyond Washington and Oregon, where our roots go deep. We engage with certified and local businesses in states across the country – even when it is not required. Our Inclusive Contracting Liaisons are in the habit of asking ‘Can you use a diverse/certified firm for that service?’ on private and public projects alike,” the company’s nomination states.

GeoEngineers’ Inclusive Contracting Program was recognized by the Society for Marketing Professional Services Oregon chapter with a 2020 Marketing Communications Award.

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Román Hernández’s humble beginnings include working in the fields and harvesting onions to help support his family. From there, he went on to establish a successful legal career that spans nearly 20 years, become the first Latino partner of a prominent Portland law firm, lead the Hispanic National Bar Association and meet with President Obama in the White House.

HernĂĄndez shares the socioeconomic disadvantage he faced in his youth with minority students in middle and high schools to encourage them to pursue their education and careers, particularly in the legal profession.

“Román makes time to inspire Hispanic youth through a variety of different forums and venues because he is one individual who has truly not forgotten where he came from and feels compelled to provide opportunities to others,” his nomination states.

The Oregon State Bar appointed him to serve on the Advisory Board of its new Leadership Academy. Chaired by Oregon Supreme Court Justice Lynn Nakamoto, the Advisory Board is developing the Leadership Academy to train and mentor a new generation of diverse bar leaders.

HernĂĄndez was hand-picked to serve on an ad-hoc committee organized by Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson and Federal Public Defender Lisa Hay, which developed a video on unconscious bias. Adopted by the Oregon Judicial Department, the video is intended to educate jurors about the issue of unconscious bias so their deliberations are based on facts and law.

Hernández’s involvement in community organizations includes Portland’s Council of Economic Advisors, which is developing an Economic Prosperity Plan that will develop and refine public and private partnerships to ensure all communities share in Portland’s prosperity. He also is on the board of directors of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, has served as its president and recently delivered the keynote address during its annual scholarship luncheon.

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Reflecting a deep commitment to diverse representation and equitable outcomes across its workforce, Meyer Memorial Trust, in partnership with project leaders and O’Neill/Walsh Community Builders, developed rigorous participation goals to ensure every aspect of Meyer’s new headquarters reflected the most robust goals for the Portland business community.

Located at North Tillamook Street and North Vancouver Avenue, the $10.8 million, 19,829-square-foot building includes three stories of collaborative office space, a library and convening space for community partners. It was completed in October 2020.

Meyer saw an opportunity to be a good steward by developing a healthy workplace that embodies sustainable building practices within a design that is considerate to neighboring structures and residents in the historic Albina district. The project team contracted with six minority- and women-owned businesses and seven small family-owned wood products companies to achieve a “Sustainable Wood” classification for 85 percent of the wood used in the building.

In addition to a diverse leadership team, 47 percent of the Meyer headquarters’ construction budget was built by women- and minority-owned subcontractors, 30 percent of the journey people and apprentice hours were filled by minorities and 10 percent of the hours were filled by women.

Additionally, 80 percent of the subcontractors were either women- and/or minority-owned businesses, with 20 percent being “stretch” opportunities to give smaller companies the opportunity to grow and expand their portfolio. Subcontractors were included on the project signage to give them higher visibility and recognition for their work.

A former industrial tow lot, the site includes an outdoor plaza, eco-roof and the Kwánsǝm Yakwá Garden, a healing garden and fountain. The landscape design acknowledges local ecology, community history and regional identity that educates visitors and staff. Indigenous plant species were selected due to their historical significance as a primary food, medicinal or commodity resource for Columbia River tribes.

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The National Association of Minority Contractors-Oregon chapter (NAMC-Oregon) introduced NAMC University last year with the mission of supporting Black-, Indigenous-, and people of color (BIPOC)-owned businesses to develop the administrative and project management skills they need to succeed.

Through the unique venture, NAMC-Oregon’s partners and stakeholders have committed to support and train members to prepare them to bid more successfully on upcoming construction projects. By participating in the series of technical trainings, NAMC-Oregon members are better prepared to advance their interests and concerns as contractors.

“These trainings help them apply some of the education and training in real time on real jobs they are doing currently. There are some good programs out there, but they aren’t always linked to what people are learning on real job sites,” said Executive Director Nate McCoy. “I think most of us learn best through application and how it impacts our bottom line and safety. The trainings show them how to sharpen their pencil and be more competitive on bidding projects and managing contracts.”

The Metropolitan Contractor Improvement Partnership, NAMC-Oregon’s technical assistance arm for more than a decade, provided a solid foundation of training for many years and merged with NAMC-Oregon to enhance its delivery of services and make it a more effective and efficient organization serving a variety of needs to its members.

The NAMC University initiative offers online and in-person technical support and training in partnership with organizations such as Colas Construction, Kiewit, Raimore Construction, Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia chapter, Hoffman Construction, Andersen Construction, Propel Insurance, SAIF and Sundt.

NAMC University has hosted a wide range of courses, from small business financial stabilization to specialized hands-on training with Procore. The revamped platform has been accessible to small contractors throughout the pandemic.

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Though its work is traditionally broader than the building industry, the Center for Equity & Inclusion found itself in the project owner seat in 2020 when it decided to purchase and renovate a 107-year-old building on Alberta Street to serve as its new headquarters.

The project provided an opportunity for the organization to invest in the community it serves and ensure the property and building remains in the hands of people of color as the area continues to change due to gentrification.

Founded in 2015, CEI began as a foundation-driven initiative for nonprofits to engage in long-term, racial equity-based model of organizational change. Its team engages with people at all levels, from leadership to interns to external partners, to assess workplace challenges, create collaborative toolkits and implement diversity, equity and inclusion plans.

Its services include equity certification for educators, and language and tools for advancing conversations about race. CEI’s Equity Facilitation Intensive guides people who must lead challenging conversations, trainings or coaching sessions.

CEI also offers a two-year, paid fellowship for people in BIPOC communities with backgrounds in human and social services, organizational development and related fields who bring their cultural backgrounds, identities and lived experiences into their workplace. The fellowships are intended to grow the pool of leaders in the DEI field across a range of settings.

Founding partner Frewine Kiros credits her “brilliant, beautiful, Black daughter” as her reason for co-founding CEI with Hanif Fazal.

“I am living in a country that has strategically structured our society to impose a second-class citizenship on people based on the color of their skin. It isn’t enough to just be disturbed by how groups are marginalized because of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability. My only options are to accept or dismantle. I have chosen the latter,” she said.

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As a Native-owned construction management firm, Wenaha Group has sought not only to be diverse internally with its staffing but also provide training on diversity, equity and inclusion long before it was commonplace.

“It is part of the fabric of our firm, with nearly 30 percent women and over one-third of our employees Native American and other minority representation,” said Kari McCormick, director of client services.

Wenaha has been progressive in leading the way in the industry, helping its clients meet equity and justice goals. Leading its Equity and Inclusion Training division, Melanie Quaempts has provided training in the industry for community outreach, allowing equitable input on divisive construction-related issues, training on cultural inclusion for non-Natives and helping government and non-government agencies create a more just procurement process for minority-owned businesses.

Wenaha’s recent accomplishments include a large school bond program in which the district wanted to eliminate issues of gender and sexual bias by creating gender-neutral bathrooms within the school.

“This created a large, public outcry in the district until they asked us if we could assist them in community outreach. We were able to create a safe learning space to understand the needs and purpose and, in the end, make it a successful initiative for all future schools in the district,” McCormick said.

Because of that experience, she added, the Wenaha team was brought into the same school district to help with equity and diversity training for bus drivers whose routes were located in diverse, lower-socioeconomic areas.

When the pandemic hit, Wenaha Group dedicated its resources to help vulnerable Native American tribes. By establishing the nonprofit First Peoples COVID-19 Resource Drive, it was able to collect more than $200,000 in funding, essential supplies, food and personal protective equipment for about 20 tribes throughout the western United States.

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Roy Kim and his wife, Francesca, founded their real estate development, management, construction and investment company in 1991. Called Central Bethany, it is the managing group for RKm Development and a handful of other companies established to build communities that thrive.

RKm Development is leading the team building Rockwood Rising in Gresham. The Gresham Redevelopment Commission and RKm Development are transforming the 5.5-acre, former Fred Meyer site into more than 200,000 square feet of new commercial, office and retail space that will serve Rockwood. The project, which broke ground in 2019, includes more than 100 new, mixed-income apartments.

The project plan includes job training and entrepreneurship that allows people to train in the manufacturing, construction, medical, technology and food service fields and access small business assistance programs. The Market Hall is designed as an international grocery marketplace that will offer fresh and prepared food vendors and new co-working space for businesses.

The Mixed-Use Village will provide access to child care and employment services, as well as computer classes. The Community Plaza will feature a new public square with a water feature and playground for children, public art and space for festivals and other events.

Rockwood, one of the youngest, most diverse neighborhoods in Oregon, is home to more than 60 languages. Rockwood Rising’s mission is to bring the neighborhood revitalization without displacement, empowering residents to build prosperity for themselves and their families.

“Small businesses that work hard and know how to give back, that is the core of how you create a community that is enriching, meaningful to us and something we can give back to our children so that they can go off and thrive. That is the community that this will be, and that is the ultimate community that we can all create,” Roy Kim said.

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For more than 15 years, Todd Duwe has championed diversity in the workplace and has advocated for COBID companies to win in the construction industry. As an executive leader, he brings ideas and initiatives that not only help make a business better but make people better. He understands societal inequalities, leads inclusively, and consistently makes diversity, equity and inclusion part of the conversation internally and externally.

As part of the Port of Portland’s Mentor-ProtĂ©gĂ© Program, Duwe mentored Alcantar & Associates, a MBE, WBE and COBID-certified general contractor. President Marcela Alcantar said the program and Duwe helped restructure her company from professional services to a construction company, essentially starting a new company.

Alcantar noted that the program was not just technical, but also helped her embrace her Indigenous background as a Huachichilt-Wiraxika woman. It and Duwe inspired her to start a nonprofit called TaYeiyari Te Pa’ YeXeiyari, which works to form stronger Indigenous Mesoamerican communities’ partnerships for business development, sharing of culture, spirituality and maternal languages.

Duwe is an active participant in the National Association of Minority Contractors of Oregon’s Safe from Hate Contractor Coalition and is an advisor and instructor with NAMC University.

“Todd works behind the scenes because he’s trying to do the work in the way he can do it best,” said Nate McCoy, NAMC-Oregon’s executive director. “All of those things matter to NAMC, and me personally, when we talk about intentionality and relationship building.”

As a board member of the Beaverton School District Construction CTE Advisory Board, Duwe encourages students to turn their passions into paychecks and their dreams into careers. The most recent program is designed to expand construction career technical education by creating a new Construction Tech Program at Merlo Station High School. This program will be a magnet specifically for reaching underserved students.

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Through a collaborative design-build delivery model, the city partnered with Howard S. Wright, DLR Group and key consultants and subcontractors to complete the Portland Building’s envelope repair/replacement, seismic upgrades, MEP systems replacement and a full interior remodel while improving workplace efficiency and functionality and maintaining the building’s historic status.

One of the project’s goals included making the first floor more accessible. Visitors can now quickly find the customer service zone to access services without having to make their way throughout the building. The new event space has a dedicated restroom, catering pantry and entrance from the exterior, making it accessible for after-hours open houses, public displays and other city events.

Through the project team’s targeted outreach efforts to engage with community, the Portland Building Reconstruction team was able to not only meet the city’s MWESB participation rate on the project but was able to exceed its goal by more than 10 percent.

To achieve these equity goals, the Portland Building Reconstruction team began a targeted outreach and awareness effort to ensure firms in the MWESB community were made aware of upcoming subcontracting opportunities. These efforts included numerous informational meetings with various local community organizations, attendance at trade shows and open houses at Howard S. Wright’s office. Additionally, the project engaged the Metropolitan Contractor Improvement Partnership to be a resource for MWESBs preparing to submit a bid on the project.

Among the opportunities created for diversity and equity, the project team also took the time and effort to reach out to the education community and made project staff available to lead tours and answer questions. Tours were organized by Howard S. Wright Diversity and Inclusion Manager Ozzie Gonzales by working with local organizations whose mission was to prepare and educate young people on the opportunities in the various construction trades.
— Melody Finnemore

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