March 31, 2005
Business & Technology Center, Turner Construction Join Forces
to Boost Pool of Minority Contractors
Raleigh, NC – The Raleigh Business & Technology
Center (RBTC) and Turner Construction Company’s Carolinas division have formed an alliance to
advance their mutual goals of ensuring minority, women and small-business
contractors are prepared to participate more equitably in the billions of
dollars of construction contracts awarded statewide each year.
A public
meeting to formally announce the Alliance and its agenda will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2005, at the RBTC.
Bob
Robinson, RBTC executive director, says the Alliance is a means by which the Center can
provide contractual opportunities for its members. “This is a win-win for
RBTC’s members and prime business customers,” he says. “Our individual members
will strengthen their enterprises through our technical assistance programs,
and Turner Carolinas will greatly increase minority participation on its
projects. When this type of leadership by a prime contractor is demonstrated,
the overall construction industry can readily identify ‘best practice’
solutions, and these long-term improvements may be institutionalized by the
stakeholders.”
“Turner
Carolinas is excited about the creation of an alliance with the RBTC,” says
Ralph Thompson, Manager of Business Development for Turner Carolinas. “Our company
believes and has confirmed through years of experience that stimulating growth
of HUB/MBE firms within the community enhances the overall economic strength of
the entire community.”
The Alliance at a glance:
- Turner Carolinas’ initial
investment will be used for new technical assistance programs at the
Center.
- Turner will sponsor 36
subcontractors – 12 from the Triangle area to start, then 12 from Charlotte and 12 from coastal areas.
- A comprehensive “matchmaker”
program will pre-qualify HUB/MBEs for trade
relationships with first-tier and lower-tier subcontractors.
- Participating HUB/MBEs will be enrolled in the business assessment program
conducted by the RBTC’s Business Link Resource Center and Turner Carolinas’ proposed
“Contractors/Leadership College.”
- Turner Carolinas’ Utilization
Plan provides for direct contracting opportunities.
In
addition, the Alliance allows Turner Carolinas to become a corporate sponsor of
the RBTC, integrate Turner’s IT requirements into the Center’s Plan Room and
participate in coordinated outreach events with local, city, state and federal
assistance agencies.
Dr. James
West, mayor pro-tempore for the City of Raleigh, has long been a champion of
ensuring minority contractors have access to the billions of dollars spent on
city- and statewide construction projects each year. "I applaud prime contractors like Turner Construction Company who
make a good faith effort to find minority subcontractors and fund the type of
training that will put them in a better position to win contracts," West
says.
About the RBTC
Our mission
is to provide entrepreneurs, start-ups and owners of small businesses the tools
and the blueprint for commercial and financial success. RBTC management and partners have extensive
experience in economic development program management, and offer business
counseling, human resources consulting and technology development services that
will enable emerging businesses to successfully meet their challenges, manage
change and plan for the future.
For more information, contact Robert L. Robinson, executive
director, at (919) 836-8618, or visit www.raleighbtc.com.
About Turner
Turner
Construction Company is the leading general builder in the United States, ranking first in the major segments
of the building construction field. Turner is the only builder offering clients
a network of 46 offices across the U.S. Founded in 1902, the firm was acquired
in 1999 by HOCHTIEF, one of the world's leading international construction
companies. On February 18, 2005, Turner received the “Charter Member
Award” from the National Association of Minority Contractors
(NAMC), the first award of its kind given by the organization. Turner
Construction was one of the first major construction companies to join the NAMC
when it was formed in 1969. For more information, visit Turner's website at www.turnerconstruction.com or www.turnerconstruction.com/Carolinas
.
