As builders, we have a responsibility to deliver projects on schedule, on budget, and with the highest quality and safety standards. But the success of a project is defined by more than just these elements. Creating growth opportunities for the people and companies who help deliver our projects is a critical element for a stronger industry and stronger communities.

It goes without saying that small, local, and diverse businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. Throughout my 20-year career in the construction industry, I’ve witnessed the value these firms bring to our projects, including their unique perspectives, hands-on approach, and deep connections with the communities in which we build. On one of my very first projects with Clark Construction, I was exposed to how large companies, like Clark, can create opportunities for diverse small business participation on our projects.

As a young project manager, I was responsible for assembling and managing a team of trade partners to deliver 1601 K Street – a trophy-class office building in downtown DC. While buying out the project, I was approached by a Clark colleague about a potential opportunity to engage the Punch Out Specialist Team (P.O.S.T.), a DC-based minority-owned small business. Clark had connected with P.O.S.T. through the Greater DC Board of Trade’s Small Business Alliance, a program designed to foster relationships between large and small firms. P.O.S.T. had to bid the job (a contract to construct a covered walkway), just like everyone else – and worked hard to produce a competitive bid. The project provided an opportunity for P.O.S.T. to demonstrate their capabilities and value. From day one, the P.O.S.T. team’s level of personal dedication to the project was evident. Their enthusiasm for their work, commitment to quality, and care for their hometown project, made a lasting impression on me. Our partnership on the project was featured in the Washington Business Journal. I keep a copy of the article in my office to this day.

Later in my career, as a vice president leading construction on the 2.1-million-square-foot Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, my team and I were presented with another opportunity to engage small and diverse businesses in the delivery of an iconic convention center. Music City Center’s construction was a boon to the local building industry – and the local economy – providing employment opportunities for more than 7,800 workers. Ultimately, more than 130 diverse business enterprise (DBE) firms were awarded contracts on the project, totaling $124.5 million, representing 30% of the project cost. Once again, I was able to see first-hand the passion and dedication these firms brought to the project. Knowing that Music City Center served as a building block for their continued growth is something that fills me with great pride.

At Clark, we are committed to building strong communities, and to utilizing our projects to create a legacy of growth in regions in which we work and live. I’m proud to work for a company that has prioritized and invested in the growth and development of small minority-, women-, and veteran-owned firms nationwide for decades – not only through our work and support at the project level, but through programs such as Clark’s Strategic Partnership Program (SPP).

The Strategic Partnership Program is a key element of Clark’s holistic effort to support small and diverse businesses on a national scale. The 10-month-long, executive education program was founded in 2006 to help build capacity in the small business community and increase the pool of qualified small firms ready to help us build.

At its core, the Strategic Partnership Program is designed to give business owners a solid foundation for smart, sustainable growth. Since its inception, nearly 1,000 business leaders have completed our program nationwide, including a diverse range of nearly 400 small businesses from the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Countless program graduates have gone on to work alongside our company, and with other general contractors, to deliver critical projects for our region; it’s incredibly rewarding to witness their continued success.

Although I’m proud of the role we have been able to play in helping build the capacity of diverse, local, and small businesses, there is more to do. The events of the past year have brought even greater awareness to issues of social inequity and injustice. In response, Clark is taking a hard look at what we can do to continue to advance greater equity, diversity, and inclusion both on our project sites, and within our own company.

Working in concert with Clark’s purchasing leadership and Subcontractor Development Group over the last several months, I’ve been a part of team evaluating how we can improve access to opportunities; determining how we can do more – and do better. I’m excited about redefining and expanding what it means for Clark Construction to engage local, small, and diverse businesses to help deliver the buildings and infrastructure that strengthen our region.

Lee DeLong,
Division President, Mid-Atlantic Region, Clark Construction Group, LLC
Member, ULI Washington Adviosry Board

In ULI Washington’s new Leadership Insights column, ULI Washington will regularly feature member leader’s thoughts and insights as we adjust personally and professional to a “new normal.”