Proud to Champion Diverse Businesses
It is hard to believe we are more than halfway through the year. As companies look ahead, we must all remember that, while trying to remain profitable, every day we have countless opportunities to develop and bring to light narratives that inspire and illuminate a bright future.
Our firm grew significantly last year, and we anticipate an equally successful year this year. To maintain this growth, we, like all others, must look for more efficient ways of getting work done. It’s important for us all to be flexible, agile and quick to act when it’s called for. It’s equally important to be open to gaining knowledge and insight — in whatever form it comes — so that better, more well-informed business decisions can be made.
That is why I’m excited to share this edition of Together By Design diversity e-newsletter with you. As the new business diversity program director at Burns & McDonnell, I see opportunities for inclusion and belonging everywhere. If there is one thing I have learned during my more than 24 years of experience working in supply chain and supplier management, it’s that diversity should never be restricted to just one area of a business.
From the water you drink and roads you travel to the power that illuminates your home, Burns & McDonnell and its diverse business suppliers are continually providing services that improve the world around us. Every one of our employee-owners and partners plays an important role in carrying out this work successfully. One way we do this is through the development and maintenance of diverse relationships that enrich our business.
I’m tasked with facilitating this relationship-building. I plan on doing so through the creation of strategic programs that support our employee-owners’ connections with small and diverse businesses who are the heart and backbone of the communities where we live and work. These programs include:
Education: An initiative that provides training and resources to our internal stakeholders as well as exposure and educational opportunities to our diverse business partners.
Connections: A formal and recurring business opportunity exchange that strategically connects small and diverse suppliers to our business groups.
Compliance and Reporting: A continued formal practice where audits are conducted that confirm we are in compliance with local, state and federal subcontracting requirements.
Opportunity/Outreach: Intentional communitywide endeavors, such as our Empowering Diverse Partnerships event, that provide opportunities for small and diverse companies to showcase their capacities and capabilities to our internal business leaders.
The advantages of a strong corporate diversity program are clear. In this newsletter, you’ll find articles and videos that illustrate how having a diverse mix of employees and supply chain partners, no matter your industry, can lead to a more competitive, sustainable business, increasing resources and opportunities for all.
The inclusion of diverse partners across all communities and business sectors drives economic development, builds economic equity and provides chances for growth. Making sure these relationships are properly nurtured and remain mutually beneficial is my goal and one of the best ways for an operation to maintain long-term success.
I wish you all a strong finish for the year.
Tammy Martin
Business Diversity Program Director
Business Diversity Program Director
Culture Video
Q&A: Lauren Bertram Reflects on Hiring the ‘Culture Add’ Versus the ‘Culture Fit’
When it comes to finding talent, hiring managers and teams can easily fall into the habit of searching for a candidate who is a “culture fit.” Lauren Betram, talent acquisition director at Burns & McDonnell, shares how companies should shift away from asking if a candidate “fits” into existing workplace culture and instead focus on how a candidate could “add” to an existing culture with unique experiences and diverse perspectives.
Business Feature
Q&A: Advancing the Way We Empower Women in the Workplace
Industries are changing as more and more companies recognize the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace. While strides have been made, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, especially within top leadership positions where women are often still outnumbered by men.
Employee-Owner Spotlight
Growing in Business Together
Chamberlain Duru describes how being a strong advocate for entrepreneurs is one of his passions. He has always focused on this mindset and encouraged those around him to adopt the same.
Supplier Feature
Q&A: Construction Teaming Powers Diverse Hiring Achievements
After collaborating on the construction of SaskPower’s Chinook Power Station located in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, in 2017, Burns & McDonnell and Allan Construction teamed up again in 2020 to work on the Great Plains Power Station project in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Previous Articles
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Q&A: Hannibal B. Johnson Reflects on How Narrative Shapes Civility
To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Burns & McDonnell invited Hannibal B. Johnson to share his insights on diversity, equity and inclusion. As an attorney, author and historian, Johnson has a thoughtful perspective about the past and the value of storytelling to support diversity and elevate everyone.
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Feeling Connected Through STEM
Leigha Sledge, now an architect in the Aviation & Federal Group at Burns & McDonnell, liked drawing homes and buildings as a kid and knew by the sixth grade she wanted to be an architect.
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Elevating Teams From the Basketball Court to the Boardroom
A lot can happen over the course of 20 years. Personally, I’ve started multiple businesses (and failed), built a career as an electrical engineer, successfully founded my own company and started a nonprofit to teach high school students about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. While these experiences have been fruitful — albeit demanding — my relationships were what drove me to success.
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Inclusion Drives ARDOT’s First Design-Build Transportation Project
Creating successful collaboration between firms in the construction industry, their clients and diverse suppliers can be challenging. The 30 Crossing project, a $632 million effort that is part of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department’s (ARDOT) largest highway construction endeavor ever, provides an example of how diverse suppliers significantly contribute to complex construction projects.
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Inspiring Change: A Fortune 500 Company’s Journey Toward Racial Equality
In 2020, the world watched as racial unrest unfolded across the U.S., hitting a crisis point midyear. This political and powerful movement incited action, inspiring not only individuals but also Fortune 500 companies to reflect and evolve. Though already in the middle of an 18-month journey to further develop its supplier diversity program, PepsiCo’s CEO Ramon Laguarta engaged his team, and years’ worth of data, to go bigger and do more. Motivated by recent events, he led the charge, releasing a personal, passionate statement — and promise — of how PepsiCo would do right by its customers, workforce and suppliers.
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Q&A: Cliff Cate Reflects on How Relationships Expand Diverse Workforces
Before joining Burns & McDonnell, Cliff Cate worked for a disadvantaged business. He now finds opportunities for Burns & McDonnell to join forces with minority-owned businesses throughout the country to implement critical infrastructure solutions in the water industry.
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Honoring Veterans of WWII: Women of the 6888th
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — known as the Six Triple Eight — was the only all-Black Women Army Corps (WAC) unit deployed to Europe during World War II. On Nov. 30, 2018, five of the surviving veterans from the unit traveled to the Buffalo Soldier Commemorative Area at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the dedication of a monument honoring their service.
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Q&A: Lisa Myers Discusses the Power of the Small Business Administration’s Mentorship Program
The Department of Defense awards more than $80 billion annually in contracts to small businesses through programs run by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). That is critical funding some small, diverse companies may not qualify for because they historically have not had access to opportunities majority-owned and larger companies had.
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Wichita’s Largest Water Project Showcases Innovative Subcontracting Programs
The 80-year-old water treatment facility in Wichita, Kansas, needed an upgrade to serve the city’s growing population. To meet residents’ water needs, Wichita officials decided to construct a 120 million gallon per day (mgd), state-of-the-art facility, northeast of the local zoo.
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Professional Development Elevates Trajectory for Subcontractor
Vernal Stewart is an affable man who has built a life defined by relentless entrepreneurship and unyielding optimism. In 1986, he started his career by founding Engineering Polymers Co. While his youth and inexperience created some barriers, Stewart’s hustle and humility ultimately resulted in professional success. Today, Stewart serves as the president of SE3, a professional services company specializing in civil engineering.
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United Way Builds DE&I Into Fabric of Organizational Culture
Through volunteer programs, monetary support and engagement opportunities, Burns & McDonnell employees have built a meaningful relationship with United Way. Over its 137-year history, United Way has built a proven track record of administering and distributing funds to nonprofits to help families and individuals improve their health and educational outcomes, as well as their financial stability.
Supplier Feature
Authenticity Is the Key to Business Growth
After operating her own company for 15 years, Angela Hurt shares insight on the importance of authenticity and diversifying to grow a successful business.
Employee-Owner Spotlight
Diverse Partnerships Are Essential for Driving Business Growth
Putting intention and effort into building diverse, inclusive partnerships can result in better client solutions and mutually beneficial business growth.
HBCU Q&A
Q&A: HBCU Graduates Thrive in STEM Professions
Two employee-owners discuss the benefits of attending a historically Black university. The environment and experience helped them learn, grow and thrive.
Employee-Owner Spotlight
Q&A: Leon Harden Shares Insight on Creating a Community of Inclusion
As the firm’s first diversity, equity and inclusion strategy manager, Leon Harden seeks to enhance diversity and inclusion at Burns & McDonnell and beyond.
Business Feature
The Comprehensive Benefits of Diverse Partnerships
A strong, diverse supplier network requires a corporate commitment to diversify and create relationships that work for the benefit of all involved.
Business Feature
Diverse Chambers and Organizations Offer Dynamic Business Resources
Diverse business membership organizations like the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and chambers of commerce are playing a major role in the development of diverse businesses that contribute a great deal to the U.S. economy.
Client Feature
San Diego Gas & Electric Seeks to Double Spend With Black Suppliers by 2025
A utility in Southern California is investing in Black suppliers, boosting economic activity and meeting customer needs while embracing regional diversity.
Educational Article
Authentic Approaches to Building an Inclusive Workforce
An inclusive workforce can be built when intentional relationships are established with historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions.
Supplier Feature
Strong Partnerships With Diverse Suppliers Garner Well-Rounded Results
A strong network of diverse suppliers requires a corporate commitment to diversity and fostering mutually beneficial relationships.
Educational Article
Thinking Outside the Box With Supplier Diversity
A holistic and inclusive approach to supplier diversity expands opportunities for minority-owned businesses while increasing overall business resiliency and flexibility.
Community Leadership Feature
Realizing Maximum Potential for Professional Success
The president of a Black-owned civil and structural engineering firm reflects on the life of a civil rights leader who was instrumental in effecting change in more ways than one.
Supplier Q&A
Carol Taylor Talks About the Power of Investing in People
Carol Taylor’s 18 years of experience leading a diverse, woman-owned business demonstrates the importance of people, partners and perseverance.
Community Leadership Feature
Lessons From the Ballfield to the Workplace
President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick uses the story of how baseball was desegregated to facilitate conversations about race and business in America.
Business Spotlight
Black-Owned Businesses Look Toward the Future
During Black History Month, Burns & McDonnell acknowledges three certified diverse business partners from the Black community.
Educational Article
Unlocking Potential: Understanding Diverse Business Classifications
Businesses across industries can take a proactive approach to cultivating and maintaining a diverse workforce and supplier base.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Making the Write Moves for Business Diversity
Burns & McDonnell partnered with a strategic communications firm to launch a new quarterly business diversity newsletter to advance a community of inclusion.
Together By Design is created in partnership with:
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