Building Philadelphia with Diversity in Construction

1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway,Philadelphia PA 19103

05 October, 2022

Description

Join Drexel University and Maven Inc., for an in-person event for Philadelphia Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week 2022. This event will be held at Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Science located at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, 19103 on Wednesday October 5th, 2022, from 5:30pm-7:30pm. This event will feature some of our region’s largest construction firms, Diversity & Inclusion professionals, minority business owners and Apprenticeship program directors. Invited panelists are Rodney Davis of Turner Construction, Lisa Ashton Mattioli of INTECH Construction, Craig Williams of Pride Enterprises and Kylee Pickens of Construction Apprentice Preparatory Program (CAPP). Please bring plenty of business cards as the second half of the event will be a speed dating/round robin networking session amongst attendees. Round Robin: Open to minority owned businesses at all levels in the construction industry and to individuals interested in entering in the construction workforce. Please note that this a catered event and that Registration is mandatory! Rodney A. Davis Community & Citizenship Manger Turner ConstructionRodney Davis joined Turner Construction Company in October 2021, after serving more than 35 years as a criminal investigator with the United States Treasury Department. Davis held a number of increasingly responsible positions with the Treasury Department in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston, New York City and Washington, DC, ultimately retiring in August 2020, as the Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Region. Davis is a former member of the Greater Philadelphia United Way Board of Directors, and Chairperson of their Education Committee prior to resigning his post in September 2020. He was an Instructor at Georgetown University, teaching Criminal Investigative Techniques and Forensic Accounting. He served as an Assistant Basketball Coach for 16 years at Haddon Heights High School in Southern New Jersey and has a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from Rowan University. Davis is an avid sports fan and enjoys reading, traveling and trying new restaurants in Philadelphia. Lisa Ashton Mattioli Community & Citizenship Manger INTECH Construction The importance we place on community and diversity comes from an understanding that while encouraging the growth and development of MBE, WBE, and DsBE firms is good business, giving back to the community is the responsibility of INTECH as a community partner. Lisa works to increase INTECH’s corporate commitment and visibility with regard to community, MBE/WBE/DsBE business utilization, and minority/female workforce. Lisa’s expertise in the area of diversity and community relations is the result of more than 15 years of compliance administration and strategic economic development for clients and projects throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. As a creative thinker who understands project funding, Lisa identifies unique strategies for achieving project goals. She facilitates business partnerships, assists in contract negotiations, and develops strategic plans with regard to diversity and community goals. INTECH Construction’s continued efforts in business and workforce diversity, community relations, and education have been repeatedly recognized as the best in Philadelphia. INTECH has been the recipient of the General Building Contractors Association’s Commitment to Diversity Award in many previous years. Lisa is a committed professional that challenges herself and INTECH on each and every project to maintain and surpass our excellent track record in the areas of Community and Diversity The value Lisa brings to our clients is tangible: her expert handling of diversity subcontracting not only identifies competent talent within the subcontractor market, but also keeps trade pricing competitive. Her efficient purchasing and monitoring processes have the effect of running a well-oiled machine, reducing or eliminating compliance problems before they arise. Lisa’s contributions as a community liaison routinely build strong relationships, enabling projects to smoothly progress with support from surrounding neighbors. “Lisa’s approach to diversity incorporates her passion for growth, her perspective on new possibilities, and her pursuit to create access to opportunity and success for the project”. − Robert Morrone, Philadelphia Museum of Art Craig T. Williams Founder Pride Enterprises, Inc.A legacy then, is indeed one of the rarest things a contractor can build, as it requires both the ingenuity to navigate short-term solutions and the dedication to invest in the types of principles that reap long-term rewards. That makes Craig Williams’ accomplishments all the more remarkable. Taking on the family business his father started in 1987, Williams’ innateunderstanding of the business landscape, his unrelenting persistence in securing steady projects, and his dedication to his collaborators has allowed Pride Enterprises to pull off an uncommon feat. Business has flourished, and yet Williams has retained the trust and productivity of many of thesame workers that worked with his father, evolving relationships that extend into their fourth decade. Williams pitched and won a handful of government contracts at a crucial moment, when his father had taken ill. At that point, the company he was helping shape became his professional purpose, and he fulfilled the leadership role with unmatched enthusiasm and effort. In the ensuing years, Williams’ expansive vision scaled the company to new heights, as he established key relationships within the private sector that secured Pride Enterprises’ present and future as a fixture in building construction management, both in Pennsylvania and beyond. As such, Williams' impact and influence continues to grow from burnishing a multigenerational contracting business to which his collaborators remain loyal, to exchanging ideas withpoliticians and fellow entrepreneurs to enrich his community. Our intention is to have an impact onthe culture in our community and beyond,” Williams expresses, “and business is the medium through which we accomplish that.” Kylee Pickens President & CEO Construction Apprentice Preparatory ProgramKylee Pickens is President and CEO of Construction Apprentice Preparatory Program, better known as CAPP. CAPP was created to afford minorities and women, an opportunity for sustainable employment in the construction industry. As the daughter of one of the first black apprentices and now retired members of IBEW Local 98 in the City of Philadelphia, Kylee was exposed to construction and the lucrative benefits that it afforded her and her family. This along with her years of experience in project management laid the foundation for her current role at CAPP. As a trusted and respected member in the building trades community, Kylee has been able to leverage her role in the industry to successfully carry out the mission of CAPP which is to provide a direct pipeline for minorities and women to permanent “head-of-household” employment within the construction industry. As CEO her primary goal is to continue changing the lives and economic impact of residents in the Philadelphia area. This focus has led to CAPP becoming the primary resource for the largest number of minorities and women entering the building trades unions in Philadelphia with a waitlist of over 274 applicants. Her work with CAPP has resulted in Kylee being recognized by various organizations within the building trades industry for her extraordinary commitment to helping those from underserved communities gain access to careers in this industry and the local unions in Pennsylvania. As a seasoned leader, she is also involved in multiple community organizations and supporting small businesses. Outside of the office, Kylee enjoys attending sports events and spending time with friends and family.