6 minute read
OBO Celebrates Champions of Diversity
By: Enzo Mungu
The Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) celebrated its 8th Annual Champions of Diversity Awards, an event that honors individuals and community partners who have shown exemplary support of OBO’s mission of advancing small businesses and the City of Houston’s MWSDBE program, as well as contractors who have shown outstanding performance on City of Houston contracts. Proceeds from Champions of Diversity also go toward $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are selected by OBO’s partner chambers of commerce.
The event, attended by approximately 500 guests, was held Feb. 11 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Since its inception in 2013, Champions of Diversity has been coordinated by the OBO Advisory Board with the assistance of OBO staff. Mayor Sylvester Turner served as Honorary Chair.
“The state of the City’s MWSBE Program is strong, and it is poised to be even more impactful in the coming years, thanks to the support of our many community partners, chambers, contractors, City departments, and Champions of Diversity honorees,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner, the evening’s keynote speaker.
The event, hosted by Melinda Spaulding Chevalier, Vice President for Advancement and Communications at Texas Southern University, began with a Presentation of Colors by the City of Houston Police Department Color Guard followed by a rendition of the National Anthem by soloist Alaina King Benford. Rudy Rasmus, co-pastor at St. John’s United Methodist Church, delivered the invocation.
OBO Director Marsha E. Murray then took the stage to welcome attendees and to honor former Houston City Councilmember Ernest B. McGowen, Sr. A video tribute by his widow, Jewell Mc- Gowen, and Phyllis Murray, his former chief of staff, recalled his staunch dedication to advancing historically underutilized small businesses and his work to improve their success in participating in City of Houston contracts.
TRAILBLAZER: The late Ernest B. McGowen, Sr. served Houston City Council District B for 14 years and laid the groundwork for the City’s MWBE Program. A video tribute was presented in his honor.
McGowen, who passed away in 2012, served Houston City Council District B for 14 years and laid the groundwork for the City’s MWBE program. The McGowen family attended the event, as they have done since its inception.
Houston First Corporation, represented by Board Chair David Mincberg and Board Member Gerald Womack, then presented awards to Manhattan Construction Ceremony (Houston First Corporation Construction Contractor of the Year) and Smart City (Houston First Corporation Professional Services Contractor of the Year). Houston First Corporation is a partnering sponsor of the event.
Roger Pombrol, Vice Chair of OBO’s Advisory Board and President of Emerald Standard Services, Inc., then announced that for the first time, scholarship funds raised from Champions of Diversity would support students who attend two-year community colleges and trade schools. In the past, proceeds from the event only supported scholarships to four-year colleges and universities.
Houston First Corporation Board Chair David Mincberg and Board Member Gerald Womack
Jewell McGowen and Mayor Sylvester Turner
Jason McLemore and Nichelle McLemore
“Some of our best entrepreneurs, and the talented workforce for those entrepreneurs, come out of community colleges and trade schools,” Pombrol said.
OBO partner chambers that received $1,000 to present to graduates of their choice are: the Asian Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Tri-County Black Chamber of Commerce.
Brandi Harleaux, OBO Board Chair and Chief Operating Officer of Post Oak Recycling Center, also took the stage to acknowledge HillDay Public Relations, led by Argentina James.
“Argentina and her super talented staff worked hard to produce this fabulous event, helping us to raise record funds, creating all the honoree videos, and being responsive to the OBO Advisory board and staff to ensure that the event reflects our purpose and mission,” Harleaux said.
She then presented the event’s keynote speaker, Mayor Turner, who presented the State of Houston’s MWSBE Program. Highlights of his address included the impact of the City’s supplier diversity efforts, which was evident with record-breaking MWSBE awards on City of Houston projects in Fiscal Year 2021:
– The award of $662 million to certified firms in Fiscal Year 2021, representing almost 32 percent of the City’s contracting spend, was the highest in recorded history.
– The City exceeded its goal of spending 34 percent of its dollars on contractors performing construction-related work. For Goods & Services contracts, awards totaled more than 30 percent, almost triple the City’s annual 11% target.
– 2021 was also the year with the highest percentage of awards to certified firms in Goods & Services since OBO began reporting MWBE participation.
– For Professional Services contracts, MWBE awards totaled almost 30 percent, exceeding the City’s annual 24 percent target.
All in all, the City of Houston has awarded more than $2.56 billion to certified firms since Mayor Turner first took office.
“As we look toward the future, there are billions of dollars more in purchasing power that will fund City projects that will benefit our infrastructure and provide much needed services to our neighborhoods,” he said. “And in our City, as proven by the numbers, we have an ample and diverse pool of companies that are available to utilize their skills to perform on City contracts and beyond.”
The event culminated with a musical tribute for the 2022 Champions of Diversity honorees by award-winning singer and song writer Earnest Pugh.
Marsha E. Murray, OBO Director
2022 Champions of Diversity Honorees
ADVANCING HOUSTON’S MWSDBE PROGRAM: Champions of Diversity honorees take the stage with OBO Advisory Board Chair Brandi Harleaux and Vice Chair Roger Pombrol, OBO Director Marsha Murray, and Mayor Sylvester Turner.
Prime Construction Contractor of the Year: LEM Construction Company, Inc.
Certified Construction Prime Contractor of the Year: Azteca Enterprises, Inc.
Professional Services Prime Contractor of the Year: AECOM Technical Services, Inc.
Professional Services Certified Prime Contractor of the Year: Jaymark Engineering Corporation
Goods and Services Prime Contractor of the Year: Telo Market #8, Inc.
Community Partner of the Year: U.S. Small Business Administration – Houston District Office
City Department of the Year: Houston Public Works
OBO Advisory Board Chairman’s Advocate Award: Vinson & Elkins, LLP
Ernest B. McGowen, Sr. Champion of Diversity Award: Vice Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum
Construction Contractor of the Year, Houston First Corporation Honoree: Manhattan Construction Company
Professional Services Contractor of the Year, Houston First Corporation Honoree: Smart City
Amanda Edwards, Mark Praigg, Maya Durnovo, Tim Jeffcoat, Linda Toyota
Gabriela Zambrano and Deidra Sutton
Bobby V. Singh, Bilal Khan, Jagdip Ahluwalia, Fakhruddin Sabir, Sanjay Ramabhadran
J’Monte Hooey, Morris Scott, Eduardo Mejia
Shanita Pettway, Lalla V. Morris, Norma Meadows
Jerome Ellis, Layle Ellis, Marshette Turner, Quinton Ray
OBO Advisory Board Vice Chair Roger Pombrol, OBO Director Marsha Murray, Vice Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum (Ernest B. McGowen Award honoree), Mayor Sylvester Turner, and OBO Advisory Board Chair Brandi Harleaux
A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors
