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Edgemoor reaches out to women, minority-owned businesses

Posted at 8:17 PM, Sep 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-20 21:17:13-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When you see a roof under construction in Kansas City, there's a good chance Marcus Williams is on top of it.

"Anywhere there's a roof in the urban community, my spidey senses get to tingling, right, and I'm hopping from roof to roof doing what I do," Williams said of his work in the area.

Williams started Triple 777 Construction 15 years ago. The road to working on major projects, like the Linwood Shopping Center where we met him, hasn't been easy.

"You can't get to this level by yourself," he said.

Williams had help from mentors in the industry and from the city's commitment to working with minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs). That's why the committee tasked with choosing a company to build a new KCI terminal told bidders they had to include businesses like Triple 777.

The company recommended by the airport selection committee is, of course, led by Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate out of Bethesda, Maryland.

"We want to give an opportunity to all businesses in Kansas City: minority, women, local, small," Edgemoor Managing Director Geoffrey Stricker explained.

Stricker's team organized a reception Wednesday at the American Museum of Jazz to explain how they'll ensure KCI has the 35 percent MWBE involvement listed in their bid.

"We know that all projects that are built are built locally, and so it's really important to us that whenever we come into a market to leave that market, as the boy scouts say, better than we found it," Stricker said.

A pamphlet provided by Edgemoor shows the team has a track record of meeting and exceeding goals for MWBE inclusion.

Williams just hopes his company has a shot at making sure 35 percent becomes a reality.

"That takes me to another level or another seat at the table in the construction arena," he said.

We'll know for sure whether or not Edgemoor gets to build a new terminal after a City Council vote on Thursday.