In an effort to ramp up efforts to ensure diversity and inclusion in the construction industry, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri hired Steve Lewis to lead this new strategic initiative in 2009.
As vice president of the AGC of Missouri, Lewis directs and manages the organization’s Inclusion Department and Heavy/Highway/Infrastructure Division. Among his responsibilities is oversight of all diversity initiatives, including labor, legislative affairs, safety and public relations, as well as ongoing member and professional development.
Lewis also serves on AGC’s executive management team, which guides decision making, problem solving, and identification of new opportunities to improve overall association effectiveness, mission impact, and value to members and the industry.
“I realized this new role was an opportunity to be in the room when key decisions were made, perhaps be at the table, having the ability of influencing decisions and policy,” Lewis said.
“Consequently, we are the most progressive AGC chapter in the country, primarily due to our leadership. With my strong values of ethics and integrity, the support of the president and Board of Directors, I have been able to affect real change, support new initiatives, introduce new ways of thinking, dispel old myths, and elevate members that were not the usual suspects to leadership roles on committees and on our board.”
AGC of Missouri represents more than 550 member firms and has assisted in generating more than $2 billion of construction throughout Missouri. Nationally, AGC represents nearly 30,000 leading firms in the industry.Â
AGC of Missouri, Lewis noted, has been at the table to ensure diverse workforce participation in several major regional projects and trades-related organizations.
AGC representatives participated in the Missouri Department of Transportation’s I-64  Development program, which supported a pre-apprenticeship program to introduce diverse workers to highway construction and the I-64 project.
AGC also participated in the Mississippi River Bridge Project by providing strategies to hire and retain diverse candidates to enhance their workforce.
An AGC representative has served as the chair of the board and is currently serving as vice-chair of the Board of the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE).
AGC supports the Building Union Diversity (BUD) program and encourages its members to hire and retain BUD graduates.Â
AGC representatives served on the Board of Directors of the Construction Prep Center for the duration of the organization, assisting future construction craft professionals to train and prepare for employment in the industry.
The AGC Construction Workforce Task Force addresses workforce issues by enhancing overall professional development, education and training activities.
AGC is assisting Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) in working with members to provide more diverse businesses and craft professionals gain greater access to sewer construction.
In terms of minority business development, AGC is involved in many initiatives that are growing minority- and women-owned businesses. Lewis serves on the Board of Directors and AGC is a financial supporter of the Regional Union Construction Center (RUCC), providing an advisory board of directors for the minority and women construction firms that participate in the program. The participants of the program have significantly grown their revenues and profits as a result of their participation.
AGC also is an investor and serves on the Board of Directors and Technical Assistance Committee of the Contractor Loan Fund, a $10.6 million private equity fund that provides financing for minority- and women-owned businesses.
AGC is a member and sponsor of the National Society of Black Engineers and its Pre-College Initiative, which prepares and introduces K-12 students to present and future careers in STEM fields.
Following the shooting death of Michael Brown Jr. in 2014, Lewis called on friends and partners in organized labor, education, government and industry and the community to create the North County Opportunities Expo. The event connected the resources for employment in the building and skilled trades and other high-skill technical fields with the community.
“The purpose was to provide a roadmap for the community to access the great careers in our industry,” Lewis said. “Attendees had the opportunity to explore various training and apprenticeship programs in union trades, and technical training in advanced manufacturing, transportation, logistics and distribution. Several attendees entered training programs and were ultimately on new career paths by securing jobs.”
Lewis, who earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Purdue University, noted that a significant percentage of the craft workforce will retire soon, and minorities can account for a greater number of craft professionals that build for the future.
“I don’t know if there is a clearly defined path for students to access the skilled trades,” Lewis said.
“The Construction Careers Center Charter High School (which closed in 2014) taught us that we need to begin sooner than high school. Educators are our community’s most valuable asset. We need elementary and middle school teachers and guidance counselors to educate, expose and encourage their students to consider skilled trades and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers, as well as educated them in life skills. The students need to master math, the language of our industry. In professional or skilled trades careers, extensive math skills and life skills are required to enter and succeed.”
