The North Sarah redevelopment project – east of the Central West End – is a good example of McCormack Baron Salazar’s commitment to diversity, said Ron Roberts, vice president of new business development and project management.
An anticipated, 37 percent of the construction contracts on the project will go to minority-owned businesses and an additional 10 percent will support women-owned businesses, he said.
As project manager, Roberts worked closely with the contractor R.G. Brinkmann Company to ensure this level of inclusion and to break the large construction contract into smaller bites so that smaller businesses and subcontractors would be able to compete.
“Through work like this, people in our neighborhoods have an opportunity to benefit not only from the new, high-quality affordable housing, but also economically through the jobs we create and the investments we make,” said Roberts, who has been with the company for eight years.
St. Louis, like other cities, has room to grow in creating meaningful minority participation on contracts and in local workforce inclusion, Roberts said.
“Our company prides itself on working with agencies such as the St. Louis Housing Authority, TAALKE, MOKAN, MCI, Better Family Life and others who have established themselves as integral parts of the inclusion equation,” he said.
McCormack Baron Salazar’s projects at Arlington Grove and North Sarah both exceeded the City of St. Louis’ minority participation and local workforce goals.
“Our commitment to inclusion does not stop at our developments, either; we have a diverse leadership staff that includes African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and other nationalities,” he said.
“Inclusion begins at home, and McCormack Baron Salazar and its affiliates are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all people.”
As a project manager at the firm, Roberts must be a team player, both internally and externally when working with consultants and subcontractors on real estate development projects. He feels his strong faith and family background have laid a solid foundation for this role.
“Throughout my life, I believe, I have developed an ability and capacity to translate adverse situations, storms if you will, into opportunities for successful, more positive outcomes,” he said.
“My relationship with God is most important to me. My parents provided me with very good examples and demonstrated to me courage and a good work ethic.”
Roberts grew up in St. Louis and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Morehouse College in 1995.
Today Roberts has several role models, including David Price, a former executive with Monsanto and BF Goodrich. Price, who is now a chemical consultant and mentor for small businesses, showed Roberts how to be a L.E.A.D.E.R (Life Expectations And Demand Exceptional Results).
“David Price demonstrates every day the qualities of a leader,” Roberts said. “He is confident, deliberate, decisive, compassionate, credible, reliable, a critical thinker, and courageous.”
Henry Goodgame, director of Alumni Affairs – Morehouse College, taught him that “it is not how fast you run, but how well you run.” This is a lesson he would continue learning at McCormack Baron Salazar.
Roberts said he is fortunate to have proximity and access to the firm’s principals, namely Vince Bennett, chief operating officer.
“It is very rare that an individual can have a reporting relationship with someone who also serves as a mentor and a role model,” Roberts said. “His influential statement to me is, ‘It is a marathon, not a sprint.’”
Bennett said McCormack Baron Salazar is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce.
“For the past several years, Ron has shown incredible leadership in expanding diversity goals for individual projects beyond federal and local requirements, creating meaningful employment opportunities for people from all walks of life,” Bennett said.
Roberts believes that St. Louis is poised to be a model city in meaningful inclusion in the future.
“There are a number of ongoing disparity studies and reports that point to the need for creating training, employment and contractual opportunities for minorities,” Roberts said.
“We have also seen a renewed commitment from corporate leaders, elected officials and other interested parties who are focused on leveling the playing field.”
However, during his tenure at the firm, Roberts said he has seen far too many minority companies face continued challenges to building capacity: from lack of access to financial capital to the lack of viable commitments from public and private sector institutions.
McCormack Baron Salazar has committed to increasing its minority and women business enterprise (MWBE) goals on its projects. It has also created expedited financial payment programs to ensure MWBEs receive payments in a timelier manner.
“This is one solution to addressing the working capital challenges that many MWBEs and Section 3 businesses face,” Roberts said. “With stronger commitments from public and private sector stakeholders, together we can ensure that the diversity train is on the right track.”