11 local minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprise subcontractors hone businesses for growth
Skanska USA, one of the world’s leading construction and development firms, announces it has graduated its inaugural Construction Management Building Blocks™ (CMBB) Training Program class in the greater Washington, DC/Baltimore region.
Skanska’s CMBB program celebrates diversity, enriches partnerships and strengthens communities by introducing and familiarizing minority and women-owned companies with various business management tools necessary for becoming stronger enterprises. The objective of CMBB is to provide training in the fundamental areas of construction business management, as well as to provide opportunities to network with other contractors, develop and sustain relationships with key personnel from Skanska and other relevant business organizations.
Skanska’s inaugural class in the greater Washington, DC/Baltimore region included 11 minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprise (M/W/DBE) firms. For six weeks, they attended bi-weekly education sessions led by Skanska leadership.
“It has been an incredible accomplishment to bring this successful program to the Washington, DC/Baltimore region, graduate our first class and bolster the economic capacity of small and diverse businesses locally,” said Dale Kopnitsky, executive vice president, general manager at Skanska. “Skanska’s CMBB program has played an integral role in communities across the United States spurring economic development and supporting hundreds of minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprise subcontractors. Serving as a partner is core to who we are and we look forward to continuing the program in our region.”
First launched in New York in 2006, the CMBB training program has a long record of success in a variety of Skanska markets across the USA, having won awards, garnered media attention and become synonymous with Skanska’s commitment to working with diverse and small businesses.
The course syllabus address topics that are traditionally challenging for contractors including project planning, accounting, Environment, Health, and Safety standards, legal, field/project management and more in the following formats. Courses are delivered via lecture, group discussions, and roundtable discussions. Participants receive certificates upon completion of the program.
“Skanska’s CMBB Program provided a wealth of valuable information to The Coles Group. We are currently revising our business plan, overhauling our safety plan as well as exploring technologies that will give us a competitive edge,” said Marvin Coles, President & CEO of The Coles Group. “From day one, Skanska’s senior leadership team was an integral part of the program, investing their time and attention in our success. The deep dive of the program reminded me of the many case studies that I’ve reviewed in business school, yet were more specific to my business needs. Words cannot express my thanks for the Skanska CMBB program.”
To date, more than 800 companies have graduated from Skanska’s CMBB program nationwide and more than $285 million in contracts have been awarded to program graduates.
“This program accelerates our relationship building and trust with local small business leaders in our region, and gives participants tools they can leverage to run their businesses successfully. We want to ensure these businesses feel supported,” added Tyra Redus, regional vendor diversity director for Skanska.
About Skanska
Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction and development companies. In the U.S., Skanska’s core operations include building construction, civil infrastructure and developing self-financed commercial properties, which together generated $8 billion in revenue in 2018. As a developer in the U.S., Skanska has invested a total of $2.3 billion in commercial and multi-family projects. With U.S. headquarters in New York City, Skanska has offices in 28 metro areas with 9,000 employees nationwide. Skanska is an industry-leading innovator in both safety and project execution, and offers competitive solutions for both traditional and complex assignments to help build a more sustainable future for our customers and communities. Global revenue of parent company Skanska AB, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, totaled approximately $20 billion in 2018. For more information, please visit www.usa.skanska.com.
