Supplier diversity is an increasingly important measure of business success. Large businesses that value inclusion and utilization of small minority and women-owned businesses contribute greatly to the aggregate economic development in Georgia and beyond.
On this week’s episode of The Playbook, host Mark Collier, business consultant for the UGA Small Business Development Center, sits down with Bobby Campbell, Executive Vice President and Atlanta Business Unit Leader, along with Stephanie Lee, Senior Diversity Coordinator at McCarthy Building Companies.
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc is the oldest privately held national construction company in the United States and is the 14th ranked largest domestic general contractor. Founded in 1864, the firm has been involved with some of the highest-profile projects in Georgia, including Hartsfield Jackson Airport, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia State University, Emory Healthcare, Grady Memorial Hospital, and more.
Transcription:
Mark Collier:
Welcome into The Playbook, Bobby and Stephanie.
Bobby Campbell:
Thank you. Thanks for having us.
Stephanie Lee:
Thank you.
Mark Collier:
Well, thank you. I want to thank you for coming in today because diversity equity and inclusion is a big deal nowadays, and it’s good business from my perspective and I hope you would agree.
Bobby Campbell:
We do.
Stephanie Lee:
Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
Absolutely.
Mark Collier:
For those of you don’t know as much about McCarthy as I do, tell me a little bit about McCarthy and how long McCarthy has been in Atlanta, Bobby.
Bobby Campbell:
Yeah. Thank you. It’s a great question. McCarthy, at its core, is a community-based builder. We are a national company and have offices around the country. However, we are not really organized by market as much as we’re organized by geography.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
Because we want to be part of our communities.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
We’ve been building in and around the state of Georgia since the 1970s.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
Dove in head first in Atlanta in 2005, so we’re in our 17th year of having an office right here in Atlanta.
Mark Collier:
Congratulations.
Bobby Campbell:
Yeah. It’s been exciting. We have over 100 employees that live and work right in the Atlanta area.
Mark Collier:
All right. Fantastic. What types of projects does McCarthy pursue? What’s your sweet spot for development or construction projects?
Bobby Campbell:
Yeah. We drive client relationships and we are in four or five major markets.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
The first market I would say is aviation.
Mark Collier:
All right.
Bobby Campbell:
We do a lot of work with the city and other stakeholders at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
We love building at the airport. We are part of a joint venture team that built the canopies at the airport, which has become-
Mark Collier:
Oh, yeah. I see those when I go out.
Bobby Campbell:
It’s become an icon here in the city of Atlanta. We’re also in the education market.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
We do a lot of work with the state doing higher education colleges and universities around the state.
Mark Collier:
That’s worthwhile work.
Bobby Campbell:
Yes. Third major market is healthcare.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
We do work with some of the biggest healthcare providers in and around the city, have great relationships there, and really believe in the work that’s happening, especially in the times that we’re in today.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
Lastly, we do commercial work and laboratory work, and then we’re also in the renewable markets. In and around the state of Georgia, we do large solar fields.
Mark Collier:
All right. Well, you are in growth sectors. All of those you mentioned have high growth potential, so you guys are in the right areas, man.
Bobby Campbell:
Right, right.
Mark Collier:
All right. Let’s talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion, Stephanie. From McCarthy’s vantage point, what does it mean to your company?
Stephanie Lee:
Our DE&I program is built around three important areas.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
People, client and community.
Mark Collier:
Okay. I like that.
Stephanie Lee:
Our leadership expresses that people is number one at McCarthy.
Mark Collier:
Okay. All right.
Stephanie Lee:
I love that. They express it all the time and I’m appreciative of that. We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to grow successfully, without any barriers.
Mark Collier:
Sure.
Stephanie Lee:
As far as our clients, our supplier diversity team, which is an amazing team, interfaces with our clients to talk about our inclusion strategies.
Mark Collier:
Sure.
Stephanie Lee:
Around how we can meet our goals around workforce and trade partners. As far as the community, McCarthy is a community-based builder.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
The work that we do interfaces with where we live, work, play.
Mark Collier:
All right.
Stephanie Lee:
We are very active in the community. We are active members with business and advocacy organizations here in Atlanta, and some of those organizations are the National Association of Minority Contractors-
Mark Collier:
I’m familiar with the organization.
Stephanie Lee:
Yeah. Yeah. The Georgia Minority Supply Development Council, and also the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association.
Mark Collier:
Very good.
Stephanie Lee:
We’re also supporters of the Greater Women Business Council and the US Minority Contractors Association.
Mark Collier:
Phenomenal. You guys are covering all the bases there.
Stephanie Lee:
Yes.
Mark Collier:
I love it.
Stephanie Lee:
Yes.
Mark Collier:
Drilling down further, let’s talk about some specific strategies that McCarthy engages in to diversify their pursuits and their contractor and subcontractor base within the construction industry.
Stephanie Lee:
Okay. Goal setting is a key strategy. McCarthy has a national aspirational goal of 20% on all projects, that does not have a client goal.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
That was important to us to make sure that even if a client does not have a goal, we want to make sure that we’re being intentional and that we have a goal on all of our projects.
Mark Collier:
That’s very proactive of you.
Stephanie Lee:
It is. It really is. Another strategy of ours is we have a inclusion kickoff meeting.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
The purpose of that meeting is for leadership to be able to come together and we strategize, we create a plan on how we’re going to meet or exceed the goal. We want to exceed the goal.
Mark Collier:
I love it.
Stephanie Lee:
With that, we want to make sure that we create a plan.
Mark Collier:
Sure.
Stephanie Lee:
Within that plan, we talk about how we’re going to break down packages.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
To make sure that the diverse, small business have an opportunity to be able to bid on those opportunities.
Mark Collier:
Right. Right.
Stephanie Lee:
Also a part of that plan is community engagement and outreach.
Mark Collier:
Yes.
Stephanie Lee:
That is important.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely.
Stephanie Lee:
Making sure that we are out in the community and that we are engaging the small businesses to do business with us. Things that we do, we host project informational sessions.
Mark Collier:
Okay. All right.
Stephanie Lee:
We also do lunch and learns where we invite small, diverse businesses to come in and talk to us about their business.
Mark Collier:
You feed them too, right? That’s a bonus.
Stephanie Lee:
They feed us. They feed us. It’s just a way for us to, as Bobby like to say, build those deep relationships.
Mark Collier:
Yes, yes, yes.
Stephanie Lee:
In learning about their business and making sure that when they become a trade partner of ours, we have the right opportunities for them.
Mark Collier:
No, that makes perfect sense. Bobby, if one of your core values is relationships, I mean, that’s spot on because is one of my recurring mantras is people do business with people who they know, like, and trust.
Bobby Campbell:
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Mark Collier:
For you to put relationships first, it’s important. When you mentioned goals, that’s also important. Because another one of my mantras is what cannot be measured, cannot be improved.
Stephanie Lee:
Absolutely.
Mark Collier:
You’ve got to have measurement protocols in place to make sure you’re reaching those goals.
Stephanie Lee:
Yeah.
Mark Collier:
I love it. Let’s talk about buy-in for senior diversity from top leadership. Talk to me about why it’s important to you and what type of emphasis you place on a diverse supplier, vendors and suppliers.
Bobby Campbell:
Yeah. Well, I’m convinced that culture is one of the most important things that drives the ability to have supplier diversity.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
Culture, also in my opinion, is driven from the top. If the leadership has not bought in from the top of the organization, oftentimes that’s not going to happen.
Mark Collier:
Right.
Bobby Campbell:
Our leadership has bought into this because it’s good business.
Mark Collier:
Yes.
Bobby Campbell:
We believe heavily in building deep relationships with our clients and our part trade partners. We believe that when you have a diversity around the table, whether it’s around the boardroom table or around the project table, that you’re going to get better outcomes.
Mark Collier:
I would agree.
Bobby Campbell:
Our leadership is convinced, and I’m convinced, that we’re going to have the very best out outcomes when we have supplier diversity.
Mark Collier:
I love it. I love it, man. Let’s talk about capacity building for a minute. Why is that so important to the construction industry and what is McCarthy doing to grow their diverse small business pool?
Bobby Campbell:
Stephanie will tell you a little bit about a specific program we’re doing at McCarthy to build capacity.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
Right now in the construction industry and really in the nation, maybe as a whole across the economic landscape, we are looking at a lot of capacity issues.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Bobby Campbell:
There’s not enough people to do the work that we need.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
What we want to do is build capacity at a grassroots level so we can tackle all the work that needs to be done. Capacity is probably the number one topic we talk about the most around McCarthy, is being able to have the capacity to get the work done.
Mark Collier:
No, yeah, I hear that from my clients all the time, labor shortage, labor shortage, labor shortage. You’re dealing with that, and then there’s a double edge sword because the material shortage is out here as well. You’ve got your work cut off for you, Bobby.
Bobby Campbell:
We do. We do. If you don’t have a plan and a strategy, then you’re going to get left behind.
Stephanie Lee:
Absolutely.
Bobby Campbell:
Stephanie has shown a lot of leadership in this area for McCarthy and can tell you a little bit about our small effort to build capacity within the diverse community in Atlanta.
Mark Collier:
Stephanie, tell me, give me some specific examples on what McCarthy’s doing to build that specific capacity around the diversity of your subcontractor and supplier base.
Stephanie Lee:
Absolutely. In 2020 McCarthy implemented our McCarthy Partner Development Program in Dallas, Texas.
Mark Collier:
Okay. All right.
Stephanie Lee:
In January of this year, I’m happy to say that we implemented the program here in Atlanta.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
Also in Houston, Texas.
Mark Collier:
All right.
Stephanie Lee:
We have in the Atlanta program, 25 program participants.
Mark Collier:
Wow.
Stephanie Lee:
I’m very happy. We received over 100 applications.
Mark Collier:
That’s phenomenal.
Stephanie Lee:
It’s good to know that people are interested in capacity building.
Mark Collier:
Absolutely.
Stephanie Lee:
The program is a 10 month interactive class series-
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
… That focuses on optimizing the core business skills of our program participants. It give them an opportunity to deepen their relationship with the McCarthy partners. Also, it helps them to establish relationships amongst each other.
Mark Collier:
That makes perfect sense.
Stephanie Lee:
Networking opportunities for them as well. It gives them an opportunity to learn about our current and upcoming opportunities.
Mark Collier:
All right.
Stephanie Lee:
I like to say that the program creates a pathway to help the business become successful in doing business with McCarthy.
Mark Collier:
All right. I love it. Well, the fact that you got over 100 applications for the one program is evidence that your outreach efforts are gaining traction.
Stephanie Lee:
Yes.
Bobby Campbell:
For sure.
Stephanie Lee:
Kudos to you guys on that.
Bobby Campbell:
Thank you.
Stephanie Lee:
Thank you.
Mark Collier:
All right. For businesses who would like to do business with McCarthy, how can they get in touch with you and learn more about the opportunities you guys have?
Stephanie Lee:
Well, for businesses who are interested in learning about our opportunities, or just want to come in and learn about McCarthy all together, they can reach out to me.
Mark Collier:
Okay.
Stephanie Lee:
They can email me at slee@mccarthy.com and that’s S-L-E-E @mccarthy.com.
Mark Collier:
All right.
Stephanie Lee:
I am happy to help them navigate in any way that they need to do business with us.
Mark Collier:
Well, phenomenal. We will have your email address scrolled on the screen and we’ll also put your website address up too, so potential partners, teaming partners can reach out to you and learn more about the McCarthy Building Companies.
Stephanie Lee:
Great. Great.
Mark Collier:
All right. Bobby Campbell and Stephanie Lee. I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to come in and share the great work that McCarthy’s doing on the diversity equity inclusion side. You guys are setting a new standard here in the Atlanta in how companies should do business. I just want to commend you both.
Stephanie Lee:
Thank you so much.
Bobby Campbell:
Thank you so much for having us.
Stephanie Lee:
Thank you.
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