Clark Construction Group has pledged to award $2.5 billion in subcontracts over the next decade to the graduates of its Strategic Partnership Program (SPP).
The announcement came during the launch of SPP ENCORE, Clark’s new continuing education program for the more than 1,200 small and diverse business owners and leaders who make up the SPP alumni network.
The pledge and new SPP ENCORE programming reaffirm Clark’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth within the construction industry.
Clark founded the SPP in 2006 to increase the business acumen, confidence and capabilities of emerging entrepreneurs to ensure they are well-positioned to pursue future opportunities on large-scale construction projects.
Over the last 15 years, the executive MBA-style development program has expanded to serve small, minority-, women-, and veteran-owned firms in eight major markets across the country, including Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Md.; Chicago, Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Orange County, Calif. Since the program’s inception, Clark has awarded more than $1.2 billion in construction subcontracts to SPP graduate firms.
Clark’s SPP alumni network entrepreneurs have realized steady growth since completing the program. Based on more than 100 interviews Clark conducted earlier this year, their desire for continued learning and access to resources and economic opportunities to help take their businesses to the next level remains strong.
Clark developed its SPP ENCORE programming to help bridge this gap and connect graduates to the resources, tools, and knowledge to achieve greater economic success.
“Our SPP alumni are part of the larger Clark team and members of an esteemed network of business leaders who share a passion and drive for success,” says Robby Moser, CEO of Clark Construction. “The ENCORE platform will foster continuing education and a greater sense of connectivity among our SPP network — one that will support relationship-building, information sharing, and strategic partnerships that will connect alumni to new business opportunities.”
The day-long symposium also featured a range of breakout sessions designed to help address some of the known challenges facing small businesses. Clark leaders, SPP alumni, and industry and business executives from Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), Alliant Insurance Services, BMO Harris Bank, JP Morgan Chase, and the Washington Area Community Investment Fund, among others, led focused discussions on topics including access to capital, hiring and managing a high-performing team, and bonding and insurance best practices.
During the conference, Clark also announced other elements of the SPP ENCORE program, including a newly-formed partnership with EY’s Entrepreneur Access Network. The alliance will provide advanced education and mentoring opportunities for SPP alumni, and continue to advance Clark’s mission to support small business capacity building and drive inclusive growth within the construction industry over the next decade, and beyond.
“Clark’s Strategic Partnership Program has been integral to the growth of my business,” says Corey Smith, president of New Horizon Steel and a graduate of Clark’s inaugural SPP Chicago class. “The program opened my eyes to what I needed to do to run a successful company and gave me greater confidence that I could become one of the elite steel erectors in the region. I am excited that Clark is finding new ways to deepen its investment in the continued development of its SPP alumni, in Chicago, and across the nation, through its SPP ENCORE programming.”
Clark’s $2.5 billion subcontracting pledge aims to help ensure SPP graduates have access to meaningful opportunities to grow their capacity and their business. The new commitment complements Clark’s SDBE15 program, through which the company has voluntarily committed to achieving at least a 15% small or disadvantaged business participation on projects that don’t otherwise have small business requirements.
