Air traffic control and aviation expert Oscar Lewis, president of The Lewis Company, visits the P3 Project podcast to discuss the recent midair collision of a military helicopter and passenger airplane near Washington, D.C. Lewis provides his insight on the accident and shares why DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) had nothing to do with this mishap. Lewis also discusses his journey to building a successful business in logistics management, aviation science and engineering services. The Lewi...
Feb 11, 2025•39 min•Season 2025Ep. 35
Kadilex Construction President Karl Jefferson Jr. joins the P3 Project for Diverse Entrepreneurs podcast to discuss his success in building a full-service Ironworking company in the infrastructure and transportation industry. Jefferson shares his experience of starting the business in 2010 specializing in rebar installation on bridge and highway projects but has expanded the company to include a variety of steel-related services. Jefferson shares how programs like the federal Disadvantaged Busin...
Jul 04, 2023•33 min•Season 2023Ep. 34
Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. and WSP USA Senior V.P. and National Transit and Rail Market Leader Jannet Walker-Ford visit episode #33 of the P3 Project for Diverse Entrepreneurs. Both Fords share their journey as a married couple maintaining a thriving relationship while serving as leaders and transportation industry executives. They also discuss their philosophies on effective leadership in maximizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their organi...
Apr 30, 2023•52 min•Season 2023Ep. 33
Episode #32 of the P3 Project for Diverse Entrepreneurs features a conversation with father and daughter entrepreneur duo Steven Davis and Monique Allen. Davis is President & CEO of Construction & Engineering Services Consultants, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida; and Allen is President of ACMS Northwest, LLC in Portland, Oregon. Both minority business leaders are growing successful enterprises as DBE firms in the infrastructure and transportation contracting industry. Davis and Allen discu...
Feb 12, 2023•43 min•Season 2023Ep. 32
Fairpointe Planning, LLC CEO and Principal Tanisha Hall visits the P3 Project podcast and shares her journey to growing a successful business in the transportation planning industry. Hall talks about her business strategy when starting the company, the importance of getting certified as a disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and a woman-owned business (WBENC); and how these certifications helped the company grow. Hall gives her thoughts on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) -- ...
Sep 06, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 2022
Legacy Rail Operations co-owners Gregory White and Jeffrey Wright visit the P3 Project podcast to share their journey towards DBE success in building a rail operations consulting firm helping transit agencies across the country improve the design, construction and operation of passenger rail systems. The brothers discuss uniting Jeff's extensive experience working in rail operations at Chicago Transit Authority with Greg's business acumen and entrepreneurial experience to create a unique firm in...
Apr 12, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 30
DIGroup Architecture President Vincent Myers, AIA, LEED AP visits the P3 Project to share his firm’s history as a merger of three architecture firms coming together to maximize their collective opportunity. Vince also talks about being a second generation architect after his father, Harvey Myers, became one of the first African American licensed architects in the state of New Jersey. He discusses the firm’s strategy to take advantage of upcoming opportunities coming from the Bipartisan Infrastru...
Mar 23, 2022•51 min•Season 3Ep. 29
Messer Construction Vice President - Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer Stanford Williams shares his company’s best practices for increasing the participation of MBE, WBE and DBE firms in supplier diversity efforts on construction projects. As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, Williams works directly with Messer President and CEO Timothy J. Steigerwald and other leaders to ensure inclusion and diversity is practiced throughout the company and on all construction projects, m...
Mar 10, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Talson Solutions, LLC Founder and President Robert S. Bright shares the history and accomplishments of his DBE and MBE-certified consulting firm specializing in construction auditing and capital project consulting. Bright talks about the role of a construction auditor, new industry opportunities coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and how to pursue international business opportunities. He also shares his passion for giving back to his community and for growing a successful business to...
Feb 22, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 27
Onyx Enterprise, LLC President and CEO Tarolyn Buckles shares her firm’s story and journey toward success. Buckles is an engineer and entrepreneur building an engineering consulting, program management, and construction management firm based in Detroit, Michigan. Onyx Enterprise provides construction inspection services, materials testing and water/wastewater engineering. The firm is a certified woman-owned and minority-owned business that is also DBE certified in several states. Buckles talks a...
Feb 15, 2022•44 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Episode #25 of the P3 Project features an interview with Sumithra Jagannath, president of ZED Digital. Sumithra talks about her path to entrepreneurship after working in the technology industry earlier in her career. She also talks about new technologies and software applications changing the way transportation services are utilized, through internet-based tools like multimodal trip planning, contactless payments, and hands-free ticketing. Sumithra also shares her thoughts on the role technology...
Dec 23, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction President and CEO Miguel Galarza shares his inspiration for starting the company as a Hispanic business owner in San Francisco, California in 2002. Galarza talks about his background working as a journeyman carpenter in the labor union and then working for a SBA 8(a) contractor while learning to manage projects for the federal government. He also talks about the significance of being the first company selected as the Associated General Contractors of Amer...
Oct 15, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 24
This episode of the P3 Project features Charnelle Hicks-Gungor, president of CHPlanning/Nspiregreen. Hicks-Gungor describes her background and how she got interested in the urban planning industry as a college student at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. She also talks about her experience and strategy for growing her Philadelphia, PA-based DBE firm from a startup in 1998, to building a solid industry reputation through working with several large transportation agencies and leading national co...
Sep 07, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 23
C. David Moody visits the P3 Project podcast to discuss his journey as an entrepreneur in the Atlanta, Georgia construction industry and his journey as a survivor of sexual abuse as a child. Moody’s story of overcoming obstacles and challenges to achieve success is woven through his numerous professional and personal achievements. Moody founded C.D. Moody Construction Company, Inc. (CDM) in 1988 and has grown the company into an award-winning general contracting and construction management firm....
Aug 11, 2021•41 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Episode 21 features an interview with Mae C. Whiteside, P.E., founder, president and CEO of CKL Engineers LLC. CKL is based in Chicago and is licensed and a certified DBE firm in the states of Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Iowa and Indiana. Whiteside discusses her journey from public housing and homelessness to building a successful and award-winning engineering firm, while overcoming major obstacles along the way. Whiteside also talks about her passion for civil engineering, giving back to the comm...
Jun 02, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Brunson Cooper, managing director of Corenic Construction visits the P3 Project podcast and talks about growing a thriving MBE/DBE construction company the Metropolitan Washington, DC area. Cooper shares his background working for one of the largest construction companies in America after graduating from North Carolina A&T State University. He also talks about growing Corenic Construction from a small startup firm to a general contracting company performing as a prime contractor and first-ti...
Mar 15, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 20
LLE Construction Group LLC president & CEO Lasenta Lewis-Ellis joins the P3 Project to discuss her history and success as a woman entrepreneur in the construction industry. Lewis-Ellis talks about the challenges of starting a company in Columbia, South Carolina and the strategies she used to grow the company. She also shares her personal black history hero, tips for entrepreneurs to grow a successful company, and the major challenges facing minority businesses and DBE firms. Shelton A. Russe...
Mar 04, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Attorney Rodney K. Strong, CEO of Griffin & Strong P.C., visits the P3 Project podcast to discuss his firm’s work to increase equity and inclusion for minority-owned and women-owned DBE firms across the country. Strong highlights Griffin & Strong’s work on the Living Cities - City Accelerator initiative by helping 15 cities analyze their procurement activities to identify best practices and improvement opportunities for the greater inclusion of diverse companies. Strong also talks about ...
Feb 27, 2021•40 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Episode 17 of the P3 Project podcast features a conversation with Melvin E. Clark Jr., owner, chairman and CEO of G.W. Peoples Contracting Company Inc . The company is based in Arlington, Virginia is one of the nation’s leading minority-owned rail construction companies. Mr. Clark talks about his experience in growing two rail construction companies during his career, his advocacy work on behalf of minority businesses to create the SBA’s Mentor/Protégé program as part of the 8(a) Business Develo...
Feb 23, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Attorney Colette Holt of Colette Holt & Associates visits the P3 Project podcast to discuss the legal landscape for DBE, minority-owned and women-owned businesses during the President Biden Administration. Ms. Holt also talks about the current makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court and the potential impacts this court can have on civil rights and affirmative action programs to support diverse business development. Other topics include the importance of disparity studies by government agencies to s...
Feb 19, 2021•43 min•Season 2Ep. 16
This episode of the P3 Project Podcast features H. Jerome Russell Jr., son of the late Herman J. Russell Sr. H.J. Russell Sr. started H.J. Russell & Company in 1952 and over the years the company has grown into a multifaceted organization engaged in real estate development, general construction, program management, and property management. Russell shares the history of H.J. Russell & Company, what he learned from his father about running a successful business and the launch of the Russel...
Feb 14, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 6
This episode of the P3 Project Podcast for diverse entrepreneurs highlights best practices and resources for DBE and HUB business owners to keep themselves and their workforce, subcontractors and suppliers safe during the pandemic. This episode features NCDOT Office of Civil Rights Director Shelby Scales, NCDOA Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) Deputy Director Alicia Lyon and Carolinas AGC Director-Utilities Division and NCCER Administration Bill Stricker. For more informati...
Dec 28, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Lisa Williams, founder and principal of Cap8 Doors and Hardware talks to host Shelton A. Russell about navigating a company as a minority businesswoman in a male-dominated industry. Williams is the owner of the full-service door distributor and installer company. Listen in as she shares how she overcomes challenges, why there’s been an uptick in her business during a pandemic, and how she’s keeping her employees safe. Cap8 Doors & Hardware holds many diverse business certifications including...
Dec 13, 2020•32 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Episode 12: The Dragon Group In this episode, P3 Project host Shelton A. Russell is joined by principals of The Dragon Group, Randall and Yvonne Dragon. The Dragon Group is a full-service construction management and sustainability consulting firm with a mission to build a better environment and community. The firm is certified as both a DBE and MBE firm in Georgia. Listen in as the couple discuss key objectives for their business, healthy buildings, and the importance of helping other black busi...
Nov 03, 2020•28 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Episode 11: Rita Brown, president of Brown Construction Collective+ (BCC+) President and CEO of Brown Construction Collective+ (BCC+), Rita Brown is today’s podcast guest. The Michigan company is a minority-owned business that is a certified MBE, DBE, and WBE firm providing structural and miscellaneous steel detailing for steel and related commercial projects. In this episode, Rita shares how she got started, why she didn’t take a SBA PPP loan, and why women should claim their space within the c...
Sep 23, 2020•34 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Episode #10 of the P3 Project podcast features an interview with Kenneth Canty, P.E., President and CEO of Atlantic Meridian Contracting (AMC Civil), based in Savannah, Georgia. AMC Civil is a minority-owned and DBE-certified infrastructure contractor specializing in heavy civil, marine, and industrial demolition in the southeastern United States. Canty has been an entrepreneur since 2008 when he purchased Freeland Construction and led the company until 2018. During this time, Freeland Construct...
Aug 07, 2020•28 min•Ep. 10
Episode 9 of the P3 Project Podcast features an interview with Arvin Maniktala, P.E., President and Founder of MA Engineering Consultants Inc., based in Cary, North Carolina. Since 1992, MA Engineering Consultants has offered Civil Engineering and Geomatics services as a certified small business enterprise to several Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern municipal, state, federal, university and public utility clients. Mr. Maniktala shares his experience gained from 26 years of leadership of MA Engineer...
May 24, 2018•41 min•Season 1Ep. 9
The P3 Project podcast welcomes Sharon Douglas, President and Owner of Potere Construction LLC. Douglas shares her company's history and its growth from the federal SBA 8(a) program, operating as Bradley Douglas Construction Services to its current success operating as Potere' Construction LLC in the federal DBE program, focusing on highway infrastructure projects in Texas and Georgia. Shelton A. Russell, publisher of American DBE Magazine is the host of the P3 Project podcast....
Apr 25, 2018•28 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Episode 7 of the P3 Project Podcast features an interview of Patricia Bonilla, president of Lunacon Construction Group . Lunacon Construction is based in Miami, Florida and was established in 2007. Lunacon provides design-build, construction management, and general contracting services using a “hands-on” approach that allows our clients to receive the highest quality results with incredible value, timeliness, and commitment to safety. Lunacon Construction Group is an SBA-certified 8(a), DBE, HUB...
Apr 06, 2018•32 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Episode #6 of the P3 Project podcast features an interview of Beverly Thomas, President of Regional Contracting Services by P3 Project host Shelton A. Russell. Regional Contracting is located in Washington, D.C. and is one of the diverse firms that participated in the construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture project in Washington, D.C. Thomas shares how she led the company through challenging times during the previous economic recession and after the 9/11/01 te...
Mar 29, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 6
