Small, Minority- and Women-Owned Construction Businesses Supported in Tacoma

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

Tacoma Public Schools has found a way to encourage inclusivity in the construction industry.

“I started this company as a single mom with a 13-week-old baby and a 6-year-old.  I didn’t have the opportunity to fail. I jumped in full force. And haven’t regretted it since,” Lucinda Creasy said in her interview with Tacoma Public Schools.  Lucinda is the founder and owner of Roof Masters Inc.  With a background in business and experience working with a contractor whose focus was on exteriors, she decided to take what she knew and start her own business.

Lucinda got her career break in 2018 when Tacoma Public Schools hosted their first pre-project networking event.  Large contractors and small businesses were brought together in order to build relationships. While there, Lucinda met “Rachael Pease, the diversity program manager at Korsmo Construction, the Tacoma contractor leading the construction of the new Grant Center for the Expressive Arts and Boze Elementary School,” Tacoma Public Schools reported.

From this introduction, Lucinda gained a mentor.  She wanted to learn to bid competitively without creating a loss for her business.  Nervous about her first large commercial contract, Lucinda was invited to observe some of Korsmo’s projects.  She had the opportunity to ask them questions and learn how to bid on big projects. After that, she successfully won two contracts.

Being mentored by Korsmo was a unique and fruitful experience for Lucinda.  She shares, “A lot of prime contractors don’t really want to help you succeed...They want your number, and if the job costs you money, they don’t care.  The primes I’ve been working with (on Tacoma Public Schools projects), they want to meet their goals, while also making sure you make money.”

Lucinda isn’t the only person who has benefitted from Tacoma Public Schools.  A Community Inclusion Commitment was signed by TPS’ leadership and community partners in 2016.  The purpose of this was for the district to, “...increase its investment of taxpayer dollars back into the community by supporting local businesses, inclusivity, and career paths for young adults,” according to TPS.

The Community Inclusion Commitment plan was the first of its kind in the state of Washington.  Contractors who are working on projects in Tacoma are encouraged to partner with the district and contribute to the three goals they established.  These goals include: increasing local firms share of construction projects to 30%, boosting opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses, and small businesses, and expanding career path options for young adults through apprenticeships on all projects.   

“Our community is comprised of so many different types of people and many have been disenfranchised; many still are...When you ensure that small businesses locally are going to be on the projects, you know they’re going to hire in the community and spend the money in the community.  It brings the money right back in,” shares Jessie Baines, owner of Hulk Construction.

Thanks to Tacoma Public Schools, businesses that are small, minority-owned, and woman-owned have a greater ability to serve their community.  People like Lucinda are encouraged and mentored throughout their business journey. The vision and dedication of TPS to support inclusivity in the construction industry has fostered relationships among construction companies of all sizes, benefiting the Tacoma community at large.  

Do you know of someone in the industry who is ‘doing good deeds’ in their community? Help us catch them at it. Send news and information to info@rooferscoffeeshop.com.

Source: TPSNEWS