Richardson: A Passion to Work

June 30, 2008

Grand Rapids Business Journal

Attorney Kimberly Richardson knew at age 17 that if she was knowledgeable, prepared and clear about what she wanted to do in life, the world would be her oyster. Just two years out of law school, this young associate attorney at Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett is already shaking things up.

Richardson had made a mark since joining Varnum in September 2006. She conceptualized and drove a number of diversity initiatives at the firm, some of which were noted when Varnum received the 2008 Law Firm of the Year Award from the Diversity Services Office of Michigan State University College of Law and the Wolverine Student Bar Association. She also organized a breakfast series to bring minority construction business owners together with some of the area's largest contractors.

Richardson describes herself as a "prudent risk taker" who is very analytical and likes logical reasoning. She's quick to label herself " a talker," too. She's not one to waste time: Just 31, she already has a "bucket list" and is determined to check off every item on it. She writes poetry, is working on a novel and plays guitar - a skill she recently acquired. Learning how to play the guitar was one of the "to do" things on her bucket list.

Richardson earned a B.S. degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1999 and went to work for Watson Wyatt & Co. in the metro Detroit area. There, she did annual actuarial valuations and complex data analysis for defined benefit retirement and retiree medical plans. The company was great, she said, but the work was a little too staid for the outgoing and energetic Richardson.

Click here to read more.

Opening Doors

June 30, 2008
Grand Rapids Business Journal

GRAND RAPIDS — Today's opening of Spectrum Health's Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion marks what Richard Ortega hopes is a new beginning for minority contractors in Grand Rapids.

Ortega is president of Alternative Mechanical Inc., which handled $2 million in plumbing work at the new facility. Spectrum Health set a goal of 15 percent participation of minority-owned firms in the construction project, and to date has reached the 12 percent mark, said Steve Coates, Spectrum Health's director of design and construction services.

"It was huge; it was enormous in lieu of the effects of Proposal 2. It was really a good statement for the community," Ortega said. "We were experiencing some growth as far as having minorities on construction sites. That really took a backward hit with Proposal 2."

Although health care construction is one of the bright spots for a beleaguered industry, Ortega said, Proposal 2, which banned the use of affirmative action in public construction projects, has strangled the ability of minorities to take a piece of the pie.

Commitments from organizations such as Spectrum Health and the Van Andel Institute to use minority enterprises are important to keep jobs and dollars flowing across social sectors, said Ortega, also president of the West Michigan Minority Contractors Association.

Todd McLemore and the three employees of his painting and wallpapering business provided labor worth about $38,000 as a subcontractor of Dave Cole Decorators, painting walls and stairwells.

"A lot of the bigger companies don't have to use us," McLemore said, adding that contractors find it easier to work with the same subcontractors over and over again. "Just to get that opportunity, being a small company, to work on a project of that magnitude … They even talked about subbing us some work that's not DDE or minority. That's worth it, when you get on a project, work your heart out and people notice."

Ortega said his company already had a relationship with contractor River City Mechanical. "They were kind enough to ask if we would consider submitting a plumbing bid on that project, so we did," said Ortega, who also chairs the 55-member West Michigan Minority Contractors Association.

Alternative Mechanical installed water closets, sinks, faucets, copper water piping, sump pumps on the roof, and the waterfall in the pavilion's lobby, he said. The four-year-old company, which employs 35 people, also has handled installations at five Grand Rapids Public Schools, Ortega said. His business partner, Kevin Fahl, is vice president.

"I'm happy to say a driving force for us to start our business was so we could open doors to recruit minorities and teach them the skilled trades," Ortega added. "In all honesty, the most rewarding part of being a business owner is to be able to change and to give somebody a paycheck and know that now that person is able to make a house payment, a car payment, buy groceries for their family."

But since Proposal 2 was passed in November 2006, Ortega said, fewer minority contractors have been able to do that. While overall statistics are elusive, he pointed to information from the city of Grand Rapids for 2007.

Minority business enterprise subcontractors fell from $2.6 million, or 5.8 percent of all construction contracts, to $1.45 million, or 2.2 percent of contracts, even though the numbers of construction projects and subcontracts both grew, according to city statistics.

"What made it more appealing for the contractor to work with us was that there were incentives to do so," Ortega said. "Those incentives are removed, and people are reluctant to feel they have to work with us."

Coates said Spectrum's commitment to minority contractors stems from the organizational culture change being led by the nonprofit's Diversity Council. A subcommittee is focused on the health system's supply and construction activities.

Coates said he works with about 20 groups, such as the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, to spread information about how to do business with Spectrum Health and to identify potential subcontractors.

"Networking is only part of it," Coates added. "We discuss strategies, what other companies are seeing, results based on what they've implemented, challenges. We challenge each other in a positive way."

The 15 percent minority contractor commitment is across the board, he said, not only for the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, but for the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, the Blodgett Hospital renovation and expansion project, and for the everyday projects that are constantly ongoing in the health system.

"It's getting to be exciting to watch as different companies step up to the plate with Spectrum Health," Coates said. "The goal is for them to be able to hold the contract themselves. We're looking at long-term sustainability." BJX