“These awards recognize firms that are doing an outstanding job recruiting, retaining, and engaging workers of all backgrounds,” said Bob Lanham, the association’s former President and President of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. in Houston, Texas. “More important, they are designed to inspire and instruct other firms in how to successfully attract diverse new workers.”
Veliz Construction, Inc. is a Hispanic-owned and operated general contractor offering general contracting services across Texas and New Mexico. The company’s vision is to be the premier firm for challenging construction projects in Texas and New Mexico by achieving extraordinary results for their customers and building satisfying careers for their people. Veliz Construction has adopted a culture of continuous improvement that focuses on teamwork, open communication, and constant feedback.
Association officials noted that the Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards are part of the association’s broader efforts to make the construction industry more diverse and inclusive. The association also operates a nationwide recruiting campaign called “Construction is Essential” to attract more diverse workers. Its Culture of Care program helps firms create more welcoming and inclusive workplaces. And its Business Case for a Diverse Industry helps construction leaders see how more diverse firms are innovative, profitable, and safe.
In addition to naming Veliz Construction as the Diverse Business of the Year, Lanham also announced two other Texas winners of the association’s fifth annual Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Awards. Austin Commercial, based in Dallas, won the Association’s Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Grand Award for the third year in a row, which goes to the firm who scores the highest number of points out of any of the Diversity & Inclusion Excellence categories. The Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award for a small contractor went to Central Builders in San Antonio, Texas.
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The five awards were presented during the association’s annual convention in Grapevine, Texas. A diverse panel of judges, representing all aspects of construction, evaluated the submissions based on three criteria: corporate commitment to diversity & inclusion, workforce diversity & inclusion initiatives, and subcontractor/supply chain diversity & inclusion initiatives.
