Clark Construction Announces Graduates From Baltimore Small Business Training Program

Baltimore, MD – Clark Construction Group is pleased to announce the graduation of its inaugural Strategic Partnership Program (SPP) cohort in the Greater Baltimore area. The graduation ceremony, held at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, recognized sixteen small business owners and leaders who make up the 2022 graduating class.

Established in 2006, the Strategic Partnership Program delivers executive MBA-style classes to small minority-, women-, and veteran-owned firms in the construction industry. The SPP curriculum combines classes taught by Clark professionals and local industry experts with interactive team projects and specialty workshops. Throughout the course, participants focus on a range of business and construction industry topics, including financial statements and accounting, insurance and bonding, estimating, purchasing, and project management, as well as softer business competencies such as presentation skills and leadership techniques. The learning experience culminates with a capstone project where SPP participants present to industry leaders.

“The Strategic Partnership Program helped to eliminate the learning curve that comes with the construction industry,” said Kala Fleming, founder of Frontline Gig, a staffing partner firm for infrastructure projects. “It was helpful to me as a business owner in a related industry to better understand the priorities and concerns of those in the construction space. I also wanted to build a strong network – and that is exactly what I received.”

“Launching the Strategic Partnership Program in Baltimore is another proof point of Clark’s commitment to creating economic prosperity in the region. We are proud to be a small part of these amazing business leaders’ journeys. As a native Baltimorean, I look forward to what they will accomplish and the ways we can work together to drive the city and the region forward,” said Will Englehart, a preconstruction executive with Clark Construction leading the company’s office in Baltimore.

Clark founded the SPP to provide diverse businesses with the training, knowledge, and resources necessary to compete for opportunities on large-scale construction projects. Since its inception, Clark has expanded the course to eight markets across the country. Today’s graduates join the broader SPP alumni network of more than 1,300 business leaders and construction industry entrepreneurs. In recognition of the program’s 15th anniversary in 2021, Clark reaffirmed its commitment to fostering inclusive growth among program alumni by launching SPP ENCORE programming with continuing education opportunities connecting graduates to the resources, knowledge, and tools needed to achieve greater economic success.

Clark will host the Small and Diverse Business Expo (SDBX) on Thursday, June 30, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The day-long event is centered around capacity building, certification, and connections. SDBX attendees will be able to meet with Clark and building industry executives, network with fellow small and diverse business leaders, and gain insights about upcoming project opportunities across the region.

Interested firms can learn more about the Strategic Partnership Program or apply for an upcoming class by visiting www.clarkconstruction.com/spp.

Graduates of the 2022 Baltimore Strategic Partnership Program Include:

• Alexis Coates, Bandwidth Development Partners
• Christine Thornton, Chandler Construction Management
• Curtis Funderburk, System Integrity LLC
• Debra Keller-Greene, Keller Professional Services, Inc.
• Diane Adoma, diane adoma consulting llc
• Dion Basnight, Basnight Drafting Services, Inc.
• Elizabeth Charity, Youth Corporation, Inc
• Hayden Hall, Trinmar Contracting Services, Inc
• Jacqueline Fontes, JRF Management Consulting, LLC
• Joshua Matthews, JCM Control Systems
• Josue Velney, Winter Hill Homes LLC
• Kala Fleming, Frontling Gig
• Kendrick Faison, SpatialGIS. LLC
• Nadine Dlodlo, Women's Home Preservation
• Omari Chenoweth, Omtech
• Rosalind Robinson-Ambrose, LSI3 Properties, LLC