Patricia Popp, Director of Education and Training for Allied Construction Industries, has announced the sixth annual graduation of Allied Construction Industries’ Cincinnati Construction Technical Support Center program. This is an in-depth nine-month-long program designed to propel the start-up and growth of small, minority and women owned Commercial Construction Businesses. This brings the number of graduating construction and construction related businesses to 115.

Betty Owens, president and CEO of Ameridian, 2008 CCTSC graduate and keynote speaker observed, “I found the program to contain information and education that is just priceless. It really helped in refining the internal structure and organization of my company. I found the networking brought a lot of new leads to my business as well as meeting other companies with which I could subcontract.” Ameridian is an award winning full service general contractor with a specialization in commercial roof installation.

In 2004, ACI, recognizing the challenges to minorities and women in construction and construction related areas to become business owners, joined with funding partners Cincinnati Public Schools and Procter & Gamble to create the Cincinnati Construction Technical Support Center.

The nine month program includes the following coursework: Business Practice Fundamentals, Certifications, Accounting and Software Fundamentals, Payroll and Workers Comp Fundamentals, Preparing a Business Plan and Budgets, Insurance Risk Fundamentals, Surety and Bonding Fundamentals, Project Planning and Form Fundamentals

Project Cost Control and Tracking Fundamentals, Marketing, Branding, Website and Trade Shows, OSHA 10, Project Scheduling Fundamentals, Estimating Fundamentals,

Mechanics Liens, OH, KY, IN, Taxation Fundamentals, and Process of Getting Paid.

Additionally the program includes two small group mentoring sessions and three workshop sessions where the participants write their own business plan, complete the actual forms for their certifi cations and work with a bonding agent to establish a surety relationship. All benefits and networking opportunities of being a member of ACI are extended. Companies who are accepted have a full scholarship from the funding partners. The eighteen companies graduating join ninety seven companies who have graduated in the last five years.

Some of the companies graduating this year include: Samir Kulkarni, CEO of Solica Construction and Rolando Underwood, RJ’s Hauling Inc. and U-P Environmental Abatement Service Group; and William L. McIlwain III, Mireagan Group Inc.

Hummel said there is an urgent need for additional funding sponsors to continue and to expand the program. Individuals interested in becoming a sponsor or attending the September classes should call Pat Popp at 221-8020.