County Gives ContractorsTools to Make them Successful
By Tia Carol Jones
WI Staff Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008

  
The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation has named 10 companies to participate in the inaugural class of their “Contractors’ College.”
  
“To me this is the beginning of a very vibrant future for Prince George’s County,” said Kwasi Holman, president of the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation.
  
Holman joined Charlotte Ducksworth, director of the Small Business Initiative, Senator David Harrington and Councilwoman Ingrid Turner in congratulating the 10 finalists for the Contractor’s Development Program. Harrington said programs like the “Contractor’s College” helped provide people with hope and make them realize “I, too can take advantage of wealth in Prince George’s County.”
  
Broughton Construction, Maizel Construction, Hardie Industries, Inc., The Banneker Group, LLC, Celestial Concrete Construction, LLC, AB Construction, Inc., Hurricane Construction, Warren General Construction, Future care, LLC, and Clay Services, Inc. will go through 10-week courses. The companies were chosen based on the past performance of the company and the number of years in business.
  
The courses will teach the companies construction financing, construction law, marketing and each company will have a mentor. The classes started April 17 and continue through June 19. Companies that finish the program will have a chance to bid on local contracts.
  
Ducksworth said it was going to be an exciting 10 weeks. Some of the partners for the program include PNC Bank, SunTrust Bank, Provident Bank, Laurel Commons and the Association Contractors and Builders.
  
Holman said the course will revitalize relationships in the county and do things right. He said the main focus was “to create relationships where none existed before.”
  
“We’re about wealth creation at the Economic Development Corporation,” Holman said.
  
Ducksworth said Contractors College started almost two years ago with a thought and a concept. She said it took a lot of people to bring the vision to reality. She said the most important part of the program is that it will build the capacity of local companies.
  
“What we’re hoping companies leave with is relationships they didn’t have before,” Ducksworth said.
  
Marva Jo Camp with the Westphalia Project said she believes very heavily in partnerships. She gave credit for the success of Westphalia to the members of the Prince George’s County Council and their dedication to having people from the county do work in the county.
  
“It means people who normally don’t have opportunities now have opportunities,” said Camp, who has created Legacy Enterprises, a local development company and Minority Business Enterprise consulting firm.

Tia Carol Jones can be reached at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net.