The Associated General Contractors of Missouri was recognized with the Arcus Award for Inclusion and Talent Attraction at the 4th Annual Arcus Awards event on Feb. 23.  The Academy Awards-style program, sponsored by the St. Louis Regional Chamber and presented by RubinBrown LLP, honored the achievements of companies and organizations that inspire a greater St. Louis.  Over 850 executives, entrepreneurs and civic leaders attended the dinner program at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch.

Front Row (left to right): Monica Bailey, McCarthy Building Companies; Steve Lewis, AGC of Missouri; Len Toenjes, AGC of Missouri; Marlene Davis, Alderwoman, City of St. Louis; Roslyn Croft, Tarlton Corporation. Back Row (left to right): Earl Strauther, Jr., Paric Corporation; Precious Jackson, Alberici Constructors, Inc.; Steve Faust, icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering, LLC; Anthony Lancia, AGC of Missouri; Aaron Williams, Alberici Constructors, Inc.

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The AGC of Missouri (AGCMO) was one of two organizations recognized for innovative inclusion initiatives in the awards category, sponsored by Express Scripts. AGCMO was the first of 92 chapters of AGC of America to hire a vice president of inclusion and to create an inclusion department. In collaboration with its members and other industry partners, AGCMO also developed a number of initiatives including operating the Construction Careers Center charter high school, supporting the Building Union Diversity program, being a financial contributor and board member of the Regional Union Construction Center that provides advisory boards of directors for minority and women construction firms, and investing in serving on the board of the Contractor Loan Fund, a $10.6 million private equity fund that provides financing for minority and women-owned businesses. AGCMO also established relationships with the Father’s Support Center and the Missouri’s Division of Corrections to explore apprenticeship opportunities. 

The other organization recognized in this category was TheBANK of Edwardsville which opened a fully bilingual banking center inside the Fairmont City, Illinois, public library in 2015. It serves a community that is 70 percent Hispanic and where almost 40 percent of the residents live below the poverty level. Fairmont City had no other banks, forcing the residents to rely on grocery stores and check cashing stores for their financial needs.

Commenting on the award, Leonard Toenjes, CAE, president of AGCMO, said, "It is truly a great honor to be recognized for our work on diversity and workforce issues.  Our members have invested a great deal of time, money and effort into inclusion and much of that work over the years is coming to fruition. Our dedicated staff also has worked tirelessly on this important issue. I especially want to thank our construction industry partners as well as all the Missouri-based companies and government agencies that also have provided tremendous leadership on inclusion.  We are a stronger community because of everyone’s joint efforts."