NAMC — Upper Midwest Chapter honor recognizes commitment to minority businesses

MINNEAPOLIS (February 8, 2007) – Elizabeth Campbell, Ryan Companies US, Inc.’s emerging business inclusion coordinator was recognized by the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) – Upper Midwest Chapter with their 2006 Advocate of the Year award. This honor, Campbell ’s second consecutive award, is given to individuals based on their commitment to supporting NAMC efforts to build both community and economy for minority business owners within the larger contractor community.

“Elizabeth ’s tireless efforts are a natural extension of Ryan’s mission to build lasting relationships with vendors, subcontractors, and the communities in which we work,” said Mike Cairl, Executive Vice President, Ryan Companies US, Inc. “That is why we have created the Emerging Business and Workforce Inclusion initiative, to meet the changing demands of the construction marketplace.”

The primary goal of the initiative is to increase the dollars subcontracted to Minority and Women Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) on every company project. Since Ryan began its initiative in 2004, the amount of dollars on private projects has increased 100 percent.

Campbell, a three-year Ryan employee, has worked and volunteered with communities of color across the Twin Cities area for almost 20 years. With each opportunity she has worked to reduce disparities in the construction, health care and education industries. In addition to her Advocate of the Year award, Campbell was also re-elected to the NAMC-UM board of directors.

Ryan Companies US, Inc. is a leading national commercial real estate firm offering integrated design-build and development as well as asset, property and facilities management services to customers. For more than 69 years, Ryan has used a single-source approach that offers flexibility in defining the scope of a project and strength in providing effective, timely solutions resulting in a higher certainty of success. In addition to its Minneapolis office, Ryan has offices in Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa.