Hundreds of small businesses concessionaires, goods and services vendors, prime contractors and subcontractors gathered Monday at the Hilton Hotel at Boston Logan International (BOS) for a Massport Means Business seminar hosted by the Massachusetts Port Authority.
The half-day event offered 230 local companies information on how to do business with the port authority and gave businesses the chance to network. More than half of the businesses were Minority/Women/ or Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.
“Like any other large organization, Massport must purchase a variety of goods and services to operate, maintain and grow its facilities – airports, seaports and real estate,” says Interim CEO David S. Mackey. “Our operations generate more than $8B annually in economic impact to the region’s economy, and we want to make local companies aware of our business needs so they can benefit.”
Massport’s board has approved more than $1B in construction and other capital projects outlined in a five-year capital plan.
“This provides an incredible opportunity for local businesses to work with us across all our facility needs,” Mackey says.
Additional opportunities were created at the seminar due to a “speed-networking” session to give goods and services vendors and local business owners providing construction and maintenance services the chance to meet one on one with regional and national firms that do business with Massport, especially in the areas of design, construction and retail operations. Companies included AIRMALL; Consigli Construction Co.; Gilbane Building Co.; J.F. White Contracting Co.; Massachusetts Office of Supplier Diversity; Skanska USA; Suffolk Construction Co.; Turner Construction Co.; Westfield Concession Management; and Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. ”We take great pride in building strong relationships with quality-driven, experienced subcontractors on all of our projects,” says Brian McPherson, director of workforce compliance at Suffolk Construction. “Participating in today’s Massport Means Business seminar reinforces our continuous pursuit to recruit subcontractors with a history of quality workmanship and our steadfast commitment to support local minority, women and disadvantaged businesses.”
Massport representatives from a variety of departments discussed doing business with the port authority. It is one of Massport’s goals to use M/W/DBEs and Impacted Community Businesses in all business opportunities.
“By organizing this seminar, Massport is giving local minority/women-owned and disadvantaged companies an important opportunity to showcase what they offer, build collaborative relationships and grow their businesses,” says Karen Brodie, President of Women in the Industry Inc.
