Walsh Construction recognized for hiring minority and women contractors

Urban League presents "Contractor of the Year" award

SEATTLE—October 12, 2004—The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and Contractors Development Competitiveness Center awarded Walsh Construction Company the “2004 CDCC Contractor’s Award” for increasing opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. The award was presented at the annual Urban League/CDCC breakfast which took place in October.

From left to right: Tony Benjamin, CDCC; James Kelly, Metropolitan Seattle Urban League; Nick Cooper, ABC; Paul Nelson, Walsh Construction; Eugene Hardin, Quality Woodworking; John Gilson, Walsh Construction

Paul Nelson, a project manager for Walsh Construction Co. of Washington, accepted the award on behalf of Walsh. Eugene Hardin, owner of Quality Woodworking & Construction, LLC., presented the award to Nelson in recognition of the job opportunities he has worked hard to provide for Hardin and his crew at the NewHolly redevelopment on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.

Hardin stated that since meeting Paul Nelson and teaming up with Walsh, his workforce has expanded from 3 to 7 fulltime employees. Hardin also stated that Walsh has been working hard to “change the game” by helping minority, women, disadvantaged, and emerging small construction firms to establish contract opportunities and enter a more competitive level of business. 

“Quality Woodworking was selected because of the high quality of their craftsmanship, responsiveness, ability to work within project schedule, and their competitive pricing,” said Paul Nelson, Walsh project manager.        

The residential construction boom in southeast Seattle includes two large Seattle Housing Authority redevelopment projects, Rainier Vista and NewHolly. Walsh Construction Co./WA is the Construction Manager and General Contractor for both projects and has taken on two additional construction initiatives- minority and women owned business participation and local resident hiring. 

“Our focus has been to increase the number of MWBE firms that we work with, and expand opportunities for these firms. Over $7 million in contracts has been awarded to minority and women-owned businesses,” explained Tom Mathews, general manager at Walsh Construction Co./WA.

Tom Tierney, Seattle Housing executive director, expressed congratulations to Walsh Construction and its managers, "Walsh has worked consistently throughout this project to expand opportunities for our residents and for minority workers in Seattle. They deserve this recognition and we are very pleased to see the Urban League and the CDCC extend it."

Kim Hines, Community Outreach Coordinator for Walsh Construction, contributed to this article.