Minority contractors throughout the North Texas area will be honored Oct. 27 at the third annual Golden Shovel Awards and Business Expo in Arlington. The event will be held at Globe Life Field, beginning with the expo at 4 p.m. and dinner/awards at 7.
This is an opportunity for minority and women-owned businesses that are active members of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) to be recognized for their efforts in the industry.
“It is an opportunity for them to take off their hard hats, sit back, relax and feel appreciated for their accomplishments,” said event coordinator Tracee T. Holloway, CEO of The Way Up Creative Group, LLC.
Among the honors to be handed out will be the coveted Project of the Year Award. The Safety Excellence Award is also a high honor, Holloway said.
“This award is so important due to the injuries and fatalities on construction projects daily. It recognizes companies that pay special attention to safety and prevent harm on job sites,” she said.
Other awards to be presented include:
- Small Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Award
- Major Corporate Partner Award
- Public Entity Award
- Contractor of the Year Award
- Transformation of the Year Award
- Community Outreach and Diversity Award
- Supplier of the Year Award
- Golden Shovel Champion Award
“Everyone wants to be recognized for their accomplishments, and the Golden Shovel Awards is how we do it,” said Demetria Bivens, founder of the NAMC’s Dallas-Fort Worth chapter.
“Being in the construction industry, we didn’t see many issues with any interruptions with business,” Bivens said. “No matter what, a building will be built. But, I would say that COVID-19 made it even more pressing to recognize and honor those who put in the work to get projects done with all of the challenges that arose during the pandemic like wearing masks, social distancing and infections,” Bivens added.
Master of ceremonies for the evening will be DeDe McGuire from K104 FM. Singer-songwriter Susan Carol, a Fort Worth native, will provide entertainment. The keynote address will be delivered by BET’s 2021 Business Icon of the Year, trailblazing construction executive Deryl McKissack.
The event will also include a number of local dignitaries, including Mansfield Mayor Michael A. Evans and Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. Also on the agenda are Congressman Marc Veasey and State Rep. Chris Turner, among others.
“It is always a good thing to participate in an event that promotes the entrepreneurial spirit of hard-working business leaders. I am honored to be invited to this event and applaud the work of those affiliated with this endeavor,” Evans said.
Individual tickets are $250. There are also sponsorship packages that include a table of 10. Tickets can be purchased on the NAMC website.
The dress code is business or cocktail attire.
“It is our honor to advocate, educate and train our members to be the best construction contractors in DFW. We hope our awards gala represents them well,” said Gary Shearod, Business and Member Services Officer for NAMC’s D-FW chapter.