Sharon Margetts, Board Member, The FTC; Steve Miller, Chair, RT Board of Directors; Mike Wiley, General Manager/CEO, Regional Transit; and Tom Gisler, CEO, The FTC |
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Regional Transit Honors Partners in Business
January 28, 2010
For six years, Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) and The Federal Technology Center (The FTC) have partnered to provide an opportunity for RT to inform potential and existing vendors about RT’s upcoming projects and recognize their outstanding contractors. Mike Wiley, General Manager/CEO of RT, welcomed representatives from a wide range of business types to the
January 28 Regional Transit Partners in Business Conference and Awards, and discussed how RT is working to develop expansion of their Light Rail system in a fiscally responsible manner. He restated RT’s commitment to small and local businesses and noted that RT’s vendors are a key component to cost containment. Wiley also had the honor of presenting the awards.
Steve Miller, Chair of the RT Board of Directors and a Member of the Citrus Heights City Council, described his interest in “growing taxpayers” instead of raising taxes. Transit expansion allows for that opportunity as it brings jobs to the region, explained Miller.
Derrin Jourdan, Civil Rights Officer with the Federal Transit Administration, made his sixth appearance at this event. He emphasized the need to “weave transit into the fabric of our daily lives.”
Michele McCormick, Executive Vice President of CirclePoint, Sacramento Region, told the story of her success as a small business contractor to RT. PSOMAS Corporate Director for Transportation & Public Works, Matt Clark, shared how, as an RT contractor, PSOMAS grew from a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise small business to a large business that is still doing work for RT and others. Both speakers emphasized meeting the customer where they have need; being a reliable business partner; and that every project requires research, preparation, and competition.
A much anticipated panel discussion of insurance and bonding included Nick Moore and Randy Jorgensen of John O. Bronson Company; James Irwin of Aon Sacramento; Tim Spangler, Senior Attorney with RT; and Michael Keeley, Founder/CEO of MGK Risk and Insurance Services, Inc. The panel discussed different types of bonds that may be required, risk assessment, how to build to higher bonding and insurance capacity, and how to choose a broker or surety.
The final panel of the morning included representatives of the RT Executive Management Team, who discussed new and ongoing projects. Each shared information about their areas of responsibility, and answered questions from the audience.
Luncheon speaker Richard Rich, Development Director of Thomas Enterprises, Inc., shared usage plans for the Sacramento railyards. He discussed both a mixed-use concept where retail, residential, and entertainment are blended, as well as creating an intermodal transit hub.
The event concluded with the presentation of the Partners in Business Awards.
The winners were:
- Outstanding Product Supplier,
Toshiba Business Solutions
- Service Supplier,
Geocon Consultants, Inc.
- Outstanding Constructor, Sierra Asphalt
- Outstanding Bus Parts & Services Supplier, B&R Head &
Block Repair
- Outstanding Light Rail Parts & Services Supplier, The Supply Station
- Outstanding DBE (Woman Owned), Sharon Greene + Associates
- Outstanding DBE (Minority Owned), National Garage Door Company
- Outstanding Certified Small Business, Shaw Valenza LLP
- Outstanding Small Business Advocate (Business), Riley Chavis, It’s My Business
- Outstanding SmallBusiness Advocate (Community Leader), James Shelby
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