Engaging the Diverse Construction Businesses that Enrich St. Louis
Join McCarthy in celebrating Construction Inclusion Week, Oct. 14-18.
The new 16-story Plaza West Tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital that continues to take shape on the Washington University Medical Campus will deliver exceptional care to patients when it opens in fall 2025.
It’s also delivering outstanding capacity-building opportunities to Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) architectural and construction firms across our region.
In leading the design-build team constructing the new tower, McCarthy has engaged a tapestry of diverse businesses. To date, nearly 50 skilled MBE firms have contributed their expertise on the project—and earned over $105 million in revenue for their work.
Working closely with BJC HealthCare, our goal is to ensure that each MBE partner has a positive working experience and gains valuable skillsets that help equip their business for long-term success.
For Lou Brock, Jr., president of Lou Brock Mechanical, contributing to the new patient tower also provides a tangible opportunity to improve the city that he loves. “I like doing things that make St. Louis better,” says Brock, who co-founded the company with business partner Orlando Williams in 2013 and has grown it to $20 million in annual revenue. “Our mission is to deliver best-in-class mechanical contracting services with a kingdom purpose, which includes doing things that improve our city.”
Before launching his own construction business, Brock built a 20-year telecommunications engineering career at Sprint, where he discovered his interest in mechanical equipment while helping to develop a wireless solution for remotely operating a fast-food chain’s HVAC systems.
Since opening the doors to Lou Brock Mechanical, Brock has collaborated with McCarthy on numerous projects, including the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Next NGA West campus nearing completion in the St. Louis Place neighborhood.
Every McCarthy project that we’ve worked on has been intentionally set up for success. I like that they’re committed to knowledge transfer and supporting my company’s success.”
Another MBE partner with a long history of working on BJC projects is Stanley Webb, P.E., president of Webb Engineering Services, a business he founded 25 years ago. Specializing in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and civil engineering design services, the company expanded its geographic footprint in 2018 with the acquisition of an engineering firm in Champaign, Illinois.
“This project helped us to maintain our staff and to grow our company,” says Webb, noting that the business collaborated with lead engineering firm BR+A and other MBE firms to develop the plans and specifications for the new patient tower.
“One of the primary motivations for me to go into business for myself was so that I could have a positive impact on other minorities,” Webb says. “When I got out of high school, I didn't know anything about engineering and just happened to get exposed to the field by chance. I don't know where I would be today had I not gotten that first opportunity.”
Paying it forward, Webb currently mentors a colleague planning to launch his own engineering business and also participates in the ACE Mentor Program, which connects high school students with professionals in the architecture, construction and engineering industry.
Building a more inclusive construction community
As the largest contractor in St. Louis, McCarthy believes we have a unique responsibility to help build a diverse, thriving community of local construction businesses. Creating opportunities for qualified industry partners drives better solutions for our clients and undeniable benefits for our community.
We’re proud to be a founding member of Construction Inclusion Week, an annual initiative that harnesses the collective power of the construction industry to create awareness and celebrate unity, belonging and inclusion. The event has grown significantly over the past four years, with last year’s event attracting more than 5,000 firms across the U.S.
McCarthy Chairman and CEO Ray Sedey serves as chair of this year’s Construction Inclusion Week, which will take place October 14-18, 2024. To sign up for the virtual event and access valuable DEI resources, please visit www.constructioninclusionweek.com.
Let’s continue working together to build a more robust construction community that is diverse, inclusive and welcoming for all.
