Two prominent names in helping minority- and women-owned businesses in construction contracting are now members of the Diversity Champions alumni at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL). Yapett El-Amin, Executive Director of MOKAN, and Ron Unterreiner, former Vice President of Rhodey Construction, Inc., and founder of PEOPLE, were honored as the 2017 Diversity Champions during the Business Diversity Forum on March 31. STL’s Business Diversity Development office honored El-Amin and Unterreiner for their years of commitment to diversity in business development, their volunteer work, and for their efforts in developing opportunities for this generation and the next.

El-Amin is known throughout the community for her advocacy work in creating job opportunities for the minority contracting community. She often speaks on MOKAN’s motto: “We work so you can work.” Under her leadership, the organization has graduated more than 1,000 participants from its apprenticeship educational programs. El-Amin oversees the MOKAN Construction Contractors Assistance Center and the MOKAN Institute. Combined, these operations offer bid support, workshops on accounting to internet marketing, and provide technical assistance for improving a company’s bottom line. “These operations speak to the strength of MOKAN and its dedication to help level the playing field for minority contractors,” said Amber Gooding, Assistant Director of Community Programs and Business Diversity Development. MOKAN helped to establish the Mayor’s Executive Order authorizing workforce goals of 25 percent minority, 5 percent female, 15 percent apprenticeship, and 20 percent St. Louis City residents on all City public and tax increment financed projects. MOKAN is celebrating its 42nd anniversary.

Ron Unterreiner can be described as the quintessential leader for connecting the minority construction community to the owners and operators of large construction companies, notably, Alberici, McCarthy, BSI, Tarlton, and S.M. Wilson. He has dedicated the majority of his 47-year career to introducing minority and female firms to major players in the construction industry. Last year, Unterreiner retired from his position as Vice President of Rhodey Construction, Inc. He is recognized as a STL Diversity Champion for his work with PEOPLE, an initiative he founded just over three years ago. “It’s a personal idea that I had to get the minority contracting community to mix with the majority owners and general contractors in a setting where they can have a meaningful conversation,” said Unterreiner. That conversation centers on finding ways to ensure more minority inclusion on work sites. His ultimate goal: “To bring to the stage a work environment where minority contractors are no longer considered an exception or a percentage on construction projects, but are treated as equal and where everyone works together. Otherwise, I don’t know how we get to home plate,” he said.

While the PEOPLE initiative is unfunded and unstaffed, it draws about 200 people to the monthly networking events. That’s due to Unterreiner’s passion and his connections in the construction industry. “A perfect meeting is when 50 percent of the attendees are minority contractors and 50 percent are prime contractors,” he said. The meetings are free and are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the former Alberici Headquarters on Kienlen Avenue in Wellston. What’s next for Unterreiner? He recently started a consulting firm on a non-revenue basis whereby he offers one-on-one consultation to minority contractors.