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 © 2008 AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter
9450 S.W. Commerce Circle, Suite 200,
Wilsonville, Oregon 97070
Phone: 503-682-3363 - 800-826-6610
Fax: 503-682-1696
 

Construction Industry Opportunity Council  Mentor Protege Program   Board & Councils   Staff     Diversity Initiatives

 

Mentor Protégé Program

History

In 1994 the Port of Portland undertook an assessment to determine why small minority- and women-owned businesses (often referred to collectively as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, or DBEs) were not participating in Port projects. Several task forces and an advisory committee summarized five barriers to successful participation

These barriers were identified (and ranked in order of importance) as: ineffective working relationships between DBEs and prime contractors, job notification, size of contract, financing, and bonding.

The Port defined its commitment to assisting businesses in overcoming these barriers through its DBE policy. One solution that evolved was the Mentor Program, an idea conceived and developed by a Port contracts manager, the late Ron Stempel. Locally, the Oregon-Columbia chapter of the Associated General Contractors adopted the plan, named it the Stempel Plan in honor of the originator, and began actively promoting and assisting in the implementation of its Stemple Plan in AGC chapters nationwide. The program has become a national model for several agencies and organizations.

Mission

The Mentor Protégé Program exists to build effective working relationships between leaders of mature, established companies and minority-owned, women-owned, or emerging small businesses. A successful mentor/protégé relationship allows the latter to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the established firms.

Since 1995 the program has provided the groundwork for more than 60 mentor/protégé relationships and assisted protégé firms in overcoming common business barriers for small businesses:

  1. Ineffective working relationships between small minority and women-owned businesses and prime contractors.
  2. Poor access to job notification.
  3. Inability to accommodate size of work.
  4. Inability to secure adequate financing.
  5. Inability to secure adequate bonding.

Admission to the Mentor Protégé Program is by application. Once accepted, each protégé is initially paired with two mentors. Working together in monthly meetings, mentors focus on assisting protégés to develop business plans, develop marketing strategies, understand financial statements, and identify and implement other action items needed to meet the protégé company goals.

Mentor-Protégé Relationship

Working together in monthly meetings, the mentors focus on developing the protégé’s business plan and implementing the actions necessary to obtain the results.

The mentors assist the protégés in developing implementation plans which identify the needs, actions and results required for the protégé to be a successful business person and contractor. The following people have participated in the program in the past or are current mentors: 

Ted Aadland, FE Ward Bryna Gibson, Gibson Door & Millwork, Inc. Pat O’Brien, OTKM Construction
Dave Andersen, Andersen Construction Rhonda Herschell, Cherokee General Corp. Bob Reinhard, Morse Brothers
Scott Benge, Benge Construction DA Hilderbrand, North Interstate Development Bob Sikora, Oregon Steel Mills
Gene Bensene, Portland Precision Mfg. Jim Hirte, Colamette Construction Kevin Spellman, Emerick Construction
John Bradach, Bradach Law Offices Doug Isaacs, Crawford Roll-Lite Door of OR Gary Stephens, Copenhagen Utilities
Roger Busse, US Bancorp Nick Johnson, Copenhagen Utilities & Const. Trevor Thies, Hoffman Construction
John Chandler, Sirianni Electric Company Dan Jursnick, Kerr Contractors Ken Triplett, Triplett Wellman, Inc.
Ron DiPietro, Landscape East Jeffrey Lage, Nielson Dillingham Builders Ross Vroman, Baugh Construction Oregon
David T. Douthwaite, JE Dunn Construction Cindy Maeda, David Evans & Assoc. Scott Williams, Hamilton Construction Co.
Mike Griffin, Temp Control Mechanical Bill Moe, WG Moe & Sons Linda Yamamoto, Swinerton Builders
Dan O’Brien, Current Electrical Const.

Application Process

Selection for the Port of Portland Mentor Protégé Program is conducted through an application process. To apply for participation, businesses must meet the following criteria:

  1. Participants must be current on all taxes and applicable licenses.    
  2. Current business must have been in continuous operation for the last 24 months.    
  3. Participants must be certified by the Oregon Office of Minority, Women & Emerging Small Business.    

Participants must be committed to following program rules, guidelines, and processes so that incremental growth and business success can be achieved.

How Can You Help?

To apply for the mentor protégé program, please download and submit an application: Small Business Development Program