Los Angeles Stadium & Entertainment District at Hollywood Park

IN THIS ISSUE:

Cova Partners, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Women’s Career Paths . . . . . . . .1

Local Hire Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . 2

Fun Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Roadmap to Success . . . . . . . . . . 3

Resources for Women . . . . . . . . 4

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . 4

NEWSLETTER u SPRING 2018

Celebrating National Women’s History Month

LUCK FAVORS THE PREPARED!

“ We help our clients meet the demands of working on large-scale projects and understand the nuances involved in filling the gaps between primes and subcontractors .”

—VanessaDeLaRosa,Partner

Ifevertheword“audacity”wasmeanttodefineasetofnew-kid-on-the-blockentrepreneurs,VanessaDeLaRosaandCorinneBabcockpersonifyit.Focusedanddeliberate,thesetwowomentookasmart,nicheidea,navigatedthetraditionalbarrierstoentry,and,injustoneyearafterhangingtheirshingle,landedtheirfirstcontractwithSMESteelontheLAStadium&EntertainmentDistrictatHollywoodPark(LASED).Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthisispioneering,butwomendefyingoddsinbusinessisnothingnew.ThoughthefirstforCovaPartners,LLC,preparationforthisopportunityhadbegunthreeyearsprior.

In2014VanessaDeLaRosaandCorinneBabcockwereworkingtogetheratalargeconstructioncompanywithverydifferentroles.VanessaworkedontheconstructionmanagementteamandCorinnewasstrictlyfocusedonrealestatedevelopmentdeals.Aswithmanywomen,thepulltowardgreaterflexibilityandprospectsforcareeradvancementgrewastheylearnedmoreandbecamemoreconfidentintheirskillsanduniqueexpertise.

By2016,thesetwobrightyoungindividualsforgedaheadtoformCovaPartners,LLC,aprofessionalservicesfirmofferingcomplianceandadministrativeservicestofirst-tiersubcontractors.Theyalsoteamwithownersanddeveloperstoprovideproject/constructionmanagementservices.Theirscopeistargetedandwelldefined,akeytocommunicatingtheiraddedvalueforanypotentialclient.

VanessaDeLaRosaandCorinneBabcockofCovaPartners,LLContheLAStadium&EntertainmentDistrictatHollywoodParkconstructionsite.

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COVA PARTNERS, LLC

PROMISING CAREER PATHS FOR WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

TheLosAngelesStadium&EntertainmentDistrictatHollywoodParkhasthedistinctionofbeingthelargestprivate-sectorconstructionprojectinthecountryandtheTurnerAECOM/HuntJVteamisproudtoboastthatwomenarerepresentedinallmajorconstructiontradesonthisproject:laborers,consultants,contractedbusinessowners,executives,inspectors.Weareproudtosalutethewomenworkingonoursiteandthemillionsworkingthroughouttheconstructionindustry.

In1987,theU.S.CongressdesignatedMarchasNationalWomen’sHistory

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LOCAL HIRE SPOTLIGHT: FEMALE CRAFT

CRYSTAL RAMIREZ, CARPENTER APPRENTICE: KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!KiewithasastrongrelationshipwiththeBridgingOutstandingOpportunitieswithTradeswomenSkills(BOOTS)program,bringingwomenontheLASEDworkforce.

InApril2017,CarpenterTrainingInstructor,LisetteCruzintroducedTanyaStukes(KiewitDiversity&WorkforceDevelopmentManager)toCrystalRamirezatasmallwomen’soutreachgatheringatKiewit’sofficeatLASED.CrystalwaslaterinvitedtoKiewit’stargetedoutreacheventforlocalresidentsandinterviewedwithtwosuperintendents.Shestoodoutamongthesevenapprenticecandidates.Crystalwasanexcellentcommunicatoranddisplayeddriveandagenuineenthusiasmabouthercareer.Hercan-doattitudelandedheraspotontheprecastcrewjustonemonthlater,inMay2017.Shehasbeenworkingandgrowingeversince,risingfromaleveloneapprenticetoaproudlevelthree.

“ She’s quick! And not afraid of any task! She keeps up with us and is reliable—works with me side by side,” says mentor Pete Razzo .

CrystalisagraduateofWomeninNontraditionalEmploymentRoles(WINTER)andBOOTSprogramsandpriortojoiningKiewit,workedattheWilshireGrandprojectdoingfinishingwork.OntheLASEDproject,Crystalandtheprecastteamarebuildingtheroofsupportsegmentsthatwillstackupto150feet.Theyshape,stripandsettheforms.Theprocessisnewforeveryoneandshelovesthatthey’repioneers—alllearningtogether.

Crystalisverygratefultobepartofsuchaniconicprojectandappreciatestherecognitionshe’sreceivedfromhersupervisorsfordoingagreatjob.

SAFETY HIGHLIGHT:CrystalisamemberofKiewit’sCraftVoicesinSafety(CVIS)team.Shewasselectedbecausesheistrusted,approachableandareliableresourceforherpeers.TheCVISteamservesasaliaisonbetweencraftandmanagementtoensureallissues,needsandconcernsareelevatedandresolvedinatimelymanner.Congratulations,Crystal,forbeingagreatsafetystewardandleaderontheproject!

CrystalRamirez(right)onthejobwithhermentorPeteRazzo

FUN FACTS

BeginninginOctober,sitesuperintendentshaveupdatedattendeesatourmonthlycommunitymeetingsabouterectingstructuralsteel.Herearesomeofthefunfactswelearned:

Thereare:

�120millionpoundsofsteelintheseatingbowl,thestructureisnowvisiblefromthestreet.

�Four440-toncranes,soheavythatanengineeringroadhadtobebuilttosupportthem.

�Theupperconcourserises140feetabovetheeventlevel.

�“Connectors”areindividualswhowalkthehighbeams,receivethebeamsandhelpbolttheminplace.

�Amassivecrane,oneofonlythreeintheworld,isexpectedtoarriveinpieceson4018-wheelertrucksandwillbeusedtosettheroof.

Month.Everyyearsince,wepausetocelebratethecontributionsandachievementsofAmericanwomeninourschools,communitiesandworkplaces.Perseveringagainstalloddstoobtainequalrights,equalaccessandequalpay,womenareshatteringtheso-calledglassceilingineveryknownindustrysector.AccordingtotheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,womennowmakeup9.1percentoftheconstructionindustryintheUnitedStates.

Withcareeropportunitiesincreasingeachyear,thesightofwomenwearinghardhatsandsteel-toedboots,directingcranesandheavyequipmentisnowverycommon.Thoughwomenstillfacebarriers,manyfactorsmakethiscareerpathveryattractiveandattainable.

PROMISING CAREER PATHS continued

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YOUR ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

AtTurner,wearecommittedtocultivatingthemostqualifiedandwell-balancednetworkofsmallbusinessesintheindustry.OurTurnerSchoolofConstructionManagementoffersaroadmaptosuccessinconstructionmanagementwithmanygraduates,includingagreatnumberofwomen-ownedbusinesses,workingonmajorprojectsacrossthecountry.Allgraduatescompletetheprogramwithin-depthknowledgeoftherequirementsforcontractingonaTurnerConstructionproject,aswellasthechallengesinvolved.Thetrainingcurriculuminstructsparticipantsonthefundamentalsofestimatingandkeyconceptsofconstructionmanagement,includingeffectivemethodsforlocating,obtaining,managingandschedulingwork.Finally,graduateslearnthevalueoflocatingandutilizingindustryresources.

2018 TRAINING PROGRAM DATES

�BeginsTuesday,April3rd;endsThursday,May17thLAStadium&EntertainmentDistrictatHollywoodPark1000SouthPrairieAvenue,Inglewood,CA90301

�Register:https://2018-tscm-session-one.eventbrite.com

�Emailquestionstosocal@tcco.comorcall714-940-9000

SponsoredbyUnionBank,thisprogramispresentedinpartnershipwithLAWA,USCMinorityBusinessDevelopmentAgencyBusinessCenter,Metro,NAMC.

In2017,aftersuccessfullycompletingtheseven-weekTurnerSchoolofConstructionManagementTrainingprogram,VanessawasinvitedtoattendaTHJVoutreacheventandmetarepresentativefromSMESteelwhobroughtCovaPartners,LLCintoserveastheirM/W/DBEpartnerontheLASEDproject.

WHY M/DBE? TheTHJVteamhasadopteddiversityandinclusiongoalstoensureminority,womenanddisadvantagedbusinessesreceiveaccesstocontractsonthisproject.Oneofthebestwaystoseizeopportunitiesasasmallbusinessowneristoobtainallcertificationsforwhichyouqualify.InthecaseofCovaPartners,theyhavealltheircertificationscovered.So,whenSMESteelwaslookingforaM/DBEpartnertofulfilltheircontractobligationswithTHJV,CovaPartnersLLCwasabletohelpmeettherequirementswhileofferingtheiruniquescopeofservices.Itwasawin-win!

COVA PARTNERS’ CERTIFICATIONS�DisadvantagedBusinessEnterprise(DBE)

CaliforniaDepartmentofTransportation;FirmID:44253

�Small(Micro)BusinessEnterprise(SBE)StateofCalifornia,DGS;CertificationID:2004149

�Minority&WomenBusinessEnterprise(MBE/WBE)LosAngelesCounty;CertificationID:85850

�Small,LocalBusiness(SLB)CityofLosAngeles;CertificationID:SLB-3755

ABOUT THE OWNERSCorinneTapiaBabcockoverseesOperationsandBusinessDevelopmentforCova.SheholdsaB.A.fromGeorgetownUniversityandisaLicensedRealEstateBrokerwiththeStateofCalifornia.

VanessaDeLaRosaisresponsibleforCova’sProjectManagementresponsibilities.SheholdsaB.A.fromU.C.SantaBarbaraanM.A.inConstructionManagementfromUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaandisLicensedLEEDAP,BD+C,Green.

WorkingonthisprojecthasexpandedVanessaandCorinne’sknowledgeofconstructionmanagementandalsoclientmanagementimmensely.Theyunderstandtheimportanceoflearningfromthesubcontractorswhilealsoengagingtheothermembersoftheprojectteamtostayinformedandmosteffectivelyrealizeprojectsuccess.

COVA PARTNERS, LLC continued

� � � � � � � � � Visit our website at LAStadiumAtHP .com

covapartners.com

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RESOURCES FOR WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

WEBSITE LAStadiumAtHP.com

GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION email:LAStadium@tcco.com

PROJECT CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES email:LAStadium@tcco.com

phone:310-743-5186

JOB OPPORTUNITIES—SOUTH BAY 1-STOP email:stadiumjobs.cupp@sbwib.org

phone:310-680-3761

CONTACT INFORMATIONUPCOMING EVENTS

SATURDAY, MARCH 17 • 10 a.m. COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING FaithfulCentralBibleChurch—TheTabernacle321NorthEucalyptusAvenue,Inglewood,CA90302

THURSDAY, APRIL 19 • 7 p.m. COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETING HolyTrinityEvangelicalLutheranChurch9300SouthCrenshawBoulevard,Inglewood,CA90305

THURSDAY, APRIL 26 • 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. JOBS INFORMATION AND RESOURCE FAIR RogersPark400WestBeachBoulevard,Inglewood,CA90302

NAWICNationalAssociationofWomeninConstructionwww.nawicla.org

NAWICempowerswomenandinfluencesthedirectionoftheconstructionindustry.Itsmissionistounitefortheirmutualbenefits,womenwhoareactivelyemployedinthevariousphasesoftheconstructionindustry.Inaddition,NAWICservesto:�Promotecooperation,fellowship,andabetter

understandingamongmembersoftheAssociation;

�Promoteeducationandcontributetothebettermentoftheconstructionindustry;

�Providemembersanawarenessofthelegislativeprocessandlegislationasitrelatestotheconstructionindustry.

BOOTS BridgingOutstandingOpportunitieswithTradeswomenSkills

TheBOOTSProgramisapre-apprenticeprogramdevelopedforwomentoprovidethehands-ontrainingneededtosucceedinthecarpentrytrade.Themissionistotrain,educateandpreparewomenandyouthfortransformativecareersintheconstructionindustry.

Ifyouareover18yearsofagewithapositive,go-getterattitude,havereliabletransportation,andcancommittoafour-weekclassMondaythroughFridayfrom6:30a.m.to3:00p.m.,thenwhynottryit?Beapartofsomethinggreat!

�Phone562-699-0419;referto“BOOTS”whencalling.

WINTERWomenInNon-TraditionalEmploymentRoleswww.winterwomen.org

TheWINTERprogramhelpswomengrowinhigh-skillcareers,becomepartofaunion,masteratradeandearnalivablewage.Beginningwithathree-daybootcamp,the10-weekAdultTrainingprogramintroducesparticipantstounionsandothernon-traditionalcareers.TheRosietheRiveterYouthBuildprogrameducatesyoungadultsinconstructionandgivesthemtheopportunitytograduatehighschool.

�Women’sResourceandTrainingCenter4741EastCesarE.ChavezAvenueLosAngeles,CA90022213-749-3970

�RosietheRiveterYouthPrograms131NorthGrandStreet,Building630SanPedro,CA90731310-984-6486

�RosietheRiveterYouthPrograms690NorthStudebakerRoadLongBeach,CA90803213-749-3970