Mari developed the idea of AAD because her husband was already performing those services for his employer but wanted to see things done differently. Knowing she could run the business side of AAD, Mari and her husband combined their skill sets and launched the company.

“I had to change my mindset to what if it does work, what if I do get it right, what if the right people come into my life,” said Mari.

Her hard work and determination continue to pay off, as Mari received the William D. Bradford Minority Business of the Year Award at the 2022 University of Washington Impact Awards. Her inspiring story takes us through the twists and turns of her transition from being a schoolteacher to taking a chance on herself and becoming an award-winning businesswoman.

Building American Abatement & Demo Through Mentorship and Community

In June of 2017, she decided to leave her teaching position to work on building American Abatement & Demo (AAD) full-time.

“I didn’t know construction five years ago. I took every course offered to me, invested in myself, reached out to people and built a system around me,” said Mari.

She went beyond just going to class to get certifications and surrounded herself with strong mentors that she could learn from, creating a support system around her.

“Research says that in order for kids to read, they need five caring adults in their lives that read to them, and I don’t think that’s any different when you’re an adult. You need to have those five different people in your life who invest in you and are your mentors.”

TMK Construction and Mari first met at a National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Washington event in 2018. Mari was encouraged to bid on TMK Construction’ Seattle Public Schools Queen Anne Elementary School Addition where she successfully received a $50,000 contract for demolition.

This was AAD’s first contract with a large general contractor and their first major commercial project. The TMK Construction project team and Mari worked together to compile submittals, safety plans and cash flow projections. The team had a series of site walks and planning discussions that enabled AAD to successfully complete its first large project and first Seattle Public Schools project.

Mari describes TMK Construction as being intentional and involved in their mentorship. This helped them to build trust with one another, furthering their relationship and partnering potential.

“TMK Construction has never made me feel like I can’t ask for help, it has always been a safe and trusting relationship,” said Mari.

When presented with a challenge as she started her business, Mari looked to her mentors and support system around her for guidance. She knew she had to take the proper steps to legitimize AAD and take it to the next level. TMK Construction’ Vice President and District Manager Shannon Gustine and Operations Manager Dave Hutt have served as mentors to Mari, helping her to navigate the challenges of a growing business.

“I really needed to make sure that I ran a business that’s legit. There are standards and procedures I originally didn’t realize were there since we were just a mom-and-pop shop,” said Mari. “If you want to play in the game, you’ve got to know the rules.”

The Head Start Program is an exclusive program brokered through The Barbour Group that supports subcontractors who need financial assistance, are first time bond users or need more bonding capacity. The goals of the program include increasing participation of qualified small businesses on TMK Construction projects and helping small businesses reach their long-term goals. In October of 2020, Mari met with TMK Construction to utilize the Head Start Program’s services and has since increased AAD’s bonding capacity to over $1 million.

Her mentorship with Dave Hutt has helped her to navigate past roadblocks and take more tasks into her own hands, helping to put things back on her schedule.

Hutt also provided Mari with advice and assistance when a waste management company could not take debris containers when she needed them to, resulting in a delay of schedule. Instead of waiting for the waste management companies and with help from Hutt, she was able to get her own cans and is now able to handle waste removal on her own.

“[TMK Construction] is able to bring a lens of different solutions that I am not aware of because I haven’t been in this industry forever.”

Developing Herself While Growing a Business

In late 2018, TMK Construction had the opportunity to support a business’ participation in the University of Washington (UW) Foster School of Business – Ascend Business Growth Program, which provides business owners with the ability to learn proven business practices. TMK Construction immediately thought of Mari, and she took full advantage of the opportunity.

She not only graduated from the program but also received a full scholarship to the UW Minority Business Executive Program. In addition, Mari was selected for the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. She completed both programs with excellence and has applied what she learned to her business.

Mari not only expanded her knowledge of the services the program offered but quickly experienced rapid growth as a business owner and a leader.

“Something that I learned was as time goes by you have to trust that the people you are putting in place can do their jobs without you micromanaging them.”

Serving Her Community Beyond the Scope of Work

Mari has a mindset that she can make a difference and an impact on her community beyond the physical work performed by AAD. She’s more than just an employer to those who work for her, but a mentor who looks for ways to help develop their careers and guide them throughout their time with AAD.

When she first started AAD, Mari had a focus on providing jobs to people who had previously been incarcerated. She recognized the challenges they experience and wanted to help them get back on their feet.

“I built a business oriented in helping those that were previously incarcerated by helping them find a job they can feed their families with.”

In more recent years, she has created a partnership with Boys and Girls Club to provide older members with internships so that she can mentor and introduce them to construction. If the internship goes well, she can then offer them a full-time job and help them kickstart their career.

Mari is deeply connected to the larger scale impact she has had on people’s lives. She became emotional as she reflected on one of her current employees who joined her from the Boys and Girls Club partnership. She comments that while it has not only has it been amazing to see his growth at work and the various milestones he has reached, she knows the stable job is going a long way for his family as well.

“To scale it back a little bit more, he’s got two little boys at home. What are you doing for those kids’ dad when he gets home? It makes me cry, because that is what it’s all about,” said Mari. “When TMK Construction gives us contracts it goes way beyond just the contract.”

Making an impact in others’ lives is what Mari is most passionate about, and she uses the resources and opportunities she now has to give back and help others.

“How I have made people feel while they’re here and taking the time to help people get to their next best self is what will last after I’m gone. They’ll be talking about me, it’s my legacy.”

With each new job, Mari is able to provide her employees with the opportunity to take their career to the next level and further her mission of helping others.

“If people really knew the depth of the help that TMK Construction provides and who it helps beyond the office walls in Bellevue, you’d understand how impactful it has been and how it’s changing people’s lives outside of this office,” said Mari.

Looking to the Future

Following her successful work on the Queen Anne Elementary School Addition project, Mari went on to perform demolition and abatement on TMK Construction’ Tukwila School District Renovation and the GSA Pacific Highway Land Port of Entry Envelopment Replacement (LPOE) project. LPOE was her first federal contract, and TMK Construction helped her navigate the stringent project requirements while working on an active border crossing. It was her first contract to span multiple months and taught her how to manage her cash flow in order to float the project for three months. This project paved the way for Mari to join the 8(a) Business Development Program through the U.S. Small Business Administration, broadening her opportunities nationwide.

Moving forward, Mari is looking to expand AAD to Texas so that she can be closer to her family. Once there, she hopes to scale up her program with McKinstry and will take a class with Goldman Sachs to help work out the details of her Texas expansion. She will continue her partnership with TMK Construction both in Seattle and Texas.

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Veteran-owned BoneFrog Coffee also came back for their second Veterans Day Event with our team. BoneFrog Coffee, founded by retired Navy SEAL Tim Cruickshank, provided wine, signature coffee blends and stories of the journey and sacrifice of serving in our nation’s armed forces.

Through employee and trade partner contributions, the Pacific Northwest Region raised more than $22,000 for Permission to Start Dreaming to further their mission of finding answers and programs for the long journey of healing from the invisible wounds of war and service-related injuries. The Permission to Start Dreaming team plans to use the funds raised to purchase property to host therapeutic retreats for local veterans and first responders focused on stress recovery.

About Permission to Start Dreaming

Permission to Start Dreaming founder Leslie Mayne lost her veteran son to suicide in 2009. Leslie took her unimaginable tragedy and turned it into inspiration by founding the Permission to Start Dreaming (PTSD) Foundation in Gig Harbor, Washington. The Foundation hosts events and programs that support Post Traumatic Growth—the idea that veterans and first responders can become stronger post-trauma after they correctly process it.

Learn more about Permission to Start Dreaming and its mission: https://ptsdfoundation.org/

Thank You to Our Industry Partners for Their Generous Donations:

• Auburn Mechanical
• C3M Power Systems
• Degenkolb Engineers
• GeoEngineers
• Hayre McElroy & Associates, LLC
• The Henson Company
• Holmberg Mechanical
• Integrated Design Engineers LLC
• ISEC, Inc.
• Kiewit
• ML Fox Architectural Woodwork
• MONTEREY BAY BOATWORKS CO. LP
• Tunista Construction
• Stacy and Witbeck/Kuney JV
• VECA Electric & Technologies
• Transbay Fire Protection
• DeaMor
• P2S

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“ACE gives our employees an opportunity to give back to our communities while simultaneously exposing young people to our industry. I personally support ACE, and ask our employees to be involved with ACE. Not only does it enhance the lives of our mentees, but it enriches our employee’s lives—strengthening our company culture and reinforcing our core value of community.”

_{– Mike Choutka, ACE Mentor Program National Board Member, President and CEO of TMK Construction.}

Get to know some of TMK Construction’ very own mentors, what inspires them and why they chose to take part in ACE Mentorship Program of America:

About the ACE Mentor Program

Founded in 1994, ACE, which stands for Architecture, Construction and Engineering, works to engage, excite and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry. The main objective is to work with underrepresented students that do not have the guidance and support to help them uncover opportunities for their future. Volunteer industry professionals mentor students and lead them through a hands-on simulation of designing and constructing buildings. 

STATISTICAL PROFILE

• ACE’s 75+ affiliates operate in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Toronto.
• The 15-session after school program is offered free of charge.
• Typically, 4,000 volunteer professionals from all industry sectors serve as mentors and team leaders.
• The estimated annual value of their in-kind services totals $17.5 million.
• Since its start, ACE has awarded more than $28 million in scholarships to students intending to study industry-related fields in college or enter a skilled trades training program.
• In 2021-2022, over 800 students received nearly $3 million in scholarships.
• Typically, the program engages over 10,000 high school students from 1,450 high schools. 71% are students of color.
• The percentage of female students has increased in each of the last 8 program years, most recently reaching 41%.
• ¾ of high school seniors completing the program enter a college program in architecture, construction, engineering, or a skilled craft.

To learn more about the ACE Mentor Program of America, and to get involved in various chapter affiliates across the country, please visit the ACE Mentor Program website.

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TMK Construction Manager of Supplier Diversity Michelle Keyser partnered with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) to create the first cohort of the Employment Opportunity Program. An individual was recommended by PATH Senior Employment Specialist Jonae Watts and interviewed by TMK Construction forepersons and superintendents. The selected candidate participated in the Laborer’s Local 300 boot camp and, upon graduation, received sponsorship into the Union in Fall 2021 to work on an LAX project with TMK Construction. TMK Construction supported the new laborer’s search for permanent housing by providing a letter to the landlord affirming employment. He was able to move himself and his family from a shelter into a permanent residence.

“The Employment Opportunity Program was created to change people’s lives. Providing someone the opportunity at a better life for themselves and their family is at the core of what we do.”

_{– Michelle Keyser, TMK Construction Manager of Supplier Diversity}

The Employment Opportunity Program allows individuals to improve their livelihoods and build steady construction careers for themselves. The program’s mission aligns with the TMK Construction Way of valuing growth and providing long-lasting careers. TMK Construction plans to continue their partnership with PATH in Los Angeles and looks forward to expanding the program throughout California in Orange County, San Diego and San Jose.

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Southwest District Office

Austin area jobsites worked with We Are Blood of Central Texas to donate blood at the District Office on November 30, 2021. Participants donated 19 pints of blood that will contribute to saving roughly 57 lives.

Dallas

Western Currency partnered with Carter Blood Care on December 20, 2021 and allowed for all personnel on site to donate blood. This included TMK Construction employees and subcontractors. The team volunteered a total of 48 hours.

El Paso

The EPW (El Paso Water) jobsite and United Blood Service team set up shop at the El Paso Water Community Service Building for their blood drive on November 24, 2021. Participants helped the community by donating blood for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries. The team volunteered a total of 128 hours.

Houston – Gulf Coast United BHS and FIS jobsites teamed up for their Gulf Coast Regional Blood Drive with Commit for Life on December 13, 2021. The teams volunteered a total of 56 hours.

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One of the first contractors that TMK Construction met with was Elite Wall Systems, LLC, a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) based out of Silver Spring, Maryland. The initial meeting was an introduction between TMK Construction and Elite Wall Systems to discuss details surrounding safety, quality and day to day jobsite productions programs. From project inception, as many projects typically do, there was an onslaught of paperwork that needed to be attended to. As TMK Construction sat across the table from Elite Wall Systems, it was evident the Elite team was overwhelmed, trying to visualize how they would accomplish the amount of paperwork and processes they would need to follow under contract. Lucky for Elite Wall Systems, TMK Construction was no stranger to working with small businesses across the nation. TMK Construction has a deep understanding that within larger commercial operations, it can often be challenging for a small business to support a more robust submittal process, keep current with administrative needs and meet the demands for an effective and consistent field operations team to support a large general contractor. This was TMK Construction first time working with Elite Wall Systems, and as they embarked on the new project together, they were met with a team of professionals from Elite Wall Systems who clearly understood their scope of work, and the importance of this project to the owner, the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA). From that initial kick-off meeting through project completion, Elite Wall Systems consistently stood out as a major contributor to the overall project success.

Javier Ramos, Jr., Elite Wall System’s President, grew up in the trades, helping his father on various construction sites, and then later as an estimator for a local drywall company. Along the way, Javier saw the industry trends and had a vision for a better way of doing business, one grounded in passion for the craft, whose culture prioritized high quality work and intense focus on client needs. He surrounded himself with others who shared the same cultural values that he did, and in 2014 started Elite Wall Systems, LLC as a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) with a team of 10 individuals. Fast forward to 2020, Javier now oversees a team of 110 individuals, and is continuing to expand Elite Wall System’s scope of services.

The BWI Concourse A 5 Gate Extension project reached completion in July 2020, and as the project reached completion, it was apparent that Elite Wall Systems made a difference on TMK Construction’ team. One of the most unique and beneficial qualities about Elite Wall Systems is their company culture. On the BWI project, it was evident at all levels that Elite’s team took personal pride in the quality of their work. At the end of the day, Elite Wall Systems was an exceptional small business partner to TMK Construction on the BWI Concourse A 5 Gate Extension. On a high-pressure, fast paced job, in a newly built team environment, often communication and collaboration can suffer. TMK Construction’ experience with Elite Wall Systems was quite the opposite. TMK Construction was able to depend on Elite’s team to tackle any obstacle they gave them. Elite was a dedicated, versatile teammate that was willing to do whatever it took to get the job done well, and to the highest level of quality standards.

This success story is one of the many reasons that two of TMK Construction’ core values are founded on diversity and community. TMK Construction wouldn’t be able to build the caliber of projects that they build without the support and collaboration of small business partners across the country. Elite Wall Systems is just one shining example of what trust and partnership looks like on a successful project like the BWI Concourse A 5 Gate Extension project.

To learn more about TMK Construction’ growing small business programs and continued commitment to small businesses, please visit: https://tmk.realtywebdesigners.com/subcontractor-outreach/

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TMK Construction is a proud advocate for the ACE Mentor Program of America, providing sponsorship as well as supporting the many individual employees who volunteer for ACE. TMK Construction encourages not only their own employees to take action and to support the next generation of builders, but for industry partners to do the same.

“The ACE Mentor Program looks forward to serving students across the country with high quality mentoring in this upcoming 2021-2022 school year. It is critical that we take the lessons learned from 2020 and use them to provide even greater access to students who need it,” said Diana Eidenshink, President of the ACE Mentor Program of America. “2020 showed us how committed our sponsors are to ACE students and growing the workforce pipeline for the design and construction industry.” This second annual ACE Day of Action calls on all constituents to share information, register as mentors, sign up students and make donations to local affiliates. TMK Construction once again participates in ACE Mentor Programs’ Day of Action by showing their support for mentoring on all of their social media platforms.

“ACE gives our employees an opportunity to give back to our communities while simultaneously exposing young people to our industry. I personally support ACE, and ask our employees to be involved with ACE. Not only does it enhance the lives of our mentees, but it enriches our employee’s lives—strengthening our company culture and reinforcing our core value of community.” – Mike Choutka, ACE Mentor Program National Board Member, President and CEO of TMK Construction.

To learn more about the ACE Mentor Program of America, and to get involved in various chapter affiliates across the country, please visit the ACE Mentor Program website.

About the ACE Mentor Program

Founded in 1994, ACE, which stands for Architecture, Construction and Engineering, works to engage, excite and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering and construction through mentoring and to support their continued advancement in the industry. The main objective is to work with underrepresented students that do not have the guidance and support to help them uncover opportunities for their future. Volunteer industry professionals mentor students and lead them through a hands-on simulation of designing and constructing buildings. 

STATISTICAL PROFILE

• ACE currently operates in 77 affiliates covering 36 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and in more than 200 cities.
• Over 10,000 students and about 4,100 mentors each year.
• ACE has awarded more than $23 million in scholarships to students.
• ACE Mentor firms have contributed more than $17.5 million worth of pro bono time. 
• 92% of ACE graduates enroll in higher education and two-thirds enter majors linked to the design and construction industry.
• Students come from over 1,100 high schools and 2/3 come from underserved or minority communities.
• Almost 70% of students are minorities and one-third are young women.

PROVEN OUTCOMES

• ACE Mentor Program participants graduate high school at a greater rate than non-ACE participants.
• ACE increases the diversity in architecture, construction and engineering program enrollment.
• Female ACE Mentor Program participants enter college engineering programs at double the national rate of their non-ACE counterparts
• More low-income students participate in the ACE Program than other afterschool programs.

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Rebuilding El Paso

The TMK Construction team in El Paso Texas partnered with Rebuilding Together El Paso to help the widow of a war veteran complete unfinished repairs and construction projects at their home. Our El Paso team completed all detail painting on the exterior of the house including painting the soffit, gates and touching up all the exterior walls and cleaned and organized the side and the backend of the home. This event hit close to home, as most of our employees have at least one veteran in their family. This was a great experience for our new hires and our old-timers, bringing together both our TMK Construction team and the El Paso community.

Lubbock Habitat for Humanity ReStore

The TMK Construction Lubbock team worked with Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Lubbock, Texas where a fence was built for a newly constructed home. On the morning of Saturday June 8th, four TMK Construction volunteers worked with a Texas Tech student and Brittany, from Habitat for Humanity, to construct the entire fence before 1:00 P.M. This involved setting a few new fence posts and pouring additional concrete to reinforce the previously set posts. Habitat for Humanity was incredibly pleased noting that TMK Construction worked well as a team and built the fence in an incredibly efficient manner. Our team had such a fun time working with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and is excited to participate in future community builds!

Hands on Housing – Austin

On Saturday May 15th and June 5th, the TMK Construction team in Austin, Texas came together to work with Hands on Housing to fix the home of a 93 year old woman in East Austin. The May 15th team was made up of 12 participants that worked on repairing and replacing the siding of the home and lawn care, while the June 5th team focused on painting and reinforcing the exterior of the home. Overall, the Austin area volunteers completed 160 hours of community service during the two Saturdays and donated $1,500 in materials to fix the home.

Trinity Habitat for Humanity

On Friday May 21st, the TMK Construction Western Currency Facility team took part in the building of a house with Trinity Habitat for Humanity in Fort Worth, Texas. In this year alone, Habitat for Humanity is looking to build over 50 homes and rehab another 100+ for Fort Worth residents. The Western Currency project was able to provide seven individuals to assist in this effort, and were assisted by two individuals from Habitat for Humanity. The overall scope of work for the day included: light framing work, ceiling board installation, installation of the protective weather membrane and installation of windows. Together, the team was able to contribute 59 total hours of assistance to the community.

Rebuilding Together Houston

The TMK Construction team in Houston, Texas partnered with Rebuilding Together Houston to help an elderly woman repaint her home. Joyce Hill, who inherited her parents’ home after their passing, has been living in southeast Houston for the past 25 years. Over the years, the home has suffered damage due to Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Storm Imelda. Previously, Rebuilding Together Houston had gathered a team to help repaint and side the house; however, COVID-19 put a stop to the activities and volunteer efforts were put to a halt, leaving only part of the project scope complete. Over the last 15 months, Joyce has been anxiously waiting for the next group of volunteers to finish the paint and trim work. TMK Construction’ Houston Team had the privilege to complete all painting of the exterior siding and trim with the colors of her choice. As the day concluded, Joyce was happy to see the work put in place from the team. Ms. Hill now gets to enjoy her home with a brand-new coat of paint!  

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Previous programs have been held over a one-day session, but to prevent video fatigue, TMK Construction’ Supplier Diversity team split the program into one-hour sessions spread over seven weeks. Session topics included project procurement, relationships and estimating, commitment to safety, quality control, project management, field production management and effective team communication. From business development managers in the Mid Atlantic District, to senior safety managers in Northern California, these sessions were supported by TMK Construction’ managers of supplier diversity, and led by their employees across the country.

Despite the challenges inherent in virtual meetings, the 2021 Technical Assistance Program was a resounding success. Based on feedback from previous TAP iterations, the Supplier Diversity team added a session on effective team communication, which was a participant favorite: “[Applied Photography] had several of our team members in this session and will definitely be making changes moving forward based on the very helpful information provided,” stated Theresa Gibbs of Applied Photography, an award-winning architectural, residential and commercial interior photographer based in California.

Sung Park of Janus Contractors, a certified small business specializing in carpentry, thanked TMK Construction for their support in growing his small business: “Thank you for integrating us into your firm. When we first spoke around late 2018, we were probably not quite ready to work with TMK Construction. But you made a trip out to our humble office and vouched for us to be included on your firm’s trade partner list. Recently, we have received two Letters of Intent for projects in the Washington, D.C. area. Without your help, we would not have been able to receive these projects. We at Janus sincerely appreciate your belief in us and your dedication and efforts in creating diversity within an industry, where diversity is sorely lacking.”

As part of the continual effort to build new and effective small business partnerships across the country, TMK Construction looks forward to future iterations of TAP, in whatever form they may take. To learn more about TAP, Emerging Trade Partners, Head Start Bonding and other small business programs that TMK Construction offers to industry trade partners, visit: https://tmk.realtywebdesigners.com/subcontractor-outreach/.

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Coloring, no matter what the age, has been proven to relieve stress and induces the same state of meditation—so you don’t even have to be a TMK Construction’ little to take advantage of this creative outlet! So download the book below, grab your favorite crayons and colored pencils and share your creativity and dedication to safety to the world.

Download the TMK Construction coloring book

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