National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC)
The National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) is a non-profit organization established in 1969. Its Greater Houston Chapter opened its doors a few years ago to address the needs and concerns of minority contractors in the area and help them increase market share. By providing a forum for sharing information and mutual support, NAMC Greater Houston helps members develop and attain high professional standards to create strong, competitive and profitable businesses.
“NAMC’s history is a story of upholding traditions of high quality, professional educational services for the construction community,” says Vladimir Naranjo, National Association of Minority Contractors executive vice president. “We also bring about wider procurement and business opportunities for our minority contractors by making sure they have access to bidding opportunities for private or government contract work in the city. Our organization is truly multicultural and is open to members from any background, including Hispanic, Asian, African and Native Americans.”
What are some of the benefits of membership in the National Association of Minority Contractors ?
“Access to business opportunities with the government and private companies is one of the main benefits. As a member, you have access to all current bids in the city. You also gain exposure within the industry and the opportunity to build alliances. For instance, if you are a plumber, your business will be exposed to other contractors who use plumbers on a regular basis. Other benefits include access to industry-specific education and training, networking opportunities, special members-only discounts on products and services, and the opportunity to automatically become a member of NAMC National.”
What programs, services and networking activities does the association provide to members?
Construction contractors, their staffs and their craftsmen have access to training and educational programs and workshops, including a 12-week Small Contractors Training Series and a number of Business Development Programs focusing on project management, marketing and proposal presentation skills. Networking activities include NAMC’s annual conferences, monthly membership meetings, job fairs, bowling tournaments and roundtable forums.
Must I be a member to attend educational sessions? Are sessions in Spanish?
“Some of our programs are members-only and others are open to the public, but members always receive a discount on the fee or free access. Because our members have so many different backgrounds, sessions are English, but we have the ability to create Spanish-only programs should we see the need.”
What are some of the key challenges facing Hispanic contractors in your area? How does the association work with contractors to help them with these issues?
“A shortage of job opportunities is one of the greatest challenges we face. To meet this challenge, contractors need to be ready on all fronts. A lot of Hispanic contractors are not prepared to handle the administrative side of their businesses. We offer business courses to teach them about project and time management, policies, insurance, communications and contracts. They need this knowledge to work more efficiently. A lot of them don’t get paid for extra work performed, don’t capitalize their companies, have no marketing strategy in place, etc. With proper training, we can help remove the barriers so minority contractors can be more competitive.”
