KANSAS CITY, Missouri — In partnership with Evergy and Ralph G. Moore & Associates (RGMA), Burns & McDonnell held its Accelerate program graduation. Accelerate is a supplier diversity business development program that provides mentorship and training to help advance small and diverse-owned businesses within their communities.

Topics throughout the six-month program ranged from understanding economic viability to developing strategies for structuring deals to boost diverse spending.

“We continue to support our small and diverse supplier relationships, providing tools, resources and opportunities for continued collaboration and success,” says Tammy Martin, business diversity program director at Burns & McDonnell.

Leaders from nearly 40 small and diverse-owned businesses received a valuable opportunity for mentorship, with each participant partnered with a sponsor from Evergy or Burns & McDonnell.

“These businesses bring unique perspectives and ideas that are critical for driving innovation and economic growth, while also supporting corporate responsibility and resilience,” says Valerie Coyazo, lead supplier diversity manager at Evergy.

Over the last five years, Burns & McDonnell has had a total business diversity spend of $2.3 billion and has worked with over 2,600 small and/or diverse-owned businesses.

Over the last five years, Evergy has had a total business diversity spend of $1.1 billion and has worked with over 800 small and/or diverse-owned businesses.

This year, Burns & McDonnell and Evergy facilitated the training at various locations led by their business diversity champions. The training was developed by Ralph Moore who has redefined business diversity for more than 40 years and who has developed the RGMA program.

“The Accelerate program provides participating diverse suppliers with a forum for sharpening their skills, which enhances their ability to deliver goods and services that contribute to their clients’ operational excellence,” Moore says.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies bringing together an unmatched team of more than 14,000 engineers, construction and craft professionals, architects, and more to design and build our critical infrastructure. With an integrated construction and design mindset, we offer full-service capabilities. Founded in 1898 and working from 75 offices globally, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn how we are designed to build.

About Evergy

Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG), serves 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy’s mission is to empower a better future. Our focus remains on producing, transmitting and delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the benefit of our stakeholders. Today, about half of Evergy’s power comes from carbon-free sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace for our employees, and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees are active members of the communities we serve. For more information about Evergy, visit us at http://investors.evergy.com.

About RGMA

Ralph G. Moore & Associates (RGMA) was founded in 1979 and is an internationally recognized leader in developing and enhancing corporate supplier diversity programs. RGMA has over four decades of change management experience focused on integrating supplier diversity into various corporate cultures. This wealth of experience has positioned RGMA as the consultant of choice for corporations, government agencies, and non-profit institutions. Read about RGMA’s service offerings.