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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (July 18, 2017) — Burns & McDonnell is adding 20 new Kansas City businesses to its roster to create a one-of-a-kind KCI HOMETOWN Team vying to design, build and privately finance a new one-terminal KCI. The firm announced its new construction and design partners at a KCI jobs rally held in front of Mark One Electric Company, Inc. packed with Kansas City contractors, suppliers, labor groups and minority and women-owned business leaders.

“Our team members have two key things in common — they know KCI and our great City like no one else, and they excel in their craft,” says Ray Kowalik, chairman and CEO, Burns & McDonnell. “Building an iconic new KCI demands a hometown team that will create something we are all proud of and will put Kansas Citians to work.”

Burns & McDonnell also announced that work on the KCI project will begin this year, if selected by the City and approved by the voters.

“With the knowledge and creativity of these great Kansas City companies, our team has found a way to accelerate the project ahead of our previous schedules,” says Kowalik.

The team now plans to break ground on the project the day after voter approval in November, thanks to the capacity local companies bring to the project along with a highly flexible private financing plan that will provide project capital immediately.

The rally also provided an opportunity for organized labor and business leaders to unveil plans for a job training program that will be instrumental in building a diverse workforce on the KCI project. The Burns & McDonnell KCI HOMETOWN team is developing plans for pre-apprentice training programs that will provide hands-on training in skilled trades areas and has committed to using this project to build lasting capacity for Kansas City’s minority and women-owned businesses.

“This is a generational opportunity for our minority and women-owned businesses,” says Ajamu Webster, CEO of Dubois Consultants, who says the training programs he has participated in with Burns & McDonnell over the years have helped increase both sales and profitability with his company.

“Burns & McDonnell is known for its commitment to building capacity for minority and women-owned businesses in our community and across the country. The KCI project is providing an unprecedented opportunity for the team to develop innovative training programs for the minority community in Kansas City that will provide a direct pathway to good-paying, highly skilled jobs.”

The new KCI HOMETOWN team members announced include Mark One Electric Company, Inc; MMC Contractors; U.S. Engineering; Capital Electric Construction Company, Inc.; American Fire Sprinkler; Alpha Energy and Electric, Inc.; Infinite Energy Construction; KC Testing & Engineering; Trekk Design Group, LLC; FSC Consulting Engineers; Phronesis, LLC; DuBois Consultants; Custom Engineering, Inc.; SE3, LLC; HG Consult, Inc.; SK Design Group, Inc.; Leigh & O’Kane; Taliaferro & Browne, Inc.; MC Realty Group LLC; and Architectural & Historical Research, LLC. They join the team members announced recently: JE Dunn, McCownGordon, HOK, Populous, BNIM, Wellner-Architects, Garcia Architecture and Designer Emeritus, Bob Berkebile.

The Burns & McDonnell KCI HOMETOWN Team will submit concepts for the new terminal to the City of Kansas City as part of the City’s Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQ/P) on July 27, 2017. The City is expected to select a winning team after they complete interviews the week of August 14, 2017.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a Kansas City-based firm that’s been committed to the people and growth of our hometown since we were founded in 1898. The 3,000 employee-owners based in Kansas City actively volunteer within the community and have donated millions of dollars to causes that support our great city from United Way to Science City. We are made up of more than 5,700 engineers, architects, construction professionals, scientists, consultants and entrepreneurs with offices across the country and throughout the world. We strive to create amazing success for our clients and amazing careers for our employee-owners. Burns & McDonnell is 100 percent employee-owned and is proud to be No. 16 on Fortune’s 2017 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For.