• News

Supply Side: Tealinc, STV

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
STV has signed an Equity in Infrastructure Project pledge. Among its recent equity-advancing projects: preparing a Gender Action Plan for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority that studied the needs of female mass transit riders.

STV has signed an Equity in Infrastructure Project pledge. Among its recent equity-advancing projects: preparing a Gender Action Plan for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority that studied the needs of female mass transit riders.

Tealinc, Ltd. has announced the recipients of its 2022 scholarship program. Also, STV has signed the Equity in Infrastructure Project (EIP) pledge.

The recipients of the 2022 Tealinc scholarship program are: 25-year-old Christian Pavelka of White Fish, Mont., and 18-year-old Hailey Euell of Billings, Mont.

“Tealinc recognizes the importance of higher education and has been an adamant supporter of students focused on furthering their education since Tealinc was founded in 2002,” said the Forsyth, Mont.-based railcar lessor, rail fleet manager and rail transportation consultant.

Christian Pavelka, Tealinc Scholarship Winner (Photograph Courtesy of Tealinc)
Hailey Euell, Tealinc Scholarship Winner (Photograph Courtesy of Tealinc)

Scholarships were awarded in 2022 to qualified applicants based on their academic record and completion of the Tealinc application. Consideration was given to those students who “demonstrated a commitment to education through outstanding academic performance or consistent improvement during their high school years,” Tealinc said. The company’s scholarship committee also considered work and volunteer experience as well as letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches and employers.

Pavelka is currently enrolled in Helena College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program. Upon graduation, his goal is to work as a pilot/mechanic. Euell is currently enrolled in the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine and plans to become a dermatologist.

STV on June 20 reported that it has signed the EIP pledge, “becoming one of the first architecture, engineering and construction firms to commit to advancing equity in infrastructure with a goal of increasing the number, size and percentage of historically underutilized businesses (HUBs) growing to prime contractors, participating in joint ventures or becoming equity participants.”

EIP was founded by Denver International Airport CEO Phillip A. Washington (former head of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority/LACMTA), former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari and others “in anticipation of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and to answer President Biden’s call to leverage infrastructure spending to build wealth in underserved communities.”

STV said EIP seeks “to improve public contracting practices by creating more opportunities for HUBs to build generational wealth and reduce the racial wealth gap by creating more prime, joint venture and equity contracting opportunities for these firms.” EIP defines HUBs as including firms formally designated as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE), and Small Business Enterprises (SBE), as well as any other business classification used locally in the U.S. intended to boost the participation of otherwise underutilized firms, which can vary by state, region and municipality.

“The public sector has a tremendous role in driving equity in infrastructure, but that doesn’t mean the private sector has to sit on the sidelines,” STV President and CEO Greg Kelly said. “We must seize this historic moment of generational investment in our country’s infrastructure as an equally historic opportunity to create generational wealth and expand access to sustainable work for those historically left out. STV is proud to commit to the EIP, and we look forward to working with our clients and our industry peers as we deliver more equitable infrastructure projects in the future.”

In addition to taking the EIP pledge, STV will hold a seat on the EIP Advisory Council to promote broad industry engagement and commitment.

“STV has a history of launching and executing unique programs to advance equity in its projects and transform the way the firm does business in its communities,” the company said. Prior to taking the EIP Pledge, STV formed a joint venture with Arredondo, Zepeda and Brunz, LLC (AZ&B), a Dallas-based HUB, supporting the multi-billion-dollar Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) Infrastructure Capital Program, which it said will provide the local, small business “a direct pathway to larger projects and contracts in the future.” STV also prepared a Gender Action Plan for LACMTA that studied the needs of female mass transit riders. In addition, on behalf of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), STV is performing a Service and Fare Equity (SAFE) analysis.

Tags: , , , , , ,