American DBE- Winter/Spring 1 2020

"Austin’s success is further evidenced by the diverse business partners that are long-standing business partners on projects. The company has developed a cadre of diverse businesses that consistently bid on opportunities to work on new projects. A primary source of business partners is the company’s mentor/protégé program and other training courses to help firms improve their business practices and learn how to successfully partner with Austin on projects. These efforts allow diverse firms to develop relationships with Austin leadership and project executives; and learn skills to improve their probability of success.

Javier Huerta, president of Carrco Painting began to participate in Austin’s training courses in 1999 and has been a consistent business partner on projects for nearly twenty years. Huerta says his experience in working with Austin has been “great” and that his business has grown as a result of working on Austin projects. “They are one of the companies that do what they say they are going to do,” Huerta said. Carrco has grown from a small painting contractor over the years to become a full-service wall and floor covering contractor. Carrco has worked on an Austin project every year since 1999 and in 2018 completed a $5 million project working on the Toyota Headquarters facility in Plano, Texas. Huerta believes the ongoing mentoring Carrco Painting employees have received from Austin’s project executives have been a key reason for their growth. “Our employees have been able to work closely with Austin’s project staff and bring what they have learned back to our company and that has helped us to increase our capacity and grow,” he said.

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