HUB vendors find support in Dorothy Vick

On March 7, more than 100 contractors and historically underutilized business (HUB) vendors will gather for a meet and greet in the Cone Center to network and discuss potential collaborations. The goal is for everyone to leave with new connections and, with any luck, new business partnerships. Behind it all is Dorothy Vick, the University’s HUB coordinator in Facilities Management.

A HUB vendor is a business that is owned or operated by individuals who are African American, Asian American, American Indian, Hispanic, female or disabled or socially or economically disadvantaged. North Carolina General Statute 143-128.2 (effective Jan. 1, 2002) says the state must have a verifiable 10 percent goal for participation by minority businesses in the total value of work for each project for which a contract or contracts are awarded.

It is Vick’s responsibility to ensure the University meets and exceeds this percentage. The annual meet and greet is one way Vick encourages HUB participation, especially at the sub-contractor level.

“Heartland Contracting celebrated our 15th anniversary on Monday, Feb. 4, and have been a HUB vendor on campus at least two-thirds of that time,” said Judy Moore, owner and general manager of Heartland, a general contracting firm based in Indian Trail.“[The meet and greet] has been a good chance to introduce ourselves to other attendees. We have contracted with several HUB companies that we met at these events… Heartland has been exceedingly blessed with some extraordinary HUB subcontractors who have made it possible for us regularly to beat the HUB goals.”

This is precisely what Vick intends.

A California native, she has been with the University since 1998, beginning with the Small Business & Technology Development Center, where she was responsible for assisting North Carolina businesses with obtaining federal, state and local government contracts. When Philip L. Dubois became chancellor of the University in 2005, he created the position of HUB coordinator as part of the University’s commitment to diversity. Feeling it was a natural extension of her current position and her 20-year career in logistics and procurement as an officer in the U.S. Army, Vick applied.

“One of the things that Beth [Hardin] and I agreed upon early on was the need to staff our HUB program, and the result of that decision was the hiring of Dorothy,” said Dubois. “We found the perfect person, who not only understands the construction business, but can work collaboratively with our construction partners to achieve our goals. Beyond that, when she sees that a particular construction partner needs additional ‘encouragement,’ she makes sure that I know about it for a Chancellor-to-CEO conversation. The results of her dedication speak for themselves.”

When Vick arrived in Facilities Management in November 2006, there was work to be done.

“We were not where we should have been with HUB participation, considering the majority of minority subcontractors were in Charlotte or Raleigh,” said Vick, who set about building a program from scratch.

She built the University’s first database of vendors, HUB and otherwise. Additionally, she implemented programming like the HUB Academy and the meet and greets to educate contractors and others about the importance of including HUB vendors in their projects and to introduce diverse subcontractors to general contractors.

Most importantly, perhaps, she began to set goals for HUB participation in projects and to hold contractors accountable for meeting those goals. She checks all paperwork and follows up anytime she thinks more can be done.

In 2006, the University had an average HUB participation rate of 12 percent in all capital construction projects. Today, on average, the University is at 26 percent. Individual projects, however, can be much higher. The Center City classroom project achieved 40 percent, the Martin Hall project was 42 percent, the new Facilities Operations and Parking Services (FOPS) Building was 50 percent and the Sycamore Hall renovation was 72 percent.

Vick is constantly challenging the University’s contractors to commit to and attain more diversity in their subcontracting and supply purchases, where there is a lot of opportunity to work with minority-owned businesses.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Vick. “As a University, we take in revenue from a diverse population; therefore, we should have a diverse spend in our dollars. We are committed to being good stewards for the state of North Carolina, and part of that is ensuring everyone has access to opportunities. Everybody gets a chance.”

In recognition of her work, Vick received the Good Faith Effort Award presented at the 2012 State Construction Conference by the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses. In 2013, she helped spearhead the University receiving the Good Faith Effort Award as an agency advocate. In 2016, she also received the UNC Charlotte Employee of the Year for Community and Public Service.

“Dorothy Vick is the first person in the state of North Carolina who was twice awarded the Good Faith Effort Award for her efforts to foster broad inclusion of historically underrepresented businesses among contractors working at UNC Charlotte, once individually and once as part of the larger University team,” said Elizabeth A. Hardin, vice chancellor for business affairs. “Dorothy’s work has expanded the base of capable vendors providing service to the University while breaking the barriers that have deterred them from working in the public sector. What she does matters to UNC Charlotte.”

It matters beyond the University, too. Vick’s work is also helping minority-owned business in the state. According to Antonio Wallace, CEO of GP Supply Company in Greensboro, Vick’s support has been critical in not only connecting with opportunities on campus, but also in growing his business.

“Ms. Vick’s support, along with the support of the individuals she has introduced me to over the past several years, has led to significant revenue opportunities for GPS. In fact, GPS had a record year in 2018, and we are off to a historical start in 2019 in terms of profitability,” said Wallace. “Our operating performance has put us in position to hire new employees, purchase the facility we operate in and make significant investments in property, plant and equipment, which has increased our capacity to work on large-scale projects.”

For her part, Vick hopes she has to work harder and harder to find HUB vendors.

“If it gets more challenging to bring in minority businesses, that means they are getting a lot of other work, which is a win for everyone,” she said.

Vick received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, East Bay and her Master of Public Administration degree from Troy University. She is a member of a variety of community organizations, including the N.C. Minority Woman Business Enterprise Coordinator’s Network and United Minority Contractors of North Carolina. Additionally, she serves as an advocate for the Metrolina Minority Contractors Association, the Hispanic Contractors Association of the Carolinas and the National Association of Women in Construction.

Story: Christy Jackson
Photography: NiCole Lynch