AECOM Hunt and Clayco say they have added minority contractor Bowa Construction to its joint venture team providing construction management services for the O’Hare 21 Project.
“We are very excited about this partnership with AECOM Hunt and Clayco on the transformation of O’Hare,” Bowa’s president and CEO Nosa Ehimwenman said in a statement. “The O’Hare 21 Project is giving our organization the platform to extend our aviation expertise in a significant way. This opportunity is also a clear representation of equity, alliance, experience, and inclusion, which are driving forces behind this partnership.”
Following months of collaboration between the groups, the addition of Bowa strengthens the joint venture through its previous experience at O’Hare, ties to the local community, and work developing logistics and phasing for operational airport facilities, the statement says.
“We’re extremely proud to work alongside Clayco and Bowa to play a role in the transformation of O’Hare into an international hub primed to meet the needs of the 21st century,” said Jason Kopp, Central Region Chief Operating Officer, AECOM Hunt. “We’re thrilled to bring our proven expertise to this team, together implementing the highest standards of safety and quality to deliver the airport Chicagoans and world travelers deserve.”
“Partnering with Bowa on this historic expansion of O’Hare is extremely integral to the success of the project, and we are excited to utilize their expertise of the space,” said Otto Nichols III, executive vice-president of Clayco. “We are continuously looking for opportunities to expand our diversity efforts, and we look forward to continuing to build more diverse partnerships on future ventures.”
African American-owned Bowa says it was the first African American prime contractor to complete a concessions project at O’Hare International Airport and was named one of the 2018 Fortune 100 Fastest Growing Inner-City Companies.
The $8.5 billion O’Hare 21 Project is the biggest expansion effort in O’Hare International Airport’s 60-year history.