Spotlight on Environeer Engineering Consulting, LLC.

Established in 2018, Environeer is a Texas-based minority-owned engineering consulting firm specializing in Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS)permitting and compliance programs. Co-founder Michael (Xiaoyu) Zhang is an environmental engineering leader, entrepreneur, and Navy Reserve officer with more than 10 years of experience in this field. Michael considers himself as a passionate mountaineer working in environmental engineering industry, thus where the company name came from.

Environeer is committed to connecting knowledge and experience to help clients innovatively and cost-effectively solve complex EHS challenges. They are working with the Port Houston environmental team on an executive study regarding chlorinators and drinking water systems centered around the Buffalo Bayou. Other notable projects they have completed include conducting Phase I & II environmental site assessments, preparing air/water/waste permit applications, performing wetlands delineation, implementing Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), developing EHS management systems (ISO14001 & ISO45001), and EHS auditing & training.

Environeer was selected as a Rising 10 award winner by the Asian Chamber of Commerce and an Emerging 10 award winner by Houston Minority Supplier Development Council.

“As one of the graduates from Opportunity U administered by Port Houston, it’s been a fantastic experience. Throughout the program, we learned how to develop business fundamentals, understand government contracts and bidding processes, and how to become more bankable. The program gave us the opportunity to network with Port Houston decision makers and receive mentorship from experienced professionals. Our goal is to become a prime in the next few years and provide other S/MBEs with the same support we received from the Port. The partnership and friendship we formed with Port Houston’s staff, peer S/MBEs, and primes will continue to cultivate.

As small business owners we wear many hats. Personally, besides Environeer, I’m a Navy reserve officer leading sailors to build airstrips, bridges, and facilities globally; I’m an adjunct professor at Lone Star College teaching Environmental Science; and, I’m also a father of three and husband to my beautiful wife. No matter what hat we’re wearing, remember to give back to the community and pass the torch to the next generation.” – Envrioneer Engineering Consulting, LLC. Co-founder Michael (Xiaoyu) Zhang

Spotlight on SD Candy Company

SD Candy Company has been operating in the catering and concessions industry since 2008. They are a Port Houston registered minority, woman-owned business and has provided sweet treats to Port Houston’s employees, like custom popcorn gift bags and designed sugar cookies.

Established by Danielle Green and Tamicha Roberts, SD Candy Company provides organizations of all sizes multiple options for fun, satisfying food. On the catering side, the company offers unique, theme designed, interactive dessert stations and savory stations including funnel cakes, ice cream, caramel apples, mini pizzas, and tacos. SD Candy Company also offers affordable candy, party favor, and gift basket services for all occasions, from children’s birthday parties to large scale corporate events.

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Caption: Attendance at the Port Houston Business Equity Program Launch Event in July 2021. (From left to right) Harris County Commissioner Precinct #2 Adrian Garcia, Port Commissioner Cheryl Creuzot, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council President Ingrid Robinson, Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Dr. Laura Murillo, City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Port Commissioner Wendy Montoya Cloonan, Harris County Commissioner Precinct #1 Rodney Ellis, SBA-Houston District Director Tim Jeffcoat.  

Business Equity Program Anniversary

Approximately one year ago, Port Houston created a new Business Equity program to create greater equity for minority and woman-owned business enterprises participating in its procurement and contracting processes. In 2022, Port Houston is continuing to focus on promoting opportunity for all by increasing collaboration with community and industry stakeholders. We are increasing the number of S/MWBE enrollments and participation to support our goal of developing and strengthening external partnerships.

Port Houston’s Business Equity Program is a valuable resource for S/MWBEs looking to grow and expand their business. We host several business networking events to help businesses network as well as learn from one another. Port Houston’s Interagency Mentor Protégé Program (IMPP) helps businesses foster long-term relationships between contractors, Port Houston certified S/MWBEs and other partnering agencies. There are also safety programs and industry-specific forums to pinpoint opportunities.

Below are some S/MWBEs enrolled in Port Houston’s Business Equity program who are making a difference in the greater Houston community.

Visual AV LLC is a Port Houston certified small, minority-owned technology company and graduate of the 2021 OpPORTunity U training program. Visual AV specializes in providing innovative technology solutions that help customers collaborate more effectively. Visual AV sells A/V and IT Equipment that can be used in various settings across multiple industries. Their large interactive displays allow the user to create digital lessons and activities that can be easily reused and shared.

Sweet Dreams Gourmet was established in 2013 by Danielle Green. It is a Port Houston registered minority, woman-owned small business and graduate of the 2021 OpPORTunity U training program. Sweet Dreams Gourmet specializes in dessert and light bites catering offering affordable services for all occasions from children’s birthday parties to large scale corporate events. They strive to promote fresh ideas and innovative trends in catering.

Founded in 2019 by Aril Mejia, Jr., Elite Construction and Engineering Services, LLC (ECES) is a firm specializing in civil engineering services. ECES is a Port Houston registered minority-owned, small business and currently enrolled in the 2022 OpPORTunity U training program. Their objective is to exceed expectations by providing high-quality services to clients delivering products on time and within budget.

The Port Houston Business Equity team has the knowledge, skills, and resources to help your small, minority- or woman-owned business succeed. We have multiple pathways for your business to obtain the necessary tools to compete for procurements and grow your business. See how your business can work with Port Houston today by enrolling at https://porthouston.com/business-equity-enrollment/.

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Business Growth with Port Houston

In her journey of growth, Shanita connected with Port Houston staff to learn more about the Port Houston Small Business Program and how it could help her business when applying for contracts with the port. She attended training classes, workshops, events and networked as much as she could to spread the word about her venture.

“The port small business team helped me by first confirming the areas where I was ready, and the program gave me the tools to strengthen our responses to requests for proposals (RFPs),” Johnson said. “For example, the mentor-protegee program has a workshop on responding to RFPs. This helped me to better understand the importance of each RFP component.”

Shanita’s persistence and hard work would pay off in 2017 when she became a subcontractor, supporting the Port Houston information technology team to perform IT project management services. Then in 2019, she was awarded her first prime contract with Port Houston and in 2021 she again received a prime contract award for coordination services. Johnson states “We are currently handling the project coordination services for the NextGen ERP Phase II project. With this award we were able to hire a full-time employee to perform the services.”

Moving the Business Forward

Leveraging the connections made through the program, Shanita now holds certifications from the City of Houston, METRO, the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance, and the State of Texas HUB Program and is registered as a small, minority- and women-owned business with Port Houston.

Through the program, Shanita has expanded her network and reach to continue providing cutting edge information technology management solutions for growing businesses around the country. She has used her 20 years of information technology experience to lead multi-million-dollar projects for Fortune 500 clients and knows her team can deliver large scale IT projects thanks to their passion for excellence.

“Get involved with Port Houston’s Business Equity team and the Small, Minority- and Woman-Owned Business program because they are here to help us succeed,” Johnson avows. “They offer many opportunities like Port University and the Mentor Protegee program to help us better understand Port Houston’s procurement process, how to do business with the various departments within the Port and most importantly they help us get prepared. To the MBEs looking to win contracts with Port Houston, my advice to help you succeed is to prepare, persevere, show up and show out, understand the business culture, and prepare again!”

Learn more about BKJ Global Management Consulting, LLC by clicking here.

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Caption: Associated Testing workers.

Founded in 1959 by Edward Scearce, Associated Testing Laboratories is a pioneer for testing technology. It is a local small business with nearly 50 employees – an accredited multi-discipline engineering and testing firm that specializes in construction materials testing and geotechnical engineering.

Precise testing and accurate sampling are key factors to making sure construction materials meet engineering specifications, noted Javier Infante, executive vice president for Associated Testing Laboratories. From asphalt and concrete to soil or steel inspections, they handle a number of diverse projects, such as the Houston Ship Channel Bridge Project where they recently performed materials testing.

With the Port of Houston being one of the largest industrial complexes in the state of Texas, there’s no surprise that the company chose to become certified with Port Houston’s small business program.  

“The Port’s small business program is one of the best around compared to those that we have been involved with. There are no other programs like the Port’s,” said Infante. “The contract and training opportunities are well communicated by the small business staff.” The company’s exposure and knowledge about the Port has helped them win many projects through business development.

“It is organizations like Port Houston that keep our small businesses thriving in the community. There are many project opportunities available. We are fortunate to have had success and results with our involvement in the program by meeting prime contractors at Port Houston’s events,” Infante said. 

The company has also worked with both Houston airports, local school districts, METRO Houston, the City of Houston and Harris County.

Associated Testing Laboratories understands the value of engineering and supporting their people who work hard to make the projects happen. “Our people are the foundation of our company. We are committed to their development, motivation and recognition,” said Jasbir Singh, president of Associated Testing Laboratories. “The primary purpose of our business is to provide prompt, accurate and cost-effective geotechnical and construction materials testing.”

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With a desire to aid local commerce and to promote economic development and job creation, Port Houston has commissioned a disparity study to evaluate equal opportunity and fairness in its procurement and contracting process. A public meeting was held Oct. 22.

Port Houston has partnered with Griffin & Strong, a law and public policy consulting firm, to complete this study. The study will gather information necessary to determine whether all qualified firms have the maximum practicable opportunity to compete for and participate in Port Houston’s procurement of prime contracts and associated subcontracts and, if indicated by the evidence, will support the use of strategies to ensure such opportunity.

At the October port commission meeting, Port Chairman Ric Campo expressed his enthusiasm and support for the process and welcomed the opportunities the study will present.

Gilda Ramirez, who oversees Port Houston’s small business program, lauded Griffin & Strong’s involvement.

“We are happy to have Griffin & Strong on board to help us ensure that we are reaching minority audiences and the public when it comes to our procurement and contract opportunities,” Ramirez said.

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Port Houston's small business department recently hosted a graduation reception for the Interagency Mentor Protégé Program 2019 class on the M/V Sam Houston.

With the guidance of local agencies, twenty-one protégés are now on the path to discovering new resources and taking their companies to new heights after completing the program. The annual program consists of a nine-week course and group presentations, and it educates small business owners on contracting and procurement.

We are a partner and sponsor of this program with several other local agencies, including the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity, Houston METRO, Houston First Corporation, Houston Independent School District and Houston Community College.

The mentor program provides massive opportunity to small businesses that are ready to grow and achieve success through connecting with these organizations. Through this program, small business owners can strengthen working relationships with established companies and local agencies. Other benefits of the program include helping the entrepreneurs understand business financials and procurement bidding, developing relationships with companies, as well as technical assistance.

“This program has grown to advance these professionals and open the door to opportunities with projects that they may not have considered before,” said Gilda Ramirez, senior director of small business and education outreach for Port Houston. “It also shows the strong partnerships that we have in our region – together we are building the workforce.”

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Caption: Port Houston Director of Environmental Affairs Trae Camble

Port Houston strives to be an environmental leader in the community, and staff engaged with numerous small businesses during a Small Business Industry-Specific Workshop on Environmental Affairs held recently.

Attendees received an overview of the port’s environmental department, including programs, projects and prosperity. The presentation was made by Trae Camble, Port Houston’s director of environmental affairs.

Port Houston holds an ISO-14001 environmental management certification and manages waste disposal, air and water quality, environmental auditing and stewardship programs at all of its facilities.

The event was held in coordination with the port’s small business development program, which offers a series of workshops for entrepreneurs to learn how to do business with the port.

“We have a variety of environmental projects and services at Port Houston, and a lot of them require contractor support,” Camble said. Notable projects include storm water permitting and environmental testing.

As one of the nation’s busiest ports, the Port of Houston generates nearly $7 billion in business activity annually. More than $547 million has been awarded by Port Houston to registered small businesses since 2002.

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Port Houston continued its popular Port University course in 2019 for small businesses with presentations from various departments about doing business with the port.

Port University, a four-week training course, is an outreach program designed to educate small businesses about procurement opportunities. The workshops are presented in collaboration with the University of Houston Small Business Development Center.

More than 50 small business representatives attended the class. They learned about port procurement opportunities, port facilities, the small business program, contracting language, bonding, insurance requirements and the port’s BuySpeed Procurement System. Since its inception in 2003, more than 800 small business owners have graduated from Port University.

Port Houston’s Small Business and Education Outreach department participates in more than 200 events every year through collaboration with various chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and private/public agency partners.

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More than 150 local small business representatives attended Port Houston’s Small Business Capital Improvement Projects and Subcontracting Opportunities Forum in 2019. Our small business development program was created in 2002 to provide opportunities for local small businesses to participate in contracting and procurement at the port.

Key goals of the program are economic development, sustainability and growth of small businesses and industry-focused workshops and events. Our small business participation rate is 39 percent since program inception with more than a half billion dollars awarded to local small businesses. Currently, there are more than 1,100 firms enrolled in the Small Business Development Program.

At the 2019 Forum, Ross Talbot, project and construction manager for Port Houston, provided an overview of upcoming construction and design projects. The workshop focused on infrastructure projects that further drive port operations. These infrastructure projects expand our facilities, so we can accommodate growth in cargo volume.

“This forum is designed to provide information to subcontractors who need the connections, knowledge and networking to get ahead and grow their business,” said Gilda Ramirez, senior director of small business education and outreach for Port Houston.

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Port Houston kicked off its fall Port University course for small businesses Sept. 26 with presentations from various departments about doing business with the port.

Port University, a four-week training course, is an outreach program designed to educate small businesses about procurement opportunities at the port. The workshops are presented in collaboration with the University of Houston Small Business Development Center.

More than 35 small business representatives attended the class, where they learned about port procurement opportunities, port facilities small business program, contracting language, bonding, insurance requirements and the port’s BuySpeed Procurement System. Since inception in 2003, more than 782 small business owners have graduated from Port University.

Port Houston staff from various departments provided insight on doing business with the port. The port’s environmental affairs team shared program highlights of interest to potential small businesses, including the environmental management of 8 public terminals, environmental auditing and the port’s environmental leadership strategy and policy.

Port environmental affairs programs include recycling, air quality management, waste management, providing environmental support for port projects as well as  a number of other activities, shared Ryan Dixon, lead environmental compliance coordinator for Port Houston.

“We strive to go beyond environmental compliance by incorporating voluntary initiatives such as our Environmental Management System, which helps us improve our internal processes and in return leads to a greener port and a healthier Houston Ship Channel,” Dixon said.  

In addition to the course, attendees are given the knowledge base about other upcoming port small business events and opportunities.  

Port Houston’s Small Business and Education Outreach department participates in around 200 events every year through the collaboration with various chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and private/public agency partners.

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