G. W. Peoples Contracting Co., Inc. is proud to announce its membership in the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, a non-profit, private sector leadership organization dedicated to economic development and quality of life issues for a 10-county region in southwestern Pennsylvania!

For many years, GWP Chairman and CEO Melvin Clark has been a featured speaker at the Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) Tunica Policy Conference, the premier annual policy conference held in Tunica, Mississippi which is intended to elicit diverse thoughts on issues impacting the quality of life in minority communities throughout the U.S.  The Tunica sessions are directed towards identification of workable solutions to problems facing minorities, and Mr. Clark’s participation in this important summit has given both a face and a voice to an historically under-utilized industry.

Each year, as a representative of the African-American business community, Mr. Clark has acted as a strong advocate for small business policy reform, as well as for diversity and inclusion in the transportation construction marketplace.  Mr. Clark has proposed practical and implementable answers to issues that concern both Members of the CBC and the African-American business person, and he looks forward to continuing to work that organization toward mutually resolutions.

Mr. Clarks remarks and recommendations may be viewed here:

  • My name is Melvin E. Clark, Jr., and currently I am Chairman, CEO and Owner of G. W. Peoples Contracting Co., Inc. We are the national only African-American owned firm in the country that builds railroads. This fact simply underscores the problems encountered and the progress that has yet to be made if we – minority and women-owned businesses – are to play a meaningful role in building and rehabilitating the transportation infrastructure in America.
  • GWP is currently t currently operates from three locations: its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia and regional offices in Chicago, IL, and Pittsburgh, PA.
  • GWP specializes in all elements of heavy and light railroad and transit construction including new track installation, rehabilitation, maintenance, repair and removal. GWP also offers welding services, rail adjustment and ultrasonic testing.
  • The firm is certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in over 40 jurisdictions, including Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas and Illinois.
  • I have made a personal pledge to ensure that our workforce reflects the demographics of the communities that the transit system serves. GWP has worked and is continuing to work with Urban Leagues and other community organizations and churches and that currently over 66% of the GWP workforce is minority.  In fact, the recruitment processes we used for the CTA Red Line Project is being utilized as a model to provide jobs for inner city residents and to ensure diversity in the workplace on GWP construction sites throughout the country.
  • As you also know, such a commitment is often not shared by majority firms. As U.S. DOT-funded transportation mega-projects become the trend, they require formation of joint ventures (JVs) which generally are made up of several prime contractors/majority-owned firms.  We find that these JV teams tend to fulfill their DBE participation goals – if any – through historically-minority disciplines, reserving the high-end, non-traditional work (e.g., track work, A/E design, electrical structures and signals, pipework, and welding) to perform themselves.
  • It is our strong view that all DBE goals should be applied to each phase of the project and to each individual discipline, including track work by breaking out contract work items such as track, even when the prime contractor might otherwise prefer to perform this work with its own forces. Further, we believe that it would not be unreasonable for transit agencies to insist that these majority firms not just meet the goal on the project, but strive to expand upon and exceed that minimum percentage.
  • Firms like mine who are able to compete on a level playing field are the companies that provide jobs for and stimulate economic development in the minority community
  • As additional background, as a result of that level playing field and a commitment from many agency officials to strong minority participation and inclusiveness on every level and in each context, GWP has successfully participated in design/build projects across the nation:  Examples include:
  • CTA
    • Rehabilitation of the Dan Ryan Red Line
    • Laramie – Harlem Trackwork Improvements
    • Ravenswood Connector
    • Red Line 95thStreet Terminal
    • Loop Track Renewal Project
  • Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
    • System-wide Rehabilitation Program Replacing Ties/Fasteners/Insulators
    • SafeTrack – massive accelerated track work plan to address safety and
    • rehabilitate the Metrorail system. SafeTrack is compressing three years’ worth of
    • work into approximately one year.
  • Washington, DC Department of Transportation
    • DC Streetcar Track Project
    • Streetcar Car Barn Project
  • New York MTA
    • Projects Involving rehabilitation of track in tunnels and structures
  • DallasArea Rapid Transit (DART)
    • Central Business District Rail Replacement Project in Downtown Dallas; the award winning time-lapse video of our work can be seen on our web
    • Future Expansion of DART Light Rail System
  • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
    • Viaducts Trackwork
    • Crum Creek Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation
    • Media/Sharon Hill Line
  • Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Authority (MARTA)
    • Downtown Streetcar Track Construction and Maintenance
    • Possible Expansion of MARTA Streetcar System
  • At each of these locations, GWP hires from the community and has provided hundreds of jobs:
  • GWP has partnered with Dwayne Sampson, CEO of the Transportation Diversity Council (TDC), to recruit, hire and train up to 50 graduates from the Bronx Design and Construction Academy (BDCA) specifically for jobs working on the SafeTrack rail maintenance project for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
  • The BDCA offers students 21st century trade training, innovative sustainability practices and rigorous academics. Its graduates are equipped for advance entry into the competitive construction trades, and GWP has taken on and provided lodging for a number of those students to work on the intensive track rehabilitation effort on the Washington, DC Metro.
  • In addition to the BDCA grads, of the 140 employees working on the WMATA SafeTrack maintenance project, more than 60% are minority and/or women and are residents of the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) regional area.
  • This past week, GWP sponsored in conjunction with the Chicago Urban League, a recruitment event. Due to widespread circulation on social media and my own appearance on WVON radio anchor Matt McGill’s morning news program, nearly 500 applicants showed up for jobs.  These potential candidates could be put to work on GWP jobs for WMATA, the Dulles Airport Extension, or in Chicago, New York or Philadelphia, and will have transferable skills that we hope will in advance and improve the socio-economic dynamics of the nation.
  • My recommendations would make a big difference, resulting in billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. First – the Federal Railroad Administration(FRA):
  • The total U.S. DOT Budget for FY2016 is around $80 billion, with around $5 billion for the FRA
  • FRA’s program is specifically dedicated to railroads and rail infrastructure, with money going into state rail commissions. It can’t be spent any other way.
  • However, FRA has no statutory authorization and no moral obligation, indeed, no Administrative directive to be inclusive of disadvantaged businesses.
  • We understand that FRA is seeking this authority through legislative avenues, the statutory authority to establish DBE goals, based on the FHWA model.
  • Currently, a disparity study is being conducted in conjunction with NERA, the National Economic Research Associates
  • Members of the Black Caucus have pushed for a change from this on Capitol Hill, and we look forward to continuing to work with the CBC to progress appropriate legislative language once the study is completely, hopefully, by the end of this year.
  • At this point in time, a 10% goal would put at least $.5 billion in the hands of minority businesses per year.
  • No rational argument can be made to justify FRA’s exclusion from this important, otherwise government-wide program
  • The Mantra Here Is: Billions of dollars and thousands of jobs
  • The Cummings Amendment to the Highway Reauthorization bill would have modified current U.S. DOT small business size standards to be compatible and accordance with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
  • As it stands, the U.S. SBA caps the three-year average revenue for small businesses at $36.5 million while U.S. DOT standard for small business is roughly $12.5 million lower.
  • This is a simple fix to a big problem: in the interest of fairness and consistency and the survival of small minority owned business, the U.S. DOT should use the SBA’s size standards when making determinations with regard to small business status.
  • GWP believes that tax credits to incentivize the hiring of these target groups should be expanded, accelerated and facilitated:
  1. Certain veterans
  2. Ex-felons
  3. Food stamp recipients
  4. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients
  5. Impoverished community residents
  6. Supplemental Security Income recipients
  7. Summer youth employees
  8. Long-term unemployed (those unemployed for at least 27 weeks)
  • GWP, with the support of partners from businesses and from the community, continues to make positive difference in the industry. GWP has extended its highly successful recruiting, hiring and on-the-job training efforts throughout the country by way of outreach to job fairs, union halls, local churches, police stations, and the Washington Urban League.  Chronically unemployed individuals have been placed in positions that include operators, mechanics and laborers, and are provided skills that are easily transferable to lifelong careers.  GWP remains committed to continuing to advance diversity and quality in the workplace, from the corporate offices to the front lines of construction sites.
  • I look forward to working with the CBC towards these and additional practical and implementable solutions to our mutual concerns.

 

Melvin E. Clark, Jr., Chairman/CEO of African-American owned railroad construction contractor, G.W. Peoples Contracting Co. Inc. (GWP), headquartered in Arlington, VA, is pleased to announce that GWP’s successful partnership with Dwayne Sampson, CEO of the Transportation Diversity Council (TDC), to recruit, hire and train up to 30 Bronx Design and Construction Academy (BDCA) graduates which has resulted in meaningful jobs working on the SafeTrack rail maintenance project for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

Mr.  Clark visited the school to see first-hand how the students were engaged in acquiring the requisite industry skills and declared his appreciation for the opportunity to become aligned with the school.  He subsequently became a featured speaker at their graduation.  Clark stated, “We at GWP are proud to offer to these recent graduates a true opportunity to better support themselves and their families, at the same time addressing the severe unemployment in the inner city.”

A copy of the full press release can be viewed here:

View Press Release

Jacksonville, FL — GWP Chairman and CEO Melvin Clark helped kick off the Florida Black Business Opportunity Summit as featured Guest Speaker at the opening breakfast for the 15th Annual Black Business Expo at the Jacksonville University Club.

Mr. Clark was introduced by good friend Nathanial Ford, Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA).  Before an audience of invitation-only Black business leaders, public and elected officials and community activists, Mr. Clark addressed the theme of the 2016 conference:  Educate – Enlighten – Inspire.

Mr. Clark focused on the inspiring figures in his own life including his father Melvin E. Clark, Sr., a Western Pennsylvania COGIC Bishop and his grandfather, Carl Clark, Sr., a founding member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and civil rights activist.

In addition, Mr. Clark shared his own inspirational journey from the founding and growth of Metroplex Corporation in the earlier 1980s to the acquisition and success of G. W. Peoples Contracting in the 2000s.  Mr. Clark urged his audience to be vigilant, to be prepared and to be persistent.  He also called on everyone, particularly the young people in the audience, to become engaged and exert the necessary influence to affect change, both in the community and in the political arena.

In that context, Mr. Clark added that in by being educated, by becoming enlightened and by being inspired and inspiring others, a fourth component can be added:  Empowerment.

The conclusion of Mr. Clark’s remarks was met with standing ovation and marked an exciting beginning to a weekend that included the Black Expo, a Taste of Jacksonville and the Black Pages’ Top 20 under 40 Awards.

Melvin E. Clark Jr.

Mr. Clark, currently Owner, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, of G.W. Peoples Contracting Company, Inc. (GWP) has built an impressive three-decade career, building and managing two national rail construction companies. Armed with the spiritual and moral teachings imparted to him by his father, a nationally-known evangelical minister and COGIC Bishop, he graduated from Pennsylvania State University, followed by JD and MBA degrees from Northwestern University.

Mr. Clark then began his legal career with a prominent Pittsburgh law firm, as a corporate and labor attorney, prior to joining the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. In 1983, Mr. Clark, with his father’s support, founded Metroplex Corporation, the nation’s first minority-owned railroad construction company which he grew into a nationally-known and widely-respected leader in its field. The company won multi-million dollar contracts for prestigious transit projects across the country, including the Alameda LRT Corridor in Los Angeles ($65 million), the Bay Area Rapid Transit Project in San Francisco ($35 million) and the New Jersey Transit Project in Camden ($50 million). In 2000, Clark sold that company to Balfour Beatty, a U.K.-based construction/engineering firm.

In 2011, Mr. Clark acquired full control of G. W. Peoples, and under his leadership, expertise, and vision, GWP now boasts a successful turnaround, producing over $22 million in annual sales. GWP was the DBE rail contractor for the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) rehabilitation of the Dan Ryan Red Line, a $425 million project to upgrade 10.2 miles of the CTA system where, GWP was able to ensure that over 70 percent of the its workforce on the project was minority (men and women).  GWP also built the Atlanta Downtown Streetcar Line, and constructed the Norfolk Light Rail Transit System for Hampton Roads Transit. Currently, the firm is aggressively recruiting, hiring and training inner city residents for GWP jobs working on the SafeTrack rail maintenance project for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

GWP has partnered with Dwayne Sampson, CEO of the Transportation Diversity Council (TDC), to recruit, hire and train up to 50 graduates of the Bronx Design and Construction Academy (BDCA) for employment on the SafeTrack project.  Mr. Clark visited the BDCA to see first-hand how the students were engaged in acquiring the requisite industry skills and declared his appreciation for the opportunity to become aligned with the school.  He subsequently became a featured speaker at their graduation. Mr. Clark is proud to offer these recent graduates a true opportunity to better support themselves and their families, while at the same time addressing the severe unemployment in the inner city.

Working as an agent of change in Washington, Mr. Clark helped establish a Mentor–Protégé Program for the Small Business Administration in the mid-1990s designed to pair minority-owned businesses with large firms with the goals of providing marketing and financial assistance, and facilitating procurement of federal contracts. Mr. Clark and Metroplex signed the SBA’s first Mentor-Protégé agreement with GWP, then a small struggling contractor. He had also previously received Presidential appointments to the Boards of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, the United Service Organization, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Mr. Clark was a private sector representative for the U.S. State Department at the UN Trade and Development Conference in South Africa.  He was also a member of President Clinton’s White House Mission to Africa and a member of TransAfrica Forum’s coterie to Haiti to provide assistance to the country’s depressed economy.

Mr. Clark is an active member of YPO, an executive education organization of more than 20,000 presidents and CEOs worldwide, all committed to the exchange of ideas and shared experiences. Importantly, Mr. Clark is also a founding member of Black YPO, created to focus on interactions and experiences unique to minority executives. He serves as Trustee for the Church in the Round in Aliquippa, PA, and supports the church and Beaver County, PA’s local Family Life Center with his time and through his generous financial contributions.  A member of the international African-American Fraternity Omega Psi Phi, Mr. Clark is a true role model for our next generation.  The hallmark of Mr. Clark’s success has been his legacy of breaking down the sometimes-imposing impediments of exclusion, discrimination and intolerance. Mr. Clark relies on a simple and effective adage: “Do well by doing good”.

Still an aggressive advocate for small and disadvantaged business concerns, Mr. Clark acted as an advisor to the White House Task Force on Small and Disadvantaged Business during the Obama Administration, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s 21th Century Council.  The CBCI launched the 21st Century Council to identify issues key to ensuring a sound future for all Americans and to provide workable solutions to the White House and U.S. Congress to meet these challenges.

In his leadership role at GWP, Mr. Clark will continue to mentor and advise senior management on all aspects of marketing, management, and construction decisions.  Indeed, he has re-energized G.W. Peoples, and positioned it as a premier rail contracting company to take advantage of the substantial growth potential occasioned by a welcome renaissance in the rail industry.

The 1st African-American Owned Railroad Construction Company In the U.S.

by Phyllis Cunningham

Valor and integrity are words that come to mind when you meet Melvin E. Clark, Jr. Esq., founding owner of the Metroplex Corporation. A gifted leader, Mr. Clark is currently the Chairman, Cheif Executive Officer, and owner of G.W. Peoples Contracting Company, Inc. a DBE/MBE/SBE certified contractor specializing in top quality construction, repair and maintenance of railroad tracks and related facilities, as well as construction and maintenance of railroad right-of-way and rail transit infrastructure.

Amidst a career spanning over three decades, Clark has earned a reputation as an unflinching trailblazer and a staunch advocate for minority and disadvantaged businesses. He holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from Penn State University, a Juris Doctorate from Northwestern University School of Law and a Masters in Management from Northwestern University’s Kellor Graduate School of Management.

Read the full article

Making the Cover of “American DBE” Magazine

A British novelist said, “If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don’t, you have achieved half your failure.” Throughout his academic, professional and entrepreneurial journey, Melvin E. Clark, Chief Executive Officer of G.W. Peoples Contracting Co. has exhibited the will to win.

“I am chairman, CEO and owner of G.W. Peoples Contracting. We are the only African American-owned firm in the country that builds railroads,” Clark said. “This fact simply underscores the problems encountered and the progress that has yet to be made if we—minority and women-owned businesses—are to play a meaningful role in building and rehabilitating the transportation infrastructure in America. We have a corporate —and I have a personal—commitment to ensure that our workforce reflects the communities and the ridership that the transit system serves.”

Three decades ago, Clark entered the railroad industry because he saw an opportunity – and had the undeterred will to win.

Read the full article

Transportation & Infrastructure – Diversity – Annual Report 2013

Transit

We have identified an inequity in the application of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goals on publically-funded transit projects. Large prime contractors, including railroad construction contractors, exhibit an entrenched reluctance to use non-traditional disciplines to fulfill DBE participation goals. Currently, DBE goals are applied for the total project.

We believe that actions that limit minority participation to “traditional” trades are in disregard of the true intent of the DBE program, i.e., to redress discrimination and remove barriers to full participation of DBEs in opportunities within each area of contract competencies and within all fields of work.

We recommend that DBE participation goals be established for each phase of a project, including engineering, design and construction, and for each discipline.

Railroads

There simply must be a unified position, an affirmative and unequivocal plank in the CBC political platform to promote actions designed to ensure opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses in railroad infrastructure construction. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and its federal rail programs have no statutory authority – and therefore, no program – to provide for inclusion of small and disadvantaged businesses.

Ensuring fairness and diversity among those projects that receive taxpayer dollars and demanding accountability from the recipients of those funds is a fundamental role of the government, and we believe that what is good for every other agency under the purview of the U. S. Department of Transportation should be good for the FRA. In addition to being a pragmatic political stand, it just makes for good public policy and practical business sense.

We recommend an Executive Order to mandate inclusion of minority and disadvantaged groups across all U.S. DOT contracts including those funded under the FRA.

Melvin E. Clark Jr., CEO, G.W. Peoples Contracting Co. Inc.

07.01.2012 | SBN Staff | Pittsburgh | Entrepreneur Of The Year

FINALIST / CONSTRUCTION

Melvin E. Clark Jr. grew up with the idea that helping people is a good and honorable thing — and he’s incorporated that philosophy into his life in business. The son of an evangelical minister, Clark has built a network of friends and associates who believe in his leadership style and who want to help him succeed in whatever endeavor he pursues.

Clark began his career as a corporate and labor attorney before launching his first business, which just happened to be the nation’s first minority-owned railroad construction company. He worked hard to build it into a success and then sold it so he could pursue his dream of providing help to small businesses.

Clark spent several years as a consultant to G.W. Peoples Contracting Co. Inc., a company that was in dire need of strong leadership. Eventually, Clark took control of the company, and as CEO, he began to infuse his relationship skills into the organization to restore its reputation and stability.

Based on the reputation he had built for himself over the years, and with trust as the foremost core value and principle, Clark was able to bring along people he knew well to help get GWP back on its feet.

His team has executed a wide range of both heavy and light-rail construction projects that have turned the company’s fortunes around. At the same time, GWP’s safety and quality standards have been met and exceeded, resulting in an organization that continues to grow.

But it’s Clark’s personal skill as a leader and mentor that is truly the key to success. New leaders are being developed every day, helping the culture to grow as well.

G.W. Peoples Contracting Company Inc.

Fast Track to the Future

Produced by Victor Martins & Written by Jeanee Dudley

Melvin E. Clark Jr., chairman and CEO of G.W. Peoples Contracting Company Inc. (GWP), has been in the railroad
construction business for over three decades. Clark’s experience led GWP to become a national leader in the industry. The company’s Northern Virginia headquarters is backed by GWP’s two regional offices, which are located in Chicago, Ill., and western Pennsylvania. “We specialize in railroad, transit and related construction activities,” explains Clark. “That includes new rail construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, repair and demolition.”

GWP has left a geographic footprint across the country, helming projects from Los Angeles to Virginia, and up and
down the Eastern Seaboard from Albany, N.Y., to Atlanta, Ga. With such an extensive reach GWP’s clients include
public transit authorities, the Department of Defense and private-sector companies.

This impressive portfolio is due in part to GWP’s more than capable team, which begins at the helm. “I began working with GWP as a mentor and consultant in 2005, and joined the firm as CEO in 2010,” says Clark. “I then purchased 100 percent of the stock in 2011.” At that time Clark was charged with the task of restoring GWP’s reputation and stability, thus ensuring the company’s future viability.

Before his journey with GWP Clark founded Metroplex in 1982, which quickly grew into the premier minority rail
construction contractor in the United States. Metroplex was sold to UK-based international engineering/construction firm Balfour Beatty in 2000. When Clark became an executive at GWP, he brought more than his legal and business acumen with him; he brought an extensive background in finance, administration, public policy and philanthropy. Clark’s leadership, expertise and vision, paired with his sharp and experienced management team, allows GWP to boast a clean bill of fiscal health, producing over $14 million in annual sales today. Clark’s bio is impressive, as he was nominated for the 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and currently sits on several prestigious boards and participates in associations that support small and minority business inclusion in publicly funded infrastructure projects.

Clark’s multiple recognitions fit well with the company’s core values and principles: trust, equal opportunities, creativity and innovative thinking, honesty and teamwork. Clark emphasizes this last one, saying, “Our employees are this company’s most valuable asset.”

Professional Power

GWP employs 160 people between the three branches. “We have the best staff in the world,” says Clark. His management team is experienced and comprised of several executives he has worked with in the past.

Ralph Golick, senior vice president of construction at GWP, is one of those trusted employees. “Ralph worked on some of the largest transit construction projects in the country,” says Clark. “He has been responsible for over $100 million in work, and really has some really significant experience in this business.”

Bill Frey, vice president of operations at GWP, is yet another asset, as he has been with the company since 2000. Bill’s background includes 22 years of railroad experience, and his work history encompasses leadership roles in all aspects of construction, operation and maintenance. Bill was a valuable addition to the company, as he worked with Metroplex for many years. “After the purchase, I was able to persuade Bill to join us,” explains Clark.

Building the Future of Transportation Between 2010 and 2012 GWP has been involved in several major infrastructure projects. “In Norfolk, Va., we did an entire rail system,” says Clark. “We are currently building the downtown streetcar system in Atlanta. We’re also performing construction on the Red Line Renewal Project in Chicago, on the MTA in New York, and on a number of private rail jobs in Virginia, Ohio and West Virginia. We’re already working 24/7 with multiple crews on multiple projects at a time. We are very proud of what we have accomplished.”

The team has plans to expand into the high-speed rail business as well. California’s state senate passed a bill granting $8 billion for a high-speed rail system in July 2012, and naturally GWP is getting involved. In addition, federal loans and grants are being dispersed along with private funding to support high-speed rail systems in Nevada and Florida.

“We’re looking to partner with other major contractors, many part of public-private partnerships on these high-speed lines,” says Clark.

GWP has already established a board of advisors building a vision for a larger company. “We have a path and we are getting ready to hire more young talent,” Clark adds. “Our marketing department and human resources are both utilizing social media and web marketing to reach out to identify new opportunities and fresh talent. We’re already the premier minority rail contractor, but we want to be known as the country’s best rail contractor,
period.”

GWP has the capability to perform on large design-build rail construction projects, start-to finish, utilizing an in-house team of experienced executives, project managers, engineers, technicians and field personnel. The company has the performance history, experience and equipment to provide quality rail systems that meet both the needs of clients and the highest safety and infrastructure standards, as required by federal, state and local regulation.

The GWP team values innovation, quality and safety above all else, and adheres to a mission of honesty and integrity. “Our biggest performance indicators are community involvement, job creation, and enhancing the strength of our reputation in the rail transit construction industry,” says Clark.

His personal dedication to serving community is shared by his colleagues and he says it is rooted in his upbringing. “My father taught me to do well by doing good,” explains Clark. “We’re trying to make a positive difference: an impact in our community, the rail industry and minority business.” Clark serves as Trustee for the Church in the Round in Aliquippa, Pa., in addition to supporting the church and Beaver County, Pa.’s local family life center, with his time and through his generous financial contributions.

Clark carries on his father’s commitment to excellence in his own mission to excel and compete with the largest rail
contractors in the country. Additionally, Clark and his team are making important networking decisions that are already establishing growth for GWP in several sectors. The business’ executives are leading the way for new technology, sharing best practices for safety and innovation, as well as staying ahead of the curve on legislative and regulatory trends. G.W. Peoples Contracting Company Inc. has been expanding the horizons of the U.S. rail system
for two decades, and Clark is looking forward to a future of accessible, high tech transit across the country.