<p>At a recent Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in <a href="http://www.mccarthy.com">St. Louis, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc</a> was named the 2009 Corporation of the Year by ACCESS, theAssociation for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services<br /><br />"It's an honor to be recognized in this way," said Karl Kloster, retiring president of McCarthy's Midwest Division.&nbsp; "It's been a long journey with<br />lots of positives but there is much work ahead.&nbsp; The addition of Marvin Sanders, an executive-on-loan from the Carpenter's Union, is great progress.<br />Support from the AGC is also a big plus.&nbsp; With all this help and support, ACCESS is moving closer to its goals and that is the best reward anyone can<br />receive."<br /><br />ACCESS is the evolution of Minority Youth In Construction, a program started by Kloster and Washington University's Director of Supplier Diversity<br />Programs Sandra Marks more than 10 years ago.&nbsp; The program, which ran for three years, was aimed at getting middle-school-level minority kids interested in construction as a career. Each year, for six weeks in the summer, 35 children from the Normandy, Wellston and University City areas<br />took classes in math, computer training and interpersonal skills taught by college graduates and mentors/teachers from various companies.&nbsp; The children also visited construction firms to learn about career opportunities.<br /><br />In 2004, Kloster and Marks once again collaborated to form a one-stop information and resource venue for St. Louis minorities interested in<br />entering the construction industry.&nbsp; ACCESS supports existing construction industry diversity development programs and builds partnerships with<br />organizations whose initiatives are aimed at workforce and W/M/DBE development.&nbsp; McCarthy has been a strong supporter of ACCESS since its<br />inception.<br /><br />Kloster, and Monica Bailey, director of Diversity for McCarthy's Central Division, sit on the ACCESS board. The partnership with McCarthy will<br />continue after Kloster retires in May 2009 as Paul Hartwig, senior vice president of the company's St. Louis Business Unit steps in to take his<br />place as an ACCESS Board member.</p>