Former Xcel Energy manager Ramona Wilson walked into Knutson Construction 10 years ago to become its new diversity manager and nearly walked out.
The Minneapolis construction firm, which has worked on several high-profile projects over the years and is on the Top Workplaces national standards list, had hundreds of workers. But fewer than 10 of those were women or people of color.
"My first inclination was, 'You've got to be kidding me,'" Wilson said. "This industry was so far behind the curve."
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights recommends that Twin Cities contractors have 32% workers of color and 20% women on the workforce for any contract over $100,000.
Wilson — and Knutson — accepted the challenge and spent nine years training, expanding supplier databases and pairing Knutson estimators and supervisors with business groups with Black, Latino, Asian and Native American owners.
In 2015, she set up a five-year growth and mentorship program for 15 Minnesota vendors run by people of color who today are preferred suppliers. Some help Knutson on jobs in greater Minnesota and other states, where diverse workforces can be harder to come by.
Over time, the numbers grew. Now, Knutson has 27% representation either by workers or suppliers of color.
In the wake of George Floyd's murder in May 2020, many Minnesota companies pledged to be more racially inclusive in their hiring. But some firms haven't known where to start.