K&S ASSOCIATES HONORED BY UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AS TOP CONTRACTOR FOR MINORITY and WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

St. Louis, Missouri …The University of Missouri has awarded the 2007 Prime Contractor Showcase Award to general contractor K&S Associates, Inc. of St. Louis. The distinguished award recognizes exceptional industry achievement for participating in the University’s minority business supplier initiatives.

Dr. Gordon H. Lamb, Interim President of the University of Missouri, said the annual Showcase Award program honors exemplary achievement. "These awards not only recognize outstanding companies and organizational efforts, they provide an important reminder about one of our University's strategic goals: vibrant engagement in our communities," Dr. Lamb said.

K&S is the sole general contractor recognized with a 2007 Showcase Award for being “very effective in providing opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms, particularly in central Missouri.” Three building construction projects recently managed by K&S on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus included approximately $3 million in participation for minority-owned companies and almost $2.8 million for women-owned companies.

Tom Kraska, President of K&S Associates, said, “The entire K&S team is honored and very pleased to receive this award from the University of Missouri, which we share with appreciation for all of our company’s subcontractors and suppliers.”

Criteria for Showcase Award honors include quality of services, products or work; a company's commitment to being customer-oriented and responsive to customer feedback; its history of successful repeat work contracts with the University; and its track record in consistently meeting the University's participation goals for minority- and women-owned businesses.

The University of Missouri's Minority Business Development Program encompasses the UM system campuses at Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla, St. Louis, and University of Missouri Health Care. The University first began formally recognizing outstanding businesses with Showcase Awards in 2004.

K&S Associates, Inc. was founded in 1972. In addition to full-service general contracting, the company manages complete Design/Build projects and provides comprehensive construction management services for building projects in virtually every construction industry sector, including commercial/industrial, healthcare, military support, government, education, recreational and ecclesiastical.

K&S Associates, Inc. headquarters are at 516 Hanley Industrial Court, St. Louis, Missouri 63144-1902.
For more information, please call Paul D. Sharkey, CFM, Director of Pre-Construction Services & Facilities, K&S Associates, Inc., at 314.647.3535 or visit the website www.ksgcstl.com.

Media relations contact for K&S Associates, Inc.: Jeff Dunlap at 314.993.6925.

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