Powers & Sons Construction Company, one of the largest African-American owned companies in the Midwest, was awarded a special resolution by the City Council of Chicago for a half-century of contributions to the economy and culture of the city and region. The resolution was presented to executives of Powers & Sons by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council of Chicago at its regular meeting on May 2.
“This is a very proud moment for my family and all the great people who have made Powers & Sons the strong company it is,” said Mamon Powers, Jr., CEO and Chairman of the Board. “Our company history is a deeply American story where the hard work and ingenuity of our father and mother started this great organization and lives on through his family and co-workers at Powers & Sons.”
Powers & Sons Construction Company is a leading general con- tractor, construction manager, design builder and project management company. The firm has fully staffed offices in Chicago, Gary, Indiana and Indianapolis. Over the last 50 years, Powers & Sons has built a reputation for delivering quality projects and has delivered more than $1 billion in projects since its inception.
The company is currently managing nearly $100 million in construction projects. It has offices in Gary, Indianapolis, and Chicago with a staff of more than 70 professionals, including a support staff of architects, registered engineers, and other specialists to help the company meet its client’s needs.
Powers & Sons was founded in 1967 by Mamon Powers Sr. (1921 – 2001), who came to the Midwest from Mississippi in 1946 as part of a wave of African-Americans moving north for economic opportunity. At the time, Mr. Powers possessed only a dream and a work ethic. He first intended to work in the steel mill but soon realized there was more opportunity using the construction skills he learned from his father in Mississippi. He apprenticed under the trailblazing African American home builder Andrew Means.
In 1967, Mr. Powers opened Powers & Sons, which began as a home building firm but gradually moved into larger commercial projects. The firm’s work can be found at O’Hare International Airport, The University of Chicago, Hales Franciscan High School, Wabash YMCA, Legends South Apartments and many other iconic locales of Chicago.
The City of Chicago resolution recognized the company for its legacy, reading, in part: “Powers & Sons today stands as a quintessential example of African American entrepreneurship that has provided inspiration to countless of young people who seek to establish their own mark on the world.”
Powers & Sons is a passionate supporter of community causes and the empowerment of young people through its generous funding of higher education scholarships and organizations like the Chicago Urban League, United Negro College Fund, Museum of Science and Industry,
Habitat for Humanity, YWCA,NAACP, The Salvation Army, and the United Way, among many others.
Additional information on Powers and Sons Construction may be found at www.powersandsons.com.
