A Pitt mentorship program is giving small businesses a leg up

In August 2024, SSM Industries received a request from the University of Pittsburgh Office of Facilities Management.

The leading, full-service mechanical contractor firm is based in Pittsburgh, with a local footprint that includes work on landmarks such as Acrisure Stadium, Rivers Casino, UPMC's Mercy Vision Center and Pitt's own new Recreation and Wellness Center. But the University wasn't reaching out about a project.

Instead, Pitt wanted the large contractor to join the second cohort of its Mentor-Protege initiative, which pairs established businesses with emerging and smaller enterprises.

In 2021, the initiative launched its first cohort, aiming to expand Pitt's commitment to strengthen opportunities for small businesses and boost local economic development as a part of Buy, Build, Hire Local, a chief initiative of the Plan for Pitt 2028.

The initiative prepares smaller businesses to bid on Pitt projects: Many of the mentor companies are already bidders to the University, so their knowledge of that process gives their protege an extra bump in getting into the system to complete University work.

SSM Industries estimating manager Dave McKay said the company saw this as a noble effort, and it became one of 12 companies to join the second cohort of the Mentor-Protege initiative.

"We're always here to promote new businesses and help them get off the ground," said McKay, who's been with SSM for 23 years and was a key point of contact with the project.

SSM, which has an office staff of more than 50 and field staff of more than 400 skilled and experienced professionals across three states, agreed to mentor two smaller Pennsylvania companies: Crenshaw Brothers Construction, based in Erie, and Arimas LLC, based in Donora.

SSM Industries actually recommended Crenshaw Brothers Construction, a family-owned firm SSM has had a relationship with for nearly a decade, join the project as a mentee.

"We reached out to Crenshaw because we saw this was just another program to help them benefit even more with getting involved with the community, in the trades and with opportunities in the city," McKay said.

Notably, SSM worked with Crenshaw on the development of the Erie Insurance Arena, home to the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.

"We put together a million-dollar labor-only project," said founder and proprietor Donald Crenshaw, who runs Crenshaw Brothers with his son. "They delivered, and we delivered. We got the job done. SSM knows we could deliver if given the opportunity."

Over the next two years, McKay and other SSM project managers - including at times the organization's president, Jay Davis - met with Crenshaw proprietors, passing along strategies on safety and financial practices, such as creating better estimates, understanding contracts and filing competitive bids.

Key business development skills were passed along, but so was encouragement. In the midst of the Mentor-Protege relationship, Crenshaw began to consider opening a Pittsburgh area office to seek more workforce development opportunities in the area.

"SSM has given us confidence to get to the finish line," Crenshaw said. "We've bid some multimillion-dollar jobs with them, so we understand what it takes to be successful. They have a unique modeling structure of what it takes to run a company and we've learned a lot."

Pitt supports the initiative with required quarterly check-ins, giving mentors and proteges a touchstone every three months to help solidify goals, ask questions and receive feedback.

But Pitt also recognizes the value of networking and providing business opportunities with other entities, and potential collaboration and partnerships on non-Pitt projects with program participants.

"The overall benefit of the program is that it fosters goodwill and community engagement, builds long-term relationships and diversifies the construction market," said Tawanda Stamps, who developed and led the program for several years.

For SSM, which started as a small company in 1989, the mentorship is humbling.

"When I show up to work each day, everything is established and in place," McKay said. "It's easy to overlook all the hard work and effort that goes into building a business like SSM."

Photography by Tom Altany. From left, SSM and Crenshaw Brothers employees gather in SSM's Pittsburgh warehouse: Dave McKay, Tim Sukits, Shon Wright, Jay Davis, Dan Bradley, Don Crenshaw, John McAleavey, Aaron Crenshaw and Tom Szymczak.