Bottom of FormRecognizing S&W Contracting Of Western New York's Achievements

Legislative Body

Date:                                                                                 Wed, Sept. 7, 2011

Rep. Brian Higgins

Party:   D

State:    NY

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of S&W Contracting, a successful local business, which recently landed at No. 47 on this year's Fortune Magazine Inner City 100, a list of the country's 100 fastest-growing inner city businesses.

Shandra Spicer, the company's president and CEO was recognized last year during Minority Enterprise Development Week as Minority Small Business Person of the Year for the Small Business Association's Buffalo District and Region II, including New York, New Jersey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

S&W Contracting of Western New York was founded in 1999 by Shandra Spicer and her parents. They began as a small company that cleaned and painted units in Buffalo's Old First Ward area apartment complexes.

About one decade later S&W had grown into a general construction contractor and commercial janitorial services company with 27 employees and revenue of 1.7 million. The company saw profits of $2.1 million in 2010. At age 22, Shandra Spicer became the CEO and President of S&W Contracting, a testament to her maturity and strong business sense at a young age.

In twelve years of business, S&W Contracting has secured some choice construction contracts, including work for Erie County Buffalo Public Schools and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Shandra Spicer graduated from the University at Buffalo all State Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs program and LPCiminelli's Emerging Contractor Mentor Program; she regularly attends workshops at the Women's Business Center at Canisius College.

Ms. Spicer advises other contractors to invest in their infrastructure, understand developers and their mission, and build relationships. S&W has clearly built relationships and put in the hard work necessary to secure contracts based on merit, a valuable message for any local business in today's economy.

It is with great pride that I stand today to recognize the achievements of S&W Contracting, under the leadership of Shandra Spicer, an inspiration to our community.