Burns & McDonnell honored associates and its small, minority and women-owned partners this morning at its fourth annual Community of Inclusion Awards breakfast. The awards recognize outstanding diversity partnerships that strengthen local businesses and empower communities.

During opening remarks, Burns & McDonnell vice president Matt Ralston noted that 25.3 percent of the company’s total 2015 expenditures—approximately $400 million—was with small and diverse firms.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Fred McKinney, managing director of Minority Business Enterprise programs at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, made the case for the positive impact of inclusion on the economy and on communities.

Jason Parson, owner of Parson & Associates LLC, was awarded a scholarship to the Tuck School of Business.

Here’s a list of the honored small business owners and the Burns & McDonnell staffers who collaborated with them on various projects over the last year:

I-64 Daniel Boone Bridge

Geri E. Boyer // Kaskaskia Engineering Group LLC

Michael Wild // Burns & McDonnell, Transportation

Jeffrey Mues // Burns & McDonnell, Transportation

Utility Privatization Efforts

Pam Engebretson // Interra Strategies Inc.

Greg Crow // Burns & McDonnell, Business & Technology Services

Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste Federal Marketing

Matt Metcalf // Tehama LLC

David Brewer // Tehama LLC

Trace Cooley // Burns & McDonnell, Environmental

Raghu Arora // Burns & McDonnell, Environmental

Walter McClendon // Burns & McDonnell, Environmental