PATH protege program graduates first seven students.

The first seven protege companies to participate in the Port Authority's three-year-old Mentor-Protege Program will complete the program with a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, April 5, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., in the Essex Room of the Hilton Newark Gateway Hotel in Newark.

The program helps certified minority- and women-owned construction firms improve their management, organization and construction skills, bolstering their ability to compete for Port Authority and other organizations' construction contracts.

"This has turned out to be very successful," said Port Authority chairman Anthony R. Coscia.

"The more experienced companies have acted as mentors to the newer ones, giving them the benefit of their business and construction knowledge and skills. Through this program, we have begun to increase the number of minority-owned and women-owned companies prepared to bid on larger construction contracts with the Port Authority and other public and private organizations."

"This is an innovative way to help level the playing field for small companies and improve employment opportunities for our residents," said Port Authority vice chairman Charles A. Gargano.

"Minority- and women-owned businesses and the jobs they produce are extremely important to New York's economy. That is why Governor Pataki renewed Article 15A this past year, and why New York State is making significant progress in reaching out to more firms to make certain that they know all we have to offer them to help grow their businesses."

Executive director Kenneth Ringler Jr. said, "I would like to express the Port Authority's appreciation to the staff members of the 10 large construction companies who unselfishly volunteered as mentors, sharing their acumen and expertise with the seven smaller companies. This is another example of how our agency, working with our public and private sector partners, can help to strengthen the regional economy, create new business opportunities and broaden workforce participation."

The graduating protege companies are NCC, Inc.; Aurora Electric, Inc.; Jody Builders Corp.; Sharon Construction Corp.; JCF Electric, Inc.; MZM Construction Company, Inc. and Phillip Fordyce Construction, Inc.

The mentor companies are Turner Construction Company, Inc.; RCC Electric Inc.; RCC Builders and Developers, Inc.; Perini Corp.; Tishman Construction Corp. of New York; KEVCO Electric, Inc.; Twin Towers Enterprises, Inc.; Granite Halmar Construction Company, Inc.; Conti Enterprises, Inc. and VRH Construction Corp.

Judith Flynn, president of mentor company, KEVCO Electric, Inc., said, "The program has given me the opportunity to learn from the proteges and other mentors."