Summary
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Lawrence Bryant

Lawrence Bryant

Cedar Rapids,Iowa

Summary

Results-driven intrapreneur with extensive experience in the public and private sectors. Skilled at identifying community needs and developing sustainable solutions. Strong understanding of addressing community structure and infrastructure issues. Excel at leveraging resources to foster positive outcomes in established and emerging neighborhoods and communities.

Work History

Contracts Manager

Iowa Department of Management
  • Community Issue - State of the State (1985)
  • Economic Recession
  • Farm crisis
  • Governor courts Saturn car manufacturer and other big businesses
  • Saturn went to Tennessee; no other business interested
  • Impromptu study revealed 85% Iowa businesses small business (25 of fewer employees)
  • Proposed to Governor and Legislators small business program
  • Strengthen existing small businesses-favorable loans, technical assistance, favorable state contracts
  • Created Targeted Small Business program (TSB) included certification, loans, equity grant, technical assistance
  • Wrote every jot and tittle of TSB legislation
  • Law passed unanimously by the Iowa House and Iowa Senate
  • Wrote all Rules to implement TSB
  • Oversaw the implementation of the TSB, from the Department of Management

Personnel/Affirmative Action Director

Black Hawk County
  • Community Issue - 3 people of color had been hired - all in janitorial classification; No women in Sherriff department
  • All hires were political patronage
  • All Department heads elected (Sherriff, Auditor, Treasurer, Clerk of Court, Board of Supervisors, etc.)
  • Helped develop non-political personnel system
  • All departments shared their job requirements and requisite skills
  • Put Job requirements and requisite skills into Black and Hispanic media
  • Increased minority employment by 1000% in 2 years
  • First woman hired into the Sheriff's department

Cedar Rapids Entrepreneur Program (CREP) Coordinator

Cedar Rapids Entrepreneur Program (CREP)
  • Company Overview: Partnership between Jane Boyd Community House and Go Daddy
  • Community Issue- Lack of economic development opportunities in distressed neighborhoods
  • Economic Development= Promoting the growth of those that produce, those that distribute, and those that consume
  • Developed business curriculum for two levels of entrepreneurs - no business experience and experienced
  • Recruit, interview, select a total of 25 twice a year for 6-10-week business workshops
  • Made Office hours available for mentoring or counseling
  • Recruited Workshop presenters from SBDC, SCORE, & Go Daddy
  • 4 classes of 25/Entrepreneurs/year
  • 73 Graduated = Business concept developed (High Feasibility)
  • 49 Ready to start-up
  • 15 Entrepreneurs opened doors
  • Partnership between Jane Boyd Community House and Go Daddy

Mentor

Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC
  • Community Issue - Distressed communities are void of comprehensive business planners
  • Help mentees through 5 phases of business life cycle - Concept development; start-up; growth; stabilization; innovation/decline
  • Mentored 48 small businesses in Iowa, Illinois, and Louisiana

Housing Manager

City of Waterloo, Iowa, Low Rent Housing Commission
  • Community Issue - NIMBY (Not in my back yard) - Stereotypical perception
  • Low income = slums
  • Unkempt neighborhood
  • Deterioration = lower home value
  • Mote - Inspect what you expect
  • Aggressive inspection/maintenance program for cleanliness & repairs
  • Informed all tenants before occupancy and each month
  • Returned all rented homes over a two year in same condition or better, minus normal wear and tear

Community Development Specialist

City of Waterloo, Iowa, Department of Community Development
  • Community Issue - No people of color were contracted to do any rehab work in distressed neighborhoods
  • All City approved contractors were union certified
  • No people of color in building Trades union
  • Literally transported 7 young African American men to the unions
  • They applied, completed Apprentice program
  • All became Journeymen (3 Plumbers, 2 Electricians, 1 Carpenter, 1 Brick Mason)
  • At least 2 became Masters in their trade

Real Estate Consultant

Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC
  • Community Issue - Mortgage Crash; Foreclosure explosion
  • Stop Foreclosure
  • Guide Homeowner through alternative to Foreclosure
  • Do all paperwork and contact with Mortgage company
  • Carved out niche in Real Estate-Short Sale Expert
  • Get Homeowner out of mortgage debt; help banks/mortgage company mitigate their losses; get investors a deal and not a discount

Consultant: Public Involvement unlimited, LLC Concept Plan - Iowa Highway 1- Super 2

Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)
  • Community Issue: No input in IDOT planning process
  • Met with 10 of the 12 Amish Bishop
  • Share IDOT concept for wide shoulder
  • Amish concern: getting across a wider and faster extra lane
  • With this information, DOT could build an overpass or under-pass

Field Services Coordinator

Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)
  • Community Issue: City of Clinton, Iowa was summarily denied a By-Pass by the Director of IDOT
  • Clinton believed by-pass would solve their economic problems
  • Singularly conducted 2-day listening and problem-solving sessions with community leaders and local government officials
  • Uncovered, Clinton's request for a by-pass was transportation related
  • Award: Community of Clinton presented a 3-legged stool for the three transportation issues that were resolved (By-Pass, Improvements to US 67, and improvements to US 30)

Real Estate & ROW Representative-2

Alliant Energy
  • Procured and/or secured land rights for electrical lines, gas lines, communication towers, and wind turbines
  • Bought land, subdivided land, created easements, created leases for wind turbines

Sub-Consultant - Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

City of Waterloo, Iowa
  • Community Issue: Brownfield (often aged industrial area that is dying or dead and must be tested for contamination and cleaned for any future use)
  • Led respective communities in brainstorming possible ways to transform these community eye sores into something green (living, vibrant, and healthy)

Sub-Consultant-Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

City of Waterloo, Department of Planning and Zoning
  • Community Issue: Environmental Justice: US Highway 63, displaced a whole Neighborhood of African Americans during the late 1950's and early 1960's
  • Assessed opportunities for Economic and Neighborhood development
  • Surveyed community for most immediate need (Hardware store #1 need)
  • Guided development of Community Development Corporation (CDC)
  • Directly encouraged Hy-Vee, John Deere, and Allen Hospital to be represented on CDC
  • New Hy-Vee built
  • New Walgreen built in the area
  • Menards expressed interest and staked the area for a new site

Education

Bachelor of Science - Public Administration

Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA

Skills

  • Cost control
  • Procurement management
  • Contract drafting
  • Legal compliance

Timeline

Contracts Manager

Iowa Department of Management

Personnel/Affirmative Action Director

Black Hawk County

Cedar Rapids Entrepreneur Program (CREP) Coordinator

Cedar Rapids Entrepreneur Program (CREP)

Mentor

Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

Housing Manager

City of Waterloo, Iowa, Low Rent Housing Commission

Community Development Specialist

City of Waterloo, Iowa, Department of Community Development

Real Estate Consultant

Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

Consultant: Public Involvement unlimited, LLC Concept Plan - Iowa Highway 1- Super 2

Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)

Field Services Coordinator

Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT)

Real Estate & ROW Representative-2

Alliant Energy

Sub-Consultant - Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

City of Waterloo, Iowa

Sub-Consultant-Public Involvement Unlimited, LLC

City of Waterloo, Department of Planning and Zoning

Bachelor of Science - Public Administration

Upper Iowa University

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