Diversity & Equity
EST. 1999 · N/NE PORTLAND
Raimore Construction is a heavy civil contractor headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Since the very beginning, we have delivered complex infrastructure across the Pacific Northwest — roads, bridges, utilities, earthwork, and the foundational systems that keep communities connected and economies moving.
We were also founded in the N/NE Portland community — a community that, for generations, was excluded from the prosperity its own labor helped create. We exist to change that.
Every project we take on is also a project of belonging, access, and intergenerational repair.
Our Commitment
Raimore was minority-owned and operated from the day we opened our doors. That isn't a marketing line — it's the operating principle that shapes who we hire, who we partner with, and how we measure success.
We take pride in our ability to consistently recruit and hire minorities, focusing on increasing their opportunities to learn and grow in the construction industry. We build crews that reflect the neighborhoods we work in, and we promote from within so that leadership looks like the workforce.
Working with the City helps us continue what our true values are — embracing diversity, bringing in people from the community.— Ashley Henry, Project Manager
What Equity Looks Like
A diverse workforce on the ground means very little if leadership doesn't reflect it. At Raimore, equity runs from the field crew to the corner office — and from the first hire to the next subcontractor we bring along with us.
The Standard We Hold
Diversity is essential. But diversity without opportunity is window dressing — we measure success by who is lifted along the way.
Real equity creates outcomes that benefit everyone involved. When the organization grows, our people grow. When they grow, the community advances. That is what sustainable success looks like.
Many of our employees come from backgrounds that historically faced barriers to opportunity, and we are humbled to demonstrate what becomes possible when excellence and dignity meet real opportunity.
Workforce & Leadership
Equity isn't aspirational at Raimore — it's measurable. These are the standards we hold ourselves to, every day, on every project.
Of all Raimore staff company-wide
All supervisory and management personnel
Achieved on Division Transit — a TriMet record
Serving the N/NE Portland community
DBE Subcontractor Partnerships
Being a certified DBE means more than carrying a designation — it means we know firsthand how hard it is for small minority- and women-owned firms to break into major public works.
So when Raimore wins a contract, we make a deliberate practice of bringing other DBE firms onto the team. We don't subcontract to fill quotas. We subcontract to build a bench — to give other certified firms the project history, the relationships, and the cash flow they need to grow into the next opportunity on their own.
On the Division Transit Project alone, Raimore partnered with roughly thirty DBE subcontractors spanning concrete cutting, electrical, trucking, landscaping, flagging, and security — directing significant contract dollars into historically underrepresented businesses.
With the support of government agencies like TriMet, Raimore and firms like ours gain opportunities to pursue meaningful work, which benefits communities in multiple ways. Not only will this work improve travel and safety through a diverse transportation corridor, it also lifts up minority-owned businesses, the people who work for them, and their families.— Jeff Moreland Sr., President & CEO
Project Highlights
Two projects that demonstrate what's possible when DBE participation is treated as a multiplier of community value rather than a constraint on delivery.
TriMet · Prime Contractor
When TriMet awarded Raimore the $175 million Division Transit Project contract, it became the largest contract ever awarded to a certified DBE in Oregon history. We delivered the FX2-Division bus rapid transit corridor — the state's first BRT line — and we did it while setting a new standard for who gets to participate in projects of that scale.
Working alongside roughly thirty DBE subcontractors, we proved that DBE participation isn't a constraint on quality or schedule — it's a multiplier of community value.
City of Portland · Lead
Before the project began, the Southeast Division corridor between 80th and 174th was the most dangerous stretch of road in Portland — ranked first in pedestrian and motor vehicle injuries and second for cyclists. In the previous decade, 20 people had died and 107 had been seriously injured moving along this street.
Raimore led the $7.5 million transformation: new pedestrian crossings, signal upgrades, raised medians to prevent left-turn crashes, and one of the longest protected bike lanes in the city. We committed 100% of required project subcontracts to Business Inclusion and Diversity-certified firms — and built it with a workforce over 50% minority and women, with management staff at 70% minority.
The Network
When TriMet awarded Raimore the Division Transit Project, it didn't just open one door — it opened many. Below are the partner firms who built it alongside us. Each one a small business. Each one carrying its own crews, its own families, its own hopes.
We share their names here because they earned it.
In Their Words
Featured in Portland.gov · January 2022
Why The Outer Division Project Mattered
Lives lost on the corridor
in the previous decade
Serious injuries
over the same period
Most dangerous corridor
for pedestrians in Portland
The City entrusted Raimore with the work of changing that — and we delivered safer crossings, protected bike lanes, and accessible sidewalks for the community we call home. This is what equity in contracting actually builds.
We're talking about a very sophisticated firm that's able to complete very complex tasks across the entire spectrum of construction. One of the very best. From a capability perspective, they're one of the finest firms we have in this region.
I am so honored to be the Transportation Commissioner overseeing PBOT's role in the Outer Division Safety Project that contracted with the Black-owned Raimore Construction. I know Raimore will utilize their expertise to ensure this investment creates a safer East Portland for all modes of transportation while creating living wage jobs for our community.
We couldn't have the city that we have without their work. It really does take a whole city of skilled people to make these projects happen.
Here at Raimore, everyone treats everyone as family. We try to identify the issues beforehand and work together to come up with a collective solution. That's a big part of our success.
The people are great; the environment is great. Everything is detailed, thorough, easy to work with, efficient. I don't think there's anything more you can ask for from a contractor's perspective.
Individuals like myself are the change that can positively affect the story that we're creating.
This Is Only the Beginning
As more agencies commit to diversifying who is awarded major infrastructure projects, more people gain access to meaningful work, living wages, and a future they can build on. We're ready for what's next.
Partner with Raimore →