Nearly 300 registrants gathered to lay the foundation for a more equitable Cleveland at the 2025 CUBE Symposium Tuesday.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership event at the Huntington Convention Center featured panels, workshops, one-on-one sessions and keynotes exploring  how public and private investment can drive equity within the construction and development ecosystem.

Designed to empower Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) construction firms, the event delivered on its promise: creating space for connections, conversations and concrete opportunities. Attendees had the chance to engage with project owners, construction managers and other decision-makers shaping Cleveland’s future.

The day kicked off with an inspiring welcome from Baiju Shah, CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership; Ariane Kirkpatrick, CEO of AKA Construction; and Christopher Nance, GCP’s Vice President of Construction. Their remarks set the tone for a day focused on collaboration, community and actionable progress – and addressed political currents.

GCP’s Shah restated the organization’s, and event’s, commitment to building together.

“We cannot have a great region on a Great Lake if we don’t have inclusive opportunity,” he began.

The keynote panel on CBO Updates and Implementation was moderated by Councilwoman Jasmin Santana, and featured Jeff Epstein (City of Cleveland), Tyson Mitchell (Office of Equal Opportunity), Aaron Goodman (City of Detroit), and Cleveland City Council President Blaine Griffin sharing insights.

They shared that from 2023-2024, 19 CBAs have been signed, with a total project cost of more than $500 million.

“We want to make sure everyone benefits from what Cleveland is building,” said Council President Griffin.

Attendees then split into dynamic breakout sessions including Financial Services & Access and the new Built Environment Collaborative. Panelists from organizations including KeyBank, Village Capital Corp., Spring Garden Capital and Evergreen Cooperatives shared tools, resources, and real-world strategies to help MBE firms access capital, scale their operations and align with major upcoming projects.

The Built Environment Collaborative is about “Creating a pipeline of skilled labor and workforce development strategies supporting MBEs to help them become more competitive,” explained Sheri Dozier, VP Workforce, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. 

The day concluded with more than 40 one-on-one meetings, providing attendees with focused time to connect with project owners and resource partners.

With more than a dozen speakers, hundreds of attendees, and countless moments of inspiration, CUBE 2025 made one thing clear: Equity is not just a goal—it’s a shared responsibility.