Powers & Sons led the way for black-owned companies to manage building of the president’s library

“He never, in a million billion years, would have ever expected his family to be a part of such an amazing project,” said Kelly Powers Baria about her grandfather, Mamon Powers, the founder of Powers & Sons Construction.

Those were her words at a presentation held by the Obama Foundation, early in June, for media outlets leading up to the grand opening this weekend of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park neighborhood.

The Center officially opened Thursday, June 18 with Friday, June 19 as the first day for the public visitation.

In January 2018, the Foundation announced Lakeside Alliance as its choice to build former President Barack Obama’s presidential library. It had chosen a joint venture of 4-black owned construction companies that worked in Chicago and their partnership with a national construction company based in Chicago.

“I can’t imagine how proud he must be, looking down on us from heaven for what we’ve accomplished,” said Baria, executive vice president in Powers & Sons.

Mamon Powers likely did not expect the construction company he founded in Gary in 1967 to become one of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses, either. Powers has offices in Gary, Chicago, and Indianapolis.

Lakeside Alliance is the four black-owned construction companies – Brown & Momen, Powers & Sons, Safeway, and UJAMAA – and its national partner Turner Construction.

Baria described her father, Mamon Powers Jr., as ‘the dreamer.’

“When President Obama was still in the White House, my father started believing in the possibility that President Obama may choose Chicago to be the location where he would build his library,” Baria said. “He started talking to his colleagues and those he knew in the industry to find others who shared in that dream and that belief, and ultimately created Lakeside Alliance.”

In the announcement of the Lakeside Alliance selection, the Foundation noted, “The creation of the joint venture will ensure that minority firms from the South Side will be in significant leadership positions in the construction of the Obama Presidential Center.”

Roark Frankel, Director of Planning and Construction for the Obama Foundation said, “Lakeside Alliance stood out, first, because they’re excellent builders. But what impressed us most was their passionate and thoughtful commitment to infuse diversity and inclusion into every aspect of this project, at levels far beyond what has been done in Chicago for projects of this size and complexity.”

“Our guiding light, our driving force from the moment that we were selected for this role, we had to believe in our ability to bring about the change that we felt was needed in our industry, in Chicago,” Baria said.

“Most importantly, we had to make sure that the workforce that built this center was reflective of where we built it,” Baria said. “It is built with the community, with workers who live in the local area on the south and west sides of Chicago, and throughout the city of Chicago, and that was really important to us that this place is being built with and by those who call Chicago home.”

In recent days, some of the sub-contract companies have come forth with complaints of not being paid. A statement from Lakeside Alliance said, “Projects of this scale and complexity are inherently demanding. We remain committed to working through outstanding matters to successfully close out the project.”

Story Posted:06/19/2026