Page 4 - 3-6-15 Friday's Edition

Local
First Day Of Legislative Session
State Senator Arthenia Joyner and State Representative Edwin (Ed) Narain are all smiles on the first day of the Leg- islative Session on Tuesday in Tallahassee. The Legislators were together during the 11 a. m. Joint Session.
Florida Firm Gets On Board For Texas Rail Projects
Third time is a charm for this Florida firm.
Dallas, Texas – Florida businessman and gubernato- rial appointee Paul Curtis, President of Curtoom Compa- nies, engineering, technology services and facilities manage- ment firm, won multi-year contracts on Florida High Speed Rail projects twice in past years. However, each time projects were foiled due to funding concerns. It seems the third time is the charm for the 20 year engineering and con- struction military veteran.
As part of the America 2050 plan, Dallas is a hub for the coming Texas Triangle High Speed Rail system.
Trains will whiz passengers between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio on bullet trains traveling at speeds of up to 200 mph.
Curtoom has forged a part- nership with transportation leader Burns Group of Philadelphia, PA and landed a contract to provide project management oversight (PMO) support services under an in- definite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract on a nationwide basis for a period of 5 years.
Shown here at downtown Dallas, Texas- Dallas Area Rapid Tran- sit (DART) Station: Transportation Consultant, Paul Curtis, Cur- toom Companies and L. Brian Ehrler, Burns Group, Engineering Consultants for Project Management Oversight Support Services to Federal Transit Administration High Speed Rail Program modern- ization.
“Burns Group is a proven innovator when it comes to small business relationships and partnering,” Curtis said. He added, “U. S. high speed rail is now shifting into high gear across much of the nation for a 2050 completion date. We had past setbacks in Florida projects due to lack of funding, but embrace this new opportunity with great enthu- siasm.”
At present, the U. S. High Speed Rail corridor runs from coast to coast and from Mexico to Canada.
Curtis says, “Burns Group, an incumbent FTA consultant and national high
speed rail trailblazer, had their choice from hundreds of small businesses as partners. We are both delighted and honored they would select our firm after months of deliberation.”
Curtis is a 1979 Civil Engi- neering Technology alumnus of Florida A & M University and past Adjunct Professor. He holds more construction con- tractor licenses than any other African American in Florida. Curtis is a member of the Transportation Research Board.
Curtis is also a member of the American Legion Veteran Small Business Task Force in Washington, DC.
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015