Sydney Capital: People

K. Aubrey Hope, Associate

Mr. Hope is an adept construction professional. For over thirty years Mr. Hope has provided technical assistance to small and minority owned construction firms. He has refined as a whole, cost awareness and production control for contractors, while successfully monitoring and controlling staff productivity. Mr. Hope has worked as a consultant providing these services to government agencies and small public companies in Connecticut, New Mexico, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

In 1995, Mr. Hope became associated with SCDP, Inc. he was named Chief Technical Advisor to small minority owned construction companies participating in the Pump Station Improvement Program for Miami Dade Water & Sewer Department in Miami Florida. He has managed the Technical Assessment division for SCDP, Inc and had has supervised all technical evaluation and pre-qualification for contractors participation in the program in Dade County, Florida and the cities in Fort Worth, Austin and Atlanta . Mr. Hope also managed the contractor development program for the Everglades Restoration and the City of Fort Worth Integrated Program Management contractor support program.

Mr. Hope holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing from Norwood Technical College. His professional career began as an insurance agent and soon after, as President/CEO for his own property and casualty insurance agency. In 1997, Mr. Hope began a consulting firm to provide technical assistance for small and minority construction companies. His firm Diversify Planning Services, Inc., facilitated seminars on construction management for small construction firms, in addition to bonding and general liability insurance coverage. Mr. Hope has worked with an assortment of contractors, from Structural to Underground Utilities in providing Operations Management in New Mexico, Florida, Georgia and Texas.

William Myles, Associate

As a result of having enjoyed tremendous success in Commercial and Business Development in general, Mr. Myles also found his way into the construction industry. He is a regular consultant on minority participation issues per the industry. I addition to ownership in and of several construction companies, he is also the proprietor of related companies such as a quarry and other aggregate supply companies. Mr. Myles has pushed for and achieved increased minority participation in a business usually dominated by large construction companies in major public contracts. Most thought his goals were unrealistic.

For example, obtaining bonding was a major hurdle many minority firms could never overcome before his involvement in the City of Hartford. When he first went to Hartford, the Governor had to come up with millions in order for minority contractors to participate in the Adriaen’s Landing project. Mr. Myles knew the construction managers had the latitude to help make the necessary changes to allow minority firms to participate. The largest task was coming up with a concept that everybody wanted.

The most influential undertaking that allowed him to achieve increased minority participation was to reduce the bonding requirements, which were set at levels only larger firms could afford. As a result of Mr. Myles’ unwavering commitment and work a record breaking percentage of minority participation on the first phase was achieved: $160 million of an $800 million contract. He brokered the largest municipal contract for a black-owned firm in Connecticut. In the end the major project was landed and became largest minority project in Connecticut’s history.

At the end of the day, there was much more to it than the awarding of contracts. Mr. Myles’ efforts actually built the capacity of the participant minority firms…true business development. Hence, these firms were held accountable to perform under the contracts as any other firm would be expected, versus some lowered bar or standard.

Mr. Myles is also heavily involved in minority contracting issues in Miami, New Orleans, Baltimore, and the State of Mississippi.

Danny B. George, Associate

After time in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a police officer in Clinton, Oklahoma, Mr. George furthered his career in public service as an executive and administrator. First, as Rural Development Specialist for the South Western Development Authority in Burns Flat, Oklahoma, where he was responsible for the economic and comprehensive planning activity for that ten county public trust. Mr. George’s next municipal move was as City Manager for the City of Hollis, Oklahoma, where he was responsible for all city operations, then onto Assistant City Manager (10x population of Hollis) of Elk City, Oklahoma, where his primary role became Chief Operating Officer in charge of Personnel and several other departments and responsibility for a budget of $18 million along with monitoring and managing the oil and gas exploration efforts.

Per his interest and effectiveness in government, Mr. George ran for and was elected to two terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He was the author the Oklahoma constitutional rainy day reserve fund, which remains as one of the State’s primary sources and resources for managing and protecting the State’s overall financial state of affairs. In addition, Representative George served on the Energy, Communications, Professions and Occupations, Economic Development, Finance, Legislative Bond Oversight, Corporation Commission Oversight, Technology and Municipal and County Government Committees and received the Conservation Legislator of the Year award by the Sierra Club.

After the legislature Mr. George lobbied in Washington, D.C. where he was responsible for congressional testimony for technology and the national building codes for the NAHB in addition to various other issues. Mr. George also took on the job of Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal League, Inc., an organization of over 450 cities and towns in the state of Oklahoma. Mr. George handled legislative and administrative lobbying on behalf of the association as well as developing, managing, and maintaining a multi-million dollar budget and contract management and serving on the Board of Directors for the National League of Cities; the Southern Municipal Conference; the Western Municipal Conference; as was a member of the International City/County Management Association.

Mr. George is currently CEO of Oklahoma Group, a government relations firm specializing in consulting and contract lobbying services at the local, state and federal level. He also enjoys various entrepreneurial pursuits with focused emphasis in computer network consulting and software with multiple national and international corporate clients.

Mr. George received his BA in Political Science and English from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1978, attended Law School at Oklahoma City University, and also has graduate work at SWOSU.