Parrish and Sons Construction: A Mission Of Service
Fahteema Parrish has grown Parrish and Sons Construction --all while empowering others in her local Kansas City community.
A mission of service
But beyond that, her unofficial apprenticeship served as formative experience that instilled the importance of service to the community and teaching others to be self-reliant.
"I saw how he served the community," she recalls. “Those little seedlings that were planted in my formative years stayed with me as I grew up.”
Fahteema would go on to earn a master’s degree in Information Technology Management and spend two decades in a high-paying career as a computer programmer, systems analyst, designer and process innovator. But the pull to serve her community more directly was always present.
“I spent 20 years as a software engineer, leading teams across the globe," she explains. "But nothing quite felt like home, and I wanted to play a part in building up Kansas City. "I left my former career because I wanted to serve my community, and I wanted to do something bigger than myself."
That desire, along with reconnecting in 2009 with her middle school sweetheart, would play a crucial role in her next chapter. At the time, Clark Parrish was a construction worker going through an apprenticeship. As Fahteema visited him on jobsites and learned about his work, a new business idea occurred to her. Starting a construction company meant working two full-time jobs for nearly two years while she launched the business. In 2015, Parrish & Sons Construction began, with Clark as her first employee.
“There was a transition period from 2015 to 2017, where I was focused on planning, learning and retooling,” Fahteema says. “What is the first piece of equipment that I need to purchase? What is the budget required in order to purchase that equipment? Once I purchase a piece of equipment, how will it be transported to and from a jobsite?” As she ventured further into the construction industry, Fahteema earned her OSHA 30 certification, obtained her Class B Commercial Driver’s License and completed multiple construction management programs, including the Turner School of Construction Management and the JE Dunn Minority Contractor Development Program. Starting on a small scale, Parrish & Sons began by providing services to friends and family, tackling small jobs.
Fahteema’s innate determination and entrepreneurial spirit pushed her to set her sights higher, as she strategically pursued projects that aligned with her vision of contributing to city improvements. On the recommendation of a sorority sister, Fahteema became certified as a minority-owned business enterprise (M/WBE,DBE & SLBE).
Having that status enabled her to start bidding on projects in Kansas City. In 2018, her bid was approved by the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department to install an additional 1,050 square feet to the Santa Fe Trail. That led her to acquire her first 20-foot trailer, followed by the purchase of a Cat® 289D Compact Track Loader. Not one to sit back and let others do the heavy lifting, Clark taught her how to operate the machine. This was followed by other sidewalk improvement projects, such as in the Vine District and White Oak Trail Park.
Foley Equipment Provides Key Support
But starting the company wasn’t easy. One of the major challenges was securing the equipment necessary to scale the business. Cat dealer Foley Equipment stepped up when other dealers weren’t willing to accept the risks associated with a startup.
"We were denied by so many local equipment dealers," Fahteema recalls. "But Foley was the one that took a chance on us. They gave us our first line of credit, and that’s when things started to take off. Without that initial support, we wouldn’t have been able to progress and compete at the level we do now.”
Foley didn’t just provide equipment; they became strategic partners, providing maintenance, operator training, and the technology needed to stay ahead in the competitive earthmoving and civil construction industry.
"Foley’s customer support is unmatched," Fahteema says. "Uptime is what makes us money, and their technicians respond so quickly when we have an issue that we’re able to meet deadlines without worry."
Since 2018, Parrish & Sons has ramped up steadily and now employs 35 associates. Last year, the company was named Small Business of the Year in by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, making it the first black women-owned business to win the award.
Fahteema develops site-specific plans for each project, which supplement any safety requirements requested by the client. A safety strategist visits jobsites multiple times each week. This is part of Parrish & Sons’ emphasis on safety, quality and productivity.
Fahteema’s technical background coupled with her construction education and experience enables her to learn new construction software, and determine how it can still be applied to increase productivity. This is what sets Parrish & Sons apart from other construction companies. Fahteema’s expertise in both fields enables her to make expert decisions for her clients.
“So, if we're downloading a set of plans or doing a takeoff on a set of plans to provide a better proposal, my experience gives us a competitive advantage because of my ability to vet the software,” she says. “Before I delegate anything to my team of civil engineers, I'm able to say, ‘This is how you navigate it,’ or ‘I've worked with customer support on using this system.’ So, this means my team can actually do the takeoff much faster than a lot of our competitors who may not have the technical background that I do.“The company’s growing fleet includes Cat dozers equipped with GPS technology, and excavators that use advanced safety features like rear backup cameras.
"With the GPS technology on our Cat dozers, we have to be able to convert those files,” she says. “We work pretty closely with the SITECH arm of Foley Equipment, and get those files converted so that our operators can be more efficient and productive. Our operators love the technology, especially the younger ones. It makes them perform like they’ve been operating for 25 years.”
The use of Cat equipment has been integral to the company’s success. With 85 percent of their heavy equipment fleet made up of Cat machinery, Clark Parrish cites the durability, advanced technology, and efficiency gains the machines provide.
“We choose Cat machines because of the productivity and reliability,” he says. “They're durable, they hold up, and they’re well engineered and put together,” Parrish says, adding that the reduced downtime compared to other brands has made a tangible difference in their operations.
A time-saving feature Parrish mentions is the advanced GPS technology integrated into Cat dozers. “You don’t need grade checkers doing a simple task,” he says. “The GPS improves productivity by about 30 percent,” he adds, citing the ease and efficiency the system brings to both experienced and inexperienced operators. This technology not only improves productivity but also shortens training time for newer operators, making it easier to get them up to speed.
Clark appreciates the ongoing support Parrish & Sons receives from Foley Equipment.
“They’re very responsive. Even if they don’t answer right away, they’ll call me back promptly, whether it’s the service manager, technician, or our salesman.”
High-level Projects
Parrish & Sons specializes in land clearing, excavation, grading, stormwater utilities, rock crushing and demolition. The company has made major contributions to some high-level projects throughout Kansas City, as their work typically involves site preparation.
The company has been a subcontractor on transformative projects, including the iconic Three Light high-rise development downtown, building the hub for the Kansas Street Car, modernization of Kansas City International (KCI) Airport, Metropolitan Community College (MCC) Penn Valley ETC Building and enhancing parks and creating trails that enrich the urban landscape.
Three Light: A $140 million, 26-story tower at Truman Road and Main Street in downtown Kansas City, which reshaped the city's skyline and revitalized the urban environment. The initial phase of the Three Light project was led by Parrish & Sons. It began with the removal of existing structures, paving the way for the new tower’s construction.
Kansas City International (KCI) Airport: A $1.5 billion project for a new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport, featuring 39 gates. This project emphasized diversity and included 126-plus minority and women-owned businesses, with Parrish & Sons contributing to the project through hiring local talent, as well as crushing and hauling.
KC Streetcar: A transformative project that extended the Kansas City streetcar line from the River Market to Union Station, enhancing urban connectivity and growth. Parrish & Sons performed excavation and sub-base preparation for the streetcar vehicle maintenance facility.
MCC Engineering & Technology Center: A $7 million renovation and expansion project aimed at enhancing the center's innovation capabilities by fostering collaboration between engineering, technology, and graphic design. Jobsite tasks included excavation, sub-base preparation and grading.
Mentoring the next generation
Mentorship has always been central to Fahteema’s mission. Growing up, she watched her father teach trade skills to people in need, giving them a sustainable way to make a living. This desire to uplift others by creating jobs and providing opportunities for advancement remains a driving force as she guides her construction company.
“The number one reason I started this company is to reflect back on the community," she says.
Fahteema actively mentors young people, offering internships through partnerships with organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Awesome Ambitions. Inspired by her father’s legacy of teaching trades, she’s developed programs like Parrish Cares and Fueling the Futures to mentor young people, especially women and minorities, in construction.
Her goal is to expose young people—especially women and underrepresented groups—to careers in civil construction, a field they may have never considered. Fahteema believes in providing meaningful opportunities, which enables interns to participate in real projects, interact with industry professionals, and explore their career options.
"I didn’t want them just pushing pencils. I wanted them in the field, learning and interacting with professionals," she explains.
Even as Parrish & Sons continues to grow and thrive, for Fahteema, the real success lies in inspiring others. “Someone had to make time for me, so I’m making time for the next generation.”
For his part, Clark recognizes the key role Foley Equipment has played in the growth of Parrish & Sons.
“We hit the ground running with the help of Foley Cat. They were the first company to give us an account so we could acquire equipment, and we wouldn’t be here without them.”
Cat® Equipment: 249D3 Skid Steer Loader; Compact Track Loaders: 289C, 289D, 299D2, 299D3; Mini Excavators: 305.5 E2, 308E2 CR; Hydraulic Excavators: 330, 336, 336E L; Dozers: D5. D5K2 LGP; Crawler Loaders: 953D, 963D; Compactors: CS56B, CB2.7