ST. LOUIS – An organization that works to strengthen the St. Louis minority- and women-owned contracting community has named IBEW Local 1 Business Manager Frank Jacobs to its board of directors. Jacobs will serve the Regional Union Construction Center (RUCC) for an unspecified term.

RUCC was launched in December 2007 as an initiative of PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc., now known as the Saint Louis Construction Cooperative.   RUCC’s mission is to help minority and women owners of union construction companies grow businesses via a structured program that helps them improve their business skills. After having their operation assessed by industry experts, participants receive a tailored training and educational program, one-on-one counseling and have a five-person business advisory board they meet with monthly.

“Frank Jacobs has taken a pro-active approach to bring more minorities into the construction trades,” said Alan Richter, executive director, RUCC.  “Some of his minority and women members have launched their own electrical contracting businesses and he works the region’s most successful electrical contractors who are members of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).  He’ll be a tremendous asset to our board.”

Under Jacobs’ and St. Louis NECA Executive Vice President Doug Martin’s leadership the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection partnership was recently honored with an Inclusion Award from the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers.  IBEW/NECA has supported RUCC since its inception 11 years ago. 

Jacobs chairs the IBEW/NECA Joint Apprenticeship Trust Fund, which oversees workforce training at the training center.  More 25 percent of apprentices enrolled in the training center are minorities.  In 2017, IBEW/NECA formed an education partnership with St. Louis Community College to further career development. 

A native St. Louisan, Jacobs represents 7,000 IBEW members, including 5,000 active members working in the electrical industry.   In addition to workforce development, Jacobs helps guide the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership in supporting economic development and a number of community betterment initiatives including Rebuilding Together St. Louis, Habitat for Humanity, STEM initiatives and more.  Jacobs is a Saint Louis Science Center advisory board member.  He has served on the Ballwin Athletic Association executive board for more than 20 years and also has served as the St. Louis County Athletic Association president.