D.A. Everett Construction Group Honored with Workforce Development Advocate of the Year Award at Charlotte Economic Development Week

D.A. Everett Construction Group (DAECG) was named a recipient of a Workforce Development Advocate of the Year Award at the Charlotte Economic Development Week Awards & Recognition Luncheon on Friday, October 9, at the Westin Charlotte. DAECG was nominated for the honor. The awards recognized the achievements of entrepreneurs, community advocates, and workforce development champions across the Charlotte region.

“Workforce development is about how we contribute to the industry workforce of tomorrow. For us, that means advocating for the industry, building workforce programs, hosting internships, taking part in career fairs and vendor expos, and making sure access to opportunity is equal. When someone in Charlotte gets a first foot in the door, a skill that sticks, and a career they can grow in, that doesn’t stay with one person. It strengthens their family, their neighborhood, and the local economy. Being recognized by this community for that work is humbling, and this award belongs to our entire team and every partner who has invested in the next generation with us,” said Toya D. Everett, Vice President of Strategy & Business Alignment at DAECG.

The recognition capped a full week of engagement. DAECG was a Gold Sponsor of Charlotte Economic Development Week (October 5-9). The week was formerly known as Charlotte MED Week. This year’s theme, “Charlotte AI Connect: Bridging Innovation and Community,” highlighted how local entrepreneurs connect emerging technology with community impact.

DAECG at Charlotte Economic Development Week

• Golf Tournament (Monday, Oct. 5): Malachi Alexander, Durward Hussey, and Caleb James represented DAECG at the fourth annual tournament.

• Symposium (Tuesday, Oct. 6): Toya D. Everett joined a panel at the ASPIRE Community Capital Economic Symposium, discussing how businesses can grow and scale in today’s climate. About 150 attendees took part.

• Business Connections Expo (Wednesday, Oct. 7): Malachi Alexander and Monica McAllister represented DAECG as a vendor, meeting business owners, partners, and prospective collaborators.

• Awards & Recognition Luncheon (Friday, Oct. 9): DAECG received its Workforce Development Award.

Symposium panel: growing and scaling in today’s climate

Hosted by ASPIRE Community Capital, the symposium brought together business owners, advocates, and public- and private-sector leaders to discuss access to opportunity in a changing environment. Speaking from DAECG’s perspective that has grown from a small business into a regional contractor, Toya shared several takeaways:

• Certification is a tool, not a strategy. A certification can open a door, but it can’t win the work, build your capacity, or keep your business growing. Firms that treat it as the plan can stall when they outgrow it. Firms that treat it as one tool among many build the financial strength, relationships, and track record to compete at any size.

• Business acumen outweighs the capability statement. Winning work depends on understanding where you are in your business lifecycle, knowing your numbers, and building real relationships. A polished brochure alone won’t do it.

• Capacity is built, not announced. Financial strength, operational systems, and the right people have to come before the opportunity does. AI is changing how businesses build capacity, but it does not alleviate or replace a strong business acumen; you must be able to strategically solve complex business problems, understand data and financials, and navigate the overall business climate. As your business grows and scales, so do the complexities.

• Primes have a role. Intentional, ongoing outreach to trade partners and small firms creates real pathways. 

Toya Everett Honored with the Healthcare Career Collaborative’s JEDI Advocate Award

D.A. Everett Construction Group congratulates its Vice President of Strategy & Business Alignment on a well-deserved recognition.

D.A. Everett Construction Group (DAECG) is proud to announce that Toya Everett, Vice President of Strategy & Business Alignment, received the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Advocate Award from the Charlotte Healthcare Career Collaborative (HCC) at its Recognition & Scholarship Awards Breakfast on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus in Charlotte.

Established in 2025 and sponsored by MMCA, the Association of Medical Facility Professionals (AMFP-Charlotte), and Women in Healthcare North Carolina, the HCC connects high school and college students, along with emerging and transitioning professionals, to careers in healthcare-facility supportive fields such as design, construction, and facilities support. The award honored Toya’s dedication to the HCC’s mission to create opportunities for students, emerging professionals, and transitioning professionals, and its vision to support workforce development within healthcare-facility supportive careers. A $500 donation was made to the HCC in her honor.

A career built on access and opportunity

Over more than 25 years in commercial real estate, Toya has made expanding access to the industry a consistent priority. She has partnered with national organizations including the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Forage, and Project Destined to create internship and immersion programs that introduced nearly one thousand young professionals to industry knowledge and career paths. She has also given her time to the boards and steering committees of educational institutions and professional organizations such as CoreNet Carolinas, the Johnson C. Smith University Department of Business Administration Advisory Board, the National Black MBA Association Charlotte Chapter (where she served as president), and the CIAA Business & Leadership Symposium, among others.

From economic development to workforce development

Toya’s work in economic development, including past service on the City of Charlotte Office of Economic Development Capacity Building Partner Committee and her support of the region’s small business owners through her work with the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance on the Small Business Committee, rests on a simple belief: strong businesses create strong careers. Businesses that have the capacity to grow hire, train, and promote, and communities thrive when that growth reaches the people who live in them.

“This recognition belongs to everyone who is working to open doors in our industry,” said Toya Everett. “Economic development and workforce development are two sides of the same effort. When we help businesses grow, we create careers, and when we invest in people early, we strengthen the entire industry. I’m grateful to the Healthcare Career Collaborative for this honor, and DAECG is committed to continuing this work.”

DAECG congratulates Toya and thanks the HCC and its sponsoring organizations for their work to build Charlotte’s healthcare-facility workforce.

D.A. Everett Construction Group Announces Multi-Year Partnership with Hornets Sports & Entertainment

Charlotte, NC – October 13, 2025

D.A. Everett Construction Group (DAECG), a premier builder in the sports and entertainment industry and construction manager partners on the recent Spectrum Center arena renovations, is proud to announce a multi-year partnership with Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE). The partnership underscores DAECG’s commitment to community impact, innovation and excellence in construction.

As part of the agreement, a new state-of-the-art meeting space located on the Novant Health Suite Level of Spectrum Center will be designated the Hornets Business Center built by D.A. Everett Construction Group. Through this partnership, DAECG will use the arena as a platform to engage clients and the community—hosting events, showcasing its work throughout Spectrum Center, and creating unique VIP experiences with Hornets leaders.

“D.A. Everett Construction Group is excited to enter into a partnership agreement with Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) and Spectrum Center.  This strategic partnership represents the evolution of our relationship with HSE. It will allow DAECG to continue to deepen our relationship with HSE, develop and strengthen key relationships across the Charlotte business community, and create greater impact in our community,” said Donovan Everett, CEO and President of D.A. Everett Construction Group.

”After collaborating with the D.A. Everett Construction Group team for more than two years on the transformation of Spectrum Center, we’re thrilled to extend our relationship and to positively impact the Charlotte community even further,” said Mike Behan, Chief Business and Revenue Officer of Hornets Sports & Entertainment.

Together with the Charlotte Hornets Community Impact team, DAECG will launch a construction-focused workforce development initiative for students that creates opportunities for students to gain early career exposure highlighting the connection between sports and real estate. Building on its long-standing leadership in the region, DAECG views this partnership as a way to deepen its commitment to Charlotte and play a meaningful role in shaping the city’s evolving sports and entertainment landscape.

“The partnership with HSE is about more than construction to DAECG –  it was important to us to be able to leverage this partnership to create opportunities that strengthen our community and build the legacy we aspire to leave in Charlotte. Together, we’ll create initiatives that open doors for the next generation to explore career pathways in construction and real estate, as well as inspire and empower them to succeed,” said Toya Everett, Vice President of D.A. Everett Construction Group.

Media Contact:
Toya Everett
919.803.5474 |  toya@daeverettgroup.com