Theodore “Ted” Baker

With over 40+ years of experience in the areas of infrastructure design, commercial development, material engineering & manufacturing, international supply-chain management, and culturally-responsive negotiating, Ted is the lead advisor for strategic planning, client relationships, and contract negotiation for Clayton Channing Consulting. He is skilled in raising both investor capital and permanent financing, as well as negotiating construction finance issues.

Ted’s first venture into the construction and real estate development arena began in 1962 with THE BAKER GROUP of COMPANIES: a national, minority-owned construction and real estate business comprised of seven operating companies that provided general contracting, construction management, and turn-key development services. TBG earned a reputation for excellence by delivering high quality work through their own well-trained and experienced multi-ethnic workforce. Every project was completed…on time…within budget…and with exacting attention to detail. Based in Los Angeles, with regional offices in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and California, within 4 years TBG became a $61M success.

In 1996, Ted partnered with Luther Dickens, an inventor of eco-friendly materials, to develop “Green Building Technology.” Not long after, in 1999, Ted introduced this revolutionary building system in Trinidad and Tobago, and has since served as a consultant and project manager for numerous building projects around the world.

 Ted has lived everywhere from Los Angeles to Paris, but he calls Atlanta home, and it’s where you can find him dancing the salsa with his wife, as well as reveling in his grandchildren.

Education

  • S. in Mechanical Engineering, Tuskegee University

 Affiliations & Civic Involvement

  • Prince Hall Grand Lodge, 1963
  • Former VP, Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles, CA; appointed by Tom Bradley
  • Former Member, Gentrification Commission, Atlanta, GA; appointed by Shirley Franklin
  • Former Member, Gentrification Task Force, Chicago, IL; appointed by Harold Washington
  • Founder, Los Angeles Chapter 100 Black Men
  • Founder, The Melrose Association, Los Angeles
  • Baker has also beenendorsed by Ambassador Andrew Young.

Previous Licenses & Certifications

  • State of CA Contractor’s State License (General Engineering; General Building)
  • State of IL/D of Human Rights (General Business; Home Repair)
  • State of IL Dept. of Professional Regulation (Roofing)
  • City of Chicago—MBE/WBE/DBE
  • Chicago Housing Authority
  • Chicago Transit Authority
  • Illinois D of Transportation
  • California D of Transportation
  • East Bay Municipal Utility District
  • Bay Area Rapid Transit
  • City of San Francisco
  • City of Los Angeles
  • City of Oakland
  • Fulton County (Atlanta, GA)
  • Pennsylvania Transportation (S.E.P.T.A.)
  • City of Philadelphia
  • Philadelphia Housing Authority

Partial Client and Contract List

  • R.L. Dougherty & Associates
  • American Telephone & Telegraph
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • Chicago Dept. of Aviation
  • Chicago Housing Authority
  • City of Atlanta
  • City of San Francisco
  • of Housing and Urban Dev.
  • Illinois Dept. Of Transportation
  • Marshall Fields
  • Mellon Stuart Construction
  • Northwestern University
  • Sheridan Road Dev. Partners
  • State Farm Insurance
  • Turner Construction
  • Winfield Moody Healthcare Org.
  • Fulton County Superior Courthouse, Atlanta, GA ($1.9M)
  • City of San Francisco Water Filtration ($3M)
  • City of Oakland Municipal District ($537K)
  • Leo Burnett Building, Chicago, IL ($5.3M)
  • Ameritech, Barrington, IL ($1.9M)
  • Navy Pier, Chicago, IL ($800K)
  • Chicago Transit Authority ($2.5M)