Ellicott Receives Inaugural OPIC Impact Award

A Series 670 Dragon® dredging a canal in Iraq.

In a ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce the Overseas Private Investment Corporation’s (OPIC) president and chief executive officer Elizabeth L. Littlefield presented Ellicott Dredge Enterprises LLC and its Ellicott Dredges LLC entity with OPIC’s inaugural “Impact Award” for Ellicott’s work in Iraq. Ellicott was one of only eight organizations across the country receiving this award from OPIC the U.S. government’s development finance institution. With the assistance of political risk insurance from OPIC Ellicott was able to secure contracts in Iraq supplying dredges to de-silt hydroelectric dams as well as to improve flood control on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and to improve irrigation canals.

Ellicott’s Vice President of Sales Paul Quinn was instrumental in accomplishing the sales traveling to Iraq to meet with government officials in the midst of the war staying in hotels in the U.S. Green Zone and in hotels in the city of Baghdad during insurgent activity. He was honored at the ceremony along with many others at Ellicott who worked on the dredges.

U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows (NC) joined Littlefield in making the presentation to Ellicott’s President and CEO Peter Bowe.

Congressman Meadows enthused about Ellicott: “When Ellicott was founded in 1885 Grover Cleveland was president of the U.S. Since building all of the dredges used to construct the Panama Canal Ellicott has performed projects and created jobs in almost every conceivable way: small dredges with large dredges domestic sales exports long-term projects disaster response parts and maintenance design innovations patents factories in the U.S. and factories abroad. Ellicott Dredges has built itself to become one of the oldest and most successful dredging equipment companies in the world.

“This is a durable and versatile company. It can handle the tough jobs” Meadows said. “Ellicott exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit—the optimism the vision and the tenacity of pioneers.”

Ellicott’s Peter Bowe noted that the company was thrilled to receive this recognition from the U.S. government and pleased to be included amongst such a distinguished group of award recipients.

OPIC selected the Impact Award winners through a rigorous process including criteria of work sectors or regions innovation in overcoming obstacles risk mitigation practice quality of results and development impact. In all OPIC presented awards in six categories: U.S. Small Business Renewable Resources Development Impact Critical Infrastructure Private Equity and Access to Finance. The event was co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

OPIC mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so advances U.S. foreign policy. Established as an agency of the U.S. government in 1971 OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers.