Brian
McKinney Sr.

Brian McKinney Sr. is the CEO and Founder of Gayanga Co., a heavy civil construction start-up specializing in total demolition, site clearing excavation and earthwork, environmental services, asset recovery, underground utilities (electrical and water), and trucking. Over the last decade, Brian has amassed a wealth of experience in startup culture, business ownership, leading-edge technologies, analytics, real estate development, coalition building, and unlocking the potential of underserved communities. His expertise has been central to creating Gayanga’s reputation as the fastest-growing minority owned heavy civil infrastructure firm in the state of Michigan

As a self-described disruptor, Brian is driven by his relentless curiosity and compassion for those often overlooked by society. His continuous evaluation of systems and industries ripe for improvement, and commitment to his community has garnered him notoriety in various publications, including Black Enterprise 100 Modern Men Honoree, DBusiness (30 in their 30s), and Crain's Detroit (40 Under 40).

Before founding Gayanga Co., Brian launched a series of tech startups, including The Tax Chief, an online tax preparation service that allowed Certified Public Accountants to prepare taxes at a low-cost rate for individuals traditionally targeted by substandard tax franchises in urban communities. Another revolutionary tech innovation came as an equity stakeholder with Pigeonly, a Y Combinator (YC W15) startup, and communications platform designed to connect the incarcerated population with their families and loved ones.

In lockstep with his core values and professional history, Brian has now turned his sights to a new emerging need in the country. Leveraging technology to Increase access to skilled trade career pathways in urban communities via workforce development training at Gayanga Co.

In an effort to increase awareness of the exciting world of heavy civil construction, Brian serves on the Board of Directors for the National Demolition Association, and the Board of Wrecking Examiners for the City of Detroit.

When away from work, Brian strives to make a social impact through technology as the cofounder and board chair of JOURNi, a tech non-profit working to increase computer science training and startup access in underserved communities. He also works with universities in Michigan to bring tech professionals of color on campuses to speak about tech and career development.