NMSDC and Minority Businesses Meet in Washington

NMSDC and Minority Businesses Meet in Washington

Education on Economy Planned during Quarterly Meeting

WASHINGTON, April 20 -- Executives from the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the presidents of its 38 regional affiliates, board chairmen and representatives of their certified minority businesses will gather in the nation's capital this week for the organization's quarterly meeting. The delegation will hold meetings over three days beginning on Tuesday, April 21st.

"Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business owners, like their counterparts in corporate America, face many challenges in this economy," said NMSDC President Harriet R. Michel. "Small business is the engine that drives the American economy. We will spend some time visiting with our representatives in Congress to educate them on the value that the nation's minority-owned businesses bring to corporations, and the key role they can play in helping to turn the U.S. economy around."

Tuesday's scheduled activities include NMSDC committee meetings and a legislative session on creating change and addressing inclusion. Speakers will outline the challenges encountered working with Congress and the Administration; discuss the potential impact of the Rothe decision; address the current state of minority business; and get pointers on Capitol Hill.

On Wednesday, the NMSDC will host a luncheon where Rick Wade, chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Commerce, will make a presentation about the Obama Administration's commitment to minority business.

On Thursday morning, Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection; Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, who is the House Majority

Whip; and Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and a member of the Appropriations Committee, are invited to meet with the group to discuss the Troubled Assets Relief Program II (TARP II) legislation and the Economic Stimulus plan, and their implications for minority businesses.

The day will conclude with attendees making visits to the offices of their local representatives to share with them the value of the nation's more than four million minority businesses and the importance of their inclusion in the federal government's plans for economic recovery.

About NMSDC

Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations. It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.

The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 38 Regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including America's top publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The Regional Councils certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their goods and services.

For more information about NMSDC, call (212) 944-2430 or visit the Web site at www.nmsdc.org.