MBDA Cleveland office grand opening features $1.125 million check presentation

Thursday, September 01, 2011

U.S. Sen. Brown, Congresswoman Fudge, MBDA National Director Hinson
and Mayor Frank Jackson officially launch minority business development center

Cleveland, Ohio—U. S Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, and Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) National Director David Hinson today joined Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson and other dignitaries on to present a $1.125 million grant to officially open the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center—Cleveland Ohio.

The center is located at the offices of the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) and the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), 1240 Huron Road in PlayhouseSquare. GCP President and CEO Joe Roman and COSE President and Executive Director Steve Millard also provided remarks. The program was held at the Wyndham Hotel Grand Ballroom, 1260 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland. The MBDA Business Center Cleveland office is one of 27 MBDA centers located throughout the U.S. and the only center in the State of Ohio.

“Small businesses are the engines of economic development in Cleveland and across our country, creating nearly two-thirds of all new jobs,” said Senator Brown. “Providing support to Ohio’s small businesses—including minority-owned businesses—is key to getting our economy back on track. The new Minority Business Development Agency Center in Cleveland will help provide critical assistance and support to minority entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio looking to launch new businesses and add jobs.”

"Connections and collaboration make us stronger. My office worked with strong partners to bring this important initiative to Cleveland,” said Congresswoman Fudge, who represents Ohio’s 11th District. “I congratulate the Greater Cleveland Partnership and all of the organizations who have come together to contribute to the success of the MBDA Business Center, Cleveland, Ohio.

“Small businesses are the key to our economic recovery. Inclusion helps businesses that are ready to grow and enhances the business opportunities and contracts flowing into our region. Our entire community benefits from this initiative, and I stand with you to focus on stimulating jobs and helping all segments of our community thrive."

The Cleveland office, headed by Executive Director Carmen West, will serve minority-owned businesses in Greater Cleveland and throughout the state. is charged with creating jobs and helping minority business enterprises (MBEs) grow throughout the state. Last year, the MBDA created more than 6,000.jobs nationwide and generated more than $4 billion in contracts.

"Cleveland is an excellent location for our newest business center," said MBDA National Director Hinson. "The center will be instrumental in growing minority-owned firms throughout the state and creating new opportunities."

The MBDA Business Center – Cleveland, Ohio is a key component of the MBDA’s overall portfolio of minority business development services, focusing on securing large public and/or private contracts and financing transactions, stimulating job creation, and facilitating entry to global markets for “eligible minority-owned businesses.”

“Small and minority-owned businesses help fuel our local and national economy; they hire locally and add to our tax base,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “The opening of the Minority Business Development Agency Business Center in Cleveland will provide much needed support to small and minority-owned businesses that will lead to job growth and continued investment.”

The MBDA Business Center—Cleveland, Ohio is a collaborative initiative operated by the Commission on Economic Inclusion, a program of the GCP. Joining the Commission as partners are the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE), the GCP’s small business partner; JumpStart; the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; the Northern Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council; Team NEO; and WECO Fund, Inc.

“Helping minority-owned businesses achieve size and scale is an essential part of the private sector’s overall regional economic development strategy to create jobs and attract investment,” said GCP President and CEO Joe Roman. “We’re pleased to support this collaborative initiative, which brings private and public resources to the table to provide MBEs with a “one-stop’ approach to business development services.”

Operating expenses for the first year will be covered by a $225,000 federal grant with additional support from the GCP and its small business partner, COSE. The center will focus on companies with $100,000 or more in annual revenues and serve as a complement to the Minority Business Accelerator 2.5+, a Commission on Economic Inclusion initiative focused on growing the size, scale and infrastructure of African American- and Hispanic-owned MBEs with annual revenues of at least $2.5 million in a 16-county area of Northeast Ohio.

A business is eligible to work with the MBDA office if the company is owned or controlled (greater than 50 percent) by individuals who are U.S. citizens or resident aliens admitted for lawful admission to the U.S. and are African American, Asian and Pacific Islanders, Asian Indians, Hasidic Jews, Hispanic or Native Americans.

Roundtable discussion with local MBEs, business leaders

Following the Open House, the White House Business Council conducted a roundtable discussion led by MBDA National Director Hinson that will allow Ohio MBEs and business leaders to provide feedback on how the Obama Administration can best support their growth and to ensure that local business leaders take advantage of the Administration resources and programs designed to help them create jobs and compete.

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As an association of business members, the Greater Cleveland Partnership mobilizes private-sector leadership, expertise and resources to create jobs and leverage investment to improve the economic vitality of the region. www.gcpartnership.com

A program of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Commission on Economic Inclusion works to significantly improve the level of inclusion-the meaningful involvement of minority businesses and individuals-in the economic engines that drive Northeast Ohio." www.commission-inclusion.com.

COSE is one of Ohio’s largest small-business support organization, striving to help small businesses grow and maintain their independence. www.cose.org

JumpStart is a nationally recognized nonprofit that transforms the economic impact of entrepreneurial ventures and the ecosystems supporting their growth. www.jumpstartinc.org

Based on a growing membership, the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting and supporting the domestic and international economic development of Hispanic commerce and to serving as a liaison to the Hispanic market in Northeast Ohio. http://neohcc.org/

The Northern Minority Ohio Supplier Development Council supports economic development and growth in Northern Ohio by encouraging the procurement of goods and services from local minority owned businesses. http://affiliate.nmsdc.org/nomsdc/

Team NEO is a private-sector-led regional economic development organization that advances Northeast Ohio’s economy by attracting businesses worldwide to the 16-county Cleveland Plus region. www.clevelandplusbusiness.com

WECO Fund, Inc. is a provider of financial services and programs to low- and moderate-income individuals and families and the companies, organizations, and institutions in which they are involved. www.wecofund.com 

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