Washington DC Council Member Michael Brown Convenes Historic Summit for contractors of Color
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By Seyi Oduyela
Published: October 1, 2009
Council of the District of Columbia
MEDIA ADVISORY
CONTACT:
Linda Wharton Boyd (202) 724.8105
Washington DC Council Member Michael Brown Convenes Historic Summit for contractors of Color
“ Summit to Empower Contractors to Meet Challenges and to Benefit from Opportunities in the Construction Industry”
WHO/WHAT:
At Large Councilmember Michael A. Brown in conjunction with The Hispanic Contractors Association of DC, The National Association of Minority Contractors, DC Chapter and the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School will convene a historic gathering of minority contractors at the first Black and Brown Summit on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
The Summit will provide empowerment tools and information to minority contractors on how to increase business opportunities and to strengthen their competitive edge.
Summit attendees will hear from Vincent C. Gray, DC Council Chairman, Kwame Brown At-Large Councilmember, Jim Graham, Councilmember (Ward 1), Alberto Gomez, Chairman of The Hispanic Contractors Association and Rosalind Stephenwoof, President of the National Association of Minority Contractors, DC Chapter.
The Summit topics, which will include the contracting process, insurance bonding, hiring and training requirements and understanding diversity, will be presented by industry specialists, Lee Smith , Director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development and Wes Stith, Clark Construction Company. Issue experts are John Hughes, Construction Bonds Incorporated, Lewis Brown, DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Apprenticeship, Robin Coates, DC Department of Employment Services, Office of First Source and a representative from the DC Department of Real Estate Services. Session facilitators are Councilmember Mary Cheh (Ward 3) and Councilmember Marion Barry (Ward 8).
WHEN:
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Where:
Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, 1100 Harvard Street, NW – Washington, DC
Time:
9:00 am – 1:30
BACKGROUND: The first ever “Black and Brown Summit ” will bring African American and Hispanic contractors together to discuss mutual concerns, to establish working relationships and to increase contracting opportunities in the District of Columbia .
The Summit is the ‘brain child’ of At-Large Councilmember Michael A. Brown. His objectives are to improve relations between minority business contractors, to increase the number of city contracts awarded to local minority owned businesses, and to provide contractors with the opportunity to interact with policy makers and to share contractors’ concerns regarding obstacles to success.
“African American and Hispanic contractors have so much in common,” says, Councilmember Brown says. “They fight the same battles everyday to gain equal access to local contracts and therefore it’s only natural that they work together to break down barriers to their shared goals.”
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