Minority Business – Minority Owned Business

The Portland Development Commission has exceeded 35 percent diversity in contracting in a city that is reported to be the whitest in the United States. Bold adoption of aggressive requirements followed by structural changes and internal oversight made the difference. In each of the past two years, PDC has exceeded its goals for utilization of minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses (M/W/ESB) by at least 15 percent annually, achieving more than 35 percent of the dollars committed to state-certified firms.

For 2008-2009, PDC spent $94 million on construction projects; $35 million of that went to M/W/ESB firms. Another $36 million is committed to additional PDC-supervised projects of more than $70 million to M/W/ESB firms. Apprentices worked nearly 250,000 of the total hours in the past fiscal year, or three percent above the 20 percent PDC goal.

“For PDC to be willing to take this on, to commit to making a difference here, says that part of economic development is economic development for everybody. Thats leadership, says Connie Ashbrook, founder of Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.

Download the 2008-2009 Diversity in Contracting Report here, http://www.pdc.us/diversity

Video produced by
John Cárdenas

Music by
Yo La Tengo- “Retrun To Hot Chicken”
Fernando- “Same Ol’ King”

Duration : 0:2:35

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Portland Development Commission PDC M/W/ESB Minority Women Emerging Small Business Diversity 82 Percent Increase.

As part of the annual Diversity in Contracting Report, the Portland Development Commission (PDC) announced today that spending on minority-owned, women-owned and emerging small business (M/W/ESB) firms increased by 82 percent over the previous year. The investment rose from $14.08 million in Fiscal Year 2005-06 to $25.6 million in FY 2006-07 — an $11.5 million, or 82 percent, increase. The FY 06-07 results equaled 29.6 percent of PDC’s investment in construction projects as compared to PDC’s goal of 20 percent utilization of M/W/ESB contractors. On professional services contracts, PDC achieved 24.6 percent M/W/ESB utilization, also exceeding the goal.

“These are fantastic numbers, but beyond the numbers are minorities, women and small businesses in our community who are finding rewarding work on PDC projects,” said PDC Executive Director Bruce Warner. “We are pleased with this progress, but we want to do more — and so do our private sector partners. We are all heading in the right direction and I think increasing our dollars to M/W/ESB firms by 82 percent is a very positive way to kick off our 50th Anniversary,” he added.

To underscore PDC’s commitment to the issue of M/W/ESB contracting, since 2006 Warner has created the Community Relations and Business Equity department at PDC, established an internal Diversity Council, become a founding sponsor of the National Association of Minority Contractors, Oregon Chapter, supported joint equity ventures between established developers and minority-owned companies, created a Contracting Advisory Committee and established a Workforce Diversity Advisory Committee.

At the Feb. 27 commission meeting, the PDC Board of Commissioners will consider a new Business and Workforce Equity Policy that would become effective April 1, 2008. The policy will raise PDC’s goals for developers and general contractors by:
• Implementing a goal of 20 percent M/W/ESB utilization on all public-private development’s total hard construction cost — not just on the PDC investment
• Adding a 20 percent M/W/ESB utilization goal to all PDC direct construction contracting
• Including a 30 percent goal on M/W/ESB Flexible Service and Personal Services contracting and a 25 percent goal on total dollars

PDC also participates in the Workforce Training and Hiring Program (WTHP) administered for PDC by the City of Portland, Bureau of Purchases. PDC continues to encourage the recruitment of women and minority apprentices as a key element of the policy. For FY 06-07, 22 percent of all construction hours worked on PDC projects were worked by apprentices and 32 percent of those hours were worked by women and people of color.

With many large construction projects under way in Portland, sporadic apprentice shortages are evident in several trades. PDC will continue to work with labor, Construction Apprentice and Workforce Solutions, Inc., community-based organizations and pre-apprentice programs to fulfill the increasing demand for diverse apprentices.
To view the PDC Diversity in Contracting Report visit: www.pdc.us/pubs/inv_detail.asp?id=151&ty=46

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Tutorial #2 discusses the process and cost of obtaining minority business Certification (mbe) Certification with Southern California Minority Business Development Council & National Minority Supplier Development Council.

Duration : 0:2:43

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Technorati Tags: and, Business, California, Certification, costs, Council, Development, diversity, Enterprise, mbe, Minority, National, NMSDC, owned, processtraining, SCMBDC, Southern, Supplier, tutorial

http://www.scorechicago.org/
Interview with Joe Johnson a member of the Board of Directors of the Bolingbrook Chamber of Commerce. Joe comments on the role of the chamber in economic development. He also provides some insights to a minority business person as to his approach and philosophy in working with the community. This interview took place prior to the Small Business Roundtable sponsored by Congresswoman Judy Biggert (IL-13) on April 14, 2008 in Bolingbrook, IL.

Duration : 0:2:50

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Technorati Tags: Bolingbrook, Business, Chamber, Chicago, Commerce, Development, Economic, Fox, Joe, Johnson, Minority, of, SCORE, small, Valley

Tutorial #1 introduces minority business Enterprise (mbe) Certification and what the eligibility requirements are for certifying your minority-owned business with Southern California Minority Business Development Council & National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliates.

Duration : 0:3:11

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Technorati Tags: Business, California, Certification, Council, Development, diversity, eligibility, Enterprise, mbe, Minority, National, NMSDC, owned, SCMBDC, Southern, Supplier, training, tutorial

The rise of women and minorities in the business sector over the last two decades has occurred at nearly exponential rates in dominant industries from technology and hospitality to marketing and media.

Today, online auction giant eBay is headed by a woman (Meg Whitman), and popular chains like Pinkberry and McDonald’s have company presidents with Korean- and Cuban-American backgrounds.

Duration : 0:3:2

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Tutorial #3 discusses the Certification Application, Required Documents, and Submission Considerations for Minority Business Certification (mbe) Certification with Southern California minority business Development Council & National Minority Supplier Development Council affiliates.

Duration : 0:2:33

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Technorati Tags: application, Business, California, Certification, Council, Development, diversity, documents, Enterprise, mbe, Minority, National, NMSDC, owned, required, SCMBDC, Southern, submission, Supplier, training, tutorial