Feds announce Minority Enterprise Conference this month

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Develop­ment Agency announced the opening of registration for the 2011 Minority Enterprise Develop­ment Week (MED Week) Conference, which will be held September 27–30 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washing­ton.

The theme of this year’s conference is Emerging Industries and Markets: A Blueprint for Success, and the three–day event will spotlight trends and opportunities for participating businesses.

“Minority-owned firms are a significant source of job creation in this country, and MED Week offers them an unparalleled opportunity to learn how to grow their business, network with other firms, and expose themselves to decision makers,” said MBDA National Director David A. Hinson. “MED Week is more important than ever before as minority-owned firms are seen as a valuable asset and significant source of economic growth for the country.”

Keynote speakers will include Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Secretary for Housing and Urban Develop­ment Shaun Donovan.

New this year, the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA) — the premiere international organization serving the middle market mergers and acquisitions profession — will conduct an executive education-style session. Corporate executives from Honda, General Motors, Chrysler, North­rop-Grumman, Raytheon and Lockheed will also host industry specific workshops aimed at in­creasing supplier diversity, focused on the aerospace, defense and automotive industries. Sessions on high-speed rail construction projects, public utilities and green business will be offered as well.

Other conference highlights in­clude Embassy-sponsored market access receptions and the Business-to-Business Expo featuring matchmaking sessions and power learning roundtables. The annual National MED Week Awards Gala will close out the conference, with the nation’s top firms receiving recognition for their business success and economic impact on their communities.

Recognized as the nation’s premier event for minority entrepreneurs and business owners, the MED Week Conference attracts minority businesses of all sizes from all industry sectors across the country. Participants will have opportunities to network and learn about new contracting, financing and global growth opportunities from both federal government agencies and private corporations. This year’s program will also offer minority entrepreneurs access to the policy makers, program managers, financial lenders and procurement officers who often impact business success.

This article originally published in the September 5, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.