Minority Business Development
Agency Announces Theme for National Minority Business
Development Week 2003
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority
Business Development Agency, in collaboration with the
U.S. Small Business Administration and their respective
public and private sector partners, will commemorate the
21st Annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED)
Week, which has been designated by Presidential Proclamation
since 1983. This year's MED Week conference will be held
from September 28 - October 1 at The Omni Shoreham Hotel,
Washington, D.C.
"Minority businesses are the backbone of this nation's
economy, providing jobs to over 4 1/2 people nationwide,"
said Ronald Langston, National Director, MBDA. "To
continue to increase these numbers we must ensure that
they have a stake in the global marketplace. National
MED Week 2003 is geared towards showing them step by step
what it takes to succeed outside the U.S."
National MED Week is the largest federally sponsored
activity held on behalf of minority business development.
Regional MED Week events will also be held throughout
the country prior to the National MED Week Conference.
This year, in keeping with the tremendous opportunities
for doing business abroad, the National MED Week theme
will be "Strategies for Growth in the American Economy
Part III: The Global Economy."
"Small businesses are the engine of American economic
growth, and minority-owned businesses are one of the fastest-growing
segments of the business community," said SBA Administrator
Hector Barreto. "They contribute more than $591 billion
in revenues annually and they produce more than $96 billion
in annual payroll. This year's MED Week conference will
help these businesses find staying power in the American
economy and new pathways into the global economy."
Specifically, National MED Week will include the announcement
of landmark new research from Tuck School of Businesses
at Dartmouth that will make the business case for why
minority businesses should compete in the global market.
It will also highlight numerous experts from the public
and private trade community and their recommendations
on how minority businesses can compete globally.
For further information please visit www.medweek.gov
or call 1-877-MEDWeek (1-877-633-9335).
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