Hogan Administration Supports M/WBEs/Vets at 2017 Business Opportunities & Entrepreneurial Training Summit
On Monday, November 13, 2017, three major agencies of the State of Maryland, Maryland Department of General Services (DGS), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and University System of Maryland (USM) held a massive full day MBE Empowering event themed “Moving Forward, Preparing for the Future.” “The event was held at the beautiful golf and hotel resort, Turf Valley Conference Center in Howard County, Maryland with about 600 paid attendees and it was simply the best of its kind sponsored and planned by the State of Maryland government,” said Wayne R. Frazier, Sr. President of Md. Washington Minority Companies Association (MWMCA) who served on the luncheon business advocate panel addressing issues and concerns for those in attendance.
The event, part of Governor Larry Hogan’s pledge, Maryland is Open for Business centered on providing technical training assistance and education to small, minority, women and veteran-owned businesses as well as entrepreneurial risk takers. Some of the workshop topics were navigating eMaryland Marketplace with success, how to get certified, how to submit a winning bid and avoid fatal flaws, amp up your small business and contracting with University System of Maryland, just to name a few.
State government luminary heavyweights, MDOT Secretary Pete K. Rahn, DGS Secretary Ellington Churchill, University System of Maryland Chancellor Robert L. Caret, Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford, and Governor’s Office of Small Minority and Women Business Affairs Special Secretary, Jimmy Rhee, all supported and/or spoke at the event. Event co-chairs Louis Jones of MDOT, and Jack Howard, DGS deserve special recognition for the meticulous way the day flowed. Plus bringing in major corporations to exhibit their opportunities also gave the attendees an opportunity to match their skills to those who may hire them. You go Louis and Jack for having our back!
“The Bottom line is that the Hogan administration understands that small businesses as well as minority, women and veteran-owned businesses make up at least 70% of the state’s total employment commitments and for Maryland to be strong, those businesses must be equally strong and up to the task. Governor Larry Hogan gets it and we are proud to have him as governor,” said Wayne R. Frazier, Sr. "Go Larry Go!"
