Small Business Trends

WASHINGTON (August 22, 2008) – The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency will celebrate the achievements of minority entrepreneurs and business leaders during the 26th Anniversary of the National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference on Sept. 3-5 in Washington, D.C.

This year’s MED Week event – “The Power of Strategic Alliances in the Global Economy” – will focus on international trade, highlighted by a joint SBA/MBDA forum on the benefits to small businesses of free trade agreements. Joint initiatives by SBA and the Department of Commerce on international trade also are on the agenda, including the first-ever International Trade Symposium, held earlier this year.

Other international trade forums include the “Managing Global Strategic Relationships” and the “Free Trade in the Global Economy” sessions. The conference also will feature a White House Reception for award winners (Invitation only) a MED Week Welcome Reception, a Business Expo and Trade Show, a Meet Your White House breakfast with keynote address by Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, the United States Trade Representative, a Business-to-Business Linkage forum where small businesses are paired with government agencies and private sector companies to discuss potential contracting opportunities (pre-registration required and invitation only) and several award ceremonies honoring minority entrepreneurs, minority business advocates and leaders in the corporate community, including a closing MED Week awards gala.

The MED Week conference schedule is listed below:

Wednesday, September 3

- 4:30-6:00 pm – White House Reception to honor 26th Anniversary award winners in the Indian Treaty room (Invitation Only).
- 6:00-8:00 pm – MED Week Welcome Reception and Recognition of Billion Dollar Roundtable Members in the Empire Ballroom of the Omni Shoreham Hotel.

Thursday, September 4

- 7:30-8:45a.m. – Meet Your White House breakfast keynote address by Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, the United States Trade Representative.
- 9:00-12p.m. – Opening Session: Managing Global Strategic Relationships Keynote: Bo. I. Anderson, Vice President, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, General Motors Corporation. Presentation of Paper on “Increasing MBE Competitiveness through Strategic Alliances” by Professor Leonard Greenhalgh, Tuck School of Business. There will be a Panel Discussion following the presentation of the paper with panelists Robert L. Wallace, author of “Strategic Partnerships,” Solomon Chen, CEO of Superior Communications, Charito Kruvant, CEO of Creative Associates International, Inc., Carlton Highsmith, CEO of Specialized Packaging Group and Ranjini Poddar, CEO of Artech Information Systems, LLC. Anne Habiby, Ph.D., Managing Partner for Next Economics will be the moderator.
- 12:30-1:45p.m. – Opening luncheon with keynote address by Greg Papadopoulos, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
- 2:30-8:00p.m. – Business Expo and Trade Show
- 2:00-3:30p.m. – Airport Business Opportunities Information Session

Friday, September 5

- 7:30-8:45a.m. – SBA Administrator’s Breakfast with an award ceremony announcing SBA’s National Minority Small Business Person of the Year, 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year and the Administrator’s Leadership Award. SBA Acting Administrator Sandy Baruah will be the keynote speaker.
- 9:00-11:30a.m. – Opening Session: “Free Trade in the Global Economy”. Keynote: Christopher Padilla, Under Secretary, International Trade Administration. There will be a panel discussion with panelists Shelley Stewart Jr., Vice President of Supply Chain for Tyco, Maurice (Reese) Delorey, Vice President of Global Supply Chain for Lockheed Martin, James Mallard, Vice President of Supply Chain for UPS, William M. Zarit, Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Operation, International Trade Administration for the Department of Commerce and Darryl W. Jackson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement for the Department of Commerce. Anne Habiby, Ph.D., Managing Partner for Next Economics will be the moderator.
- 12:30-2:15p.m. – The State of Commerce Luncheon with keynote address by David L. Steward, Founder, World Wide Technology, Inc. Remarks will also be given by Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce and John Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
- 2:30-4:30p.m. – SBA and MBDA Workshop: Small Business Benefits for Free Trade Agreements with panelists, Kirk Flashner, Office of Export Enforcement, Fernando Sanchez, Trade Compliance Center, International Trade Administrator for the Department of Commerce, Stephen P. Sullivan, Office of International Trade for the SBA, Harvey D. Bronstein, Office of Policy & Strategic Planning for the SBA, Patrick Tunison, Office of International Trade for the SBA and Brian Brisson, International Trade Administration for the Department of Commerce.
- 2:30-5:30 pm – Business to Business Linkage to provide networking opportunities for minority entrepreneurs to market their goods and services to government agencies and Fortune 500 companies (pre-registration required and invitation only).
- 7:00-10:00 pm – MED Week 26th Anniversary Awards Gala

WHO:

Sandy Baruah, Acting Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
Jovita Carranza, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration
Ronald Langston, National Director of MBDA under the Department of Commerce
Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of the Department of Commerce
Calvin Jenkins, Deputy Associate Administrator of Government Contracting and Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration

WHEN:

September 3-5, 2008

WHERE:
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert St., N.W.
Washington, DC
1-800-The-Omni