On April 5, 2004, Ronald Langston, the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency began a Delta Outreach Tour.  This was his third major Outreach Tour this year.  Previously, during a West Coast Outreach Tour, Mr. Langston visited Washington, California and Hawaii and in the Mid West he visited Michigan and Iowa.  His first stop was in Columbia, South Carolina.  Joe James, the Chief Operations Officer of the South Carolina Department of Commerce briefed Mr. Langston on current initiatives of the Department.  Mr. Langston also met with Jerry Govan, the Chairman of the SC Legislative Black Caucus.  Mr. Langston met with the Presidents of six HBCU's for a luncheon at the Capital City Club in Columbia, S.C. 

The individuals from left to right are: Reverend J. P. Neal,
H. B. Armstrong, Jr., Harry Jeffcoat, Ronald N. Langston,
Tom E. Baldwin, and Chip Hardy.

The HBCU's represented are Allen University, Benedict College, South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Denmark Tech, and Morris College.  Next, Mr. Langston held a Town Hall meeting at the Swinton Center on Benedict College.  Approximately 85 MBE's attended.  Mr. Langston provided an overview of MBDA's Strategic Growth Initiatives and E-Commerce Tools.  Following the Town Hall meeting, Mr. Langston toured Benedict College and attended a reception sponsored by the City of Columbia.

The next stop on the Delta Outreach Tour was Birmingham, Alabama.   On April 6, 2004, Mr. Langston met with Birmingham's Mayor, Bernard Kincaid, at the Birmingham City Hall.  Mr. Langston also attended a meeting of the Birmingham City Council and was presented with a key to the city from Mayor Kincaid. 

Mr. Langston attended a luncheon with the Birmingham Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC) Advisory/Steering Committee.  The luncheon allowed Mr. Langston to meet with each of the Board members to share his appreciation for their support of MBDA and the MBOC Program.  Mr. Langston held a Town Hall meeting at the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.  Approximately 40 MBEs and local government officials attended this event. 

On April 7, 2004, Mr. Langston visited Down South Foods in Selma, Alabama.  He toured this facility and met with several of the owners and supporters of this food plant.  Nearly 300 were in attendance for the Selma Gardens Groundbreaking Ceremony at the Selma Fine Arts Center.  Mr. Langston was presented with a key to the City of Selma.  Mr. Langston met with Alabama Congressman Artur Davis. Congressman Davis represents the 7th District of Alabama.  They discussed partnership efforts and ways to educate rural MBE's on entrepreneurship.  Next, Mr. Langston traveled to Montgomery, AL for a meeting with the Governor Bob Riley.

They discussed the possibility of a Minority Business Development Center in Alabama and the idea of a Selma Enterprise Summit.  Mr. Langston attended a Business Roundtable at the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.  There were approximately 30 attendees at this meeting including the Chairman and President of the Montgomery Chamber and the Montgomery City Council.

On April 8, 2004, Mr. Langston met with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour in Jackson, Mississippi.

They discussed the state of minority business development in Mississippi.  Mr. Langston held a Town Hall meeting at the Mississippi Arts Center.  An MBE Award Ceremony was also held.  The last stop on the Delta Outreach Tour was in Philadelphia, MS where Mr. Langston attended a "Meet and Greet" with John Hendrix, the Director of Economic Development for the Choctaw Indian Reservation.  Mr. Langston also held an informal Roundtable discussion with 10 High Growth MBE's from the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Mr. Robert Henderson, the Director of the Atlanta National Enterprise Center accompanied the Mr. Langston on this trip.