Conference to help expand global reach for minority-owned firms
Today Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
kicked off the 28th annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week
Conference in Washington, D.C. The week-long conference focuses on
“Strategies for Growth and Competitiveness in the Global Economy.”
The MED Week conference helps minority-owned firms
grow domestically and globally through a series of educational, training and
business-to-business networking events. Throughout MED Week, nearly 1,500
minority business owners, government officials and corporate representatives
will hear about President Obama’s National Export Initiative and develop the
skills to become export-ready. They will also have the chance to participate in
sessions on opportunities for minority-owned firms in federal contracting and
Haiti reconstruction, among others.
The week will wrap up with an awards gala to honor excellence in minority-owned
firms.
MBDA and National Director David Hinson will welcome
several speakers to this week’s conference, including: U.S. Commerce Secretary
Gary Locke, Administrator of the Small Business Administration Karen G. Mills,
U.S. Deputy Commerce Secretary Dennis Hightower, Under Secretary of Commerce for
International Trade Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary of Commerce for
Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office David
Kappos, and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John
Fernandez.
MBDA is focused on helping minority-owned firms grow
their businesses domestically and globally to foster job creation and economic
growth. For more information about the conference and a video of National Director Hinson at MED Week, visit http://www.medweek.gov. | Conference details and more | USPTO Kappos's remarks