asowah's blog

As we approach the winter holidays, we pause to thank you for your continued partnership. It is business associates like you that bring a rich mosaic of experiences, attitudes and views that continue to advance MBDA’s mission to create jobs and foster the growth and global competitiveness of minority-owned firms.

It’s been an extremely productive year at MBDA and we are excited to share some of our many achievements from this past year.  We’ve completed a major organizational restructuring that enabled us to increase funding to MBDA Business Centers.  We also launched several “specialty” MBDA Business Centers including: the Atlanta MBDA Business Center, which is now staffed to provide expert guidance for minority-owned businesses in the healthcare technology and advanced manufacturing industry sectors; the San Antonio MBDA Business Center that has expanded their services to include expertise in exporting to Latin America; and the MBDA Federal Procurement Center, the first MBDA Business Center to solely focus on federal contracting.;

The Minority Business Development Agency pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans as we approach the final days of Native American Heritage Month.  According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, “What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.”

For decades, MBDA has supported expanded trade through minority-owned and operated businesses recognizing that minority-owned firms have the most favorable export attributes of any sector of the U.S. economy. In 2011 MBDA began the formal process of institutionalizing efforts to aid minority-owned businesses globally. With President Obama’s launch of the National Export Initiative, the focus on minority exporters and their ability to support domestic job growth has taken on added importance.

A week after the 2012 Election Cycle where the House and Senate essentially remained the same, Congress returned to Washington for the final weeks of the 112th Congress.  As talks continued between leaders in Congress on how to address the impending fiscal cliff, Members of the House passed a bill to establish permanent trade relations with the ninth-largest economy in the world, Russia.

As we reflect on the Thanksgiving Holiday, there is much to be grateful for – today and every day. In celebrating the simple joys of life, we also recognize the hard work and unique opportunities on the horizon. Minority-owned firms represent a community that is composed of 5.8 million businesses that contribute over $1 trillion to the U.S. economy, and directly and indirectly creates 16 million jobs. MBDA is honored to partner with you in ushering in a new era where we will focus on supporting your ability to access global markets with your products and services. Our future lies in the global markets and we are going to help you get there!