The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the National Asian and Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ACE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) recently at MBDA headquarters.
The agreement is designed to help both MBDA and ACE increase awareness within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community of business opportunities in trade, exporting, and contracting through trainings, roundtables, and webinars.
“We have a great relationship with ACE and this MOU provides us with even more resources to strengthen our commitment to supporting all minority business communities, including Asian American and Pacific Islanders now and in the future,” said Albert K. Shen, MBDA Deputy National Director.
ACEis a Washington, D.C., based national organization founded in 2012, by a group of Asian-American executives and business owners to provide a voice to the business interests of Asian American and Pacific Islanders and to support and advance the economic goals and aspirations of AAPI business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders.
“Formalizing our partnership enables us to optimize our collective ability to help the Asian American Pacific Islander business communities attain success,” said Sach Takayasu, ACE National President and Chief Executive Officer.
MBDA and ACE will use their collective resources to support and spotlight the overall success of minority business enterprises. This includes promoting projects that increase the economic opportunities for Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned business through increased access to Federal contracting opportunities and educating MBEs on access to markets and capital.
ACE recently participated in the first-ever National AAPI Business Summit, May 25, at the Department of Commerce. The event was hosted by MBDA and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
For more information about ACE, visit http://nationalace.org/ and for more information about upcoming MBDA AAPI events and training, visit mbda.gov.