In our discussion I shared the importance of strengthening an environment where our ethnic businesses can flourish. Momentum must be accelerated; resources are vital to the growth and success of our ethnic business base. Among the topics discussed:

• Ethnic businesses have limited opportunities to expand their capacity enabling them to perform on larger contracts and moving on into non-traditional areas of work.
• A capacity building program must be designed not only to address but also to remedy managerial, administrative and capital limitations.
• We must effectively establish a Mentor Protégé Program to overcome barriers such as inability to compete for large size contracts, financing, bonding, ineffective working relationships between ethnic businesses and primes.

A determined approach will most assuredly provide a broad base of high quality, competitive and profitable ethnic firms and ultimately open doors of real opportunity. We do not ask to lower standards or change criteria. Equal rights need not mean special privileges. Equality can only be realized on a level playing field.

Congratulations to HCCW member, Leni Siker, President of the Wisconsin Business Resource Center (WBRC) who successfully secured funding from MBDA to launch the Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC). For more information on MBOC contact Leni at 264-9422.