BUSINESS REPORT
MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MIAMI HERALD
BB15
Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council to Operate
Miami MBDA Business Center That Will Help
Minority Businesses Grow Exponentially
By Beatrice Louissaint
Beatrice Louissaint
President and CEO
Florida State Minority Supplier
Development Council
The Florida State Minority Supplier
Development Council (FSMSDC) is the new
operator of the U.S. Department of
Commerce Miami Minority Business
Development Agency (MBDA) Business
Center serving southern Florida. The
center’s goal is to help minority-owned firms
create jobs, develop their businesses and
compete in the global economy.
The Center will help minority firms grow
by providing access to capital, technical
expertise, advanced business consulting
resources and innovative management
services. In addition, the Center’s Business
Resource Lab will offer workshops and
seminars, a computer lab and a business
library. Annually, the goal of the Miami
MBDA Business Center will be to help
minority companies garner more than $111
million in procurement contracts and
financial transactions.
Companies that are 51% owned or
controlled by African Americans, Hispanic
Americans, American Asians and Pacific
Islanders, Native Americans (including
Alaska Natives, Alaska Native Corporations
and Tribal entities), Asian Indian Americans
and Hasidic Jewish Americans are eligible for
the services from the Center. Federal
appropriations subsidize the services the
Miami MBDA Business Center provides to
clients. Fees which are based on the service
provided and the client's gross sales will
start at $10 an hour.
Since 2009, MBDA Business Centers
across the nation have helped minority firms
gain access to more than $31 billion in
capital and contracts, while creating and
retaining nearly 142,000 jobs. The Business
Centers are integral to fostering greater
economic vitality across the US.
To learn more about the services of the
Miami MBDA Business Center or to schedule
an appointment with a business consultant,
visit www.mbdamiamicenter.com
or call (305) 751-2907.
Beatrice Louissaint is President and CEO
of the Florida State Minority Supplier
Development Council. The organization’s
goal is to increase purchasing from minority
businesses by government entities and
corporations, while increasing Minority
Business Enterprises’ operating capacity
through hands-on business assistance,
training and access to technology and
capital resources. Founded in 1975 in
southern Florida (formerly named the
Southern Florida Minority Supplier
Development Council –SFMSDC) and
expanded to cover all of Florida in January
2016, it is one of 23 regional councils
affiliated with the National Minority Supplier
Development Council (NMSDC). The
FSMSDC acts as a liaison between corporate
America and Minority Business Enterprises
in the state of Florida. To learn more about
the FSMSDC, visit fsmsdc.org
or call (305) 762-6151.