BBA News MAR '10 by Black Business News Group

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary March 02, 2010

Presidential Proclamation - Women’s History Month Countless women have steered the course of our history, and their stories are ones of steadfast determination. From reaching for the ballot box to breaking barriers on athletic fields and battlefields, American women have stood resolute in the face of adversity and overcome obstacles to realize their full measure of success. Women’s History Month is an opportunity for us to recognize the contributions women have made to our Nation, and to honor those who blazed trails for women’s empowerment and equality. Women from all walks of life have improved their communities and our Nation. Sylvia Mendez and her family stood up for her right to an education and catalyzed the desegregation of our schools. Starting as a caseworker in city government, Dr. Dorothy Height has dedicated her life to building a more just society. One of our young heroes, Caroline Moore, contributed to advances in astronomy by discovering a supernova at age 14. When women like these reach their potential, our country as a whole prospers. That is the duty of our Government -- not to guarantee success, but to ensure all Americans can achieve it. My Administration is working to fulfill this promise with initiatives like the White House Council on Women and Girls, which promotes the importance of taking women and girls into account in Federal policies and programs. This council is committed to ensuring our Government does all it can to give our daughters the chance to achieve their dreams. As we move forward, we must correct persisting inequalities. Women comprise over 50 percent of our population but hold fewer than 17 percent of our congressional seats. More than half our college students are female, yet when they graduate, their male classmates still receive higher pay on average for the same work. Women also hold disproportionately fewer science and engineering jobs. That is why my Administration launched our Educate to Innovate campaign, which will inspire young people from all backgrounds to drive America to the forefront of science, technology, engineering, and math. By increasing women’s participation in these fields, we will foster a new generation of innovators to follow in the footsteps of the three American women selected as 2009 Nobel Laureates. Our Nation’s commitment to women’s rights must not end at our own borders, and my Administration is making global women’s empowerment a core pillar of our foreign policy. My Administration created the first Office for Global Women’s Issues and appointed an Ambassador at Large to head it. We are working with the United Nations and other international institutions to support women’s equality and to curtail violence against women and girls, especially in situations of war and conflict. We are partnering internationally to improve women’s welfare through targeted investments in agriculture, nutrition, and health, as well as programs that empower women to contribute to economic and social progress in their communities. And we are following through on the commitments I made in Cairo to promote access to education, improve literacy, and expand employment opportunities for women and girls. This month, let us carry forth the legacy of our mothers and grandmothers. As we honor the women who have shaped our Nation, we must remember that we are tasked with writing the next chapter of women’s history. Only if we teach our daughters that no obstacle is too great for them, that no ceiling can block their ascent, will we inspire them to reach for their highest aspirations and achieve true equality. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2010 as Women’s History Month. I call upon all our citizens to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

President’s Message Earl “Skip” Cooper, II President/Chief Executive Officer

Women’s History Month is Awe-Inspiring

he Black Business Association (BBA) undertakes a wide range of socioeconomic advocacy positions as our most vital concern is the advancement of black women as timehonored captains of industry. In view of that the BBA looks forward to its annual tribute to black women and is pleased to have this year the co-chairpersons of the HONORABLE MAXINE WATERS and HONORABLE JEANETTE T. NDHLOVU to help us do so on March 27, 2010 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, CA. These accomplished women assuredly will help make this a most noteworthy experience as they work in concert with the Women’s History Month Theme, “Writing Women Back Into History”. The BBA’s 2010 Salute to Black Women Business Conference and Awards Luncheon will honor and remember the contributions of black women who have lead struggles for equality and civil rights; created or advanced educational and professional opportunities; and have made contributions to the arts, sciences and other humanistic causes. To enhance the consciousness and knowledge of women’s history, this BBA conference inspires and helps generate ideas that further serve to help black women thrive. The

conference includes workshops on selfimprovement, financial improvement, financial security, independent living, and everyone is invited to attend. It is not surprising that in 1978 the first “Women’s History Week” celebration was launched in California by the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission that chose the month of March to coincide with the International Women’s Day’s first observance in 1909. In 1981, the United States Congress passed a resolution establishing National Women’s History Week and six years later Congress expanded the week to a month. Black women are emerging with greater ownership and management responsibilities for core business activity, developing product lines and branding campaigns, and in general holding executive leadership positions for moving products and making higher profits than ever before. In spite of this, black women too often face some opposition to obtain operating capital as business owners or to advance upwardly to executive appointments in corporate roles. This is a large concern of the BBA and is why we continue to work diligently to help fill this gap as a strategic business network to generate contracting and corporate management opportunities.

Those barriers to reaching the executive corporate suites are in some cases the underlying reasons why black women launch their own enterprise. Although the corporate experience means something to black women, the executive ladder to the top seems unachievable at some corporations where the entrepreneurial spirit has a more appealing challenge. In 2002, according to the Small Business Administration, enterprise ownership for black women was 547,341 versus black men who owned 571,670 companies nationwide. This serves to illustrate how black socioeconomic conditions have dramatically improved in America over the past century from those memorable pioneer female captains of industry. Like Sarah Breedlove who changed her named upon marrying Charles Joseph Walker, to Madam C.J. Walker who founded the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company and by 1917 had the largest business in the United States owned and operated by a black American, male of female. Walker paved the way for many black women like Marjorie Stewart Joyner who went to work for her and oversaw 200 of Madame Walker’s beauty schools as the national advisor. Not unlike Sarah E. Goode, the first black American woman to receive a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the first folding hideaway bed, which was thirty years before the Murphy bed. Today, this fine enterprise expansion is carried on in great style by black women like Oprah Winfrey, CEO of see President’s Message on page 69

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Over 40 years of service Founded 1970

Fannie Mae IBM Kaiser Permanente LAEDC Los Angeles World Airports Northrop Grumman Corporation Raytheon Company S.C.R.P.C. Sempra Energy Southern California Edison Swinerton Builders Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. Turner Construction Company Union Bank of California USBank Verizon Walt Disney Company WellPoint Wells Fargo Bank Lyceum Management Services, Ex Officio Hollis Smith, Ex Officio Paulette Williams, Ex Officio

Kevin M. Caliup, Treasurer AIA/E-World Strategy Narishimah Osei, Parliamentarian Osei & Associates Gwen Moore, Director GEM Communications Candida Mobely-Wright, Director Voices, Inc. Angela Walton, Director Melador Technologies, Inc. Angela Reddock, Esq., Legal Counsel

Black Business Association P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 323-291-9334 Fax: 323-291-9234 www.facebook.com Search: Black Business Association mail@bbala.org www.bbala.org

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

STAFF

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ian Foxx ▪ Sabir • N. Osei

Earl “Skip” Cooper, II, President/CEO Kesha Vontreese, Administrative Consultant Brett Byers, Special Projects Consultant Steven Turner, Economic Development Editor

LAYOUT/TYPESETTING

CORPORATE PARTNERS

W. Gladney ▪ C. Collins

PHOTOGRAPHY

Lion Communications

AEG American Honda Motor Company AT&T Bank of America The Boeing Company California Lottery Citibank Coca-Cola Enterprises Comerica Bank Department of Water & Power Donald Sterling Corporation

BBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ted Davis, Chairman IsComp Systems, Inc. Nathan Freeman, Vice Chairman Figueroa Media Group, Inc. Eugene Jones, Secretary NVA Financial Group, Inc.

AFFILIATES African American Unity Caucus Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs Black Women’s Network California Black Chamber of Commerce California Council of Black Chambers The Greenlining Institute Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense & Education Fund National Black Business Council The National Association of African American Chambers of Commerce The National Black Chamber of Commerce Pan African Film & Arts Festival Recycling Black Dollars

2010 Events March •Salute to Black Women April/May •Trade Mission to Washington, DC June •Business of Black Music Conference & Awards Dinner August •40th Anniversary Awards Dinner November •Utilities Procurement Exchange Summit & Awards Luncheon • Call for information •

323-291-9334

April/May 2010

Procurement Trade Mission to Washington, D.C.

Bl k B

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4 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

The Trade Mission that Targets Federal Contract Procurement Dollars for Your Business!!

About the BBA… Since 1970, the Black Business Association (BBA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, headquartered in Los Angeles, has been instrumental in the incubation and development of more than 15,000 African-American businesses. Nationally, we have access and influence with more than 85,000 African-American-owned and women/ minority-owned firms via strategic alliances with more than 100 women/minority trade associations in more than 42 states nationwide.

In This Issue… 3

President’s Message Women’s History Month is Awe-Inspiring

$3 Million in Discretionary Stimulus Funds

10 15 16 17 22 37

Black Farmers Get Settlement HOMESTAR Program Help for Homeowners Recovery Act Update 36th Annual Awards Dinner Let’s Move!

Africa Focus

___ Our Mission ___ The Black Business Association’s mission is to advocate and promote the development of African-American owned businesses with the goal of creating a firm economic base that support the self-determination and survival of the African-American and urban community by: •

Identifying and creating financial opportunities for the growth and stability of African-American owned businesses;

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Being a community voice that advocates for the success of small businesses;

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Being a conduit for the merging of resources, values, profits, technology and people;

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Promoting development and support of minority business enterprises within the domestic and international economies by encouraging and generating greater access to market opportunities and capital;

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Providing training for entrepreneurial professional development;

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Supporting and contributing to the economic base and progress of the African-American community; and

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Developing coalitions that support our political endeavors to effectively achieve public recognition and political influence for African-American business owners.

___ Advocacy ___ The Black Business Association maintains very effective working relationships with elected and appointed officials for the support of African-American business development. Locally, statewide and in Washington, DC, we are constantly aware of pending legislation that might affect our member’s businesses, their growth and even their ability to conduct business. When legislation is being considered that affects our mission, the BBA quickly mobilizes to work with key policy makers to support, defeat or modify the bill and pursue the BBA position. As an organization, we are constantly at the helm, securing innovative means and policies that protect our constituency and their business interests. &

Trade Show Marketing Strengthening African Leadership page 52

SBA News Recovery Lending Extended

Calendar

Columns 43 - Take A Look! 56 - New Credit Card Laws 61 - Books to Consider...

BBA Action Alert 11 - Help for Haiti 20 - Health Care Reform-Contact Your Senator Now Cover Design - Sarah Harris Cover Photo - Ian Foxx

YO U R L I N K T O A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N B U S I N E S S E S C E L E B RA T I N G 4 0 Y E A R S O F S E R V I C E

2010 Salute to Black Women BUSINESS CONFERENCE & AWARDS LUNCHEON I N C E L E B R A T I O N O F WO M E N ’ S H I S T O R Y M O N T H In concert with the Women's History Month theme “Writing Women Back into History,” the BBA will honor women who lead struggles for equality and civil rights; create and advance educational and professional opportunities; and make contributions to the arts, sciences and humanistic causes.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters Honorary Committee Chairperson

The Honorable Jeanette T. Ndhlovu Co-Chairperson

Saturday, March 27, 2010 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Omni Hotel Downtown Los Angeles 251 South Olive Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

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The Black Business Association Holds Annual

Salute To Black Women Business Conference & Awards Luncheon

he Black Business Association (BBA), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, hosts its annual Salute to Black Women Business Conference and Awards Luncheon on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the Omni Hotel in Los AnCongresswoman geles, CaliMaxine Waters fornia in recognition of Women’s History Month. In concert with the Women’s History Month theme “Writing Women Back into History,” the BBA will honor w o m e n who lead struggles for equality and civil rights; create and Ambassador advance Jeanette Ndhlovu educational and professional opportunities; and make contributions to the arts, sciences and humanistic causes. We are pleased to announce that Congresswoman Maxine Waters (35th Faye Washington District) will serve as the Honorary Committee Chairperson

and Ambassador Jeanette Ndhlovu will serve as the Honorary Committee CoChairperson for this magnificent occasion that will not only educate and inform, but honor extraordinary Towalame Austin women whose lives show exceptional vision and leadership. The honorees for 2010 are: Ms. Towalame Austin, President, Magic Johnson Foundation (Philanthropic Visionary Award), Mrs. Lillian Mobley, Community AcForecee Hogan- tivist (Lifetime Rowles Achievement Award); Speaker Emeritus Karen Bass, California State Assembly (Outstaning Public Service Award); Ms. Forecee Hogan-Rowles, President & Chief Executive Office, Community Financial Resource Center (Outstanding Business Leadership Award); Ms. Dawn Sutherland, Vice President and Controller for the North American Solutions Group’s Western Sales Operations / Xerox Corporation (OutstandGenell Brown ing Corporate Leader Award); Ms. Faye Washington, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles (Outstanding Executive

Leadership Award);and Ms. Genell B r o w n , President, Four Seasons Productions (Special Recognition Award). Speaker Emeritus The SaKaren Bass lute to Black Women’s Business Conference will provide inspiration and ideas to help African American women thrive during this economic downturn by offering workshops focusing on self-improvement, financial improvement, financial security, and independent Lillian Mobley living. Throughout 2010, the BBA will celebrate 40 years of service, during which they have been instrumental in the incubation and development of more that 15,000 African American businesses. For four decades BBA has provided innovative information and service programs to our constituents, advocated for change Dawn Sutherland and adherence to laws and programs, and assisted companies and individuals in moving up the entrepreneurship ladder of success. For information about the BBA or the Salute to Black Women Business Conference and Awards Luncheon call 323291-9334 or visit www.bbala.org. &

Governor Announces $3 Million In Discretionary Stimulus Funds To Bridge Career Paths for Students

overnor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced $3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds for the Bridges to Success program, designed to open career paths for children who are most likely to drop out of school. “We must prepare our students so that they can develop the skills necessary to compete in a rapidly-changing and technologically-sophisticated economy,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “This program offers summer jobs to students and will help them better understand the connection between school and a successful career. I am glad that I could partner with the federal government, Senator Steinberg and the legislature to improve the next generation of California’s workforce.” Bridges to Success tackles the high school dropout rate, which currently stands at 20 percent statewide. These funds will help to link at-risk youths with real-world jobs that offer a taste of the career opportunities available to them if they complete their education. “Reducing the dropout rate is one of my top priorities and critical to California’s future economic success,” said Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D—Sacramento). “The Bridges to Success program will help at-risk students stay in school by showing them the connection between what they learn in school and real-world jobs. This initiative is a great example of how the Legislature and Governor can team

up with the federal government to do something innovative for young adults who would otherwise drop out from school.” The Employment Development Department (EDD) will distribute up to $3 million in Recovery Act money to fund innovative summer programs blending work and school experiences in a way that convinces youths to stay in school. Grants of up to $500,000 each will go to six local projects throughout the state. EDD is now accepting solicitations for proposals from local Workforce Investment Boards for programs that match at-risk, low-income, 16 to 18 year olds with positive education and work experiences. The proposals will focus on the academic fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and career pathways in the allied health and skilled trades industries. Further information on submitting proposals for the “Bridges to Success” funds is available online at: http://www.edd.ca.gov/Jobs_and_ Training/WDSFP_Workforce_Development_Solicitations_for_Proposals.htm. EDD must receive the proposals by March 24, 2010. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has authorized funding for these grants to be drawn from the Governor’s 15 percent Discretionary Workforce Investment Act under the administrative authority of EDD, as directed by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. &

Governor Schwarzenegger Applauds Kyocera Decision to Create Green Jobs in California “This announcement is further proof that California’s nation-leading green policies play a vital role in our state’s economic success. Even in this recession, green jobs in California have grown, and Kyocera’s decision to locate solar manufacturing operations in San Diego will create even more jobs at a time when they are needed most. This is exactly why we must continue to work to make the state a better partner to the economy and implement my California Jobs Initiative to encourage additional investment in California.” San Diego will be the first U.S. site to begin solar modules manufacturing and is the fifth site worldwide chosen by Kyocera. The manufacturing is expected to commence in the first half of 2010.

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see Recovery.CA on page 21

USDA Reaches New Settlement With Black Farmers By The Associated Press

Thousands of black farmers who were discriminated against by the U.S. Agriculture Department will be eligible to receive $1.25 billion in new settlement - Pigford II.

he Obama administration has announced a $1.25 billion deal with black farmers that could end a years-long stalemate over alleged racial discrimination by the Agriculture Department. If approved by Congress, it would be the second round of damages stemming from a class-action lawsuit the government originally settled in 1999. The new money is intended for people who were denied earlier payments because they missed deadlines for filing. The amount of money each would get depends on how many claims are successfully filed. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) said she will work on Capitol Hill to resolve discrimination claims against the Agriculture Department (USDA). The centrist senator, who is in charge of the Senate Agriculture Committee and is facing a tough reelection campaign this year, said she will help find funding to resolve black farmers’ discrimination claims against USDA after the Obama administration reached a new settlement with the group. “As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am committed to ensuring that every farmer in America receives equal access and treatment in the delivery of USDA’s programs and services. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to help provide the compensation owed to African American farmers who have been victims of discrimination,” Lincoln said in a statement. President Barack Obama initially called for the $1.25 billion in his budget

last year, but the request stalled in Congress as disagreements persisted over the amount of funding and the structure of the settlement. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the new agreement should pave the way for congressional approval and get money flowing soon. In a statement, Obama said the deal would bring ‘’these long-ignored claims of African-American farmers to a rightful conclusion.’’ ‘’I look forward to a swift resolution to this issue, so that the families affected can move on with their lives,’’ Obama said. Vilsack said the deal should close a ‘’sordid chapter’’ in USDA history in which blacks often lost land or went deeply into debt after being denied loans and other aid that routinely went to their white counterparts. “Today is a historic day for the American people,” said John W. Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Assn. “We have finally buried the hatchet.” “I’m very pleased that the settlement has come to pass . . . because I’ve worked on it for 20 years,” he said. “This is long overdue for people who’ve been long overlooked.” U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. said there possibly could be

two tracks for farmers to seek claims. Those who establish their credit-related claims will be entitled to receive up to $50,000 and debt relief; a separate track may provide actual damages of up to $250,000 through a more rigorous process. John Boyd, a key plaintiff organizer and head of the National Black Farmers Association, initially balked at the $1.25 billion last year, saying it would take more money to satisfy all the claims. But he said recently that he and others agreed to the total because the case has dragged on for so long. ‘’Many of the farmers have already died waiting for justice so I thought this was the right thing to do,’’ he said. The original lawsuit is known as Pigford, named after Timothy Pigford, a black farmer from North Carolina who was among the original plaintiffs. Under the 1999 settlement, the government paid out more than $1 billion to about 16,000 farmers, mostly from the South. Most claimants opted for expedited $50,000 payments that required a relatively low burden of proof. Boyd and others have pushed for another round of damages because thousands of people said they didn’t know about the settlement and missed deadlines for filing. The new agreement calls for a similar process in which claimants can win damages without going to court. Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli said claimants can seek fasttrack payments of up to $50,000 plus debt relief, or choose a longer process for damages of up to $250,000. Estimates on the number of potential claims vary widely, but some expect about 65,000 -- which would set aver-

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see Black Farmer’s Settlement on page 13

MEDSHARE www.medshare.org

edShare was helping Haiti before the January 12, 2010 7.0 earthquake, and we will continue to help Haiti in the years following this devastating earthquake. Some of the news cameras may be packing up and moving on, but the people of Haiti still need us. MedShare is committed to continue sending “Help for Haiti”. With your help, since the Jan 12th earthquake in Haiti, we have: •

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Shipped 11 shipments of approximately 11,000 boxes of requested medical supplies to partnering organizations doing medical relief work in Haiti. So far, we’ve outfitted 22 medical teams going to Haiti with medical supplies, and are still offering FREE medical supplies to medical teams going to serve in Haiti. More than 2,000 of you have volunteered your time to help sort and pack medical supplies to be shipped to Haiti.

We’ve been astounded at the 2,000+ companies, hospitals and individuals that have given their time, talent, product and financial support towards Help for Haiti. We simply could not do it without you and it goes to show that when all of us do our part, we can truly make great things happen. We would like to extend a special thanks to a few major supporters of our relief efforts, whose contributions are truly exceptional: •

• • •

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World Vision, Henry-Schein, Covidien, Mölnlycke Health Care, Volunteers for Inter-American Development Assistance (VIDA), Catholic Healthcare West and Pleasanton Rotary Club donated over 5,500 lbs of emergency-requested medical supplies Sutter Health for donating $250,000 Kaiser Permanente donated $50,000 Kimberly-Clark Corporation sponsored a shipment of medical supplies to the Good Samaritan Hospital in Jimani, Dominican Republic The Atlanta Braves chose MedShare as their local charity partner for Haiti relief Members of the MedShare Board of Trustees and Regional Councils and their networks raised substantial financial resources and have helped us spread the work about relief efforts to their families, colleagues and friends Thanks to your support, MedShare continues to respond to the immediate medical needs in Haiti, with five additional

medical aid shipments scheduled over the next week. As we move forward, MedShare is identifying how to best use our resources, skills and partners to contribute towards rebuilding a quality health system in Haiti. Gifts to MedShare are tax deductible.

Donate • •

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Contribute online through ClintonBushHaitiFund.org. Text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill). Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.

Get Information about Friends or Family The State Department has several resources for inquiring about the welfare and whereabouts of friends and family in Haiti: To Ask For or Provide Information About U.S. Citizens in Haiti: • Email the Task Force at Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov OR • From the U.S. or Canada, call 888407-4747 (Other countries, call 202-501-4444) For U.S. Citizens in Haiti Seeking Assistance or Reporting Their Status/ Whereabouts: • Email the Embassy at ACSPaP@ state.gov OR • Call the Embassy’s Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 5092229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672 When contacting any of the numbers or using the emails above, please include the following information: • The full name, date of birth and passport information (if known) of the persons in Haiti you are trying to contact. • Their contact information in Haiti; telephone numbers, email address, hotel name or address (if known) • Your name and contact information, and your relationship to the

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see Help For Haiti on page 59

Pres. Obama Has His... You Get Yours! Black Business News SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE LIMITED EDITION

Now On Sale! A commemorative limited-edition magazine, unlike any other special tribute issued to recognize the election of Barack H. Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America, has been published by the Black Business Association.

To order your copy, call the BBA office at (323) 291-9334 or email to: mail@bbala.org

Hurry! Buy Your Copy Today - Quantities are limited!

Add Your Two Cents:

offer new ideas directly to government agecies.

The White House Asks At WhiteHouse.gov we’re always looking for new ways to engage with citizens, whether it’s through a live video chat with a policy expert or an Open for Questions event with the President. As an extension of the Administration’s commitment to making government more collaborative and participatory, we’re trying something new this week. The White House will pose a question to our more than 480,000 fans on Facebook, 1.7 million followers on Twitter and 30,000 group members on LinkedIn. Later in the week, we’ll highlight some of the most interesting responses on the White House blog. As part of the “Education in Focus” series, the White House asks:

What does a 21st century education mean to you? So, tell us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse), Twitter (//twitter.com/whitehouse) or LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/ groups?home=&gid=2199632). We look forward to your responses and want to give a hat tip to @GOOD (www.good.is) for a good idea. &

Black Farmer’s Settlement from page 10

age payments at roughly $20,000. The announcement comes as Boyd and others had become increasingly critical of President Obama, arguing that he was paying lip service to the issue and not living up to a campaign promise to fund it. It also represents a shift from the Bush administration, which resisted paying new claims. Roy Merrick, who tried unsuccessfully in the early 1980s to start a catfish farm on his property in Natchez, Miss., said Thursday he was glad to hear he might get some compensation. He said he could never get USDA officials to

pay him much attention when he tried to get a loan -- even thought many of his white neighbors got federal help to build successful catfish ponds. ‘’Had I been able to secure money back in those times I might have been able to do more for my family,’’ said Merrick, 67, who instead went into home painting and repairs. & Dr. John Boyd, johnwesleyboydjr@gmail.com www.nytimes.com www.associatedpress.com

s part of the Open Government Directive, 25 different agencies have launched open government webpages and are using those sites to take your ideas for how they can be

more open and transparent. These webpages are only one of the important milestones laid out in the Directive and the next deliverable, an open government plan for each agency, is being developed based on your input. Each agency’s plan will serve as a two-year roadmap for how the principles of transparency, collaboration, and participation will be incorporated in both the agency’s overarching mission and day-to-day activities. Your feedback can help influence the development of agency plans, transparency policies, and publically disclosed data. Exercise your citizenship options - after you vote then contribute to the operation of your government. Visit www. whitehouse.gov/open to participate in the Open Government initiative. Also, take a look at the Featured Innovations and other sections of the website to find and participate in the many, many opportunities in education programs, business development, science projects and more. &

OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN OERP

Do Business with BBA Member Businesses & Advertisers

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HOMESTAR - Helping Homeowners Invest in Energy-Efficient Homes www.whitehouse.gov

resident Obama has announced the initiatives for HOMESTAR, a program that offers incentives for people to make their homes more energy-efficient. The President explained that the new program will save families several hundred of dollars on utilities, make the economy less President Barack Obama stops to greet workers as he dependent on fossil fuels, create work for small businesses and tours the Chatham Steel Company in Savannah, Ga., contractors, and bring back construction jobs. “Here’s one of the March 2, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) see HOMESTAR on page 16

Fact Sheet: Homestar Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program The President looks forward to continuing to work with Members of Congress, business, environmental and labor leaders to enact a HOMESTAR program into law. The HOMESTAR program has the potential to jumpstart our economic recovery by boosting demand for energy efficiency products and installation services. This program will help them save hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs while improving the comfort and value of our most important investment – our homes. In addition, the program would help reduce our economy’s dependence on oil and support the development of an energy efficiency services sector in our economy. Key components of the HOMESTAR Program include: • Rebates delivered directly to consumers: Like the Cash for Clunkers program, consumers would be eligible for direct HOMESTAR rebates at the point of sale for a variety of energy-saving investments in their homes. A broad array of vendors, from small independent building material dealers, large national home improvement chains, energy efficiency installation professionals and utility energy efficiency programs (including rural utilities) would market the rebates, provide them directly to consumers and then be reimbursed by the federal government. • $1,000 - $1,500 Silver Star Rebates: Consumers looking to have simple upgrades performed in their homes would be eligible for 50% rebates up to $1,000 - $1,500 for doing any of a straightforward set of upgrades, including: insulation, duct sealing, water heaters, HVAC units, windows, roofing and doors. Under Silver Star, consumers can chose a combination of upgrades for rebates up to a maximum of $3,000 per home. Rebates would be limited to the most energy efficient categories of upgrades—focusing on products made primarily in the United States and installed by certified contractors. • $3000 Gold Star Rebates: Consumers interested in more comprehensive energy retrofits would be eligible for a $3,000 rebate for a whole home energy audit and subsequent retrofit tailored to achieve a 20% energy savings in their homes. Consumers could receive additional rebate amounts for energy savings in excess of 20%. Gold Star would build on existing whole home retrofit programs, like EPA’s successful Home Performance with Energy Star program. • Oversight to Ensure Quality Installations: The program would require that contractors be certified to perform efficiency installations. Independent quality assurance providers would conduct field audits after work is completed to ensure proper installation so consumers receive energy savings from their upgrades. States would oversee the implementation of quality assurance to ensure that the program was moving the industry toward more robust standards and comprehensive energy retrofit practices. • Support for financing: The program would include support to State and local governments to provide financing options for consumers seeking to make efficiency investments in their homes. This will help ensure that consumers can afford to make these investments. The program will result in the creation of tens of thousands of jobs while achieving substantial reductions in energy use – the equivalent of the entire output of three coal-fired power plants each year. Consumers in the program are anticipated to save between $200 - $500 per year in energy costs, while improving the comfort and value of their homes.

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Helping the Hardest Hit Housing Markets www.whitehouse.gov

resident Obama has announced $1.5 billion in funding for innovative measures to help families in the states that have been hit the hardest by housing market stress and unemployment. States where house prices have fallen more than 20% from their peak will be eligible for this funding. Such price declines, coupled with the effects of high unemployment, means that many working and middleclass families in these areas are facing serious challenges. The effort we are announcing today will provide support for state housing finance agencies (HFAs) to design programs tailored to the urgent needs of particular communities. Eligible HFA programs will aim to help homeowners in areas hardest hit by unemployment and home price declines, helping responsible but struggling ho-

meowners stay in their homes. T h e $1.5 billion fund will be available for State Housing Finance Agencies and similar organizations to develop innovative programs help address the problems facing their communities. Housing markets vary considerably from state to state, and often within a single state. Housing Finance Agencies are very familiar with their local housing markets, and will take the lead role in determining what sorts of programs are most appropriate to local conditions. The types of programs that may be funded include: measures for unemployed homeowners, programs to assist borrowers ow-

HOMESTAR from page 15

best things about energy efficiency - it turns out that energy-efficient windows or insulation, those things are products that are almost exclusively manufactured right here in the United States of America. It’s very hard to ship windows from China. So a lot of these materials are made right here in America.” Through the HOMESTAR Program, homeowners who make investments for energy-efficiency in their homes will be eligible to receive: • Direct rebates for energy-saving investments • 50 percent rebates for the cost of each upgrade up to $1,500 • Rebates up to $3,000 for those who choose to retrofit their whole homes • Guaranteed quality installations

•

through quality assurance providers who would conduct field audits after work is completed Support for financing through State and local governments

President Obama has explained that these short-term investments will lead to long-term savings for homeowners and consumers. “Just like a responsible homeowner will invest in their homes in the near term to fortify their economic security in the long term, we’ve got to do the same as a country. It will have some costs on the front end -- you buy a new boiler, or you get some insulation, or you get some new windows, that’s going to have an initial cost, and the same is true from a government perspective. And it’s going to be politically difficult to do some of this, but it’s what’s right to plan for our future.” &

ing more than their home is now worth, programs that help address challenges arising from second mortgages,; or other programs encouraging sustainable and affordable homeownership. There will be a formula for allocating funding among eligible states that will be based on home price declines and unemployment. Eligible HFAs that would like to participate must submit a program design to Treasury. Program

designs must meet funding requirements under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA). The Department of the Treasury will announce maximum state level allocations in the next two weeks, along with rules governing the submission of program designs by HFAs, and provide a period thereafter for HFAs to submit their program designs in order to receive funding. The state specific nature of the fund will allow HFAs to design programs focused on the priorities in their local markets. The program will be under strict transparency and accountability rules. All program designs and measures of program effectiveness will be posted online, creating a public web forum for interchange of innovative ideas developed through the program. This new funding for increased HFA initiatives will support families in the hardest hit markets markets, combining with the numerous other steps the Administration has taken to help support US homeowners and housing markets. &

16 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Sarah Apsel is a Policy Advisor at the Treasury Department www.ncsha.org www.ustreas.gov

versary/message. Recovery Act: In Focus Transforming to a Clean Energy Economy - www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-biden/reports/ progress-report-transformation-cleanenergy-economy

Jump-starting High-Speed Rail www.whitehouse.gov/high-speed-rail

ne year in, the evidence is clear – and growing by the day – that the Recovery Act is working to cushion the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and lay a new foundation for economic growth. Public and private forecasters ranging from the Council of Economic Advisors to Moody’s Economy and IHS Global now say the Recovery Act is responsible for 2 million jobs or even more nationwide. These jobs have also laid the groundwork for a new clean energy economy, revitalized infrastructure and transportation, helped transform health information technology, and helped make America more competitive for

generations to come. And while the President will not be satisfied until he sees strong job growth, job losses one year in were a fraction of what they were before the Recovery Act was signed. Learn about the progress made through the Vice President’s report, through video from mayors representing towns and cities in every part of the country, and through a map highlighting just a tiny sample of the projects underway. & Vice President’s 1st Annual Report on Progress Implementing the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. www.whitehouse.gov/recovery/anni-

Advancing Use of Health IT, Training Workers for Health Jobs of the Future - www.whitehouse.gov/ the-press-office/sebelius-solis-announcenearly-1-billion-recovery-act-investmentadvancing-use-heal

Building a Smarter, More Reliable Energy Grid - www.whitehouse.gov/ blog/2009/10/27/smart-grid-creating-jobssaving-energy-and-cutting-electric-bills

Expanding Broadband Access www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/17/ learning-growth-internet-new-broadbandgrants

Recovery Act: Previous Milestones 200 Days - www.whitehouse.gov/blog/ Recovery-Act-Milestone-200-Days

100 Days - www.whitehouse.gov/ blog/100-Days-100-Projects

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Procurement Trade Mission to Washington, D.C.

Black Business Association 6 National Black Business Council California Black Chamber of Commerce 6 National Black Business Association

BBA 6 NBBC 6 CBCC 6 NBBA Supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration/Los Angeles District

The Trade Mission that Targets Federal Contract Procurement Dollars for Your Business!! PARTIAL LISTING OF FEDERAL AGENCIES

Department of Transportation Department of Defense General Services Administration Department of Agriculture Housing and Urban Development Veterans Administration Department of Energy Department of Commerce

APRIL 2010 Washington, D.C. q Send Me Information on the Trade Mission TODAY!

NAME ______________________________________________

For more information, contact:

Black Business Association P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 Tel: 323.291.9334 6 Fax: 323.291.9234 mail@bbala.org 6 www.bbala.org

BUSINESS ____________________________________________ ADDRESS ____________________________________________ CITY ________________________________________________ STATE _____________________________ ZIP CODE ___________ TELEPHONE __________________________________________ FAX ________________________________________________ E-MAIL ______________________________________________

African Vibes Magazine • 4th Anniversary Celebration Avalon Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA

www.africanvibes.com

African Vibes Communications, Inc. • P.O. Box 10203 Canoga Park, California 91309 USA • 877-692-8624

Your $1000 Idea African Vibes Magazine has partnered with Keller Graduate School of Management, a subsidiary of Devry University, to present an Ideas Contest to address the question “What can you do with $1000 to help fight poverty in Africa?” African Vibes Magazine will award the person with the most compelling idea, $1000 to implement their idea at the African Vibes Magazine 4th Anniversary event. Ideas will be judged based on the following: Reach: How many people would this idea affect? Depth: How deeply are people impacted? How urgent is the need? Attainability: Can this idea be implemented within a year or two? Efficiency: How simple and cost-effective is the idea? Longevity: How long will the idea’s impact last? Feasibility: Can the Idea be implemented within the specified budget of $1000 Relevance: Is the idea relevant to the contest topic? Sustainability: Can the idea sustain itself or will it always require a new investment to be sustained? Contest details and submission form can be found at http://anniversary.africanvibes.com . If you have any questions regarding the contest, please email Lisa Brown at lisa.brown@africanvibes.com.

ACTION ALERT! Let Your U.S. Senators & Representatives Know How You Want Them To VOTE! Write, call or e-mail your federal representatives today! Give voice to your opinion. The citizens of this nation need a comprehensive health care plan. Pass legislation that includes a Public Insurance Option and No Insurance Industry Buyout.

Find congressional contact information at: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.

Recovery.CA from page 9

KYOCERA to Manufacture Solar Modules in the U.S.

Tuesday, Apr. 13th “For everyone interested in doing business with Metro”

Watch & Support the Africa Channel! Time Warner • Channel 176

Don’t have the Africa Channel in your area? Call Time Warner at: 1-888-8922253 and ask that the Africa Channel be broadcast to ALL regions of California. For information on the Africa Channel visit www.theafricachannel.com or send an e-mail inquiry to info@theafricachannel.com.

Kyocera Solar, Inc. plans to begin manufacturing solar modules in San Diego, Calif., to serve the U.S. market’s growing demand for clean energy. The U.S. module manufacturing will support a new milestone for Kyocera’s solar energy business — global production capacity targeting 1,000 megawatts of solar cells per year (equal to one “gigawatt” per year) by March 2013. The new solar module manufacturing will begin in San Diego at Kyocera’s Balboa Avenue facility during the first half of 2010, with an initial production target of 30 megawatts per year. The production venue was selected to cater specifically to the U.S. market’s increasing demand for large-scale solar electric generating systems. “The U.S. is experiencing extraordinary growth in its adoption of solar electricity,” said Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc. “Kyocera’s San Diego plant will provide high-quality, high-efficiency solar modules to serve this expanding market. With a 35-year commitment to providing clean energy through solar modules, Kyocera is adding capacity globally to meet worldwide demand.” Solar power offers a hedge against electricity cost increases and serves as an environmental countermeasure to acid rain, ozone depletion and rising carbon levels. As an illustration of Kyocera’s global expansion plan, the one-gigawatt capacity will allow the company to supply 3.5-kilowatt solarelectric systems for about 285,000 homes each year. Kyocera established U.S. operations in 1969. Kyocera Group companies currently employ approximately 4,000 people in the United States. &

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www.kyocerasolar.com

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(L-R) Roberto Barragon, Valley Economic Development Center; Cedric Williams, Sempra Energy; The Honorable Jerome Horton, Vice Chair, California Board of Equalization; Ambassador Sidney Williams, representing Congresswoman Maxine Waters; Joyce Sloss, Los Angeles World Airports; Dr. Tumani Leatherwood, Kaiser Permanente; Clarence Scott, President & CEO, Brandon Supply Corporation

he Black Business Association (BBA) celebrated its 36th Annual Awards Dinner recently at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, commemorating Black History Month through the theme “Black Economic Empowerment”. The highly successful event paid recognition to key leaders from politics, government and business who demonstrate excellence in black economic empowerment. Earl “Skip” Cooper II, BBA President and Chief Executive Officer, said “the theme for the evening is fitting as a message to convey public acknowledgement of Black History Month. Each of our honorees and sponsors has made outstanding contributions toward improving the economic quality of life for countless black entrepreneurs and their respective customers, employees, investors, and suppliers. Congresswomen Maxine Waters, a consummate fighter for those who are most often left out and forgotten, was recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Her acceptance address was inspiring, as she spoke on the importance of not being afraid to take on controversial and unpopular is-

sues, as well as constantly fighting for the rights of people of color and low and moderate income families. Dinner Chair Verizon, represented by Elva Lima, Vice President of Strategic Programs, commended the BBA’s commitment to address issues of relevance to the African American community and advance the development and growth of African American owned businesses. Ms. Lima stated, “By working together, we have built a strong base of African American suppliers, empowered communities and changed lives for the better.” Congresswoman Waters was joined by six other well deserving honorees, including: Jerome Horton, Vice Chair, California Board of Equalization, recipient of the Special Recognition Award for his work behind the scenes in work in holding the government accountable and transparent to taxpayers as well as increasing public safety, improving the quality of education and expanding health care access; Kaiser Permanente, recipient of the President’s Award for its ongoing contributions to communities of color; Sempra Energy, Major Corporation Award winner for increased con-

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tract spending with diverse business enterprises; Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC), Small Business Lender Award recipient for the highest number of business loans made to African American businesses in 2009; Los Angeles World Airports, Government Agency Award winner for consistently promoting economic development in the surrounding community; and BBA Member of the Year Clarence Scott, President & Chief Executive Officer of Brandon Supply Corporation, cited for continuous support of the growth and advancement of the BBA. Please read the stories of our honorees and support the vendors and sponsors that helped make the 36th Annual Awards Dinner a success.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD MAXINE WATERS, CONGRESSWOMAN, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual or Agency that is most responsive in promoting the BBA and Black economic empowerment.

As one of the most powerful women in American politics today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters has gained the reputation as a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color and the poor. Elected in November 2008 to her tenth term in the United States House of Representatives with an overwhelming 80 percent of the votes in the 35th District of California, Congresswoman Waters represents a large part of South Central Los Angeles and the communities of Westchester and Playa Del Rey, as well as the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood and Lawndale. In the House, Ms. Waters serves as a Chief Deputy Whip, making her an integral part of the House Democratic Leadership, which is lead by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn. A listing of Ms. Waters’ current committee memberships would include: member of the House Committee on Financial Services and Chair of its Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity; member, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; member, Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology; and member, Committee on the Judiciary and its Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security and its Subcommittee on Immigration. Additionally, Congresswoman Waters is an influential

member and former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; the co-founder and Chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus; and the co-founder of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Legislative Leadership Throughout her 30 years of public service, Maxine Waters has been on the cutting edge, tackling difficult and often controversial issues. She has combined her strong legislative and public policy acumen with high visibility in Democratic Party activities and a keen ability for grassroots organizing. Prior to her election to the House of Representatives in 1990, Maxine Waters had already attracted national attention for her no-nonsense, no-holds-barred style of politics. During 14 years in the California State Assembly, she rose to the powerful position of Democratic Caucus Chair. While in the Assembly, she was responsible for some of the boldest legislation California has ever seen: the largest divestment of state pension funds from South Africa; landmark affirmative action legislation; the nation’s first statewide Child Abuse Prevention Training Program; the prohibition of police strip searches for nonviolent misdemeanors; and the introduction of the nation’s first plant closure law. As a national Democratic Party leader, Congresswoman Waters has long been highly visible in Democratic Party politics and has served on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) since 1980. She was a key leader in five presidential campaigns: Sen. Edward Kennedy (1980), Rev. Jesse Jackson (1984 & 1988), and President Bill Clinton (1992 & 1996). In 2001, she was instrumental in the DNC’s creation of the National Development and Voting Rights Institute and the appointment of Mayor Maynard Jackson as its chair. Following the Los Angeles civil unrest in 1992, Congresswoman Waters faced the nation’s media and public to interpret the hopelessness and despair in cities across America. Over the years, she has brought many government officials and policy makers to her South Central L.A. district to appeal for more resources. They have included President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Secretaries of Housing & Urban Development Henry Cisneros and Andrew Cuomo, and Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve System. Following the unrest, she founded Community Build, the city’s grassroots rebuilding project. Congresswoman Waters has used her skill to shape public policy and deliver the goods: $10 billion in Section 108 loan guarantees to cities for economic and infrastructure development, housing and small business expansion; $50 million appropriation for “Youth Fair Chance” program which established an intensive job and life skills training program for unskilled, unemployed youth; expanded U.S. debt relief for Africa and other developing nations; creation of a “Center for Women Veterans”; and much more. She is lauded by African American entrepreneurs for her work to expand contracting and procurement opportunities

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Photo Legend: 1) (l-r) Maxine Ransom, Von Phul, President, Winmax Construction and Ezekial Patten, President, Patten Energy, both former chairs of the Black Business Association Board of Directors.

2) (l-r) State Assemblyman Mike Davis and Greg Irish. 3) (l-r) Mark Robertson, Pacific Coast Regional, a representative of FAME and, Gustavo Bidart, II, Citi. 4) (l-r) Delinda Jones, Patricia Basquez with Billie Greer, Director, Governor’s Los Angeles office. 6) Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, the President’s Award Recipient. 7) (l-r) Billie Greer, Director, Governor’s Los Angeles officer with the Honorable Jerome Horton and Mrs Horton. 8) (l-r) Earl “Skip” Cooper, II, President/CEO, Black Busi25 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

ness Association (BBA) greets State Assemblyman Steven Bradford. 9) (l-r) Barbara Perkins, Elva Lima, Vice President, Strategic Programs and Roz Pennington, President, National Black Business Council (NBBC). 10) View of the Annuals Awards Dinner at the Milliennium Biltmore Hotel.

11) (l-r) Vincent Craney, Southern California Edison, Linda Smith, Los Angeles Minority Business Opportunity Center (LA/MBOC), and Aubrey Stone, President, California Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC). 12) (l-r) James Burkhardt, III and Joanna Davis, both of Kaiser Permanente. 13-16) (top to bottom) Cakes, pies and cookies that make up the famous and fabulous BBA Dinner Dessert Reception. Vendors included Harriet’s Cheesecake, Kobbler King, Gwen’s Specialty Cakes, and Romeo’s Full Service Catering. Photos by Ian Foxx and Sabir

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KOBBLER KING Bakery 3622 W Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016 (323) 731-9286

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Sponsors, Vendors, and Attendees for making the 36th Annual Awards Dinner a Success.

and to strengthen businesses. Long active in the women’s movement, Rep. Waters has given encouragement and financial support to women seeking public office. Many young people, including those in the hip-hop music community, praise her for her support and understanding of young people and their efforts at self-expression. One testament to her work is the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center, a multimillion dollar public school complex providing education and employment opportunities to residents of the Watts area and beyond.

Personal Background Maxine Waters was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the fifth of 13 children reared by a single mother. She began working at age 13 in factories and segregated restaurants. After moving to Los Angeles, she worked in garment factories and at the telephone company. She attended California State University at Los Angeles, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She began her career in public service as a teacher and a volunteer coordinator in the Head Start program. She is married to Sidney Williams, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. She is the mother of two adult children, Edward and Karen, and has two grandchildren.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD JEROME E. HORTON, VICE CHAIR, CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION The Special Recognition Award recognizes a corporate representative or individual contributing to and supporting the BBA and Black business community, which does not specifically fit any of the other categories.

Jerome E. Horton currently serves as the Vice Chair of the California State Board of Equalization. In July 2009, he was appointed to the Board of Equalization by the Governor and confirmed with overwhelming support by both the California State Senate and Assembly. Mr. Horton brings to the Board twenty-one years of prior Board of Equalization experience as business tax law specialist and a keen understanding of public policy as a former member of the California State Assembly and Inglewood City Council. Mr. Horton’s appointment to the Board is historic in that he is the first member to join the Board with twenty-one years

of prior Board of Equalization experience, the first African American to serve on the Board in its history and the third African American California Constitutional Officer. Mr. Horton has earned a reputation as a tireless advocate for California taxpayers. He is credited in playing an important role in the creation of the Board of Equalization’s “Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights” which ensures California’s taxpayers a fair and transparent process. As an avid crime fighter, Mr. Horton initiated the formation of the Joint Enforcement Criminal Task Force, which targets organized crime operations, active in the underground economy. His legislation is credited with recapturing hundreds of millions in unreported business taxes, the prosecution of illegal business operators, and taking tons of cigarettes and other illegal contraband off our streets. While serving with the Board, Mr. Horton was an active member of the Association of California State Supervisors and Service Employees International Union (SEIU 1000). Fondly referred to as the Equalizer at the Board of Equalization, Horton exemplifies fairness, justice, and equality in taxation. Before joining the Board of Equalization, Mr. Horton served as a member of the Inglewood City Council and California State Assembly from 1996 to 2006. Mr. Horton’s background in accounting, finance and real-estate investments enabled him to take leadership roles in balancing municipal and state budgets; without raising taxes. Mr. Horton focused on the principles of accountability, transparency, efficiency and wealth building as a way of increasing the number of taxpayers and improving the effectiveness of government. As a result, Mr. Horton has been honored as an outstanding legislator by several prestigious organizations. He has also been recognized for his efforts to increase public safety, improve the quality of education and expand health care access for all Californians. After his tenure in the legislature, Mr. Horton served on the California Medical Assistance Commission (CMAC), where he fought tirelessly for the expansion of access and the improvement of quality healthcare for Californians. Mr. Horton also continued his commitment to building healthy and productive communities by volunteering with several nonprofit organizations including the United Job Creation Council and California Education Solution. Mr. Horton, known as a progressive political strategist, helped these organizations build powerful coalitions that have resulted in the passage of progressive local initiatives and the election of several candidates.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD KAISER PERMANENTE The President’s Award is presented annually to the business or individual recognized by the President of the Black Business Association for their long-term commitment to the advancement of

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The Major Corporation Award recognizes the organization that has achieved the highest level of purchasing goods and services from members of the BBA, as well as from the broader African American business community.

the responsibility of being a “good corporate citizen” -- and understand the importance of community service and economic development in the communities we serve. Our employees understand the importance of community service and frequently volunteer their time and resources to a variety of community service projects and activities. To all employees at the Sempra Energy companies, good corporate citizenship also means conducting our business with the highest standards of ethics and integrity. It means being a good steward of the environment and looking for new ways to work with our communities to help enhance the quality of life throughout our region. At Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric we have been very proud of the work we have done collectively to increase diverse business enterprises (DBE) spending with all communities. Last year, we announced unprecedented results, chiefly by exceeding the aggressive 30% spending goals we set for ourselves in 2007. In 2009, we achieved an all-time record of $440 million DBE spending for SoCalGas and SDG&E compared to $369 million in 2008, a $71 million increase. These results did not come from the actions of a few, but from the hard work of our employees and prime contractors across every category of spending. For over a century, the Sempra Energy utilities have been a part of the social fabric of the communities we serve. We have provided funds for programs that give us the opportunity to build partnerships with organizations, businesses and community leaders to address community needs. The Company invests in organizations like the Black Business Association because we understand the importance of promoting economic development in the communities we serve. More broadly, we support civic involvement in communities where our employees live and work and give preference to programs that heighten business and civic leadership, as well as events that promote pride in our diverse communities. At the Company, we’re happy to do our part to help improve communities and develop the leaders of tomorrow and create what we hope will be a lasting legacy for our region.

At Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric (the Sempra Energy utilities), we take seriously

SMALL BUSINESS LENDER AWARD

the Black Business Association and its membership.

As the nation’s leading health care provider and nonprofit health plan, Kaiser Permanente is helping to shape the future of health care. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of our members and the diverse communities we serve. Kaiser Permanente’s expert physicians, specialists and

other health care professionals strive to deliver total health for our 8.6 million health plan members and patients in nine states and the District of Columbia. Supported by advanced technology and other robust tools for health promotion, disease prevention, care delivery, and chronic disease management, Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and a wide range of support for our communities. Kaiser Permanente is widely recognized for fostering diversity within our organization and in our communities, and we believe this supports our ability to provide high-quality culturally responsive care. In addition, we are committed to supplier diversity that reflects the communities we serve, and the contribution supplier diversity makes towards fueling the economic growth and health of our communities through competition and innovation. Because Kaiser Permanente believes that ensuring good health extends beyond our doors, we invest significant resources and are directly engaged in programs that improve the health of our communities by eradicating health disparities and providing access for underserved people. Based upon community needs assessments, these programs range from more than 40 years of support for the Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center, to our INROADS and Summer Youth Employment workforce training programs, to support for local community health centers. For more information, visit kp.org and the Kaiser Permanente News Center.

MAJOR CORPORATION AWARD SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY

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VALLEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER (VEDC) The Small Business Lender Award recognizes the organization that has been successful in effectively lending to African American-owned enterprises, thereby enabling expansion, retention and growth of firms.

The Valley Economic Development Center (VEDC) is the largest non-profit business development corporation in Los Angeles with an annual budget of almost $4 million and 40 employees in seven offices. VEDC has 34 years experience in providing a ff o r d a b l e business assistance services, direct financial assistance, entrepreneurial training and economic development to individuals and businesses in Los Angeles County, with a focus on the City of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. In 2009 alone, VEDC assisted 6,500 businesses in creating 600 jobs, open 155 businesses, placed 45 local residents in meaningful employment, graduated 171 individuals from the Entrepreneurial Training Program and provided $20,000,000 in direct and guaranteed lending for small businesses. Lending - VEDC administers several direct loan programs through its state licensed lender and certified development financial institution, the Los Angeles Business Development Corporation (LABDC), and provides loan packaging services to businesses for various SBA programs: • Financial Restructuring Assistance Revolving Loan Fund • Non-Profit Loan Fund • Microloan Programs • Los Angeles Citywide Loan Program • California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program/ San Fernando Valley Financial Development Corp. (SFV-FDC) • Capital Access Centers: SBA 7(a), 504 and Community Express programs • Debt Advisory Services Business Services - VEDC has numerous programs that provide Entrepreneurs with the tools they need to successfully start and/or expand their business. Services include professional business consulting, entrepreneurial training, workshops/conferences and information services: • Women’s Business Center • Microenterprise / Entrepreneurial Training Programs • West San Fernando Valley Business Assistance Pro-

gram • Downtown LA Retail Project • San Fernando Learning Center • Pacoima Training Center • PRIME Project Economic Development - VEDC engages in economic development projects that seek to provide comprehensive solutions for revitalization and growth. Efforts have targeted the Northeast San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles County, which suffers from a poverty and unemployment rate that is twice the City average with certain areas of the community reaching a poverty rate as high as 48%. • Pacoima Development Federal Credit Union • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

GOVERNMENT AGENCY AWARD LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS The Government Agency Award recognizes the Agency that is most responsive in promoting the BBA and African-American economic development.

The mission of the Business and Job Resources Center (BJRC) is to shape and drive the perception of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) stakeholders by providing best in class customer service through our business outreach, bond assistance, First Source Hiring Program (FSHP), high school and college internships and international trade programs. Every program and activity that flows from the BJRD is based on LAWA’s commitment to establishing improved accessibility and communication with local business enterprises, community residents, local employers, airport tenants, educational institutions, and job seekers, in particular, those that are in communities most adversely impacted by airport operations. With the modernization of Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) and the addition of over one million square feet in additional space, including concessions space, construction contracting opportunities are plentiful. Walsh Austin Joint Venture is taking unprecedented measures to insure that there is diversity in contracting on this project, which presents opportunity for BBA members. Please take advan-

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tage of these opportunities by networking at the outreach meetings, attending the mandatory prebid meetings and making your company known. We are honored to be awarded the BBA’s Government Agency award and thank you for this recognition.

MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD BRANDON SUPPLY CORPORATION The Member of the Year Award recognizes the BBA Member that has gone above and beyond in supporting the advancement and development of the BBA.

and honors since its inception, including 2008 Outstanding Entrepreneur Award, Supplier of the Year, Outstanding Minority Business in Southern California/Private Industry Award, and Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievement in Industrial Supplies. Certificate and Special Programs include: UCLA Anderson School of Management Development for Entrepreneurs Academy, Dartmouth Minority Business Executive Seminar, Graduate of SBA 8(a) Program and HUBZONE certified. &

Brandon Supply Corporation, established in 1980 as a regular dealer and distributor of industrial supplies and equipment, has as its core area of business the sale of pipe, valves, fittings and material handling equipment. Brandon Supply’s mission is to be the integrated supplier of choice for Small Business Transportation Resource Center-SW industrial supplies, exceeding customer expectations through innovation, unsurpassed service, quality product selection, and competitive pricing while maintaining the highest ethical and safety standards. Prior to starting the company Learn more about the US Department of Transportation’s Mr. Clarence Scott, a Vietnam Veteran, worked as a purchasFinancial Assistance Programs ing agent for the Department of Energy and also as a salesperTeleconference Free Workshops son for Smith Pipe Corporation. Capitalizing on his experience on “both sides of the street”, Wednesday, February 10 3:45 – 5:15 PM Mr. Scott initially concentrated Friday, March 19 2:00 – 3:30 PM on the businesses of the utility companies. Brandon’s customThursday, April 22 3:45 – 5:15 PM ers include major local utilities Thursday, May 13 3:00 – 4:30 PM and refineries. Wednesday, June 23 3:45 – 5:15 PM Brandon has been a leader in embracing new technologies RSVP is required. Only 20 people will be invited per teleconference call. Reservations such as EDI, ERS, Bar-coding are taken on a first come, first served basis. Please reserve a date and time. RSVP to Carrolyn Kubota, Project Director, at (415) 348-6262 or via email at and eProcurement. A comprecarrolyn@uspaacc.com. hensive on-line eProcurement catalog has been developed Once you receive confirmation, you will be informed of the teleconference number and for oil refineries as well as a pass code. new Material Handling catalog Our SBTRC-Southwest office is operated by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU) on-Line www.brandonsupplyRegional Partnership Division of the US DOT in an effort to increase the number of small businesses that are prepared to corp.com. compete for, and enter into, transportation-related opportunities. Our purpose is to offer a comprehensive delivery system of business training, technical assistance, and dissemination of information targeted toward transportation-related small business Brandon has been the reenterprises within the Southwest region. cipient of numerous awards

Short-Term Lending & Bonding Assistance Date

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Time

New Opportunities in Meeting New Challenges

Real Healthcare Reform Via Information Technology by Samuel Greengard from Baseline Briefings, March 2010

hile the healthcare debate rages over both politics and practicalities, it’s easy to overlook the fact that information technology is driving change more than any politician or lobbyist. In fact, whether or not Congress passes legislation or the public forces changes to the current system, the healthcare field is about to undergo the most radical transformation in its history. While examining IT and healthcare for an upcoming Baseline magazine story, I came across some eye-opening research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The consulting firm reports that a new and emerging field of personalized medicine will challenge IT mightily (see Additional Information). Essentially, personalized medicine targets individualized treatment and care based on personal and genetic variations. The field incorporates telemedicine, medical device and diagnostics capabilities, and even human genomic testing. In many instances, these systems relay data onto physicians and other healthcare professionals in real-time. The market for this niche is already $232 billion, and PwC projects that it will grow by 11 percent annually. Meanwhile, electronic medical record (EMR) initiatives are steadily pushing healthcare organizations to adapt. A second PwC study found that it’s not only the direct medical data residing in the records that’s valuable to healthcare providers. More than three-quarters of the respondents from the survey indi-

cated that secondary data could help them predict public health trends and reduce healthcare costs (see Additional Information). Among other things, PwC reports, de-identified and aggregated data collected from health records, insurance claims, clinical trials, lab and radiology results, employer benefits, disease management companies, researchers, manufacturers and payers could provide fodder for predicting and improving health outcomes. It could also assist in identifying new markets and opportunities--while at the same time reducing medical errors and fraud. Overlay all of this with a spate of other healthcare initiatives--including electronic physician order entry, RFID tagging for patients, wireless tablets and smartphones that practitioners use throughout hospitals and clinics, unified communications, bedside touch screen devices, and also back end initiatives revolving around server virtualization and business continuity--and it’s easy to see that this isn’t your granddad’s IT shop. Make no mistake, this Brave New World represents huge and ongoing challenges. CIOs and other IT executives must sync with business units like never before. They must build robust and efficient networks. They must use virtualization, data clouds, SOA components, and analytics to push information collection, management, and delivery to the point of contact. And, not surprisingly, as col-

laboration grows, security and privacy become more important. How IT departments act and react will ultimately determine which healthcare organizations thrive and which wind up on life support. As Daniel Garrett, partner and leader of PwC’s health industries technology practice puts it, “The potential...has yet to be unleashed.” &

Additional Information at PriceWaterhouseCoopers: www.pwc.com/us/en/healthcare/ publications/secondary-health-data.jhtml.

Black Business News International Edition To be added to the International Edition mailing list or advertise in the publication send an e-mail request to:

mail@bbala.org View the International Edition at www.bbala.org and www.yudu.com

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33 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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34 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Mobility is Going Mainstream • The Worker is the Boss Source: by Samuel Greengard

e all know that if the typical IT manager had his way, everyone would use the same type of computer, phone or mobile device. Standard issue. No muss. No fuss. It makes perfect sense because this approach trims dollars and simplifies IT administration. It also makes it a lot easier to manage security. But the era of dictating to employees what to stow in their pocket or purse is rapidly disappearing. “The consumerization of IT is underway,” argues Sean Ryan, a mobile research analyst at IDC. “Employees are grabbing control of the process and IT executives don’t have much say about the matter.” A few things are driving this trend. First, mobility is going mainstream and becoming a competitive factor in the business world (see: Minding Your Mobile Assets). How do you tell the sales guy to carry a Blackberry when the applet he requires and desires is on an iPhone? How do you inform an executive that she has to lug around a full-fledged laptop when a netbook will do? Second, if you’re going to tie a workforce to an electronic leash and ask

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people to blur their job and personal life, you had better give them some flexibility and let them use a device that works for them. Nowadays, this isn’t so simple. Windows Mobile is wheezing and the Blackberry, while still viable, certainly isn’t the headliner it once was. Apple has changed the game, and Android, Palm and Symbian are players too. Third, and this one is particularly important, handcuffing employees for sheer cost savings or simplicity isn’t a particularly brilliant approach to running a business. IT efficiency doesn’t necessarily equal better sales and bottom line results. In reality, a one-size-fits all approach is a bad idea. Sales staff or executives may require iPhones and field techs may need Blackberries. Even within a particular group or department, people may have entirely different needs. On a certain level, IT managers know all of this. Yet, they grumble about sup-

porting multiple devices and usually do everything in their power to thwart the migration to a number of operating systems and devices. Just remember this: Forrester Research reports that 73 percent of global enterprise workforces will be mobile by 2012. In other words, the ripple is rapidly turning into a tsunami. What’s more, this sea change has implications far beyond the mobile world. Gartner too has examined the topic of IT consumerization, even referring to a “civil war” between IT and consumerization. Clearly, IT leaders must adjust and adapt to this new world order. So, get over it. IT is no longer calling the shots about what devices and gear workers use. The good news is that cloud computing, SOAs, better administration tools, and improved security are making it possible to build an IT framework that’s equipped for 21st century business. Savvy IT executives will say viva le difference! & www.baselinemag.com

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35 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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ith Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in tow, First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to Philadelphia yesterday as part of the Let’s Move! campaign, a nationwide effort to rally the country around one goal, ending the epidemic of childhood obesity. During her remarks at Fairhill Elementary School, Mrs. Obama applauded the city of Philadelphia for their “stand” to end childhood obesity: “Six years ago, when this city had fewer supermarkets per person than almost anywhere in America, all right, that was six years ago, when many folks had no access to healthy foods; six years ago many neighborhoods had alarming rates of obesity-related conditions like heart disease and diabetes -the folks in this city, you all could have decided that you had an unsolvable problems on your hands, right? You could have done that. You could have decided that these problems were just too big and too complicated and too entrenched and thrown your hands up and walked away. But instead you all took a stand, a really important, collaborative stand. You decided first that no family in this city should be spending a fortune on highpriced, low-quality foods because they have no other options. You decided that no child should be consigned to a life of poor health because of what neighborhood his or her family lives in. And you decided that you weren’t going to just talk about the problem or wring your hands about the problems, but you were going to act. And that’s precisely the kind of determination, the kind of commitment that

we need to address the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country. And this issue is an issue of great concern to me, and I’ve said this before, not because I’m First Lady -- or not just because I’m First Lady of this country -- but because I’m a mother, and I care about my kids and I care about all of our kids. And I know that this issue is a great concern to all of you, everyone around this country. We all care about our kids. That’s why last week we enthusiastically and proudly launched “Let’s Move.” (Applause.) “Let’s Move” is a nationwide campaign to rally this country around one single

communities. And when we bring fresh, healthy food to communities, what do we learn? People will buy it, right? People will buy it. These stores are turning a profit. And what’s going on is that they’re doing well by doing good. Isn’t that something? (Applause.) So it’s because of this example that part of “Let’s Move” we created this Healthy Food Financing Initiative that’s modeled on what’s been going on here. And as Secretary Geithner said, with a modest initial investment of about $400 million a year, we’re going to use that money to leverage hundreds of millions more from private and non-profit sec-

First Lady Michelle Obama speaks to students at Fairhill Elementary School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but ambitious goal, and that is to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in a generation so that the kids born today grow up with a healthy weight. Simple but ambitious.” Mrs. Obama also announced a new part of Let’s Move! -- the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, a multi-million dollar public and private investment to eliminate food deserts in America within seven years: So with your success here in Pennsylvania, what you’ve shown us is that when we provide the right support and incentives, then business leaders like Pat Burns and Jeff Brown, they’re going to take the chance to invest in our

tors to bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved communities all across this country. If you can do it here, we can do it around the country. And our goal is ambitious. It’s to eliminate food deserts in America completely in seven years. Again, we know this is ambitious, but we also know that tackling the issue of accessibility and affordability is key to achieving the overall goal of solving childhood obesity in this generation. To learn more about what you can do to help solve the childhood obesity epidemic – visit www.LetsMove.gov and become a fan of Let’s Move! on FaceBook (www.facebook.com/letsmove).

37 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Graduate Programs in Nonprofit Management Spring Colloquium 2010 Open to students, alumni, and the public. MGT 411, Room 307, 5:00 PM- 6:30 PM January 27 – “Implementing a Social Media Plan” Rachael Post, Principal, Luna Sky Media February 10 - Open House - "Transforming Disinvested Communities" Dr. Robert Ross, President and CEO, The California Endowment Note: This class is held in the 3nd floor Small Berg with prospective MBA students February 17 – “Celebrating Our Heritage – Lessons Learned” Charmaine Jefferson, Executive Director, California African American Museum Robert Kirschner, Director, Skirball Museum Note: This session will be held at the Skirball Museum and includes an introduction and free access to the “Road to Freedom” Civil Rights Exhibit at the Skirball Center March 3 – Executive Leadership Forum “Hearing Our Voices – An Author’s Roundtable” Panel Discussion of Nonprofit Authors: Dr. Thomas Backer, “Evaluating Community Collaborations” Mike Allison, “Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations” Note: This class is held in the Small Berg March 17 - “Understanding Incubators –Getting Up and Going” Paul Vandeventer, President and CEO, Community Partners March 24 - “New Trends in Pro Bono Ethics” Joel Bashevkin, Executive Director, Western Region, Taproot Foundation April 14 - “Engaging Celebrities in Social Awareness Campaigns” David Figueroa and Araceli Campos, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) April 21 – “Youth Advocacy and the Foster Care System” Zaid Gayle, Executive Director, Peace4Kids April 28 - “Trends in Philanthropy in Southern California” Sushma Raman, President, Southern California Grantmakers

MBA School of Nonprofit Management American Jewish University Please RSVP to egrice@ajula.edu or call 310-440-1260 to attend these sessions For program information visit our website www.ajula.edu/mba

Rainbow PUSH LA Trade Bureau

The Rainbow PUSH LA Trade Bureau (RPC/Bureau) is focused on the implementation of economic, social, and education initiatives, as well as growing the office to become a strong voice for our constituents and Trade Bureau Members. Rainbow Push LA is connecting our Trade Bureau members with our Trading Partners for the purpose of doing business. Rainbow Push LA is committed to connecting our members to new opportunities that will not only bring us through the recession, but beyond it. Our innovative ideas are expressed through powerful programmatic pieces that are designed with everyone in mind. Please use the information below to contact the Los Angeles office to request a contact information form that may be completed then faxed or e-mailed to us. The information will reconnect us with you and will aid Mr. Israel in his upcoming meetings with corporate trading partners. Regina Black, Office Manager Rainbow PUSH/CEF Los Angeles, 1313 W. 8th Street, Suite 232, Los Angeles, CA 90017 Office Number: 213.483.3500 Fax Number: 213.483.3577 Email: rblack@rainbowpush.org Website: www.rainbowpushla.org

39 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

SAVE THE DATE! Community Meeting: Metro Westside Extension Optional Crenshaw Station

etro, together with the City of Los Angeles, invites you to a community meeting to discuss the optional Wilshire/Crenshaw station being evaluated for the future Westside Subway Extension. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (DEIS/DEIR) currently underway for the Westside Subway Extension identifies Wilshire/Crenshaw as an optional station. The recommendation about whether or not to include a station at this location will be a part of the overall recommendations when the environmental analysis concludes. We must continue to analyze this station as part of the ongoing evaluation. We anticipate releasing the Draft EIS/ EIR for public comment this summer. Community input is one of the factors that will be considered in making the recommendation. The Metro Board of Directors will make the ultimate decision later in the year. Please join us at this upcoming meeting to learn more about the Westside Subway Extension and the optional station at Wilshire/Crenshaw. We will also be joined by colleagues from the City of Los Angeles Planning Department to discuss land use planning guidelines for this area. There will be several ways at this meeting for you to share your views on whether there should be a Wilshire/Crenshaw station. Wednesday, March 17, 2010 6PM – 8PM Wilshire United Methodist Church 4350 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90010 Served by Metro Line 20, 210, 710 and 720. Free parking is available. For additional information please visit the Westside Subway Extension proj-

ww.bbala.org

•Contracting Information •Employment Opportunities •Links to Sponsor Websites •Event Announcements •Resources:

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ect website at metro.net/westside or contact the project information line at 213.922.6934. &

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To see if you qualify, stop by your local branch, call 1-888-818-6060, or visit unionbank.com/diversebizloans Crenshaw Branch: Karen Smith, Branch Manager, 3501 W. Jefferson Boulevard, (323) 737-3483 Ladera Heights Branch: Renee Givhan, Branch Manager, 6719 La Tijera Boulevard, (310) 342-1779 This is not a commitment to lend. Financing subject to credit and any applicable collateral approval. Other restrictions may apply. Eligible borrowers must meet all criteria for the Business Diversity Lending program. Financing available to businesses located in California, Oregon or Washington.Terms and conditions subject to change. ©2008 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC

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www.safelinkwireless.com Through SafeLink, Lifeline support is now available for wireless phones. Lifeline is a federal program created by the Reagan era Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1984. Traditionally, the Lifeline program was only available as a discount on a consumer’s landline telephone bill. SafeLink Wireless was created by TracFone Wireless, Inc. when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved the company to offer Lifeline -- a public assistance program that ensures telephone service is available and affordable for low-income subscribers. SafeLink Wireless applies the Universal Service Fund subsidy to an allotment of free airtime minutes and TracFone provides the wireless handset at the company’s expense. Instead of receiving a subsidized monthly telephone bill for Life-

line service, SafeLink converts the total amount of discounted service into minutes each month for one year. The cell phone offers in-demand features: voicemail, text, three-way calling, call waiting, caller ID and access to 911. Only certain Americans are eligible for SafeLink. Eligibility guidelines vary by state (the program is available in 21 states at this time) but in general individuals qualify if they participate in a public assistance program such as Food Stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), National Free School Lunch, Federal Housing/Section 8 Assistance, or if they do not receive any of these public assistance programs, they may also qualify based on total household gross monthly income. Customers can learn more or apply by calling 1-800-SAFELINK or visiting www.SafeLink.com. & Submitted by LaSandra Stratton BBA member, Chair of the BBA International Trade Committee.

43 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

International Trade: One Path to Collective Economic Recovery Taking Advantage of Trade Show Marketing in Africa

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President Obama Details Administration Efforts to Support Two Million New Jobs by Promoting New Exports

resident Obama announced five steps the Administration is taking under the NEI to help U.S. firms expand sales of their goods and services abroad: creating a new Cabinet-level focus on U.S. exports, expanding export financing, prioritizing government advocacy on behalf of U.S. exporters, providing new resources to U.S. businesses seeking to export, and ensuring a level playing field for U.S. exporters in global markets. A New, Focused High-Level Effort to Promote U.S. Exports The President has signed an Executive Order instructing the federal government to enhance and coordinate Federal efforts to promote exports. The President ordered the following measures to ensure high-level coordination of U.S. export promotion activities: • Creating the Export Promotion Cabinet: The President has created the Export Promotion Cabinet to ensure that export promotion is a toplevel priority of all relevant cabinet agencies, and that export promotion activities are incorporated in a wide array of government programs, not just existing dedicated export promotion offices. The Export Promotion Cabinet will coordinate with the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, an existing staff-level interagency body that supports U.S. trade and export efforts, to execute a new National Export Strategy. The Export Promotion Cabinet will hold its first meeting in April, and will meet regularly thereafter. Members of the Cabinet include the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce, senior White House advisors, and the heads of key U.S. economic and trade agencies.

• Relaunching the President’s Export Council (PEC): T h e President Barack Obama addresses the Export-Import Bank’s annual conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., March 11, 2010. PEC has (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) served as the principal private sector adviso- in trade finance to small and mediumry committee on international trade. It sized enterprises. advises the President of government Major Government-wide Export policies and programs that affect U.S. Advocacy Effort trade performance; promotes export Secretary Locke issued Governmentexpansion; and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related wide advocacy instructions for all sechallenges among the business, in- nior level officials who work with foreign dustrial, agricultural, labor, and govern- counterparts in the U.S. and abroad. ment sectors. Today, the President an- This instruction ensures that our export nounced the relaunch of the PEC to be promotion efforts will be conducted by chaired by Jim McNerney, CEO of the U.S. officials who regularly commuBoeing Corporation, and Ursula Burns, nicate with other governments. This CEO of the Xerox Corporation, who will guidance is also instrumental to help ensure that our officials abroad are serve as the vice-chair. proactively looking for new export opportunities for U.S. businesses in their More Financial Support for U.S. daily work routines. As part of our new Exporters In fiscal year 2009, Export-Import Bank advocacy efforts, the U.S. government (Ex-Im) authorized $21 billion in support is also: of U.S. exports, 50% more than the pre- • Sponsoring an Unprecedented vious year. Under the Obama Adminis- Number of Trade Missions this Year: tration, Ex-Im has further increased its U.S. trade missions bring senior U.S. authorizations to $10 billion in the first officials and U.S. businesses in direct quarter of this fiscal year alone, three contact with export opportunities. Over times the amount it did in the first quar- 40 trade and reverse trade missions ter last year. Ex-Im projects that this are scheduled in 2010 to promote U.S. pace of expansion will continue and goods, agriculture products and serultimately double Ex-Im’s trade finance vices. capacity within five years. Additionally, • Creating a New Market Exporter Inias part of the National Export Initiative, tiative: The Department of Commerce Ex-Im is expanding its efforts to work is launching a new public-private partwith small business by creating a new nership that engages U.S. global shipfacility to provide up to $2 billion a year see Promoting New Exports on page 59

45 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Trade Show Marketing - The Keys to Success by Jim DeBetta (www.jimdebetta.com)

rade shows are still a very popular way for new and established companies to reach retail buyers. Where else can you get in front of so many buyers looking to source new products for their stores and businesses? Not many other places. But with the economy taking its toll on small company budgets, how can you get the most bang for the buck out of your trade show marketing? The answer is to make the most of your time and money when planning to attend these shows. During 2009, I attended a handful of large consumer product trade shows including the House Wares Show in Chicago and the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas. Both traditionally are very crowded and even booking hotel rooms can be tough and of course quite pricey due to high demand. These shows, while still busy, were just not that crowded and that can be a source of concern when you are planning to spend your marketing dollars. The retail buyers seemed to be there, but knowing that budget constraints prevent even retail executives from jumping on a plan means that there are fewer of them walking the floor. That means that you must do whatever you can to maximize your trade show experience and be fully prepared to do business! Here are some smart ways to make the most of your time and money at trade shows in 2010: •

If you are an inventor or small startup, consider sharing a booth space with someone in the same situation. Sharing a

booth can save you hundreds if not thousands! •

Try seeking out others you may know in your industry and share a hotel room. May sound a little awkward, but if you know someone that you feel comfortable with then why not halve your hotel costs and share the room.

•

Don’t overspend on giveaways. You know what I mean. The pens or coffee mugs you get made up with your company logo. These can cost hundreds of dollars...and you have to ship them to the show. Skip these and instead have bottled water and some cookies or something at the booth. I know I love a good chocolate chip cookie when I am trolling the trade show floor!

•

Take the red eye to and from the show. I know, who wants to fly in at 2am, but hey, if you don’t have to arrive at a specific time you can save some money.

•

Utilize the shuttle bus services. Most trade shows offer shuttle buses to and from the local hotels. Take advantage of them. Renting a car can be expensive, and if the show is in a big city then you probably won’t need the car for anything else while you are there. Take an airportto-hotel shuttle when you arrive and save your self the time and expense.

•

Don’t order a lead retrieval machine. These machines, which look like a credit card machine you see in stores when you shop, can cost a few hundred

dollars to rent. They are convenient as a buyer can simply swipe their badge on the machine when they visit your booth and you have a record of their information. However, asking for their business card is the same thing and does not cost a cent. There are many ways to save money and collectively they can really add up. In the end, buyers are looking to do business with those that offer a great product with clear

…“Trade shows still provide the largest return on investment.” benefits for their customers. Dressing well, being at your booth on time, and saying hello to everyone that walks by will ensure that you have the best shot at having a productive show. I often tell people who are planning to go to shows to limit the amount of shows they plan to attend. For example, my company used to exhibit at nearly ten shows a year. By choosing just the largest of these shows, you can exhibit at just a few and save a bundle! Making the most of a show is not about how many you do, but rather how well you prepare and present your product and company when you are there. &

46 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

10 Things You Can Measure at Your Next Trade Show From Skyline Exhibits (www.skyline.com/Trade-Show-Tips)

any people seem to think the only measurement for trade shows is a count of how many visitors’ badges were swiped at your booth. Here are 10 more things you can measure. 1). What visitors think of your featured product -- ask open-ended questions and record their answers. 2). If you know how many qualified leads it takes to get a personal sales call and how many calls generally it

takes to close a sale, you can estimate sales from the qualified leads at a show. 3). You can measure media coverage at shows in terms of an ad equivalency. In other words, what would that same coverage cost had you bought an ad the same size? 4). Most frequently asked questions are often an indication of what your graphics don’t tell people or what people don’t understand about your products or potential perception issues about your company. 5). Exhibitions are a great venue for testing brand

Trade Show Planning: Your Roadmap To Success From www.trade-show-advisor.com

houghtful, strategic trade show planning is essential to achieving your exhibiting goals and maximizing your return on investment, which includes both your money and time. The first step in the planning process is to identify productive conferences and events that specifically reach your target audience of potential buyers. Start the research process by talking with current customers and learn about the events they attend. Then, contact professional organizations and colleagues in your industry for additional suggestions. Trade show planning directories (print and online) are another valuable resource, as well as your local cham-

ber of commerce and area business associations. Once you find an event that looks opportunistic, request to review lists of past vendors and attendees, if available from the show sponsor. Make sure the trade show you select draws the type and number of prospects you want. Other key considerations include geography, timing, cost, and sponsor reputation. Then once you have identified which trade show to attend, develop a detailed plan and tradeshow check lists that includes these steps: Establish Specific Event Objectives… such as number of product sales, leads generated, publicity secured, image and awareness initia-

awareness. 6). What were your competitors doing at the show? How was their booth traffic? What products were featured? Was their CEO there? 7). Cost per lead, cost per reach, cost per person, cost per impression - all serve as budget benchmarks and tracking tools. 8). Leads give you names of companies not currently being prospected, geographic concentration of specific inquiries and they let you know whether or not you reached the target audience. 9). What are the current hot topics in your industry? Are exhibitors and show visitors on the same page? 10). If you hold a private event (even a small customer dinner), ask customers one question: Are we meeting your expectations and if not, what should we do differently? & tives, etc. Set a Realistic Budget… that includes a projected return on investment Develop a Compelling Sales Message… to use in all tradeshow marketing and sales initiatives, including booth graphics, banners, brochures, advertisements, and sales presentations. Create a Trade Show Marketing Plan… that is divided into three sections: 1. Pre-Show Marketing, 2. AtShow Marketing, and 3. Post-Show Marketing. You’ve got to aggressively pre-sell prospects before they arrive, fully engage them during the show, and promptly follow-up with them after the show to generate additional sales. Create a “WOW” Exhibit… that attracts people and instantly conveys your image and product message. Whether you are interested in custom-designed booths, tabletop displays or rental exhibits, the graphics and lighting must deliver your marketing message with a see Trade Show Planning on page 53

47 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

The only event that focuses on the A-Z of the Continent’s Food & Beverage Industry

FACT SHEET 2010

THE SEVEN CO-LOCATED EVENTS c Retail Trade Exhibition- Food, Beverage & Merchandise Dry goods ● groceries ● frozen foods ● convenience foods ● HMR ● fresh produce ● confectionery ●beverages ● liquor and FMCG

d AgriFood Manufacturers & Producers Expo Fresh produce ● Product development ● Ingredients, additives & flavourings ● Processing ● Quality control ● Value added food products

e FoodTech Africa International Food & Beverage Trade Fair for: ● Ingredients, additives & flavourings ● Manufacturing technologies ● Production, processing and packaging equipment

f Interbake Africa Ingredients ● premixes ●mixes ● ready mixes● processes ● equipment ● shelf ready products

g DrinkTech Africa Beverage processing & packaging machinery, equipment & technology; beverage products

_____________________________ Plus Supported & Endorsed by the South African National Halaal Authority

h Retail Solutions Africa ● Location Kiosks ● ATM ● EFT Terminals Retail IT ● Security & cash handling equipment ● Shopfitting ● Refrigeration ● Store layout ● Merchandising ● Display equipment ● Point of Sale systems ● Back office software ● Lighting

i FoodBiz Africa Food, service & equipment Promoting Halaal product manufacturers & retailers to the growing African Moslem market

EXHIBITION DETAILS 2010 VENUE DATES

Gallagher Convention Centre Midrand, Johannesburg, RSA 25-27 July 2010

Hospitality, retail & institutional catering Equipment, food preparation and preservation equipment ● Packaging ● Warming, heating and refrigeration ● Catering supplies ● Raw materials and ingredients.

YOUR AGENT IN USA ● Food & Beverages

COST OF EXHIBITING Space only R 1,780/US$ 295/m² Full standpackage price R 2,150/US$ 345/m² Stand package Includes: space, shell scheme, carpets, electrical connection, spotlights*, plug point*, conference table*, conference chairs*, company name on fascia – * Quantities vary according to stand meterage.

www.exhibitionsafrica.com

SAITEX 2010 FACT SHEET Southern African International Trade Exhibition 25-27 July Gallagher Convention Centre, Richards Drive, Midrand, Johannesburg – South Africa Event Profile & History: The 17th Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) is a platform for trade across Africa and internationally. It is an import/export business and trade fair with exhibitors representing various industry sectors. This is the only multisectoral trade event of its kind in Africa. ¾

SAITEX was first established in 1993 and was acquired by Exhibition Management Services (EMS) in November 2008. EMS is a leading exhibition organiser, with a 28 year track record in delivering successful trade fairs throughout the African continent.

SAITEX 2010 will be co-located again with EMS’s flagship event “Africa’s Big Seven” (AB7). This expo specialises in food & beverages - it is the only event of its kind that tracks produce from the farm gate to a retail outlet and encompasses all the processes along the way. The expo is so named because of its seven component parts. The first combined event (i.e. SAITEX & AB7) in 2009 attracted 403 exhibiting companies from 39 countries and over 12, 700 visitors from 44 countries. They showcased 392 product categories featuring 2117 different items.

Exhibitor Profile: Local & international manufacturers and exporters, merchandise traders, distributors, importers, entrepreneurs, trade management service providers as well as government & investment agencies looking to penetrate the South African, African and/or the global market with a focus on expanding their current markets, should apply. SAITEX 2010 will also create an ideal forum for SMME’s, as well as large corporations, to showcase their products and services to an international, African and South African market.

Global Population Growth and Liberalized Trade Laws Fuel Increased Opportunities in Processed Food Exports By Dwayne A. Gathers, Gathers Strategies, Inc. As a new year begins, the nation’s economy continues to suffer from high unemployment rates, reduced consumer demand, difficulty in accessing credit, and an uncertain regulatory environment given discussions on major policy issues in Washington, D.C. that could affect business. Closer to home, the state’s economic situation remains a challenge as the Governor and state legislature prepare to deal with another difficult budget year and the same for many cities throughout the state and our region here in Southern California. One brighter spot in the economic landscape was the continued increase in exports which has grown for seven straight months. Clearly, a weaker U.S. economy has resulted in fewer goods made for U.S. consumption being shipped. Also, a weaker U.S. dollar has made goods manufactured here a lot cheaper to foreign buyers. Therefore, a weaker dollar and stronger foreign economies are creating an opportunity for U.S. exporters. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Commerce has indicated their desire to explore new opportunities to educate companies on the benefits of “incorporating new markets to continue to boost exports and create jobs” according to Secretary Gary Locke. As one of the leading states for exports, California companies should benefit from any enhanced effort to support the promotion of U.S. exports. For the last full year where data is available – 2008 – California companies exported $144.8 Billion in products globally. Of the many categories of products exported, processed foods ranked as the seventh leading export area, at $7.5 Billion, which represented an 80 percent increase in exports over a 4 year period!

Overall, processed foods have been the fastest growing segment of overall U.S. agricultural exports. In 1980, 70% of agricultural exports consisted of bulk commodities. Today, over 65% of all agriculture exports consist of processed foods. Fueling this rapid reversal, and growth in processed food exports, has been the demand driven by low and middle income countries – especially as these countries experience rising populations, increased urbanization, and rising income levels. In addition, increased exports have been aided by more open trade regimes and liberalized trade laws reducing tariffs. Of the large emerging markets, Brazil, China and Mexico are expected to represent the largest future markets for U.S. processed foods. For California exporters, Asia continues to represent the most significant market based on size of opportunity and proximity. With nearly $3.5 Billion in exports in 2008, this represented a 66% increase from 2004. However, other market opportunities cannot be ignored and also represent new business possibilities. For example, California exports of processed foods have experienced their greatest growth in sales to Sub-Saharan Africa (up over 300 % between 2004 and 2008) and to South America (nearly 400% increase between 2004 and 2008). More specifically, a number of countries are driving this increased growth in California exports. These include countries such as Brazil (up 194%), Chile (up 227%) and South Africa (up 218%), but all off of a lower base of exports, while countries such South Korea have witnessed a 140% growth in U.S. exports. It is hoped that South Korea would represent a larger export opportunity if and when the U.S.

– South Korea Free Trade Agreement is enacted as this would represent a key business opportunity for California firms. While this highlights a few of the markets driving U.S. and California processed food exports, there are opportunities in every corner of the world. With the development of a strategic plan, market research, and the establishment of marketing priorities, companies of all sizes can engage the world and advance their international sales and marketing objectives. An important tool in advancing these objectives is the identification and participation in key industry trade shows and conferences. Throughout the year, these events offer the opportunity to visit a country, and region, identify local partners, and get a look at the global competition also trying to enter that market. For a look at a few of the events taking place throughout 2010, we’ve highlighted a number of important food and beverage shows in various regions of the world on the calendar of events. We look forward to being an ongoing resource to support FIBR and its members in better understanding and identifying global sales opportunities and executing new business in the global marketplace. & This article was contributed by FIBR Associate Member Dwayne Gathers, of Gathers Strategies, Inc. (GSI). GSI is a business development advisory firm based in Los Angeles providing business strategy, government relations and international business development services. Dwayne previously served at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. and was appointed the first ever Director of the State of California’s Office of Trade and Investment in South Africa, where he lived from 1995 to 2000.

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Trade Show Planning This web-site includes a series of simple tools to assist exhibitors in planning for an exhibition and to measure performance in delivering a return-oninvestment (ROI) from exhibiting. Funded by a grant from the PCMA Education Foundation to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, this web-site was developed by Exhibit Surveys, Inc. in conjunction with the ROI Task Force of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events. To make use of the ROI Tool Kit registration is required. Registration is, however, free. Register at http://roitoolkit.exhibitsurveys.net/Home/Welcome.aspx.

Caltrans Construction

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El Camino College offers the training and advising you need to enhance your ability to bid for and WIN state highway construction contracts. Now is the time to get bid ready with assistance in the areas of procurement, personnel, cash flow, marketing and more!

Appointments with a business advisor are available at the SBDC at no charge to you. For more information, call the SBDC at 310.973.3177. Be sure to attend the free Economic Stimulus event on Thursday, November 19, 2009, in the City of Compton to learn more about stimulus opportunities available from Caltrans and other state and federal agencies. Visit californiasbdc.org for details.

from page 47

powerful punch. In addition, you need to plan for the type of promotions you will have that will draw people to your booth such as interactive demonstrations, contests, giveaways, etc. For more information on trade show booth attractions, click here. Confirm Booth Location in the Exhibition Hall… with the sponsor as part of your trade show planning process. Try to secure a high traffic location at the event. In addition, confirm access to electrical outlets, lighting, and other needs you may have. Print Marketing Materials… including sales literature, product sheets, business cards, and promotional items you will use at and after the show. Train and Schedule Staff… to effectively convey your sales message and ensure your booth is always staffed adequately. Prepare Follow-up Information Packets… so they are ready to immediately use with new leads after the show is over Make Travel Arrangements… to ensure you, your staff, exhibit booth, materials and supplies arrive in plenty of time for the show. Follow-up with Attendees… prioritize your leads and make follow-up contact promptly. Evaluate Trade Show Success… to determine if you met your objectives and identify changes to make in the future. &

Small Business Development Center Hosted by El Camino College 13430 Hawthorne Blvd. Hawthorne, CA 90250 310.973.3177 southbaysbdc.org

53 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

International:

New 5-Year Strategy Focuses on Strengthening African Leadership provided by: The Whitaker Group twg@thewhitakergroup.us

ver the next five years, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will focus on building sustainable programs that more strongly support on-theground leadership by African health ministries, and that strengthen national health systems beyond the response to

the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It will also focus more aggressively on prevention in an effort to curb the estimated 2.7 million new infections each year. “Given that the AIDS epidemic represents a shared global burden among nations, the next phase of PEPFAR represents an opportunity for the United States to support shared responsibility with partner countries,” PEPFAR’s Five-Year Strategy, released in December, stated. “To seize this opportunity, PEPFAR is supporting countries in taking leadership of the responses to their epidemics.” The new strategy lays out how PEPFAR will transition from being an emergency response to the AIDS crisis in “focus” countries to funding treatment and prevention programs that are implemented and sustained within a partner country’s broader health system.

Since it was launched in 2003, PEPFAR has supported antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for more than two million people, provided care for more than 10 million people - including four million children orphaned or made vulnerable by AIDS - and made available services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV during nearly 16 million pregnancies. In 2008, the U.S. Congress reauthorized an additional $48 billion to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria through 2013. “We’ve created a very good start at what was an emergency response. We now need to move that emergency response into a sustained response,” said Dr. Eric Goosby, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. “It’s a harder lift, it’s not flashy, it’s not as rapid in our ability to deploy and put in place. But it is more durable.” Ensuring the sustainability of HIV/ AIDS programs, he said, will require expanded support to national health ministries and provincial health departments, using U.S. funds to equip and train local health workers to take up more of the health care burden. In addition, PEPFAR is committed to engaging in true partnership with the governments of focus countries by ensuring that services supported by PEPFAR are aligned with the national plans of partner governments and integrated with existing health care delivery systems. Under the strategy, PEPFAR will also work to integrate HIV/AIDS interventions with the broader health and development programs involving the

U.S. government, country partners, multilateral organizations and other donors. This will include linking PEPFAR food and nutrition programs with the new U.S. Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, expanding partnerships with education, and strengthening economies, microfinance and vocational training programs. It will also promote accountable and responsive governance through increased bilateral engagement and capacity building with partner governments.

Prevention A critical component of the new PEPFAR strategy is to work with partner governments to identify and map the characteristics of local HIV/AIDS epidemics, focusing on demographics and working backwards to ascertain how these populations respond to prevention efforts. “[A] challenge to successful prevention programs is the lack of country data for planning and thinking about where the prevention effort should concentrate,” said Dr. Goosby in January at a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) forum in Washington on confronting the challenges of HIV prevention. “Our understanding needs to expand,” he said. “We need to show that we indeed have connected and have conveyed information that has resulted in a behavior change. Measuring that, identifying that, understanding that, has been a real challenge to everybody on the planet to come up with process and programmatic outcomes. To demonstrate impact is really our goal.” Dr. Goosby said that the U.S., through PEPFAR and broader diplomatic efforts, will also work with partner governments to identify structural conditions - such as laws, institutions and policies - that may favor or diminish a country’s ability to test or provide treatment for its population. “The idea is to work with our multilateral partners to ensure that the interventions provided converge and occur in an environment that does not increase barriers to entering and retaining patients and care,” he said. “Access to services based on principles that are

54 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

“A FEW NOTES ON AFRICA”

Rats Used to Clear Land Mines

The government has approved plans by Gitson Energy Ltd to build 300 megawatts wind power plant at Bubisa in Marsabit. The firm owned by Kenyans in Diaspora, is required by Ministry of Energy to complete detailed feasibility studies including the electricity transmission line and interconnection facilities. According to Energy Permanent Secretary Patrick Nyoike Gitson is now required to complete detailed feasibility studies within eight months. A similar plant is planned for Turkana by privately owned Turkana Windpower. The resultant 600MW from the two plants are expected to hugely cut power cost in the country. http://allafrica.com

The non-profit APOPO, based in Tanzania, has been training rats for mine detection and is currently putting them to work in Mozambique to clear minefields left over from conflicts in the 1960s, 70s and 90s. Already, a significant portion of the mine-ridden areas have been cleared, and according to APOPO’s clearance plan, they will clear more than 3.7 million square miles by 2013. This is an immense amount of land that was previously off limits to any sort of development or use due to the danger of landmines. Harvard Bach from the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining told MediaGlobal that “mine action is an integrated element of development. Where landmines exist, they hamper or deny development in addition to killing/

equitable and non-discriminatory become a critical foundation of that discussion. Supporting prevention efforts for women, integrated family planning, reproductive health linkages and treatment programs become the overall

fectiveness at the population level is something that we need to be able to talk about better, to be able to understand better, to be able to document better.” PEPFAR’s fiscal year (FY) 2010

kind of 30,000-foot level of orchestration, and scaling up programs that really aggressively take advantage of what is a low-hanging fruit opportunity that we identify to find and target our most at-risk populations, many of whom are marginalized.” “I hope that we will be able to add to our understanding of both the difficulties and successes that we identify as we move these programs to scale and aggressively identify efficiencies [and] redundancies, [and] eliminate parallel systems of care that really are not contributing to our ability to contain the infection,” Dr. Goosby added. “Ef-

budget includes $5.5 billion that is earmarked to go directly to target countries for AIDS relief - an increase of $61 million from 2009 - as well as $1.05 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, representing a $50 million increase over last year. PEPFAR’s targets for FY 2010-2014 include: ■ Supporting the prevention of more than 12 million new HIV infections; ■ Ensuring that every partner country has both 80% coverage of testing for pregnant women at the national level, and 85% coverage of ARV treatment for women found to be HIV-infected;

Kenya Approves New Mega Wind Plant

maiming people and causing fear and passive attitude[s]. Removing landmines and releasing land will always have a positive effect on regional and national development.” The rats being used by APOPO are African Giant Pouched Rats, which are much larger than an average rat. However, they are still lighter than dogs or humans. Courtney Baggett from APOPO explained to MediaGlobal that “it takes 5 kilos to set off a mine, [and] rats weigh 1.5 to 2 kilos so their risk [of setting off a mine] is minimal.” Rats will be used as a “complementary tool” to dogs in attempt to “reach the goal of a mine-free world together in the most efficient and cost effective way.” The rats do have the potential to provide least developed countries with a local and cost effective way to clear minefields, without having to wait for developed countries funding and special equipment or personnel to help. SEE YOU ON THE CONTINENT. &

■ Doubling the number of at-risk babies born HIV-free, from the 240,000 HIV-negative babies born of HIV-positive mothers during the first five years of PEPFAR; ■ Providing 100% of youth in PEPFAR prevention programs with comprehensive knowledge about HIV transmission and ways to protect themselves; ■ Providing direct support for more than four million people on treatment, doubling the number of people directly supported on treatment in the first five years of the PEPFAR program; ■ Supporting care for more than 12 million people, including five million orphans and vulnerable children; ■ Supporting training and retention of more than 140,000 new health care workers to strengthen health systems; ■ Ensuring that partner governments take a leadership role in setting the direction of the HIV/AIDS response; and ■ Ensuring that every partner country with a Partnership Framework addresses larger structural conditions, such as gender-based violence, stigma or low male partner involvement. & www.pepfar.gov www.state.gov/s/gac

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Real World Personal Strategy

How To Use The New Credit Card Laws To Your Advantage by L C Green, Jr.

ou may not have heard, but a new credit card law (“The Card ACT”) went into effect last week. The provisions of this new law that will impact most of us are the ones around interest rates, over-limit fees, payment allocation, and monthly statements. Now, if you don’t use credit cards in your family life, this doesn’t apply to you... but most people do, and you should know about what’s now being done by credit card companies in response to this new law. So, here is a quick summary of what you should know so that you can take full advantage of these pro-consumer changes:

Interest Rates The new rules will make it harder for credit card companies to raise a customer’s rates across the board. Under the socalled “universal default practice”, a consumer who was late on a payment for one credit card might have seen the interest rate rise on that card and another, unrelated credit card. But now... interest rate hikes are going

away during the first year an account is open and on existing balances. However, banks and card companies will still be able to raise interest rates in *some* cases, such as when you are more than 60 days late paying your bill or an introductory rate expires after six months. Another important exception : Issuers can raise your rate before the first 12 months is up if your rate is “variable” and tied to an index--and that index rises. These indices are at historic lows, but when rates begin to rise (to keep

inflation at bay), so will payments.

Over-Limit Fees Rising Another major change involves the fee charged when a consumer charges more than his or her credit limit. Until now, many card companies have allowed consumers to continue charging beyond set limits--tacking on sometimes hefty over-the-limit fees in the process. Cardholders will now have to “opt-in” for over-the-limit spending.

How Payments Are Applied To Balances

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see Credit Card on page 69

What is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pass It On!â&#x20AC;? ???

n a few weeks Africare will launch an exciting new campaign to connect you to people overcoming major challenges impacting the African continent-- issues like unsafe drinking water, food insecurity, and the growing

number of children orphaned by AIDS. Our new â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pass It On!â&#x20AC;? campaign will carry these messages around the world through a series of powerful testimonies and unique stories told directly by the individuals who see, work with, or benefit from Africareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistance on the ground. The stories come from more than 20 African nations, covering a variety of key issues. They all carry positive messages of growth and empowerment on the African continent! Beginning September 1st, Africare will introduce you to a new storyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; once

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a month for 16 monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; from a child, grandmother or Africare staff member who will â&#x20AC;&#x153;have something to tell youâ&#x20AC;? about the important work Africare is implementing on the ground. Each will be packaged in a format that is ready to â&#x20AC;&#x153;pass onâ&#x20AC;? to a friend or someone you know through video, social network, and even your phone! And if you live in Washington, DC, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see our stories on buses and in Metro stations across the city. Sign-up to receive the messages and support the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pass It On!â&#x20AC;? campaign using this special link - www.africare.org/ news/enews_signup.php. Learn more about Africareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current projects, long history and esteemed leaders at their website - www.africare. org. &

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Promoting New Exports

Help For Haiti from page 11

from page 45

ping companies like FedEx, UPS and USPS as strategic partners to expand U.S. export opportunities. This effort will build on the knowledge and market reach of its private sector partners to focus on U.S. businesses that currently only export to one or two countries, and provide support to these businesses on how to proactively expand their customer bases to additional markets. • Launching an International Business Partnership Program: The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is launching a new program to bring 250 – 300 senior procurement officials from over 20 countries to the U.S. this year to meet with U.S. businesses seeking to gain access to emerging economies. • Engaging our Ambassadors in a New Commercial Diplomacy Strategy: Secretary Clinton has directed U.S. ambassadors to emphasize commercial diplomacy in their work. The State Department will also require: Embassies to create Senior Visitor Business Liaisons to manage country advocacy efforts; and launch a program that sends U.S. Ambassadors around the U.S. to discuss export opportunities in their countries of assignment. Expanded Support and Resources for Potential U.S. Exporters Many businesses want to export their products, but just don’t have the knowledge, experience and resources required to identify and enter new markets. As part of the National Export Initiative, President Obama has proposed increasing funding for export promotion programs by $134 million for FY2011. This funding will provide for the hiring of over 325 trade experts to provide advice to potential U.S. exporters, and expand agriculture export initiatives to provide producers with tech-

person in Haiti (parent, spouse, friend etc.) • Any special or emergency circumstances. For All Nationalities and Locations Use the Person Finder tool on the Help For Haiti website, an initiative set up by Google to help concerned fami-

lies and friends find about and report on their loved ones whereabouts and well-being. For more information about locating friends and family members, visit the State Department’s Haiti Earthquake website.

Federal Response Info For information on how each federal department and agency is responding to the earthquake in Haiti visit the Help for Haiti website at whitehouse.gov. &

Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, and Dr. Jill Biden meet with Archbishop John Clement Favalora to discuss relief efforts at Notre Dame D’Haiti Church, in Miami, Florida, January 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann) nical assistance for exporting specialty crops. The Administration is also working to streamline existing U.S. exporter resources by: • Creating One-Stop Export Promotion Shops: Ex-Im, Small Business Administration (SBA), the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, and USTDA will partner to provide potential exporters a comprehensive tool kit of services ranging from financing options to export counseling to market access intelligence through 109 Commerce Export Assistance Centers, 900 SBA Small Business Development Centers, 8 Ex-Im regional offices, 2,000 USDA Farm Service county offices, and more than 250 U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. This effort will support

U.S. exporters in every state and 168 countries around the world. Free and Fair Access to Markets around the World • Enforcing Trade Rights: USTR Ambassador Ron Kirk will continue to vigorously enforce the rights of American businesses under our trade agreements. His efforts have included filing suit over Chinese export quotas and duties on raw materials that harmed core U.S. industrial sectors from steel and aluminum to chemicals. Over the past year, our trade enforcement efforts have led to resolving the long-standing American claim against policies that restricted exports of American beef to

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see Promoting New Exports on page 60

Promoting New Exports from page 59

the EU, ending more than 70 different measures in China that gave illegal subsides for exports and harmed U.S. companies, and working to end barriers to our poultry and meat exports during the H1N1 outbreak. • Opening New Markets: Ambassador Kirk will continue to work towards an ambitious and balanced Doha agreement that creates meaningful new market access for U.S. exports and ensures fair access to agriculture, goods, and services markets for American businesses. USTR will pursue negotiations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership to develop a broad-based, highstandard 21st century trade agreement in the fastest growing region in the world. USTR will also work to resolve outstanding issues with Panama, Colombia and Korea with the objective of moving forward with the pending Free Trade Agreements at an appropriate time. • Laying the Groundwork for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth: Building on the historic results of the Pittsburgh Summit, Secretary Geithner will continue to work within the G-20 and other international fora to pursue policies that will lead to stronger and better balanced global growth, fostering increased trade and job expansion.

national security by focusing on the enforcement of strict controls around the export of the most critical technologies and products, while strengthening the competitiveness of key manufacturing industries in the U.S. by streamlining the regulations that apply to their exports. Secretary Gates will lay out the outline of these reform proposals in the coming weeks, and the President looks forward to continuing to consult with Congress on this important reform effort. In the meantime, the President announced two specific steps that the Administration is prepared to take to reform the export control system: • Reducing the Delay of U.S. Exports of Encryption Products from 30-60 Days to 30 Minutes: Currently, a U.S. exporter of a product with encryption

capabilities (e.g., a cell phone or a network storage system) needs to file with the Department of Commerce for a technical review of the product before they can export. The review can take between 30-60 days. There are over 3,300 such filings each year. This proposed rule is intended to replace the current review-and-wait process with a more efficient one-time notification notification-and-ship process which may eliminate up to 85 percent of all the technical reviews of these products (about 2,800). The new process will continue ensure that the U.S. government still receives information it needs for its national security requirements while facilitating U.S. exports and innovation for new products and new technologies. &

Export Control System Reform to Enhance National Security and the Competitiveness of Key U.S. Industries Separately, the President announced the initial results of the Administration’s export efforts to reform the U.S. export control system – the set of policies and procedures that have developed over the past 50 years to restrict the export of sensitive technologies for national security purposes. The Administration’s reform program will enhance

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Malik’s Books Online

alik’s Books has closed operations in the Baldwin Hills Mall. Malik’s is now operating as an online bookstore. Malik’s is now available to serve our customer’s needs 24/7 via the world wide web with bigger deals and a larger selection. We will remain as active in the South Los Angeles community as we have always been. Please visit us at www.Malikbooks.com and/or www.autographbooks. com. For other information give us a call at 818-564-5694. If you want to coorespond with us, send letters to Malik’s Books, 3939 Crenshaw Boulevard, #324, Los Angeles, CA 90008. Thank You again for all your support and patronage over the years and visit us on the Web. &

Malik’s Books

www.Malikbooks.com • www.autogrpahbooks.com malikbooks@att.net • 818-564-5694

Give the Gifts of Knowledge, Inspiration, Entertainment. Shop the

Black Book Stores!

Eso Won Books

African American Books 4331 Degnan Ave., Leimert Park, Los Angeles

“Give Books as Gifts to Friends & Family” Check out our unsurpassed collection of books, music, video, children’s books, and games!

Women’s History Month Give Gifts of History, Knowledge, Pride, Heritage, Culture, Economics 323-294-0324 • www.esowonbooks.com //esowon.booksense.com for Calendar of Events

Books to Consider... Dr. Randal Pinkett (www.randalpinkett.com) has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author, scholar and community servant. He is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion dollar management, technology and policy consulting firm based in Newark, NJ. BCT Partners works with corporations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations in the areas of housing and community development, economic development, human services, government, healthcare and education. He was the Season 4 Winner of NBC’s hit reality television The Apprentice with Donald Trump. He served as an executive with Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City, NJ. He has re-appeared on The Apprentice as a boardroom advisor and is a regular segment host for CEO EXCHANGE on PBS. Two of the books written by Dr. Pinkett are shown below. Another book, Black Faces in Whites Places: 10 Strategies for African Americans to Redefine the Game and Reshape America is schedule for release soon. Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur’s Guide to Launching a Multimillion Dollar Business and No Money Down CEO: How to Start Your Dream Business with Little or No Cash (Audio Business Course). Dr. Pinkett’s books may be ordered at www.amazon.com. &

61 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s History Month Honor the Women in Your World!

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Please complete then submit this form with your payment. Please type or print. Name: Title: Company: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Telephone: E-mail: URL: Type of Business: W/MBE Certified by:

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NAICS Codes: Briefly describe your products and/or services

New membership Renewal Membership

Select Type of Membership Regular Member-$200 annual dues 51% African-American owned, Voting membership

Corporate Member-$2,500 annual dues Major corporation, Non-voting membership Associate Member-$100 annual dues Non-business owner, Non-voting membership Student Member-$25 annual dues Full-time registered student, Non-voting membership Amount enclosed $ Payment type: credit card Visa MasterCard Card #: Signature Fax Payment to: 323-291-9234

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Payment type: check/money order—make payable to: Black Business Association Mail to: P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 USA For information Call: 323-291-9334 Email: mail@bbala.org Website: www.bbala.org

Government:

Extension of SBA Recovery Lending Programs Will Support $1.8 Billion in Small Business Lending Agency plans to restart Recovery loan approvals on March 10

resident Barack Obama has signed legislation extending until March 28, 2010 the U.S. Small Business Administration’s ability to provide small business loans that are enhanced with special provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), including a higher guarantee of SBA-backed loans and a waiver of loan fees normally paid by borrowers. SBA estimates the additional funding will support about $1.8 billion in small business lending. New approvals of eligible loans with the higher guarantee and reduced fees made possible by the Recovery Act are expected to resume on March 10. Loan applications from borrowers in SBA’s Recovery Loan Queue will be funded first, followed by new loan applications. “These key loan programs have been successful in helping jump-start the

Alberto G. Alvarado, Director Los Angeles SBA District Office

economic recovery for America’s small businesses,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “The increased guarantee and reduced fees on SBA loans helped put almost $22 billion into the hands of small business owners and brought more than 1,100 lenders back to SBA loan programs. As a result, average weekly loan approvals by SBA have climbed by 87 percent compared to the weekly average before passage of the Recovery Act. “We will continue working with the President and with Congress to move forward with proposals for a longer extension for these important program enhancements, as well as higher loan limits, refinancing for commercial property loans and other significant ongoing support for small businesses. Small businesses need the changes the President has called for to ensure that they have the tools they need to drive economic growth and create jobs in communities all across the country.” As part of the Recovery Act, SBA received $730 million, which included $375 million to increase the SBA guarantee on 7(a) loans to 90 percent and to waive borrower fees on most 7(a) and 504 loans. The funds for these programs were exhausted on Nov. 23, and an additional $125 million was provided in December. Those funds were exhausted in late February. SBA has implemented the Recovery Loan Queue twice before as part of its temporary transitions back to pre-Recovery Act lending. Eligible small businesses, in consultation with their lender, could choose to be placed in the queue for possible approval of a Recovery Act loan if funding became available from

loans canceled for a variety of reasons. Currently there are 652 loan requests totaling $230 million in the Recovery Loan Queue. Karen G. Mills, The exAdministrator t e n s i o n Small Business Administration signed by President Obama authorizes the higher guarantee levels through March 28, 2010, for 7(a) loans. The fee relief is available until the additional funding is exhausted or the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, whichever comes first. As was the case in November and again in February, SBA is prepared to transition into a queue system as the funds start to wind down in order to ensure the maximum simulative effect of the programs and disbursement of funds. For non-Recovery Act 7(a) or 504 loans already funded during the transition period, this extension does not provide a retroactive guarantee or waived fees. Loans that were funded under non-Recovery Act terms cannot be canceled and resubmitted to take advantage of the Recovery Act extension provisions. This extension does not affect other SBA Recovery Act programs, including the America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) loan program or the agency’s microloans. Recovery Act funding still remains available for both of those programs. &

65 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

www.sba.gov/news www.whitehouse.gov

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BBA members wanting to expand market opportunities with a telecommunication company should consider completing a supplier certification application. To obtain an application go to the Internet web address www.cpuc.gov and visit the supplier diversity page for an online application. The BBA encourages all members to participate in this process that works to create greater opportunities for all African-American owned and operated firms. Last year the California Verizon Company reported an annual spend with African American owned suppliers in excess of $40 million.

66 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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67 T March 2010 T Black Business News T www.bbala.org

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