~.cem~
t
$L5O UEI)'f(lON
Wednesday JUly 23.. 2014
... ':~
C-.-liI"';
+ ~
LIBUSINESS
iAimingto aid minority businesses BYAISHAA1.-MUSUM路
'.
aisha.al-muslim@newsda:y.com
The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce is launchinga series 'of workshops to encourage minority businesses to become New York State-certified us . minority-owned firms. ThedWunbersOunpMgrito increase participation is -in alignment with Gov. AI,tdrew M. Cuomo's commitment in .2011 to provide 20 percent 'of state contract dollars to minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). " 'We are going to be the" " voice of businesses in the Afri-路 can-American community $1t . leads the charge to train businesses to become certified," :chamber president Phil .Nndrews said, . , The chamber, in collabora-, 'tion with the Nassau. Courtty .. Department of Minority Affairs and the Roosevelt Community Revitalization Group, will be conducting a series of At law offices in Freeport yesterday Phil Andfe!ls leadS a chamber of commerce disci.lssion of training workshops for minority-owned busi,!eSses that want to pursue state certification. free two-hour workshops starting Saturday and continuing ees, but hire folks and create $1.48 billion.About 49 percent which 893 are on long Island, Aug. 2 and 9 from 10 to noon at the Baldwin Public Library, of the contracts issued from jobs." according to Empire State DePreregistration is required by fiscal year 2012 to 2013 were in velopmenfs Division ofMinoriOne business owner who calling 516-208-9988. will be attending the workthe construction industry, and ty and Women's BUsinessDevel9 percent were in constructionopment. Cuomo !is seeking to "We want our professional shop is real estate attorney Sacha A Comrie, of Martin add 2,000 statewide, David said, related professional services. services as well as our trades to be aware of the contracting op- Molinari Coward & Comrie in Another 20 percent went to"The [certification] process portunities," said workshop in- Freeport, ''1 know there are op- ward nonconstruction-related is really cumbers~me, but you professional services, and 12 have to be in it to win it," said structor Charlene Thompson of portunities out there," Comrie Baldwin-based Thompson Ec0- said, "I know that. everyone percent went to commodities. chamber vice presidentneeds legal services, whether it nomic Development Services. "The state-is a huge purchasSharon Davis, president and . er," said Alphonso David, the is the government or .the man "We want to give business CEO of S.J. Edw~ds Ine. The on the street." governor's deputy secretary owners the skills and capacity Freeport firm, w楼ch provides Last year, utilization of for civil rights. "; . . We want to successfully engage in govemployee benefits services, reMWBEs in state contracts ernment contracting on the to be engaged in a process that ceived certification in 2013. is fair." [ocal stage and national levels, through 97 public agencies It normally takes about 90 days for businesses to get certiso theycan not only sustain and authorities reached 2L06 There are 7;296 certified percent, the equivalent 'of MWBE firms in the state, of fied, David said. -> themselves and their employ-
.
I