Our Journey to Certification as a

Our Journey to Certification as a Minority and Veteran-owned Business

By Ivette Parker and Mary Young, Grant Manufacturing and Alloying, Inc.

Save the Date! March 15, 2023 3 p.m.- 6 p.m. The Abraham Lincoln, Reading PA

Connect with other minorityowned small businesses and learn more about the Why and How of certification. Network with companies who are committed to hiring minority-owned businesses. For more information, contact SHARE@greaterreading.org

Grant Manufacturing and Alloying, Inc was cofounded in 1981 by Mr. Kenneth Thompson who hails from the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia. He describes his younger self as “a messed up black kid from the hood.” As a minority back then, you fell to the bottom of the barrel when it came to opportunities to get ahead.

Fast forward 40 years, Mr. Thompson partnered with an acquaintance and founded what is now Grant Manufacturing, a maker of tin and tin alloy products located in the heart of Pennsylvania. As one of just a handful of tin alloy manufacturers in the world, Grant Manufacturing and Alloying provides its tin products to many manufacturers around the globe.

The “Why” of Certification

Mr. Thompson decided to become a minority certified business because the companies that purchased his products would be eligible for tax incentives if they met certain criteria. This enabled them to pass those savings on to their customers. In exchange, Mr. Thompson’s customers also would receive special consideration when seeking government grants or contracts.

As he began looking for a potential buyer in 2020 with the hope of retiring for good, Mr. Thompson’s stepson, Michael A. Parker, purchased the business in 2022. Mr. Parker is a veteran of the U.S. Army. His son, Jose, followed in his footsteps, as did his daughter, Ayanna, in joining the ranks of the Armed Forces. Mr. Parker felt it was important that Grant be recognized as both minority and veteran owned. With his successors being members of the Armed Forces, Mr. Parker is paving the way for the business to continue serving the purpose for which it was founded.

“The benefits of these certifications enhance our ability to provide products that enable our customers to grow, compete and thrive.” We look forward to leaving a legacy to our children, grandchildren, and future generations. How proud our great grandkids will be looking back and telling their kids, “This is what our family started, and it’s ours now because someone didn’t give up on their dreams.”

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The “How” of Certification

We compare the certification process to applying for a mortgage to buy a home. Making sure all your documents are in order is one of the things that would make the process easier. You must supply the business financials and personal financials of the owner and anyone else who has a stake in the business.

If all your paperwork is in good order for minority certification by the nonprofit Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, the process can be completed in no time. Then the certified business has access to networking opportunities with other minority owned businesses and leads on projects and contracts that require involvement of minority owned businesses.

The veteran certification is in some ways more complex. Of course, the owner of the business must be a veteran from any branch of the Armed Forces, however, there is a lot of paperwork to fill out and a lot of information that you need to provide to the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. The process is lengthy, and it includes verification that each one of the items you provided in the application is, in fact, accurate.

All the work is worth the effort, however, as veteran certified businesses and their customers can bid for government projects and receive tax incentives. We are proud to be a minority/veteran owned business, and, because we manufacture everything in the United States, we are proudly American owned as well.

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