The “greening” of MWBEs

Across the nation there has been a dramatic and potentially rewarding upsurge in Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBE), and nowhere is that prospect more promising than in New York.   When more than 500 small, minority and women business owners convened recently at the Bank of New York Mellon, they were given additional empowering information.

The participants at the three-day conference were excited to learn ways in which to gain access to over $1 billion of public and private energy efficiency and green technology contract opportunities.

Among the unique features of this conference was the launch of a working collaboration between the Obama and Gov. Paterson’s administrations, which will allow the MWBE’s to acquire contracts in the new green economy.
Keynote speaker Green America Public Private Partnership Chairman Bill Johnson put the forum in perspective.

“Having been involved in ‘green’ initiatives throughout the US and abroad, I would say that New York State is positioning itself to be a leader not only in the development and deployment of cutting edge green technology, but it is also embarking on an initiative that can position it to be a national leader in the way it is working to empower small, minority and women owned business in the green economy.”

Welcoming a contingent of green experts and organizations to the conference was Heyward Davenport, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency.  “We are proud to co-host this opportunities conference featuring leading green experts and organizations that will play a key part in transforming New York’s energy industry and creating jobs for the future. This innovative forum affords a unique opportunity for minority and women owned firms to expand their abilities, have access to decision makers and obtain information about contract opportunities, thereby advancing the growth of their companies.”

The conference, the first of this kind since President Obama signed his $787 billion stimulus package, couldn’t be more propitious, said Michael Jones-Bey, Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development.

“The recent global economic crisis has hit small, minority and women businesses here in New York particularly hard. The effects have especially been felt in minority and working class neighborhoods across the state. One bright spot on the economic horizon is the hope fueled by the Obama Administration’s historic investment in energy efficiency and green technology coupled with the Governor’s ‘New Economy’ program.”

Davenport and Jones-Bey were joined by national and state experts on the new stimulus funds, tax incentives, and energy technologies.  With the forum emceed by Jeanne Ramirez of New York 1, the participants also learned about new projects, qualifications needed to bid on them, available training, and how to grow a company in the new energy efficiency and green technology markets.

“The beauty of the green economy is that it is based on jobs that can not be outsourced overseas,” said Jones-Bey. We have the potential to tap into an emerging sector that will create stable good paying jobs and contract opportunities for the next generation.”

Co-sponsors for the conference included the Green America Public Private Partnership, National Grid, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Johnson Controls, Turner Construction, Siemens, New York Power Authority, Long Island Power Authority, Bank of New York Mellon, Plaza Construction, and the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.