11-Feb

IN THIS ISSUE...

Publisher’s Message…page 3 Cover Story-Invest in America…page 8 Statup America Partnership…page 36

AEG Invites Current and Interested Supplier Partners to our

Supplier Portal, an online communication tool designed to enhance the relationship between AEG and our partners. The portal is an online and paperless tool that will provide you with: Increased visibility for AEG business opportunities Extended Company Profile in online directory Direct email updates from AEG clients and buyers Easy accounts payable information sharing Increased exposure for MBEs, WBEs, and DBEs It is important that you register your business so that we have the ability to contact you for participation in future opportunities. Suppliers seeking to initiate business with AEG are encouraged to register as well.

Registration is simple and we invite you to visit our Supplier Portal at your earliest convenience:

https://supplier.aegworldwide.com

Publisher’s Message Earl “Skip” Cooper, II

We Celebrate Black History Month

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s we celebrate Black History Month, let us not only look back to our roots, but also embrace our present and project our future.

Black History Month is more than just the remembrance of the events in the history of the African diaspora, or educating Americans about AfricanAmericans’ culture, backgrounds and achievements. It is also a time to acknowledge the achievements and sacrifices of those that came before us, to salute those that are continuing to carry on our heritage and to stay focused on plans to strengthen our rich culture.

We acknowledge some of our leaders, such as Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and countless others. We celebrate politicians and law-makers such as a Adam Clayton Powell, III, Tom Bradley, Thurgood Marshall, Johnnie Cochran and our current President, Barak Obama. We applaud the athletic achievements of such individuals as Jack Johnson, Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe, Jim Brown, Venus and Serena Williams, and Kobe Bryant. We applaud black entertainers such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Tupac Sharkur. The richness of our black experience can be traced from the continent of Africa to the front steps of the White House of the United States.

It would be an injustice to the Black experience to attempt to summarize in the content of my Publisher’s Message the extensive and many achievements of African Americans on the American landscape, let alone internationally. However, the following individu-

als serve as an example of the Black experience, but also illustrate how they paved the way for some of the riches we enjoy today. Such was the case of Frederick Douglass. After escaping from slavery, Frederick Douglass went on to be one of America’s foremost social reformers, orators, and writers of the Black Experience and the abolition of slavery. Douglass went on not only to work for the abolition of slavery in the U.S., but also in Great Britain, as well as advocating women’s right to vote.

One must also acknowledge that long before the United States officially coined the month of February as Black History Month in 1976, we had Black History Week which has been traced to the 1920’s, and attributed to Carter G. Woodson. Woodson was an AfricanAmerican historian, author and journalist. Woodson laid the foundation for other Black historians to follow, including the late John Hope Franklin.

We acknowledge the achievements of such pioneers as Booker T. Washington, dominate figure not only in the African American community, but the nation from 1980 to 1915. Born into slavery, Washington attained national prominence as an educator, teacher and spokesperson for African Americans. He was instrumental in the endowment and development of Tuskegee University. Washington was the first African-American ever invited to the White House in 1901. A century later, we have the nation’s first African American President of the United StatesBarak H. Obama.

There was W.E.B. du Bois, one of the country’s intellectual leaders and sociologists and Pan-Africanists. Du Bois

...Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B duBois, Marcus Garvey, Martin L. King, Jr., Malcolm X, Tom Bradley, Thurgood Marshall, Johnnie Cochran, Arthur Ashe, Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Michael Jackson, Rosa Parks, Carter G. Woodson, John Hope Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Madam C.J. Walker, Bob Johnson, Reginald Lewis, John H. Johnson, Tupac Shakur, Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown, Cab Calloway, Adam Clayton Powell, III, Colin Powell, Mae Jemison, Marian Anderson, Barack H. Obama, and the list goes on ... was the first African-American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. see Publisher’s Message on page 57

3  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

About the Black Business News…

Black Business News

The mission of The Black Business News is to inspire and inform public and private sector industry representatives on the importance of smart small business growth. As a versatile source of socioeconomic development activity, the Black Business News imparts current local, national and international industry trends related to small businesses across the United States of America (USA), detailing greater access to financial capital, management efficiencies, business education, mentors and networks. The goals of the Black Business News include: •

•

increasing the use of business enterprises owned by USA-based blacks, by advocating for greater access to leading finance lenders and successful business managers.

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

PRODUCTION MANAGER Narishima Osei

MARKETING DIRECTOR Tony Hayward

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LaSandra Stratton • Dean Jones • Steven Turner

GRAPHIC DESIGN

working to merge resources, values, profits, technology throughout the public and private sectors.

•

balancing major public and private sector contracting methods with positive outcomes of black-owned and operated enterprises.

•

providing an affirmative influence for or emerging entrepreneurs sharing inno-vative design and creative cultural con-tent that exposes them to the history off black enterprises and excite them to o participate in the USA’s future.

•

P.O. Box 43159, Los Angeles, CA 90043 323-291-9334 Fax: 323-291-9234

advocating and promoting on behalf of black-owned businesses by promoting the need for expanding an economic foundation that supports an unfettered and selfsustained urban society with USA job creation and economic opportuniwhere blacks work, live and operate able business enterprises.

Sarah Harris

STORY EDITORS Wanda Flagg ▪ Jennifer Marie Hamilton

PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Foxx ▪ Sabir • Narishima Osei

CONTENT ADMINISTRATOR LaSandra Stratton

LAYOUT/TYPESETTING Lion Communications Copyright © 2011 by Black Business News All Rights Reserved.

t y, vi-

The posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) on this site does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein.

AWARDS U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

2007 - Journalist of the Year Award LA/Minority Business Opportunity Center (LA/MBOC)

2010 - Media Firm of the Year

4  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

FEATURES…

3

February 2011

Publisher’s Message: We Celebrate Black History Month

8 GOVERNMENT…

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President Obama to Business: “Now is the Time to Invest in America”

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Bernanke: More Jobs Needed for Real Recovery

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U.S. Fast-Tracks East Coast Wind Farms

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Minority Business Development Agency: African American-Owned Firms Drive Job Creation, Outpace Growth Of Non-Minority-Owned Firms

21 23

2011 OSDBU Conference

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SBA Announces Contracting Program For WomenOwned Small Businesses Los Angeles County Dedicates Office of Small Business

28 BUSINESS SUCCESS TOOLS… 28 37

Columns 40 - Take A Look!

74 - Books to Consider...

82 - Calendar 86 - Resources Action Alerts 02 - AEG Supplier Portal 53 - Help for Haiti: Yéle Haiti Sponsors 07 - Black Business Association

Trade, Contracting, Challenges, Grants Online Learning Set for Explosive Growth as Traditional Classrooms Decline

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Startup America Partnership to Foster Innovative,8High-Growth Firms in United States

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GE Presents: Ecomagination Challenge

51 55 61

48 PUBLIC INTEREST/COMMUNITY… United We Serve Let’s Move!: One Year in the Right Direction for Kids

60 INTERNATIONAL… South Sudan Prepares to be World’s Newest Nation

Cover image - Sarah Harris 5  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Over 40 years of service Founded 1970

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.

___ 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;

•

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;

•

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

•

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. 

2011 Events March 26th

Salute to Black Women

honor outstanding African American women while commemorating NationalWomen’s History Month

May 5th

37th Annual Black Business Associaion Awards Dinner Thursday, 26th 6:00pm - 10:00 pm

Well-deserved recognition to corporations, government agencies and individuals that have been most supportive of the growth and development of the Black Business Association and the African American business community as a whole

November

Utilities Procurement Exchange Summit & Awards Luncheon

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

honoring African American entrepreneurs and offering one-on-one opportunity exploration

• Call 323-291-9334 for information on sponsorship and participation •

7  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbala.org

Government

President Obama to Business: “Now is the Time to Invest in America” An Address Before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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hank you very much. Please, have a seat. Thank you very much, Tom, for the gracious introduction. I want to make a few other acknowledgments. To Tom Bell, the Chamber Board President, thank you for helping to organize this. There are some members of my administration I want to make sure are introduced. My Chief of Staff, Bill Daley, is here. Senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, who is interfacing with many of you and has gotten terrific advice from many of you, is here as well. Secretary Ray LaHood, our Transportation Secretary. Ambassador Ron Kirk, who is working hard to get trade deals around the world.

Our Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills. My director of the National Economic Council, Gene Sperling, is here. And I also want to make mention, Fred Hochberg, our Export-Import Bank Chairman; Elizabeth Littlefield, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation President.

And I also want to acknowledge a good friend, Paul Volcker, the outgoing chair of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Thank you all for being here.

Now, Tom, it is good to be here today at the Chamber of Commerce. I’m here in the interest of being more neighborly.

(Laughter.) I strolled over from across

the street, and look, maybe if we had brought over a fruitcake when I first moved in, we would have gotten off to a better start. But I’m going to make up for it.

The truth is, this isn’t the first time I’ve been to the Chamber, or the first time that we’ve exchanged ideas. Over the last two years, I’ve sought advice from many of you as we were grappling with the worst recession most of us have ever known. It’s a recession that led to some very difficult decisions. For many of you, that meant restructuring and branch closings and layoffs that I see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 13

8  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Bernanke: More Jobs Needed for Real Recovery

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www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41407325/ns/ business-stocks_and_economy The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

9  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

lished,” he said.

Following the delivery of his prepared speech, Bernanke took questions from the financial journalists gathered at the event — a radical departure for a sitting chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Federal Reserve chairmen have in the past occasionally spoken with the media off the record, but a formal press conference by a sitting chairman of the Fed is an unusual event.

Comments by such a powerful figure in the world’s financial system can be U. S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke interpreted in various ways, he United States can’t fully recover from the worst recession and can influence how billions of dolin decades until hiring improves, lars of wealth are invested.

But with the economy still unstable Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Berand most of the Fed’s ammunition to nanke said recently. spur growth already spent, Bernanke The economy is strengthening, and appears to want to boost the economy will likely grow at a faster pace this year by exerting his influence through the as more confident consumers and commedia. panies spend more, Bernanke said in “Transparency is important,” Bernanprepared remarks to the National Press ke said regarding his decision to field Club. But he warned that the growth questions from the media. won’t be strong enough to quickly drive “The public needs to know what we down high unemployment, and it could are doing and why we are doing it,” he take several years before it returns to added, noting that a Fed committee more normal levels. is considering the establishment of a “Until we see a sustained period of regular Fed press conference and will stronger job creation, we cannot conissue its recommendations on the plan sider the recovery to be truly estab-

soon.

Bernanke’s prepared remarks suggest the Fed will stick with its program to prime the economy by purchasing $600 billion of Treasury bonds by the end of June.

Bernanke said it will take “several years” for unemployment to return to more normal levels. Last month, the Fed chief was more specific, saying it would take four or five years for the unemployment rate to drop to a historically normal level of around 5.5 percent or 6 percent.

The Fed chief spoke one day before the government releases its employment snapshot for January. Economists believe the unemployment rate ticked up to 9.5 percent last month, from 9.4 percent in December, and employers added a net total of around 146,000 jobs. Job-creation would need to be twice as fast each month to make a noticeable dent in unemployment.

Bernanke also urged Congress and the White House to come up with a long-term plan to reduce the government’s $1 trillion-plus budget deficits.

Big deficits could hurt the economy, he warned. Investors would demand more returns on government loans and interest rates would soar. Higher borrowing costs would crimp spending by consumers and businesses, slowing economic activity.

“If government debt and deficits were actually to grow at the pace envisioned, the economic and financial effect would be severe,” Bernanke said.

The budget deficit has averaged approximately 9 percent of the nation’s $14 trillion economy over the past two years. That’s up from an average of 2 percent during the three years before the recession, Bernanke said.

On the economy, Bernanke said he expected inflation to be quite low despite a recent increase in commodities prices, such as oil and gasoline. The Fed has said that it believes competitive pressures will prevent companies from passing along all of these higher costs by significantly boosting prices to consumers. 

THE WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, 2011 ------BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION The great abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass once told us, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Progress in America has not come easily, but has resulted from the collective efforts of generations. For centuries, African American men and women have persevered to enrich our national life and bend the arc of history toward justice. From resolute Revolutionary War soldiers fighting for liberty to the hardworking students of today reaching for horizons their ancestors could only have imagined, African Americans have strengthened our Nation by leading reforms, overcoming obstacles, and breaking down barriers. During National African American History Month, we celebrate the vast contributions of African Americans to our Nation’s history and identity.

Frederick Douglass

This year’s theme, “African Americans and the Civil War,” invites us to reflect on 150 years since the start of the Civil War and on the patriots of a young country who fought for the promises of justice and equality laid out by our forbearers. In the Emancipation Proclamation, President Abraham Lincoln not only extended freedom to those still enslaved within rebellious areas, he also opened the door for African Americans to join the Union effort.

Tens of thousands of African Americans enlisted in the United States Army and Navy, making extraordinary sacrifices to help unite a fractured country and free millions from slavery. These gallant soldiers, like those in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, served with distinction, braving both intolerance and the perils of war to inspire a Nation and expand the domain of freedom. Beyond the battlefield, black men and women also supported the war effort by serving as surgeons, nurses, chaplains, spies, and in other essential roles. These brave Americans gave their energy, their spirit, and sometimes their lives 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment for the noble cause of liberty.

Over the course of the next century, the United States struggled to deliver fundamental civil and human rights to African Americans, but African Americans would not let their dreams be denied. Though Jim Crow segregation slowed the onward march of history and expansion of the American dream, African Americans braved bigotry and violence to organize schools, churches, and neighborhood organizations.

Bolstered by strong values of faith and community, black men and women have launched businesses, fueled scientific advances, served our Nation in the Armed

Forces, sought public office, taught our children, and created groundbreaking works of art and entertainment. To perfect our Union and provide a better life for their children, tenacious civil rights pioneers have long demanded that America live up to its founding principles, and their efforts continue to inspire us.

Though we inherit the extraordinary progress won by the tears and toil of our predecessors, we know barriers still remain on the road to equal opportunity.

Knowledge is our strongest tool against injustice, and it is our responsibility to empower every child in America with a worldclass education from cradle to career. We must continue to build on our Nation’s foundation of freedom and ensure equal opportunity, economic security, and civil rights for all Americans. After a historic recession has devastated many American families, and particularly African Americans, we must continue to create jobs, support our middle class, and strengthen pathways for families to climb out of poverty.

Corps Tuskegee Airman

Corps Commander Sergeant Major Emily Perez

During National African American History Month, we recognize the extraordinary achievements of African Americans and their essential role in shaping the story of America. In honor of their courage and contributions, let us resolve to carry forward together the promise of America for our children.

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 February 2011 as National African American History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 8

rather than expanding as it has through our lifetimes, is in the midst of an inexorable contraction. And we can’t ignore these concerns. We have to renew people’s faith in the promise of this country –- that this is a place where you can make it if you try. And we have to do this together: business and government; workers and CEOs; Democrats and Republicans.

We know what it will take for America to win the future. We need to out-innovate, we need to out-educate, we need to out-build our competitors. We need an economy that’s based not on what we consume and borrow from other President Barack Obama tours the biotech facilities at Forsyth Technical Community College West Campus in Winston-Salem, N.C. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Government

know were very painful to make. For my administration, it meant a series of emergency measures that I would not have undertaken under normal circumstances, but that were necessary to stop our economy from falling off a cliff.

Now, on some issues, like the Recovery Act, we’ve found common cause.

On other issues, we’ve had some pretty strong disagreements. But I’m here today because I am convinced, as Tom mentioned in his introduction, that we can and we must work together. Whatever differences we may have, I know that all of us share a deep, abiding belief in this country, a belief in our people, a belief in the principles that have made America’s economy the envy of the world.

America’s success didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen by accident. It happened because [of] the freedom that has allowed good ideas to flourish, that has allowed capitalism to thrive; it happened because of the conviction that in this country hard work should be rewarded and that opportunity should be there for anybody who’s willing to reach for it. And because it happened at every juncture in our history -not just once, not just twice, but over and over again -- we came together to remake ourselves; we came together as one nation and did what was necessary to win the future. That is why I am so confident that we will win the future again.

That’s the challenge that we face today. We still have, by far, the world’s largest and most vibrant economy. We have the most productive workers, the finest universities and the freest markets. The men and women in this room are living testimony that American industry is still the source of the most dynamic companies, and the most in-

genious entrepreneurs.

But we also know that with the march of technology over the last few decades, the competition for jobs and businesses has grown fierce. The globalization of our economy means that businesses can now open up a shop, employ workers and produce their goods wherever an Internet connection exists. Tasks that were once done by 1,000 workers can now be done by 100 or in some cases even 10. And the truth is, as countries like China and India and Brazil grow and develop larger middle classes, it’s profitable for global companies to aggressively pursue

these markets and, at times, to set up facilities in these countries.

These forces are as unstoppable as they are powerful. But combined with a brutal and devastating recession, these forces have also shaken the faith of the American people -- in the institutions of business and government. They see a widening chasm of wealth and opportunity in this country, and they wonder if the American Dream is slipping away.

They wonder if the middle class,

nations, but what we make and what we sell around the world. We need to make America the best place on Earth to do business.

And this is a job for all of us. As a government, we will help lay the foundation for you to grow and innovate and succeed. We will upgrade our transportation and communication networks so you can move goods and information more quickly and more cheaply. We’ll see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 14

13  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 13

invest in education so that you can hire the most skilled, talented workers in the world. And we’ll work to knock down barriers that make it harder for you to compete, from the tax code to the regulatory system.

But I want to be clear: Even as we

America a better place to do business, I’m hoping that all of you are thinking what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire more American workers, what you can do to support the American economy and invest in this nation. That’s what I want to talk about today –- the responsibilities we all have -- the mutual responsibilities we have -- to secure the future that we all share.

Now, as a country, we have a respon-

that’s why government has traditionally helped invest in this kind of science, planting the seeds that ultimately grew into technologies from the computer chips to the Internet.

That’s why we’re making investments today in the next generation of big ideas -– in biotechnology, in information technology and in clean energy technology. We’re reforming our patent system so innovations can move more quickly to market. Steve Case is head-

Government

“We were visiting a steel plant in Youngstown, Ohio, and the President decided to greet workers during a shift change. This woman asked the President if she could hug him and he obliged.” (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

make America the best place on Earth to do business, businesses also have a responsibility to America.

I understand the challenges you face. I understand you are under incredible pressure to cut costs and keep your margins up. I understand the significance of your obligations to your shareholders and the pressures that are created by quarterly reports. I get it.

But as we work with you to make

sibility to encourage American innovation. I talked about this quite a bit at my State of the Union.

Companies like yours have always driven the discovery of new products and new ideas. You do it better than anybody. But what you also know is that it’s not always profitable to -- in the short-term, at least -- for you to invest in basic research. It’s very expensive, and the payoffs are not always clear and they’re not always localized. And

ing up a new partnership called Startup America to help entrepreneurs turn new ideas into new businesses and new jobs. And I’ve also proposed a bigger, permanent tax credit for all the research and development your companies do in this country. I believe that is a priority.

We also have a responsibility as a nation to provide our people with -- and see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 19

14  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

U.S. Fast-Tracks East Coast Wind Farms

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Building a Better Windmill Through Design Windmills have assumed the same basic form for centuries: long vertical axles crowned with rectangle-shaped blades. Now, a start-up is preparing

Shrouded turbine modules collect wind at varying speeds and heights along the full length of the tower. one of 30 is down.”

The company has available Iowa State University’s Ames campus wind tunnel to simuSplitrock’s TX prototype. late harsh Atlantic coast weather conditions – complete with frost and snow. The Ames facility has to exceed 10 megawatts (MW) this previously partnered with NASA. summer by utilizing wind along the full But Splitrock is first constructing an length of a tower. onshore version of its tower someNearly 12 years ago, inventor Kevin where in Iowa this summer.

Friesth set out to build a better windmill.

“We are projecting our costs of enFriesth envisioned a honeycomb like ergy of our onshore turbine at 1.7 cents design where a taller tower is adorned per kilowatt hour VS normal land based with modular, shrouded turbines along wind turbines at nearly 3.5 cents or a vertical axis. The net effect is a lower more so our financial model shows we cost per megawatt. are lower than the price of coal or natuFriesth partnered with angel inves- ral gas generation also,” Friesth wrote tors from Splitrock Capital, a private in- in a follow-up e-mail. vestment company based in South DaThe design can scale up to 30 MW, kota, nearly five years ago. A prototype according to Friesth. The company was built in secrecy at Reese Air Force is talking to states on the U.S. coast Base in Lubbock, Texas, following two about working together, he said. years of computer-aided simulations, “There will be a sighting issue to get he said. the [offshore] prototype out there… We Splitrock Capital formed Splitrock have the business model worked out.

Wind, and took the opportunity to It’s not just a prototype – we’re working stealthily obtain patents, and plot out its out the pricing details.” business model. It is in the process of The wait may not be too long. Reformalizing its patents internationally, cently, the U. S. Department of Interior Friesth said. announced a new program to streamThe Splitrock design is intended to line the permit process for offshore be fault tolerant – for offshore applica- wind farms.  tions. The tower includes an elevator www.smartplanet.com/busiwith a built-in crane so that it is selfness/blog/intelligent-energy/ serviceable by hand, Friesth explained. building-a-better-windmill-through“If you lose one turbine out of 30, only design/3820/?tag=content;col1

15  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

nching toward its goal of generating 80 percent of the nation’s energy from clean technologies by 2035, the Obama administration has announced that it is granting fast-track approval to four wind farm projects located off the Atlantic coast.

They include sites in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is financing the work with US$50 million over the next five years. The majority of the DOE funds ($25M) money will be allocated toward technology development.

The remainder of the funding will be spread out between removing market barriers and developing a next-generation drivetrain. Leases will be offered to developers as soon as the end of this year. The fast-track program was announced in Nov. 2010.

“Offshore wind energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify our energy supply, and stimulate economic revitalization,” said Energy Secretary Chu. “The Department of Energy is committed to working with our federal partners to provide national leadership in accelerating offshore wind energy deployment.”

The administration’s efforts were lauded by VA governor Bob McDonnell (R) who stated that the approval process would enable developer, “to attract the investment necessary to support offshore wind projects.”

Meanwhile, wind developers are plotting even more ambitious goals.

Deepwater Wind has floated the idea of using 200 interconnected offshore windmills to link the power grids of New England and New York. Some start-ups are even pitching entirely new ideas for windmill designs.

Minority Business Development Agency African AmericanOwned Firms Drive Job Creation, Outpace Growth Of NonMinority-Owned Firms

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approximately 14,500 have revenues of more than $1 million, accounting for $79 billion in gross receipts in 2007 compared to $49 billion in 2002. The average gross receipts for these firms increased by 19 percent between 2002 and 2007, from $4.6 million per firm to $5.4 million per firm, and they employed 565,000 workers.

As the nation’s demographics continue to change, the Survey of Business Owners shows that the African American business community is changing as well. Highlights include: • In 2007, there were about 1.9 million African American firms in the United States that generated $138 billion in gross receipts and employed 921,000 workers.

• African American firms with employees (106,824) represented 6 percent of all African American firms and had average receipts of $925,000, with an average employment of 9 workers.

• The African American population had an estimated buying power of about $910 billion in 2009, larger than the purchasing power of all but 16 countries worldwide, including Australia ($824 billion), Taiwan ($718 billion), and the Netherlands ($654 billion).

• Between 2002 and 2007, African American-owned firms outpaced the growth of non-minority-owned firms in gross receipts (55% African American growth), employment

(22%), and number of firms (61%).

In comparison, non-minorityowned firms’ gross receipts grew by 21 percent, employment by 0.03 percent, and number of firms by 9 percent.

• African American firms are an engine of job creation, with paid employment growing by 22 percent between 2002-2007, from 754,000 to 921,000.

• Average gross receipts generated

by African American firms decreased by 3 percent from $74,000 per firm in 2002 to $72,000 per firm in 2007.

However, African American firms generating receipts of $1 million or more grew their average gross receipts by 19 percent, from $4.6 million in 2002 to $5.4 million in 2007.

• Average payroll per employee increased by 12 percent, from $23,000 in payroll per employee in 2002 to $26,000 in payroll per employee in 2007. The average payroll per employee for nonminority-owned firms was $35,000 in 2007.

• Average employment per firm for African American-owned businesses with employees also increased from 8 employees in 2002 to 9 employees in 2007.

• African American-owned firms are, on average, much smaller than minority-owned firms, with $179,000

17  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

see MBDA on page 86

Government

he U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the U.S. Census Bureau have announced that the number of African American-owned firms increased by 60.5 percent between 2002 and 2007 to 1.9 million firms, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Survey of Business Owners (www. census.gov/econ/sbo/index.html).

Employment at these firms grew 22 percent from 754,000 to 921,000 workers, a significantly higher rate than that of non-minority-owned firms between 2002 and 2007.

“We are encouraged by the overall growth of the minority business community, including African Americanowned businesses, but we still have a lot of work to do,” said MBDA National Director David A. Hinson. “Creating new businesses and new jobs on a path to entrepreneurial parity in size, scope and capacity is our primary goal.”

While minority-owned firms are experiencing substantial growth, African American-owned businesses still only represent 7 percent of all classifiable firms but 12 percent of the adult population. In 2007, average gross receipts for African Americanowned firms actually decreased by 3 percent from $74,000 per firm in 2002 to $72,000. Gross receipts for all minority-owned firms are still well below the average gross receipts for nonminority-owned firms, which averaged $490,000 in 2007.

Of all African American-owned firms,

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 14

our businesses -- with the fastest, most reliable way to move goods and information. The costs to business from outdated and inadequate infrastructure

why I’ve proposed connecting 80 percent of the country with high-speed -- to high-speed rail, and making it possible for companies to put high-speed Internet coverage in the reach of virtually all Americans.

You understand the importance of this. The fact is, the Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO don’t agree on a whole lot. Tom Donohue and Richard Trumka are not Facebook friends.

(Laughter.) Well, maybe -- I don’t think you are anyway. (Laughter.) I didn’t check on this, but -- but they agree on the need to build a 21stcentury infrastructure.

And I want to thank the Chamber for pushing Congress to make more infrastructure investments, and to do so in the most cost-effective way possible: with tax dollars that leverage private capital, and with projects that are determined not by politics, but by what’s best for our economy.

Third responsibility that we have as a nation is to invest in the skills and education of our young people. If we expect companies to do business and hire in America, America needs a pool of trained, talented workers that can outcompete anybody in the world. And that’s why we’re reforming K-12 education; that’s why we’re training 100,000 new math and science teachers; that’s why we’re making college more affordable, and revitalizing our community college system. see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 22

19  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden walk arm and arm before speaking at the Chrysler Transmission Plant in Kokomo, Ind. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

is enormous. And that’s what we have right now -- outdated, inadequate infrastructure.

And any of you that have been traveling to other countries, you know it, you see it, and it affects your bottom lines. That’s why I want to put more people to work rebuilding crumbling roads, rebuilding our bridges. That’s

2011 OSDBU

Procurement Conference April 21, 2011 Dulles Expo Center, South Hall

T

he OSDBU Procurement Conference (www.fbcinc.com/osdbu) is a national conference fostering business partnerships between the Federal Government, its Prime Contractors, and small, minority, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteranowned, HUBZone, and women-owned businesses.

Procurement Opportunities

Procurement Matchmaking Procurement Matchmaking will be offered as a value-added opportunity to meet with buyers in special, prescheduled one-on-one meetings with participating buyers during the conference. This portion of the event is limited in availability and is offered to small

How Does Matchmaking Work? How Do I Participate?

• Register for the Conference -- In order to participate in Procurement Matchmaking, you must first register for the conference by completing the Attendee or Exhibitor Registration Form (click here to register). Registration for the Procurement Matchmaking program will be offered on a first come, first serve basis to the first 300 companies that register for the overall conference and select participation in Procurement Matchmaking.

2010’s conference had well over 900 waitlisted for this event so don’t delay in registering early.

• Receipt of Confirmed Matchmaking Registration (starting January 2011 until February 2011) -- Upon completion and verification of your

Congratulations

Johnson Publications & Jet Magazine on 60 Years of Publishing Excellence

21  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

www.fbcinc.com/osdbu

Government

Exhibitors from Federal, state and local governments and Federal Government large business prime contractors are looking for small, minority, 8(a), SDB, HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program participants, service-disabled veteran-owned, veteranowned, and women-owned businesses who provide the goods and services listed below.

Federal agencies post information on contract opportunities over $25,000 on the Internet through FedBizOpps at http://www.fedbizopps.gov. Visit the FedBizOpps website to register for electronic notification of contract opportunities.

Subcontracting opportunities with large business prime contractors can be found at http://web.sba.gov/subnet.

Additionally, exhibitors may bring procurement opportunities with them for distribution at the conference.

businesses registered for the overall conference on a first come, first serve basis. Procurement Matchmaking “matches” small company “sellers” with participating “buyers” represented by government agencies and large business Prime Contractors. These buyers and sellers will convene for a series of one-on-one meetings that will occur throughout the OSDBU event in a special matchmaking meeting room.

registration in the OSDBU Conference, you will receive an email confirming your position in the Procurement Matchmaking event within 48 hours. If the event is “sold out” you will be placed on a wait list.

• Complete Separate Registration for Procurement Matchmaking (February 2011) -– During the first week of February 2011 all businesses registered for the Matchmaking event will receive an email inviting them to go to the Matchmaking registration page and complete their company profile in anticipation of being matched with buyers for a custom schedule.

This registration process will entail providing a company description, contact information and special keywords/codes that will be used to match your company with participating procurement representatives for a special, customized Matchmaking meeting schedule.

• Set your Custom Face-to-Face Schedule of Matchmaking Meetings -- During the first week of April 2011 the Matchmaking Team will send you an email inviting you to return to the system to begin the matchmaking scheduling process.

During this process you will be presented with a schedule for the day and the selection of procurement representatives that match with your organization based on the keywords you provided at the time of registration. With this information, you will be able to build a schedule of appointments with your matches to best organize your day. 

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 19

Government

Recently I visited GE in Schenectady, which has partnered with a local community college. And while students train for jobs available at the nearby GE plant, they earn a paycheck and they’ve got their tuition covered. And as a result, young people can find work, GE can fill high-skill positions, and the en-

posed that we freeze annual domestic spending for the next five years. Understand what this means. This would reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade, and bring this spending -- domestic discretionary spending -- down to the lowest share of our economy since Eisenhower was president. That was a long time ago.

Now, it’s not going to be enough.

We’re going to have to do more. Because the driving force on our deficits are entitlements spending. And that’s

way families do. If they’ve got a fiscal problem, if they’ve got to tighten their belt, they don’t stop paying for Johnny to go to college. They cut out things they don’t need, but they still make investments in the thing that are going to make sure we win the future. And that’s what we have to do as a country: make some smart choices -- tough choices, but smart ones.

Now, in addition to making government more affordable, we’re also making it more effective and more con-

going to require both parties to work together, because those are some tough problems that we’re going to have to solve. And I am eager to work with both parties and with the Chamber to take additional steps across the budget to put our nation on a sounder fiscal footing.

By stopping spending on things we don’t need, we can make investments in the things that we do need, the same

sumer-friendly. We’re trying to run the government a little bit more like you run your business -- with better technology and faster services. So in the coming months, my administration will develop a proposal to merge, consolidate and reorganize the federal government in a way that best serves the goal of a more competitive America. And we want to start with the 12 different agencies that

President Barack Obama greets students during a surprise stop at La Follette High School in Madison, Wis. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

tire region has become more attractive to businesses. It’s a win-win for everybody, and it’s something we’re trying to duplicate across the country.

Now, to make room for these investments in education, in innovation, in infrastructure, government also has a responsibility to cut spending that we just can’t afford. That’s why I’ve promised to veto any bill that’s larded up with earmarks. That’s why I’ve pro-

see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 25

22  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

SBA Announces Contracting Program For Women-Owned Small Businesses tions on how to participate in the program, as well as launch the secure, online data repository for WOSBs to upload required documents, on its website: www.sba.gov/wosb. SBA will also release an application to become an SBA-approved third party certifier for this program on that date. This will be the first version of the application.

SBA welcomes comments and suggestions on this first version of the application.

During the ramp up period over the next several months, SBA is encouraging small business owners to review program requirements and ensure their required documents are uploaded to the repository. WOSBs also will need to update their status in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the Online Representation and Certification Application (ORCA) to indicate to contracting officers that they are eligible to participate. The General Services Administration is currently updating these systems and they are expected to be completed in April, 2011.

Similarly, the WOSB rule in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which is the companion to the SBA rule, is now going through final review, and is also expected to be issued by April. With these pieces in place, SBA expects to see the first contracts awarded through the program by the all-important fourth quarter, when the largest percent of federal contracts are awarded.

federal agencies achieve the existing statutory goal of five percent of federal contracting dollars being awarded to WOSBs. On Feb. 4, SBA will release instruc-

Every firm that wishes to participate in the WOSB program must meet the eligibility requirements and either selfcertify or obtain third party certification.

At this time, SBA has not approved any

T

Karen G. Mills, Administrator Small Business Administration

third party certifiers. Regardless of their certification method, WOSBs must also upload required documents proving their eligibility to a secure online data repository developed and maintained

by SBA. • To qualify as a WOSB, a firm must: be at least fifty-one percent owned and controlled by one or more women, and primarily managed by one or more women.

• The women must be U.S. citizens.

• The firm must be considered small according to SBA size standards.

• To be deemed “economically disadvantaged”, a firm’s owners must meet specific financial requirements set forth in the program regulations.

The WOSB Program identifies eighty-three four-digit North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) codes where WOSBs are underrepresented or substantially underrepresented. Contracting officers may set aside contracts in these industries if the contract can be awarded at a fair and reasonable price, the contracting officer has a reasonable expectation that two or more WOSBs or EDWOSBs will submit offers for the contract and the

23  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

he U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that women-owned small businesses can begin taking steps to participate in a new federal contracting program on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011. The new Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program will be fully implemented over the next several months, with the first contracts expected to be awarded by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011.

“Implementing the Women-Owned Small Business contracting rule has been a top priority for the Obama Administration and SBA,” said Administrator Karen Mills. “Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. As we continue to look to small businesses to grow, create jobs and lead America into the future, women-owned businesses will play a key role. That’s why providing them with all the tools necessary to compete for and win federal contracts is so important. Federal contracts can provide women-owned small businesses with the oxygen they need to take their business to the next level.”

The WOSB Federal Contract Program will provide greater access to federal contracting opportunities for WOSBs and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs). The Program allows contracting officers, for the first time, to set aside specific contracts for certified WOSBs and EDWOSBs and will help

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 22

deal with America’s exports. If we hope to help our businesses sell more goods around the world, we should ensure we’re all pulling in the same direction.

And frankly, with 12 different agencies in charge, nobody is in charge. So we’re going to fix that as an example of how we can make a government that’s more responsive to the American people and to American businesses.

Which brings me to the final responsibility of government: breaking down some of the barriers that stand in the way of your success. As far as exports are concerned, that means seeking new opportunities and opening new markets for your goods. And I will tell you I will go anywhere anytime to be a booster for American businesses, American workers and American products.

We recently signed export deals with

India and China that will support more than 250,000 jobs here in the United States. We finalized a trade agreement with South Korea that will support at least 70,000 American jobs. And by the way, it’s a deal that has unprecedented support from business and labor, Democrats and Republicans. That’s the kind of deal that I will be looking for as we pursue trade agreements with Panama and Colombia, as we work to bring Russia into the international trading system. Those are going to be our top priorities because we believe Americans have the best products and the best businesses, and if we’re out there selling and we’re out there hustling, there’s no reason why we can’t do a lot better than we’re doing right now when it comes to our exports.

Now, another barrier government can remove -- and I hear a lot about this from many of you -- is a burdensome corporate tax code with one of the highest rates in the world. You know how it goes: because of various loopholes and carve-outs that have built up

SBA from page 23

anticipated contract price is not greater than $5 million for manufacturing contracts and $3 million for other contracts.

Each stage of implementation is part of SBA’s mission to make the Program efficient and user-friendly, and to ensure its benefits go only to qualifying WOSBs. SBA is excited to launch this new program to provide WOSBs with increased opportunities to compete for and win federal contracts, ultimately helping WOSBs create and retain more jobs.

For more information on the WomenOwned Small Business Program or to access the instructions, applications or database, please visit www.sba.gov/ wosb. 

see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 79 25  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

over the years, some industries pay an average rate that is four or five times higher than others. Companies are taxed heavily for making investments with equity, yet the tax code actually pays companies to invest using leverage. As a result, you’ve got too many companies ending up making decisions based on what their tax director says instead of what their engineer designs or what their factories produce.

And that puts our entire economy at a disadvantage.

We need something smarter, something simPresident Barack Obama pler, something fist-bumps U.S. Trade fairer. That’s why Representative Ron Kirk I want to lower after a meeting in the the corporate rate Roosevelt Room of the and eliminate White House. (Official White House Photo by these loopholes to Pete Souza) pay for it, so that it doesn’t add a dime to our defi-

Los Angeles County Dedicates Office of Small Business

L

dential Personnel staffer for the Clinton Administration, Ms. Davalos knows first-hand the importance of remaining competitive and empowering those to seek how to impact the 19th largest economy of the world. Representing over 400,000 small businesses in the county, Ms. Davalos is the young-

lassistance. OSB also serves as the County Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), funded by the U.S. Department of Defense contractors.

Under the leadership of the Los Angeles County Chairperson, Kenia Davalos, Ms. Davalos leads the 17 appointed Commissioners to provide ongoing advice and support to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to help business grow and do business with Los Angeles County and support the growth of the Office of Small Business. With small businesses as a major economic base for the County, Los Angeles-based businesses represent 91.5% of the businesses in Los Angeles County and 30.0% of the small businesses in the State of California.

The opening of OSB is part of an ongoing goal to empower and keep small businesses growing and in a strong position to create jobs for our state. “In today’s global economy, it is imperative that Los Angeles County small businesses remain competitive, relevant and have all the necessary information and direct contact on how to sell goods and services not only to the County, but state-wide, to and with the federal government, as well as other public and private sector agencies and organizations,” said Commission Chairperson, Kenia Davalos. And as a former White House Office of Presi-

est and first Latina to lead the Commission. Ms. Davalos’ appointment marks the 10-year anniversary of the County Small Business Commission, as the opening of the OSB comes at the heels of newly installed recommendations to the County that include the adoption of beneficial programs such as the Local Small Business Enterprise Preference (LSBE), the Prompt Pay and Small Business Payment Liaison.

To date over 500 firms have certified under the program and are eligible for a 5% price preference on County bids and a 15-day prompt pay turnaround

tacts as the opening of the OSB takes the effort one-step further. The OSB will work to provide links to websites which contain information such as license and permits required when starting a business, upcoming events, and how to register to be a County, State, and Federal vendor. In addition, OSB will provide links to procurement web sites, not only to the 37 County departments, but also with the federal and state governments, cities and other public jurisdictions. For more information on OSB please visit www.laosb. org. 

27  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Government

os Angeles County’s new Office of Small Business (OSB) has been established at 1100 N. Eastern Avenue, Los Angeles, CA in an effort to provide small businesses an all in-one location source for informationon procurement opportunities, certification, financing, and technica-

on invoices. And it increased by 25% the number of awards made to LSBEs from last year as well as an increase by 37% the dollar amounts awarded even during a recession. A relevant and additional outreach portion of the OSB will be to provide workshops that focus on small business issues and training b ythe U.S. Department of Defense to assist small businesses get contracts with prime defense. The County has made great strides in being able to measure how many local, certified small businesses (LSBEs) receive County con-

Trade Opportunities, Challenges/Contests, Contracts, & Grants Trade Opps

T

Business Success Tools

he U.S. Commercial Service www.trade.gov/cs is the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. U.S. Commercial Service trade professionals in over 100 U.S. cities and in nearly 80 countries help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets.

The International Buyer Program (IBP) of the U.S. Commercial Service

has announced the list of U.S. trade events selected to participate in the 2011 program. To exhibit your business to buyers around the world select the shows you are interested in and contact the IBP at a Commercial Service office near you by calling 1-800-USATRADE (872-8723).

For market research, more trade events, trade leads, and information on how to export, please visit www.Export.gov.

8. International Home and Housewares Show 2011 March 6-8, 2011 9. International Hospitality Week March 8-10, 2011 10. ProMat 2011 March 21-24, 2011 11. CONEXPO-CON/AGG and International Exposition for Power Transmission March 22-26, 2011 12. International CTIA WIRELESS® 2011 Convention March 22-24, 2011 13. High Point Market-Spring April 2-7, 2011 14. International Franchise Expo 2011 April 9-11, 2011

15. The 2011 NAB Show (National Association of Broadcasters) April 11-14, 2011 16. Offshore Technology Conference May 2-5, 2011 17. WasteExpo 2011 May 9-12, 2011 18. 2011 National Hardware Show with Lawn and Garden World May 10-12, 2011 19. Electric Power May 10-12, 2011 20. National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show May 2124, 2011 21. International Pow Wow May 21-25, 2011 22. AWEA WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition 2011 (American Wind Energy Association) May 22-25, 2011 23. 2011 American Water Works Association Annual Conference and Exhibition (ACE11) June 12-16, 2011 24. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Conference & Expo June 12-14, 2011 25. InfoComm International June 1517, 2011 26. AWFS Fair July 20-23, 2011 27. HBA (Health and Beauty Association) Global Expo July 24-28, 2011 28. Annual Meeting and Clinical Laboratory Expo of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry July 24-28, 2011 29. AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2011 August 16-19, 2011 30. Graph Expo 2011 September 1114, 2011 31. RETECH 2011, 3rd Exhibition & Conference for the All-Renewable Energy Industry Sept 20-22, 2011 32. Natural Products Expo East/Organic Products Expo – BioFach America September 21-24, 2011 33. PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 September 26-28, 2011 34. TEAMS: Travel, Events and Management in Sports Conference & Expo October 17-21, 2011

35. High Point Market – October October 22-27, 2011 36. National Funeral Directors Association International Convention and Expo October 23-26, 2011 37. IFAI Expo Americas 2011 (Industrial Fabrics Association International) October 25-27, 2011 38. Louisiana Gulf Coast Oil Expo (LAGCOE) 2011 October 25-27, 2011 39. The SEMA Show & AAPEX: Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week 2011 (AAIW 2011) November 1-4, 2011 40. American Film Market November 2-9, 2011 41. Greater New York Dental Meeting November 25-30, 2011 42. POWER-GEN International December 6-8, 2011

WWW.TRADE.GOV/CS

Challenges/ Contests hallenge.gov works when you

C

tell people you care about an issue, or participate in a challenge. The government posts challenges in many areas of public concern - health, employment, environment and more. Citizens share the challenge information with friends and neighbors.

Then, talented and caring people find and offer suggestions for resolving problems and support the resolutions they think best meet the challenge.

When you read about a challenge at www.challenge.gov that you or someone you know has the concern, knowledge and experience to formulate and submit a suggested resolution, Sign Up and participate. New challenges are posted periodically and many challenges are in progress right now, so visit the challenge.gov website regularly to stay abreast and to participate. see Trade, Contracts, Challenges, Grants on page 29

28  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Introducing...

SoLaTea House presented by

Cultural Interiors West & Lucy Florence Cafe

Now Open for Business!

5669 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles vabeard@gmail.com 562-253-6347

Featuring High Tea, Princess Parties, Sunday Brunch and much more! A nice, quiet place to study or just want to grab a cup of tea? We offer free wi-fi to all customers and a variety of teas to suit your mood. You may also enjoy a warm slice of gingerbread cake, a delicious scone, or one of our scrumptious cupcakes.

Our tea house features adequate space for groups up to 20 persons, with catering services for your next event. (Please call for more information.)

WWW.CHALLENGE.GOV

T

Contracts

• • •

• •

the name of the entity receiving the award; the amount of the award; information on the award including transaction type, funding agency, etc; the location of the entity receiving the award; and a unique identifier of the entity receiving the award.

USAspending.gov was first launched in December 2007 to fulfill these requirements. Prime award information shown on the website is provided by Federal Agencies through four main source systems (see Sources of Data).

USAspending.gov receives and displays data pertaining to obligations (amounts awarded for federally sponsored projects during a given budget period), not outlays or expenditures

WWW.STARTUPAMERICAPARTNERSHIP.ORG Track and learn about entrepreneureal opportunities through the Startup America Partnership. Information is also available at: www.kauffman. org, twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.

WWW.USASPENDING.GOV

Grants

NSF: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY MODIFICATION 16 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH.

DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45592

•NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45801 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCE MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45802 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION POLITICAL SCIENCE MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45805 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GEOGRAPHY AND SPATIAL SCIENCES MODIFICATION 11 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45807 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45808 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ECONOMICS MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45809 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SOCIOLOGY MODIFICATION 10 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45810 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DECISION, RISK AND MANAGEMENT SCIsee Trade, Contracts, Challenges, Grants on page 31

29  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Business Success Tools

he Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) establish a single searchable website, accessible to the public at no cost, which includes for each Federal award:

(actual cash disbursements made against each project). Read the latest OMB-issued memoranda M-09-19, “Guidance on Data Submission under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act” as it provides guidance to agencies on how to report information to USAspending.gov.

USAspending.gov has been recently updated in October 2010 to display of first-tier sub-award data (subcontracts and subgrants). Sub-award information shown on the website is provided by FSRS (see Sources of Data). The latest guidance documents pertaining to sub-award reporting can be found under News.

Trade, Challenges, Contracting, Grants from page 29 ENCES

MODIFICATION 5

WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45811

CAPACITY TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE HIVRELATED CARE AND TREATMENT SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA UNDER THE PRESIDENT’S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF (PEPFAR) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70135 HHS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SUPPORTING HEALTH WORKER STAFFING IN THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA UNDER THE PRESIDENT’S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF (PEPFAR) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70353 •DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ENGAGING, LOCAL INDIGENOUS FAITH BASED PARTNERS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE HIV/AIDS CARE, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION SERVICES IN SIXTEEN STATES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA UNDER THE PRESIDENT’S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70373 DOI: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NELLIS DUNES RECREATIONAL AREA DUST EXPOSURE AND HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT GBCESU PROJECT MODIFICATION 6 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70413 NEH: NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES AWARDS TO FACULTY GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70553 HHS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NINR RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS FOR INDIVIDUAL PREDOCTORAL FELLOWS IN NURSING RESEARCH (F31) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70573 USDA: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE PENNSYLVANIA STATE OFFICE PA 2011 CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70593 DOT: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DOT FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION see Trade, Contracts, Challenges, Grants on page 46

31  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Business Success Tools

•NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION LINGUISTICS MODIFICATION 5 HTTP://WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/ SEARCH.DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45812 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY MODIFICATION 3 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45816 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PERCEPTION, ACTION & COGNITION MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=45817 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENTAL AND LEARNING SCIENCES MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46236 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION BEHAVIORAL SYSTEMS MODIFICATION 16 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46252 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION INNOVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCES MODIFICATION 5 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46253 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION NEURAL SYSTEMS MODIFICATION 15 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46254 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION PHYSIOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS MODIFICATION 15 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46278 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY INVENTORIES MODIFICATION 10 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=46295 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMS MODIFICATION 13 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=50189 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ENHANCING ACCESS TO THE RADIO SPECTRUM MODIFICATION 2 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH.

DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=51176 USAID: AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT APS FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MODIFICATION 4 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=54796 NSF: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE MODIFICATION 2 HTTP://WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/ SEARCH.DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58240 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION VIRTUAL ORGANIZATIONS AS SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSTEMS MODIFICATION 2 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58545 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION NETWORKS AND REGULATION MODIFICATION 7 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58844 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION BIOMOLECULAR DYNAMICS, STRUCTURE, AND FUNCTION MODIFICATION 6 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58845 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GENETIC MECHANISMS MODIFICATION 3 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58846 •NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION CELLULAR PROCESSES MODIFICATION 6 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=58847 USAID: AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COLOMBIA USAID-BOGOTA COLOMBIA ALLIANCE PROGRAM (CAP) MODIFICATION 1 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=59833 DOE: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GOLDEN FIELD OFFICE FIRST STEPS TOWARD DEVELOPING RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ON TRIBAL LANDS MODIFICATION 2 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=66193 DOS: DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS NATIONAL SECURITY LANGUAGE INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH (NSLI-Y) MODIFICATION 1 WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=67474 HHS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION STRENGTHENING LOCAL

Business Development

Building Your Business for Success: The Importance of Ownership

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ne of the keys to economic independence for African American business owners is the acquisition and ownership of commercial real estate. By controlling the buildings and land that house the means of generating revenue, an entrepreneur can better attain the goal that underpins what being in business is all about: maximum self-determination.

With interest rates now at historically low levels and the economy growing at a slow pace, now is a prime time for many business owners to consider the purchase of commercial real estate. The benefits and drawbacks to commercial real estate ownership vary from business owner to business owner, but potential buyers should educate themselves about the obvious and sometimes hidden benefits to the ownership of a commercial property. Below are some of the major benefits to real estate ownership, versus leasing a commercial space.

Tax Deductions

Added Value To Business

For many Black business owners, a primary benefit of commercial real estate ownership is the tax deductibility of property that can be taken on the interest portion of the monthly commercial loan payment. These deductions can be substantial and each business owner should consult a qualified tax specialist about his or her unique situation.

Unlike some residential loans, many commercial loans are assumable. This makes the business and its real estate much easier for a buyer to acquire, and enhances the value of the business tremendously.

Equity Appreciation On average, commercial real estate properties will appreciate about two to three percent above inflation over the long term. Paying rent provides no appreciation or equity. Quite candidly, the BBA has members who have been paying rent for a decade or more, with no equity accrued and never having positioned themselves to benefit from any hope of equity appreciation. Using some of the most conservative estimates, potential equity appreciation can result in significant financial gains over a period of decades.

A Retirement Fund Through various circumstances, many minority and small business owners will not receive a pension when they decide to retire. In such cases, the equity appreciation on commercial property can be significant. An owner can decide either to sell the property upon retirement to cash in on equity appreciation, or lease the property to another business for a continuous retirement income stream. In fact, in some situations, a business owner may be able to lease out an unused portion of the property, such as a spare office, before retirement for additional income.

No Taxes To Pay On Your Rent When a business leases its real estate, sales tax is paid on the rent paid to the landlord. When you own the real estate there is no tax to pay on the rent. The savings can be significant.

Easy Access To Financing Historically-low, thirty-year fixed interest mortgage rates are now available for owner-occupied commercial properties.

Furthermore, there are flexible interest-only options from which entrepreneurs can benefit. In fact, in some instances, with strong financials a business owner may qualify for loan financing up to 100% of the purchase price for commercial real estate. A business owner should consult an experienced commercial mortgage adviser before making an offer on a commercial property, so that in addition to the tangible benefits outlined above, the business owner will have the satisfaction that only comes with property ownership. Truer words have never been spoken: “God bless the child that’s got his own�.

The Black Business Association will soon launch a program to assist African American business owners in acquiring commercial and industrial real estate.

Editorial

The Black Business Association Supports AEG Football Stadium

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he potential Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) football stadium for downtown Los Angeles would spur major economic development and finance for the local economy, and in particular, for minority and small businesses.

As President/CEO of the Black Business Association (BBA), I strongly applaud the efforts of AEG, as well as Farmers Insurance Exchange, in their commitment to this historical project. The proposed football stadium will be dubbed Farmers Field under a naming-rights agreement announced

by AEG. The 30-year naming-rights deal with Farmers Insurance will help finance the cost of construction of the stadium and help return the National Football League to Los Angeles after an absence of over 15 years.

The City of Los Angeles is indebted to AEG and Tim Leiweke, AEG President/ CEO, for the vision of and investment in downtown Los Angeles. AEG, which built L.A. Live, an entertainment complex that consists of the STAPLES Center, Nokia Theatre, JW Marriott & The Ritz-Carlton Hotels and several other hospitality and entertainment venues, will invest over $1 billion in the construction of the football stadium.

The financial investment includes demolition work, transportation, construction, masonry and other trades which minority workers in the region have a proven track record and a talent pool from which to utilize. Once built and in operation, monies will be generated from transportation, food vendors, restaurants, bars, event planners,

hotels, etc. AEG has been one of the single-most important players in the downtown Los Angeles marketplace over the past 20 years in building for the future growth and development of Los Angeles.

In the past two years, cities such as Arlington, Texas (Dallas Cowboys), Queens, New York (N.Y. Mets) and East Rutherford, New Jersey (Giants/ Jets) have completed development of major sports arenas. A few weeks ago, amongst the backdrop of one of the most severe winters in the history of the Dallas, Texas area; the Dallas Cowboy Stadium hosted one of the most successful NFL Super Bowls in the history of the event. Just hosting this one event generated jobs and millions of dollars in revenue for the local economy, which would not have been realized if it weren’t for the top class facility in which to hold the event.

Here in Los Angeles, minorities in the construction trade can look forward to opportunities for demolition, masonry, transportation, logistics, and tourism. As for job creation, the BBA estimates 20,000 to 30,000 new jobs will be created in the implementation of this proposed project over the next 10 years. With nearly 13 percent unemployment in the County of Los Angeles, particularly in the construction industry, this stadium project, along with other ancillary construction projects, will be a positive shock to the local economy. Recently, I shared my view with members of the Los Angeles City Council that building the stadium will not only increase incomes, jobs and

tax revenue for the City, but enhance Los Angeles as a destination for major conventions and tourists from around the world.

Sadly, the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) is not listed in the top ten convention centers in the country, even though Los Angeles has the 2nd largest population in the nation. Cities such as San Diego and Nashville are listed ahead of LACC, according to the Meeting Source and Travel Industry Association of America (TIA). The establishment of a football stadium adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center will propel Los Angeles forward as a designated convention site for businesses and exhibitors and will create jobs and revenue for the city.

Building this stadium will increase Los Angeles’ competitive position as a major convention location in the nation, as well as open additional business opportunities. In addition, it will become possible for Los Angeles to host more major world-class events in the future such as the Summer Olympics, NFL Super Bowls and Soccer World Cups.

There are also many intangible benefits associated with the new event center including: fan appreciation, support, entertainment, as well as civic pride.

AEG is seeking the issuance of a $350 million bond by the City to pay for the demolition and rebuilding of a new West Hall for the existing Convention Center. The new West Hall would be built on a different section of Convention Center property, and the parking lot would be expanded. New tax revenues are projected to repay the issues of these bonds. However, AEG has stated if this is not the case, they will cover the financial shortfall.

In essence, this could be a stadium built with no public dollars. This can and should be done. It’s a win-win for all parties involved. The BBA urges the Mayor of Los Angeles and the City Council to rally behind AEG, Farmers and the proposed football stadium, which represents an economic stimulus for the benefit of not only downtown Los Angeles, but also the greater Los Angeles region. 

34  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

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New Los Angeles Sports Stadium Officially Announced as Farmers Field

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he announcement of the new sports stadium for Los Angeles was made during a news conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

AEG’s proposed football stadium and event center in downtown Los Angeles is officially named -- Farmers Field -- as Farmers Insurance has signed a naming rights deal on the proposed venue.

According to earlier reports, Farmers will pay $600 million during a 30-year period to put the Farmers brand on the stadium.

Although there was much enthusiasm about the sports aspect, with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa exclaiming, “Football is coming back to Los Angeles,” a continual emphasis during the news conference was placed on jobs and economic impact for

Los Angeles.

Mayor Villaraigosa cited an unemployment rate of more than 30% in the Los Angeles-area construction industry and how just building the stadium will serve an immediate economic impact.

The new facility was also touted as one that will help the Los Angeles Convention Center continue its growth and make the city once again a top destination for conventions.

AEG President Tim Leiweke touted the partnership between Los Angelesbased AEG and Farmers, which is also based in Los Angeles, saying Farmers is “a company that gets L.A.” Farmers Executive Vice President Paul Patsis

echoed Leiweke’s sentiments on the partnership. He also echoed the idea of Farmers Field being an economic boon for the area.

“When I think of Farmer Field -- I think of Farmers, I think of Field, I think of growth. Things grow on fields. We’re talking about economic growth,” Patsis said.

Leiweke also emphasized that the stadium will be paid for by AEG, but that the public sector will play a significant part in making Farmers Field happen, saying the project will be “driven by the public sector, but paid for by the private sector.”

Leiweke alluded to the construction of Staples Center and L.A. Live, both AEG projects that took a major public-private partnership.

“This is a vision that has been tried and tested, and we’re going to do it again, Mayor,” Mr. Leiweke said. 

35  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

NBA 2011 All-Star Weekend Held in Los Angeles

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he NBA made the Right Choice with Peoples Choice Staffing (PCS) and other local staffing firms who partnered with them for what appeared to be a well attended All-Star Weekend.

Wendell & Denise Peoples President & CEO of Peoples Choice Staffing, Denise Peoples acknowledges the NBA for their efforts in seeking smaller Disadvantaged Businesses to partner with in the local community from minority-owned business enterprises to helping our local Veteran’s. We are proud to report that PCS successfully

placed approximately 150 people on the All-Star project.

Peoples believes it is important that we support the local community and the residents of Los Angeles who have been hit hard over the last couple of years from our struggling economy.

Majority of our working population for the event were college students and retirees who can’t seem to find employment. At this point, any little bit we can give them makes a difference.

Plus, THEY GOT TO HAVE FUN MAKING MONEY! Although we wish these positions offered long term career paths, they did offer some much needed assistance to parents who are footing the bills for their college educations.

People traveled from far and wide to see their favorite all stars compete in the Slam Dunk Contest which was won by LA Clippers Blake Griffin and to see who would be awarded the All Star MVP. After Kobe’s performance on

Sunday, we are not surprised that he won Most Valuable Player holding it down for the City of Angels or what we would refer in our community as Angelino’s.

The All-Star weekend had lots to offer… The kids and their families enjoyed watching the All Stars practice; the Jam Sessions where they could play along court side with others from their communities; taking pictures against a “Green Screen” that put them up close and personal with the TNT news crew which enabled them to take home a personalized picture and lots of foods to sample.

Most importantly, children from the local community were invited to attend and enjoyed participating in the festivities receiving shoes, shirts, sweats and other NBA items.

There were 11 hosting hotels in the Los Angeles area that offered everything from fine dining to the most elaborate parties.

There were also several fundraising events. Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie Lee Johnson hosted a shopping extravaganza at Nordstom in the Grove with the proceeds going to their foundation. At the end of the day, we are hopeful that a good majority of the restaurants benefited from increased revenues. I can certainly say that Roscoe’s appeared to be the crowd favorite and received packed crowds from the local community and from people all over the United States.

The Legends Brunch was well attended as some of the finest NBA champions were present. Everywhere you turned legends were abound from Magic Johnson to Bill Russell, Jerry West, James Worthy and Bill Walton just to name a few…

All in all, the All-Star weekend proved to be a big hit in the great City of Los Angeles. 

36  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Online Learning Set for Explosive Growth as Traditional Classrooms Decline Economic opportunities develop in expanding world of education

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y 2015, 25 million post-secondary students in the United States will be taking classes online.

And as that happens, the number of students who take classes exclusively on physical campuses will plummet, from 14.4 million in 2010 to just 4.1 million five years later, according to a new forecast released by market research firm Ambient Insight (www.ambientinsight.com).

physical classroom.”

Top Institutions for Online Enrollment The report also indicated that despite the high five-year compound annual growth figures, the annual growth of full-time and part-time online enroll-

all but one. Institutions reviewed included: American Public Education; Bridgepoint Education; UMassOnline; Walden University; and Liberty University.

A similar pattern emerged for the top institutions for part-time online enrollments, according to Ambient Insight.

All of the institutions in the top-5 con-

Blended and Online Learning Growth

ments at the top-10 institutions seems to have slowed in the last two years, while growth at some of the smaller institutions accelerated. The report characterized the larger institutions as “pioneers in online learning with large numbers of students” that are “approaching enrollment saturation points” and aligning with previous forecasts.

In terms of the top institutions for fulltime enrollment, all of the institutions in Ambient Insight’s top-5 continued to experience growth over the last two years, though that growth declined for

tinued to experience healthy, doubledigit growth from 2009 to 2010, just slightly less healthy than the growth experienced from 2008 to 2009. Institutions reviewed included: University of Phoenix Online; State University of New York Learning Network; The Ohio Learning Network; Kaplan University; and DeVry. Further details about the top institutions are available in Ambient Insight’s report.

The report also spotlighted some of see Growth in Online Learning on page 43

37  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

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The report, “The US Market for Selfpaced eLearning Products and Services: 2010-2015 Forecast and Analysis,” predicted a five-year compound decline of 22.08 percent per year in students attending traditional classrooms exclusively. The number of post-secondary students taking some (but not all) classes online will grow at a compound annual rate of 11.08 percent over the same five-year period, from 12.36 million in 2010 to 21.13 million in 2015.

But the real growth will be seen among students taking classes exclusively online. Ambient predicted a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.06 percent in that area, from 1.37 million in 2010 to 3.86 million in 2015.

By that time, the number of students taking classes exclusively online will be nearly equal to the number taking classes exclusively on a physical campus, with a gap of just 240,000 students (a figure that represents less than 1 percent of the entire forecast post-secondary student population, including degree-granting institutions, vocational training schools, continuing education institutions, etc.)

Further, according to the report, “If this trend continues, by 2018, there will be more full time online students than students that take all their classes in a

Startup America Partnership to Foster Innovative, HighGrowth Firms in United States

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s part of President Obama’s national strategy to stimulate economic growth and the creation of quality jobs, the White House has announced the launch of the Startup America Partnership. Chaired by Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, CEO of Revolution LLC and chairman of the Case Foundation, the Partnership will receive launch funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Case Foundation, and act as an independent private-sector alliance intended to dramatically increase the development, prevalence and success of innovative, high-growth U.S. firms. Carl Schramm, CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, will serve as a founding board member of the effort.

The Startup America Partnership will work closely with the White House to advance the goals of its Startup America initiative. The Partnership will bring together top entrepreneurs, start-up firm funders, CEOs, university presidents, foundations, and other leaders to help entrepreneurial companies start or grow. Partners (including corporations, foundations, startup funders, CEOs and others) will contribute funds to existing proven models or develop new programs and efforts to help entrepreneurs.

“America’s story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have against great odds created innovative products and services that have changed the world – and created millions of jobs,” said Steve Case. “Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation, and I am pleased that President Obama has made supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs a major priority of his economic strategy. I am honored to chair the Startup America Partnership, and look forward

to working with the White House to champion the creation of new startups, and help accelerate the growth of speed-ups.”

“We are pleased to help lead this partnership,” said Carl Schramm. “At Kauffman, it is our mission to develop and fund programs to support entrepreneurs, and to help educate policymakers about the role entrepreneurship and innovation play in our society. This partnership will bring together partners from across the private, public and non-profit sectors, working together toward a common goal: supporting the entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of our economy.”

To date, more than a dozen firms and organizations have joined the Startup America Partnership. They include the following commitments: • Increased corporate investment and support for startups from companies such as Intel, HP, IBM, Facebook, and others, including: Intel Capital will commit $200M of new investment in U.S. companies. Senior Intel leadership will also serve the Startup America Partnership and share best practices from years of successful programs designed to support Intel portfolio companies. see Partnership on page 44

FUTURALLIA 2011 Comes to Kansas City Global Business Event to be Held in United States for First Time After editions in Belgium, Poland, Canada, Qatar, and most recently France, the sixteenth edition of FUTURALLIA 2011 will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, May 2011. Whether you call it business matchmaking, business speed dating, or B2B meetings, FUTURALLIA is a fast-paced and intense business event where, all in all, more than 9,000 meetings will take place.

The concept is simple: to gather more than 800 entrepreneurs from countries across the globe for two days of pre-selected and pre-arranged one-on-one networking meetings. Futurallia’s proprietary match-making software system has been perfected with twenty years of experience. The Kauffman Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of Futurallia KC 2011. For more information, and to register for this event, visit www.FuturalliaKC2011.com

38  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Wanted: Commercial Applications for the Strongest Material Ever!

IRS Extends Tax Filing Deadline to April 18th he Internal Revenue Service kicked off the U.S. tax filing season, announcing that taxpayers will have until April 18, 2011 to file

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holiday observed in the District of Columbia. Taxpayers who file extensions will have until October 17, 2011 to file their 2010 tax returns.

their 2010 returns and pay their tax bills because of a holiday on April 15th.

The agency also said that it would not be ready to process returns carrying itemized deductions until mid- to late February, because it has to reprogram its processing systems following the passage of a big tax bill at the end of 2010.

April 15th is Emancipation Day, a

Taxpayers who won’t be able to file until mid-February include those claiming itemized deductions on Schedule A, higher education deductions on Form 8917, and teachers claiming their $250 deduction for classroom expenses.

The tax agency has started posting filing information for the new season on its website, www.irs.gov.

such a strong material made of biological in ingredients.”

Th The scientists suspect that the new mat material works in a similar way to Kevlar. They theorize that the strength com comes from the molecules’ planar form form, as well as various electron interactions. tera Possible applications for the mateP rial include lightweight, inexpensive ria body armor for military and police bo use. The scientists even theorize us that printable body armor may be th feasible some time in the future. fe “But we are thinking of more sstraightforward uses: to improve mechanical properties of composthe m

ite structures, such as ceramics and bulletproof glass,” said Ehud Gazit, a scientist at Tel Aviv University.

“I think this is an amazing discovery,” Kenneth Woycechowsky, a scientist at the University of Utah familiar with the research, told Discovery News. “The rigidity and stiffness of these spheres is unique, and surpasses any other known organic molecule, even Kevlar.”

“We have several patents and it is being licensed, so we hope to see it on the market soon,” said Gazit. “But it always takes more time than one expects. Kevlar was invented in the 1960s, but only in the 1980s did it become incorporated into body armor.” 

A

by Linda Stern, Reuters

39  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

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team of scientists at Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot has created a printable nanomaterial that boasts not only the toughest organic structure known to man, but also is lightweight and inexpensive to produce. The new material is made up of millions of microscopic nanospheres.

The spheres are self-assembled from N-tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc)-protected diphenylalanine molecules.

The tiny nanospheres range in size from 80 nanometers to just 2 microns— that’s 40 times smaller that the diameter of a human hair. When assembled, the spheres become tougher than any other organic substance, even bulletproof Kevlar.

“When we applied force to measure these particles, diamond probes were the only thing that actually made an indentation,” said Itay Rousso from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. “It’s quite astonishing that you can get

Technology:

Take a Look!

by LaSandra Stratton Check out what these firms and organizations have to offer for your personal interests, personal wealth building, and business expansion opportunities.

Business Success Tools

www.voxofon.com Voxofon is one of the many phone services that offer the possibility of making international calls using mobile phones for very cheap, compared to the high rates of pure GSM and other traditional services.

Calls can be initiated using GSM network (Global System for Mobile Communications) and the rest is handed over to VoIP. There are other modes of calling, depending on the device being used.

Voxofon has built applications for Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm webOS, and Windows Phone 7 that offer unprecedented convenience and great rates for international calls.

There is no need to sit in front of the computer to experience low prices for calls and messaging. No need to enter PIN codes and no need to have an Internet connection. Call your contacts directly from the Voxofon website also. You can choose if you want to talk on your phone or via a headset attached to the computer.

http://translate.google.com With the new Google Translate tool, dubbed Conversation Mode, users simply press the microphone on their mobile phone and start to speak. The device will then instantly analyze the speech and read a translated version out loud. A user’s partner can then

use the device to translate from his or her own language. Two or more people can use the technology simultaneously to create a fluid bilingual conversation.

Currently, the technology only works for translating between English and Spanish. Because this technology is still in alpha, factors like regional accents, background noise or rapid speech may make it difficult to understand what you’re saying. Even with these caveats, we’re excited about the future promise of this technology to be able to help people connect across languages.

Other high-tech features of the Google Translate app bring simplicity and ease to breaking language barriers: the app provides Romanization of non-Roman scripts—such as Arabic or Hebrew, offers an SMS translation tool that automatically translates texts sent in a foreign language.

www.paperlesspost.com At Paperless Post, we seek to redefine the tradition of paper stationery

by advertisers so your invitations will always remain personal and free of pop-ups and ads. We believe that discretion is an integral part of good service, and will never abuse the privacy of our users and their guests by sending unsolicited mail or releasing their personal information.

www.toolkit.com With an emphasis on problem-solving dating back to 1995, Business Owner’s Toolkit™ offers more than 5,000 pages of free cost-cutting tips,

step-by-step checklists, real-life case studies, startup advice, and business templates to small business owners and entrepreneurs. The site also offers a monthly newsletter, up-to-date news topics, and Ask Alice!, a column that closely follows industry trends and provides trusted advice to inquiring site visitors.

http://votingplace.net

so that people can send custom, personalized invitations and announcements with the same thought and care as previous generations, but the way we communicate today: online.

Paperless Post stationery is as tasteful as its tangible counterpart, but it also makes life simpler. In minutes, members can send out invitations for any occasion- dinner parties, anniversaries, save the dates - whenever they want to send something more personal than a simple email or awkward PDF. After sending, they can then monitor as guests receive and reply to their invitations.

Paperless Post is not supported

VotingPlace.net is a web service of EveryBitCounts Software Services Inc. VotingPlace.net has conducted many elections and policy votes for a wide range of organizations, professional associations, unions, trade associations, government agencies, and special events in the US, Canada, and internationally.

Our elections / policy votes have ranged in size from fewer than 100 voters to over 100,000 voters using

computers and the Internet. Voting may be held at home for your organization’s members, at kiosks at your annual convention, by laptop at your organization’s meetings.  Submitted by LaSandra Stratton, Chief Content Administrator of the Black Business News.

40  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

GE Presents: Ecomagination Challenge

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hase II of the General Electric ecomagination Challenge, is a $200 million innovation experiment where businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators and students share their best ideas on how to improve our energy future – and just might get funded. Phase II of the ecomagination Challenge focuses on Powering Your Home. We are looking for innovative ideas about capturing, managing, and using energy in the home.

We’ve teamed up with some of the best-known venture capital firms, including Emerald Technology Ventures, Foundation Capital, KPCB and RockPort Capital, to help back the most promising ideas.

Will you join us? Please enter the challenge, submit your ideas, share your thoughts and comments, and help us make the home the center of a smart energy future. Who knows? One of the ideas selected could be yours.

GE’s ecomagination Challenge: Powering Your Home is the most recent open call to action for businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators and students with breakthrough ideas for home energy creation, management and use.

The Challenge invites people to come together to bring ideas to the starting place of our energy future – the home.

Selected ecomagination Challenge entrants will be offered the opportunity to develop a commercial relationship with GE through: • Investment: the $200 million capital pledge of GE and its partners will be invested globally into promising start-ups and ideas • Validation: evaluation of entrant’s business strategy through in-depth discussions with GE‘s technical and commercial teams • Distribution: exploration of partnership opportunities with GE to scale a business and create global reach • Development: leveraging of GE‘s

The Challenge, launched in collaboration with leading venture capital firms RockPort Capital, KPCB, Foundation Capital, Emerald Technology Ventures, and Carbon Trust is part of GE’s ecomagination initiative, a global commitment to build innovative clean energy technologies and will help fund the most promising ideas.

Submitting an Idea After registering, you may enter as many ideas as you wish between January 18 and March 15, 2011.

Your entry must include a clear, detailed proposal describing an innovative, original home energy technology or process. Please use English for your entry. Let us know if you have already filed a patent application or received a patent on any part of your entry.

We’d also like to know about you, your team, and how you came up with the idea. A video is optional but a simple photo of you, your organization or your team is required.

Sharing and Protecting Your Ideas Your entry is your intellectual property.

Make sure it is original and that you have the right to submit it. Do not share confidential information with us—check our Terms & Conditions for details. GE has the right to review your entry and post a reasonable amount of information about it on ecomagination.com/ challenge – such as the short description in your online submission form and any photo or video that you submit.

Representatives of GE and its investment partners will form an evaluation committee to consider possible investments in you or your company. GE has also selected an ecomagination Challenge panel of judges, including individuals from GE’s business units, representatives from academia, venture capital firms, government research specialists and others.

The panel of judges will select entries to receive cash awards. The panel will evaluate each entry based on merit; reliance on science and engineering fundamentals; innovative character; potential to create significant societal impact; commercial feasibility in light of applicable market dynamics; and other factors deemed appropriate by the judges.

In early Spring 2011, GE will announce those entrants with whom GE intends to pursue commercial relationships. Soon thereafter, GE will announce any business deals with GE that have been formalized.

The Awards GE will present each of five innovation challenge award recipients with $100,000 in cash, for a total of $500,000, to acknowledge these entries as examples of outstanding entrepreneurship and innovation.

Judges may also award one or more entrant: • GE Scientific Merit Award to work with the GRC • The evaluation committee will consider one or more of the following for selected entrants: • An equity investment by GE or oth-

Judging & Rounds

41  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

see Ecomagination on page 42

Business Success Tools

Overview

technical infrastructure and GE Global Research Centers to accelerate technology and product development • Growth: exploration of opportunities for utilizing existing GE customer relationships for your go-to-market strategy

Dear Business Leader, There are nearly 7 million private, employer firms in America.

Only the very best are awarded the distinction of being named to the Inc.500|5000, the gold standard of entrepreneurial success.

It’s time you got the recognition you deserve. Having your company listed at the top recognizes your prowess as an entrepreneurial leader.

Potential customers will seek you out. Your current customers will refer you. Your vendors will work harder for you, and your employees will take pride in seeing their work recognized.

You’ll be listed with other leading companies at Inc.com, and your company may be featured in the September 2011 issue.

Business Success Tools

If you are proud of your company’s growth over the past three years, you owe it to yourself — and to your employees — to apply for the Inc.500|5000. It’s easy. The benefits are many. Find out more at

www.inc5000apply.com.

Ecomagination from page 41

ers • A cooperative agreement to develop a product or technology • A review of your product or service for possible qualification to be a part of the GE ecomagination program

tional solutions that can enjoy success in the marketplace. Is your entry costeffective, or can it be made so?

Impact – If successfully realized, will your entry help turn our current energy challenge into an opportunity?

Keeping these three criteria in mind will help you formulate an entry that stands the best chance of being noticed.

Things to Consider The ecomagination Challenge is focused on finding new and more intelligent home energy technologies and processes, as well as better business models. When preparing your submission, please consider: Originality – We are looking for innovative home energy solutions. Is your entry unique?

Feasibility – We are looking for func-

Participation Any individual 18 years old or older can participate, as can any organization, except a bankrupt person or organization and/or a criminal offender under any national penal system. (GE employees are not eligible to enter.)

If you are participating as a team, one designated team leader must be solely responsible for all activities related to the competition. 

Quote of Note...

“So we have faced hard times before. We have faced moments of tumult and moments of change. And we know what to do. We know how to succeed.

We are Americans, and as we have done throughout our history, I have every confidence that once again we will rise to this occasion; that we can come together, we can adapt and we can thrive in this changing economy.”

President Barack H.Obama

42  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Women of Power Summit

B

lack Enterprise and State Farm Insurance, will help kick off the sixth annual Women of Power Summit. To be held Wednesday, February 23, 2011, at the RitzCarlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida, this four-day event is expected to attract more than 700 mid to seniorlevel managers, executives, and aspiring professionals.

“There is an entire generation of women ready to surge into leadership positions,” says Carline Clark, executive editor and Black Enterprise Business Report host. “We’ve produced

Growth in Online Learning

Booming

from page 37

Adkins said that all of this growth will help propel expenditures on electronic learning products in higher education to unprecedented levels (though it won’t be the only factor driving spending).

The report focused on expenditures by academic institutions, businesses, and other organizations on a category of electronic learning products that Ambient Insight refers to as “self-paced e-learning products,” which includes learning management, classroom management, and learning content management systems, along with student information systems and hosted learning platforms, among others. This category does not include mobile learning, gaming, or several other major elearning categories. (Ambient Insight’s detailed methodology and category definitions can be found at www.ambientinsight.com/Resources/Documents/ AmbientInsight_Learning_Technology_Taxonomy.pdf.)

In higher education in the United States, according to Ambient, expenditures on these types of products will grow at a five-year CAGR of 6.7 percent, reaching $6.1 billion by 2015.

Combined with K-12, academic institutions in the United States alone will account for $11 billion in expenditures in this category by 2015.

Higher education isn’t the only segment experiencing growth in elec-

tronic learning expenditures. Across all industry segments, the market for these electronic learning products and services grew to $18.2 billion in the United States in 2010. That overall figure will climb to $24.2 billion in 2015, according to Ambient Insight’s latest forecast--a relatively modest 5.9 percent compound annual growth comparable to that of Western Europe but lagging far behind Asia (at nearly a 30 percent five-year CAGR from 2010 to 2015), Eastern Europe (nearly 25 percent CAGR), Latin America (about 18 percent CAGR), and Africa (roughly 17 percent CAGR). Ambient said Asia’s growth rate will propel it to become the second-largest consumer of these types of electronic learning products by 2015, just ahead of Western Europe and just behind North America.

Ambient Insight’s latest report, “The US Market for Self-paced eLearning Products and Services: 2010-2015 Forecast and Analysis,” is available now from Ambient Insight for $4,825 for an organizational site license. Further information, including a free executive summary with additional details, can be found at www.ambientinsight.com/ Reports/eLearning.aspx.  http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2011/01/26/Online-Learning-Setfor-Explosive-Growth-as-TraditionalClassrooms-Decline.aspx?Page=1

43  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Business Success Tools

the smaller online institutions, many of which are also experiencing doubledigit growth in enrollments. Some are using partnerships with commerical suppliers to accelerate that growth further. Ambient Insight Chief Research Officer Sam S. Adkins also pointed to a creative partnership between the state of Indiana and Western Governors University.

“An interesting partnership is the deal between the state of Indiana and Western Governors University (WGU) forged in August 2010,” . “WGU set up a private portal called WGU Indiana allowing Indiana to launch an online school with very little upfront capital.

WGU Indiana operates at no cost to the state. The Indiana governor refers to the new online school as ‘Indiana’s eighth state university.’ As of January 2011, enrollment had tripled to reach 800 students, mostly working adults, just six months after launch. WGU Indiana indicates they are adding ‘nearly 100 new students each month.’ This is a unique business model that should appeal to other states if it is successful.”

E-Learning Expenditures

this event to give them the tools they need to move past the obstacles blocking their path and the confidence they need to realize that even in today’s economy, anything is possible.”

Guests will be inspired by female professionals while attending forums, networking with women in their respective fields, sharing experiences and learning proven success strategies from industry leaders. R&B singer Fantasia will also perform live. “It’s an honor for State Farm to be the host sponsors of this prestigious event,” says State Farm marketing vice president Pam

El. “As a leading provider of insurance and financial services, we are thrilled to be able to provide this amazing experience to the savvy women of this event to help them take charge of their professional and financial futures.”

For more information on the Women of Power Summit at www.blackenterprise.com/wps. 

Longtime BBA Member, Kim L. Hunter Celebrates 20th Anniversary

K

im L. Hunter, President and CEO of LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS, an integrated multicultural marketing communications firm that specializes in the Hispanic and African American consumer markets, began celebrating its 20th anniversary on Sept. 1, 2010.

The firm is also a 20 year member of the Black Business Association (BBA) which is headquartered in Los Angeles.

LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA with offices in Dallas, TX and Princeton, NJ. The firm will mark its 20th anniversary with yearlong community service projects that are aligned with the agency’s corporate social responsibility initiatives of education, health care, and arts & culture.

Over the course of the next year, each employee of the firm will volunteer see LAGRANT on page 59

Partnership

Business Success Tools

from page 38

IBM will invest $150 million in 2011 to fund programs that promote entrepreneurs and new business opportunities in the United States.

HP is investing more than $4 million in 2011 in the HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE), a global program launched in 2007 that uses educational and technology outreach aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners create and grow commercial opportunities.

As part of Facebook’s ongoing commitment to encourage entrepreneurs, the company will launch Startup Days, a new series of 12 to 15 events around the country designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to expertise, resources and engineers to help accelerate their businesses.

• To foster entrepreneurship through higher education, as part of its overall $50 million commitment to entrepreneurship, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation has announced a $5 million expansion of the Blackstone LaunchPad program piloted at two Detroit colleges. Based on a model created by the University of Miami, LaunchPad will be replicated over the next five years in five other

distressed regions around the country.

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship education for at-risk high school students from low-income communities, is launching new programs supporting young entrepreneurs and their teachers.

Ernst & Young LLP will honor NFTE youth entrepreneurs at regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award® galas across the country, bringing important attention to the next generation of young entrepreneurs. The Pearson Foundation is working with NFTE to build its Digital Teacher Network, a free online community for teacher collaboration and training that will be used not only

by NFTE’s 5,000 certified teachers but also by any educator interested in entrepreneurship. Google is sponsoring two new efforts in NFTE’s Bay Area programs: The Flat Classroom Exchange will allow local educators to team-teach the NFTE program in real time and leverage each teacher’s individual expertise, while the Makers Class project will integrate NFTE’s curriculum with invention and engineering lessons. New Markets Education Partners is providing NFTE with seed capital to launch in 2011 an interactive, online business planning course and social network connecting mentors, teachers and

students.

The Startup America Partnership will continue to marshal private-sector resources to spur entrepreneurship in the U.S. with a focus on three key areas: Acceleration and Scale: Replicate successful community-based entrepreneurship accelerator programs; encourage increase in experienced mentors to support startups and encourage partnerships with large companies to serve as customers or funders of current firms.

Education: Identify resources to help expand high-impact entrepreneurship education throughout the country Commercialization: Increase the number of colleges and universities committed to commercialization outcomes, through efforts that include clearing the path to market for primary research, supporting the extension of successful accelerator programs, and spurring regional ecosystem development, faculty engagement, and streamlined technology licensing.

For more information about the Startup America Partnership and to see a full list of partner commitments, visit www.startupamericapartnership. org and www.kauffman.org. Follow the Partnership on twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/ startupamerica. 

44  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

duced tax rate treatment for some dividends also increases in a like manner.

So, if you have investments that you are looking at changing up, do it before the end of the year to save some on the tax front.”

Eric M. Anderson, CPA, www.ema-cpa. com

Last-Minute Business Tax Deductions for 2010 If any of these ideas seem like a potential fit for you, you’ll want to discuss them with your CPA as soon as possible.

Buy now, deduct now, and pay later.

“Deduct charged expenses. Both cash and accrual basis taxpayers can charge expenses on a credit card and deduct them in the year charged, regardless of when paid.”

Macy Story, Tax Manager, BKHM CPA If you’re planning any big-ticket purchases…

“It would be advantageous from a tax standpoint to buy any large fixed asset

And if one of them is a car...

“Maximize auto depreciation for 2010 purchases. If you buy a new car and place it in service before the end of 2010, your first year depreciation deduction will be $11,060. If you wait until 2011 (assuming Congress doesn’t extend the bonus depreciation deduction and the 2011 first year depreciation cap is the same as for 2010), your first year depreciation deduction would be only $3,060.”

David Kostmayer, CPA, Barrett & Kostmayer, PLLC Do you have business property that you’ve held for more than a year and are considering liquidating?

“Due to the presumed expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts, you should review your investments and clean house as the Capital Gains rate increases to 25 percent from 15 percent as of January 1, 2011. Along with this change, the re-

Was this your first year in business, or are you considering starting a new venture soon?

“The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 temporarily increases the amount of start-up expenditures entrepreneurs can deduct from their taxes for this year from $5,000 to $10,000 (with a phaseout threshold of $60,000 in expenditures), offering an immediate incentive for someone with a new business idea to invest in starting up a new small business today. ” Michael Kaplanidis, CPA, Managing Director and Founder, Water Street Associates And finally some food for thought, especially if you’re expecting 2011 to be significantly better than 2010...

“Normally tax professionals recommend that, to defer paying taxes, you claim whatever business deductions you can before the end of the current year and defer whatever income you can to the following year. However, 2011 is likely to see a tax increase, particularly for high-income taxpayers.

Therefore, it’s possible that a deduction claimed in 2011 will be more beneficial (save more tax) than the same deduction claimed in 2010.”

Jan Zobel EA, www.JanZtax.com

45  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Business Success Tools

I

t’s the end of the year, and you’re already thinking about 2011. If you’re looking at your first-quarter cash flow, one thing you can do to improve it is to minimize your 2010 tax bill (or maximize your refund). There are still several things you can do before the end of the year to claim deductions or take advantage of tax rules that are ending this year. Review the ideas offered by some financial experts. Some options may require spending a little money, while others are more a matter of timing.

purchases by December 31, 2010 as opposed to January 1, 2011 because there are currently special bonus depreciation rules enacted for 2010 that allow an expense for 50 percent of the purchase.”

Brian Schlang, CPA, Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP

Do you develop software? You‘re entitled to a little extra credit.

“Assuming Congress extends the R&D Tax Credit, 2010 is not limited by AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax). In your industry, identify what you’ve spent on any software development projects, whether for in-house use, or for providing value-add to your client base.

These costs could include the salaries for your in-house coders, or the invoice dollars spent on outside developers.

The R&D Credit reduces your tax liability approximately 7 cents for every dollar spent on these innovative efforts.”

Brian Lefever, VP of Operations, Titan Armor

Contracting/Grants

Business Success Tools

from page 31

DSRC AFTERMARKET SAFETY DEVICES (ASDS) MODIFICATION 2 HTTP://WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/ SEARCH.DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70693 HHS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH HIV/AIDS TESTING AND FOLLOW-UP AMONG THE UNDERSERVED IN THE UNITED STATES (R21) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70713 HHS: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH HIV/AIDS TESTING AND FOLLOW-UP AMONG THE UNDERSERVED IN THE UNITED STATES (R01) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70714 •DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIAID RESEARCH DEMONSTRATION AND DISSEMINATION PROJECTS (R18) GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70734 DOT: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DOT/FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION MINNESOTA VALLEY REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY PROJECT GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70753 •DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DOT/FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION MINNESOTA VALLEY REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITY PROJECT GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70754 NSF: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION CHEMISTRY AND MATERIALS RESEARCH IN CULTURAL HERITAGE SCIENCE GRANT WWW07.GRANTS.GOV/SEARCH/SEARCH. DO?&MODE=VIEW&OPPID=70773 

City of Los Angeles Business Inclusion Program In January 2011 Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an Executive Directive which enacted the Business Inclusion Program. Under this new Directive, the City of Los Angeles is striving to increase the participation of small, emerging, veteran, women and minority-owned businesses in City contracts.

The Directive requires all City department to utilize the City’s electronic marketplace, Los Angeles Business Assistance Virtual Network (www.labavn.org), to post all opportunities subject to advertising. We hope you encourage your constituents to register on www.labavn.org to receive notifications of contracting opportunities as well as updates on implementing this new Directive.

Additionally, please visit www.losangelesworks.org, for additional information regarding doing business in and with the City of Los Angeles.

Mayor’s Office of Economic & Business Policy

WWW.GRANTS.GOV

46  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Entrepreneurial Opportunities Ahead: Nanogenerators to Enable Battery-Free Handhelds Energy harvesting today is confined to a few niche applications, such as powering wireless sensor networks in remote areas where it is too expensive to send out crews to constantly be replacing batteries. How-

The most advanced semiconductor materials today are enabling advances in electronics that impact every segment of society—from consumer to IT. Gallium nitride (GaN), for instance, has enabled

battery.)

Until now, energy harvesters using piezoelectric semiconductors could only generate nanoamps of power, which was only useful to electronic circuits with very low power requirements.

For instance, piezoelectric remote controls have been demonstrated by Arveni SAS (Grenoble, France), which are powered by the stress induced on a piezoelectric transducer when you push one of its buttons.

To move beyond such ultra-lowpower applications to power handheld

Northwestern University researchers fabricated a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) to test their piezoelectric nanowires. (Source: Northwestern University)

Tax Deductions from page 45

As you can see, some of these options could potentially save you thousands of dollars by acting before the end of the year — not just accelerating a year of cash flow, but in actual savings. These are provided here for educational purposes — a starting point for a conversation with your CFO, CPA, and tax attorney. Keep in mind that tax planning and tax preparation are two different things. If you’ve only hired your CPA to do your tax preparation, don’t expect them to get overly creative. Have a separate conversation with them about some of these options you may want to explore — the sooner, the better.  Scott Allen www.openforum.com

ultra-bright light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to replace automotive headlight filaments and Blu-ray drives to pack 50GB on a CD-sized disk. Now Northwestern University researchers claim that by nano-sizing gallium nitride and other piezoelectric semiconductors like zinc oxide (ZnO), their efficiency can be boosted by 20 to 100 times, thereby enabling battery-free electronic devices to enter the mainstream.

Piezoelectric materials, like GaN and ZnO, are structured as crystalline lattices of highly polarized molecules called dipoles where one end is positively charged and the other negatively charged. Whenever such a piezoelectric material is bent, or otherwise stressed, the distribution of these dipoles is reorganized, resulting in a momentary excess of charge that can be harvested as a current to drive electronic circuits.

Since the deformation is usually cyclic—for instance, bending back and forth in sync with vibrations—the resulting voltage induces an alternating current. (This is in contrast to the direct current that comes from a

electronic devices like smartphones, piezoelectric materials need to vastly increase their power output. And now Northwestern University professor Horacio Espinosa claims that by nanosizing the piezoelectric materials into bundles of tiny nanowires, their output can be vastly increased. This would open the door to powering handheld electronic devices from environmental motion, such as that supplied by the flexing of the bottom of your shoe as you walk.

Using a computational method called Density Functional Theory (DFT) to model nanowires, Espinosa and his graduate student Ravi Agrawal claim to have proved that nano-sizing them to 6 angstroms in diameter (1 nanometer equals 10 angstroms) the energy harvesting capabilities of GaN and ZnO can be boosted by 20 to 100 times, respectively, clearing the way for a new generation of battery-free electronic devices.  www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/ Technology-For-Change/Nanogenerators-to-Enable-BatteryFreeHandhelds/?kc=STNL02102011STR3

47  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Business Success Tools

ever, by nano-sizing the working element in these energy harvesters, Northwestern University researchers claim their efficiency can be improved enough to enable batteryfree mobile electronics.

Celebrating 90 Years of Service to the Community Thursday,April 28, 2011

Honoring Innovators of Educational Reform Michelle Rhee, Founder, StudentsFirst and Honorable Kevin Johnson, Mayor, Sacramento, California

Dinner Chairs: Phil Griffin, President, MSNBC & Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks For information on early sponsorships and reservations, please call 323-299-9660.

49  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Community/Public Inerest

Los Angeles Urban League 38th Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Awards Dinner

Introducing the...

AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT COLLABORATION

Sponsored by the National Black Business Council (NBBC) Black Business Association (BBA) & California Black Chambers (CBC)

Hosts of the new business resource websites:

Join us for

TheArtofBidding.com BlackSuppliers.com

EVERY 2nd Thursday of Each Month Presented by the National Black Business Council (NBBC)

The New Townhouse 6835 La Tijera Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045

For more information call:

310.568.5000 50  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

United We Serve

President Barack Obama looks over at First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as he delivers remarks in the East Room of the White House unveiling efforts to better coordinate and strengthen the Federal government’s support for military families, (Official White House Photo

by Pete Souza) proper tools, President Obama is asking us to come together to help lay a new foundation for growth. This initiative aims to both expand the impact of existing organizations by engaging new volunteers in their work and encourage volunteers to develop their own “do-ityourself” projects.

The President has said that the challenges America faces are unprecedented, and that we need to build a new foundation for economic growth in America. The Administration has begun this work with dramatic new investments in education, health care, and clean energy, but we cannot do this alone here in Washington. Economic recovery is as much about what you’re doing in your communities as what we’re doing in

Washington –- and it’s going to take all of us, working together.

First Lady Michelle Obama says to us all “As you know, military families don’t often ask for help, because they are trained to buckle down and make it through. That is why all Americans have a responsibility to lift up these remarkable families and encourage them to tell their stories. One of my heroes joined us in the studio, and as you will see her personal journey sheds light on the unique issues our military families face as only her story can. I also had the opportunity to announce that Dr. Jill Biden and I are launching a major initiative in March where we will ask the country to take action in supporting military families.”

We can monitor and/or participate in service programs with a focus on military family support through Serve.gov.

Serve.gov is the online resource for see serve.gov on page 81

51  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Community/Public Inerest

T

he President is calling on all Americans to participate in the nation’s recovery and renewal by serving in our communities. There are many ways to get involved. America’s new foundation will be built one community at a time - and it starts with each of us.

United We Serve is a nationwide service initiative that helps meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. With the knowledge that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when given the

WHY ARE MORE BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES USING SLATON INSURANCE GROUP? BECAUSE THEY DELIVER! Insurance Management Services As a client of Slaton Insurance Group you’ve already made the decision to work with proven resources to help your business manage its risk exposure and to stay within compliance. The independent insurance agents of the Slaton Group will help you manage risk and reduce loss while maintaining adherence to your insurance budget.

We are an integrated, single source provider for your insurance needs.

STEVEN D. TURNER Slaton Group License #0G12789 Financial Advisory / Insurance Services 16161 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 382 Encino, California 91436 Telephone: 818-585-1374 E-mail: sturner@slatongroup.com Website: www.slatongroup.com

Insurance Coverage for Clients •

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) - Property & General Liability Coverage in one Policy form, generally for small and midsized practices. The package includes coverage for business interruption, valuable papers, accounts receivables, employee dishonesty and numerous other pertinent coverages.

•

Commercial Package Policy (CPP) - Generally for larger practices/facilities; incorporates several policy forms including but not limited to general liability, property, automobile and crime policies.

•

Professional Liability - Provides protection for rendering professional services; may apply to both individual professionals and/or businesses.

•

Commercial Umbrella - An additional layer of liability protection that applies across policies to give you increased coverage limits.

•

Inland Marine - Coverage for specialized, valuable equipment or equipment that is mobile.

•

Commercial Auto Insurance - Protection for your owned, borrowed, or rental autos.

•

Worker’s Compensation - Social insurance program designed to resolve disputes between injured employees and their employers.

•

Directors & Officers

•

Employment Practices Liability

Health Care Industry: Steven Turner and his team provide solutions across the continuum of care in medical facilities coverage, ranging from small clinics to specialized facilities and hospitals. As the environment evolves in the medical services industry, Slaton Insurance Group is ready to assist you in managing risk.

Private Client Services: You’ve worked hard to provide a comfortable living for yourself and your family - we work hard to protect it. We work with you to help find personal insurance solutions that provide you the protection you need. Some of the coverage, we offer through our Private Client Services are Home insurance, Auto coverage, Board insurance, Umbrella policies, and many more converges to meet your needs.

Slaton Group is an independent insurance agency dedicated to providing quality commercial and personal insurance programs.

Since we are not limited to any one company, we can shop the marketplace to give you the best protection at the most competitive price.

Haiti: Yéle Haiti Program Updates Yéle Corps - Yéle Begins Vocational Training for Construction Jobs

Cholera Response - Cholera Training Saves a Life Yéle contributions to stemming the spread of cholera, but usually doesn’t get a chance to put a face to those who have been helped, until now. Florvil Sony, a 15-year-old boy who lives with his parents and two brothers in the small farming community of Morancy, about 45 minutes from the outskirts of Gonaives. He recently contracted cholera. As his symptoms quickly became critical, his parents were frightened that the rest of the family could be infected if they tried to care for him. Not knowing what to do or who to turn to for help, they abandoned Florvil.

Yéle delivers emergency supplies to one of many tent camps.

As word spread of Florvil having contracted the disease and been abandoned to die, a Yéle Vert technician named Wilson Noel took action. He found Florvil, took him to one of the Yéle Vert nurseries and gave him the life saving combination of water, salt and sugar that he had learned about from Partners in Health. Having stabilized Florvil, Noel then took him using the nursery’s motorcycle to a hospital in Gonaives. By last week Florvil had completely recovered and was back with his family and attending school as usual.

Tent Camp Support - Solutions to Temporary Housing It’s not a house and it’s not a tent, but somewhere in between. The two SoftHouse structures installed in the Yélesupported Place Fierte Tent Camp in Cité Soleil last month have a poured concrete foundation, a structural steel frame covered by high-strength mesh

fabric, and a full-size door that opens on hinges. Yéle is partnering with the Haiti SoftHouse Group to build an initial 20 units as part of our upgrade of the Place Fierte Tent Camp.

The SoftHouses are very spacious inside with 166 square feet and no interior supports. The outer walls start at 8 feet and the roof goes up to 14 feet in the center. Cross ventilation is excellent because of screen panels that can be covered during rain and at night. If necessary, the whole unit can be taken down by hand and moved in a matter of hours. And given the location, it is important to note that the SoftHouses are engineered to resist both category 3 hurricanes and earthquakes.

There is no single solution to the

53  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

see Let’s Move on page 57

Community/Public Inerest

Yéle Corps continues to employ 2,000 workers daily cleaning streets and canals, and recently added the Yéle Corps Vocational Training Program.

The first 120 students began studying carpentry, masonry and plumbing and are now starting their fourth week of classes. After successfully completing the six-month course, graduates will get job placement help. Three quarters of the students were chosen from among the best performing Yéle Corps workers, and this will continue to be the case moving forward with the second term students in June 2011.

The Vocational Training Program is a joint initiative of Yéle Haiti and College Esaie Victor, and is undertaken with financial support from the Hope for Haiti Now Fund and additional support from the BET telethon “SOS Saving OurSelves.”

Caltrans Construction

Money for You Can

MEAN

Thursday Blues at

Uncle Darrow‛s High Noon-2pm Every Thursday

Come by for lunch and relax to blues and jazz from our house band!

2560 S. Lincoln Blvd.

Marina del Rey North East corner of Washington & Lincoln

“LA Times Magazine favorite cajun food”

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.

Small Business Development Center Hosted by El Camino College 13430 Hawthorne Blvd.

Hawthorne, CA 90250 310.973.3177 southbaysbdc.org

310-306-4862

www.uncledarrows.com

FAME ASSISTANCE CORPORATION FREE CREDIT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS HELD EACH MONTH AT

Order Via the Internet

1968 W. ADAMS BLVD., LOS ANGELES

Wines of the Black-Owned wineries of South Africa.

CALL FOR INFORMATION OR RSVP 323-730-7720

Register at TheArtfulGrape.com.

The Artful Grape will do the rest.

The wines will be delivered to your door.

SPONSORED BY

54  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Let’s Move!

One Year in the Right Direction for Kids

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key guidelines emphasized for child nutrition reauthorization.

Child nutrition reauthorization is at the heart of Let’s Move!

President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 into law on December 13, reauthorizing our core child nutrition programs.

Not only does the law upgrade standards for school meals, it helps expand program access to more kids—especially those in disadvantaged areas.

We’re moving quickly to implement the bill’s provisions, but First Lady Michelle Obama our action doesn’t end there.

We’ve undertaken many additional ef- is with the National Football League. forts and forged much progress. In par- Through our joint Fuel Up to Play 60 ticular, we’ve focused on schools, an (www.fueluptoplay60.com) program, environment ever so critical to helping students devise strategies to get their fellow classmates healthier and movkids build healthy lifestyles.

For that reason, we partnered with ing at least 60 minutes every day.

We’ve also expanded existing proAmerica’s culinary community, including White House Chef Sam Kass, to grams. In 2004, USDA’s Food and launch Chefs Move to Schools (www. Nutrition Service (www.fns.usda. letsmove.gov/chefs-step-1.php). The gov/fns) established the HealthierUS effort pairs chefs with schools to devel- School Challenge (www.fns.usda. op nutritious, tasty, and well-presented gov/tn/HealthierUS/index.html) to rerecipes for school meals. In Septem- ward schools for excellence in promotber we launched Recipes for Healthy ing nutrition and physical activity. We

One of the first things we did was put together a coordinated governmentwide Taskforce on Childhood Obesity. Highlighting seventy recommendations on working together with all our partners, the report sharpens many

Kids (www.recipesforkidschallenge. com), a nationwide recipe contest that yielded 340 submissions and we’re excited to announce those winners in the coming months.

One of our most exciting partnerships

are well on our way towards our goal of 1,250 schools by the end of June, with plans to add 1,000 in the next two years.

There is tremendous dedication to achieving the First Lady’s goals. This see Let’s Move on page 59

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Community/Public Inerest

t has been one year since First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off her Let’s Move! (www.letsmove.gov) initiative with the goal to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The anniversary calls for a time to reflect on its vast contributions, but to also continue the important momentum.

Since the beginning, this administration has leveraged USDA’s 15 nutrition assistance programs (www.fns.usda. gov/fns) to improve domestic nutrition.

From adults who nourish their families with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, to children who wade through lunch and breakfast lines at school—our programs touch 1 in 4 Americans.

Although our primary goal is to prevent hunger, obesity is a dual challenge with serious health and economic implications. Let’s Move! offers the opportunity to take a look at USDA nutrition programs and identify partnerships to tackle the multitude of health consequences associated with obesity. A year later, we’re proud that we’ve made headway, with every sector of society stepping up for the nation’s next generation.

to 2,000 Orphans

Haiti: Yéle Haiti Program

subscribing to the notions of Black economic independence and self-sufficiency which Marcus Garvey advocated almost 100 years ago. While we applaud the achievements of our politicians, sociologists, and educators, we must also acknowledge those in business. The likes of Madam C.J. Walker, Reginald Lewis of Beatrice Foods, Bob Johnson of BET, and Oprah Winfrey. Yet, if we did not support our businesses, there would not have been a Madam C.J. Walker, John H. Johnson of Jet/Ebony, and the like.

Although racism may never be fully eliminated, Black History Month has certainly played a key role in establishing African American history as a significant component of American History.

As a business publication, the Black Business News acknowledges these former leaders, as well as living legends in the African American communities. But we feel more attention should be focused on the economic status of African Americans, specifically in light of our current economic climate.

While we applaud recent data reporting that African American owned firms increased by more than 60% between 2002 and 2007 to nearly 2 million firms, we advocate that African-Americans

greatly increase their support of Blackowned businesses. If we fully demonstrate our support of Black-owned business by how we spend our dollars, not only will we have a tremendous impact on the number of Black-owned businesses, but also on their growth profitability.

Economics is the new/true frontier for blacks, not only during Black History Month, but for also decades to follow.

Based on recent U.S. Census, there are roughly 40 million African Americans living in the U.S. Today. With an estimated consumer purchasing power over $1 trillion, Black History is also about controlling our black dollars. By controlling our destiny, supporting our Black-owned and/or controlled businesses, we will not only increase the number of African-American businesses, but also will be able to write our own history of prosperity and wealth.

Why would we or should we relegate our history to a single month?

We should make Black History a daily event in our lives so that we never forget where we came from and where we are going. Black History is both the past and the current. And today, it is about sharing not only the Black experience, but also supporting each other. 

from page 53

Wyclef Jean, one of the founders of Yéle Haiti

housing needs of the more than one million people still living in tents, but what is clear is that tent camps are going to be around for a considerable time.

The SoftHouse is put forward as one option that bridges the gap between tent and permanent home, and which is flexible enough to be used afterwards for commercial or other secondary needs.

Publisher’s Message from page 3

As head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1910, he was founder and editor of the NAACP’s journal The Crisis. Du Bois rose to national attention in his opposition of Booker T. Washington’s alleged ideas of accommodation with separation between whites and blacks and disenfranchisement of blacks in the South, campaigning instead for increased political representation for blacks in order to guarantee civil rights, and the formation of a Black elite who would work for the progress of the African American race. Similar debates still are taking place today as best position as a people to actually experience the full American dream, both economically and socially.

We acknowledge the work and achievements of Marcus Garvey, who founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities (Imperial) League in the 1920s.

Garvey is credited as one of the leading proponents of the “back to Africa movement”. We as a people, still are

57  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Community/Public Inerest

Nutrition for Kids - Fresh Vegetables Delivered Weekly

Yéle announced plans in November to double the size of our Nutrition for Kids program, and have now reached that goal, providing 2,000 orphans a week with fresh vegetables grown by peasant farmers who are part of the Afè Nèg Combite (ANC) cooperative based in Kenscoff, near Port-au-Prince. There are now 35 orphanages in the program, and they receive a basket with between 150 and 200 lbs. of vegetables every Saturday (some larger orphanages get more than one basket). The orphanages are located in Port-au-Prince, Kenscoff, Croix-des-Bouquets, Leogane and Tomazeau and range in size from 40 to 200 children.

Help Yéle Haiti continue the good work by making a donation to Yéle Haiti Foundation Inc. Visit the Yéle website at http://yéle.org to find more details about the work of Yele and to make donations to keep the program going. 

Details and Registration ar: http://events.lachamber.com/sbaweb/events/ events.asp?&id=76086&wpid=-101&cale_id=2527&details=true&newsessio n=TRUE&sid=923867107

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 58  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Let’s Move from page 55

past year, we’ve driven the conversation about how we eat, move, and grow and get our food. One year in, we’re well on a path to ensuring this generation of youngsters is healthier than their parents.  Under Secretary Kevin Concannon, USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services www.letsmove.gov

Locations: Downtown Culver City: 9537 Culver Blvd.

310-202-5453 City of Compton: 2600 E. Alondra Blvd.

310-638-7871 www.honeyskettle.com Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm

40 hours at a not-for-profit organization of their choice whose mission is health care, education or arts & culture in Los Angeles, Dallas or Princeton, for a total of 840 employee volunteer hours.

“Our agency was established in 1990 on social marketing causes and we developed our corporate social responsibility program in 1997 as a way to give back to the communities in which we live and work. I cannot think of a better way for us to celebrate our 20th anniversary than to give back to those communities and organizations that have been so good to us,” said Mr. Kim L. Hunter, president and CEO. For more than a decade, LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS has been able

to support its corporate social responsibility initiatives and surrounding communities through in-kind contributions, cash contributions, and underwriting.

The firm also has an employee gift-matching program, where the agency matches an individual employee’s contribution up to $500 to any not-for-profit organization that falls under the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS’ social responsibility program’s philosophy is simple: The more education an individual receives, the more they will learn to take care of their health and, therefore take advantage of arts and culture in their community.

LAGRANT COMMUNICATIONS provides consultation to corporate,

government, and not-for-profit organizations, creating comprehensive, culturally sensitive and relevant campaigns for clients who strive to reach ethnic populations. The firm offers a vast array of communication services, including advertising, marketing, and public relations.  www.lagrantcommunications.com

59  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Community/Public Inerest

LAGRANT from page 44

HER EXCELLENCY MRS. JOSEPHINE ELECHI

BISHOP NOEL JONES

OMOTOLA J. EKEINDE

WIFE GOV. OF EBOYI STATE, NIGERA

CITY OF REFUGE

AFRICAN MOVIE & MUSIC DIVA

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011 VETERANS M MEMORIAL EMORIAL C COMPLEX OMPLEX 4117 OVERLAND AVE., CULVER CITY, CA 90230 HOST: Monie Mon, Actress, Comedian

Betty L. Arnold

Award & Inductee Recipient

Moza Mjasiri– Cooper

Orlando Love (& Inductee)

Rita Cary

Nnamdi Asomugha NFL Cornerback

Win a round trip ticket to Africa at the 2011 African Goodwill Awards and other giveaways*

FOR RSVP, ADVERTISEMENTS, TABLE & GROU GRO GROUP R UP RO TICKETS, PLEASE CALL CAROL AT 310.676.7300 60  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

South Sudan Prepares to be World’s Newest Nation

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n a little more than five months, Southern Sudan is slated to become the world’s newest country. Final results from last month’s independence referendum announced on Monday show that 98.8 percent of the ballots cast were for secession from Sudan’s north.

Juba is oil-rich but lacks the embassies and skyscrapers of other world capitals. There was only a mile or two of pavement here just a year ago, and the local archives are stored in a tent.

Many, though, see great potential, and are excitedly looking forward to controlling their own destiny.

Entrepreneur Soloman Chaplain Lui, 42, is overseeing the construction of 160 apartments and hotel rooms on a rocky bluff overlooking Juba. The country’s largest swimming pool sits

A mother and her daughter walk to a polling station during the second day of voting for the independence referendum Jan. 10 in Juba, Sudan.

here, though its water is murky. His arm points toward empty fields where he hopes to one day build a mall and a

61  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

see South Sudan on page 66

International

A South Sudanese woman and her child arrive at a polling station during the referendum on the independence of South Sudan, in Juba, southern Sudan, on January 13. (Mohamed Messara / EPA)

golf course.

“As I talk to you now there are many people flowing here,” he said. “A new country is being born.”

Two decades of war between the predominantly Muslim north and rebels in the Christian-animist south killed at least 2 million people before a 2005 peace agreement was reached. Residents are jubilant to have their own country at last, though much work remains.

Decades of war and poverty have kept Southern Sudan in a decrepit state, and its 8.7 million people live in one of the least developed regions in the world.

The U.N. says a 15-year-old girl here has a higher chance of dying in childbirth than finishing school.

An estimated 85 percent of the population is illiterate.

Adding to the challenges, the prices

The Americas Business Forum (TABF) The Americas Business Forum (TABF) is one of the key trade events being held in Southern California in 2011 and it is coming up on March 2nd and 3rd at Covel Commons on the UCLA Campus in Westwood, California. It’s going to be a great event and timely one at that so the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, Pacific South Region extends a personal invite to you to participate in TABF for only $175.00 which covers two days of market and policy development with one-on-one appointments with our U.S. Embassy Senior Commercial Attache’s from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America.

If you are interested in participating please give me a call, Richard.Swanson@ trade.gov and 949.283.1024 or the host of the event, Carlos Valderrama at the LA Chamber (213) 580-7570 or CValderrama@lachamber.com. For an event overview visit the website at: http://www.lachamber.com/webpage-directory/ global-initiatives/the-americas-business-forum-2011.

International

The Americas Business Forum The Conference & One-on-one Appointments Conference Program Date/Time: March 2nd 3, 2011 from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Location: UCLA - Covel Commons, 330 De Neve Dr., Los Angeles, 90095 Desccription: The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service with the participation of the City of Los Angeles, UCLA Anderson School of Management and the UCLA Center for International Business Education & Research invite you to increase awareness and encourage Southern California service and manufacturing firms to more aggressively participate in the exporting and revenue-generating opportunities in the Americas, including Canada, Mexico and Latin America.

The Americas Business Forum highlights: - Price only $175 for CS Clients - Hotel accommodations starting at $123.00 - Country briefings and best practices workshops - Speakers include seasoned international executives and prominent scholars - One-on-one meetings about business and export opportunities with U.S. Commercial Officers stationed in 14 countries in the Western Hemisphere ••••

Bobby Hines bobby.hines@trade.gov 444 S. Flower St, 34th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071 TEL: 213-894-4231 FAX: 213-894-8789 TELL US ABOUT YOU: http://www.buyusa.gov/downtownlosangeles FEATURED U.S. EXPORTER: http://www.buyusa.gov/home/fuse.html AFRICA PORTAL: http://www.export.gov/africa

Meet with U.S. Commercial Service Senior Officials!

Senior Commercial Officers, located in U.S. Embassies around the world, are responsible for directing and managing Dept of Commerce Trade Development Programs and Business Facilitation Services on behalf of U.S. Business. SCO’s from AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA PACIFIC will be in Los Angeles and Houston for the following conferences:

AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST SCOs April 26 - 27 - Houston, Texas 20 SCOs www.buyusa.gov/houston/access2011.html

Join the annual meeting of the U.S. Department of Commerce Senior Commercial Officers from the Africa, Middle East, and South Asia regions including: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

ASIA PACIFIC SCOs March 28 - 29th, 2011, Los Angeles 14 SCOs www.apboconference.com The Asia/Pacific Business Outlook, hosted by the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, with the full support of the U.S. Commercial Service, is the longest running, most successful regional conference of its kind focusing specifically on Asian markets.

This conference has made a difference for U.S. exporters, and has become the premier U.S. commercial trade event focusing on the Asia/Pacific region. Use special Commerce Code USCS2011 and register by March 1 for a discounted rate – Asia Pacific Only.

For More Information Contact:

62  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Bobby Hines bobby.hines@trade.gov

Best of Africa Trade Show 1st February 2011 - 30th April 2011

Information & Registration is at

The USA Exports Show 1st December 2010 - 28 February 2011

T

www.businessglobal.com What are Virtual Trade Shows?

The BusinessGlobal.com virtual trade show platform provides end-users with a 3-D, multi-user trade expo environment that recreates the experience and functionality of a conventional or ‘physical’ trade show online, enabling live interaction between visitors and exhibitors.

Virtual trade exhibitions give your organisation the opportunity to reach market segments heretofore unavailable at conventional trade shows, which are often prohibitive to potential attendees and potential exhibitors because of fees, time constraints, travel expenses and these shows are available to a much larger audience for a much longer period.

63  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

International

his virtual trade show is designed to increase the volume of trade and investment between American exporters and importers (particularly SME’s) and businesses outside the USA. The USA Exports Show will attract international B2B buyers, distributors, governmental agencies, and entrepreneurs from the USA’s most significant trade partners.

This one-of-a kind online trade fair is a golden opportunity for exhibitors to build brand awareness, establish new markets, create franchising partnerships, reach new customers and recruit new suppliers. With thousands of daily B2B trade visitors, USA Exports Show is the perfect vehicle for businesses and organisations worldwide seeking B2B trade opportunities and investments within North America.

The USA’s top ten trade partners are Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Brazil and Belgium – in 2008, the country exported approximately $1.287 trillion worth of goods. For decades, the USA has been the global leader in imports and one of world’s top three exporters, producing roughly $15 trillion worth of goods and services in 2008 (China, the world’s second-largest economy, produced approximately $12 trillion for the same period).

The USA is the leading industrial power in the world and boasts a highly diversified and technologically advanced economy. According to the IMF, US GDP of $14.4 trillion was 23% of gross world product for 2008 – per person, the American economy has the fourth largest output on average, more than $45,000 for every man, woman and child.

The UCLA Anderson School of Management has predicted average US quarterly economic growth of 2.7% in 2010 and 4.1% in 2011. 

B

est of Africa is a country specific online trade show bringing competitive products and resources from Africa’s rapidly growing economies to an international marketplace. As the demands of the global marketplace evolve and the world economy recovers from the fiscal crisis of 2008 - 2009, the Best of Africa international trade fair provides a unique and timely opportunity for African exhibitors to increase brand awareness, establish new markets, develop franchising partnerships, reach new customers and recruit new suppliers globally. Visitors can find African suppliers, manufacturers and distributors in one place.

Rich in natural resources, Africa offers vast reserves of oil, metals and precious stones. With thousands of pristine travel destinations, the tourism industry, including health & wellness tourism, continues to grow steadily. Best of Africa is a golden opportunity for African enterprises to connect with thousands of motivated buyers, and for international businesses seeking investment and B2B trade opportunities in Africa.

BusinessGlobal.com has partnered with the Pan-African Development Corporation (PADC) to create this virtual trade fair. The PADC is devoted to the development of commerce and enterprise in Africa – the organisation’s mission is to bring Africa to the world, and the world to Africa. BusinessGlobal.com, in partnership with the PADC, is particularly proud to showcase many of Africa’s finest businesses to the rest of the world.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Africa has made remarkable gains in promoting growth and achieving economic stability, averaging more than 6% over the past five years. The IMF has increased financial support to African countries affected by the economic crisis, revised its lending instruments to make them more flexible, and is working to double concessional lending. The Fund continues to provide advice and technical assistance for strengthening economic policymaking in Africa, and to design more sophisticated frameworks for improved integration into the world economy. With global efforts such as these to encourage growth in this region, it is an opportune time for African businesses to access international markets.

In recent years, Africa has built increasingly stronger ties with China – in 2007 Chinese companies invested a total of US$1 billion in Africa, overtaking Britain as Africa’s thirdlargest business partner and catching up with France. Trade between China and Africa reached USD $100 billion in 2008 and is expected to top USD $100 billion in 2010.

Africa now supplies a third of the oil fuelling China’s economic boom, with Angola surpassing Saudi Arabia as the largest exporter of oil to China. With more oil reserves than North America, and an estimated 40% of the world’s potential hydroelectric power, Africa is on the verge of becoming a major global energy provider. With major world players now paying attention, African businesses have the opportunity to expand into new markets worldwide. 

Attorney Clifton Albright to Serve on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee The law firm of Albright, Yee & Schmit, LLP is dedicated to providing high quality, comprehensive and creative legal services to its clients in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

With offices in Downtown Los Angeles,

California, the firm is well positioned to serve clients throughout California and from China to Africa and points in between. For more information on Albright, Yee & Schmit, please visit http://www.ayslaw.com. 

International

C

lifton Albright, managing partner of the Los Angeles based law firm Albright, Yee & Schmit, has been appointed to serve on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business (ITAC 11).

He will act as a representative from Albright, Yee & Schmit, LLP and of the U.S. legal services industry sector.

“It is an extreme honor to have been nominated,” said Albright on his appointment. “It‘s my hope that by serving on the committee, I can offer my advice and take part in helping to shape the international trade environment for the United States and policies of the Obama administration.”

Mr. Albright is a respected member of the Los Angeles legal community and manages the firm’s employment law and litigation section as well as its international clients. In addition to litigation, Mr. Albright negotiates business transactions, and conducts employment investigations and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance audits.

Under the jurisdiction of the Executive office of the President via the United States Trade Representative and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Mr. Albright will use his industry knowledge to assist the Administration in pursuing trade objectives that reflect the concerns and interests of the private sector.

The ITAC is pleased to work with Mr. Albright to help develop and implement trade policies that will serve the national interest.

About Albright, Yee &Schmit 64  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Hosted by the University of Southern California in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service

Access 14 Asia/Pacific Markets in 2 days!

March 28-29, 2011 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA If you are a business leader or executive looking for export and investment opportunities in the Asia/Pacific region, this is the one conference you can’t afford to miss. The Asia/Pacific Business Outlook, hosted by the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, with the full support of the U.S. Commercial Service, is the longest running, most successful regional conference of its kind focusing specifically on Asian markets.

Asia/Pacific Business Outlook is the premier business networking conference focused on the following countries/ regions: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam. Find answers to your questions on these 14 economies by choosing from 60 focused sessions and private one-on-one consultations (www.apboconference.com/oneonone.html) with Commercial Service Senior Commercial Officers (SCO) currently serving in the U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Institutes in the Asia/Pacific region: • Get the latest information. Presentations will include country commercial overviews and country workshops on topics such as financing, green business, responses to the financial crisis, and negotiating with the Chinese. These presentations will be made by experts from within the Commercial Service, the private sector, and academia.

• Senior Commercial Officers will prepare customized one-on-one briefings in response to the information U.S. companies submit in advance of the APBO Conference and counsel these firms on the opportunities for them in their markets.

Use special Commerce Code USCS2011 and register (www.apboconference.com) by March 1 for a discounted U.S. Commercial Service rate of $675.

Register Now - Last Year’s Conference Sold Out!

http://mea.economistconferences. com/event/southafrica

http://mea.economistconferences. com/event/kenya

65  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

International

Space is limited so sign up today. Please note that early registrants have the best chances of reserving one-on-one meetings with the SCOs from the markets of greatest interest to them.

South Sudan from page 66

of some everyday goods like sugar, soap and cooking oil have increased by

on Monday backed the final results and said he wanted to be the first to congratulate the south on their new state.

Al-Bashir’s remarks seemed designed to help ensure a continuous

ernment has to face. The priorities are competing with the resources we have.

But of course it’s not something to neglect so we will have to knock at the doors of the international community, of

International

View of new buildings under construction in Juba on January 13. Juba is preparing to become a capital city.

(Phil Moore / AFP - Getty Images)

more than 50 percent in recent weeks.

“The list is long,” said Athai Peter, 25, as he stood at a job advertisement board outside a U.N. agency on Monday. “The roads are so poor in many places that we have very high food prices.”

A new currency must be established. Diplomatic missions need to be opened. And a country name must be chosen.

Critical negotiations still must be held with the north to decide on citizenship rights, oil rights and even the final border demarcation.

The U.S. national intelligence director warned last year of a possible new mass killing or genocide in Sudan over the referendum. That no longer looks likely. Sudan President Omar al-Bashir

flow of southern oil through the pipelines in the north. About 98 percent of Southern Sudan’s budget comes from oil revenue.

No one is quite sure how many residents Juba even has. After the 2005 peace accord, people began flooding into the town. Ad hoc settlements sprung up around the city, then expanded as the city ballooned. The settlements have no roads, electricity, or sewage.

Jemma Nunu Kumba, Southern Sudan’s minister of housing and physical planning, concedes that the government is playing catch-up. But she notes that foreign investors are knocking on the government’s door, hoping to get in on a building boom.

“It is a big challenge that the gov-

our develop partners, to help us.”

Juba has been attracting international investors for years. In 2007, a group of business people from England, South Africa and Kenya spent $1.5 million to renovate a family home into a 16room hotel known as the Logali House, where the walk-in rate is $275 a night.

General manager Laurie Meiring calls it a “courageous” investment, given that the independence vote was years away and the threat of war lingered.

“I think it’s five stars for Juba, even if it would be two to three stars if you were going by the book in Europe or America,” Meiring said.

Most Sudanese are unemployed or

66  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

see South Sudan on page 68

Export:

Learn about Opportunities in Africa, Middle East and South Asia Markets The Westin Galleria Houston Houston, Texas April 26 & 27, 2011

E

xport markets are not only vital to economic development but also to your company’s growth.

Find out how the U.S. Commercial Service can help your company to: • Identify new export markets and opportunities • Obtain the resources necessary to succeed in foreign markets • Develop market entry strategies Join 19 Senior Commercial Officers

in Houston, Texas on April 26 and 27, 2011 for the annual meeting of the U.S. Department of Commerce Senior Commercial Officers from the Africa, Middle East, and South Asia regions including: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

The U.S. Commercial Service will

sponsor the two-day business conference that will consist of: • Sessions on market entry strategies, financing, and mitigating risk • Concurrent sessions covering country and industry specific information and opportunities • Pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with Foreign Commercial Service Officers • High-profile keynote speakers • Numerous networking opportunities Contact Bobby Hines bobby.hines@ trade.gov for participation information or visit www.buyusa.gov/austin/access2011conference.html information and registraton. 

International

ACCESS 2011 International Trade Conference

South Sudan from page 66

live hand to mouth on small sales of tea and other goods. Small, Sudaneserun business growth is hard to achieve,

said Melody Atil, the founder and managing director of Peace Dividend, an organization that loans money at affordable rates in Sudan. Banks rarely give loans, and she estimates that only 10 percent of the region’s work force is employed.

1)

Zach Vertin, a Southern Sudan analyst with the International Crisis Group, said it is essential that the outstanding issues on oil rights and border demarcation get resolved.

“This is critical not only for a peaceful transition between now and July but in order to lay the foundations for a constructive post-referendum relationship,” Vertin said. “It’s absolutely critical that support continue for this process

International

2)

3)

4)

68  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

South Sudan from page 68

or we’ll end up in July with a whole host of issues outstanding and then you risk potential conflict.” 

Photo Legend

with Mrs. Carter (left) in Khartoum, Sudan, on Jan. 8. (Philip Dhil / EPA) 3. A southern Sudanese woman receives her voter registration card in the southern town of Melut on Nov. 15. (Pete Muller / AP)

1. Southern Sudanese women wave a Southern Sudan flag as they wait to cast their vote for the referendum on the independence of South Sudan at a polling station in Juba, Southern Sudan, Jan 9.

4. A Sudanese woman carries a 150-pound bag of sorghum on Jan. 22, 2004, as she and other villagers gather up U.N. World Food Program aid dropped from the air. (Edward Parsons / AFP Getty Images)

2. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, is one of the international observers of the upcoming South Sudan referendum. He’s pictured here

The Associated Press www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41460171/ns/ world_news-africa/?GT1=43001

“A FEW NOTES ON AFRICA” African Union Holds 16th Ordinary Session at Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

African Union Ready to Welcome Southern Sudan as 54th Member Nation Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission congratulated the people of Sudan and their leaders on the occasion of the official announcement by the South Sudan Referendum Commission, on 7 February 2011, of the results of the Referendum on self-determination in Southern Sudan. He expressed his conviction that with the completion of this referendum, Sudan has decisively overcome its tragic history of division and its exceptional legacy inherited from its past. In recognition of the Sudan’s unique political circumstances, Africa recognized the right of self-determination for the people of southern Sudan, and supported the free and fair exercise of this right. Indeed, the AU

16th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30-31 Jan 2011 will be keen, at the end of the interim period, on 9 July 2011, to welcome into its ranks the 54th member state of the Union. .

Decade of the African Woman Kick-Off Held in Nairobi, Kenya The African Union (AU) African Women’s Decade got underway in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2010 using the theme “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE): A Bottom Up Approach.” The Decade will be implemented in two phases - from 2010 to 2015 and from 2015 to 2020.

For details on the African Women’s Decade, visit the link to the African Union website: www. africa-union.org/root/AU/Conferences/2010/ april/wgd/wgd.html.

African Development Bank

H.E. Obiang Nguema Obasogo The African Development Bank (AfDB) will hold its 2011 annual Partnerships Forum from 22-23 March 2011, in Tunis, Tunisia, with a focus on regional integration. Participants will include representatives of bilateral and multilateral donors, the private sector, foundations and knowledge institutions.

SEE YOU ON THE CONTINENT. 

69  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

International

The African Union (AU) session was held in January 2011. Information on the proceedings, declarations and resolutions may be found at the newly revamped AU website - www.au.int.

The newly elected AU Chairperson is H.E. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinee.

JWFA

Jamaal Wilkes Financial Advisors, LLC M a n a g i n g We a l t h I n t e l l i g e n t l y

WHY OWN GOLD IN YOUR IRA/401k Changing jobs creates a great opportunity for you to switch, or rollover, your former employer’s retirement plan into an IRA. Plus, it usually provides you with more investment options than if you left the money in your former employer’s plan or rolled the money into your new employer's retirement plan.

The early 1980s presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy stocks. Today, economic and political conditions appear to offer a similar opportunity in tangible assets such as physical gold. With the global economic environment growing more uncertain, physical gold has become the #1 alternative for IRA, 401k, 403b, and Pension Plans, as well as for non-retirement funds.

Gold is produced primarily for accumulation while other commodities are produced primarily for consumption. Gold’s value does not arise from its usefulness in industrial or consumable applications. It arises from its use and historical worldwide acceptance as a store of value. Gold is money. A healthy measure of gold clearly belongs in every portfolio for the “Four Ps” – Personal Purchasing Power Protection.

There are six primary reasons why investors own gold: As a hedge against inflation.

As a hedge against a declining dollar.

As a safe haven in times of geopolitical and financial market instability.

As a commodity based on gold’s supply and demand fundamentals.

As a store of value.

As a portfolio diversifier.

According to Bloomberg.com, on October 15, 2009, Paul Tudor Jones of Tudor Investment Corp, who manages about $11.6 billion out of Greenwich, Connecticut, told its investors, “I have never been a gold bug… but Gold is just an asset that, like everything else in life, has its time and place. And now is that time…Gold appears to be cheap. In our view, gold’s value should increase as its scarcity relative to printed currencies increases.”

JAMAAL WILKES FINANCIAL ADVISORS makes 401(k) rollovers easy with just a few simple steps. Please call us at (310)209-8298 or email gold@jamaalwilkes.com for a web seminar presentation.

Jamaal Wilkes Financial Advisors is an independent Registered Investment Advisor www.jamaalwilkes.com Phone: (310)209-8330 6601 Center Drive West, Suite 500 Los Angeles, CA 90045

Advertorial-Jamaal Wilkes Financial Advisors, LLC:

Richard Russell: The Most Profitable Gold Rally Is Yet To Come …It would seem that Russell has basically given up on trying to time the market’s gyrations, writing recently that “the stock market is too unsettled, too questionable, for me or my subscribers to assume an all-out bullish or bearish position.”

But he continues to be an unabashed gold bull. This is the one market he has been pounding the table about for quite a long time and he has been absolutely correct. To my chagrin, it took me far too long to realize that gold is indeed in a secular gold bull market. And of course, the next thought after that is the dread that it will be soon over.

Russell puts those thoughts to rest writing recently: “I’m going on the thesis that the highly speculative phase of the gold bull market lies ahead. Now I’m depending on my experience with other bull markets: 1. Most great bull markets go higher and further than almost

phases combined. This can mean that the late-comers to bull markets often make a fortune, more than those who had the courage to buy early in the game, but they have to have fortitude to sit in the highly volatile second/third phases.

6. Obviously, I could be wrong, but I believe that gold and silver are both still a buy.

7. I’ve said this before, but I’ll repeat it. You do not trade in-and-out in a confirmed primary bull market. You take an early position and add to your position as the bull market progresses.

8. Great bull markets don’t usually provide marvelous entry points. Those who are waiting for the ideal or “safe” place to enter the bull market in precious metals may have a long and frustrating wait.

9. In a great primary bull market, you just “shut your eyes

anybody thinks possible.

2. Most bull markets progress in three psychological phases.

3. I believe the first phase of the gold bull market has passed. It’s over. This is the phase where students of great values take their initial positions.

4. I believe we are deep into the second phase of the gold bull market. This is the phase where the institutions and funds join in the bull market show.

5. Often, more money is made in the third or speculative phase of a bull market than is made in the first and second

and buy.”

10. Are you buying right or are you buying wrong? Great bull markets tend to bail you out of your mistakes. Perfect timing is nearly impossible in a great bull market. You’re either in or you’re out.

11. Great or fabulous primary bull markets may come along once or maybe twice in a generation. I believe the bull market in precious metals is just such a one — a once-in-ageneration bull market. We may never see another one to match this one in our lifetimes. see Gold Rally Coming on page 73

Gold Rally Coming from page 71

12. I started writing Dow Theory Letters 52 years ago in 1958. Three times I’ve staked my reputation and my business on a bullish market call. The first instance was in 1958, when I told my subscribers that the third phase of the bull market lay ahead, and it was time to load up on stocks. I said so in my first Barron’s article. That call and that article put me in business. I thank Barron’s late, great editor Bob Bleiberg (who had faith in me and went out on a limb for me).

In late-1974 at the end of that horrendous bear market, I told my subscribers that I thought the bear market was over, and it was time to buy stocks.

In the year 2000 I told subscribers that I thought the bear market in gold was over, and that it was time to buy what was left of the gold stocks and “put ‘em away.” I told my subscribers that we should treat the gold shares (many under five dollars) as perpetual warrants. “Buy ‘em and forget them.”

13. Lucky thirteen. I’m confirming what I said in 2000. Buy gold and silver, put ‘em away and sit tight. The great speculative phase of the precious metals bull market lies ahead. My advice is concentrated in four words — Buy, and be patient.”

Looking at the very long term chart of gold, the base at the millennium is apparent, as is the unrelenting march of the secular bull market. While it does deviate from time to time away from the long term trend, it quickly returns to it.

Right now we are above the trend but not at an extreme point that has historically lead to regression to the mean: Currently the price of gold is trading at 16.3% premium relative to its 200

G

old, an uncorrelated asset class, provides “wealth insurance” in your investments and qualified retirement plan. When you buy gold for the right reasons, or for “wealth insurance”, there is no such thing as the wrong price or the wrong time. Gold is a liquid store

day moving average. Historically tops have corresponded with a premium of 20%+ so we still have some room the upside in this most recent cycle. And as Russell so eloquently puts it, quite a ways still from the “highly speculative phase”. 

Precious Metals Dearer Than Ever

F

inancial advisors have long recommended that investors have some precious metals (www.cnbc.com/ id/33057388) in their portfolios, but years of solid gains, as well as heightened interest in inflation hedges and safe havens, have made metals more alluring than ever.

What was once a 5 percent allocation is now as much as 10 percent, with some advisors even adding rarer metals like platinum to the usual gold-and-silver mix.

UBS, for instance, is recommending top clients hold 7-10 percent of their assets in precious metals.

“Paper has counter-party risks,” says Paul Mladjenovic, author of Precious Metals Investing for Dummies. “Gold and silver are the few investments that retain value.”

Every time the gold rally appears to have peaked, another leg appears.

No wonder that gold (www.cnbc.com/ id/32988158) is up 379 percent over the past ten years. Private ownership stashes now exceed what’s in public

of real purchasing power. Please go to: www.bullionvalues.org for information on physical gold bullion and precious metals.

For privacy and asset protection request our free report on pre-1933 US gold coins.

gold vaults, as wealthy investors stock stock up on bars of gold during uncertain times.

In Abu Dhabi, it is as easy as using a gold ATM (www.cnbc.com/ id/37124207).

Meanwhile, silver prices (www.cnbc. com/id/32990158) have doubled in the past two years, while platinum is up 63 percent, as both metals also benefit from their growing commercial use.

“Resource scarcity is now entering our lives,” says Jim Puplava, chief executive officer of money management firm PFS Group in San Diego. “More countries are competing for precious metals, driving up prices.”

As alternative investments go, precious metals offer more than the usual ways to get in the game. There’s bullion, mining companies, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, futures, coins and more.

Three Metals, Multiple Options Many experts recommend owning

the actual bullion. It’s less volatile and it’s a pure play. Puplava recommends buying American Eagle gold-bullion coins. Any bullion or coin dealer sells them.

The coins are sold at a premium of 5 percent to 10 percent above the spot gold price. They’re affordable and see Gold Rally Coming on page 76

Jamaal Wilkes, President/CEO JAMAAL WILKES FINANCIAL ADVISORS, LLC 6601 Center Drive West, Suite 500 Los Angeles, CA 90045 www.jamaalwilkes.com Tel: 310-209-8298 Fax: 310-209-8299

Malik’s Books Online

M

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. 

Books to Consider...

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!

Special Days Gift Giving Time King Day, Black History Month, Valentine Day 323-294-0324 www.esowonbooks.com

Singing The Lord’s Song In A Strange Land

by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery has been an eyewitness to some of the most significant events in our history. But, more important, he has been a voice that speaks truth to power--inspiring change that moves us forward.

In his first book Rev. Lowery celebrates the milestones of the Civil Rights Movement in which he played a significant role. He salutes Rev. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela and recalls the benediction he gave during President Obama’s inauguration.

This book reflects the heart of a movement and is a call to a new generation to carry the mantle--for all people. A perfect read for African American Heritage Month or any time. www.amazon.com (print and Kindle versions).

//esowon.booksense.com for Calendar of Events

On The Shoulders of Giants see Books to Consider on page 76

74  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

EsoWon Books presents a Special Day for a Special Book.

DATE/TIME:Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - 7:00 am to 7:00 pm LOCATION: 4331 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 INFORMATION: 323-290-1048 On Tuesday, March 8. Penguin Publishers is releasing Dr. Manning Marable’s long awaited biography, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. Over ten years in the making this book will receive major media coverage and is destined to become the definitive work on Malcolm X. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention draws from untapped sources to shine new light on Malcolm’s life, with never before seen FBI Files, extensive interviews with Louis Farrakhan, the Newly discovered “lost” chapters of the Autobiography, Diaries that fill in missing periods of Malcolm’s life and shocking new details about Malcolm’s Assassination.

Manning Marable is the M. Moran Weston and Black Alumni Council professor of African American Studies and professor of history and public affairs at Columbia University. He was founding director of African American Studies at Columbia from 1993 to 2003. Since 2002, he has directed Columbia’s Center for Contemporary Black History.

On March 8, 2011 we will have festivities celebrating the life of Malcolm X and introducing Dr. Marable’s book “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.” The entire day is free, including the great food, with your purchase of the book. The book is $30.00, If you wish to purchase a book in advance, we are taking orders in store and by phone, 323 290-1048.

7:00 am 8:00 am 9:00 am -

EsoWon Bookstore opens for business.

Breakfast.

Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor, Department of Africana Studies, California State Long Beach discusses the importance of black biographers writing on major black figures.

Who is more qualified to tell our story than us?

10:00 am - DVD and audio presentations of Malcolm X. 11:00 am - Zambezi Bazaar will host an exhibit on Malcolm X. 1:00 pm - Alden Kimbrough, curator of the Malcolm X exhibit, will hold a discussion on Malcolm X. 2:00 pm - Jan Robinson Flint, of Black Women for Wellness and others will discuss Malcolm X and Women.

4:00 pm - Dr. Scott Brown (UCLA) will discuss Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement.

5:00 pm - More food, book selling and discussion of the day.

Dr. Marable will be at EsoWon on Monday, March 14, 2011.

75  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Gold Rally Coming from page 73

come in half-ounce and quarter-ounce sizes. Another option is to buy 50- to 100-ounce gold bars and store them in a vault.

“People haven’t bought so much gold since it was discovered over 5,000 years ago,” says Jeffrey Christian, managing director of CPM Group in New York City, putting the rally in perspective.

There are now more than two dozen gold ETFs (http://etf.stock-encyclopedia.com/category/gold-etfs.html) traded on exchanges in various countries.

Silver’s current allure has been aided by its growing industrial use. It’s the best metal for conducting heat and electricity, making it useful in electronic devices, such as cell phones.

Silver investors can opt for Silver Eagle coins or bars. “They buy the actual metal and put it in storage,” says Mladjenovic. “That’s a safer play.” Safer, he adds, than buying some silver or gold ETFs, which may hold futures contracts in their portfolio.

Finally, platinum (www.cnbc.com/ id/32990189) is usually a play on a strengthening economy, as it is used in the catalytic converters in automobiles.

It’s sold as American Platinum Eagle coins and in bars.

Puplava recommends a precious metals portfolio that is 50 percent gold,

Books to Consider

This feature-length documentary honors a group of sports pioneers who have been all but forgotten to time, and

fail. His team, the New York Renaissance Big Five, affectionately known as the Harlem Rens, became the embodiment of a new attitude among African Americans who fought to be recognized for their abilities rather than for the color of their skin. They were the precursors to those brave men and

it celebrates the legacy of a magical game – and the shoulders that today’s players stand on. This story finds its footing in the rhythms of jazz, its roots in the Harlem Renaissance… and its voice in a group of players much too talented to be ignored.

In the beginning, those who tried to make a living at it, black or white, had a hardscrabble life. But one immigrant from the West Indies, Bob Douglas, loved the new sport of basketball and was determined to make it profitable.

To do this, he would not only have to fight for the game itself, but against the rampant racism that was determined to see him

women who, twenty years later, would found the Civil Rights Movement.

Archival footage, innovative 3D graphics and reenactments, along with Interviews with celebrities and sports legends, all combine to tell the story of the greatest basketball team you never heard of – and of the heroes, both sung and unsung, who remind us that we are all standing On the Shoulders of Giants.

See “On The Shoulders of Giants” via Video On Demand Nationwide Release beginning Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 – Time Warner, Cox and Comcast Cable Networks. Check your local listings for show times. Visit http://kareemabduljabbar.com/osg for details. 

40 percent silver and 10 percent into platinum, advocating dollarcost averaging to compensate for some of the

volatility.

“Platinum is the trickier investment of the three and silver is more volatile than gold,” says Mladjenovenic. “Don’t rely on a single precious metals investment. There are so many risk factors that are political.” 

from page 74

by Karem Abdul-Jabbar

76  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Lucy Florence Culture Center 3351 W. 43rd St. Leimert Park Village Los Angeles, CA 90008

Shop our boutiques Enjoy our Cuisine Exquisite Venue for your Special Event ……

Tinashe @ the Boardroom inside Lucy Florence

We are open daily! 1-6pm

Tote & Satchel HANDBAGS, beautifully restored, one-of-a-kind vintage HANDBAGS, the hottest DESIGNER SHOES, Cuff links, sterling silver jewelry, and Italian handmade Murano glass JEWELRY.

Shop, Eat, Relax Leimert Park in

Little Ethiopia

Village

Culture, Retail, Entertainment

An African American Cultural, Retail, Foods & Entertainment Center.

Degnan Boulevard

Experience Africa in America

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between Pico & Olympic Los Angeles

between

Crenshaw & Leimert Blvds.

43rd Street-43rd Place, Los Angeles

77  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Artwear Artwear may be found at: Sika’s / 4330 Degnan Ave., Leimert Park Baldwin Hills Plaza Farmer’s Market each Saturday 10am-3pm

www.gbabyartwear.com

A Royal Blend of all natural West African herbs and fiery spices www.kingspepper.com 323.291.4267

Rooibos Tea House African Red Tea Imports

323-658-7832

Before you grill, Before you bake,

Buy King’s Pepper

& Shake, Shake, Shake!

Bernahu Asfaw or Getahun Asfaw

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Nira Levy Maslin, CEO

Open 7 days a week 11am - 11pm

www.africanredtea.com

78  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 25

cit. And I’m asking for your help in this fight. I think it can be done.

Which brings me to the last barriers we’re trying to remove, and those are outdated and unnecessary regulations.

I’ve ordered a government-wide review, and if there are rules on the books that are needlessly stifling job creation and

I’ve also ordered agencies to find ways to make regulations more flexible for small businesses. And we’ve turned a tangle of fuel economy regulations and pending lawsuits into a single standard that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, save consumers money at the pump and give car companies the certainty that they need -- all negotiated by the various stakeholders without the need for congressional legislation.

But ultimately, winning the future is

people from harm or exploitation. Not every regulation is bad. Not every regulation is burdensome on business. A lot of the regulations that are out there are things that all of us welcome in our lives.

Few of us would want to live in a society without rules that keep our air and water clean; that give consumers the confidence to do everything from investing in financial markets to buying groceries. And the fact is, when standards like these have been proposed in

President Barack Obama attends an economic meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Seated, from left, are: Council of Economic Advisers Chair Austan Goolsbee; Vice President Joe Biden; interim Chief of Staff Pete Rouse; Senior Advisor David Axelrod; and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

economic growth, we will fix them.

Already we’re dramatically cutting down on the paperwork that saddles businesses with huge administrative costs. We’re improving the way FDA evaluates things like medical devices, to get innovative and lifesaving treatments to market faster. And the EPA, based on the need for further scientific analysis, delayed the greenhouse gas permitting rules for biomass.

not just about what the government can do for you to succeed. It’s also about what you can do to help America succeed.

So we were just talking about regulations. Even as we eliminate burdensome regulations, America’s businesses have a responsibility as well to recognize that there are some basic safeguards, some basic standards that are necessary to protect the American

the past, opponents have often warned that they would be an assault on business and free enterprise. We can look at the history in this country. Early drug companies argued the bill creating the FDA would “practically destroy the sale of … remedies in the United States.”

That didn’t happen. Auto executives predicted that having to install seatbelts would bring the downfall of their see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 83

79  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Choose to care.

Choose to celebrate.

Choose to dream.

At Comerica Bank, we choose to care about the dreams and visions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We choose to celebrate equality and diversity among all people, and we’re dedicated to ringing the bells of freedom. Choose to celebrate the dream with us.

Crenshaw 3825 Crenshaw Boulevard Los Angeles

El Segundo 2321 Rosecrans Avenue El Segundo

800-888-3595

Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

www.comerica.com

Wilshire-Crescent Heights 6301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles

BLACK MEETINGS & TOURISM LAUNCHES DIGITAL MAGAZINE

T

he digital version of Black Meetings & Tourism magazine is now available on-line.

The current issues, as well as archived issues, can be viewed by visiting www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com and click on the image link located on the home page.

The digital version is just a small part of BM&T’s expanded on-line presence, which includes a host of new departments, the twice-monthly e-newsletter, an increased focus on leisure travel, and many new marketing opportunities. Our newly designed website offers a guest blog page, a video page and a variety of interactive and custom advertising products that will allow vendors direct access to the more than 45 billion dollar African-American travel market. 

Tuesday, Mar 8th “For everyone interested in doing business with Metro”

Serve.Gov from page 51

Watch & Support the Africa Channel!

Time Warner • Comcast Don’t have the Africa Channel in your area? Call Time Warner at: 1-888-892-2253 and ask that the Africa Channel be broadcast to ALL regions of your state.

For information on the Africa Channel visit www.theafricachannel. com or send an e-mail inquiry to info@theafricachannel.com.

not only finding volunteer opportunities in your community, but also creating your own. Use Serve.gov to help you do your part. America’s foundation will be built one community at a time –- and it starts with you.

Serve.gov is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service www.nationalservice.gov. 

81  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

Calendar February 2011…

partnerships for business relations and mutual prosperity. Please register before January 15th to receive the discounted rate - http://www.africanbizconvention.com/confregister.html or visit www.africanbizconvention.com for detailed information.

23rd-26th

14th-16th Africa-USA Business Executives Conference & Expo African Business Executives from across the continent will be joined by their counterparts from the US at t h e Event Center at the Ballys Hotel in Las Ve g as.

To p i c s under discussion and on display include: Investing in Agriculture, Banking and Finance, Construction & Development, Information Technology, Transport & Tourism, Petroleum & Energy, and Health & Education. Enjoy the Chairman’s Dinner Reception “America Honors Africa” to celebrate

Women Of Power Summit The four-day event will attract more than 700 mid to senior-level managers, executives, and aspiring professionals. For information visit www.blackenterprise.com/wps.

24th-28th Art Walk in the Crenshaw Plaza Annual art show is accepting participant applications. Contact Julien Dothard at 818-4198639 or send e-mail to dothard@sbcglobal.net for detailed information.

March…

26th BBA Salute to Black Women Annual Salute to Black women and their achievements in business and the civic/social worlds. For detailed information contact the Black Business Association at mail@bbala.org or by phone at 323-291-9334 and visit the event website at www.salutetoblackwomen.com.

April…

4th-9th 4th Annual Lagos Black Heritage

Festival Held in Lagos Nigeria, West Africa to celebrate the culture, art and history of Africa. For detailed information visit www.facebook. com/pages/LagosBlack-Heritage-Festival/301943951426.

21st 2011 OSDBU Procurement Conference The OSDBU Procurement Conference is a national conference fostering business partnerships between the Federal Government, its Prime Contractors, and small, minority, servicedisabled veteran-owned, veteran-owned, HUBZone, and women-owned businesses. Visit www.fbcinc.com/osdbu for details and registration.

26th -27th Access 2011 International Trade Conference Find out how the U.S. Commercial Service can help your company to export or import. Join 19 Senior Commercial Officers in Houston, Texas for the annual meeting of the U.S. Department of Commerce Senior Commercial Officers from the Africa, Middle East, and South Asia regions Contact Bobby Hines bobby.hines@trade.

82  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

gov for participation information or visit www. buyusa.gov/austin/access2011conference.html information and registraton.

30th 5k Walk All Over Cancer Walk-athon The One Child Our Village Foundation invites the community to join them in their efforts to raise funds to fight all cancer types. For detailed information, please call 323-239-4844 between the hours of 10am until 2pm, or email onechildourvillage1997@yahoo.com.

Annual Awards Dinner Annual Salute to Black business owners and executives and the private and public sector entities that support the advancement of black business. For detailed information contact the Black Business Association at mail@bbala.org or by phone at 323-291-9334.

July…

18th-22nd Chamber Management Training The US Black Chamber School of Chamber Managemnt will conduct a training program at the University of Phoenix Washington, DC Campus entitled “Promoting Chamber Growth, Efficiency and Influence”. Learn more by emailing kathleen@usbci.org or visiting www.usbci. org.

August…

May… 6th-7th Black Business Expo 2011 Marlton Square (Old Santa Barbara Plaza, Crenshaw area). Emphasis will be on the Tom Bradley Business Institute and the future of Black Folk’s in America.

26th Black Business Association 37th

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 79

industry. It didn’t happen. The President of the American Bar Association denounced child labor laws as “a communistic effort to nationalize children.”

That’s a quote.

None of these things came to pass.

In fact, companies adapt and standards often spark competition and innovation. I was travelling when I went up to Penn State to look at some clean energy hubs that have been set up. I was with Steve Chu, my Secretary of Energy. And he won a Nobel Prize in physics, so when you’re in conversations with him you catch about one out of every four things he says.

But he started talking about energy efficiency and about refrigerators, and

nesses with goods, products and services to market on the West Coast. Our featured pavilions: Business, Technology, Green Life, and

Health & Beauty will offer attendees unique, informative and exciting opportunities to interact with experts, specialists and vendors enabling them to learn about, evaluate, test and purchase products and services. Visit www.westcoastexpo.biz for detailed information. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Deducation Ceremony For details on the event and to make contributions contact the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc., 401 F Street, NW, Suite 334, Washington, DC 20001, 1.888.484.3373.

12th-14nd West Coast Expo West Coast Expo (WCE) is an exposition and trade show for small, medium, and large busihe pointed out that the government set modest targets a couple decades ago to start increasing efficiency over time.

They were well thought through; they weren’t radical. Companies competed to hit these markers. And they hit them every time, and then exceeded them.

And as a result, a typical fridge now costs half as much and uses a quarter of the energy that it once did -- and you don’t have to defrost, chipping at that stuff -- (laughter) -- and then putting the warm water inside the freezer and all that stuff. It saves families and businesses billions of dollars.

So regulations didn’t destroy the industry; it enhanced it and it made our lives better -- if they’re smart, if they’re well designed. And that’s our goal, is to work with you to think through how do we design necessary regulations in a smart way and get rid of regulations that have outlived their usefulness, or don’t work.

I also have to point out the perils of too much regulation are also matched by the dangers of too little. And we saw that in the financial crisis, where the absence of sound rules of the road, that wasn’t good for business. Even if you weren’t in the financial sector it wasn’t good for business. And that’s why, with the help of Paul Volcker, who is here today, we passed a set of commonsense reforms.

The same can be said of health insurance reform. We simply could not continue to accept a status quo that’s made our entire economy less competitive, as we’ve paid more per person for health care than any other nation on Earth. Nobody is even close. And we couldn’t accept a broken system where insurance companies could drop people because they got sick, or families went into bankruptcy because of medical bills. see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 84

83  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

It’s Time to Invest in America from page 83

I know that folks here have concerns about this law. And I understand it. If you’re running a business right now and you’re seeing these escalating health care costs, your instinct is if I’ve got even more laws on top of me, that’s going to increase my costs even more.

I understand that suspicion, that skepticism.

But the non-partisan congressional watchdogs at the CBO estimate that health care tax credits will be worth nearly $40 billion for small businesses over the next decade -- $40 billion, directly to small businesses who are doing the right thing by their employees.

And experts –- not just from the government, but also those commissioned by the Business Roundtable –- suggest that health insurance reform could ultimately save large employers anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 per family -- your employees and your bottom line.

I’ve said in the State of the Union and I’ll repeat here today: I am willing and happy to look at other ideas to improve the law, including incentives to improve patient safety and medical malpractice reforms. And I want to correct a flaw that’s already placed an unnecessary bookkeeping burden on too many small businesses, and I appreciate the Chamber’s help in doing that.

But we have to recognize that some common-sense regulations often will make sense for your businesses, as well as your families, as well as your neighbors, as well as your coworkers.

Of course, your responsibility goes beyond recognizing the need for certain standards and safeguards. If we’re fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports to help you compete, the benefits can’t just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They have to be shared by American workers, who need to know that expanding trade and opening markets will lift their standards of living as

well as your bottom line.

We can’t go back to the kind of economy and culture that we saw in the years leading up to the recession, where growth and gains in productivity just didn’t translate into rising incomes and opportunity for the middle class.

That’s not something necessarily we can legislate, but it’s something that all of us have to take responsibility for thinking about. How do we make sure that everybody’s got a stake in trade, everybody’s got a stake in increasing exports, everybody’s got a stake in rising productivity? Because ordinary folks end up seeing their standards of living rise as well. That’s always been the American promise. That’s what JFK meant when he said, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Too many boats have been left behind, stuck in the mud.

And if we as a nation are going to invest in innovation, that innovation should lead to new jobs and manufac-

turing on our shores. The end result of tax breaks and investments can’t simply be that new breakthroughs and technologies are discovered here in America, but then the manufacturing takes place overseas. That, too, breaks the social compact. It makes people feel as if the game is fixed and they’re not benefiting from the extraordinary discoveries that take place here.

So the key to our success has never been just developing new ideas; it’s also been making new products. So Intel pioneers the microchip, then puts thousands to work building them in Silicon Valley. Henry Ford perfects the

assembly line, and then puts a generation to work in the factories of Detroit.

That’s how we built the largest middle class in the world. Those folks working in those plants, they go out and they buy a Ford. They buy a personal computer. And the economy grows for everyone. And that’s how we’ll create the base of knowledge and skills that propel the next inventions and the next ideas.

Right now, businesses across this country are proving that America can compete. Caterpillar is opening a new plant to build excavators in Texas that used to be shipped from Japan. In Tennessee, Whirlpool is opening their first new U.S. factory in more than a decade. Dow is building a new plant in Michigan to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles. A company called Geomagic, a software maker, decided to close down its overseas centers in China and Europe and move their R&D here to the United States. These companies are bringing jobs back to our shores. And that’s good for everybody.

So if I’ve got one message, my message is now is the time to invest in America. Now is the time to invest in America. (Applause.) Today, American companies have nearly $2 trillion sitting on their balance sheets. And I know that many of you have told me that you’re waiting for demand to rise before you get off the sidelines and expand, and that with millions of Americans out of work, demand has risen more slowly than any of us would like.

We’re in this together, but many of your own economists and salespeople are now forecasting a healthy increase in demand. So I just want to encourage you to get in the game. As part of the bipartisan tax deal we negotiated, with the support of the Chamber, businesses can immediately expense 100 percent of their capital investments. And as all of you know, it’s investments made now that will pay off as the economy rebounds. And as you hire, you know that more Americans working will mean more sales for your companies. It will see It’s Time to Invest in America on page 86

84  February 2011  Black Business News  www.bbnews.org

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It’s Time to Invest in America from page 84

mean more demand for your products and services. It will mean higher profits for your companies. We can create a virtuous circle.

And if there’s a reason you don’t share my confidence, if there’s a reason you don’t believe that this is the time to get off the sidelines –- to hire and to invest -– I want to know about it. I want to fix it. That’s why I’ve asked Jeff Immelt of GE to lead a new council of business leaders and outside experts so that we’re getting the best advice on what you’re facing out there –- and we’ll be holding our first meeting two weeks from now, on the 24th. So you can get your emails in early, with your ideas, with your thoughts about how we keep moving forward to create this virtuous cycle.

Together, I am confident we can win the competition for new jobs and industries. And I know you share my enthusiasm. Here’s one thing I know. For all the disagreements, Tom, that we may have sometimes on issues, I know you love this country. I know you want America to succeed just as badly as I do.

So, yes, we’ll have some disagreements; and, yes, we’ll see things differently at times. But we’re all Americans.

And that spirit of patriotism, and that sense of mutual regard and common obligation, that has carried us through far harder times than the ones we’ve just been through.

And I’m reminded, toward the end of the 1930s, amidst the Depression, the looming prospect of war, FDR, President Roosevelt, realized he would need to form a new partnership with business if we were going to become what he would later call the “arsenal of democracy.” And as you can imagine, the relationship between the President and business leaders during the course of the Depression had been rocky at times. They’d grown somewhat frac-

tured by the New Deal.

So Roosevelt reached out to businesses, and business leaders answered the call to serve their country.

After years of working at cross purposes, the result was one of the most productive collaborations between the public and private sectors in American history.

Some, like the head of GM, hadn’t previously known the President, and if anything had seen him as an adversary. But he gathered his family and he explained that he was going to head up what would become the War Production Board. And he said to his family, “This country has been good to me,

and I want to pay it back.” I want to pay it back.

And in the years that followed, automobile factories converted to making planes and tanks. And corset factories made grenade belts. A toy company made compasses. A pinball machine maker turned out shells. 1941 would see the greatest expansion of manufacturing in the history of America. And not only did this help us win the war; it

MBDA from page 17

in average receipts compared to $490,000 for non-minority-owned firms.

• The African American population increased by 7 percent between 2002-2007, compared to 1 percent growth for non-minorities.

For more information about the minority business community, please contact MBDA Public Affairs at public_ affairs@mbda.gov.  www.mbda.gov

led to millions of new jobs and helped produce the great American middle class.

So we have faced hard times before.

We have faced moments of tumult and moments of change. And we know what to do. We know how to succeed.

We are Americans, and as we have done throughout our history, I have every confidence that once again we will rise to this occasion; that we can come together, we can adapt and we can thrive in this changing economy. And we need to look no further than the innovative companies in this room. If we can harness your potential and the potential of your people across this country, I think there’s no stopping us.

So thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.  www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/02/07/ president-obama-business-now-timeinvest-america

www.healthcare.gov

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Contents

g: EOY charitable Corporate Givin houshealth, education, opportunities in ing, and more.

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Feature Articles: Constructisve “Strategies For the Engagement with African Diaspora” gement: “Diaspora Enga Beyond” Remittances &

le: Moyo District InvestmentofProƤ Uganda of the Republic

tory Professional Direc tments

Charitable Inves

twins recently orpaned , III in Ghana with Rev. Leon R. Perrysee Corporate Giving page 21