A Message From The Director

OBO Director Marsha E. Murray

Greetings,

My hope is that despite the hits we have been taking as a community, including the impact from the recent winter storm, that you remain resilient. Undoubtedly, navigating the seemingly unending challenges businesses face is made easier by leaning on those who can provide assistance.

OBO remains here for you as a resource, and in line with our “Strategic Partnership” theme for this newsletter, we certainly don’t do it alone. In this issue, we highlight the importance of relationships we have forged with existing local partners to provide you with support and information.

One example is our partnership with District Director Tim Jeffcoat and his wonderful team at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in Houston – we have joined forces to keep you abreast of federal financial assistance and resource information, and provide you with content-rich webinars to aid in your recovery and resiliency efforts.

Our partnership with Vinson and Elkins, LLP has led to the creation of Houston Small Business Legal Consultations, a coordinated effort with 20 national law firms to provide focused consultations to local businesses.

Our long-standing Memoranda of Understanding with the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council and Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance serves to fast-track the certification process for businesses seeking certification from multiple entities.

Finally, our recently announced partnership with the National and Greater Houston LGBT Chambers of Commerce expands our existing inclusion efforts to identify and support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprises. These represent just a few of our partnerships, a fraction of the ecosystem of local organizations/ entities that are available to you.

As usual, I encourage you to stay healthy and safe, and to continue to prioritize the health and safety of your employees and customers.

Sincerely,

Marsha E. Murray