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Seventeen state agencies and 41 boards and commissions met
or exceeded the state’s commitment to make 15 percent of
government contracts available to certified Minority
Business Enterprises (MBE) during fiscal year 2014. The
state recognized those 58 state agencies, board and
commissions at an event titled Grow Your Minority-Owned
Business, which was held Sept. 24 at the King Arts
Complex in Columbus.
Since 2011, the state has made steady progress in expanding
its base of suppliers by identifying more qualified minority
businesses and encouraging them to work with the state to
supply the goods and services it needs.
“Governor John Kasich has made a 100 percent commitment to
meeting the MBE goal, which has never been hit in the
history of the 30-plus year-old program. State agencies have
made an incredible effort to increase their spending with
MBEs,” said Robert Blair, director of the Ohio Department of
Administrative Services, which sponsored the event with the
Ohio Development Services Agency.
Other speakers included John Larkin of Electronic Systems
Consultants, an MBE-certified business in Columbus who
discussed how he got started in business and then became
certified. “I look at my MBE certification as more than an
opportunity to do business with the state. I look at it as a
badge of honor.” Larkin added, “It is so easy for us now to
get online and apply for certification. And now to the
state’s credit, they are certifying businesses in an average
of 19 days.”
“The state is committed to improving client services
including certification,” said Jacqueline Williams, chief of
the Minority Business Development Division of the Ohio
Development Services Agency. “We continue to identify and
recruit minority companies who provide the products and
services the state needs. It is an economic imperative that
we harness the talent in this state.”
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Photo caption:
State agencies honored at Grow Your Minority-Owned
Business included (from left) Randy Russell, fiscal
officer, Ohio Department of Education; Shawn Smith, chief
financial officer, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO);
Martin Boratyn, director of business resources, PUCO;
Director Harvey J. Reed, Ohio Department of Youth Services;
Andrew Skal, Equal Employment Opportunity officer, Ohio
Department of Insurance; Tax Commissioner Joseph W. Testa,
Ohio Department of Taxation; Director Timothy S. Keen, Ohio
Office of Budget and Management; and Director Andre T.
Porter, Ohio Department of Commerce. Those honoring them
were (far right, from left) Director Robert Blair of the
Ohio Department of Administrative Services and Jacqueline
Williams, chief of the Minority Business Development
Division, Ohio Development Services Agency. The networking
event for minority businesses was held Sept. 24 at the King
Arts Complex in Columbus. (Photo by Rashunda Holloway.)
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