Calling all Minority and Women Entrepreneurs: Astorino to Host Free Seminar Thurs Oct. 10

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino is hosting a free seminar entitled A Bridge to Success: How to Become a Successful & Profitable Minority or Woman Business Enterprise on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mt. Vernon City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Square, Mt. Vernon. The event is geared towards minority and women entrepreneurs who are interested in doing business with government or are ready to launch or expand their business.

The keynote speakers are James and Darlene White, co-owners of DTM Parts Supply, Inc., a Mount Vernon-based government contractor that has achieved rapid growth and expansion since reaching out to County Executive Astorino and the county’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) team. The Whites will talk about the training and connections they gained through the MWBE program and how their sales grew 43 percent when they employed the strategies and techniques they learned.

“Thanks to County Executive Astorino’s responsiveness, my wife and I got the resources we needed to kick start our company’s sales,” said James White. “We have gained confidence and learned key marketing and sales tools from the county’s programs and training. I want to tell other MWBE owners that the government isn’t going to hand it to you. The opportunities are there, but you have to work for them.”

 Astorino and Mount Vernon Mayor Ernest D. Davis will give welcoming remarks. Jim Coleman, executive director of the county’s MWBE Program, will serve as emcee.

·         Liz Kallen, program manager for the Procurement Technical Center, will speak on how to do business with the state and federal government.

·         Kim Jacobs, executive director of Community Capital New York, will talk about securing capital to launch or expand a small business.

·         Donnovan Beckford, director of the Westchester One-Stop Employment Center, will discuss the process of hiring minority and women employees or contractors.

Refreshments will be provided. R.S.V.P. to abridgetoabridge@gmail.com.  For more information call (914) 230-2065.

“The time has never been better for minority and women business enterprises,” said Astorino. “The White’s success is due to a lot of hard work and following a model that can be replicated by other business owners too. I want every minority and women business enterprise in the county to take advantage of this training and be as successful and profitable as they can be.”

The seminar is sponsored by the Office of Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino, the Office of the City of Mt. Vernon Mayor Ernest D. Davis, The Westchester County Press, the United Black Clergy of Westchester and the Law Office of Richard St. Paul, Esq.

View the seminar flier.