Bush official
champions
minority biz
Ronald Langston, the national director appointed by President Bush to head up the Minority Business Development Agency in 2001, has come to Hawaii with a message: His boss wants to see more minority-owned businesses across the country.
Government statistics show that while minority-owned businesses experienced substantial growth between 1992 and 1997, they still lag in generating gross receipts and employment. Yet, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that 90 percent of the net U.S. population growth over the next 50 years will be among ethnic minorities.
With a $29 million departmental budget, Langston's is job to figure out ways to redress that imbalance and foster business growth in minority communities.
Part of Langston's plan this last week while visiting Honolulu has been to network with state, city and county officials and members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation. He hopes that by getting to know about his agency and the programs he envisions, officials here will want to partner on various ventures.
"Based on the business case we make, we hope they'll help us, either in kind or through direct support, to expand," he said. Langston also plans to meet with Native Hawaiian groups to find out about their specific needs.
"I'm here to listen, learn and put together a plan," he said.
Langston did not come empty-handed. On Thursday, he presented a check for $1.25 million to Waipahu Community Association for a job training center and business incubator, which he said should create 240 jobs in the first two years.
Right now Honolulu has one small business development center downtown on Bishop Street, which opened in February 2002. It is funded by the agency on a contract basis. With a staff of four including its director, Jean Williams, the center's mission is to provide management and technical assistance on a hands-on basis, Williams said.
"If you have a business idea, we'll help you to explore that. We would write a business plan and do financial projections to determine feasibility," she said.
Langston said he would like to see more such centers around the state. He's also talking about the possibility of an entrepreneurial boot camp on access to venture capital.
He's hoping his visit here will given people a sense of who he is and what his department wants to accomplish.
"People do business with people they know," he said. "With this visit, we're showing our commitment here."