Kevin Kamenetz
MBE Expo and Roundtable
October 14, 2011
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honor to be here with all of you this morning.
I consider myself fortunate to have lived in Baltimore County my entire life. And over the course of my lifetime, I have seen this County grow more and more diverse. In Baltimore County, we are dedicated to the long term economic development of every aspect of our community. And it is gratifying to have watched women and minorities become increasingly successful and important to our economy.
But despite the significant successes of recent years, I am fully aware that we can do more to ensure that every entrepreneur has a chance to build a strong business. Contracting with county government is an important opportunity for any business, large or small. In Baltimore County, we are working hard to make sure that all business owners have a chance at government contracts and that our contractor pool always reflects the diversity of our communities.
Since taking office, it has been my goal to increase the participation of minority and woman owned businesses, and that is exactly what we have done. I am pleased to report that while participation in areas such as commodities, professional services, and architecture/engineering has remained steady, in construction contracts, there has been 14.5 percent MBE participation and 6.2 percent WBE participation on government contracts. That is approximately a 1.5 percent increase in each category over the previous year.
The current economic climate has forced governments at every level to tighten our belts, and while I have overseen a decrease in overall spending since the beginning of my administration, MBE/WBE participation has actually increased, demonstrating that our commitment to providing opportunity for minority and women owned businesses is as strong as ever, especially in this economic climate.
Today, we are fortunate to have a strong and growing minority and woman owned business community. Baltimore County is proud to have supported that growth, but it is you, the business owners and entrepreneurs who deserve the credit. Running a business is no easy task, but you do it with skill and commitment, and your efforts are paying off.
Baltimore County government will continue to do everything possible to help you succeed, and to ensure that anyone with the drive and the skill to build a business can count on our support. Thank you for all that you do. Have a great day.
