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CHAMBER CONNECTIONS
FMBCC's E-Newsletter |
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| Greetings! |
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a first-of-its-kind event where over 40 African-American chamber leaders from across the country came together for peer learning, best practices and to advocate for the Black business community. The US Black Chamber lead by Ron Busby (Busby visited Fresno for FMBCC's high speed rail workshop this past May), hosted the Chamber School of Management to educate, engage and inspire both Black chamber executive leaders and create a network between our local chambers
 | | Tate Hill (Fresno Metro Black Chamber) , Rep. Jim Costa (District , Ali Morris (Kern Co. Black Chamber) during July trip to D.C. |
and Washington DC. Held at Georgetown University and the Capitol, we heard from top administration officials from the EPA, SBA, the Department of Commerce, and even Associate Director Mike Blake from the White House Office of Public Engagement & Intergovernmental Affairs.
Here are some key take-aways from the week-long school:
- Minority businesses will play a key role in the economic viability of the local communities
- 90% of minority-owned firms hire other minorities
- Minority-owned firms must branch out into high margin industries to build wealth within its community
- Strong Cities, Strong Communities will be the transformative initiative of the current Administration
- 40% of federal contracts are awarded in the 4th quarter of the fiscal year (that's now)
- Most federal agencies have goals for contracting (both prime & subcontracting) for small, minority, disabled veteran and women-owned businesses
- The Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (the Jobs Act) is a $30 billion fund that encourages lending to small businesses by providing capital to qualified community banks. See US Treasury-Small Business
- And, I'll take Fresno's dry heat over DC's humid heat any day!
The Fresno Metro Black Chamber is focused on being a strong advocate for supplier diversity right here in the Valley. Whether it's supporting businesses to become certified, connecting members to local or national supplier & contracting networks, or monitoring efforts and business activities, we want to ensure our members access to local and regional opportunities to grow their business.
J. Tate Hill II, President
Fresno Metro Black Chamber
Fresno Metro Black Chamber Foundation
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August Black Business & Professional Network Mixer
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THURSDAY- August 25, 2011
5:30 PM
Kocky's Bar & Grill 1231 Van Ness Ave, Downtown Fresno 93721 www.kockys.com - Join us at the newest downtown eatery
- Help us celebrate national Black Business month
- Learn about the new membership benefits
No cost to attend... networking starts at 5:30 PM |
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Fresno Metro Black Chamber is set to go to CA Black Chamber's Annual Summit
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- Connect with corporate and government Supplier Diversity & Procurement Officers from PGE, ATT, Verizon, State of California-DGS, Southern CA Edison, Comcast, and more
- Build your statewide business network
- Gain insight on capital, the green economy and more
- Take advantage of One-on-one business matching sessions
Join us at the summit and be a part of the FMBCC Exhibitor Booth
showcasing our city and member businesses
Call 441-7929 to lean how to get a registration discount from the Chamber.
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Click picture to go to CA Black Chamber website
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| August is National Black Business Month |
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Stanley Taylor (Passport Rail) talks to James Archie (Vision One) about business opportunities in Fresno
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In the July 2010 issue of Black Enterprise, co-founders Fred Jordan and John Templeton talked about National Black Business Month and suggested a series of ways to support the creation and growth of Black businesses. Here they are with a local twist.
(1) Set aside money for purchases within the Black community. Use the month of August to determine which businesses are accessible to you that offer good service, fair prices and develop a plan for patronizing them.
Local twist: According to the 2010 US Economic Census, there are over 2,300 Black-owned businesses in the Fresno-Clovis-Madera area. These businesses have gross revenue of $185 million every year that employ near 4,000 people. The Chamber online membership directory, available later this month, will be a great resource.
(2) Do business with other Black entrepreneurs. Use National Black Business Month to identify other African-American businesses as potential vendors and subcontractors. You can use the Black Chamber as a good starting point to connect with local Black-owned businesses.
Local twist: The Chamber's list of businesses is growing but we need your help. Help us identify local Black businesses. Click here to help refer businesses.
(3) Encourage government supplier diversity and minority contracting programs. Find out how much local and regional agencies are spending with Black-owned businesses. If you are a small or minority-controlled business, get certified to do business with the government and state regulated utilities like PG&E and AT&T.
Local twist: Look for the Central California Business Diversity Survey this fall that will help measure ethnic diversity amongst the Fresno region's top employers in the categories of employment, management, contracting and philanthropy.
Find out how you can use Black-owned businesses every day of August via the 31 Days, 31 Ways initiative.
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| Where are Fresno area African-Americans? | 
Where are Fresno area African-Americans? A look at the changing demographics Historically, southwest Fresno (aka The West side, Gold Westside, 93706) has been the landing pad for many of the city's ethnicity communities including African-Americans. Due to segregation and Jim Crow housing covenants that limited where Black could live, many lived, shopped, worshiped and went to school in the West Fresno community just south of downtown. Today, the population is gradually shifting to central west and southeast Fresno. While W est Fresno (93706) holds the largest concentration of Black (20.3%) and is the home of a large number of Black-led churches and social clubs, other areas are rapidly becoming new meccas for Black families. Zip code 93722 dubbed the 'New Westside' that stretches from Olive to Shaw west of Freeway 99, accounts for 17% of city's Black population and is one of the fastest growing with a 31% increase since 2000. One out of seven (7) African-Americans live north of Shaw and you are 1.7 times more likely to find one living above Herndon (93720) than in downtown (93721). There are slightly more Black people in the Manchester area (93726) than in all of Madera county and just as many in the Slater Elementary/Quiley Park area (93705) as in Clovis. African-American are moving from the central city & older neighborhoods (93701, 93702, 93704, 93706, 93721) into suburban and new development areas in southeast, northeast and new west areas.  Q: So what does this mean? A: African-Americans are moving into all part of the city. Business. Zip-code targeting will become a less effective niche marketing tool whereas interest-related groups--virtual or real life (social media such as Facebook fan pages, social clubs, professional associations, etc.) will produce better results. This also means there are opportunities to leverage the African-American buying power in various segments of the city. Politics. While t he Black vote was pegged to certain neighborhoods, it means political groups and candidates will need to appeal to African-Americans not only in West Fresno with throughout the entire city. African-Americans can have a large impact in elections of low voter turn city council districts like District 1 and 5 if motivated to vote. Article by Urban Strategic Enterprises, a Fresno-based public & community relations firms specializing in urban and ethnic markets.
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What are the priorities in Fresno's Black Community?
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Are you an African-American business owner or professional?
Are a community or civic leader?
Are you a supporter of Fresno's Black business community?
If you answered YES to any of those then the Chamber needs your help
Take the 2011 Fresno Black Priorities Survey
The annual survey needs your input about priorities in the areas of business, employment, banking & finance, education and leadership.
Survey results will be presented at the 2011 Fresno Urban Leadership Conference
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SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 1, 2011
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FRESNO URBAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Friday - September 30, Urban Leadership Awards Luncheon
Friday - September 30 , Black Business & Professional Network Mixer
Saturday - October 1, State of Black Fresno Panel Series
* DYNAMIC WORKSHOPS * POWERFUL SPEAKERS * EXHIBIT & VENDOR BOOTHS *
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Learn to Lead with Dr. Watts
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LEADERSHIP ADVANTAGE SEMINARS (L.A.S.)
The purpose of Leadership Advantage Seminars is to provide current and emerging leaders with
pertinent information that empowers them to influence, unite and direct people to address critical challenges within the organizations and communities they serve.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Session # 7 - L.A.D.S. (Learning Assessing Diagnosing Solution) Model: For Managing Change and Development ©
Outcomes learners will takeaway...
- Learning approaches for inquiring about complex and intractable gaps
- Assessing techniques that evaluate the nature and significance of gaps
- Diagnosing tools that determine capability and motivation of resources and talent
- Solutions emergent of careful scenario analysis that are robust.
8:30 AM Tornino's 5080 North Blackstone Avenue Fresno, CA 93710-6772 (Blackstone, just north of Shaw behind La Ventana's) Continental Breakfast included Invest in the Chamber: Join FMBCC at the LAS and a portion of your ticket will come back to the Chamber.* Call for the seminar & Chamber's special tickets prices, 559-441-7929. * The Chamber has sponsored a table and has a limited number available complimentary tickets for members. Call to reserve your seat by Friday, August 19. Preference will be given to members.
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New & Returning Members | 
San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC)
Radiance Insurance Martha E. Hernandez Vincent Harris Fresno NAACP Fresno City/County Republican Women Federated Ecclesia University of Divinity
* Renewing Members |
Working for You
| Here's how the Fresno Metro Black Chamber is working for YOU.
June 2011 Testified in support of the SE Fresno WalMart expansion that passed the Fresno Planning Commission & City Council Supported fiscal soundness and public safety in the City Budget with the franchising of commerical solid waste
July 2011
Met with 5 local private colleges & universities about supporting African-American students and faculty diversity Participated in mayor's press conference and first community meeting on Strong Cities\
Communities (SC2) Met with CA Black Chamber president (Sacramento, CA) about supplier diversity opportunities in the Fresno region Attended the US Black Chamber's Advocacy Day in Washington DC where we met representatives from SBA, EPA, Dept. of Commerce, and the US Senate Small Business Committee. Met with DC staff of Congressmembers Denham and Costa about supporting High Speed Rail and local small business opportunities with federal projects Advocated for more small &minority business opportunities in the Valley to Congressmember Costa in Washington DC Testified in support of increased mobile infrastructure capacity and supplier diversity at the CA Public Utilities Commission hearing in Fresno. Met with Councilmember Oliver Baines about supplier diversity opportunities with the City of Fresno
On-going Advocating for greater supplier diversity contracting with corporate members Participation in the Mayor's Community Advisory Panel Regular guest on Valley Black Talk Radio |
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Juneteenth Scholars Luncheon was a success!
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Thank You to our 100 attendees, sponsors, special guest- Mayor Ashely Swearegin and keynote speaker, SCCCD Chancellor Deborah Blue
Information about the scholarship and application will be available in the coming weeks.
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| Your Chamber...Your Investment |
Why does the Chamber matter? The Chamber is a facilitator. The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce is the only organization in central California whose mission is to build the capacity of African-American businesses and to link businesses to the area's $670 million of annual Black buying power.
Its about more than passing our cards-- We Network. The Chamber provides access to key businesses and decision makers that you need to connect to build your business, organization or agency.
This is your Chamber. The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce is open to your ideas about about how we can make our services, events, and activities have a greater impact. Your membership is welcomed.
What do I get for my membership?- Plugged into Fresno's African-American business community and its strategic partners- Networking events and opportunities to promote your business- Numerous discounts with local and national businesses- An advocate for your business- Discounts to Chamber events, workshops and trainingsIs the Chamber worth my investment?Yes-- Membership starts at just $50! For the same price as a good set of business cards, you can tap into the Chamber's resources and relationships. If you looking for more visibility in Fresno's African-American and business community, we offer additional levels of investment.Join the Chamber today. If you would like more information about how we can tailor a membership package to meet your needs, call us at 559-441-7929.
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Central California Business Diversity Report
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Are you one of Central California's top companies for diversity? - employment
- management team or management training
- supplier diversity & minority contracting
- community involvement
then look for the Central California Business Diversity Survey - FALL 2011 |
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