Minority Business Development Agency

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that promotes growth and competitiveness of the United States' minority-owned businesses. The first and current National Director is Ronald N. Langston.

MBDA's stated mission is "to actively promote the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses by providing access to public/private debt and equity financing, market opportunities, and management and business information; coordinating and leveraging public and private resources; and, facilitating strategic alliances." The main feature of the organization and it's site is to provide free consulting services to minority business developers. There are four detailed guidelines for the following: access to markets, access to capital, management and technical assistance, and education and training.

History

On March 5, 1969, Richard Nixon wrote Executive Order 11458, establishing the Office of Minority Business Enterprise. In 1979, the agency was renamed the Minority Business Development Agency.

Ronald N. Langston, was appointed the MBDA National Director by United States President George W. Bush on March 19, 2001.

External links

• Minority Business Development Agency website

Resources

Alkalimat, Abdul. The African American Experience in Cyberspace. Pluto Press, 1994.