National Black Chamber of Commerce Holds Annual Conference in Houston

Texas Black Businesses Show 4th Largest Growth

WASHINGTON, July 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Black Chamber of Commerce® will hold its 18th Annual National Convention on July 22-24, in Houston at the Four Seasons Hotel. "It is fitting to hold our meeting in Texas, which had the fourth largest growth of Black business among all states according to the just released numbers on small business from the US Census Bureau," stated Harry C. Alford, president and CEO of NBCC.  Alford continued, "This isn't a coincidence.  There is cause and effect and something happened during the Bush years." It appears to the National Black Chamber of Commerce that a reduction in business taxes and personal taxes, plus a prohibition on Project Labor Agreements (union only jobs) and a strong push in federal procurement paid dividends to American entrepreneurs.

This year's meeting theme is "Energy and Technology: The Drivers of the American Economy." These fields are growing, evolving and potentially the source of many new contracts for small businesses and thus the creation of new jobs.  Among the other topics to be discussed are energy alternatives from an entrepreneur's perspective, growth of small business, project labor agreements and contracting opportunities. John Transvina, Assistant Secretary of HUD will be on hand to discuss compliance of Section 3, and former Congressman J.C. Watts will explain how the national debt affects our businesses.  RNC Chairman, Michael Steele will give remarks, Walter Ulrich, President/CEO of the Houston Technology Center, Sherman Lewis III, Chairman of The Lewis Group LLP, and publisher of the Root.com, Donna Byrd will address the audience.

The top ten states for Black owned businesses per the US Census: 1. New York with 204,093; 2. Georgia with 183,876; 3. Florida with 181,469; 4. Texas with 154,255; 5. California with 137,875; 6. Illinois with 106,679; 7. Maryland with 102,130; 8. North Carolina with 83,880; 9. Michigan with 72,549 and 10. Virginia with 63,399.

Registration is open to the public and can be made by logging onto the National Black Chamber of Commerce® website, www.nationalbcc.org

SOURCE National Black Chamber of Commerce