MINORITY AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS BUILD INROADS TO AIRPORT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
First Western Regional Airport Minority Advisory Council Conference Held April 26 - 27
(Los Angeles, California -- April 26, 2001) The Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), and the City of Inglewood are hosting a forum today for entrepreneurs, designed to promote the growth of airport-related businesses owned by women and minorities.
The first Western Regional Business Diversity Conference on April 26 and 27 at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton will provide minorities and women with knowledge and tools to help them take advantage of a wide range of airport-related business opportunities.
Clarence Daniels, AMAC Western Regional director and president and chief executive officer of Concessions Management Services, Inc., said, "The world of airport commerce can appear very complex when you are on the outside looking in. AMAC is pleased to offer this conference in hopes of demystifying what it takes to do business in airports, especially for minority-, women-, and disadvantaged-owned business enterprises."
"Businesses and organizations are becoming more aware that diversity is a tremendous asset which helps an organization move in the right direction," said LAWA Executive Director Lydia H. Kennard, who is the keynote speaker at the conference. "This conference is designed to enhance our neighboring communities' awareness of, and to help them benefit from, the many opportunities airports have to offer businesses and individuals," she added.
Jerry M. Givens, deputy city administrator for the City of Inglewood, said, "The City of Inglewood is delighted to be associated with the AMAC conference and its efforts to foster and promote business development programs that will reach out and assist qualified small, minority and local business enterprises to enhance their expertise and competitiveness when seeking business with the airport industry. It’s our hope that programs such as these will encourage and attract a far greater range of our business community, which has not traditionally had the opportunity to do business with Los Angeles World Airports."
The conference included workshops and panels featuring major airport contractors, airport executives, local business assistance programs, and successful small-business owners.
The opening session included remarks by Rocky Delgadillo, Los Angeles deputy mayor of economic development; John J. Agoglia, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners; Dr. Warren W. Valdry and Christopher Pak, members of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners; William Withycombe, Federal Aviation Administration Western-Pacific Regional administrator; and Linda Moore, chair of AMAC.
Established in 1998, AMAC is a national, non-profit organization designed to promote the participation of minority- and women-owned businesses in airport contracts; to encourage the employment of minorities and women in the airport industry; and to participate in advocacy, outreach and educational efforts to foster economic growth.
Los Angeles World Airports is a self-supporting department within the City of Los Angeles, which owns and operates a world-class system of four airports: Los Angeles International, Ontario International, Palmdale Regional, and Van Nuys. LAWA's combined airports move 74 million passengers and 2.7 million tons of cargo annually; employs, directly and indirectly, more than 410,000 people; and pumps nearly $70 billion into the Southern California economy. Additional information about LAWA may be obtained at www.lawa.org.
The City of Inglewood, through its Redevelopment Agency, aggressively sought funding from federal and state agencies to enhance the quality of life for its residents in 1998. The initial funding went toward a major revitalization of the City’s original central business district, along with public improvements. The City of Inglewood has set in place several programs to accommodate the demand for small business loans in an effort to respond to its business community’s needs. The hope is that new businesses will locate in Inglewood or expand their existing operations to meet the community’s growing needs and to become more connected to the surrounding communities, including the airport area. Visit www.cityofinglewood.org for more information.
