D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray launched his small business initiative Friday aimed at stimulating the local economy and giving small businesses additional contracting opportunities.
Gray launched HUB D.C. at the Regus business center.
HUB D.C. is part of the Small Business Administration‘s Historically Underutilized Business Zone program.
To be included in the HUBZone program, companies must meet SBA standards and have a majority of their business operating in the HUBZone.
The program website says firms can benefit from competitive opportunity, full and open opportunity, sole-source opportunity and subcontracting.
HUBZones were enacted into law as a result of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997.
Attendees of the center launch included:
- Barbara Lang, president and CEO, D.C. Chamber of Commerce
- Harold Pettigrew, director of the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development
- Chris Cummiskey, homeland security undersecretary for management
- Dan Tangherlini, assistant treasury secretary for management
- Victor Hoskins, D.C. deputy mayor for planning and economic development
- Marie Johns, SBA deputy administrator
- Kimberly Hoover, Regus market director
Pictured (L to R):Vivian Ham, center manager, Regus; Pamela Pietraszko, area director, Regus; Karima Woods, business development specialist, D.C. government; Kimberly Hoover; Mayor Gray; LaKeshia Grant, CEO, Virtual Enterprise Architect; Beth Ball, center manager, Regus; Colleen Stanley, area sales manager, Regus.
