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The United States and Mexico share a deep, longstanding relationship that goes far beyond diplomatic relations to include extensive commercial, cultural, and educational ties, with over $1.6 billion in two-way...

The ESSENCE Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African American cultural and lifestyle events, unfolding over days in New Orleans, Louisiana.  While renowned for the entertainers and A-List celebrities it features, the Festival has evolved in recent years to also highlight much more than music. And this year, the U.S. Commerce Department and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) are on site...

Igniting the Inclusive Innovation Movement

As New Orleans prepares to welcome the 22^nd Annual Essence Festival, the Crescent City and the state of Louisiana anticipate another economic boon from the expected half a million attendees.  The festival, rooted in celebrating African-American music and culture, has become...

Throughout our country’s history, innovators have used the patent system to protect their ideas. From Samuel Hopkin's improved process in making potash, an ingredient in fertilizer in 1790, to the patents of the present day, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has evaluated and safeguarded innovation around the world.

The many years of data relating to innovation are all made publicly...

It's important to form relationships on the ground in order to succeed. The Trade Winds--Latin America trade mission can connect you to key leaders, potential partners, and promising opportunities in seven growing markets.

Trade Winds will feature a Latin America business forum in Chile, along with trade mission stops...

Elliot Park is a second generation entrepreneur, who we are pleased to announce as the MBDA June Entrepreneur of the Month.  Mr. Park is the CEO of Shine Electronics Co., Inc., which is a wireless telecommunication industry leader that specializes in the reverse logistics of wireless and cell phone products. 

Shine Electronics was founded by Park’s father, Kyu H. Park, in 1974 as a service center that provided high-quality, quick-turn, repairs and refurbishments of costly electronic products to companies, such as Motorola, LG Corporation and U.S. Cellular.  In 2014, the company...

The United States and Canada share the world’s largest trading relationship.  The magnitude of the relationship is incredible, accounting for nearly $2 billion in cross border trade each day.  In fact, Canada is the top export market for 35 out of 50 states.  So whether your company is a first-time or seasoned exporter, Canada should be a key component of your overseas growth strategy.

Such deep commercial ties...

Highlighting the critical nature of their role in America’s global economic position, the U.S. Commerce Department launched the first-ever Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Business Summit May 25.

Co-hosted by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) at the Commerce Department, and White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI), the day-long event drew more than 200...

Felicia Pullam is the Director of Outreach for SelectUSA.

The countdown to the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit begins today! In four weeks, June 19-21, President Barack Obama will welcome economic developers from across the country and companies from around the world to Washington, D.C. The SelectUSA...

Watch the DOC Talks

Joann Hill, Chief of MBDA's Office of Business Development and Alika Kumar, Project Director of the Phoenix MBDA Business Center jointly participated in the Department of Commerce's first ever DOC Talks. Together, they gave a talk entitled "Minority Business Enterprise Parity for National Economic Prosperity."

Their unique storytelling approach gave real examples of...

This month, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is proud to introduce Archie Williamson, founder and managing director of Diversified Systems, Inc. (DSI), as the May Entrepreneur of the Month. Archie truly exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, having launched his management consulting firm more than 25 years ago with just $3,000 and a credit card. Today, DSI provides services in 10 states and the District of Columbia, with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

Archie’s journey as an entrepreneur began at the age of 10 where he delivered newspapers and cut neighbors’ lawns....

U.S companies have a brand new resource available to them with the recently released Trans-Pacific Partnership Opportunities by Market report from...

The Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) participation in Hannover Messe 2016 has been an extraordinary experience. With the U.S. participating as the partner country, the U.S. Department of Commerce and Select USA undertook the enormous challenge of ensuring that American businesses and opportunities were front and center for anyone interested in...

Every year, World Trade Month—designated for the month of May—gives us the opportunity to acknowledge the importance of global trade, and look back at the economic advancements we have made as a result. This World Trade Month, we can look back and appreciate the success we have accomplished.

In 2015, our exports totaled $2.23 trillion, we increased our exports to 58 international markets, and we achieved record...

What creates two out of three net new American jobs; produces close to half of our nation’s goods and services (nonfarm private GDP); and can be found, coast to coast, in every small town, big city and rural enclave?

The 28 million small businesses that propel our economy forward and define our national entrepreneurial spirit.

To be American is to have the freedom to innovate, take risks...

This week at Hannover Messe, the largest industrial trade fair in the world, we see abundant evidence that global business is booming.  The fair features more than 6,500 exhibitors, and draws 250,000 visitors to explore innovations in energy, digital factory, industrial automation, industrial supply, and research and technology from leading companies. For the first time since the fair’s founding in 1947, the United...

Ed. note: This post is part of a series highlighting the upcoming Hannover Messe Trade Show April 25—29, 2016. This series will highlight U.S. minority-owned business that will join the MBDA Hannover Messe delegation.

RMiller Consulting Global Advisors Finds Growth Opportunities

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Ed. note: This post is part of a series highlighting the upcoming Hannover Messe Trade Show April 25—29, 2016. This series will highlight U.S. minority-owned business that will join the MBDA Hannover Messe delegation.

Headquartered in Auburn, Massachusetts, Aimtek, Inc....

The Department of Commerce is excited to announce that we are actively seeking candidates to serve on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board).  The Board, established in 2003, serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States.  The Board provides recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce and agencies that are part of the...

With the launch of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Tariff Tool in 2011, the International Trade Administration (ITA) provided a first-of-its-kind way for U.S. businesses to calculate the tariff benefits for their products in U.S. free trade agreement partner countries. ITA has now expanded that tool to include tariff information for the 11 countries that...

Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce established the United States Investment Advisory Council (IAC). This council will serve as a key conduit for stakeholder input on how best to support U.S. economic growth through the attraction and retention of foreign direct investment (FDI).

This Council will consist of no more than 20 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. Each IAC member will serve for a two-year period and the Council will convene twice a year. The mission of the IAC is simple but important for job creation in the United States. The IAC shall:...

We’re proud to announce the April 2016 Entrepreneur of the Month: Ron Shahani, president of Acro Service Corporation. Acro is one of the nation’s largest certified minority business enterprises, providing high-quality personnel and services to organizations of all sizes and industries, including BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Toyota, Ford, NASA, State of New Jersey and many others.

Since opening its doors in 1982, Acro identifies workforce management solutions in information technology (IT), engineering, technical, design, manufacturing, light...

This post concludes Tradeology’s three-part series of Tips for Trade Show Success. Read part one and part two to get even more helpful tips!

Follow-up dos and don’ts

The trade show has ended and you are excited to follow up on all the leads generated at the show. Here are some tips to help make your time and investment at the show pay off:

Businessman Brainstorming...

In the early morning of March 5, 1969, President Richard M. Nixon emerged from the private residence of The White House and received his daily schedule.  As usual, it was packed with ceremonial events and meetings concerning governance.

Tucked between a 7am breakfast with NSA Assistant Director Henry Kissinger, and a lunch-hour meeting with Urban Affairs Assistant, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, President Nixon had an event with a very long title:

“Creation of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise and [signing] the Executive Order, ‘Prescribing Arrangements for...