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MBDA National Director Alejandra Y. Castillo to lead a delegation to Hannover Messe


Hannover Messe is the world’s largest industrial technology trade fair and for the first time in the fair’s modern history, the United States is the official partner country.

The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), will join President Obama, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and top business leaders from around the world at the Hannover Messe trade fair April 25 - 29, 2016 in Hannover, Germany. 

MBDA National Director Alejandra Y. Castillo will lead a delegation of minority business owners and stakeholders to demonstrate not only the value of minority business enterprises’ (MBEs) products and services, but also opportunities to advance transatlantic trade and access to U.S. markets through collaboration with minority businesses.

“We are honored to have our minority entrepreneurs join us on this historic trip,” said MBDA National Director Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This is a significant opportunity for our MBEs to build global partnerships and forge connections to access an even larger audience for their businesses.”

MBDA will also lead a U.S.-German a policy roundtable titled Changing Demographics:  Fostering Inclusive Entrepreneurship. With the ethnic, gender, and generational make-up rapidly changing in  many countries around the world, this timely conversation will focus on policies, programs and best practices to confront economic inequalities in immigrant, refugee and migrant populations through entrepreneurship.

The MBDA Hannover Messe delegation will include:

  • Rachelle Blake, CEO/President and Managing Director, Omni Micro Systems/Omni Med Solutions
  • Gary Davis, President & CEO, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
  • Adam Garfein, Ph.D., Partner and Co-Founder, Menawat & Co
  • Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO, The ACT—1 Group and Agile1
  • Towan Isom, President and CEO, Isom Global Strategies
  • Tony Jimenez, President & CEO, MicroTechAmar Kapur, President & CEO, Aimtek, Inc.
  • Matthew Lee, President & CEO, Fastech, Inc.
  • Arturo Martinez, Operations Manager, Simsa Inc.
  • Gerardo Payan, CEO of Conexer LLC
  • Wilfredo A. Reyes Miller, ESQ., M.A., RMiller Consulting Global Advisors
  • Jorge G Sanchez, CEO/President, SANA International Commerce, Inc.
  • Saksit Suetrong, President & CEO, iA-Robotics
  • Jeff Vigil, President & CEO, My Business Matches
  • Joset Wright-Lacy, President & CEO, National Minority Supplier Development Council

MBDA will exhibit at Hannover Messe in the premier U.S. Investment Pavilion, Hall 3, Stand F06, (38). To learn more about the MBDA delegation and Hannover Messe, please visit: http://www.mbda.gov/hannovermesse.

MBDA Hannover Messe Delegation

Contact: Dijon Rolle, (202) 482-1375, drolle@mbda.gov

About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

MBDA, www.mbda.gov, is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Our programs and services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally, nationally and internationally. Services are provided through a network of MBDA Business Centers. After 45 years of service, MBDA continues to be a dedicated strategic partner to all U.S. minority-owned businesses, committed to providing programs and services that build size, scale and capacity through access to capital, contracts and markets. Follow us on Twitter @usmbda.