The Black Business Association (BBA) members have emerged as a Southern California viable supply chain resource for buying organizations seeking to do business with black-owned firms.  The growth of our diverse membership is working well to assist corporate purchasing management personnel with their respective outsourcing operational requirements.  In spite of our expanding accomplishments among BBA members, the twelve months of 2009 were undoubtedly the most bitter-sweet socioeconomic development year in modern history. 

The sweetest part of the year was how it began with the largest harmonic domestic and international jubilation ever.  The public joy expressed when ending two world wars did not emotionally garner the succinct enormity of energetic outpour of optimism over the inauguration of U.S. President Barack Obama.  Living in this time and experiencing our nation and its interaction with other nations, the addition of President Obama provides renewed expectations and a possible fresh era of inclusion.  This was truly the highlight of 2009 and then some. 

For that reason, just as the entire globe set in motion its wonderment with the unprecedented new management in the Whitehouse, the BBA shared in the sensation by dedicating all of its 2009 newspapers to the first term of U.S. President Barack Obama.  The BBA News monthly covers depict different photos and each are accompanied with articles about his unmatched work product.  A sampling of the year in review came from contributing writer Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D., who highlighted in our November issue some of the major advancements completed by the Obama administration.  Dr. Samad discussed items President Obama completed since taking office, including, but not limited to;

The BBA was quite impressed with the decision made by one of our original corporate members, Xerox Corporation, when they appointed as their Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Ursula M. Burns.  Ms. Burns is the first black woman executive to lead a Fortune 150 corporation.  This corporate accomplishment was just as large a sweet treat as when the BBA’s 35^th Annual Awards Dinner in June recognized the industry’s business leaders in American black music. 

The later part of the year we learn about the bitter-sweet changes from Harpo Productions’ preeminent black-owned and operated entertainment long running number-one daytime television program, The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Oprah shared her plans to depart from the general broadcast network in 2011 to cable, but in her words "continue to inspire and entertain people around issues of money, weight, health, relationships, spirit, helping people to raise their children and give back, and teaching people to be all that they can be."  The sweet spot of this change means that her enterprise, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), will be able to expand the business of entertainment.

The bitterest part of the year was of course the immeasurable commercial demise in multiple sectors of money management, transportation, government, and international trade.  The extreme bitter taste was interacting with corporate colleagues about how the weakened economy has caused unusual hardship on their bottom line and even in some cases mayhem within their respective organizations. The economic fallout created charitable gaps in how the BBA could no longer go about doing business as usual achieving its role with outreach proceedings.  In the same way, many BBA members have been forced to reshape their respective business strategies from the resulting limited access to capital, contracts and jobs. 

In March 2009 legislation on small business was introduced for the recovery that has signs of life for our local economy.  The BBA contributed its insights in April 2009, when we traveled to Washington D.C. and met with Ben Shalom Bernanke, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman.  Not surprising was that Bernanke was selected as TIME Magazine's Person of the Year for 2009.  In our brief meeting, we received signs providing a clear belief that our input helped to remind Bernanke how the economy needs to better develop strategies to include and engage small business concerns.  Noticeably was how uncommon Barnanke performs as he does not appear to wield outward power, but acts in calculated professionalism as a creative leader working to produce effectual deliverables, while employing business strategies that strengthen the dollar and expand the job market over the long-term.

In the face of what appeared as an endless stream of austere experiences from corporate America, the outlook for 2010 is already showing resolute promise of renewed commitment from outreach specialist on advancing inclusion opportunities for smaller business enterprises.  One area that provides evidence of a positive economic turnaround results from the rising number of bid opportunities offered by Prime contractors.  The BBA office consistently receives an increasing amount of quality bid invitations for black-owned companies to subcontract or joint bid on public construction and service projects.  The technology to upload these opportunities onto our web site [www.bbala.org] has improved and has become a sweet delivery system of continuous contracting opportunities. 

Next to the actual contract award itself, accessing public and private contracting opportunities through Internet technology will be the BBA’s brightest business model outreach tool for 2010.  In addition, the BBA’s 2010 socioeconomic best viable practices include strategies for incorporating education and professional development, technology, labor management and green commerce for emerging enterprises.  Workshops and conferences will maintain a common thread of introducing and fusing how large and small business can tailor their operations to make inclusion a better reality over the next twelve months.

You are encouraged to take time to review the useful informational aspects contained in this business web site. On behalf of the BBA's Board of Directors and its members, I am greatly appreciative for your interest in the growth of American black business.

With empowering regards,
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