Following are highlights of the UEC/SMCC partnership. Our intention is to acknowledge the wealth of talent and commitment to assuring all businesses are served by SMCC. Apologies for any omissions.

"Next year we’re going to march not just for civil rights but for silver rights “

Created Visionary Leaders

Jesse Wineberry State Representative,

43rd District

A peaceful march on Martin Luther King Day from the Central District to the Chamber led to creation of a partnership between the Puget Sound region’s African- American community and the Chamber

Who Sought to CombineBusiness and Social Justice

1992

The GSCC created the UEC in 1993 to champion and increase the growth and

success of multicultural businesses.

Integration was their Goal

“The fact that Seattle's business community, (led by George Duff), was willing to make an extra effort

to be inclusive and help all businesses succeed – was good news."

Bob Watt, Deputy Mayor

for Norman Rice

Central District Leaders

"It was a heady time; a time of possibilities and breaking through barriers.  

We realize now that diversity is more complex than race, but a major accomplishment of the UEC was its ability to put racial and economic equity in the center of the business community's agenda. "  

Steve Leahy,GSCC Past President & CEO

Herman L. McKinneyUEC Executive Director 1993-2007

Through the UEC, McKinney helped find employment for more than 6,000 residents of the Central Area and the Rainier Valley. Photo by Jon Marmor

Part 1- The Early Years

Goals

• Inner city revitalization, jobs, small business incubators

• “Its Time To Talk” forums to improve race relations- attended by over 10,000 people at nine events.

• Increased hiring of people of color and assistance to “minority” businesses

Herman L. McKinneyOctober, 2011

"People of color just weren't being hired at the time. It was a huge problem and the Chamber felt they had to do something.

The UEC tried to address a number of issues- especially race, because I felt if we got to know each other better we'd diminish prejudice toward minority populations and increase hiring."

Speakers and Guests

1 2

3

4

Speakers and Guests

1 2

3

4

1

3

2

4

Partial list of Key Note Speakers:

Taylor Branch Eric DysonU.S. Sen. Bill Bradley Toi DerricotteMona Lake Jones John Hope FranklinJulian Bond Angela OhAnna Deavere Smith Ray SuarezMorris Dees Wilma Mankiller William RaspberryYolanda King

“It’s Time to Talk” Forums

Funders-

Seattle FoundationEli Lilly CorporationUS Bancorp FoundationWells FargoSafeco InsuranceBoeingYWCAStarbucks

Key Foundation Macy’s (Federated Department Store)CostcoMicrosoftGroup HealthRegents Blue ShieldThe Gates Foundation

Funders 1993-2010

Dr. Skip RowlandExecutive Director 2008-2010

Photo by Michael T. Wu

Part 2- The Vision Expands

A Commitment to Local Business

Goals

• Growing businesses through multicultural relationships, world-class knowledge and skills

• Strengthening collaboration through cross-cultural business organizations

• Unifying voice for a business-friendly climate on the local, regional and state level

• Fostering international connections in the global economy

The Puget Sound region is recognizedas a multicultural magnet for the brightest minds and most innovative business entities in the world.

The unique value of the UEC is its ability to capture the imaginations of multicultural communities and focus their attention on business development.

Dr. Rowland’s Vision

UEC’s mission is even more important in today’s diverse and global economy.

Urban Enterprise Center and AffiliatesStrategic Alignment

Ethnic Chambers

Global Relationships

Puget Sound Connections

B2B Mentoring

Ethnic Engagement

New Leaders

LegislativePolicy

Community Engagement

Technical Assistance

Communications & Public Relations

Business Development

UEC Committees

Legislative Policy – Glenn Gregory, Chair

• Established small, minority, and historically under-utilized businesses Regional Legislative Action Committee.

• Introduced initiatives to State Legislators, recruited candidates for public office and attendees at GSCC Public Officials Reception.

Technical Assistance – Erica Chung, Chair

• Established Minority Business Roundtable for topics such as access to capital; financial and human resources management; leadership development and marketing.

• Produced a Clean Energy Forum to showcase minority businesses at GSCC Annual Leadership Conference

2009 Accomplishments

2009 Accomplishments (continued

Multicultural Community Outreach – Mike Sotelo, Chair

• Participated in and promoted International Study Mission to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Oman with the GSCC.

• Co-sponsored Boeing’s 2009 Supplier Diversity Conference and presented at the 2009 GSCC/Microsoft Business Symposium.

• Co-developed “Declaration of Interdependence” with King County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that calls for multicultural unity in Regional recovery.

• Co-developed “The Regionalism Project” with African American Partners for Prosperity and the Prosperity Partnership.

Business Development –

• Established and produced monthly Herman L. McKinney BUSINESS & CULTURES Diversity Forums

• Represented the UEC at numerous multi-cultural business events, Supplier Diversity Conference and GSCC Annual Trade Show.

Communications – Albert Torres, Chair

• Established UEC Communications Platform and co-developed with GSCC staff the UEC member database, website, newsletter, dashboard and Annual Survey.

2009 Accomplishments (continued)

• Cross-cultural discussions about today’s global workforce and business community.

• Connections with leaders from growing multicultural businesses in the region

• Trends and market strategies to help small businesses grow

HLM Diversity Forums

Legislative Policy- Glenn Gregory, Erica Chung and Natasha Savage

Business Development- Lee Mozena

Multicultural Community Engagement- Mike Sotelo, Norman Sigler and Lawrence Pang

Technical Assistance-Tonnette Bufford

Communications & Public Relations- Albert Torres, Cheryl Engelear and Elizabeth Adams

Thanks to Committee Chairs

and HLM Forum Guests

Muckleshoot Tribe Leaders and Diversity Forum attendees

MBDO Partnerships

The Greater Seattle Chinese ChamberThe King County Hispanic ChamberThe Washington State Filipino ChamberThe Washington Vietnamese-American ChamberThe African ChamberThe Breakfast GroupThe Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA)

Thank You Advisory Board

Add 80 names here

Thank You Advisory Board

David Allen Kevin Baker Tony BenjaminAlexander Borromeo Steve Boyer William BradfordMarja Brandon Norward Brooks Tonnette BuffordSheila Burrus Phil Bussey Carol ButterfieldDoreen Cato Marget Chappel Christine ChenLuise Chernin Erica Chung Cynthia CooperTracy Corley Novelett Cotter Felecia CrumbleyCraig Dawson Mark Dederer Ruben Del ValleDavid Della James DonaldsonCheryl EngelaerJack Faris Bobby Forch Jose GaitanOllie Garrett Peter Gishuru Regina GlennJanice Greene Glenn Gregory George Griffin IIICrisobal Guillen Amani Harris Andrew HarrisBob Hasegawa James Hereford Paul JacksonRobert Jeffrey, Jr. Leslie Jones Emmy JordonSam Kaplan Elaine Ko Steve Leahy

Advisory Board Thankscontinued

Evelyn Lemoine Greg Lins Phillis MayoNate Miles Stacy Moon David MooreLee Mozena Robert Hellams Julie NelsonKirk Nelson Quang Nguyen George NorthcroftEleanor Oshitoye Patti Payne James PeoplesGilbert Petitt Silas Potter Linneth Riley-HallJohn Rosellini Leon Rowland Lewis RuddRita Ryder Loudes Sampera-Tsukada Eric SchinfeldGreg Scully Mike Skinner Mike SoteloAlan Sugiyama Eri Takahashi Jim ThomasALbert Torres Maria Tringali Wilfredo Tutol Jr.George Twiss Solomon Uwadiale Victor ValdezTayloe Washburn

UEC MBDOs• Urban Financial Services Coalition• African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native

Americans of Spokane, WA (AHANA)• Eastern European Chamber of Commerce• The African American Partners for Prosperity

(AAPP)• William Factory Business Group• The Muckleshoot Tribe• Salam Business Group• The Tabor 100

…More Partnerships

"The UEC helped transform the Chamber into a better, more inclusion-minded organization.

Originally focused on race relations, its vision expanded to connect the Chamber to multicultural business communities through-out the region, using strategies never attempted before.”

Glenn GregoryUEC Chair

• Seattle Times• Seattle Post Intelligencer• Puget Sound Business Journal• Colors NW• Real Change

Press 1993-2011

• Over 70 attendees at the Regional Leadership Conference at Suncadia

• Panelists were established, clean energy small business owners committed to creating opportunities for green jobs in the local economy

Clean Energy Forum 2009

“I've watched the very important conversations about race take place and this was a necessary step. It's slow progress but we're moving the needle.  The question remains, how do we include businesses owned by all people in the region? If we don't do this there will be a drag factor on our economy. If we do, we'll be constantly lifting and it will be effortless."

Jose GaitanOctober, 2011

 

Thank you, Skip

“ The UEC is an example of the Chamber at its best and Seattle at its best.”  

Jack FarisGSCC Past President & CEO

Multicultural Businesses in the Clean Economy

September 15, 2011

Goals- To explore points of commonality around economic recovery and advance clean tech opportunities

Multicultural Businesses in the Clean Economy

September 15, 2011

Key Sponsors-

• Business Leaders

for Climate Solutions

• NW Minority Suppliers

Development Council

• SMCC

Multicultural Businesses in the Clean Economy

September 15, 2011

Growing Opportunities and Creating Sustainable Jobs

May 2011- October 2011Multicultural Business Task Force

Part 3 – 2011 and Onward

T Thank you Task Force Members-

• Jose Gaitan • Glenn Gregory

• Mike Sotelo • Lawrence Pang

• Sheila Burrus • Norman Rice

• Mary McWilliams • Donald King

• Bob Drewel • Bob Donegan

• Fernando Martinez • Dr. William Bradford

• Eric Pettigrew • Steve Brilling

The Chamber is committed to infusing the interests of multicultural businesses

throughout the organization –from program development to

events and publicity.

José Gaitan                                                                     Phil BusseyChair                                                                                President & CEO

"We are no longer our grandfather's organization- we are a different organization"

This Project is a “living history”. If you have photos to add to this story please send them

to Evelyn at the Chamber or write to evelynl@seattlechamber.com.

The UEC History Project will be posted and updated on the SMCC website.

Special thanks to the following:UEC Volunteers, Evelyn Lamoine and the SMCC staff, and countless individuals who’ve made this

partnership possible and prosper.

Thank you and goodnight