News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2007

Columbus, OH -- The Ohio Department of Development's (ODOD) Division of Minority Business Affairs (DMBA) will participate in the 33rd annual conference of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The national conference will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center March 28 - April 1 and is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from around the world.

"The decision by the National Society of Black Engineers to hold its annual conference in Columbus provides the state with a great opportunity to showcase Ohio to a national audience as an outstanding location to live and work," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as the Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "We are working to increase the potential for all students and workers in specialized fields, like engineering, that will take Ohio's economy to the next level. The opportunity to host the nation's best and brightest black engineers is indeed an honor and will surely help Ohio make its mark in this highly technical field."

The 2007 conference theme is "Our Time, Our Renaissance," and will feature workshops, forums, competitions and roundtable discussions on a variety of topics including academics, cultural and community awareness, leadership development, career advancement and technical excellence in the engineering profession.

The Division of Minority Business Affairs will team with the City of Columbus in hosting a panel discussion entitled, "All About the Business: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know." This discussion will take place on Thursday, March 29 and will highlight the resources available for startup and growth-oriented minority firms. On Friday, March 30, the DMBA will provide an overview of the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership FastTrac^® Program, an educational program that provides entrepreneurs with business insight, leadership skills and professional networking connections to prepare them for the creation of a new business or the expansion of an existing enterprise.

The National Society of Black Engineers is dedicated to the academic and professional success of African-American engineering students and professionals. NSBE is comprised of more than 300 collegiate, 75 professional and 75 pre-college chapters nationwide. The organization offers members leadership training, professional development, mentoring opportunities and career placement services.

The Ohio Department of Development's Division of Minority Business Affairs works to create a business environment in Ohio that assists in the growth and development of minority-owned firms, which are defined as being at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one of the following ethnicities: African-American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian.

For more information about the DMBA visit www.odod.state.oh.us. For more about the NSBE convention, visit www.nsbe.org.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Maria Smith at (614) 466-2382