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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alan Fogg,
Director of Communications
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600
ExxonMobil, Capital One, Riggs Bank, McGuireWoods leaders to co-chair regional conference for culturally diverse entrepreneurs
Emerging Business Forum gaining wide corporate, government support
Fairfax County, Virginia, April 1, 2002 — Leaders from four of the Washington area’s most prominent businesses will co-chair the second annual Emerging Business Forum designed to help culturally diverse entrepreneurs and enterprises build professional relationships with established companies, financial investors and purchasers of technology products and services.
Chairing the 2002 conference, as he did at the first conference, will be James W. Dyke Jr., a partner at the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP. Co-chairs are J.S. “Steve” Simon, president of ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Company; Nigel W. Morris, president and chief operating officer of Capital One Financial Corporation; and Terrie G. Spiro, executive vice president and head of relationship banking at Riggs Bank N.A.
“This is an outstanding array that represents the broad-based Washington-area business community well,” Dyke said. “It shows a high level of commitment to making sure this area has opportunities for our diverse community of business people and goes a long way toward assuring this year's Forum should be even better than last year's success.”
The 2002 Emerging Business Forum is scheduled for October 20-22 at the Fairview Park Marriott hotel in Fairfax County, Virginia. A kickoff reception featuring Virginia Gov. Mark Warner is set for April 29 at Exxon Mobil Corporation, 3225 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Virginia, to promote the forum to Washington-area executives.
The 2001 event drew more than 400 attendees and forged business and mentoring partnerships between established and emerging companies. The 2002 Forum will have four goals under the theme of “Building bridges and breaking barriers”:
· Educate emerging companies by enhancing their management knowledge and confidence, support management diversity, and build awareness of the benefits of doing business with emerging businesses;
· Accelerate access of emerging companies to funding sources and improve negotiation skills;
· Improve marketing skills through presentation and media training;
· Identify strategic partners among established companies, leveraging strengths in corporate and government expertise and recognizing merger and acquisition candidates.
The forum also will showcase the success of emerging entrepreneurs and companies throughout the Washington, D.C., region. The Washington area is one of the top locations in the country for diversely owned enterprises, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
In addition to ExxonMobil, Capital One, Riggs Bank and McGuireWoods, other supporters of the 2002 Emerging Business Forum include the Fairfax County (Virginia) Economic Development Authority, the District of Columbia, the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Economic Development and (names of companies, government organizations, organizations).
More information about the 2002 Emerging Business Forum is available at www.emergingbusinessforum.org.
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