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Contact: Alan Fogg, afogg@fceda.org,
703-790-0600 (office) or 571-213-5065 (mobile)
Fairfax County EDA’s Karen Smaw named one of “Fifty Influential Minorities in Business”
Honor bestowed at Minority Business & Professionals Network annual gala
Fairfax County , Virginia USA, July 5, 2005 – Minority Business & Professionals Network, Inc. (MBPN) named Karen Smaw, director of small and minority business development for the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), to this year’s list of “Fifty Influential Minorities in Business.” Ms. Smaw received her award at a June 22 gala hosted by MBPN. Minority Enterprise Advocate magazine published the list of awardees in its May/June 2005 issue.
MBPN recognizes minority men and women nationally based on their commitment to business growth, professional excellence and the community.
"We are all very proud of Karen. This award to her also recognizes the value that Fairfax County places on small, woman- and minority-owned businesses and their contributions to our economic vitality," said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA.
Ms. Smaw is responsible for the creation and implementation of programs and services to help small, minority- and woman-owned companies grow and succeed in Fairfax County. She has more than 10 years of experience working with minority and female entrepreneurs. She is involved in the community through membership on the George Mason University Life Advisory Board, the Community Business Partnership and the Herndon-Dulles Chamber of Commerce among other organizations.
Fairfax County is home to six companies on Black Enterprise magazine’s 2005 list of the 100 largest African American-owned companies. The county hosts five of the 100 largest Asian American-owned companies, according to DiversityBusiness.com, and 11 of the 500 largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States, according to Hispanic Business magazine.
Business growth helps Fairfax County fund public services such as the nation’s top-rated public school systems that contribute to the quality of life. Fairfax County offers businesses a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport and a well-educated workforce.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org), which has been recognized by Site Selection magazine as one of the top economic development groups, promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA assists businesses by identifying possible sites and facilities, and provides demographic and economic statistics. The FCEDA’s Capital Attraction Program links technology entrepreneurs with potential investors, and another program supports the growth of small and minority-owned companies. The FCEDA maintains overseas offices in Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, Seoul and Tel Aviv.
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