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Historical Ovcntiem <br /> • October 1987 the city of South Bend adopts Affirmative Action Ordinance#7811-87 <br /> • November of 1987,under the direction of Chamber President Stephen Quieor,the <br /> Chamber of Commerce of St Joseph County held a board retreat and included on the <br /> agenda was the topic of a county-wade minority business development initiative. A Task <br /> Force of nine Chamber board members was created to undertake a needs-based study and <br /> present their findings to Chamber leadership. The Task Force included Gene Bruce,Carl <br /> Ellison,Hollis Hughes,Debra Kelly-Walsh,John Phair,Rick Rice,Ben Tyler,Robert <br /> Watkins,and fames Wyllie. <br /> • July 1988 a survey was created by the Task Force and mailed by the Chamber to a list of <br /> seventeen(17)minority owned businesses licensed in St Joseph County, <br /> • February 1989 a report and)five recommendations from the Task Force were presented at a <br /> Chamber board meeting. The five recommendations included: <br /> 1. Entrepreneurial education,counseling and mentoring <br /> 2. Access to affordable credit and capital, <br /> 3. Inclusion in government procurement opportunities; <br /> 4. Opportunities to bid on jobs and contracts as a primary contractor or subcontractor with <br /> major companies and organizations. <br /> 5. Access to skilled,motivated workers. <br /> • March 1989 Chamber organizes meetings with South Bend Mayor,Joseph Kernan and <br /> Mishawaka Mayor,Robert Beutter to discuss the benefits of a minority business <br /> development program and to garner their support <br /> • May 1989 the Chamber President sends a proposal,supported by both mayor's Kernan and <br /> Beutter,to the Small Business Administration(SBA)for management and technical <br /> assistance. <br /> • December 1989 the SBA rejects the Chamber's proposaL <br /> • December 1989 the Chamber is granted Neighborhood Assistance program(NAP)*credits <br /> in the amount of$20,000 to be used for the creation of a minority business development <br /> program. <br /> "The Neighborhood Assistance Pmgram(NAP)was created to provide 501(c)5 or 501(c)4 not-for-profit oigmizations with a <br /> tool to increase charitable contributions,expand their donor base and achieve a higher level of self-sufficiency.Additionally,the <br /> program strives to provide art incentive for citizens to improve the standard of living and quality of life fur those less fortunate in <br /> their community. <br /> ® May 19"a chartered agreement for the creation of a Minority Business Development <br /> Council(MBDC)is signed and charter members are appointed. <br /> 3 <br /> This propopal was compiled and created by Sallie and Associates—uffieassocktes@aot.com <br />