Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and GlaxoSmithKline Announce Supplier Business Initiative Stu...( Joint Effort to Increase the Capacit...),Health

Joint Effort to Increase the Capacity of the Nation's Small Disadvantaged

Businesses

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) today announced the results of a comprehensive Supplier Business Initiative study aimed at helping Corporate America assist small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs).

Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D-Fla.), chairman of the CBCF board of directors, and Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus -- and senior-level representatives from three other companies committed to diversity -- joined officials from CBCF and GSK in promoting the urgent need to help SDBs compete in a 21st century global economy.

The lawmakers, executives and officials joined in releasing the study's results at the 37th Annual Legislative Conference, a four-day event which opened today at the Washington Convention Center. The speakers said their efforts are dedicated to the memory of Parren J. Mitchell, a Congressional Black Caucus co-founder who championed small and minority businesses during his storied 16-year career in the House of Representatives. Rep. Mitchell died in May at age 85.

In 2005, CBCF and GSK expanded their partnership to increase the ability of small disadvantaged businesses to better compete. The Supplier Business Initiative's Corporate Advisory Council, created to advise and direct the initiative, commissioned a study to look at existing U.S. policy concerning the U.S. Small Business Administration's SDB program.

Thomas D. Boston, Ph.D., and Linje R. Boston, of the Atlanta-based EuQuant firm researched specific goals while compl
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