Minority and Women Entrepreneurs Honored During DOT Awards Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 26, 2000
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 213-00

Minority and women entrepreneurs who have had significant achievements and made vital contributions to the transportation industry and the nation’s economy were honored today at a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Awards Ceremony.

The DOT Awards Ceremony is part of the 18th annual national observance of MED Week Conference which was celebrated Sept. 24 - 27, 2000. The theme for MED Week is: "New Horizons: The Emerging Minority Marketplace."

"President Clinton and Vice President Gore are committed to enabling all Americans to participate in our nation’s prosperity," U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater said. "As we celebrate our past successes, the U.S. Department of Transportation will continue to expand opportunities for minority and women entrepreneurs in all transportation fields."

Secretary Slater noted that the department has exceeded its goals for contract awards to minority-owned businesses for each of the last three years. In 1999, 17.9 percent of DOT contracts went to minority-owned businesses, up from 17 percent the previous year and well above the department’s goal of 14.5 percent. In addition, more DOT contracts are being awarded to businesses owned by women than ever before.

Fifteen persons received awards from the department’s operating administrations and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.

Madeline Fried Fried & Sher, Inc. Herndon, Va.	Xiaoli Han MacroSys Research and Technology Washington, D.C.
Dolly Oberoi C2 Multimedia, Inc. Falls Church, Va.	Ray Fuentez Fuentez Systems Concepts, Inc Charleston, SC
Debra J. Hess/Laurett A. Manuel DTL Professionals Baltimore, Md.	Donna Bridgeforth Bridgeforth Wolf & Associates Washington, D.C.
Josephine Guenther Sun Bay Contracting, Inc. Virginia Beach, Va.	David St. Etienne Ultimate Marketing Harvey, La.
Bernard Lee LABBLEE Corp. Harvard, Mass.	Mary Anne Elliott Arrowhead Space & Telecommunications, Inc. Falls Church, Va.
Bhasker D. Agarwal Information Systems and Services, Inc. Silver Spring, Md.	Rena Lee Infologics Corporation Potomac, Md.
Ashley Chen ActioNet, Inc. Vienna, Va.	Duane (Gille) Neshek Arrow-Crete Construction, LLC West Allis, Wis.
Bonnie Jean Rimel-Johnson Boon-J Contracting Inc., of Florida Chuluota, Fla.
Two small businesses received awards from the Office of the Secretary. The recipients are:
Henry Frain Compusearch Software System Dulles, Va.	William Bently Graphic Visions Associates Gaithersburg, Md.
Eleven governmental officials were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department in the area of minority and women-owned business enterprises:
Reginald Holloway Procurement Center Representative Small Business Administration	Kimberly Marshall Program Analyst Federal Transit Administration
Illona Williams Director, Office of Acquisition and Grants Services Federal Railroad Administration	Peter Frechette Small Business Specialist Coast Guard Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic
Jennifer Gooden Management/Program Analyst Federal Aviation Administration	John Lippe Contract Specialist Federal Aviation Administration Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
Gerald A. Lewis, Sr. Procurement Analyst Federal Aviation Administration	Erica L. Williams Contracting Officer Maritime Administration
Mary E. Doherty Chief, Contracts and Small Business Programs Branch VOLPE National Transportation Systems Center	Alan Block Research Psychologist, Office of Research and Evaluation Division National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Annette Bailey DBE Supportive Services Coordinator Ohio Department of Transportation
In addition, five departmental officials were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the department in the area of women-owned business advocates:
Inez C. Williams Federal Aviation Administration	Rhonda Dews Federal Railroad Administration
Dale Moore Johnson Federal Transit Administration	Lisa Wilusz Research and Special Programs Administration
Phyllis Miriashtiani United States Coast Guard