DOT 111-05
Contact: Bill Mosley,  Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Monday, August 22, 2005 

Secretary Mineta Announces Appointment of Minami
As Director of DOT’s Small and Disadvantaged Business Office

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced the appointment of Roger Minami as director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The office helps small, minority-owned, women-owned and other disadvantaged businesses compete for DOT and DOT-assisted contracts and grants.

“Roger brings to DOT a strong recognition of the potential of small businesses to help us build a safer, more efficient and more reliable transportation system,” Secretary Mineta said. “I look forward to working with him as we continue our efforts to involve all segments of the business community in our programs.”

Minami, who was appointed to the position on Aug. 8, comes to DOT from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he served in the agency’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, its Foreign Agricultural Service, and its Marketing and Regulatory Programs. During that time, Minami helped small and disadvantaged businesses find more opportunities in the food industry by negotiating agreements between representatives of the firms and large food-service companies.

Before working for the government, Minami helped create and produce Central Coast Seniors, a weekly news and information television program for active older adults living in Santa Barbara and nearby coastal communities in California.

Minami, who comes from a family farming background, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the University of Southern California. He was active in a number of Japanese American charitable and community-based groups prior to moving from California to Washington, DC. Minami is the first Asian-American to serve as OSDBU director.

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