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| Cheryl Myers, Director |
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Cheryl Myers, Director, Economic and Business Equity
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Welcome to our website. We hope the information is useful and relevant to your business.
We accomplished a lot in 2011: we formed the Diversity & Inclusion Agency Head Kitchen Cabinet and the Procurement Advisory Team. We held meetings around the state, engaging with businesses, the nine federally recognized tribes, chambers, trade organizations, local governments and economic development organizations. With the passage of Cool Schools legislation, interested contractors can register to participate here on our website.
We also increased awareness of certified firms at the agency level and are working to streamline the certification process. Collaboration with public and private sectors is helping to identify best practices and methods to provide greater support to the certified community.
This past year, we saw an increase in the dollar volume of contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned firms by the 11 state agencies originally designated by Executive Order in 2008. In 2012, Governor Kitzhaber issued a new Executive Order, expanding the number of participating state agencies to 21 and urging all remaining agencies to participate. Governor Kitzhaber also called for data collection for Emerging Small Businesses. The Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN) will undergo its first upgrade in 20 years; stay tuned for further information and training.
We thank Oregon’s business owners – you are the backbone of our economy, and your achievements reflect well on you, but also on our state. Please let us know how we may assist you and be a key partner in your business’s growth.
Warmest regards,
Cheryl Myers
Director
Economic and Business Equity
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| Director's Vision |
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- To dramatically increase the inclusion and participation of Oregon's certified small businesses
- To be a key connector in the awareness, priority and relevance of small business as an economic driver in Oregon
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| About the Director's Position |
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The Director of Economic & Business Equity was established as part of the Governor’s Office. The position of the Director was created in statute and is a cabinet-level position within the Governor’s Office. The Director is appointed by the Governor and serves as a senior policy advisor to the Governor on issues related to minority-owned, women-owned and emerging small business. The Director's most important role is to create access to contracting opportunities for certified firms.
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