Skip to main content

Championing Enterprise Development

The most prominent business leaders of color in the Oregon and Southwest Washington region were in attendance at the Minority Business Opportunity Committtee Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week luncheon and trade show. Held at the Oregon Convention Center, the event honored some of the successful minority business owners in the region.

In the past year, Colors of Influence has had the privilege of profiling the accomplishments of many exemplary business leaders of color who were in attendance at the event.



Faye Burch, principal of F.M. Burch & Associates Inc., received two awards: Professional Service Firm of the Year and the Small Business Administration Small Business Champion Award. Faye, one of the co-founders of the National Association of Minority Contractors of Oregon (NAMCO) is a tireless advocate for small and minority-owned businesses. F.M. Burch & Associates Inc. specializes in public involvement, and community and business development projects. Presenting the Minority Small Business Champion Award to Faye is Janie Millican, president of the Oregon Native American Chamber of Commerce.

Roy Jay, left, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce, presented the Service Contractor of the Year award to Ronaldo Mazyck, owner of Paper Chase Recycling Service Inc. For more than 20 years, Paper Chase has been a leader and advocate for recycling and proud to report that it has recycled more than 25,000 tons of paper over the last 20 years. In 1995, Paper Chase received the Minority Business Supplier of the Year Award by the Northwest Region of the Small Business Administration.



Jaime Lim, left, president of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon, congratulates Maurice Rehming and Alida (Ali) O'Neill of O'Neill Electric Inc., the firm that garnered this year's Construction Contractor of the Year award. President Maurice Rehming, center, has been involved in the electrical field for more than 20 years. O'Neill Electric has grown in sales to $3.2 million in 2006, up from $320,000 in 1999. Projected sales for 2007 is approaching $4 million. Both Maurice and Ali believe in "hands-on" ownership and are involved in every aspect of running the business.


President Ken M. Vigil, P.E. (left) and Paul Agrimis, won the SBA Minority Business Award for Vigil-Agrimis Inc., a leader in environmental restoration design in the Pacific Northwest. Vigil-Agrimis' multidisciplinary teams of design professionals have provided planning, analysis and design for water and natural resources projects on hundreds of waterways and wetlands. Some of their recent projects include restoring a half-mile section of Johnson Creek at Tideman Johnson Park; completing a new culvert and stream restoration project on Wolfe Creek near Tillamook; and designing habitat improvements at the confluence of Stephens Creek with the Willamette River.

Gale Castillo (right), executive director of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, presents the Corporate Diversity Firm of the Year award to Blake Devine, Skanska USA Project executive. Blake, a 26-year veteran of the construction industry, led the Skanska "Boost" Team in 2007. Under his guidance, eight Skanska employees tackled a rigorous, long-term program at creating and promoting opportunities for minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses. The Boost program continues to be developed, and the team has already made significant strides in growing opportunities for minority small business owners.

Popular posts from this blog

Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

In "Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto," renowned Marxian scholar and philosopher Kohei Saito offers a compelling argument against the relentless pursuit of economic growth that permeates contemporary capitalism. Saito’s thesis focuses on the concept of degrowth—a radical reduction in production and consumption that aligns with sustainable ecological limits rather than constant expansion. Pictured above is Kohei Saito Saito makes a significant and timely contribution to the ongoing conversation about sustainable living. Slow Down adopts an interdisciplinary approach, drawing insights from environmental science, economics, and social theory to present a clear and urgent depiction of the current ecological crisis. Saito critiques the widely accepted belief that economic growth equates to progress and questions the sustainability of existing global consumption patterns. He advocates for a fundamental reshaping of our economic systems to prioritize human well-being and ecologica...
Read more

Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...
Read more

Minding the Wealth Gap

As a Black investor and startup founder, Cliff Goins IV brings firsthand experience and sharp insight to one of America’s most urgent issues: the racial wealth gap. Having navigated the worlds of finance and entrepreneurship, Goins has seen up close the systemic disparities in wealth creation, access to capital, and asset management. From unequal opportunities in homeownership and education to persistent challenges in business funding and employment, the historical gaps are perpetuated in present-day practices. In "Minding the Wealth Gap," Goins skillfully blends data, lived experience, and the insights of experts to illuminate the deep-rooted economic disparities facing Black Americans. More importantly, he highlights the power of collective uplift. Through the voices of nine dynamic “gap closers,” Goins shows how real change happens when Black investors and leaders open doors for others. Each success “play” or strategy underscores the ripple effect of support. Selena Cu...
Read more