Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs is now the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs has been renamed due to legislation passed during the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly. Effective immediately, the office will now be known as the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. The name change will clarify to the public that this office works exclusively with small businesses and helps connect these businesses to a broad spectrum of programs and resources.

“’Maryland is open for business’ is not just a slogan, it defines our administration,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Maryland’s diverse small businesses play a critical role in creating jobs and growing our state’s economy and we remain committed to creating a culture that is both business-friendly and focused on expanding opportunity for all Marylanders.”

Maryland’s 580,000 small businesses account for 50 percent of our jobs statewide. The vast majority are micro businesses, and more than 70 percent are owned by minorities and women. This unique demographic means that what’s good for small business is inherently good for minority- and women-owned businesses as well.

“Adding the word ‘Business’ is significant,” stated Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs Special Secretary Jimmy Rhee. “We continue to have oversight for the Small Business Reserve (SBR) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) procurement programs, while expanding our efforts to include all small businesses. We will serve as an information hub that connects them to resources focused on building core competency, accessing capital, and developing an insightful understanding of the policies that impact their competitive space. These are the three pillars of success that every small business must master in order to compete with confidence in both the public and private sectors.”

The Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs is a coordinating agency of the executive branch. It advises the governor on policy matters related to small, minority and women businesses, monitors the SBR and MBE programs across 70 state agencies, interacts with over 125 professional organizations, conducts a statewide outreach program, and connects small businesses to economic opportunities as well as local and national resources.