It all started in August, 2003 over a beer at a local watering hole when Pete Delano from Nobis Engineering and Rob Paine from ECC decided that there just was not enough communication between the small business community, large businesses and federal agencies in the Boston area. Together they petitioned the SAME Boston Post Board of Directors and started a new committee that is now a loud and clear voice for small business throughout New England. The mission of the Boston Post Small Business Committee is “to be an advocate for and engage small business in support of SAME’s Strategic Plan through outreach training, networking and recognition.”

The committee’s annual matchmaker events are very well attended by small and large businesses alike.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

The committee’s activity is all about finding ways to connect the small business community with their peers, potential clients and team members using small business-friendly venues.  These “Matchmaker Events” are very well attended by representatives from large businesses and federal agencies.  Educational programs and vendor exhibits are also included that further widen the experience.

The committee decided to turn the tables at one of these events by creating a “Reverse Matchmaker”.  Other events used the more traditional approach of having large businesses and agencies staff booths and tables while the small business wanna-bees shook as many hands, circulated as many business cards and handed out as many brochures as their little briefcases could carry.  The “Reverse” approach was truly small business friendly.  At this event the smaller firms staffed the conference tables while large business and agency representatives pounded the pavement and made the rounds.  Fifteen minute time slots were set up and everyone rotated from table to table at the sound of a bell.  “There was an astounding amount of business being done in an incredibly short period of time” said one attendee.   The Boston Post Small Business Committee events have become the most sought after and well attended events serving the federal engineering, construction and professional services market in New England.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE

The fourteen member committee is made up of people with a wide variety of backgrounds.  While small and emerging small business is certainly well represented, individuals from large and medium size firms also participate, meaning that all business size standards are represented.  Active members include scientists, engineers, project managers, construction managers as well as contracts and procurement professionals (including small business liason officers – SBLOs) making it a melting pot of business experience.  Membership also includes the US Army Corps New England District’s Deputy for Small Business, Eva Marie D’Antuono, who brings the federal agency’s perspective to the committee.  An extremely active (and quite colorful!) member of the committee, Eva Marie said “I am very impressed with the genuine enthusiasm of the committee in seeking ways to help small businesses.”

The group genuinely enjoys working together.  Most meetings are relatively informal lunch gatherings, however, a few times a year the group heads out for dinner meeting (with a very light agenda!).

ESTABLISHING SCHOLARSHIPS

In 2004 the committee developed a scholarship program for local Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI). At this year’s Spring Meeting, Ms. Shandel Branch from Roxbury Community College, located in the Boston area, accepted a $2,000 scholarship.

Establishing the scholarship program has provided an opportunity to introduce local students to SAME and increase awareness of the society’s activities and goals, hopefully resulting in a few new additions to the young member ranks.  The committee’s thought is that, just as small business is the job creation engine of the economy, adding younger members to the society will have a similar positive effect.

Ms. Jenny Thrash from Roxbury Community College accepts a certificate of appreciation award from the committee for her support of the HBCU/MI scholarship program.

OUTREACH TO SMALL BUSINESS

The committee also created a small business database that is available through a link from the Boston Post website at www.sameboston.org.  The database provides a snapshot of the services available from the regional small businesses who are SAME Boston Post members.  The regional large businesses use the database to identify teaming partners and specialty subcontractors in the local area.  The list includes firms providing a wide variety of services and nearly all of the various small and small/disadvantaged business classifications are represented.

POST & REGIONAL MEETING SUPPORT

Over the past three years the committee has been extremely successful in attracting high profile speakers for the various monthly Post meetings.  Notables include Tracy Pinson, Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) for the Secretary of the Army and Ron Blakely HBCU/MI Program Manager of the same office; Sean Crean, Procurement Center Representative for the US Small Business Administration (Area 1); andScott Dennison, Director OSDBU for the US Department of Veteran Affairs, to name a few.  A small business track was also developed for this year’s SAME Joint New England and North Atlantic Regional Conference.  The track featured panel discussions where small business leaders shared their experiences of what it takes to start and grow a successful business.  In addition, members of the large business community presented their perspective on ways that small businesses can improve their effectiveness as subcontractors and subconsultants.  The track was very well attended and gave a clear indication that there is a continuing need in the region to provide avenues for small businesses to learn more about how to grow their businesses and prosper.

FUTURE PLANS

There is a great deal of energy within the committee to take on new challenges in the years ahead.  The chairmanship was recently taken over by Neal Maxymillian of Maxymillian Technologies.  Neal said “I’ve been impressed with the energy and activity level of the committee and the many ways that have been found to serve the interests of the small business community.  I’m looking forward to helping the group continue and expand these efforts.”

Some of the goals of the committee going forward include:

• Continue the annual networking events
• Increase young member outreach
• Support training programs for small business such as project management and marketing training
• Award additional HBCU/MI scholarships

On the national level, the committee will begin contacting other Posts to assist in the development of similar committees in other areas of the country.    The group is quite passionate about its support of the small business community and will continue to seek new ways to increase advocacy, engagement and awareness for the small business marketplace.

The Boston Post Small Business Committee can be contacted by e-mail at nmaxymillian@maxymillian.com or the author at joes@watermarkenv.com.