Governor Tim Kaine Appoints Director, Deputy Director of Department of Minority Business Enterprise
– Governor also repeats commitment to improve SWAM procurement performance –

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced new leadership for the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise, signed an executive order shifting oversight of the agency to the Secretariat of Administration, and restated his firm commitment to dramatically improve the Commonwealth’s performance in procuring goods and services from small businesses and those owned by women and minorities.

Stacy L. Burrs will serve as Director and Richard F. Green will serve as Deputy Director of the Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE). Governor Kaine also signed Executive Order Number 10 (2006), which transfers responsibility for the Department of Minority Business Enterprise from the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to the Secretary of Administration, which coordinates state procurement in general.

“Stacy and Richard are innovative leaders in the field of minority business enterprise development,” Governor Kaine said. “They share my deep commitment to bringing Virginia to the forefront in doing business and awarding state contracts to minority and small businesses. Shifting this agency under the direct supervision of the Secretary of Administration is another important step, because Secretary Viola Baskerville leads our overall procurement effort and shares my firm belief that state government can and should do more business with small, woman, and minority-owned businesses.”

For the quarter ending December 31, 2005, more than $28 million, or 2.57%, of the Commonwealth’s purchase of goods and services went to minority-owned firms – an improvement over the 2.0% recorded in the previous quarter. Women-owned businesses received almost $24.3 million, or 2.22% of all state purchases during the quarter, and $95.5 million, or 8.76%, was spent with small businesses in the same period.

Stacy L. Burrs, Director of the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, 49. Prior to his appointment, Burrs served as the Director of Administration for the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation and is the founder and CEO of Capacity Development, LLC, providing capacity building services to nonprofit organizations and small businesses.
Previously, he served as the Director of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise for the City of Richmond from 2000 to 2004. As Director, Burrs helped formulate a new city ordinance ensuring minority and small business participation consistent with the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Croson v. City of Richmond. Burrs also developed the city’s first Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program and established Virginia’s first Multicultural Business Solutions Center, which provides business development services from the perspective of the multicultural experience. Burrs designed Virginia’s first inclusion and capacity building program for $50-$200 million private sector commercial real estate development projects that is now considered a model for other large commercial real estate developments.

Burrs also served as Virginia Executive Director of the United Negro College Fund from 1984 to 1993, where he was responsible for raising millions in scholarships for socially and economically disadvantaged college students. Burrs graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina-Fayetteville in 1978.

Richard F. Green, Deputy Director of the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, 50. Prior to his appointment as deputy director, Green served as a procurement advocate for the Department of Minority Business Enterprise. As procurement advocate, Green gave counsel and provided assistance to state agencies, institutions, and small, women and minority-owned (SWAM) businesses regarding all phases of state procurement. Specifically, Green provided information to SWAM businesses to help them successfully bid for government contracts, worked with the Director to implement initiatives to increase the participation of SWAM businesses in government contracting, and assisted state agencies in developing plans to increase procurement.
Previously, Green was a consultant at Contract Compliance, Inc., a construction management firm, where he coordinated all phases of Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) contracting. For his work in helping SDBs secure contracts, Green was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the Central Pennsylvania African American Chamber of Commerce in 2001.

From 1997 to 2000 Green served as Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Administrator for Maryland’s Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation, where he implemented an innovative approach to contracting that emphasized outreach and accurate monitoring of the program. The result was an increase in MBE participation by 14% or $8 million in awarded contracts. For his work as MBE Administrator, Green was recognized as an expert in the field of Small/Disadvantaged Business Programs by the Washington Business Journal.

Green graduated from Cheyney State College, now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, in 1978 with a B.S. in Business Administration.

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