More than 350 attended the 15th annual conference

Last week, leaders from around New York State and City gathered before more than 350 attendees for the 15th annual Competitive Edge minority- and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) conference. Themed “Maximizing Opportunities for Minority/Women Owned Businesses,” this year’s event gathered speakers from Columbia University, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, Tishman Construction, LiRo Engineering, the city School Construction Authority, and other companies to discuss opportunities for disadvantaged contractors and businesses to secure major projects.

Christopher Ward, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Elliot Sander, executive director and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, were keynote speakers focusing on contracting prospects with their agencies.

The Competitive Edge hosted the conference on October 8th at the CUNY Graduate Center. The event also included four workshops for attendees to discuss topics from financing and insurance, to city vendor rules and LEED projects. The 8th annual Market Place also took place as a networking exchange for business owners, contractors, procurement specialists, and government agency certification managers.

Formed in 1993, the Competitive Edge Planning Committee is a consortium of public and private partners creating business opportunities for qualified disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned enterprises. The group aids small New York–area businesses via the annual conference and other year-round activities.

“Ensuring that our small businesses have the resources to be competitive with larger companies is a significant step in the overall economic development of our state,” said Governor David Paterson, the keynote speaker at last year’s event.