The largest New England development council serving minorities plans to open a community business school for young people in Bridgeport. Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. will open the Community Business School at 333 State St. in Bridgeport March 1.
The business school, which admits students for free, says it serves as a resource to teach and train young, inner-city minority entrepreneurs about job-readiness skills through seminars and workshops. The business school will open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Fred McKinney, president and CEO of the development council, will lead the morning sessions. McKinney earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in economics from UCLA and a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University. He taught economics and business at Sacred Heart University, Brandeis University and the University of Connecticut before becoming the CEO of the development council.
The development council will invite guest speakers from the Bridgeport business community to lead workshops and training. Several Bridgeport corporate leaders have pledged their support, including Paul Timpanelli, president and CEO of Bridgeport Regional Business Council and William Jennings, president and CEO of Bridgeport Hospital.
The  Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council has offices in Bridgeport and Boston. The organization certifies minority business enterprises  and connects them with its 600 corporate members. The council is the regional affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
