County creates Minority and Women Owned Businesses Task Force

Latimer hosted the first meeting of the Minority and Women Owned Businesses Task Force on Aug. 14. Photo courtesy of the Westchester government.

The Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MWBE) Task Force for Westchester County held its first meeting this week, according to Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Latimer said the task force would create a platform to listen to the difficulties that face these businesses in an effort to best tackle those challenges in the future.

“The bottom line is this: We need to attract businesses and keep businesses here in Westchester County to keep our economy thriving,” Latimer said. “When our businesses thrive, our county thrives, and we want to partner with those businesses, large and small, to meet their employment needs and technology needs.”

The first MWBE Task Force meeting was held on Aug. 14, and members discussed how to increase opportunities for MWBEs in Westchester County.

The task force appointees include the following:

  • Paul Williams, former president of Dormitory Authority of the State of New York;
  • Liz Velez, president of Velez Organization;
  • Anne Janiak, founder and CEO of Women”™s Enterprise Development Center;
  • Elsa Rubin, accounting consultant;
  • Deborah Bradley, founder and president of Women”™s Builders Council and founder of Deborah Bradley Construction & Management Services Inc.;
  • Nora Madonick, president of Arch Street Communications;
  • Dwight McLeod, CEO of Capstone Strategy Group;
  • Bill Mooney, president of Westchester County Association;
  • Marsha Gordon, president and CEO of Business Council of Westchester;
  • Ross Pepe, president of Construction Industry Council;
  • Ximena Francella, co-chair of Hispanic Democrats of Westchester;
  • Kim Jacobs, executive director of Community Capital New York;
  • Susana Lara, co-owner of Sir Speedy Printing;
  • Iliana Carmona, corporate director of contracts at Westchester Medical Center;
  • Cheryl McKissack Daniels, president and chief executive of McKissack & McKissack;
  • Wiley Harrison, president of Business of Your Business LLC;
  • Belinda Miles, president of Westchester Community College;
  • Bonnie Yam, principal of Pension Maxima; and
  • Chirag Shah, founder of Lifestyle Westchester and co-owner of LifeNY.