Howard University News Howard University Welcomes New Executive Director of Small Business Development Center WASHINGTON (March 1, 2011) - On Monday, Feb. 28, Darrell A. Brown, took the helm of the Washington DC Small Business Development Center (DC SBDC) at Howard University. The District of Columbia Small Business Development Center, a co-operative program in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, has been hosted by Howard University since 1979, serving tens of thousands of District small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the intervening years. After conducting a national search, Howard University has selected a District of Columbia native as the new Executive Director of the DC SBDC. Darrell Brown comes to Howard University and the DC SBDC with broad leadership background in the public and private sector as well as academia. Brown brings strong economic development and legal experience to this important position, having served previously as Director of Urban Policy and Development for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and Director of Economic Development for the City of Cranston, Rhode Island, the state's third largest city. He was also an economic policy advisor in the Office of the Governor of Rhode Island. Brown also served as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General of Rhode Island and as an Assistant Attorney General in the Virgin Islands. Prior to his position at Howard, Brown was counsel to U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). He also previously served as director of state and local relations for Brown University. Brown is a graduate of American University with an undergraduate degree in business administration. He received his law degree from Howard University in 1990. He attended St. John's College High School in the District. "Howard University feels extremely fortunate to have attracted the talent of someone with the education, breadth of experience and commitment to strengthening the small business sector of the District's economy that Mr. Brown has," said Barron Harvey, dean of the School of Business "I am confident he brings the knowledge, leadership and energy to strengthen the District of Columbia Small Business Development Center network and to enhance the scope and quality of services that the DC SBDC offers small business owners and those wishing to start a small business in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Small Business Development Center Network is a part of the Small Business Development Center national network, the federal government's largest small business management and technical assistance program. The national SBDC network has over 9,000 service centers located in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa. "I am excited about the opportunity to lead the DC SBDC network and humbled by Dean Harvey's confidence in my abilities," Brown said following his appointment. " It is my intent to realize Howard's vision for the DC SBDC as the nation's premier urban small business development program through collaboration with strategic partners to enhance and improve the DC SBDC network." The DC SBDC Lead Center, which oversees the day to day operations of the DC SBDC network, is located at the Howard University School of Business. The DC SBDC network has four small business management service centers located throughout the District of Columbia. The service centers provide professional, one on one small business management and technical assistance at no charge to residents and small business owners in the District of Columbia. The DC SBDC network also provides free or low cost business management training. DC SBDC service centers are hosted by the Anacostia Economic Development Corporation, the DC Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the University of the District of Columbia, and the Howard University Georgia Avenue Development, Growth, and Enterprise Transformation (GADGET) Center. For further information on the services and resources of the DC SBDC network, and the location of DC SBDC service centers, go to the DC SBDC network's website at www.dcsbdc.org<http://www.dcsbdc.org> or call the DC SBDC Lead Center at the Howard University School of Business at 202-806-1550. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.