New Program Targets Black Entrepreneurs

WASHINGTON  -- The US Black Chamber, Inc. (USBC) has announced that it has teamed up with the University of Phoenix to help strengthen Black-owned businesses through entrepreneurial and business management training.  

The endeavor broadens an existing relationship between the organizations.  The University is a founding corporate sponsor of the USBC and a member of the USBC Corporate Advisory Council.

"This partnership marks a major milestone for the USBC," said Ron Busby, president and CEO, US Black Chamber, Inc.  "With the University of Phoenix's resources and distance learning expertise, we will help Black entrepreneurs build the business acumen they need to establish and manage successful businesses."

The national program will provide business management education through more than 200 UOPX campuses.  Business owners will be able to enhance skills in areas crucial to building a successful business, including finance and accounting, legal, capitalization, information technology, contracting, sales and marketing, and human resources.  The program will also include a distance-learning component, featuring online courses, workshops and seminars.

Courses will be taught by veteran business owners and field practitioners who will go beyond theory to provide participants with practical knowledge on how to build efficient and high performing businesses.

"We are excited about the prospect of helping African American businesses build the capacity to grow," said Mario Middleton,University of Phoenix's national director of multicultural student engagement.  "This is just one of the ways the University of Phoenix addresses the unique educational needs of our nation's diverse communities."

The University of Phoenix is the largest private university in North America with a highly diverse student body.  Thirty percent of the University's students are African American, compared to a national average of 13 percent.

"There are 1.2 million African American businesses in the U.S. that employ more than 750,000 workers," Busby added.  "Our goal is to do everything we can to make sure that these business owners have the skills and technical know-how to grow, prosper, and make significant contributions to the U.S. economy.  This partnership is a big step toward making that happen."

About the United States Black Chamber, Inc.

The United States Black Chamber, Inc. (USBC) provides committed and visionary leadership and advocacy in the realization of African American economic empowerment.  Through the creation of resources, education, and initiatives, we support Black chambers of commerce and business leagues in their work to develop and grow Black enterprises.  We are an economic force and a powerful constituency.  There are 1.2 million privately held black-owned businesses across every industry sector in the United States.  We employ over 750,000 workers, and we generate $88.6 billion in annual revenue.