Governor Bruce Rauner announced the creation two minority business advancement programs at the Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce Conference in East Peoria.
He says the state is creating a sheltered market, first to find a minority owned IT consulting firm, with food service, healthcare and construction as other target areas.
Gov. Rauner says the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is also taking applications for a new program called ADME, launching it in Chicago, Rockford and Peoria. ADME stands for Advancement and Development of Minority Entrepreneurs and includes women and veteran owned businesses.
The Governor says the goal is to connect the selected minority and disadvantaged business owners to necessary professional supports. “A typical minority entrepreneur, starting out: They’re not in the network. They don’t know. They haven’t grown up and had the exposure early in their life. We want to create that network.”
Gov. Rauner says 10-15 businesses in each of the three launch communities will be selected with to participate in the ADME program through a talent assessment application.
Jimmy Odom is the Senior Policy Adviser for DCEO. He runs the ADME program and says it’s an opportunity for minority business owners to have access to mentoring from Illinois’ business leaders and assistance obtaining targeted capital. Odom says he encourages motivated entrepreneurs to apply.
Gov. Rauner says it’s also necessary to simplify the contract procurement process for those wanting to do business with state. The majority of those reforms however, will take legislative actions.
Link to ADME applications here. The deadline is October 23, 2016.