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>> good morning and welcome. my name is maria cordero and i am the contract monitoring division. i'm serving in the capacity of the director. i would like to welcome you to the 2014 international women's day celebration that is being given by our business development group, contract monitoring division business development group. about you a year, a little over a year ago, am i jones came and pitched -- yea! (applause) >> came and pitched a program to me and her idea was to take a group of local businesses ~ and train them, call them the business development group and train them at -- not only train them on the city bidding process, but expect them to participate at a high level and

hopefully dedicate their business to city projects. that was a little bit over a year ago as i mentioned, and it's been very successful. my question to her at the time was, how about resources? and she said, what resources? we have the whole city. and immediately we started making calls and you guys were amazing. the city departments came through. in fact, a lot of you said, oh, my gosh, that's a great idea, yes, yes, count us in. and that's why we're here today. the business development group would like to thank the city departments, honor you for your commitment and your dedication, your support on making them successful and making us look good. so, please just take all the kudos today from them because it's coming from our hearts. thank you, and i would like to

introduce her for a few words. (applause) >> [speaker not understood],. can i get a hooa? >> hooa. >> it's international women's day t. was saturday, but we're celebrating it today here in san francisco city hall. they say the british are coming. they say, the italians are coming, but the women are coming. they're coming to city hall government. they want contracts. they provide good services. women are the ones that fuel our economy. they're the ones who give back time, volunteer their time in the school district, work with children and families in the community, take their profits and put it back into their business. they're growing faster than any other business in san francisco. but the city ask county, we're kind of lagging behind. so, with your help, ~ your

partnering, and i tell you, it's been one great program because i got all of my friends which, as barbara bush said, you don't just build something one day. it's one step at a time. so, over my tenure with the city, i've met wonderful, wonderful people who are experts within their very areas of expertise. and they're supporters of the local business development program as well as our local business, and they want to see you in their department. so, what we want to do today, i mean, it's a labor of love for me and i'm excited because all of my friends are here, people i've known over 30 years, and so. and we've been working at this and working at this, so now we want to honor and, and show our achievement, all of us. we're all in this boat together. we want to recognize each other. we want to be good to each other.

that's what women do. and we he want to say, when you've done something good, thank you. well, we're here to do that today ~. and without prolonging any more, i'm going to be on the program still talking. [laughter] >> maria is going to come up and we're going to start the awards. >> so, without further ado, we will start with the award presentations for the san francisco city employee lbe advocate of the year award, and our first awardee is ms. virginia harmon. ms. harmon. (applause) >> it's our -- you might remember she was the director of the human rights commission and she has been a tremendous support to the city department and the departments that we have. our contract monitoring division, at the city administrator's office, award the san francisco public

employee lbe advocate of the year award, san francisco municipal transportation agency's virginia harmon for her dedication and general commitment of time, support and inspiration as well mentoring small micro local businesses and providing expert leadership in the city contracting process. given on this day of march 10, 2014. (applause) >> virginia used to be our boss. [laughter] >> she still is. >> that's why i got this award. [laughter] >> thank you so much. i really appreciate it. you know, for me this also was a labor of love. i, you know, started in the city as a human rights commission as a contract compliance officer, and i have enjoyed every moment of my -- i don't know if i can actually say that, but i have really enjoyed working specifically with the lbes. [laughter] >> that is my labor of love. and so, i want to thank [speaker not understood], of

course, setting up this wonderful program to help women businesses get contracts, and we're really, you know, hopeful that you will bid on our contracts at mta. i do want to assure you that the mta is strongly committed to ensuring that the economic benefits that we have in running the agency are shared with our small businesses in san francisco. and that includes women-owned businesses. so, we do hope that we will see you bidding on our contracts. we've made a concerted effort this year to let a significant number of micro business set asides and i know some of you have come in on them and we hope that you will continue to do so in the future. so, again, thank you so much. i also really want to acknowledge the staff that work with me. and in the back, if you guys can at least raise your hands that would be great. we have duffy digs, [speaker not understood]. and i think you also may know [speaker not understood] who is unfortunately sick today, but also works very hard on behalf of local businesses.

so, again, thank you so much. i appreciate it. (applause) >> okay. our next presenter is thea [speaker not understood], next steps marketing. is thea here? okay. >> i'm going to step in for thea. she's in marketing, i'm not. [laughter] >> she gets paid a lot of money. what i would like to do is invite up to the podium sheila evan mc gee, loam azaron, jeffery digs, and asha patel -- ashi, sorry. the team at sfmta was just

instrumental in setting the tone for the women and they provided a class on how to do business at sfmta. they not only have done that part of the work, but they continue to mentor and support these businesses. they sit down with them, give them their time, answer questions, try to help facilitate them into bureaucracy of our government departments. and they have just been one great partner. you have helped to make this program a success. your role here is very vital, very important. you're the ones that the contractors will see. and you've been most supportive and quite effective in what you've done, and i thank you. it's with all my love and support and heart felt welcome. thank you.

and i just want to say sheila and i have worked -- she works miracles with the dbe and the certification and all of that, and she's organized with it. when i get a problem, i just send them to sheila. [laughter] >> and she never complains except when she's on her vacation. [laughter] >> get her before she takes her vacation to baltimore. other than that, she will hold your hand. and i tell you, the dbe certification is very difficult. it's like 30 pages or something. [laughter] >> but she makes it seem so easy. >> sheila evans mc gee, you are awarded the san francisco public employee of the -- advocate of the year award for your support to minority and women-owned firms and your dedication to the dbe and lbe cmd certified firms. thank you, sheila. >> thank you. (applause) >> thank you so much.

i am very much committed to the economic growth of small businesses including women-owned businesses. that's a passion for me and i want you to know that. whenever you need any help, you can just give me a call. as she said, i'm here to help. thank you. (applause) >> continuing with the sfmta agency, jeffery digs, thank you for your support, your education and training to the business development program and encouraging cmd certified firms. thank you, jeffery. (applause) >> this is quite the surprise. i wasn't expecting to get anything today. but anyway, i'm still relatively the new kid on the block in sfmta in the contract office. i attempt to get out as much information as i possibly can to everybody so they can continue to be competitive in

the process. once again, thank you for everything and i'll continue to try to help you out as much as i can. (applause) >> and continuing with sfmta, this is ashish patel. there is nothing he won't do. i call him for everything and he really comes through. i really appreciate his dedication. and his award says, for your support, education and training to the business development program and encouraging cnd certified firms, thank you very much, ashish. (applause) >> thank you, maria. so, you know, it's part of my job. i don't consider it -- this lbe, micro lbe different from what we do. we encourage the process. we'll make every effort to make sure that small businesses, women-owned businesses are

participating and get contracts awarded. you know, obviously within the rules of the city. any time anybody needs any information from me, just give me a call and i'll be happy to meet with you guys. thank you again. (applause) >> sandra, do you want to come up? >> hi, my name is cathy avalon with avalon associates consulting engineers. we're a local business here in san francisco and it is my pleasure to award -- to provide this award to the san francisco airport. san francisco looked for meaningful local business participation. their staff sat down with our class and described their future projects, how they get beyond generic proposal or cookie cutter proposals to the essence of a winning proposal. so, we thank them for their time, their effort, their

hospitality, and they provided -- they showed me parts of san francisco airport i have never seen before. san francisco airport staff noted the lbe should be looking to be the lbe of choice, not just because it's required, not because it's what should be done. sfo wanted to set the bar higher and be better. and it is my pleasure to award this to, sorry, sandra [inaudible]. so, to sandra for her dedication, support and encouragement and leadership in support of the lbe and the business development program. (applause) >> thank you. >> thank you. >> great, this is wonderful. thank you very much. thank you to maria cordero, the cmd director and her staff and to jones. i am one of those persons who

has known her for 30 years. [laughter] >> and i also would like to identify some of our staff in the back. cynthia, would you wave your hand? (applause) >> and lisa, lisa worked with us and was one of the presenters when we did the lbe women workshop at the airport. and we look forward to doing the next one which i guess will be in september. and any time you need any help, give me a call. she knows how to reach me. [laughter] >> it's going to be a lot of exciting things going on over the next couple years, retail shops, food ask beverage concessions opening up. and we will be doing set-asides to get women involved in those opportunities. so, thank you again. (applause) >> i just want to say thank you to sandra crumpler. she is my partner. i can call her at the drop of a hat. i need this done, i need that done. okay, okay, we'll get it done.

>> we'll get it done. >> she gets it done and i just love her for that. >> thank you. >> always working for local business. >> yes, thank you very much. (applause) >> hi, my name is dahr is brown, i'm the founder of city strategies. ~ darcy brown [speaker not understood] said never under estimate the difference you can make in the live of others. step forward. reach out and help. this week reach out to someone that might need a lift, and that's what alice did for the women of this program. as contract manager, her primary responsibility involved strategically planning, guiding and implementing streamline processes for contract preparation, execution, and administration for the san francisco public utilities commission. and we thank him very much. in closing, i just want to say, no one has ever become poor by giving.

ann frank said that, and jula is a clear example of someone that just continues to give. all the women of this program are incredibly grateful to her for fighting for this and creating this program and creating this opportunity for us. so, thank you very much. (applause) >> howard can't be with us today, so zula will accept on his behalf. >> yes, he had some personal business that he needed to attend to out of state. so, we thought -- ivy, are you here? if not -- oh, we got it -- (applause) >> we're going to have another cruise, deputy director -- deputy general manager, deputy general manager of puc, our water department.

and he's my best friend. >> good morning. thank you for recognizing the work that the p.u.c. does. elrick is [speaker not understood]. i can say the one thing that has drawn me back into the public sector has been that ability to make a change in the lives of people who need it the most. he we recognize women today, but we shouldn't need to do it on a special day. we should be doing it every day because the women contractors, the women business owners in san francisco are just as talented, just as capable and just as willing to work as every other business that's out there. so, when i talk to my staff, i say, we do not look at making a program to reach women because they're under represented. we look at it because they add value to our organization. they make us better, they make our work better. thank you very much. (applause)

>> all right, we have a class called meet the expert. gloria cruz is our next speaker. [laughter] >> he's going to tell us all how to do it. he he actually taught me everything i think i know about how to maneuver in government ~ and how to get people hired and things like that. so, i thank you. and our next presenter? >> thank you, zula. it's an honor to be here and i am delighted to be the person who is in the cmd class. gwen caplan from ace mailing, ace digital. and i want to say that jocelyn

kuntos and stacey camillo, could you come up here, please? (applause) >> thank you for your dedicated and generous commitment of time and energy and directions on how to do business with dpw. we were so grateful and thank you for your hospitality, for your knowledge, and your ability to really walk us through a complicated system and make it simple so that we could all understand. your outstanding services and dedication are tremendously appreciated by our class. thank you. so, jocelyn. >> this is for you as the san francisco public employee lbe advocate of the year, for your support, education, and

training to the business development program, and encouraging cmd certified firms. so, thank you. congratulations. (applause) >> thank you for this award. i'm so honored and he very pleased. this is going to be definitely going to my den with all my other, my other awards, but this is going to be taking the biggest piece of it because, for one, i always believed that the lbe program was one successful program. it's a catalyst for economic recovery in san francisco. and although i'm no longer with dpw, i want to leave you with my phone number because i know you're going to call me for an issue you might want. i now work for the controller's office and, so, let me do my task and call me for payment issues. [laughter] >> so, any time, my heart is

with you. call me he 554-66 09 and i will always be there for you. and thank you so much ~. i also wanted to thank maria and zula has been doing such a great job in, you know, moving this program. and in dpw, when i was there working with -- and you'll hear from stacey, the person who also moved the lbe was our director mohammed nuru who really was the biggest advocate for lbe so i want to thank him also. (applause) >> thank you, jocelyn. and now stacey, san francisco public employee advocate of the year for your support, education, training to the business development program, and encouraging cmd certified firms. thank you. (applause) >> i'll keep my remarks brief because i think jocelyn

captured what we are trying to do at dpw. director nuru has set a guide or a goal for us of letting 25 micro he lbe contracts in this fiscal year and we're on target to exceed that amount. so, i'm keeping my fingers crossed, so, that's great. (applause) >> that kind of leadership is critical. i mean, i often talk about my father who is the first cape verdian in the civil service system in massachusetts. my father who had his own business as well, so entrepreneurship and being a leader in minority businesses and women businesses is definitely a critical point. i had my own business for a while myself, at another timev i want you to know that i'm also committed to let you know you have resources and access and i also offer my number -- you all know you can call me or anybody who is trying to do

business, i'm happy to help you navigate. is it really 9:30 or 10:30? i'm still trying to get over my loss of an hour. i'm going to thank you, maria and gwen, it's god to see you again, and zula who has been a wonderful champion and partner in this program and i really appreciate working with you all. so, thank you. (applause) >> hi, i'm [speaker not understood], president of [speaker not understood] consultants. we're an engineering firm founded about 10 years ago.

and i'm here to present an award to [speaker not understood] bridges of the city administrator's office. hi, george. i just want to say there's so many good words have been said before. i don't want to repeat them, but i for one must say that i wouldn't be in that if people like george mazula, like anybody before them didn't help us out. thank you for all your hard work and dedication to serving and helping the small businesses. >> i just want to say something quickly about my colleague george bridges. george is working alone most of the time doing compliance work. we do collaborate a lot, but your work is just tireless and endless. and you are doing such a great job. you've been one -- the two women who wanted to be here

today are rehearsing for an rfp that you have been working with them on and they hope to get it. [laughter] >> i know, huh? i said rfp process, i did say a process. >> yes, you did say a process. >> and george and karen and donna, they really wanted to, and they probably will share with you their warm feelings for your hands on work that you have given them, the patience you have give them, how you taught them how to access your department and work with the developers. they came in shy and afraid, but you guided them straight through the process and i want to thank you for that, george. (applause) >> george, i'm presenting this award to you as a san francisco public employee, lbe advocate of the year. thank you so much. >> thank you. (applause)

>> good morning, everyone. thank you. this is quite an honor. thank you, zula, maria, city administrator. you know, tiffany bowie is the director and this is really an honor for the agency because as we transition into the city, we're committed to making sure those opportunities are not only small and minority-owned businesses, and we have the dedicated commission, commissioner row sailes he is here and she'll be speaking later. but we take this seriously. whenever a door opens, this is' more opportunities for people like us, minorities, women. economically disadvantaged. and what a great city to be in and what a great city to see as it grows, black people on the

margins have more opportunity. and i take this to heart, you know. one of my coworkers was saying she has a great job, and her responsibility is to make sure her family and her [brother'sbrothers]} kids ~ brothers' kids are taken care of. that's what we are, one big family and we need to take care of each other so we can continue to inspire each other. my parents, thank you. they're back in ohio and they are so proud of their son. [ah] >> who is out here in california doing his thing. god bless you. (applause)

>> i don't think there is enough time adequacy to introduce the next [speaker not understood]. his accomplishments are impressive. he graduated from u.c. berkeley in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. in 2007 he was awarded a jurisprudence doctorate from the university of california [speaker not understood] college of law. he is currently working at bay area rapid transit or bart, office of civil rights. he is responsible for implementing and enforcing bart discrimination contract and disadvantaged business laws, rules and regulations.

prior to working at bart, he was at the [speaker not understood] human rights commission where he monitored and evaluated compliance with protecting the public interest in equality to [speaker not understood] the city government [speaker not understood]. he began his school year at paralegal services of california where he he provided free legal services for low-income clients. thank you for your outstanding services and dedicated leadership in helping the small local-owned business. and my name is supida. [speaker not understood]. [laughter] (applause) >> first of all, we want to make sure the cameras are rolling because we need all the good publicity. [laughter] >> that we ge