NABWIC

NABWIC Talks Billion Dollars in Stimulus Disaster Opportunities with US Army Corps of Engineers

Special Guests:

Melea Crouse and Melisa Barbee

 

Ms. Melea Crouse became the Assistant Director for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, servicing the Southwestern Division with an average obligation of $2.5 Billion in August 2007.  Ms. Crouse provides small business support, management, and advice to the Division Commander and the four districts within the division. Additionally, Ms. Crouse provides assistance to the Chief, Small Business Office, the Senior Contracting Official in Dallas, Texas and the Regional Contracting Chief for the Division. From 2007-2014 , In addition, to serving Southwestern Division, Ms. Crouse also served in the same capacity to the South Pacific Division, who has an average obligation of $1.6 Billion.

Melea Crouse

Assistant Director

Office of Small Business Programs

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SWD

1100 Commerce St, Rm. 8th floor

Dallas, TX 75242-1027

Office Phone: (469) 487-7105

Cell Phone: (817) 239-7955

Fax: (469) 487-7199

Email:  [email protected]

SWD Small Business Website - http://go.usa.gov/x89AD

#MyInvestingStory is created to share the stories of individual investors.

Ann McNeill, a BetterInvesting Volunteer, talks with Ionnie McNeill, the Baby Billionaire, about her investing story. 

Featured in magazines such as Black Enterprise, Seventeen, and Better Investing since high school, Ionnie McNeill is also known as The Baby Billionaire because of her future net worth of millions. At age 7, Ionnie began learning how to invest and by age 10 already had a portfolio invested in stocks and bonds. As a freshman in high school, Ionnie started her own business and was awarded 1st place in the Guardian’s Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program. Currently, she is traveling the country sharing her TIPS on Successful Investing with thousands of ambitious students and young adults, who want to make a difference in their lives and their financial future. 

"First, let's start with who we are not, and what we don't do. We are not "day traders." We are not professional investment advisers, stockbrokers, or bond traders. We don't deal with penny stocks. We don't teach buying on Margin (using borrowed money). We don't teach Technical Analysis or Charting. We don't teach Options trading. We don't get paid for what we do, and we don't earn commissions, referrals, or kickbacks. Our official name is the National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC). We are a non-profit, volunteer driven, educational organization founded in 1951 by a small group of individual investors looking for a better way. Several years ago we adopted the trade name BetterInvesting (www.betterinvesting.org)."

With over twenty years of administration experience, Katrina Conrad has dedicated her career to fostering and uplifting the untapped potential of low-income and minority workers in Boston's diverse communities of color. Conrad currently serves as the Workforce Diversity Project Manager at Madison Park Development Corporation(MPDC), a highly respected nonprofit real estate developer in Boston and one of nation's oldest community development corporations. In her current position, Conrad ensures labor diversity compliance on all MPDC construction projects, spearheads efforts to improve equity within the construction trades among female and minority workers in Boston, and provides technical assistance to local minority contractors that better positions them to gain access to Boston’s lucrative building boom. Most recently, Katrina led the development of an innovative new construction workforce development pilot program, in partnership with Madison Park Technical Vocational High School and a robust roster of skilled local minority contractors who will serve as program instructors.

Forward-thinking designer(Spring Garden College of Philadelphia, University of Md), Army veteran and woman of the people, Deatrice Simpson desire has always been to see  “we the people” do better. Deatrice is an Army Veteran.  She worked in military intelligence and communications studying languages and people.  She traveled and lived in Germany, traveled throughout Europe, Korea and worked at the Pentagon as an information courier, weird top-secret stuff.  After the military she went back to her first love, designing and redefining spaces.  

NDS Fix-IT was born in 2004 and today Deatrice is the sole owner of a design-build firm located in the Nation’s Capital.  NDS Fix IT, LLC is a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) in Washington, DC. We are a Washington, DC registered, licensed, insured, and experienced general contractor who specializes in environmental hazards remediation(lead/mold/asbestos), renovations and repairs. NDS Fix-It, LLC of

the District of Columbia is a leader in construction improvement including remodeling and renovation solutions through the brand of "3R".  We are a full-service general contractor and our capabilities include remediation, remodeling, repair, design, general contracting, project management, commercial, governmental, residential, construction and design services.   For over 10 years we have served a variety of commercial and residential clients including developers, government agencies, school districts, property managers, and institutions. We are proud of our history in service and continually strive to be the benchmark service organization in the construction industry.

About Deatrice Simpson

Forward-thinking designer(Spring Garden College of Philadelphia, University of Md), Army veteran and woman of the people, Deatrice Simpson desire has always been to see  “we the people” do better. Deatrice is an Army Veteran.  She worked in military intelligence and communications studying languages and people.  She traveled and lived in Germany, traveled throughout Europe, Korea and worked at the Pentagon as an information courier, weird top-secret stuff.  After the military she went back to her first love, designing and redefining spaces.  

NDS Fix-IT was born in 2004 and today Deatrice is the sole owner of a design-build firm located in the Nation’s Capital.  NDS Fix IT, LLC is a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) in Washington, DC. We are a Washington, DC registered, licensed, insured, and experienced general contractor who specializes in environmental hazards remediation(lead/mold/asbestos), renovations and repairs. NDS Fix-It, LLC of

the District of Columbia is a leader in construction improvement including remodeling and renovation solutions through the brand of "3R".  We are a full-service general contractor and our capabilities include remediation, remodeling, repair, design, general contracting, project management, commercial, governmental, residential, construction and design services.   For over 10 years we have served a variety of commercial and residential clients including developers, government agencies, school districts, property managers, and institutions. We are proud of our history in service and continually strive to be the benchmark service organization in the construction industry.

Motto:  “U dream it, we’ll design and build it”  U break it and NDS will Fix-IT”

Thoughts are things and powerful things they are.  Focusing on safety with a positive mindset during this time.  COVID-19 is an unbelievable global challenge that impacts every segment of our society – from the government to business, to families and the community channels that support them.

Are you struggling with the impacts that are happening almost daily as a result? 

Join several women from the National Association of Black Women in Construction as they discuss the effects and provide tips, strategies, and information to cope, mitigate, and manage the impact and risks that individuals are facing.

Our special guests include:

 

Ann McNeil, Founder of NABWIC, CEO, MCO Construction

Kimle Nailer, CEO Nailrite construction

Odeidra Williams, CEO, WeOurs Consulting

Tylene Henry, Ujima Services

Badis Nolte-Smith, Owner, DJ Construction Enterprises

Deatrice Simpson, CEO, NDS Fixit

The MBDA Business Center located in Orlando, FL is operated by the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council.  The center is part of a national network of funded centers located in major cities throughout the United States.  The center works with minority business enterprises to generate increased financing and contract opportunities and to create and retain jobs.

 

Program Director Retu Jalhan is an accomplished business professional with a specialization in the finance industry. Her finance and marketing skills are derived from over fifteen years of experience in the banking, investments and insurance sectors. After graduation from York University, Miss Jalhan began her career in Insurance on the Property and Casualty side of the business. She progressed from the Manager of Direct Marketing to Group Account Manager for the Cooperators Insurance Company where she managed a portfolio of group insurance clients valued at over $160 million in premiums. More recently Miss Jalhan was the Director of Business Development at The RMP Group where she is responsible for the detailed financial analysis and valuation of acquisition opportunities.  She also assisted in the preparation of legal and marketing documents and managed the due diligence timelines for acquisitions. The focus of Miss Jalhan’s work has been on the growth of Minority (MBE), Women (WBE) and Disabled Veteran supply chain companies.  She has also led a special initiative focused on niche social enterprises impacting the Caribbean.

Leveraging her unique experience, she aims to lead the way for further development of MBEs and WBEs in the Central Florida region.

Phone: 407-251-7021

Location: 8251 Presidents Dr., Suite 155

Orlando, FL 3280

Shaniqua Garcia is a trailblazer in the beauty industry with over 15 years of experience. She is a Master Cosmetologist, Certified Trichologist, Educator and Entrepreneur.  Shaniqua has built her career empowering women of all walks of life to embrace their beauty both inside and out.  She is the owner of inner Beauty Salon, Pearl Salon Suites, and the Founder and Executive Director of Inner Beauty Empowerment Project Inc.

​Shaniqua’s hair care skills include natural hair, relaxers, cuts, color, extensions and hair restoration. She does hair for models, actors, and performers for live events, videos, and photo shoots. Her work is trusted by major hair product companies including Design Essentials, Aunt Jackie’s Curls and Coils, Aunt Jackie's Girls, Africa's Best and Argan Smooth. Her work can also be seen in online publications and magazines.

​Shaniqua is an advocate of continuing education and a lifelong student. She received her certification in Trichology; the biological and scientific study of hair and scalp, from the National Trichology Training Institute. She also studied Hair Loss and Hair Replacement under industry experts including DeShawn Bullard, Toni Love, and Cimaje. Shaniqua learned advanced cutting techniques at  Vidal Sassoon Academy, graduated from Brio Academy with her Cosmetology license and earned a BA in Science with a minor in Business from Albertus Magnus College.

The MBDA Business Center located in Orlando, FL is operated by the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council.  The center is part of a national network of funded centers located in major cities throughout the United States.  The center works with minority business enterprises to generate increased financing and contract opportunities and to create and retain jobs.

 

Program Director Retu Jalhan is an accomplished business professional with a specialization in the finance industry. Her finance and marketing skills are derived from over fifteen years of experience in the banking, investments and insurance sectors. After graduation from York University, Miss Jalhan began her career in Insurance on the Property and Casualty side of the business. She progressed from the Manager of Direct Marketing to Group Account Manager for the Cooperators Insurance Company where she managed a portfolio of group insurance clients valued at over $160 million in premiums. More recently Miss Jalhan was the Director of Business Development at The RMP Group where she is responsible for the detailed financial analysis and valuation of acquisition opportunities.  She also assisted in the preparation of legal and marketing documents and managed the due diligence timelines for acquisitions. The focus of Miss Jalhan’s work has been on the growth of Minority (MBE), Women (WBE) and Disabled Veteran supply chain companies.  She has also led a special initiative focused on niche social enterprises impacting the Caribbean.

Leveraging her unique experience, she aims to lead the way for further development of MBEs and WBEs in the Central Florida region.

 

Phone: 407-251-7021

Location: 8251 Presidents Dr., Suite 155

Orlando, FL 32809

Vontyna Durham, NABWIC member and owner of Durham Housing Services, was the recent MWSBE Spotlight for the month of February for Memphis' Office of Business Diversity and Compliance. 

Durham Housing Services has been a certified MBE and SBE since 2016. The property preservation company provides services such as grass mitigation, property board-ups, demolition services, trash-outs, eviction, and junk removal services. The firm also conducts ground maintenance on REO properties.

Mrs. Durham;s company was awarded a grass mitigation contract with the cityof Memphis for $6,630.

In addition, Ms. Durham is current president of the NABWIC Memphis Chapter and is active in a number of community initiatives.