---submitted by Kelly Mittal

ISW PEN in collaboration with Asian Business Empowerment Council hosted an incredibly insightful session with representatives from MA Supplier Diversity Office & Small Business Administration (SBA) presenting on minority certification and federal contracting. It was a huge success and drew participants from as far as NH, Boston, and Lowell. Federal government spends about $700 billion with vendors and more than 23% of it is intended for small businesses and women/minority owned enterprises. The comprehensive discussions and networking opportunities provided attendees with the tools and knowledge to expand their business understanding and leverage benefits of diversity certifications for growth.