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Release Date: April 1, 2016
Release Number: 16-05
Contact: Doug Dare (714) 560-7467 or
Christopher Lorenzana (714) 560-7453
Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news
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Robert V. “Bobby” McDonald Selected as 2016 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year
Works with minority business associations, local chambers, educational institutions, and legislators to provide support and advocate for small business and veteran owned small business community
Santa Ana, CA – The U.S. Small Business Administration, Santa Ana District Office has selected Robert V. “Bobby” McDonald, President and Executive Director of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, as the 2016 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year. McDonald, a resident of Anaheim Hills, was nominated for the award by Todd Spitzer, Chairman, Orange County Board of Supervisors.
McDonald, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, has been involved in advocacy for veterans and small business owners for many years. He is a member of the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council, appointed by Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
McDonald has supported legislative and regulatory action designed to help small businesses, through his efforts convening an Orange County Veterans Advisory Council ad hoc committee and meeting with local California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Alliance members and personnel from the County of Orange Procurement Office regarding Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) procurement opportunities.
McDonald, who was appointed to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors in 1998 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is responsible for creating the Veterans Affairs Committee during his involvement there. In 2000, McDonald and Manuel Baca, a fellow board member and veteran, created the California Community College Veterans Summit, designed to share information and best practices for faculty, administrators and staff who work with student veterans on California Community College, California State University, and University of California campuses.
McDonald has improved awareness among veterans’ groups of opportunities in small business ownership by participating as a motivational speaker and panelist at the Irvine Valley College Women Veteran Leadership Summit. Previously, McDonald joined Major General (Ret.) Peter Gravett, Secretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs, to headline California’s first Black Veterans Summit co-hosted by the California Department of Veterans Affairs and the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County. He is also a supporter of the Veterans Business Network of Greater Los Angeles which has hosted several networking events designed to help connect younger veterans seeking to enter the business community with other veterans currently in business.
McDonald has contributed to other efforts in the veteran community, including the implementation of the 211 Orange County Veteran portal that was launched this past Veterans Day, the establishment of the Orange County Veterans and Military Families Collaborative, and is on the board of the foundation for the Orange County Fairgrounds Hall of Heroes, to name a few.
McDonald will be recognized and receive his award as 2016 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year at the local Small Business Week Awards program which will be held Tuesday, May 3 from 10:30 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. at the Disneyland Hotel Grand Ballroom. The event is being hosted by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the event or to register, email events@ochcc.com or call 714.953.4289.
About Small Business Week
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the agency takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners and others at local events around the country. Every day, these individuals are working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. For more information, please visit www.sba.gov/nsbw/nsbw.
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