MBDA

The Houston MBDA Business Center

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The Houston Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center is operated by Houston Community College and is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Minority Business Development Agency and has been hosted at Houston Community College since September 2013.

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MBDA Virtual Lobby

Live chat with the Houston MBDA Business Center Team:

  • First Monday of every month from 3pm - 4pm

If you select Email or Call Back, a MBDA representative will contact you within 2 business days.

Our Mission:

To foster the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. businesses that are minority-owned by facilitating transactions through referrals, business consulting, and matching Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to contract opportunities, and capital resources.

The Houston MBDA Business Center is part of a national network of centers established to assist existing minority-owned businesses. Our services are designed to improve your access to capital, procurement opportunities, and domestic and international markets, make your business more profitable, create jobs, and make your company sustainable.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and operated by Houston Community College, the Center is committed to working with qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) needing assistance in expansion, and sustainability. Our staff has years of business and financial experience to help meet your needs and offer a wealth of resources that fully address all of your business requirements.

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Houston MBDA Staff Biographies

Marshette Turner, Director

Marshette Turner, Director

 marshette.turner@hccs.edu

Marshette Turner MBDAA woman of considerable intellect and uncompromising ethics, Marshette Turner is the former Director of Corporate Services for the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC). In this role Marshette was responsible for actively engaging the Corporate Community as well as connecting them to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to increase and expand business opportunities and growth for the MBE. Marshette believes in building professional relationships and allowing them to develop organically. A prominent thought leader, Marshette is the former Director of External Affairs for the State of Illinois Comptroller’s office. Marshette is a graduate of DePaul University and a member of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC). For five consecutive years Marshette was featured as one of Chicago’s Most Influential Leaders in Who’s Who in Black Chicago.

 

Jessica Vasquez, Program Coordinator

Jessica Vasquez, Program Coordinator

jessica.vasquez@hccs.edu

Jessica Vasquez MBDAJessica Vasquez is the Program Coordinator of the Houston MBDA Business Center, operated by Houston Community College. A native of Lima, Peru, she is fluent in English and Spanish. Jessica also has taken the lead on many of the Houston MBDA Business Center’s events including the very successful Salute to Minorities in Construction, an annual luncheon that continues to be sold out. Adept at creating e-blast marketing campaigns as well as handling the Minority Business Development Agency’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, Jessica’s cheerfulness, professionalism and dedication is an asset to the Business Center and its clients. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston.

 

Deidra Sutton, Business Advisor

Deidra Sutton, Business Advisor

deidra.sutton@hccs.edu

Deidra Sutton MBDADeidra Sutton, Business Advisor was most recently the Vice President—Government Division of AMSYS Innovative Solutions, a nationwide IT service provider based in Houston. Previously she had been a Senior Business Advisor with the University of Houston Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). Prior to that, she was a Business Consultant with the Houston Minority Business Development Center (MBDA). A native of Louisiana, she has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Xavier University in New Orleans.

 

Tanya McGilbra, Business Advisor

Tanya McGilbra, Business Advisor

 latanya.mcGilbra@hccs.edu

Tanya McGilbra MBDATanya McGilbra, a native Texan who was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Go Cowboys!! She is a proud graduate of Sam Houston State University and University of Phoenix! She is married to her college sweetheart, Marlon, and is the proud mother of 2 young-adult sons, Miles and Marquis! Her most recent experience was as a Business Consultant specializing in all things Employer Services related with an in-depth focus in Workforce and Staffing Development.. She has a broad wealth of experience in retirement services and has managed large group retirement accounts in higher education, healthcare and k-12. She was recently elected to the Northwest Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Her passion and purpose is to provide exceptional consulting services. Her favorite hobbies are spending time with family, friends, thrifting, home decorating and her beloved fur baby Phoebe!

 

A New Strategic Direction:

MBEs today are growing faster than the general business community. However, they may be challenged in terms of penetrating markets, attracting capital, and growing revenue. MBDA has re-engineered the Business Centers across the country to focus on growing existing minority-owned firms. Our efforts are targeted at providing assistance to:

  • Rapid-growth potential firms
  • High-impact firms

Revenue and jobs generate wealth in this country. It is MBDA’s goal, through its Business Centers, to help MBEs create jobs and revenue. This new direction will redirect resources strategically so that all firms are served in a way that will ultimately help us achieve our goal.

  • Procurement assistance
  • Access to markets
  • One-on-One business consulting
  • Strategic Services (facilitation to minority certification, referral to service providers, marketing strategy, etc.)
  • Invitation to trainings, seminars and events

Minority-owned businesses that have been in business three or more years and with $500,000 or more in annual revenue are the target clients for our services.  High-growth industries such as green technology, clean energy, health care, infrastructure and broadband technology also are eligible for the MBDA program

Clients include:

  • American Indians
  • Alaska Native
  • Asian Indian
  • Asian Pacific American
  • African American
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders
  • Hasidic Jew
  • Hispanic American

Submitting a Bid Opportunity via the Houston MBDA

Bid posting is a FREE service that MBDA offers to our Corporate Partners. Please send an email to mbda@hccs.edu to submit your opportunity.
Submitted posts will be reviewed by MBDA before they are distributed to our MBE’s.

Bid Opportunities must include the following information:
1. Project Name
2. Description (including the scope of work)
3. Bid Due Date
4. Organization
5. Point of Contact

Note: We strongly encourage you to provide links to your project details.

Houston MBDA Business Center

Suite 701 3100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002

Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri from 8am to 5pm

¡Hablamos Español!