Doing Business With The DNC: Some Black-owned Charlotte Companies See Convention Benefits

How many vendors does it take to power the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte? The DNC isn’t saying—at least until after the convention.

Companies from around the country have contracts to do everything from rolling the teleprompter for the President to running the convention television production operation, Studio 2012. They design credentials and shuttle delegates around the Queen City.

Of the businesses that have contracts with the DNC, how many are African-American owned? Again, there’s no official word from the party for now.

A diversity promise

In March, the DNC and the Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee announced the convention’s diversity contracting policy. A DNC blog post in August called it an  “unprecedented policy to devote at least one-third of its spending to contracting diverse businesses.”

• Read about the DNCC diversity contracting policy

The post was specifically about women-owned businesses. It gave examples of six companies contracted to provide a variety of services to the convention.

Karen Lawrence, owner of the Charlotte event management company It’s My Affair. Partnering with two Atlanta firms, Lawrence won a contract to help manage hotel accommodations for convention attendees. (Courtesy: Charlotte in 2012)

Among them is a woman who happens to be African-American: Karen Lawrence. Her Charlotte-based It’s My Affair is helping the host committee manage more than 15,000 hotel rooms for convention attendees. She partnered with two Atlanta firms to bid for the contract as a unit.

Lawrence got a separate contract from Charlotte in 2012 to host a welcome reception for delegates from from New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture.

“The convention changed Charlotte altogether. It put us on the map,” she said. “It’s been a wonderful experience for me to build valuable relationships.”

• Read Karen Lawrence’s blog post at the DNC website

A second Charlotte company run by an African-American woman, The Main Event, also was among the 13 companies selected to handle welcome events for the convention delegates.

“I am proud that our planners reflect the diversity of the Charlotte region,” said Mary Tribble, Charlotte in 2012 Chief of Event Planning, in a press release. “This shows the effective process that has been put in place by the Host Committee and the DNCC. This process has allowed me and others on our team to reach far and wide into the community, to meet new people, and connect them with new vendors.”

Who’s keeping tabs?

While the DNC may not be sharing numbers of black-owned convention vendors, one Charlotte-based group has been pressing for answers.

In August 2011, Carolina Regional Minority Partnership Coalition (CRMPC) formed with the specific purpose of monitoring just how the DNC awarded contracts for the convention.

Nearly one year later, according to a June 16 article in The Charlotte Observer, coalition members remained frustrated by the lack of information about vendors. The group asked for names of companies getting contracts and the amount of money being paid. Of the DNC, one CRMPC member said simply, “They haven’t been responding.”

The article quotes a DNC spokesman, who said “we are well on our way” to meeting the goals set forth in the diversity contracting policy.

The CRMPC spokesman, Charlotte attorney James Ferguson II, was not available for an interview with The Village Celebration. Another member promised to answer questions via email, but did not respond.

A piece of the DNC pie

So has the convention been good for African-American businesses in the Queen City? Absolutely, said Will Peters, organizer of the Charlotte Black Professionals Meetup group.

While the number of black vendors that got contracts from the DNC is unknown for now, Peters said he’s seen some benefits in Charlotte; for example, local businesses that supply hotels and restaurants with goods and services are getting work.

Lawrence said she hired 11 people to help It’s My Affair with its hotel room management assignment.

“I am excited that my company was an able to be able to help other folks, especially other minorities, with temporary employment,” she said.

Peters pointed to a local construction company that is serving as a sub-contractor.

On its website, McFarland Corbitt Construction says it is providing “project management, event scheduling and design and decor, as well as provide rentals and furnishings to staff and members of the media” at the DNC. The company is working with Maryland-based Hargrove Inc., which actually got the vendor contract for exposition and event services.

• Read more: DNCC Awards Construction Manager, Event Architect, and Exposition and Event Services Provider Contracts

A November 2011 press release on the Hargrove website says the company would, “partner with two Charlotte-based firms to develop a formal minority and women-owned business outreach program.”

Peters, of Charlotte digital design and marketing firm The Anstad Group, said the money and attention coming to Charlotte puts the ball in the court of people ready to seize the moment.

“Long-term, it’s the opportunity for new businesses in Charlotte,” Peters said. “But, it’s up still up to us to be visible and connected and learn how to partner and support each other.”

Like Peters, Lawrence’s advice to fellow business-owners is, “be ready.”

“All things are possible. It’s a matter of making sure that your business is prepared to accept these opportunities,” she said. “With minority businesses, some of us don’t prepare to be able to step into those roles. When I got the call, I was ready to step into that role.”

Learn more:

• DNC Journal (QCityMetro.com)
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce
• Charlotte Business Community Profile (CharlotteChamber.com)
• Charlotte’s Got A Lot (Visitors Guide)
• Vendors cash in with DNC items (CharlotteObserver.com)