COMTO Leadership Meets with the White House

Dear COMTO Member,

On June 25, 2009, we had the fortune to meet with several members of the White House staff.  This meeting afforded us the opportunity to introduce COMTO and discuss several key issues including:  a diverse workforce in the transportation industry; ensuring people of color are appointed to DOT positions; and our initiative for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs).  Both COMTO and the White House agreed that COMTO will play a greater role as we move towards the reauthorization of the SAFETEA-LU and the FAA bills, as well as ensuring accountability at the state level of stimulus dollars.   

Present at the meeting were:  

• White House  -  Kenneth Williams- Bennett, Deputy Director Presidential Personnel;  Jenny Cizner, Director of  Energy & Environment Cluster; Lisa Ogden, Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel (Oversees DOT hiring); Mark Perriello, Director of Priority Placement (Diversity); and Jonta Williams, Staff Assistant, Energy & Environment Cluster 
   
• Department of Transportation - Brandon Neal, Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; David Matsuda, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy
    
• COMTO-Shirley A. DeLibero, National Chair;Julie A. Cunningham, President and CEO;Aida Berduo Douglas, Council of Presidents' Representative; Dr. Dianne Mendoza, Vice President, Business and Community Development, Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority; Warren Montague, Council of Presidents' Representative;Ricky D. Smith, First Vice Chair; and Lester Woods, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer.

We look forward to working with the administration on these issues.  Click here to download the briefing paper.

 The Spring 2009 Edition of The Transportation Link is Now Available

TheUS DOT/OSDBU is pleased to make the Spring 2009 edition of TheTransportation Link available for download. In this issue we highlightinvestments made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA) of 2009 to the nation's transportation infrastructure includingsignificant increases in funding of our nation's roads, bridges, air traffic and mass transit systems which will help to deliver jobs and restore our nation's economy.

Other articles include introductions of both Ray LaHood as the 16th  U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Brandon Neal as the new Director of the OSDBU, an overview of DOT's Short Term Lending Program (STLP), and we bid farewell to Joe Henebury who recently retired as Director of DOT's Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) program. In addition we have our regular features including theProcurement Assistance Page, Follow the Money and the Calendar ofEvents.

Click here to download The Transportation Link.

Prescott Sherrod and Julie Cunningham Meet the Press

Join Warren D. Harris, Director of Economic Development and Julie Cunningham, CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and learn about the upcoming conferences planned in the City of Virginia Beach. Click on the title of this article to listen to the audio podcast.

 The podcast is also available at the website for YesVirginiaBeach.

 S.C. State Plans Transportation Session

The James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center at S.C. State will host a statewide conference on transportation needs Thursday and Friday at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach.

COMTO Philadelphia's Upcoming 10th Annual Scholarship Gala

"One Future...Infinite Possibilities" The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials Philadelphia Area Chapter 10th Annual Scholarship Awards

 Julie Cunningham, COMTO President/CEO, Testified on the DBE Program Before the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Opening Remarks, comments on why the DBE Program is Relevant Today, Problems With the Current DBE Program and much more.  

COMTO Leadership Meets With Secretary LaHood

Dear COMTO Members, 

On April 1st, the COMTO leadership had the pleasure of meeting with Secretary Raymond LaHood at the Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters. Joining me at the meeting were Julie A. Cunningham, President/CEO and fellow board members David Armijo, Roosevelt Bradley, Loretta Kirk, A. Bradley Mims and Lester Woods, Jr. Also in attendance were several career DOT employees, including those from FAA, FHWA, FTA and the Office of the Secretary.

During our meeting, we summarized key industry concerns and COMTO initiatives. We believe the meeting was very productive. We are pleased to have introduced Secretary LaHood to COMTO and to share with him the significant collaborations we have performed over the years with the DOT.

You can view the COMTO briefing paper by clicking here

Sincerely,
Shirley A. DeLibero
National Chair

VB to host 2 minority transportation conventions

In an ambitious move, Prescott Sherrod, president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, petitioned the national COMTO office to give  Virginia Beach the opportunity to host the organization's national convention. 

Donna Brazile Delivers Keynote at COMTO - Patton Boggs Transportation Summit

Members of the COMTO National Board with Rodney E. Slater (former Secretary of the US DOT) and Donna Brazile, noted political strategist.

COMTO and President Elect Barack Obama's Transition Team

At the invitiation of President-Elect Barack Obama's Transition Team, COMTO Board Member Robert Prince, Jr. and I met with the Agency Working Group assigned to the Department Of Transportation (DOT).

The Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Conference hosted by the Hampton Roads Chapter held November 6th and 7th in Virginia Beachm Virginia was a huge success. If you were not there you truly missed a phenomenal event. With the forthcoming of multi-billion dollar major transportation and transportation-related projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia, this was an opportunity for COMTO Hampton Roads to support not only these initiatives, but become a vehicle in fostering partnerships among large and small businesses based both in and outside of Virginia.

COMTO partnered with Rep. ElijahCummings (D-Md.) to host the 16^th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation/COMTO Transportation Braintrust on Thursday,Sept. 25.

"Moving the Nation - An Inclusive Initiative"

• COMTO Contingent Meets DOT Secretary
• President Obama Nominates Administrators for FTA, FHWA and FAA
• White House Unveils Plans for High-Speed Rail
• COMTO Testimony to House of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Supports Ongoing Need for DOT DBE Program
• FTA Official Discusses Future Transit Funding at SunLine Luncheon

• 07/03/2009: National Office Closed, July 4th Holiday
  
• 07/10/2009: CD with conference papers made available at National Conference
  

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