ITHACA, N.Y. -- About 170 women small-business owners, including those who are members of minority groups, got help April 21 at a special Cornell-sponsored workshop, "Rebuilding New York City: What Every Minority/Woman-Owned Business Should Know." The event took place at the Cornell Conference Center in Manhattan.

The key sponsors of the annual conference were the School of Industrial and Labor Relations' (ILR) Institute for Women and Work (IWW) and Asian Women in Business (AWIB). New York State Assemblywoman Susan John (D-131st District), chair of the state Assembly's labor committee, joined the session as keynote speaker. She discussed the importance of women and minority-owned small-business success to the state's overall economic health and answered questions from the audience. The conference received excellent reviews from the participants, reported IWW Director Francine Moccio. 

John lauded the three sponsoring groups "for bringing together women entrepreneurs to address the important role that women and minorities play in the success of corporations and our economy. I look forward to continuing this dialogue across the state and to ensure that women are part of our new economy," she said. 

One goal of the gathering was to provide area businesses owners in traditional and nontraditional fields with information on getting Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) certification, including understanding the steps involved, the benefits and how to leverage certification to seek state and federal government contracts. 

Another goal was to help owners of M/WBEs meet with buying representatives from state and federal agencies, make needed contacts and gain contracts for goods and services that might grow their businesses. The gathering also featured exhibitors from state government, such as the Empire State Development, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Lower Manhattan Development Corp. (LMDC) and New York State Department of Labor. Most of the exhibiting groups represent unionized workers.