Federal Allies News Summer Edition 2014

Letter from the Executive Director

Federal Allies Institute first invited the Fort Meade Regional Growth Base Business Initiative (BBI) to participate at one of our small business conferences held at Fort Myer, Virginia in 2009 and since FAI has partnered with Fort Meade BBI involving them in several other FAI national conferences. We recently welcomed the invitation by new Base Business Initiative Director Kellyann Few to announce the Federal Allies Corporate Ethics Certification Program before 125 small businesses. FAI’s CEC program is an opportunity for small businesses to earn certificates presented by the FAI Ethics Board of Overseers chaired by Gary Shumaker, President & CEO, C2 Solutions Group of Reston, Virginia.

A new FAI relationship is underway with the Foundation for Innovation and Discovery, FINND. The foundation nurtures a community of interest around innovation, sparks conversation between technologists, and educates decision-makers and promotes an environment of non-proprietary collaboration and transparency in the discovery of innovative solutions. FAI is a FINNDER discovery engine participant for Foundation for Innovation & Discovery. FAI Board member Gabriel Fulton PMP, Founder & CEO, Sintel Group, Inc., Columbia, Maryland chairs the FAI-FINND relationship.

Of the many deserving award recipients at MBDA 2014 National MED Week Conference, Federal Allies Institute members were present to support this year’s Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award winner Diane G. Dempsey, Director, Socio-Economic Business Programs, BAE Systems Intelligence & Security. Dempsey, an integral early supporter of the Federal Allies Institute, is an individual at BAE Systems I&S whose business practices have had a significant impact on the growth and development of minority-owned firms. Dempsey’s career spans over 30 years in the procurement, subcontracts and supplier diversity fields. She’s become a leader in supplier diversity through her dedication and commitment to supporting organizations that advocate diverse suppliers, and serves as an instrument in bridging the existing gaps in industry related to small business utilization.

The FAI Oklahoma Chapter was invited to participate at Oklahoma MED Week iGNITE! Conference & Awards Dinner honoring outstanding minority entrepreneurs held in Tulsa and organized by James Ray, Project Director, MBDA Center – Native American and Alaska Native Program and REI Oklahoma staff and leadership. Keynote speaker was one of the nation’s top business thought leaders Dr. Leonard Greenhalgh, professor of management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

With a growing number of members of the FAI Board of Directors located in Texas, the FAI Texas Chapter held several meetings during August to expand and grow the chapter’s grassroots organization within the state. Among the participants the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce 2015 Chairman of the Board Herb Rolph and President Lynn McGinley; and Loletha Moore, Interim Director, The Best Southwest SBDC in Cedar Hill.

Federal Allies Institute University Outreach Program has made new inroads now interacting with American University, University of Maryland, The George Washington University and George Mason University.
We welcome new members and participants. If you would like to take part in any of the above activities, please call (571) 217-0823.

David T. Boddie
Founder & Executive Director
Federal Allies Institute