The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development has partnered with the Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise (DMBE) to offer one-on-one counseling sessions with local business owners. The sessions will take place on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development, 10th Floor of the Armada Hoffler building at Town Center, 222 Central Park Ave.

“A huge part of our local economy is comprised of small businesses, and this partnership will enable them to become SWaM (Small, Woman and Minority-Owned) or DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certified,” Warren D. Harris, Virginia Beach director of economic development said. “This gives our Beach-based businesses an edge when applying for government contracts and special incentive funds through the state.”

Individuals can register for counseling sessions by calling the DBME local office at (757) 589-0879. For more information on the SWaM and DBE Certification process, please visit the DMBE Web site at http://www.dmbe.virginia.gov.

The mission of the City of Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international business and industry that results in the creation of new capital investment and jobs that increase the per capita income in the community. Virginia Beach has been recognized as having one of the 10 best economic development groups in the nation by Site Selection magazine. In 2008, the Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council, one of only 25 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. For more information, visit yesvirginiabeach.com.

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