IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday December 29, 2008

MBRT Urges Federal Reserve Bank Board to Vote on Credit Card Reform

• Hires Federal Business Development, Contracting and Acquisition Expert to provide general government procurement guidance and consulting services
• Robert Saldivar (Bob), a former Federal Executive experienced in contracting and small/disadvantaged business programs has joined MBRT. Bob has also worked extensively with large and small businesses
• MBRT partners with Set-Aside Alert to provide pre-solicitation, sources sought, teaming opportunities and contract announcements for set-aside programs

Washington, D.C. - With the U.S. economy in trouble, there is more stress on small and minority businesses to survive. Businesses are downsizing and seeking ways to conserve cash and get loans for help. Banks are not lending funds received from the $700 Bailout to Wall Street and none is being used to help small and minority businesses, and it remains unclear whether the $17.4 billion loan to the automakers will eventually trickle down to their minority suppliers and dealers as the governments recent lending policies have not been inclusive of small and minority businesses. The federal government's set-aside programs for small and minority businesses' including the SBA's 8(a) program, HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business and Small Business set-asides represent and offer one of the few spots for business survival tactics in these troubled times.

"As a veteran Washington, D.C. insider, I have seen the set-aside programs grow and offer more business opportunities even under economic recessions", said Robert Saldivar, Director of MBRT Business Development Center. "There is a huge need to adequately explain what's available to small and minority businesses in the federal contracting area and understand the programs rules and regulations. The federal government doesn't have the time or resources necessary to help businesses identify and acquire contracts. This is where the MBRT Business Development Center steps in to provide business development, procurement, and contracts counseling."

"I have known Bob Saldivar since our days at SBA and when he headed up the SBA's 8(a) program and then afterwards he became Director of the Navy's Small & Disadvantaged Business Office and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Logistics handing all procurement and contracts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs", said Roger A. Campos MBRT President & CEO. "Bob has a long distinguished federal career serving in high level positions in the federal government's procurement, contracts and grants offices, as well as holding senior management positions in the private sector after his federal service. I can think of no individual more highly qualified than Bob Saldivar to run MBRT's Business Development Center and provide expert guidance to small and minority businesses."

"There need not be an either-or-mindset to how small and minority businesses participate in government set-aside programs. Both categories of businesses bring valuable partnerships to government contracting needs, and MBRT has the scale and expertise to impact this", said Janice Howroyd, MBRT Chairman and CEO of Act-1 Group located in Torrance, CA. "MBRT can work with small and minority owned companies, as well as other not-for-profit organizations to provide the thread and guidance to successful government contracting."

About the Minority Business RoundTable:

The Minority Business RoundTable is the only national non-profit organization for CEOs of the nation's leading African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American and other minority-owned businesses. Its members analyze and help formulate effective public policies that impact minority-owned business. Our corporate members work to create sustainable communities and national economic viability through successful partnerships.

The Minority Business RoundTable is proud to have Glaxco Smith Kline, Equifax, Southwest Airlines, IMPAC real estate holding companies, the Allegis Group and Aerotek, Inc., the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of the country's leading corporations, Western Union, the Kauffman Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies, corporations and business trade groups as strategic partners. For more information on the Minority Business RoundTable, please visit www.mbrt.net.

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NEWS RELEASE

Minority Business Roundtable
1629 K Street, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20036

Contact: Roger A Campos
President & CEO
Minority Business Roundtable
202-289-8881
rogercampos@mbrt.net

Arizona and West Coast Office
Contact: Stephen P. Campos
stephencampos@mbrt.net
443-802-0045