Phoenix, AZ – The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation (AZHCCF) has been notified by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) that it will be the operator of the Arizona Minority Business Development Center (AMBDC) over the next three years. The AMBDC provides professional business consulting services and technical assistance to established minority business owners to manage, grow and expand their businesses.

“We are ecstatic that the AMBDC will continue to be operated under the direction of the AZHCCF,” said Harry Garewal, President and CEO. “We look forward to expanding opportunities for minority-owned businesses over the next three years.”

“I look forward to the challenge of leading the AMBDC,” said Isauro “Izzy” Gonzalez, Project Director. “We are dedicated towards increasing the revenue and financing opportunities for Arizona businesses.”

“Minority-owned firms are growing faster than other businesses,” said Ronald Langston, National Director of the MBDA. “But the number and size of minority firms relative to the minority population is significantly lower than it should be. Support for these Centers is one approach for addressing the opportunity gap that currently exists for minority-owned firms nationwide.”

The AMBDC provides services such as market research; marketing assistance; financial analysis; loan package preparation; and business plan development.

Entrepreneurs eligible for assistance under the program, as defined by the Minority Business Development Agency, are African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Spanish-speaking Americans, Aleuts, Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Indians, Native Americans, Eskimos and Hasidic Jews that have been in business for at least one year.

“It’s been an arduous process,” said Gonzalez. “But the rewards are well-worth it. We will be able to help many small business owners over the next three years.”