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Minority Business Alliance

MBA page header 2023mego

The purpose of the Chamber Minority Business Alliance (MBA) is to convene, support and promote minority businesses; leveraging local business and nonprofit partners to expand community wealth building. A Minority Business Enterprise is a business that is at least 51% owned by one or more minority individuals (African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, Native American) who are United States citizens or legal resident aliens.

Regular meetings:

  • 12:00-1:30pm on the 4th Tuesday of every other month
  • Zoom

With questions regarding this group, please contact Andrea Copeland, Chief Operating Officer.

Upcoming Events

Minority Business Alliance News

Leadership

MBA Executive Committee

Quinton Harrell, Chair
Kaye Monroe, Vice Chair
Alex Urpí, Treasurer

With questions regarding this group, please contact Andrea Copeland, Chief Operating Officer.

Partnerships with Purpose

In an effort to successfully fulfill our mission of growing and supporting minority businesses, the Minority Business Alliance has created purposeful partnerships with the following organizations:

  • City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development
  • City of Charlottesville Minority Business Commission
  • United Way of Greater Charlottesville
  • Vinegar Hill Toastmasters Club
  • Virginia Film Festival

Support MBA

If you would like to financially support the Minority Business Alliance, you can make a contribution online by credit card / Paypal using the Donate button below. On the donation page, please select "Use this donation for Chamber Minority Business Alliance." Thank you!




MBA Endurance Fund

En-dur-ance: the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

Endurance Fund in the news:

Minority Business Alliance announced Endurance Fund recipients www.cbs19news.com

MBA Gala

MBA celebrated its 10th anniversary with a Gala dinner in 2022, kicking off a new annual tradition to present the John F. Bell Sr. Vanguard Award and celebrate the recipients of the Minority Enterprise Grant Opportunity, a collaboration of the Minority Business Alliance and the United Way of Greater Charlottesville.

MBA Affair 2023 web (39)

2023 Event

Vanguard Award: Antwon Brinson of Culinary Concepts AB and Sabrina Feggans of Beyond Fitness with Sabrina

More photos

Zenas "Z" Choi accepts the MBA Vanguard Award

2022 Event

Vanguard Award: Zenas Choi of Towe Insurance

More photos

Minority Business Luncheon

Held 2015-2019, this signature event was our opportunity to support and celebrate minority-owned businesses. We now celebrate these businesses at our widely-popular annual gala in September.

Will Jones Thomas Penny

2019 Event

Vanguard Award: William "Will" Jones III, co-owner of His Image Barber Shop and Natural Hair Studio

Keynote: Thomas Penny III, President of Donohoe Hospitality Services

Pamela Sutton-Wallace, UVA Medical Center CEO; Dr. RaShall Brackney, Chief of the Charlottesville Police Department; Dr. Carla Williams, Hollie Lee, and Kathy Galvin, Charlottesville City Councilwoman

2018 Event

Vanguard Award: Hollie Lee, Chief of Workforce Development Strategies, Charlottesville Office of Economic Development

Keynote: Dr. Carla Williams, Director, UVA Athletics

Vanguard Williams 2

2017 Event

Vanguard Award: Eugene & Lorraine Williams

Keynote: Michel Zajur, President & CEO of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Many thanks to David Dillehunt and Charlottesville’s Own TV10 for recording our events to air on Comcast Channel 13.

2019 Diversity Luncheon

2018 Diversity Luncheon

2016 Diversity Luncheon 

2015 Diversity Luncheon