Remarks for Secretary Tippett
Transpo 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007 at 8:30 a.m.
Westin Hotel, Charlotte
Introduction
Good morning and welcome to North Carolina.
It's a tremendous honor to kick off Transpo 2007, the first-ever national transportation summit focusing on the economic development of minority- and women-owned business enterprises.
North Carolina is pleased to be hosting this historic event, and I'd like to thank each of you for taking the time to be here with us over the next few days. I'd also like to thank the many individuals who have worked tirelessly to make this summit a reality.
It is our goal that each of you will leave this conference with the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to be successful in the contracting industry. I also hope that you leave with a newfound network of talented professionals who can provide you with support, guidance and feedback as you move your companies forward.
Thank You to Contractors
Each of you plays an important role in maintaining the quality of not only North Carolina's transportation infrastructure, but a national transportation network that our citizens can count on to get them where they need to go day in and day out.
The entire transportation industry benefits from contractors that have the expertise needed to get the job done. These benefits are passed on to the many people that use our transportation system in the form of an efficient, long-lasting infrastructure that truly meets their needs.
Here in North Carolina, we are charged with building and maintaining the nation's second-largest highway system, with more than 79,000 miles across the state.
To accomplish this task, we rely on skilled contractors who are able to complete their projects on time and on budget. This is no easy feat. I'm preaching to the choir here-you all know first hand the challenges of highway construction work.
Given this, we want to make sure that all businesses, particularly those that have been historically disadvantaged, have opportunities to actively participate in this industry and the resources they need to get their foot in the door and achieve success.
NCDOT's Office of Civil Rights strives to provide the resources to help Disadvantaged Business Enterprises reach this goal. Among our many efforts, we have launched business development centers across the state and provided loans to DBE enterprises. The office is also administering a successful mentor-protégé program and has established a "one-stop" unified certification process. To sum it up, we remain committed to creating new opportunities for all our business partners.
I applaud the many leaders from across the nation here today for their ongoing work in this area and congratulate you on a job well done. I am impressed by your drive and dedication to helping others succeed.
Conclusion
I am confident that through the sessions this week we will learn new ways to reach out to the business community and improve the quality of transportation nationwide.
I regret that I must return to Raleigh to prepare for our Board of Transportation meetings this week, but I look forward to hearing about your discussions and seeing the tangible results of your work.
I wish you much success this week and I hope you enjoy your stay in North Carolina.