19 MWBE businesses complete growth accelerator program; participating Mid-Hudson businesses have secured nearly $40 million in contracts
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. — The Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network celebrated the 2026 graduates of the New York State MWBE Business Growth Accelerator (BGA) Mid-Hudson Program on Tuesday, September 22, recognizing the growth and accomplishments of 19 graduate businesses.
The graduation celebration, held at The Wartburg in Mount Vernon, brought together business owners, industry leaders, government officials, program partners, and supporters to recognize the cohort’s accomplishments and celebrate their next stage of growth.
U.S. Representative George Latimer, New York State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, and Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins delivered keynote remarks, recognizing the graduates’ achievements and the important role of minority- and women-owned businesses in driving regional economic growth.
“Small businesses are essential to the strength of our regional economy, and minority- and women-owned businesses are an important part of that growth,” said U.S. Representative George Latimer. “The accomplishments of these graduates show what is possible when talented entrepreneurs have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to grow. I congratulate the 2026 BGA graduates and look forward to their continued success.”
Echoing the importance of expanding opportunities for MWBEs, State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey emphasized the connection between business development and stronger local communities.
“Investing in minority- and women-owned businesses means investing in jobs, economic opportunity, and stronger communities,” said State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. “The Business Growth Accelerator helps entrepreneurs build the capacity and connections to pursue larger opportunities and take their businesses to the next level. I congratulate this year’s graduates on this important milestone.”
Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins also highlighted the importance of creating pathways for local businesses to grow and remain competitive.
“Westchester is stronger when our local businesses have the opportunity to grow, compete, and succeed,” said Westchester County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins. “The Business Growth Accelerator strengthens our MWBE community by helping entrepreneurs build capacity, develop valuable relationships, and position their businesses for new opportunities. Congratulations to the 2026 graduates on this well-earned achievement.”
The program also featured remarks from Jason M. Clark, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development; Doningnon Soro, Associate Business Development Analyst with the Division’s Business Development Unit; André Wallace, a BGA graduate, President of Creative Direction Construction & Design, and Mount Vernon City Council Member; and Nancy Carin, Executive Director of BOC Network/BOC Capital.
“BGA captures what our MWBE program is supposed to be about. We know the challenges and inequities are out there, but when our businesses have the opportunity to grow, they show everyone what minority and women owned firms are capable of. Seeing where these graduates started and where they are now, in just a year and a half, shows exactly why programs like this matter,” said Jason M. Clark, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development.
“Systemic inequities in business, education, and housing are not a figment of anyone’s imagination. For too many of us, they are part of our lived experience. If we know these barriers exist, business owners should know they have a partner in overcoming them. That is why the New York State MWBE program at Empire State Development has worked so aggressively to eliminate the certification backlog, simplify the process, and make sure every business knows someone is there to help,” said Clark.
Operated by Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network with funding and support from the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development, the BGA Mid-Hudson Program supports established MWBEs as they strengthen their operations and prepare for continued growth. Through management training, individualized technical assistance, peer learning, and opportunities to build industry relationships, participants develop the strategies, systems, and connections needed to compete for new opportunities and grow.
“BGA is about helping established high potential firms turn opportunity into sustainable growth,” said Nancy Carin, Executive Director of BOC Network. “These entrepreneurs came to the program ready to grow, and they leave better equipped to manage their businesses, build valuable relationships, and compete for larger opportunities. We are incredibly proud of this year’s graduates, and BOC will continue to serve as a resource and partner as they pursue their next stage of growth.”
The impact of the program was also reflected in the experiences shared by this year’s graduates. André Wallace, President of Creative Direction Construction & Design and a Mount Vernon City Council Member, spoke about how participating in BGA challenged him to take a fresh look at his business, despite nearly four decades of experience as an entrepreneur.
“I initially entered the BGA program to learn more about it and better understand the resources available to MWBE businesses in our region,” said André Wallace, owner of Creative Direction Construction & Design and a Mount Vernon City Council Member. “After 37 years in business, I didn’t expect the program to challenge me in the way that it did. It pushed me to reexamine my own business, strengthen our operations, and prepare for larger opportunities. During my time in the program, my company generated an additional $4.2 million in revenue. For me, that speaks to what’s possible when business owners have access to the right resources—and, most importantly, put what they learn into action.”
Building on its theme of continued growth and learning, the celebration featured the “Beyond BGA: Accelerating the Next Stage of Growth” panel, bringing together BGA alumni and graduates Diane Moore of CleanWork Solutions, Roxanne Guerrerio of KCM Contracting Inc., and Elton Paul of GLP & Sons.
The panelists reflected on their experiences in BGA, the lessons and relationships they are carrying forward, and their goals as they continue growing their businesses. The discussion reinforced a central theme of the celebration: graduation is not the end of the BGA experience, but the beginning of the next stage of growth, with participants building on the skills, connections, and strategies developed through the program.
Since the launch of the current BGA Mid-Hudson cohort on October 15, 2024, participating businesses have secured 99 contracts nearly $40 million in value. These results demonstrate the contracting activity and continued growth of businesses participating in the program.
As graduates move forward, BOC Network will remain a resource and partner, building on the relationships developed through BGA and supporting businesses as they pursue new contracts, strengthen their operations, and advance to their next stages of growth.
BOC Network also acknowledges Columbia University Facilities & Operations for its support of the program.
About the Business Growth Accelerator
The New York State MWBE Business Growth Accelerator provides established minority- and women-owned businesses with management training, individualized technical assistance, peer learning, and opportunities to build relationships and strengthen their capacity for continued growth. The Mid-Hudson program is operated by BOC Network with funding and support from the New York State Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development.
About BOC Network
Business Outreach Center (BOC) Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities by helping entrepreneurs and small businesses start, grow, and succeed. Through business counseling, training, access to capital, and specialized business-development programs, BOC Network supports entrepreneurs throughout New York City, Long Island, the Mid-Hudson region, and communities across New York State.
Media Contact:
Tasha Balkaran
Communications Manager
BOC Network
tbalkaran@bocnet.org | (917) 822-4116