Commerce may be the goal of the 6-month-old Diversity Business Alliance, an association of small Tristate companies and their executives that meets once a month, but cooperation is the means.

        Pat Simmons, the 33-year-old diversity coordinator for S.J. Bailey Inc. and an independent consultant, was one of a handful of local business people who created the alliance last summer.

        It would be a way for companies to network, then perhaps generate and direct business and purchase orders to alliance members.

        A few people showed at that first meeting, but before 2001 ended, 15 executives were attending regularly.

        “We want to make the minority dollar work itself within its own community — to not depend upon the big corporations,” Mr. Simmons said.

        That's not to say that spending from large corporations will be ignored. The group realizes that big companies have a lot of weight — and weight is a good thing.

        “We know there is a need to do business with large corporations. We are not going to exclude them, but we are first looking at spending dollars amongst each other,” Mr. Simmons said.

        It's not just an assortment of executives trading business cards, either. The biggest obstacle so far has been a fairly pedestrian issue: figuring out the best time and place for busy people to meet.

        An educational component is planned for the months and years to come.

        Called Growth to Entrepreneurship, the program is expected to fund 10 annual partial-educational scholarships for higher education or trade-school tuition, each worth $1,000 to $1,500.

        It also hopes to create a climate of public service by sending speakers to elementary and high schools to talk about initiative, entrepreneurship and the importance of education.

        Call 675-6537 for information about meeting sites and times.

More blacks are driving economy
Ron DeLyons: Boyhood success gave hint of future
Lisa Rowell: 'People must strive for excellence'
Wayne Miller: Buzz good on sports talk radio
Pat Simmons: Alliance more than networking
Richard Coleman: VP taking Onyx to the crest
Roy Mitchell: CPA stresses education
Stephen Bailey: His goal: Keep America working
Enquirer to examine personal finance
Airport parking going up March 1
Local firm designs anthrax detector
Former coach puts sport into awards
Tristate Business Notes
Business meetings and seminars
Commercial real estate projects & transfers
Bankruptcies
Cell phones numbers may soon be portable
Contractor status can be benefit
Enron isn't only firm to seek help from government
Gramms deny culpability in Enron ties
State of economy worrisome, but recovery in offing