Join SBA & Industry Experts Feb. 4 Power Luncheon

Speaker and Presenter Information

Antonio Doss has established a reputation for performance, leadership, customer outreach and personal integrity throughout his career in financial services, community development, and government. Mr. Doss was appointed Acting District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration�s (SBA) Washington Metropolitan Area District Office on March 18, 2013. As District Director, he oversees the delivery of SBA�s small business financing products, contracting programs, and entrepreneurial coaching services in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland. In July 2011, he was appointed as Director of the Office of Grants Management. As Director, Mr. Doss administered a $250 million portfolio of cooperative agreement grants through close coordination with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) program offices. From 2004 to 2011, Mr. Doss served as Associate Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration�s Office of Small Business Development Centers. In that role, Mr. Doss established strategic direction for the nation's premier small business coaching program via policy directives, internal partnerships and collaboration with the national trade association. He administered the $110 million Small Business Development Center grant program overseeing its 900 service centers located across the nation and U.S. territories. Through this program more than 500,000 entrepreneurs annually received business coaching and training resulting in $3.6 billion in capital acquisition and 14,000 new small businesses created per year. Prior to coming to SBA, Mr. Doss was a senior vice president at Bank of America where he managed the bank�s community development program in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Under his leadership, Bank of America received the highest ratings from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for its commitment and demonstrated results in community reinvestment. While at Bank of America, Mr. Doss also managed SBA lending teams, branch offices, a consumer lending product group and championed overall mortgage and real estate lending to low- and moderate-income communities. Mr. Doss earned a bachelor�s degree in management from Robert Morris College. He is also a graduate of Leadership Maryland and the Consumer Bankers Association�s Graduate School of Bank Management, at the University of Virginia. Anthony Ruiz Since February 2011, Assistance District Director/8(a) Business Development Program, Washington Metropolitan Area District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Involved with the 8(a) Program as CEO of his own DOD manufacturing firm since 1987 and with SBA dating back to 1977. Seven years� experience with the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), as Capital Region Director (servicing Montgomery & Prince George�s Counties, 2007-2011, making that SBDC Region the #2 top performing region in the nation and the #1 performing region in Maryland for three years), as the Senior Management Consultant in the Baltimore City Office for the Central Region - Maryland SBDC (2003-2007) Prior Professional Experience: Fifteen years international & business management consulting as a business owner; 10 years as a CEO/Turnaround Manager; and 10 years international and commercial banking. Throughout his career, Mr. Ruiz has managed and executed creative and resourceful methods to improve small business financial performance, including financing for his clients, increasing revenues, government contracting, exports/imports, profitability, and strategic expansion. Education: Law Degree �Business, Finance & International Trade (University of Arizona); MBA in Finance, Marketing & International Business (University of Southern California); Bachelor�s Degree in International Relations (California State University � Los Angeles, with honors) Community Affiliations: Strong supporter of various minority chambers of commerce & non-profits assisting small businesses; Member, Korean Business Enterprise (KoBE); Planning Committee Member, Asian-American Business Conference (September 2010-2012); Prior Chairman-Minority & Small Business Committee, Prince George�s Chamber of Commerce (2008-2011); Planning Committee Member & Chair of Seminars Program Committee-The Annual Maryland Hispanic Business Conference (2005-2011); Recent Awards & Honors �Program Speaker, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2013) �Excellence in Seminars Planning Award: The 2011 Maryland Hispanic Business Conference �Prince George�s Chamber of Commerce Certificates of Service Appreciation (2008-2010) �Recipient of U.S. Small Business Administration�s 2009 Small Business Development Center Service Excellence and Innovation Center Award; Recognized performance as the #2 SBDC Center in the Nation and the #1 SBDC Center in SBA Region 3 (PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, & WV) �The MDSBDC Network�s #1 Top Performing Region (FY 2010, 2009 & 2008) �Greater Baltimore Committee 2008 Bridging the GAP Finalist Award: Assisting Minority Entrepreneurs The 2007 Maryland Governor�s Hispanic Commission Citation for Lifetime Achievement �The 2007 Maryland SBDC Network State Star Award for Outstanding Performance �The 2005 SBA (Baltimore City District Office) Robert A. Nicholls Small Business Service Award for Outstanding Minority Business Advocacy Military: Vietnam Veteran; Staff Sergeant-United States Army Field Artillery (1967-1969); distinguished with a Purple Heart and Bronze Star while in military combat. Ralph Buchanan Senior Economic Development Specialist with the Washington Metro Area District Office (WMADO) provides strategic counseling, access to capital, and contracting expertise as part of a marketing and outreach function for the nation�s largest district office. Mr. Buchanan comes from the Richmond District Office where he served as a Business Opportunity Specialist administering and directing firms through the 8(a) certification, and its associated program compliance, business development, contracting support, and business opportunity assistance through his portfolio of client firms. Immediately prior to his SBA career, Mr. Buchanan has over fifteen years of private sector experience working directly for a number of 8(a) firms in some of the major socio economic categories found within government contracting, to include WOSB, SDVOSB, SDB, Hawaiian Native, as well as mid-tier firms thriving with the federal sector. During these engagements, he provided proposal management support, strategic capture management, business development and operations, through a complete understanding of the federal acquisition lifecycle, and a well thought out methodology for go to market strategies, and critical thinking from lessons learned over the course of his diverse career. Prior to these efforts, Mr. Buchanan has a nearly twenty year career with the Unisys Corporation where he provided proposal management expertise, business development, and traditional marketing support in support of large scaled commercial and public sector opportunities. A native of Newark, New Jersey, Mr. Buchanan holds and Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelors of Science in Engineering from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). Who Should Attend �Small businesses wishing to do business with the government �8(a) and SDB Businesses �Large Businesses Connecting with SBA Certified Businesses �Woman Owned Businesses �Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses �Veteran Owned �Native American Owned �HUB Zones Why You Should Attend The greatest need for any business is learning to build relationships and be more strategic in their tactics while understanding the latest tools and techniques to effective contract capture. We will go in-depth to address issues such as: identifying contracts, resources to follow the money, using contracting vehicles, GSA Schedules, simplified acquisitions, past performance, proposal development and more to gain a competitive advantage. What others are saying about our CEO Business events that keep people coming back for more: "As a result of information that I heard� I was also able to develop a strategy to better utilizing my existing Mentor-Protege Agreement. Again, THANK YOU for your advocacy and encouragement for businesses like mine." �Thank you Minority Business RoundTable on a very successful event with key federal officials and business leaders on accessing contracts. The interactive dialogue was engaging with critical information to advance my business agenda. Your organization and network helped our business open doors and gain access." �Engaging in Washington is critical for any American, particularly entrepreneurs. Events like this help entrepreneurs get a seat at the table with policymakers - and order off the menu.�