NAMC-Oregon and the Portland Business Alliance (PBA) have collaborated to launch the Black Business Association of Oregon (BBAO) and appoint its executive director, Lance Randall. This initiative, driven by the Regional Black Economic Prosperity Agenda, aims to address economic inequities faced by Black-owned businesses in the state.
The BBAO strategic plan focuses on intergenerational wealth improvements, job creation, increased philanthropic investment, and expanding the tax base within the Black community. BBAO is in the process of obtaining nonprofit status, developing its website, and implementing a customer relationship management system to track Black-owned businesses statewide.
The organization is committed to evaluating and improving the economic development status of these businesses through a comprehensive dashboard. The national recruiting effort led by Motus Recruiting resulted in the selection of Lance Randall as executive director, bringing his expertise in economic and community development to advance the mission.
The development of BBAO has been made possible through significant grants, contributions, and investments from various businesses, philanthropic institutions, and public-sector partners, including the Black Indigenous People of Color Caucus of the Oregon Legislature, Meyer Memorial Trust, Google’s Tidewater Foundation, Prosper Portland, and the City of Portland. This public-private partnership signifies a groundbreaking step towards creating a national model for Black economic development and entrepreneurship.