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FedEx partnership aims to grow 75 black businesses

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The capacity-building plan is the result of an alliance between FedEx, Regions Bank, City of Memphis and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a national driver of urban economic prosperity. ICIC began its Memphis work in 2014 with Regions Bank providing capital coaching. In 2015, the partnership expanded to include FedEx.

Published

7 years ago

May 5, 2019

Oakland Post

By Dena L. Owens, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“Grow or die,” says Richard Smith referring to future economic growth in Memphis.

Smith, president and CEO of FedEx Logistics and board chairman for the Greater Memphis Chamber, revealed plans to identify and support 75 black entrepreneurs wanting to grow their small businesses through a public/private partnership.

The announcement came last Thursday (April 18) as partner executives, minority business owners, Mayor Jim Strickland and other officials gathered for a breakfast meeting.

Smith explained the rationale for the effort as concerns mount about the need for investment in underserved areas of the city.

While large-scale developments enjoy extensive tax incentives in Downtown, Midtown and East Memphis, disadvantaged African-American communities such as New Chicago in North Memphis and others could use more capital support for small business growth. Investment in these areas can create jobs where needed and build a stronger Memphis economy, inclusively.

“Our new-found momentum can be easily derailed,” said Smith, referring to the economic momentum often touted by Strickland.

“We ‘must be intentional’ as we expand (opportunities) to more minorities and disenfranchised groups,” Smith added. “We have to do better.”

The capacity-building plan is the result of an alliance between FedEx, Regions Bank, City of Memphis and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), a national driver of urban economic prosperity. ICIC began its Memphis work in 2014 with Regions Bank providing capital coaching. In 2015, the partnership expanded to include FedEx.

This year, Memphis will participate in ICIC’s tuition-free leadership program called Inner City Capital Connection (ICCC) to prepare entrepreneurs for lasting, sustainable growth.

ICCC provides instruction to minority and women owned business enterprise (MWBE) owners with a focus on: (1) capacity training, (2) one-on-one coaching and (3) connections to capital providers.

Approved applicants must complete 40 flexible training hours in three to six months. Instruction includes a day-long opening seminar, webinars and a national conference.

To qualify for ICCC, an MWBE must have five or more employees, be two or more years operational in low-income neighborhoods across Memphis, and satisfy other criteria as required. Revenue of at least $500,000 annually is preferred. However, ICCC officials say this condition is negotiable.

MWBE owners may nominate themselves or to six other MWBE owners, or be nominated through a small business developer, such as the City of Memphis Office of Business Diversity and Compliance.

Jiljuana Coleman, a certified MWBE owner and head of Jamerson Strategic Consulting in Memphis, is one of 4,000 ICCC alumni nationwide. Coleman, who once held a career in banking, decided in 2017 to open her own company assisting MWBE owners with financial strategy and training.

After only two years, Coleman is poised to move her company from serving local and national clients to pursuing global customers. She gives ICCC credit for her growth.

Memphis, a city that is more than 60 percent African American, has faced decades of stagnant economic growth with only 1 percent of local revenue going to minority owned businesses, according to a 2015 census. Currently, several public/private partnerships are working side-by-side to address the issue.

For example, FedEx, an ICIC partner, is also aligned with the 800 Initiative, a program led by the City of Memphis to grow minority business revenues by $50 million in five years. Participation in ICCC could in fact support the goals of the 800 Initiative, which is backed by a $1 million investment from FedEx and $500,000 in funding from the City.

Simultaneously, FedEx, which spent $9.5 billion with minority suppliers across the U.S. in 2018, is seeking to expand local minority supplier contracts since Memphis is home to FedEx headquarters and the expanding FedEx Logistics operation.

Pat Hopper, managing director of Sourcing and Supplier Diversity for FedEx, encourages local MWBE owners to “get prepared” to fill large-scale needs that companies like FedEx might require.

ICCC can help MWBE owners move into greater levels of service in order to bid on larger, sought-after contracts.

To learn more about ICCC, visit http://icic.org/urban-business-initiatives/inner-city-capital-connections/memphis/. Follow the prompts to apply for ICCC training or to nominate MWBE owners for the free program. The deadline for nominations is July 26.

To learn how to become a FedEx supplier, visit https://suppliers.sourcing.fedex.com/.
Save-the-Dates …

June 27 – The “We Mean Business” Symposium and Luncheon will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The event is sponsored by FedEx and will focus on business development in Memphis.

August 22 – The ICCC Opening Seminar for MWBE owners accepted into the program will be held at the FedEx Institute of Technology on the University of Memphis Campus (time TBD).

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

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Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY