Business

Pres. Biden Appoints ‘Activist Entrepreneur’ Kerman Maddox to Trade Advisory Body

Last summer, the White House offered Southern California small business owner Kerman Maddox a unique opportunity to serve on a national committee set up to advise President Joe Biden’s administration on educational matters. The Los Angeles resident declined. Maddox, who is also a communications specialist — most recently a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ transition team — felt he did not have enough expertise in the educational space.

Published

1 year ago

March 25, 2023

Oakland Post

President Joe Biden and Kerman Maddox. Courtesy photo.

By McKenzie Jackson
California Black Media

The Los Angeles resident declined.

Maddox, who is also a communications specialist — most recently a member of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ transition team — felt he did not have enough expertise in the educational space.

Then, this month, the right opportunity came for Maddox to take his expertise, passion and ambition to Washington. The White House appointed Maddox, along with 14 others, to serve on the United States Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

“I’m an African American male. I’m a small business owner. There is nothing in my background that ever would have indicated this was even in the realm of possibilities,” he stated. “I am going to do the best to represent other African American small business owners. When you get an opportunity like this, you want to do a good job — not embarrass folks.”

Maddox, president and majority owner of K&R Hospitality and managing partner of Dakota Communications, had said he would be interested in serving on any commission that dealt with United States’ commerce, small business, trade or other related fields if a position became available.

Maddox, who was once appointed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee by former President Barack Obama, says he is excited about his new role.

The other new advisory body appointees are Revathi Advaithi, Manish Bapna, Timothy Michael Broas, Thomas M. Conway, Erica R.H. Fuchs, Marlon E. Kimpson, Ryan LeGrand, Sean M. O’Brien, Javier Saade, Shonda Yvette Scott, Elizabeth Shuler, Nina Szlosberg-Landis, and Wendell P. Weeks.

Along with the other appointees, Maddox will provide policy advice to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who spearheads American trade policy across the globe.

The new committee members were recommended by Tai’s office and appointed by Biden. They make up one of several advisory committees established by Congress to ensure U.S. trade policy and trade negotiating objectives adequately reflect American public and private sector interests.

In a March 10 statement announcing the appointees, Tai said she looked forward to working with the new appointees.

“Developing a worker-centered trade agenda means bringing together a range of perspectives and backgrounds to design and implement our policies,” she stated. “The Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations is an important forum to guide USTR’s work and ensure that the benefits of trade are equitably distributed across our economy and to all people. President Biden has nominated a diverse group of men and women that will help us carry out his vision for sustainable, inclusive and durable trade policy in 2023 and beyond.”

Maddox wants to align with the trade agenda set by the Biden administration. He also has his own objectives he aims to rally for.

“Number one, I’m really going to play a space as a small business guy to see if we can get small businesspeople to export products overseas — whether it is technology or manufacturing or retail or professional services,” he noted. “Number two, figure out a way to rein in climate change. What can we do to get people to understand that it is real and what should we be doing by the way of trade policies to combat the escalation of global warming and climate change?”

Maddox received a call from the White House late last year inquiring whether he would be interested in joining the committee. He jumped at the opportunity. In January, he learned his position on the panel was finalized.

Maddox now has a lot of homework to do on trade policy before the group meets in April. Tai’s office is introducing the new committee members to trade experts.

“I’m trying to quickly study to get up on this,” Maddox noted.

Maddox founded Dakota Communications, the marketing, public relations and public affairs consulting firm, in 1996. In 2010, he started K&R Hospitality, a food and beverage concession business.

He had a role in Obama’s historic 2008 campaign and was part of Biden’s presidential campaign 12 years later. Maddox worked as an aide and advisor to past L.A. mayors Tom Bradley and Antonio Villaraigosa and for Bass when she was in Congress.

He was also an adjunct professor of Political Science at USC and a full-time Political Science professor for the L.A. Community College District. Maddox has several honors from community service organizations and radio and television awards under his belt.

Maddox described himself as an “activist entrepreneur.”

“I do a lot of community stuff,” he said. “I’m very active in my church, but I’m also a businessman. I’m interested in making money, but I’m also interested in hiring as many people that look like me as possible. I’m interested in growing my business and bringing people along at the same time.”

Due to his business experience, Maddox brings a breadth of viewpoints to the commission.

“I have a unique perspective to talk about professional service businesses and how that works and discuss retail, food, and beverage concussion-oriented businesses,” he explained. “One is people, food, merchandising, quality standards, and more. The other is professional services — you are brainstorming and creating.”

Maddox will meet with other committee members via video conference, but expects to also assemble with the group in Washington, D.C.

He said being involved with Obama’s initial presidential run was his greatest professional experience. However, having the chance to pitch Biden, who Maddox has met before, trade policy insights is a close second.

“There is nothing in my background that would indicate I would be talking to the president, let alone advising the president,” Maddox declared. “If I can make it, anyone can make it. I’m a pretty regular guy that worked his way up.”

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Oakland Post: Week of May 8 – 14, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May May 8 – 14, 2024

Published

2 days ago

May 10, 2024

Oakland Post

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Mayor Breed Proposes Waiving City Fees for Night Markets, Block Parties, Farmers’ Markets, Other Outdoor Community Events

Mayor London N. Breed introduced legislation on April 26 to encourage and expand outdoor community events. The first will waive City fees for certain events, making them less costly to produce. The second will simplify the health permitting for special event food vendors through the creation of an annual permit. Both pieces of legislation are part of the Mayor’s broader initiative to bring vibrancy and entertainment to San Francisco’s public right of ways and spaces.

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Outdoor community events are integral to San Francisco’s vibrant culture and sense of community. iStock image.

Mayor’s Press Office

Mayor London N. Breed introduced legislation on April 26 to encourage and expand outdoor community events.

The first will waive City fees for certain events, making them less costly to produce. The second will simplify the health permitting for special event food vendors through the creation of an annual permit. Both pieces of legislation are part of the Mayor’s broader initiative to bring vibrancy and entertainment to San Francisco’s public right of ways and spaces.

Outdoor community events are integral to San Francisco’s vibrant culture and sense of community. These events include night markets, neighborhood block parties and farmers markets, and bolster the City’s economy by supporting local businesses and attracting tourists eager to experience San Francisco’s unique charm and food scene.

They offer residents, workers and visitors, opportunities to engage with local artists, musicians, and food vendors while enjoying the San Francisco’s stunning outdoor spaces and commercial corridors.

The legislation will allow for more and new community gatherings and for local food vendors to benefit from the City’s revitalization.

“San Francisco is alive when our streets are filled with festivals, markets, and community events,” said Breed. “As a city we can cut fees and streamline rules so our communities can bring joy and excitement into our streets and help revitalize San Francisco.”

Fee Waiver Legislation

The events that can take advantage of the new fee waivers are those that are free and open to the public, occupy three or fewer city blocks, take place between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and have the appropriate permitting from the ISCOTT and the Entertainment Commission.

The applicant must be a San Francisco based non-profit, small business, Community Benefit District, Business Improvement District, or a neighborhood or merchant association. Fees eligible for waiver include any application, permit, and inspection/staffing fees from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Department of Public Health, Fire Department, Entertainment Commission, and Police Department.

Currently, it can cost roughly anywhere between $500-$10,000 to obtain permits for organized events or fairs, depending on its size and scope. Organizations and businesses are limited to a maximum of 12 events in one calendar year for which they can receive these fee waivers.

Food Vendor Streamlining Legislation

The second piece of legislation introduced will help special event food vendors easily participate in multiple events throughout the year with a new, cost-effective annual food permit. Food vendors who participate in multiple events at multiple locations throughout the year will no longer need to obtain a separate permit for each event. Instead, special event food vendors will be able to apply and pay for a single annual permit all at once.

“Many successful food businesses either begin as pop-up vendors or participate in special events to grow their business,” says Katy Tang, Director of the Office of Small Business. “Giving them the option for an annual special event food permit saves them time and money.”

Currently, food vendors are required to get a Temporary Food Facility (TFF) permit from the Department of Public Health (DPH) in order to participate in a special event, among permits from other departments.

Currently, each special event requires a new permit from DPH ranging from $124-$244, depending on the type of food being prepared and sold. Last year, DPH issued over 1,500 individual TFF permits. With the new annual permit, food vendors selling at more than four to six events each year will benefit from hundreds of dollars in savings and time saved from fewer bureaucratic processes.

“This legislation is a step in the right direction to make it easier for food vendors like me to participate in citywide events,” said Dontaye Ball, owner of Gumbo Social. “It saves on time, money and makes it more effective. It also creates a level of equity.”

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Bay Area

Faces Around the Bay: Sidney Carey

Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland. Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.

Published

1 week ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Courtesy of Sidney Lane.

By Barbara Fluhrer

Sidney Carey was born in Dallas, Texas. He moved with his family to West Oakland as a baby. His sister is deceased; one brother lives in Oakland.

Carey was the Choir Director at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church for 18 years.

He graduated from McClymonds High with a scholarship in cosmetology and was the first African American to complete a nine-month course at the first Black Beauty School in Oakland: Charm Beauty College.

He earned his License, and then attended U.C., earning a secondary teaching credential. With his Instructors License, he went on to teach at Laney College, San Mateo College, Skyline and Universal Beauty College in Pinole, among others.

Carey was the first African American hair stylist at Joseph and I. Magnin department store in Oakland and in San Francisco, where he managed the hair stylist department, Shear Heaven.

In 2009, he quit teaching and was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. He was 60 and “too old for a heart transplant”. His doctors at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) went to court and fought successfully for his right to receive a transplant. One day, he received a call from CPMC, “Be here in one hour.” He underwent a transplant with a heart from a 25-year- old man in Vienna, Austria

Two years later, Carey resumed teaching at Laney College, finally retiring in 2012.

Now, he’s slowed down and comfortable in a Senior Residence in Berkeley, but still manages to fit his 6/4” frame in his 2002 Toyota and drive to family gatherings in Oakland and San Leandro and an occasional Four Seasons Arts concert.

He does his own shopping and cooking and uses Para Transit to keep constant doctor appointments while keeping up with anti-rejection meds. He often travels with doctors as a model of a successful heart-transplant plant recipient: 14 years.

Carey says, “I’m blessed” and, to the youth, “Don’t give up on your dreams!”