Kia Steave Dickerson Lends Her Voice to d-BizConnect

Celebrity Joins The Enterprise Center`s Diversity Business Connection Campaign
to Help Raise Awareness for Minority Businesses
PHILADELPHIA--(Business Wire)--
The Enterprise Center (TEC), a Philadelphia based non profit organization that
provides business development, consulting services, and other resources to
high-potential, minority entrepreneurs, announced today that Kia Steave
Dickerson, star of the television program "Trading Spaces" and owner of
Philadelphia-based K.I.A. Design and Construction, has teamed up with TEC as
part of their Diversity Business Connection Campaign to help raise awareness of
challenges facing minority businesses. The Diversity Business Connection is also
committed to helping build technology tools for MBEs.

"As a minority business owner, I am aware first hand of the challenges facing
MBEs and what kinds of tools would be most helpful to us," said Steave
Dickerson. "In today`s competitive market, technology is key whether you are
applying for an RFP posted online or creating an Internet-based marketing plan.
This is a cause that is near and dear to me, and I thought that I could use my
experience to help promote this important business support initiative."

Next month TEC launches d-BizConnect, a comprehensive web-based resource for
matching minority owned businesses with contract opportunities. Developed using
the latest cutting edge database technologies, d-BizConnectTM distinguishes
itself from other government operated and private contract databases by its
detailed search capabilities and presentation of information. The database will
be online at www.d-bizconnect.com in Spring 2009.

The goal of d-BizConnectTM is to streamline the vendor search process for
businesses looking to hire MBEs so that they can increase their chances for
success, and reduce the time and money currently required from procurement
offices.

If you are a member of the media and would like to speak with Kia Steave
Dickerson about The Diversity Business Connection or d-BizConnect, please
contact jshavit@smartmarkusa.com. If you are an MBE and would like more
information about getting involved in d-BizConnect, please contact Jacqueline
Hill at jhill@pa-mbec.com.

About the Diversity Business Connection (DBC)

The Diversity Business Connection was launched in Fall 2008 to help minority
owned businesses (MBE) in the PA tri-state area increase their opportunities for
success. The initiative partners with leading diversity organizations to raise
awareness of MBE needs and upgrade tools available to them. One of the key
projects of The Connection is d-BizConnectTM, a comprehensive database matching
MBEs with RFPs and business opportunities. When launched in early 2009, it will
be the most comprehensive database of its kind in the nation.

About Kia Steave-Dickerson

Over the course of the past 15 years, Kia Steave-Dickerson has built a renowned
design and construction business from the ground up, and a reputation acclaimed
for its integrity and success. To learn more, please visit www.kiainc.org.

SmartMark Communications, LLC for The Enterprise Center
Juliet Shavit, +1-215-504-4272
jshavit@smartmarkusa.com
or
The Enterprise Center
Jackie Hill, +1-215-895-4032
jhill@pa-mbec.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009