Lt. Gov. Brown receives award from minority contractors

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who heads the governor’s economic development team, has earned some major thanks for his work with minority business.

Brown was named Distinguished Leader of the Year for Minority Business by the Maryland Washington Minority Contractors Friday, which also gave awards to the state’s lottery director and business leaders.

The minority business advocacy group cited the state’s Minority Business Enterprise University program as a major reason for Brown’s honor. The program provides information and resources to help grow minority and women-owned businesses.

In a statement, the organization’s president said Brown has “proven to be a friend” of minority business.

“We pray that continued compliance and concern for Minority Business Enterprise remains strong with him,” Wayne R. Frazier, Sr. said.

Brown said in a statement that he and Gov. Martin O’Malley “made a commitment to strengthening and growing our middle class and to expanding opportunity to all Marylanders.

“Investing in Maryland’s small and minority-owned businesses is critical to keeping that promise,” Brown said. “These investments not only support our working families and create jobs, but they build a stronger, more diverse economy.”

The minority business advocacy group also gave Stephen Martino, director of the Maryland State Lottery Agency, the award for “Most Resourceful Government Agency for Minority Businesses.”

“Never before has the Maryland Lottery been so open to minority business inclusion until the arrival of Stephen Martino,” Frazier said.

Other awardees included Del. Barbara A. Robinson, D-Baltimore; Thomas R. Mullen, president and CEO of Mercy Health Services, and others.