Member Components

Benefits of membership include the following components:

Access to Business Growth Opportunities

HCCC offers businesses access to corporate and government agency decision makers, and civic leaders. Members become part of an organization that is quickly able to mobilize resources to address citywide issues and opportunities that impact the African-American community.

Corporations and government agencies have access to quality and qualified African-American, multi-sectored small businesses to do business with. The organization manages a large database of unique resources and members.

Advocacy for Small Business Enterprises

HCCC leads the way in addressing issues that impact the African-American business community. As a legislative liaison, HCCC keeps members updated on business issues.

Our commitment to small businesses:

• Ensure business needs are addressed effectively and that business owners have a voice concerning policies concerning business owners.

• Ensure adequate representation on boards and committees that affect local business interests.

• Ensure HCCC partners are honoring their commitment to African-American small businesses, the youth and the community.

Awareness and Education

As a HCCC member you, and your employees, have access to the most dynamic, resourceful professional development programs in the region.

Our awareness and education opportunities provide both the knowledge a small business needs for growth and development, and a platform for our corporate and government agency partners to expose their supplier diversity programs.

Members may participate in the following programs:

• HCCC’s International Trade Program has a mission is to develop business opportunities abroad for small businesses via trade forums and trade missions. International trade offers African-American business owners opportunities to establish relationships outside of our borders and catapult their business success and sustainability.
  
  

• HCCC and D-MARS.com co-hosted Third Tuesday Business Connections. The goals for these power-packed business-networking events are to provide a platform for small business exposure and customer prospecting, and an opportunity for sponsors to present their products and services to a target market of small business owners. Members participate via exhibitor booths and networking.
  
  

• EmpowerWomen, the HCCC women’s business training initiative, will feature subject matters specifically tailored for women in business such as: Venture Capital/Financials/Consumer Financial Products, Small Business Taxes, Certifications and Government/Large Company Contracting, Information Technology, Business and Life Insurance, and Work/Family Balance/Success Factors of Women-owned Businesses.
  
  

• HCCC and the Houston Business Journal have teamed to present the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon Series highlighting the prior year’s winners of the African American Business Achievement Pinnacle Awards and their industries. Coveted, specific details will be shared by the winners and keynote speakers regarding how to be at your pinnacle in business.
  
  

• Our flagship program, the African American Business Achievement Pinnacle Awards spotlights and honors African-American businesses that have achieved success by combining vision, determination, commitment, perseverance and dedication to building strong communities. New this year will be awards presented “Academy Award”-style to a winner in each of the following categories: 1) Medical, 2) Construction, 3) Food Service, 4) Professional Services, 5) Communications, 6) Information Technology, 7) Financial Services, and 8) Legal. This black-tie gala is Houston’s premier event honoring African-American entrepreneurialism. We invite members to be in a position to win the Pinnacle Award by submitting an application. The Advocate Award for supplier diversity programs and the Upstart Award for new businesses also are available and provide a unique opportunity for winners to be marketed, complimentary, for one year.