Assuming the inaugural position as New Castle County Small Business Enterprise Coordinator in January 2024, Helen Foster was charged with diversifying the County’s contract spend with diverse SBEs to better reflect the County’s population makeup. She began by reaching out to over 1,200 diverse businesses, leading to a 95% increase in registered certified diverse suppliers (to date). Helen rejects the mantra “We can’t find any,” based on historically inadequate efforts. She meets with SBEs and stays current on SBE community challenges to effectively increase SBE business opportunities for diverse suppliers and build capacity within the SBE community.
Distinct from other jurisdictions, Helen is empowered by County Executive Matt Meyer and County Council to consistently maintain internal and external stakeholder accountability for good faith efforts and legitimate due diligence in soliciting diverse SBEs for contracting with certified firms. Helen champions supplier inclusion through consistent and strategic stakeholder messaging. She proactively introduces new SBEs to County departments for under-bid quotes and actively manages prime contractor-certified SBE relationships for subcontracting bid opportunities. Helen is instrumental in presenting the SBE Office as a solution facilitator to prime and second-tier contactors, vendors, and suppliers, New Castle County Government, and the local 21st century economy.