Man About Business

James E. Lee III, coordinator of Asheville’s Minority Business Program. Photo: Urban News

Asheville’s Minority Business Program was established to identify minority-owned businesses, offer them opportunities to participate as providers of goods and services to the city, and increase competition to ensure the proper and diligent use of public funds. James E. Lee III, coordinator of the program, works with a consortium of local, regional, and state businesses and organizations to make sure they are aware of the wide range of services offered by the minority-owned business community in Western North Carolina.

The program also assists minority-owned businesses that wish to be
locally and state-certified as a “Historically Under-utilized Business”
(HUB). That designation assures that these businesses have access to
city contracts—“to bid on projects, whether in construction,
procurement, or services,” says Lee.

In addition to helping businesses in receiving HUB certification,
Mr. Lee assists with directing these business owners to service
providers across the state to help develop their small businesses.

“The Minority Business Program embraces the concept of our
workforce matching our community,” says Lee. “The City of Asheville
works extremely hard to provide opportunities for everyone in the
bidding and contracting process, especially women, minorities, and
small-business owners.”

A graduate of American Inter-continental University in Hoffman
Estates, IL, Lee has a Masters in Business Administration with a
concentration in Operations Management. He also has done doctoral-level
studies in business administration with a concentration in management at
Argosy University in Chicago.

Lee worked in the private sector as an operations manager for
several small businesses and as a retail consultant for small businesses
in the Asheville area before going to work for the city, where he
worked in the Parking Services Division and Transportation and
Engineering Administration Division before joining the Office of
Economic Development. He is active in various professional, civic, and
community organizations in and around Asheville.