By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – Minority-owned business are getting a larger share of state projects in Missouri, but Governor Bob Holden said there's still room to improve.
In 1998, Governor Mel Carnahan established a goal of 10 percent minority business enterprise participation on government projects.
Governor Bob Holden said agencies like The Missouri Department of Transportation need to improve, and he's directed the Minority Business Advocacy Commission to help.
"I have charged the commission to report back to me within six months on how the state can rapidly engage small and large minority-owned businesses, with an emphasis on the areas of construction and capital improvements," Holden said.
Holden said those areas have improved to about six percent participation, while other agencies are nearing or exceeding the 10 percent goal.
Also Wednesday, Holden presented the first Governor's Minority Outreach Award to St. Louis American publisher Donald Suggs.