Group member lands contract

A local group of minority entrepreneurs, devoted to helping members get work during the Democratic National Convention, claimed its first victory this week.

Karen Lawrence of It’s My Affair is among a trio of firms that will manage hotel room blocks for convention week. It’s a contract worth at least $1 million for the three firms, which bid together on the project. They’ll coordinate with hotels and convention officials to house approximately 6,000 convention delegates and others, including elected officials, some media and campaign staff.

The other two firms, based in Georgia, wanted to work with a local business on the project. They found Lawrence through the online vendor directory at www.charlottein2012.com.

Lawrence also is a member of the Carolina Regional Minority Partnership Coalition, according to Colette Forrest of the coalition. Forrest said the group has emphasized to members the importance of signing up in the vendor directory, which convention organizers created to help local businesses land work.

Forrest also points out that Lawrence runs a “spectacular” and “competitive” event management services company -- Lawrence says her business has organized large conferences in Charlotte and other cities.

But “getting into the directory helped her,” Forrest says. “We feel really good about pushing that, knowing that someone was found with it.”