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District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0128

District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0128 Compare Versions

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1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
2-1
3-
4-
5-A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
6-25-128
7-IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
8-October 3, 2023
9-
10-
11-To recognize, honor, and celebrate Kristi C. Whitfield’s leadership as the Director of the
12-Department of Small and Local Business Development and contributions to the District
13-of Columbia, on the occasion of her transitioning to a new role outside of District
14-government.
15-
16-WHEREAS, Kristi C. Whitfield was confirmed by the Council of the District of
17-Columbia as the Director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development on
18-February 6, 2018;
19-
20-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield is the longest serving Director of the Department of
21-Small and Local Business Development;
22-
23-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the Department of Small and Local Business
24-Development to give over one billion dollars to help small businesses thrive in a competitive
25-market;
26-
27-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield re -envisioned programs to better serve resident
28-entrepreneurs from traditionally underserved communities such as Aspire and Dream Pitch,
29-which gained national recognition for assisting returning citizens and entrepreneurs located east
30-of the Anacostia River;
31-
32-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield successfully reinvested nearly $9 million dollars in fines
33-levied and collected f rom prime contractors not meeting their required Small Business Enterprise
34-spend goals, going directly back into the small business community ensuring that local dollars
35-stay local;
36-
37-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the creation of the digital version of the Green Book,
38-making it more accessible to Small Business Enterprises ensuring that critical resources reach
39-businesses that need assistance with navigating the local government procurement process;
40-
41-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the effort for the District achieved record -breaking
42-spend with Small Business Enterprises of over $1 billion dollars within a fiscal year ;
43- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
44-2
45-
46-
47-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led DC Art All Night to flourish to become a cornerstone
48-of the city's cultural calendar, with far-reaching positive impacts on the local economy where 22
49-DC Main Streets, four Business Improvement Districts, and seven DC libraries hosted over 600
50-activations at over 275 venues with 160,000 attendees across the city in 2022, making it the most
51-successful Art All Night festival in its 11- year history;
52-
53-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield created the first- of-its-kind Equity Impact Enterprise
54-Grant Program to provide targeted financial assistance, where 240 businesses received $1.2
55-million dollars; and
56-
57-WHEREAS, Director Whitfield’s implemented the District Enterprise System, a platform
58-that promotes ease of doing business with District government, increases the level of
59-transparency both businesses and the District have into the local contracting and procurement
60-process, and improves the District’s collection, tracking, and evaluation of spending and
61-demographic data.
62-
63-RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
64-resolution may be cited as the “Kristi C. Whitfield Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2023”
65-
66- Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes Director Whitfield for her
67-distinguished tenure at the Department of Small and Local Business Development and celebrates
68-her contributions to the city and innovative approach to serving the District’s small business
69-community.
70-
71-Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
1+_________________________ _____________________________ 1
2+Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 2
3+ 3
4+ 4
5+ _________________________ _____________________________ 5
6+Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Christina Henderson 6
7+ 7
8+ 8
9+ _________________________ _____________________________ 9
10+Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Brooke Pinto 10
11+ 11
12+ 12
13+ _____________________________ 13
14+ Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 14
15+ 15
16+A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 16
17+___________ 17
18+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 18
19+_______________ 19
20+ 20
21+ 21
22+To recognize, honor, and celebrate Kristi C. Whitfield’s leadership as the Director of the 22
23+Department of Small and Local Business Development and contributions to the District 23
24+of Columbia, on the occasion of her transitioning to a new role outside of District 24
25+government. 25
26+ 26
27+WHEREAS, Kristi C. Whitfield was confirmed by the Council of the District of 27
28+Columbia as the Director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development on 28
29+February 6, 2018; 29
30+ 30
31+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield is the longest serving Director of the Department of 31
32+Small and Local Business Development; 32
33+ 33
34+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the Department of Small and Local Business 34
35+Development to give over one billion dollars to help small businesses thrive in a competitive 35
36+market; 36
37+ 37
38+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield re -envisioned programs to better serve resident 38
39+entrepreneurs from traditionally underserved communities such as Aspire and Dream Pitch, 39
40+which gained national recognition for assisting returning citizens and entrepreneurs located east 40
41+of the Anacostia River; 41
42+ 42 WHEREAS, Director Whitfield successfully reinvested nearly $9 million dollars in fines 43
43+levied and collected f rom prime contractors not meeting their required Small Business Enterprise 44
44+spend goals, going directly back into the small business community ensuring that local dollars 45
45+stay local; 46
46+ 47
47+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the creation of the digital version of the Green Book, 48
48+making it more accessible to Small Business Enterprises ensuring that critical resources reach 49
49+businesses that need assistance with navigating the local government procurement process; 50
50+ 51
51+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led the effort for the District achieved record -breaking 52
52+spend with Small Business Enterprises of over $1 billion dollars within a fiscal year . 53
53+ 54
54+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield led DC Art All Night to flourish to become a cornerstone 55
55+of the city's cultural calendar, with far-reaching positive impacts on the local economy where 22 56
56+DC Main Streets, four Business Improvement Districts, and seven DC libraries hosted over 600 57
57+activations at over 275 venues with 160,000 attendees across the city in 2022, making it the most 58
58+successful Art All Night festival in its 11- year history; 59
59+ 60
60+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield created the first-of-its-kind Equity Impact Enterprise 61
61+Grant Program to provide targeted financial assistance, where 240 businesses received $1.2 62
62+million dollars; and 63
63+ 64
64+WHEREAS, Director Whitfield’s implemented the District Enterprise System, a platform 65
65+that promotes ease of doing business with District government, increases the level of 66
66+transparency both businesses and the District have into the local contracting and procurement 67
67+process, and improves the District’s collection, tracking, and evaluation of spending and 68
68+demographic data. 69
69+ 70
70+RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 71
71+resolution may be cited as the “Kristi C. Whitfield Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2023” 72
72+ 73
73+ Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes Director Whitfield for her 74
74+distinguished tenure at the Department of Small and Local Business Development and celebrates 75
75+her contributions to the city and innovative approach to serving the District’s small business 76
76+community. 77
77+ 78
78+Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 79