La Vista
by Michael A. Fletcher
mfletcher@ccgmag.com
ANY SOURCE OF ENERGY IS PROMISING FOR MINORITY BUSINESSES
DOT HARRIS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF ENERGY, OFFICE OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AND DIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
hich federal agency does the sec- ond largest amount of business with private contractors? Which federal agency runs a network of national laboratories that are a veritable treasure trove of technological breakthroughs and business opportunities?
W
Dot Harris wants everyone to know the answer to those questions: the Depart- ment of Energy (DOE).
Harris is an assistant secretary over- seeing the DOE’s Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. Her responsi- bilities include helping to develop the department’s expanding small business contracting opportunities and protect- ing the civil rights of both department employees and those who work for companies that are DOE contractors.
Before coming to the federal govern- ment, Harris, a graduate of the Uni- versity of South Carolina and Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga., spent nearly three decades work- ing in the energy sector, including as president and CEO of Jabo Industries, an energy, IT and healthcare consulting firm.
Previously, she had been an executive at General Electric, working in the con- glomerate’s energy and industrial sys- tems businesses. Among other things, she has also worked as an engineer for Westinghouse.
Since she came to DOE earlier this year, Harris’ office has hosted a program that pairs students with DOE offices. She also has led a series of regional small business summits at the DOE’s national laboratories in an effort to hear from area small businesses about how the department can provide better support.
Her office also works with minority- serving institutions to connect them with the national laboratories and help
6 HISPANIC ENGINEER & Information Technology | 2012
The Honorable Dot Harris, Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, Department of Energy
the schools commercialize some of the laboratory-scale technologies coming out of the labs. The idea is to grow new businesses and train the next genera- tion of scientists and engineers.
The office also works to increase minor- ity owned business entrepreneurship and access to contracts—which is no small thing. In 2011, the Department of Energy supported $8 billion in prime and sub-prime contracting to small businesses across the country.
HE&IT magazine recently talked with Harris about her new job. The conversa- tion follows here:
HE&IT: What is the biggest hurdle that [Hispanic] businesses run into trying to win Department of Energy contracts?
Harris: I don’t think they are any differ- ent than the problems faced by other minority or ethnic groups. Part of the issue is knowing where in the agency
www.hispanicengineer.com
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