July 10th, 2008 

Inner City Advisors recently partnered with the East Bay Community Foundation to bring together a panel that included Jay Coen Gilbert,  one of the founders of the “B Corporation” movement, and leaders of three local businesses, including two ICA clients Numi Organic Tea and Give Something Back, who have structured themselves as B Corporations to talk about the benefits of becoming a B-Corporation.

Over 120 businesses are currently established as B-Corporations, which certifies that they meet social, environmental and performance standards within their business.  Additionally, B-Corporations enable organizations to structure themselves so that they create long term sustainability and institutionalize stakeholder intersts. 

To find out more about B-corporations, visit their website:  http://www.bcorporation.net/about/

To see the video of Jay Coen Gilbert's presentation at the event visit:   http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-343609670504181449&hl=en 

ICA Clients are making the news this summer and fall. Here are a few places where they have been seen.

• Tucker Technology Inc. was #3 on the SF Business Times’ Fastest 100 Private Growing Companies.
• Tucker Technology Inc. was #1 and Numi Tea was #16 on the East Bay Business Times’ Fastest 50 Private Growing Companies List.
• Lori Bonn Design was #75 on the San Francisco Business Times, Top 100 Women Owned Businesses List, along with Xantrion at #96
• Kristin Groos Richmond and Kirsten Tobey from Revolution Foods, received the East Bay Entrepreneurship Award for Social Ventures Entrepreneur. The article can be found at: http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/event/3211                   
• The San Francisco Business Times featured Ahmed Rahim, CEO of Numi Organic Tea, who claimed that his biggest plus of ownership was creating “something that has substance.”

ICA held its 5th Annual Business Reception at the historic Rotunda building in downtown Oakland on November 16th.

The event brought together entrepreneurs, business professionals, investors, community leaders and civic officials to celebrate the work of ICA and its portfolio clients. First and foremost, thank you to all of our sponsors and in-kind donors that made this event possible. In particular, we want to thank our Presenting sponsor, Chevron. We also want to thank our major sponsors – Comerica Bank, Deloitte & Touche, The MattMar Group,  Merrill Lynch, PG&E, Reed Smith LLP, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo.

The event featured a silent and live auction, featuring gifts from ICA clients, local entrepreneurs and other corporate and community partners.  The proceeds from the auction will benefit ICA’s programs and services, which are dedicated to accelerating the growth of emerging businesses that create quality jobs and reinvest  wealth in Bay Area’s inner city communities.

Jose Corona, the Executive Director of ICA commented, “The event was a wonderful way to complement our advisory services by providing access to new business networks and increased publicity.”  In sum, the evening was a success.