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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><img width="325" height="73" style="width:3.3854in;height:.7604in" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D9EC9D.4B9F1E00" alt="Title: City of Durham Communications Department"><span style="font-size:1.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<b><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<b><span style="color:#00467E">News Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoHeader" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a href="mailto:CommsMedia@DurhamNC.gov"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">CommsMedia@DurhamNC.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoHeader" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:25.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="font-size:50.0pt;color:#00467F">News Release</span><span style="color:#00467F;text-transform:uppercase">
</span><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#EF3D42">For Immediate Release: September 22, 2023</span><span style="color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:25.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">New Registry and Legacy Program Now Open for Durham Businesses<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Registry and Resources Available for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses Operating for 15 Years or More</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span class="normaltextrun">DURHAM, N.C. – Longstanding businesses can now register with the City of Durham for a new program to help residents and visitors support them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><b>What You Need to Know<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
Durham-based businesses in operation for 15 years or more can now register for the new Registry and Legacy Program at
<a href="https://www.durhamlegacybc.com">durhamlegacybc.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
Designed to support minority- and women-owned businesses by encouraging stabilization, providing exposure to Durham’s broader business community, and more.<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-.25in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
Online and in-person networking, technical assistance, and coaching sessions are also now available.<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">
The City’s new <a href="https://www.durhamlegacybc.com">Legacy Business Registry and Program</a> is designed to support the preservation of minority and women-owned businesses that have been in operation for 15 years or more in Durham. This month, the program
is launching the Durham Legacy Business Registry, which will serve as a premier listing for residents and visitors to find and support legacy businesses. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<o:p> </o:p></p>
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According to Director Andre Pettigrew with the City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, once created this registry will be easy to use and widely promoted to serve as one-stop shop for those who want to find and support these businesses. “By supporting
legacy businesses, you’re supporting history, preservation, heritage, and stability as well as our local economy,” Pettigrew said. “Durham’s rich tradition and history of Black Wall Street generated some iconic companies. We want to preserve and build on this
entrepreneurial tradition with this program, which is designed to retain and grow legacy minority and women-owned businesses and the local jobs and wealth they create in our community.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">
Businesses that meet the program’s criteria are now encouraged to <a href="https://www.durhamlegacybc.com/">
register</a> for more access and exposure in the broader business community, and to take advantage of upcoming in-person and online networking opportunities, technical assistance sessions, and business coaching to help them grow their businesses.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">For more information, visit the
<a href="https://www.durhamlegacybc.com/">program webpage</a> or contact Senior Community and Economic Development Analyst Chris Dickey by
<a href="mailto:Chris.Dickey@DurhamNC.gov">email</a> or by phone at 919-560-4965, ext. 15204.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:25.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:25.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<a name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a name="OLE_LINK2"></a><b><span style="color:black">About the City of Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:25.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:black">Guided by the City’s </span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/183/Strategic-Plan">Strategic Plan</a><span style="color:black">, the
</span><a href="https://durhamnc.gov/446/Office-of-Economic-Workforce-Development">Office of Economic and Workforce Development</a><span style="color:black"> seeks to innovatively drive shared economic prosperity by increasing Durham’s commercial tax base;
preparing the workforce to meet the demands of current and emerging industries; promoting long-term economic growth through revitalization of downtown, urban, and targeted suburban areas; and providing technical and targeted financial assistance for businesses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black">###</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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