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INTERRACIAL COUNCIL FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

ICBO

"A Time for Action!"

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[[caption]] ROSS BARZELAY, president of General Foods Corporation, giving keynote speech at 17th Annual Dinner of the Interracial Council for Business Opportunity held at the New York Hilton on April 23, 1980. [[/caption]]

"If not now, when?  If not us, who?"

With those words, Ross Barzelay, president of General Foods Corporation, challenged the more than 1300 guests in attendance at ICBO's 17th Annual Dinner—almost half of whom were representatives of corporate America—to participate more actively in minority economic development.

Citing the problems of high interest rates, inflation and a deepening recession, Barzelay said that minority businesses were in danger of "slipping backward" despite "all the efforts of past years" unless they received the active support of the business community.

He noted that the average small business has sales of $200,000, while average annual sales for a minority business is $33,000. The General Foods executive called for corporations to "start your own minority purchasing programs" and to reduce the bureaucratic red tape when purchasing from minority vendors.  And, where necessary, "lend them some technical assistance to get them functioning to meet your standards."

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[[caption]] Corrin, Lewis, Howard [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Marusi, Corrin [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Corrin, Orr, Johnson [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] William Patrick [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] John C. Whitehead [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Malcomn Corrin [[/caption]]

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[[caption]] Augustine R. Marusi [[/caption]]

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