[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 58 (Wednesday, April 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO RENEE SPROW

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate the 
contributions of Renee Sprow, who dedicated over 30 years of service to 
the Small Business Development Center, SBDC, network. Ms. Sprow spent 
her career promoting economic development and the growth of small 
businesses, which means that she spent her career helping countless 
people and their families achieve the American dream.
  One of many highlights of Ms. Sprow's service to the Federal 
Government and private industry was her critical role in helping to 
establish the National Minority Purchasing Council, now known as the 
National Minority Supplier Development Council, which reports private 
contracts exceeding $1 billion to minority suppliers. She designed and 
directed small, minority and women-owned subcontracting programs for 
major Federal and private-sector construction and revitalization 
projects, resulting in the award of multimillion dollar subcontracts.
  Under Ms. Sprow's leadership as director of the Maryland SBDC, the 
value of contracts awarded to minority firms who met the U.S. 
Department of Defense's Socially and Economically Disadvantaged 
Business Utilization qualifications increased by more than 200 percent.
  Ms. Sprow also participated in the drafting of Public Law 95-507, 
which established the legal authority to reshape Federal procurement 
policy for contracting with minority and women-owned firms. As an 
entrepreneur herself, Mr. Sprow owned and operated two businesses that 
generated annual revenues exceeding $1 million.
  Ms. Sprow's objective while serving as director of the Maryland SBDC 
was to contribute to economic development within the State by making 
the network responsive to the needs of Maryland's small business 
community. She deftly managed a $4.3 million annual budget and 50 staff 
members in 22 offices located throughout Maryland. During her tenure, 
she realigned the SBDC network to target assistance to businesses more 
effectively and efficiently. In 2009, one of her regions ranked first 
in region III and second nationwide for the annual SBDC of the Year 
award presented by the Small Business Administration, SBA. In addition, 
the Washington, DC, and Baltimore district SBA offices each selected a 
Maryland SBDC region as the winner of the 2009 SBDC Excellence and 
Innovation Center Award.
  Ms. Sprow transformed the SBDC network's operational methods to favor 
economic outcomes over mere output. To do so, she instituted a 
management performance system to ensure accountability for network 
performance. This management tool for evaluating, measuring, analyzing, 
and improving SBDC operations also helped objectively determine 
economic impact and customer satisfaction.
  Ms. Sprow established a subsidiary program to assist firms in 
obtaining government contracts. In 2008, the program's clients obtained 
more than $37 million in government contracts. In conjunction, she 
developed industry assistance programs for high technology, retail, 
construction, and green business opportunities in response to client 
needs. Under Ms. Sprow's leadership, the Maryland SBDC attained 
national accreditation in 2000, 2005, and 2009. It is no surprise that, 
thanks in part to Ms. Sprow's significant contributions, the U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce has named Maryland the No. 1 State in the Nation 
for entrepreneurship and innovation.
  Ms. Sprow received a B.A. in business administration from Howard 
University and a master's degree in business administration, 
specializing in marketing, from The George Washington University. She 
was the guest of honor at a luncheon last week, while the Senate was in 
recess, to celebrate her career and her retirement, so I wanted to take 
this opportunity to urge my colleagues to join me in thanking Ms. Sprow 
for her exemplary service to her community, to Maryland, and the Nation 
and to send our best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement.

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