 President of the United States. Thank you very much. Secretary Verity and Jim Abner, ladies and gentlemen, I know you were expecting the Rose Garden. This isn't the Rose Garden. It's a little drier than the Rose Garden. But thank you very much and welcome to the White House. It's an honor to be part of the Minority Enterprise Development Week and to recognize your contributions to this nation. This year's theme, Business to Business, Strategies for the Future, reminds us that the national as well as the global marketplace offer great growth potential to all businesses, but especially to minority enterprises. You all know that I used to work in Hollywood and it's some place some people call a dream factory. Well, the days of the Hollywood dream factory are long over, but this nation is full of dream factories. They're your businesses, for you take your dreams and make something tangible out of them. You employ people to make the things you sell and that fulfills their dreams and you sell the things they make to others and fulfill their dreams. Now we know that there are Americans, unfortunate Americans who've lost the capacity to dream. These souls may live in neighborhoods where they must fear to walk, their children go to schools where the teachers fear the students, and when they walk down the hallways of their apartment buildings, they hear the crunching of crack vials beneath their feet. Well, like all Americans, they hope for a better life. They hope for a better life for their children and somehow it seems that better life never comes and then the hopes fade and the dreams die and when that happens, disappointment turns into despair and despair becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And that's where you, minority business leaders, come in. For you prove to those who are less fortunate, who need examples of success, if they're to hope for better, that yes, there is hope and yes, there is a chance and yes, this is a nation of bounties. You prove that hard work and determination overcome all obstacles and that despair is unnecessary. What is necessary is self-esteem and self-confidence. You can teach them the ability to see that the future is contained within the present, that work itself is its own reward, and that with work comes dignity and eventually the fulfillment of your dreams. During Minority Enterprise Development Week and throughout the year, we can all be deeply thankful for the economic freedom that enables all American businessmen and women to seek their vision of a better future for themselves, their children, and their country. So thank you, America's minority businessmen and women. Thank you for what you've done for yourselves, what you've done for the economy, and what you've been doing and will keep doing for the nation as a whole. Thank you and may God bless you all and now, Bill and Jim, I guess we have a few awards to present. Mr. President, it's with pride that I announced the award winner for this year's 8A graduate of the year. Mr. Ronald O'Sherro, of Ron's Construction in Honolulu, graduated from the program in 1985. Since then, Ron's construction has continued to expand and is now doing over $5 million in sales each year. Mr. O'Sherro is an outstanding example of the success stories that exist amongst the graduates of the program. Thank you very much and we certainly appreciate everything you've done for us because with the help of the government, you know, it certainly made things happen for us. Thank you. Mr. President, the Female National Minority Entrepreneur of the Year is Lillian H. Lincoln of Centennial One, Inc., Lanna, Maryland, Ms. Lincoln. Mr. President, the Male National Minority Entrepreneur of the Year is Gabriel Ahiri of Santa Cerve Company, Indianapolis, Indiana. Here's your administration and the new administration that will be forthcoming that the Young Entrepreneurs will have the greatest opportunity ever in this world under the guidance of the administration and we want to thank you. Well, thank you very much. Thank you all. And again, congratulations to the winners.