Iola Harper Named as New Deputy Commerce Director for the Office of Economic Opportunity
PHILADELPHIA — Mayor Jim Kenney and Commerce Director Harold T. Epps announced today that Iola Harper will join the Department of Commerce as the Deputy Commerce Director for the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) beginning October 3. Angela Dowd-Burton, who currently holds the position, will remain with the department through a transition period to close out several specialized projects.
“My Administration is committed to ensuring that those working for and with the City are as diverse as Philadelphia’s population,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “In her new role, Ms. Harper will not only increase the opportunities available for minority, women and disabled-owned business enterprises to do business with the City, she will also focus on increasing their capacity to do so. I also want to thank Ms. Dowd-Burton for her years of dedicated service to the City of Philadelphia. The Office of Economic Opportunity made great strides under her leadership, and I look forward to seeing that progress continue.”
As the Deputy Commerce Director for the Office of Economic Opportunity, Iola Harper will develop and implement the strategy to increase the opportunities available to minority, women and disabled-owned business enterprises (M/W/DSBEs), and contribute to the Administration’s focus on increasing the capacity of M/W/DSBEs to do business with the City. She will also be responsible for identifying corporations, non-profit organizations, trade unions, Chambers of Commerce and lending agencies who will partner with the City to be part of the solution.
“Ms. Dowd-Burton has dedicated six years to the Department of Commerce, and her impact on the department is immeasurable,” said Commerce Director Harold T. Epps. “We are eager to welcome Iola Harper to Commerce, and I am confident that her past experience serving small businesses will make Ms. Harper a vital asset to our team.”
Harper, the current Executive Vice President of The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia, has spent more than a decade working with small minority and women-owned firms across the Delaware Valley. She also has extensive experience working in urban neighborhoods. In her role at The Enterprise Center, Harper has been responsible for accelerating minority enterprise in the region, making capital readily accessible to minority-owned businesses, and revitalizing communities through business development. Prior to joining The Enterprise Center, Harper served as the Director of the Sustainable Communities Initiative. She also spent time in City Council, working as the Director of Economic Development and Senior Legislative Aide for Councilman Wilson Goode, Jr.
“I am energized by this new opportunity and excited to join the team in the Department of Commerce,” said Iola Harper, incoming Deputy Commerce Director for OEO. “I have spent the last 20 years of my life dedicated to advancing and improving conditions for minority entrepreneurs, and I am honored to leverage that experience in a way that will benefit the citizens of the city I love.”
Angela Dowd-Burton, who has served as the Deputy Commerce Director for OEO since 2010, plans to return to the private sector following her tenure with the City. Dowd-Burton led OEO’s relocation from Finance to the Department of Commerce, and has helped to increase awareness of the City’s commitment to supplier diversity. Since 2010, there has been a 91% increase in the OEO registry of minority, women and disabled-owned businesses. The City has also dramatically increased the contracts awarded to M/W/DSBEs – $302 million in 2015, up from $169 million in 2010. Dowd-Burton previously worked for the City during the Goode Administration, where she served as the Deputy Director of Finance and Procurement Commissioner.
“My commitment to return to City government was realized in 2010 as an advocate for small business development,” said Angela Dowd-Burton. “As a servant leader, I am grateful for the opportunity to have served this great City, and I look forward to transitioning back to the private sector.”
The Office of Economic Opportunity promotes the economic development of M/W/DSBEs through its certification program, contract review and monitoring activities, as well as ongoing interaction with other City departments, quasi-public agencies and the local marketplace.
The mission of the Department of Commerce is to ensure that Philadelphia is a globally competitive city to which employers flock, entrepreneurs thrive and innovation abounds; to recruit and retain a diverse set of businesses; to foster economic opportunities for all Philadelphians in all neighborhoods; and to partner with workforce development programs and local businesses on talent development ensuring that all Philadelphians can find and retain living-wage jobs. For more information about the Department of Commerce, visit www.phila.gov/commerce.