Plantation, Fla. – Dec. 3, 2007 / DHL, the world’s leading global express delivery and logistics company, the Center for Technology, Enterprise & Development, Inc. (TED) in Delray Beach, Fla., recognized the recipients of ten cash equity awards distributed to Delray Beach-area micro businesses on Monday, December 3, 2007, as part of the "DHL Advancing Micro-Entrepreneurs" business development partnership with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), the national microenterprise development trade and membership association.

The TED Center honored ten of their most outstanding small-business clients in the Delray Beach area at this grant award event.  In addition to receiving DHL cash equity grants, the businesses will also benefit from in-kind DHL product contributions.  

One of the TED Center’s goals is to improve the viability of small businesses during the critical stages of early development.  Recipients will use their funds for start-up resources ranging from marketing and staffing to computers and software.

The "DHL Cares Day" hands-on employee volunteer project has been incorporated into the DHL Advancing Micro-Entrepreneurs program.  This gives DHL employees the opportunity to make personal professional service contributions to selected area microentrepreneurs.  As part of the initiative, DHL volunteers will provide guidance on any number of issues related to small businesses, including supply chain management and customer service.

"In addition to South Florida, this grant program has included markets in New York, Seattle, New Orleans, Houston, Atlanta, California, Phoenix and Virginia (Washington, D.C.). More than 100 recipients have received grant award monies totaling more than $115,000," said Kelly Keogh, director of corporate citizenship, DHL.  "By providing financial and DHL product awards, we can see the practical benefits this program provides.  In addition, our activities lay a solid foundation for DHL company volunteers in South Florida to provide hands-on professional support to TED Center clients through the DHL Cares Day program."

"We’ve been excited by the documented number of bonafide small business success stories that the program has generated over the years," said Seabron Smith, executive director of the TED Center.  "This partnership with DHL will provide our clients with an opportunity to hit the ground running and use their equity awards to build Web sites, buy inventory, beef up advertising, and hire part-time employees."

The following TED Center clients in Delray Beach are recipients of DHL equity awards:

About the TED Center

 The TED Center is an economic development agency that transforms communities through collaborative partnerships and educational programs focusing on business development.

The Center for Technology, Enterprise & Development, Inc. was incorporated in October 1992 as a non-profit charitable and educational Community Development Corporation (CDC) organization pursuant to Section 501 c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

About AEO

AEO’s mission is to support the development of strong and effective U.S. micro enterprise programs to assist underserved entrepreneurs in starting, stabilizing, and expanding businesses. For more information on AEO, please visit www.microenterpriseworks.org.

About DHL

At DHL, Customer Service is back in shipping.  Our mission is to provide the most flexible, personable and enjoyable experience in the shipping industry for our customers. 

DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specializing in providing innovative and customized solutions from a single source. DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport, and contract logistic solutions as well as international mail services, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL's international network links more than 225 countries and territories worldwide with over 300,000 employees dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers' expectations.