As part of the City of Richmond's Minority Business Week, Mayor L. Douglas Wilder today announced the recipients of the Minority Business Visionary of the Year Award and the Minority Business of the Year Award.

Minority Business Visionary of the Year was awarded to Preston Brown, owner of PT Brown Auto Sales and WCLM 1450 AM radio station.

Minority Business of the Year went to Gina Thompson-Burr, owner of GTT Enterprises, Inc., an employment staffing firm.

"The City's Office of Minority Business Development has made tremendous gains in recent years," Wilder said. "Before 2005, there were only three 'prime minority contractors' on record that held major contracts with the City. In 2008, there are 27 'prime' minority firms doing business with the City, representing an 800 percent increase in minority participation."

Today's announcement took place during a ceremony in which the Mayor welcomed a delegation of prime minority contractors to City Hall and issued a proclamation in honor of the City of Richmond's Minority Business Week. Prime minority contractors are those having City contracts valued at more than $100,000.

Minority Business Week events continue this week with City officials visiting the $3.7 million police precinct project at 2219 Chamberlayne Ave. at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 6. The week concludes Thursday, August 7 with a news conference and business-topic book donation with Sheriff C.T. Woody at the Richmond City Jail at 1 p.m.

-- The preceeding was compiled from a City of Richmond news release.