John Harmon, Founder, President & CEO, African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey
In an interview with Invest:, John Harmon, founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, discussed the Chamber’s efforts to address economic disparities and promote inclusivity. Highlighting the State of New Jersey’s Disparity Study, John Harmon said, “the numbers were abysmal, particularly as it relates to Black and Hispanic businesses.”
What have been some recent efforts of the Chamber to promote economic growth and a dynamic community in New Jersey?
The big thing for the Chamber over the last year and a half has been the State of New Jersey’s Disparity Study, which covered a five-year period, from June 2015 through 2020. This study looks at the availability and utilization of businesses in public contracting. It provides data on women-owned businesses, Hispanic-owned businesses, Asian-owned businesses, Black-owned businesses, white-owned businesses, and more. The numbers were abysmal, particularly as it relates to Black and Hispanic businesses.
Over the five-year period, Black-owned businesses received 13 contracts totaling $3 million, while white women received 250 contracts totaling $277 million, and white men received 2,500 contracts totaling $10 billion. We have been hard at work speaking with our legislators across the state and the governor to reconcile this situation. Everyone in New Jersey pays taxes, but as you can see, not everyone is benefiting from economic opportunities. This has been a priority for us, and it will continue to be a priority until the state of New Jersey establishes aspirational goals and enforceable policies with accountability.
How has the landscape for Black-owned businesses in New Jersey evolved over the past few years, and what challenges remain?
Black-owned businesses have remained optimistic because these men and women have capital at risk, families to support, and employees to consider. Therefore, they have to be optimistic and resilient. We are working in partnership with them and others to ensure these businesses are positioned to participate in the economy in a meaningful way. It has been a continued battle, particularly on the public sector side, as I referenced in the disparity study. The numbers show systemic barriers, and we need to find a way to overcome them.
However, on the private sector side, we are working with many of our utility companies, telecom companies and hospital systems. Our members are faring pretty well, as these corporations in our state have been receptive to our mission and have been open to allowing our members to compete. That is what it is all about. We are not looking for anyone to give us anything — we just want the playing field to be level so businesses have access to opportunities and can compete.
What initiatives has the chamber implemented to promote entrepreneurship within African American communities?
New Jersey has been pretty positive in that regard. We work with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. We have a bonding program, and we are going into our seventh or eighth year with the state of New Jersey. The bonding program is designed to help businesses be in a better position to bid on public contracts. Any public contract over $200,000 requires a bond, which is essentially an insurance instrument that ensures taxpayers will be made whole if a business owner does not complete his or her scope of work. This program has gone well. We have also been doing a lot of workforce training with the Department of Labor for the state of New Jersey. Our relationship with the Department of Labor dates back to the Christie administration, and the new commissioner, Robert Asaro-Angelo, has been closely working with us.
Lastly, we have a program with the Department of Corrections. We conduct entrepreneurship training programs in prisons across the State of New Jersey. We run a 12-week program for incarcerated individuals who are within one year of release. The work with these men and women has been great. They have innovative ideas they are eager to bring to the marketplace, and we provide them with tools to start effective businesses upon their release. I have to give a shoutout to Dr. Darcella Sessomes, who leads that effort for New Jersey, and kudos to Governor Murphy for his vision, which we are working to bring to fruition.
What are some other partnerships or initiatives that you are currently engaged in to support the region’s economic growth?
The Pathways to Recovery Initiative is another program we run in partnership with the Department of Labor. This program is focused on individuals who have been impacted by opioids. It is broad in scope in terms of who can participate, but the goal is to help people gain the skills they need to become gainfully employed and contribute to the state’s economy. We are covering six or seven counties across the state, including Mercer and Middlesex. This is a great program for individuals who may not have ever used state resources to improve their situation. These resources enable people to gain skills, whether through English as a Second Language programming, which we offer to many Haitian, African and Hispanic individuals, or through CDL training. We also offer a number of work readiness initiatives to help people actively participate in the state’s economy across all sectors.
Additionally, we are also working with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency on a major initiative around homeownership. Currently, 40% of Black individuals own homes, compared to 76% of white individuals. Homeownership is the foundation for creating wealth, and many individuals do not realize that owning a home is often easier than they think. Many are paying rents that exceed what it would cost to have a mortgage and own a home, so we work with the state agency, various financial institutions, attorneys, realtors and title agents. We regularly host Zoom sessions to discuss how we can help people purchase homes. The state provides down payment assistance, banks offer down payment assistance, and some corporations in the state, like Capital Health in Trenton, also provide resources to help people achieve homeownership.
What is currently on the agenda for the African American Chamber of Commerce for the next two to three years?
This summer, we’re excited to host our third annual expo, which has been growing rapidly year over year. In 2024, we welcomed over 500 attendees, and we anticipate even greater participation this year. Our commitment remains strong—to continue delivering impactful events that connect individuals with valuable resources, opportunities, and information. We’re also in the process of launching our own Transformation Center. While more details will be shared soon, this initiative is particularly exciting, as it will give us the opportunity to bring individuals into a dedicated space where they can enhance their skills and become more competitive in today’s workforce.
In parallel, we’ll also be supporting the growth and scalability of businesses by introducing them to emerging technologies, AI, and innovative strategies—empowering them to adopt a more strategic approach to the marketplace, ultimately driving sustainable growth and competitiveness. There’s so much more on the horizon, and we’re truly looking forward to what’s ahead. As the state’s strategic partner for success, our goal is to continue strengthening our presence in the marketplace and to serve as a vital connection point for shared growth and prosperity.
What are the biggest challenges you are facing?
The disparity study remains the most critical issue on the public contracting front. If we don’t get this right, New Jersey will fall short in its efforts to foster inclusivity and provide more businesses with a fair shot at achieving the American dream. As the most diverse state in the nation, New Jersey is home to incredibly talented individuals from all walks of life—and the state is stronger when everyone is fully engaged in its economic ecosystem. In my view, there’s nothing more important than that. In terms of policy, we are asking the state of New Jersey legislators to do three things. We are asking them to establish aspirational goals on all public contracts in every area and every agency. Secondly, they should be re-aggregating the data and reporting on who is getting the contracts. And thirdly, liquidated damages should be in every contract. Someone should be held accountable for contracts not being fulfilled and contractors not being paid.
On a positive note, access to capital is not the challenge it once was. Banks are increasingly supportive of the chamber’s mission and its members. Our financial services partners have been outstanding. So, if a business can secure a contract or opportunity—which remains the biggest barrier—the capital to fund it is typically within reach.
