Donald R. Cravins, Jr.

President and CEO · NMSDC · company speakers →

The Honorable Donald “Don” R. Cravins, Jr. is the President and CEO of NMSDC. A nationally recognized leader in public service, business development, and advocacy, Mr. Cravins was named to the inaugural ForbesBLK 50 list for his impact and accomplishments. Previously, Mr. Cravins served as the nation’s first Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development, leading the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Appointed in 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he oversaw the agency’s historic expansion and elevation into a permanent federal institution, supporting over 9.7 million minority business enterprises. Mr. Cravins began his career in elected office, serving in both the Louisiana House of Representatives and State Senate. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he championed recovery efforts for local business owners. On Capitol Hill, he served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, helping to craft and pass the landmark Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. He later became Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. A graduate of Louisiana State University (B.A., Political Science) and Southern University Law Center (J.D.), Mr. Cravins is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard. He is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and The Rocks, Inc., and a member of the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County. His honors include induction into the Southern University Law Center Hall of Fame, recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus of LSU, and being named Advocate of the Year by the National Bar Association in 2020.

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