About Us
We strive to provide the education and the skills necessary to develop, support, and sustain a small business enterprise by encouraging small and minority businesses to stay, invest, and participate in the Lima/Allen County community.
Organization History
In 2006 the Lima Chamber of Commerce and Diversified Management Inc. held a fundraiser to help establish an Entrepreneur Center to aid small and minority businesses. Later in 2008, the Center was named after Walter C. Potts, the first African American to obtain an Electrician license in Lima Ohio, and the first successful private business owner. His business was established in 1954. Since the beginning, the focus has been to help and nurture the small disadvantaged population. In 2009 an office was established in the newly remolded Lima Chamber Center for Business Services and provided services to 35 clients.
Our strength has been the ability to collaborate with other resources to meet the needs of our Culturally Diverse population. The Chamber supports small businesses through the continued efforts of the Culturally Diverse Business Development Committee.
We partnered with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC} and Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC) to include a variety of business services to help start, sustain, and grow your business entity.
On January 25, 2012, Walter C. Potts Center was established as a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit Federal tax-exempt organization. Since obtaining our exempt status we have relied on Fundraising activities and local sponsorships to help support a part-time Director who serves as a business advisor, trainer, and educational business plan supporter.
The Entrepreneur Center, from its origin to date, has experienced reasonable success in encouraging minorities to consider small businesses as an opportunity to improve economic conditions in the region of Lima/Allen County Ohio.
Mission Statement
To provide the education and the skills necessary to develop, support, and sustain a small business enterprise by encouraging small and minority businesses to stay, invest, and participate in the Lima/Allen County community.
Organization Impact
We provide entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks, and tools needed to start and make their businesses successful. The Entrepreneur Center with its limited resources does outreach programs to contribute to economic growth and job creation in Lima/Allen County.
Jesse Pope
Director | Coordinator
Who was Walter C. Potts?
In 2008, the center was named after Walter C. Potts, a respected entrepreneur in the Lima/Allen County community. Mr. Potts was a greatly concerned citizen and advocate for the training and development of those who needed help to improve their quality of life.
Walter C. Pott was the first Black entrepreneur in Lima, Ohio, to own a private business, starting Potts Electric Service in 1950. He was also the First Black Electrical Contractor to work in Lima. He became the first Black Electrical Engineer Employee hired at the B.P. Oil Lima Refinery.
Mr. Potts served as a Master Chief in the United States Navy during World War II. His educational journey included attending Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, and graduating from Ohio Northern University, Ohio. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Mr. Potts was a member of the Better Business Bureau, the Civil Service Board, and The ELKs Club (where he broke the color barrier as the 1st Black Member)
As a social and community leader, he served as a Lima City Councilman, a Lifetime member of the NAACP, a Member of the AmeriCom Bank Board of Directors, and a member of the Allen County Board of Trustees. He also contributed significantly to the lima community as an Executive Director and was a Board member of Bradfield Center for seventy (70) years. He received numerous awards, such as Allen County Visionaries Citizen of the Year and The Liberty Bell Award from the Allen County BAR Association.
