Bernice L. Walker, Director of Small Business Development

Ms. Walker has served as the Director of Small Business Development since July 2000. She was in private practice with a law firm for approximately six years before joining the County team. Ms. Walker was employed by a financial institution while still in college and continued that employment while earning her law degree. Her law practice included administrative, business, contract, and municipal law, and she is a former adjunct professor at her law school.
Ms. Walker is a graduate of Belmont High School (Dayton, Ohio); she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics from The College of Wooster (Ohio), and a Juris Doctor from the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law (Highland Heights). She is a licensed attorney, admitted to practice in all Ohio Courts, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
Ms. Walker's professional memberships include the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), the American, National (life member), Ohio State, and Cincinnati Bar Associations, and the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati (President, 1999 – 2001). She is the past President (2005-2007) of the Cincinnati Chapter of NFBPA, and a former member of the National Bar Association Board of Governors. She is also active in various civic organizations, and a proponent of cooperative efforts.
Her office has successfully.spearheaded the economic inclusion activities for
The Banks Development Project which is currently exceeding the 30% Small Business Enterprise participation goal at 36%.