Becky Merritt, a board member at Dominion Credit Union, wasrecently named Minority Small Business Champion by the SBA's Richmond, Va., district office.

Merritt, vice president of shared services at Dominion, one ofthe nation's largest producers and transporters of energy and alsobased in Richmond, was recognized for her work with thecompany.

Dominion's supplier diversity program seeks out certifiedminority, female-owned, HUB zone and disabled service veteran-ownedenterprises that are qualified to meet the company's needs, thecompany said.

In 2012, $398 million in non-fuel procurement was spent withdiverse suppliers, which was up 27% since 2011, according toDominion.

In addition to serving on the board at the $260 million DominionCU in Richmond, Va., Merritt chairs the advisory board for theMetropolitan Business League and serves on the Women Presidents'Educational Organization board. She also serves on committees forUnited Way Women's Leadership Initiative and the Edison ElectricInstitute.

“While Dominion continues to build and upgrade energyinfrastructure to serve our customers' needs, we have a vestedinterest in growing our supply base, in building relationships andin identifying qualified diverse suppliers,” said Thomas Farrell,chairman and president/CEO of Dominion.

“I am pleased that Becky Merritt is leading these efforts, anddelighted that those efforts are being recognized with this award,”Farrell added.

Merritt was presented with the award on June 24 during the 2013Virginia Small Business Week Award luncheon in Richmond.

Dominion CU was founded in 1940 by employees of what was thenknown as the Virginia Public Service Co. The CU now serves nearly22,000 members.

Dominion, the company, said it has a portfolio of approximately27,000 megawatts of generation, 11,000 miles of natural gastransmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,400 miles ofelectric transmission lines.