Dennis Alvord is the Executive Director of Business.USA.gov (BusinessUSA). BusinessUSA is a multi-agency customer service initiative developed specifically for U.S. entrepreneurs and exporters providing up-to-date business related information on federal programs, tools, and services. Launched by President Barack Obama in October, 2011, BusinessUSA provides easy to navigate features tailored to the needs of businesses and exporters available through a single portal that reduces the time it takes to locate answers from the infinite range of federal government resources.
As Executive Director, Dennis Alvord developed and deployed BusinessUSA’s operational infrastructure forming critical partnerships with 24 federal departments and agencies leveraging existing technologies to maximize cost efficiencies. This collaborative process focuses on the skills and proficiencies of team members from across government improving strategic plans by adapting new ideas, increasing accuracy of timelines and expectations, and providing transparency. The result is an approach that values the expertise of each federal partner saving the customer and the government both time and money.
Dennis Alvord is a tireless advocate in helping U.S. businesses and entrepreneurs compete in the global economy. Mr. Alvord has served in a variety of executive positions within the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) including as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Economic Development, Regional Affairs, and External Affairs. In these roles, Mr. Alvord managed the bureau's six regional offices, directed all EDA program operations, and oversaw nearly $900 million in appropriations.
In addition to his management experience, Mr. Alvord spent several years leading various intergovernmental and policy efforts at EDA. He served as Acting Director and Deputy Director for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs where he managed EDA’s congressional relations activities. Mr. Alvord also served as EDA’s National Brownfields Coordinator where he provided policy expertise on a wide range of economic development issues. Mr. Alvord led the bureau’s work with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development where he was Vice-Chair of the Working Party on Territorial Policy in Urban Areas.
Before joining the federal government, Dennis Alvord was a Project Manager in the Infrastructure Finance Group of the Bethesda, Maryland-based environmental and transportation consulting firm, Apogee Research, Inc. Mr. Alvord holds a Masters of Public Administration degree from the George Washington University School of Business and Public Management in Washington, D.C. and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York College at Cortland. Dennis Alvord is married with two children.