Spokane County alone has 1,600 minority-owned businesses that employ about 17,000 people, the study says.

"We, as a state, should be proud of these globally competitive companies," said Michael Verchot, director of UW's business and economic development program. Verchot and others from the UW Business School were in Spokane on Tuesday to recognize minority-owned businesses.

Statewide, companies owned and operated by minorities generated more than $11 billion in annual sales and employed nearly 100,000 people, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures, from 1997.

Minority-owned companies in Spokane range from high-tech businesses such as Neo-Tech Solutions and Web-based services such as citysource.com, to small newspapers and publications such as the Bilingual Press Publishing Company.

The largest minority-owned business in Spokane is Empire Ford, owned by Nate and Roberta Greene, which had sales of $37.8 million in 2001.

Being the boss of her own company has always been a dream for Yuimusa "Took" Smith, CEO of SMK Construction in Spokane, which had sales of $17 million in 2001.

The Thai native said she had a hard time establishing herself when she founded SMK Construction 13 years ago.

"It was tough in the beginning, but I've been lucky to have faithful and hard-working employees who have helped me grow," she said.

The company is now the largest sheet metal contractor in Spokane. It employs 80 to 120 people.

Sanya Ala, owner of Sayla-Tec Inc. in Spokane Valley, said many minority business owners still encounter a lot of scrutiny and discrimination in Spokane.

"You're not judged by what you know or your competence, it's based on your friends and who you went to school with," said Ala, a native of Nigeria who moved to Spokane 28 years ago.

The UW Business School study identified 10 Eastern Washington companies this year among the largest 40 minority-owned companies in the state.

Topping the list of minority-owned businesses in Eastern Washington was the Colville Tribal Enterprise at Coulee Dam, with $94 million in sales in 2001.

Powell-Christensen of Grandview, which distributes gas and heating products, was second at $80 million.

Informatics in Richland was third at $44 million, followed by Empire Ford and Spokane Produce, which had sales of $37 million.

SMK Construction was sixth, followed by Morrisson International of Richland with $16.6 million; Argus Services, a security company in Spokane, with $16.5 million; Kennewick Industrial and Electrical Supply at $12 million and Burton Construction of Spokane at $4.2 million.