Leesburg, VA – December 22, 2025 – A prominent minority business owner in Northern Virginia has publicly criticized meetings held with U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, describing them as lacking substance and failing to deliver tangible results for small businesses.
Dr. Byron Cherry, who operates a successful military-related enterprise in the region, stated that he has attended three or four such gatherings focused on minority-owned businesses. According to Cherry, these sessions often involve extensive discussions but ultimately lead nowhere, with no concrete outcomes or follow-through.
“To be very honest, I hope we put some teeth to this stuff because in Northern Virginia, we have successful military,” Cherry said. He emphasized the repetitive nature of the engagements, noting that participants are frequently called in for talks, including one instance at his own location.
Cherry characterized the meetings as a “pony show,” implying they are more about appearances than action. “We go through this rigmarole [of] things but nothing comes to fruition ever,” he added, highlighting his disappointment in the lack of progress despite multiple interactions with senators like Kaine and other officials.
The comments underscore ongoing concerns among some small business owners in Northern Virginia about the effectiveness of federal outreach to minority enterprises. Cherry’s remarks call for more meaningful measures to support these businesses, urging a shift from dialogue to decisive steps that yield real benefits.
Representatives for Senators Kaine and Warner were not immediately available for comment on Cherry’s statements.
