Shelby M. Scales is the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU). Ms. Scales has 21 years of experience in small business development and capacity building encouraging equity and diversity inclusion. Scales’, an entrepreneurial advocate, is the former Director of the Office of Civil Rights with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. She administered civil rights programming for all modes of transportation. She also served as President & CEO of the Airport Minority Advisory Council, an organization established nearly 40 years ago to promote the full participation of minorities and women in aviation and airport contracting. She leveraged her leadership skills among the board of directors, transportation experts, corporate executives, affiliated organizations, and legislative leaders. Scales’ worked to improve small business program policy, legislation and business practices to increase the participation of women and minorities seeking employment and contractual opportunities throughout all modes of transportation.

Scales’ career in transportation started as a business consultant building capacity of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) before serving as the Small Business Program Officer for Raleigh Durham International Airport, the nation’s 38th largest airport. She began the airport’s Historically Underutilized Business Program serving minority and women-owned businesses and the Small Emerging Business Assistant Loan Program for airport concessionaires. She has received numerous honors, including recognition from the Federal Aviation Administration for her leadership in promoting improvements for the DBE Programs. She cherishes being honored by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials for “Women Who Move the Nation.” 

Scales’ is part of a diverse family of business professionals. She engages with industry stakeholders such as the Airport Minority Advisory Council, Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, American Contract Compliance Association, National Minority Supplier Development Council, and North Carolina Minority and Women Business Coordinators Network. Scales’ daily goal is to assist diverse businesses in wealth creation, benefitting underserved and underrepresented communities.