December 2011/January 2012
WBDC holds anniversary conference
Chicago, IL The Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) held its twenty-fifth anniversary entrepreneurial woman's conference on September 14. More than 2,000 people attended the event, which offered opportunities for women business owners to take their firms to the next level.
At the conference WBDC announced it has been selected as a partner for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at City Colleges of Chicago. The program is designed to unlock the growth and job-creation potential of small businesses across the U.S. through greater access to business education, financial capital and support services. WBDC will offer a series of outreach seminars to help introduce the program and provide support and tech services to those interested in participating.
NMSDC picks TEMA as corporation of the year
 Atlanta, GA The National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc, (NMSDC, www.nmsdc.org) presented its "corporation of the year" award to Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc (TEMA) at an awards banquet on November 2, capping the NMSDC conference and business opportunity fair in Atlanta.
The award is an honor for major companies dedicated to improving the participation of Asian, black, Hispanic and Native American suppliers in the global corporate supply chain. NMSDC president Joset Wright notes that "Toyota's commitment to supplier diversity and minority supplier development is firmly embedded in the corporate culture."
NMSDC gave its minority supplier development leader of the year award for development programs for minority business owners, as well as leadership and impact throughout corporate America, to Marianne Strobel, AVP of global supplier diversity at AT&T.
Chrysler Group hosts its popular matchmaker for the twelfth time
 Auburn Hills, MI Chrysler Group LLC held its twelfth annual matchmaker event September 15 at the company's Auburn Hills HQ. The matchmaker is focused on providing minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses with access to Chrysler's tier 1 suppliers and procurement organization.
Chrysler launched its first matchmaker in 1999, and they have become important networking events in the automotive diverse supplier community. This year there were more than 2,000 participants. "Chrysler remains as committed as ever to creating a diverse and sustainable supply base that directly reflects our customer base," says Sig Huber, director of supplier relations. "Matchmakers create business connections that lead to positive outcomes for our supplier partners, our company, our customers and our communities."
Kevin L. Bell, Chrysler Group senior manager of supplier diversity, notes that "Chrysler Group developed programs like the matchmaker to build and strengthen our minority supply base. We will continue to create opportunities for minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses because diversity is in our DNA."
Bell was recently named national advocate of the year by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) for his leadership in promoting the growth of minority supplier spending and business development at the company.
Johnson Controls named MMSDC corporation of the year
Glendale, WI The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) has recognized Johnson Controls as 2011 corporation of the year for outstanding achievements in developing and working with diverse suppliers.
The company has received this recognition from MMSDC in twelve of the past sixteen years. The MMSDC presented the award at its twenty-eighth annual awards dinner held at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Max Fisher Center in Detroit, MI. Jim Bos, VP of purchasing, and Al Louis, manager of supplier diversity for Johnson Controls Automotive Experience, accepted the award. The MMSDC also recognized Jonathan Pratt, Johnson Controls senior buyer, as its 2011 corporate national buyer of the year.
"Diversity is an important part of Johnson Controls' corporate mission and values," says Chuck Harvey, VP of diversity and public affairs for the company. "We're putting our values to work every day while also bringing great benefits to the local community."
Since the early 1990's Johnson Controls has operated a program to recruit and develop diverse suppliers. The company is a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, made up of just eighteen companies that spend $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers.
Allstate hosts fourth annual supplier diversity exchange
 Northbrook, IL Allstate Insurance Company (www.allstate.com) hosted its fourth annual supplier diversity exchange on October 13 in partnership with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The exchange offers an opportunity for minority-, woman-, LGBT- and veteran-owned businesses to bid for contracts with Allstate and its major suppliers. It also gives small businesses personal one-on-one time with Allstate staff.
In 2010 more than $850 million in commissions was spent with women- and minority-owned Allstate agencies. Adding that to the $200 million the company spent with diverse suppliers brings Allstate's total diversity spend to more than $1 billion in 2010.
"Inclusive diversity is not just a core value, it's a business imperative," says Cheryl Harris, Allstate SVP. "When difficult economic times force belt tightening, supplier diversity programs can help keep the door open for many small businesses."
The exchange, supported by more than 200 Allstate volunteers, also offered business owners a forum for guidance and networking. The event featured a panel of Allstate leaders and heads of top diverse suppliers, hosted by Dr Melvin Gravely, managing director for the Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking. Panelists included Suren Gupta, EVP of Allstate technology ops; Bob Wasserman, Allstate SVP for e-business and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises.
PG&E recognized for diversity by Latino publications
 San Francisco, CA Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) was recently included among Hispanic
Business magazine's Hispanic business diversity Elite 60 and Latina Style Magazine's Top 50 Companies for Latinas to work for in America.
"Diversity is one of PG&E's core values and is integral to our business strategy," says Bill Harper, PG&E's VP of talent management and chief diversity officer.
"It lets us better anticipate, understand and satisfy the needs of the fifteen million Californians we serve. These rankings recognize our dedication to fostering diversity and better support for all communities throughout our service territory."
While diversity and inclusion have long been hallmarks of PG&E's heritage, the company deepened its commitment in recent years by appointing a chief diversity officer. It has also provided specific diversity training to all members of its leadership team and increased its focus on identifying, developing and recruiting diverse talent.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corp, is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the U.S. The company is also known for its career academy, its fleet of "green" all-electric vehicles, and other environmental commitments. For more information visit www.pge.com/about.
October/November 2011
Itron gets prime supplier award from Edison Electric Institute
 Liberty Lake, WA Itron, an energy and water solutions company with almost 10,000 employees in eighty locations worldwide, was recently honored for its supplier diversity program with the Prime Supplier award from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). This annual award goes to an EEI prime supplier member company that has made great strides in its supplier diversity program.
"Itron's supplier diversity focus is to provide procurement opportunities for small, minority, women and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses," says Kate Armstrong, the company's supplier diversity leader. "Diversity inclusion is an important initiative and we are committed to implementing it across all of Itron's business units. We are honored to receive recognition from EEI for our program."
Itron received the award at the twenty-eighth annual EEI supplier diversity conference held in Seattle, WA.
EEI is the trade association for U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies. Its members serve 95 percent of the end customers in the shareholder-owned segment of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. EEI gave its first supplier diversity awards in 1985. See www.eei.org for more information.
Cherokee Nation Business IT division wins STARS II contract
Tulsa, OK Cherokee Services Group (CSG), a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses, is a winner of the GSA's 8(a) Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resource for Services (STARS II) Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). The program allows federal agencies to direct task orders to small, disadvantaged businesses that have been prescreened by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The scope of the contract includes a broad range of IT services.
This is CSG's second GWAC under the STARS program. Out of 795 certified 8(a) businesses named in the GSA's first STARS program, CSG came out at the end of the seven-year program ranked twelfth in total revenue.
"We already hold multiple STARS contracts with various federal agencies, so we're extremely proud to have been chosen for the STARS II contract," says Steven Bilby, CEO of CSG. "It speaks volumes about the reputation of our employees and their commitment to quality!" CSG's goal, he notes, "is to provide superior technology solutions to all our clients."
As part of the 8(a) STARS II program, CSG will be considered a preferred business, and can receive task orders from any government agency in a more streamlined fashion, shortening procurement lead times for pre-negotiated rates and increasing efficiency.
"We have a tremendously talented workforce that is skilled and efficient in IT solutions and prepared to handle task orders at a moment's notice," Bilby says. "Perhaps more importantly, we have gained experience and the respect of our clients under the STARS program.
"CSG's success with STARS should appeal to federal government agencies looking for a proved technology contractor through an aggressively pre-competed contract vehicle in a way that satisfies small business 8(a) objectives."
For more on Cherokee Services Group, check out www.cnb-it.com.
WBENC to offer fast track to WOSB certification plus a webinar on federal government contracting
Washington, DC The federal government awards more than $500 billion in contracts annually, with a significant share specifically allocated to woman-owned and small businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently approved WBENC as a third-party certifier for its new Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification for federal contracts. WBENC moved quickly to set up a fast track to federal certification for already-certified WBEs. This program will allow an abridged WOSB certification process to get WBENC-certified WBEs ready to enter the government arena.
WBEs interested in pursuing WOSB certification can visit www.wbenc.org/government for an application and list of required documentation, as well as specific contacts who can help with the process.
Once the application is complete and the documentation gathered, WBEs submit the package to their local WBENC regional partner organization. The WOSB certification process should take about thirty days from the time the completed application and documentation are submitted, WBENC officials predict.
The WBENC leadership council, made up of heads of regional partner organizations, is working with WBENC's certification team to educate WBEs about WOSB certification and ways to do more business with the federal government.
Michelle Richards, president of regional partner Women's Business Enterprise Council-Great Lakes, has developed a webinar based on her extensive knowledge of federal contracting to provide WBENC-certified WBEs with tools and direction for navigating the federal contracting system.
"WBENC is not just a certifier; we are the resource of choice for WBEs who qualify for WOSB certification and those who want to learn how to work with the government," Richards says. "We are creating a library and knowledge base for the entire WBENC family. We want WBEs to learn how to access federal contracting opportunities in general, not only the WOSB set-asides."
Geri Swift, president of the Women's Business Enterprise Council-PA-DE-sNJ and chair of the leadership council, says, "The Leadership Council's taskforce members have brought together their knowledge and expertise to help WBEs participate successfully in the government marketplace. From strategy to training to marketing, our team will make sure that our WBEs understand the opportunities available to them for WOSB certification and the government market in general."
In addition to Swift and Richards, the Leadership Council taskforce includes Susan Rittscher, CEO and president, Center for Women and Enterprise; Blanca Robinson, president, Women's Business Enterprise Council-South and Debbie Hurst, president, Women's Business Council-Southwest.
Hurst is an enthusiastic supporter of the new educational resources. "This will be critical to our entire foray into government procurement and helping our WBEs access opportunities with the government. WBEs can not only learn about the system but also identify the next steps they will need to take in marketing themselves to government departments," she declares.
WBC-Southwest already has a memo of understanding with the State of Texas and has put a process in place to certify women who want to do business with the state. WBENC and its regional partner organizations plan to work with other state and government agencies to solidify and expand this kind of relationship.
The webinar will be available this fall; WBEs should check with their regional partner organizations for the final schedule.
United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce announces new board members
 Washington, DC The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) has announced the appointment of six outstanding national leaders to its board of directors. They were formally inducted at the thirty-second annual national convention and business expo in Miami Beach, FL in September. These are the new directors:
Raymond Arroyo is CDO for Aetna, a diversified healthcare benefits company. Arroyo serves as an officer of the board of trustees of the Wheeler Clinic and is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities corporate and philanthropic council.
Mariano Legaz is VP of supply chain services at Verizon Services Operations, responsible for sourcing, warehouse and transportation, fleet operations, sustainability and supplier diversity. He has direct operating experience and staff support roles in both domestic and international markets. He also chairs the Procurement Corporate Advisory Board of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is on the board of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the advisory board of the Rutgers University Center for Supply Chain Management.
Rolando Pablos is a senior advisor to the law firm of SNR Denton, providing public policy and strategic business advisory services to domestic and international clients. Pablos has extensive practical experience in economic development and trade promotion, and his bicultural and bilingual background has enabled him to work extensively in U.S. and foreign business environments. Pablos is chair of the San Antonio, TX Free Trade Alliance and is past chair of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Maria Sastre is COO for global ops at Signature Flight Corp. She was previously president and CEO of Take Stock in Children, a nonprofit organization, and served with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd as VP for international, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia and VP of ops. She worked on strategic growth across emerging markets, managing all aspects of Take Stock in Children, as well as operations and the guest experience onboard Royal Caribbean's fleet of vessels.
Ruben Taborda is CPO for medical devices at Johnson & Johnson with enterprise responsibilities in supplier diversity and procurement ops. He works in sales, trade marketing, logistics, finance planning, procurement and manufacturing, leads the Hispanic employee resource group at J&J and serves on the NMSDC.
Taborda's efforts helped J&J attain recognition as a leader in supplier diversity by the NMSDC, WBENC and the Minority Business Roundtable.
Frank A. Rodriguez, a returning board member of the USHCC, is CEO and general counsel of Corporate Creations International Inc. He is a member of Young Presidents' Organization and World Presidents' Organization, both global business networks of successful top execs of prominent companies. Before founding Corporate Creations, Rodriguez was a corporate attorney in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Nina Vaca-Humrichouse, USHCC board chair and founder and CEO of Pinnacle Technical Resources, Inc, says, "I am delighted to be working with a forward-thinking board which understands that broadening our representation will enhance our effectiveness.
"For the first time in our association's history, the USHCC board will include corporate execs who believe in the mission of our organization and bring unique insights and skill sets that will help the USHCC continue to positively impact business in America."
Javier Palomarez, USHCC president and CEO, declares that "These new board members stand out as leaders in their industries and will make a significant impact supporting our core constituencies of Hispanic business enterprises, local C of C's and corporations across America."
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs. It represents the interests of nearly three million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. that generate nearly $400 billion annually. For more information, visit www.ushcc.com.
connXus.com, supplier diversity matchmaker, forms board of advisors
Cincinnati, OH connXus.com, an online service that helps corporations locate, evaluate and engage small, woman- and minority-owned businesses, announces the creation of a formalized board of advisors that includes Disney's chair, Silicon Valley startup vets and top minority-owned company leaders.
"We consider ourselves very fortunate to add this caliber of execs to our team," says connXus.com founder Rod Robinson. "We expect the extraordinary knowledge, experience and passion for supplier diversity that these individuals bring to connXus.com will help us continue to grow and better serve our community of members." The new board of advisors includes:
John E. Pepper, Jr, chair of the board for the Walt Disney Company and co-chair of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Patrick Pohlen, a partner of the Silicon Valley office of Latham & Watkins LLP, where he represents Internet and digital media companies. Before joining the firm he ran a high-profile technology startup.
Jorge Plasencia, chair and CEO of Agency Republica, an advertising, digital and communications company recognized by Advertising Age as one of the top 50 Hispanic agencies.
Josh Knepfle, CTO of Sparkpeople.com, a diet and fitness website that receives more than six million visitors per month.
Dave Heilmann, Sparkpeople.com COO and previously a member of the core team that built Up4Sale.com, an online auction site, into eBay's largest competitor.
Carl Satterwhite, president and CEO of Cincinnati-based River City Furniture, one of the region's largest minority-owned businesses with more than $40 million in annual revenue and clients including P&G, Microsoft, Met-Life and Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Cintas wins Spirit of Diversity award for supplier diversity commitment
Cincinnati, OH Cintas Corp has received a Spirit of Diversity award at the 2011 South Central Ohio Healthcare Supplier Diversity Symposium that brings together senior leaders in the healthcare supply chain and diverse suppliers in the region. Cintas received the award in the major supplier category, in recognition of its development of diverse suppliers through mentoring and capacity-building courses, providing tangible results, leadership commitment, accountability and outreach.
Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides supplies, promotional products, document management services and more for clients in many industries.
To learn more about Cintas and its corporate diversity initiatives, visit www.cintas.com.
August/September 2011
Ford Motor Company exceeds 2010 goal for MBE/WBE spend
Dearborn, MI Ford Motor Company announces that it exceeded its 2010 supplier diversity sourcing goals, purchasing $4.1 billion in goods and services from its tier-one minority- and women-owned business enterprises. This surpasses Ford's annual goal of sourcing by more than 10 percent of its U.S. production and non-production business with diverse suppliers.
The increase from $2.7 billion in 2009 reflects higher vehicle production volumes, expanded sourcing to existing suppliers and the addition of several new minority- and women-owned businesses.
Besides its own spent, Ford's tier one suppliers spend $1.29 billion with tier two minority- and women-owned businesses in 2010, an increase from $1.02 billion in 2009.
"Ford Motor Company takes very seriously its commitment to developing and growing a diverse supply base," says Tony Brown, group VP for global purchasing. "These companies offer a wealth of innovation, and if we are to remain competitive it's imperative that we connect with the best of the best. Not only does this strengthen our supply network, it creates jobs and economic growth for the communities we serve."
Ford's supplier diversity development program represents a commitment to providing a broad range of opportunities and resources. The company understands the value of making sure that its suppliers represent all segments of the business community, and mirror the communities in which it does business. The company's supplier diversity development office works with business leaders, trade associations and community-based organizations that represent the interests of diverse businesses to empower communities through economic development.
"Our suppliers are of paramount importance to our success as a company and in serving our diverse customer base," says Carla-Traci Preston, director of supplier diversity development. "We are strongly committed to maintaining qualified and certified minority- and women-owned businesses."
Ford's longstanding commitment to supplier diversity has been recognized this year by a number of diversity publications and organizations. A global automotive industry leader, Ford manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. For more information visit www.ford.com.
BNY Mellon's Claire Scanlon named MWBE advocate of the year
 New York, NY Claire Scanlon, head of BNY Mellon's supplier development program, has received the minority- and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) advocate of the year award from New York City's Department of Small Business Services. The award recognizes Scanlon's longtime work in this area and BNY Mellon's support of minority entrepreneurship. It was presented by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion during the city's annual neighborhood achievement awards event.
"BNY Mellon's strong sense of social responsibility has been an important asset to the city of New York for more than two centuries," says Mayor Bloomberg. "With Claire leading the way, the company's proactive commitment to diversity and equality continues to help our city grow and flourish."
BNY Mellon is a global investment management and investment servicing firm. Scanlon has been instrumental in creating and sustaining BNY Mellon's supplier development program, which promotes the use of minority-, women-, veteran-owned and other qualifying small business enterprises throughout the company. BNY Mellon recently launched an online registration portal for suppliers: bnymellon.com/suppliers.
In 2010, BNY Mellon awarded about 27 percent of its total competitive spending to diverse suppliers, reflecting a year-over-year increase of nearly $47 million. Minority- and women-owned business contracts alone accounted for nearly 12.3 percent of the company's total competitive spending, an increase of 24 percent: some $63 million.
Earlier this year BNY Mellon joined New York City's Department of Small Business Services and nearly a dozen corporations in a new corporate alliance program. The program connects certified minority- and women-owned businesses with contracting and capacity-building opportunities in the private sector.
WBENC approved as third-party certifier for SBA contracting program
 Washington, DC The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC, www.wbenc.org) as a third-party certifier of women-owned small business (WOSB) status for the SBA's WOSB federal contracting program.
The program lets contracting officers set aside some contracts for goods and services for the federal government for competition among WOSBs.
"We are pleased that the SBA, like our current corporate partners, recognizes the value and credibility of third-party certification," says WBENC president and CEO Pamela Prince-Eason. "The SBA has taken an important step in enabling women's businesses to effectively compete and win contracts with the government. We believe that this will lead to women's business growth and a positive impact on our economy."
WBENC is now one of four SBA-approved third-party certifiers. The others are the National Women Business Owners Corp, the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce and the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
WBENC certifies businesses that are 51 percent owned, operated and managed by women. Its certification is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations and many states, cities and other entities, and now by government agencies.
For more information on the WBENC WOSB certification process, contact cwaterman@wbenc.org or (202) 872-5515 X 8102.
Diversity Alliance for Science hosts fourth networking conference and expo
Newark, NJ Diversity Alliance for Science, Inc (DA4S) is a nonprofit organization created to support, mentor and develop minority-, woman-, veteran/service-disabled-, HUBZone- and LGBT-owned life sciences businesses. The group hosted its fourth annual networking conference and expo May 17-18. The event, held at the Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel in Newark, NJ, featured senior government officials, top-level pharmaceutical execs and CEOs of diverse scientific and clinical enterprises.
Speakers included Frans Johansson, award winning author of The Medici Effect, James H. Powell, MD, president of the Strategic Medical Associates and principal investigator at the National Medical Association, and Jane Lowenstein and Barbara Taylor, partners at JanBara & Associates.
The conference provided an important opportunity for participants to collaborate on best practices for including diverse businesses in clinical trials and scientific research. One-on-one matchmaking sessions fostered beneficial partnerships between diverse suppliers and attending corporations, academic institutions and government agencies. The event also included an interactive trade show where attending corporations could meet leading diverse suppliers.
Sylvester Wilkins, sourcing group manager for GlaxoSmithKline's corporate services procurement organization and president of the DA4S board of directors, notes that "This year's networking conference and expo was a wonderful opportunity to foster relationships and partnerships between diverse suppliers and corporations, academic entities, and governmental agencies. It has been very exciting to watch relationships formed during our annual conferences develop into successful and mutually beneficial partnerships.
"One of my goals is to get the value of Diversity Alliance for Science visible to President Obama," Wilkins adds.
The event was supported by GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Amgen, Pfizer, ExecuPharm, Fisher Scientific, Guard Dog Brand Development, Henry Schein, Inc, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Eli Lilly and Company, Abbott, Genentech, VWR International, Daiichi-Sankyo, the Takeda Oncology Company, ISM Pharmaceutical Forum, Bogier Clinical & IT Solutions, Inc, A10 Clinical Solutions Inc, Liberty IRB, Inc, Bright Pharmaceutical Services, Research Assist, Inc, Integrated Resources, Inc, US Tech Solutions, Drug Safety Alliance, Inc, Caligor Rx, Ancillare Global Clinical Strategies, Spectraforce and East Hill Video.
Diversity Alliance for Science is committed to identifying, developing and increasing spending with certified diverse suppliers, and fostering relationships between those suppliers and the corporate, governmental and academic entities that work in healthcare, research and development. For more information go to www.diversityallianceforscience.com.
Humana wins award for supplier diversity commitment
Louisville, KY Humana Inc has been recognized for its commitment to supplier diversity by the Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC), a Kentucky, West Virginia and South Central Indiana regional partner of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) that works to provide increased business opportunities for minority-owned businesses of all sizes. The TSMSDC presented Humana with its 2010 Chairman's Challenge award at its annual Agavι awards event.
"We work to make every business decision at Humana, big and small, reflect our deep commitment to the well-being of our members," says Paul J. Gerrard, chair of Humana's corporate social responsibility council. "Our experience is that using a diverse supplier group fosters new ideas, improves quality and generates savings for our members."
Humana's supplier diversity program identifies and partners with qualified minority-owned, woman-owned and small business suppliers to buy goods and services. Humana purchased at least 12 percent of its total goods and services from diverse suppliers last year.
Sandra Harper, Humana's supplier diversity program manager, declares that "This honor is a testament to the strides we are making to build a supplier base as diverse as the associates, customers and communities we serve."
Humana Inc, headquartered in Louisville, KY, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies. Over its fifty-year history Humana has consistently worked to meet changing customer needs. For more information visit www.humana.com.
Sonoco and JBE co-sponsor supplier diversity reverse trade show
Florence, SC Sonoco and JBE, Inc co-sponsored their seventh annual supplier diversity reverse trade show this May 11 at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT). Proceeds benefited the Midlands Regional Advisory Council of the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council.
Focused on promoting supplier diversity, the event included a business meeting featuring speakers from Coca-Cola and McDonald's, as well as a reverse trade show with key Sonoco suppliers designed to facilitate business relations with minority- and women-owned businesses. During the trade show representatives from minority- and women-owned businesses in the Carolinas and surrounding states had the opportunity to move from table to table introducing themselves and their businesses' products and services, and exploring potential opportunities.
"At Sonoco we believe diversity is smart business; the variety of thought, energy and insight provided by a diverse supplier base gives us an advantage in today's global economy," says Marc Ensign, Sonoco's director of services/outsourcing and supplier diversity. "We are committed to developing partnerships with qualified diverse suppliers, and co-sponsorship of the reverse trade show with JBE allows both us and our suppliers to network with minority- and women-owned businesses, making us stronger and more competitive."
Jerry B. Ellison, CEO of JBE, Inc, notes that "For the past seven years JBE has been very pleased to share in the reverse trade show with Sonoco.
"Over the years a number of companies have benefited from working with large corporations as a result of this show. I applaud the attitude Sonoco and its people have taken in pioneering these initiatives, and I would urge any diverse company, no matter how small or large, to come and investigate the opportunities the show presents."
Founded in 1899, Sonoco (www.sonoco.com) is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services.
JBE Inc (www.jbeinc.net) is a provider of complex and highly technical subassemblies and final assembly manufacturing solutions and global supply chain management solutions.
June/July 2011
Pamela Prince-Eason is WBENC's new president and CEO
 Washington, DC The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) has named Pamela Prince-Eason its next president and CEO. She is a past chair of the WBENC board of directors, and most recently was VP of worldwide procurement for Pfizer Inc.
"We are proud to have Pamela bring us her distinctive knowledge and experience spanning procurement, women's business leadership and non-profit organizations," says Laura Taylor, newly elected chair of the WBENC board.
Prince-Eason assumed her new post this April. Linda Denny, who had been WBENC's president and CEO since 2007, became president emeritus.
AT&T increases spend with diverse suppliers by 34 percent in 2010
Dallas, TX AT&T spent $9.2 billion with minority, women and disabled-veteran owned enterprises in 2010: 18.8 percent of its total procurement.
AT&T's goal is a 21.5 percent spend with diverse suppliers. Last year MBEs provided $6.6 billion worth of goods and services to AT&T; WBEs provided $2.5 billion and DVBEs supplied $115 million, reports Marianne Strobel, AT&T exec director for supplier diversity.
See www.attsupplierscom/sd for more on AT&T's supplier diversity program.
WBENC Summit & Salute honors corporations and WBEs
National Harbor, MD Fourteen exemplary women business leaders and twenty corporations received awards from Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) at its annual Summit and Salute to Women's Business Enterprises.
WBENC's Summit & Salute is part of a two-day strategic educational program showcasing thought leaders and key business trends and providing WBEs with access to WBENC corporate members.
The 2011 WBENC WBE Stars are selected by WBENC's fourteen Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs). The RPOs process WBENC's WBE certifications and offer skill-building educational programs and business development opportunities with corporations.
For complete lists of the WBE Stars and top corporations, check out the Summit and Salute information at www.wbenc.org/opportunities.
PG&E celebrates thirty years of supplier diversity
San Francisco, CA Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recently reached two milestones: exceeding its 30 percent spending goal with diverse businesses and celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the program.
"Our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential to our success as the leading utility in California. Being reflective of the communities we serve better enables us to anticipate and respond to our customers' needs," says Chris Johns, president of PG&E. For more information visit www.pge.com.
NMSDC honors business leaders for longstanding achievement
New York, NY The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) has honored the CEO of United Technologies Corp and two MBEs for significant long-term achievements in minority business development. They were recognized at the NMSDC minority business leadership awards dinner on May 18.
"This year's honorees have shown a solid commitment to minority business development for many, many years," says NMSDC President Joset B. Wright. "The strength, innovation and resilience of minority businesses are relied upon for high quality products and services by growing numbers of corporations."
The honorees are Louis Chκnevert, chair, president and CEO of United Technologies (Hartford, CT), which spent $413 million with Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American suppliers in 2010; David W. Morgan, founder and CEO of D. W. Morgan Co, (Pleasanton, CA), an innovator in supply chain and logistics; and J. Leslie Prystup, CEO of Prystup Packaging Products (Livingston, AL), a Native American company that provides labels, point-of-purchase advertising materials and cardboard cartons. More at www.nmsdc.org.
April/May 2011
WBENC announces America's top corporations for WBEs
 Washington, DC The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) has put out its annual listing of America's top corporations for WBEs. This national award honors companies for world-class programs that create level playing fields for WBEs to compete for corporate contracts.
These corporations are deeply committed to supplier diversity programs that span their organizations and achieve measurable results and support WBEs in many ways, according to the council.
Among the honorees are Alcatel-Lucent, Bank of America, the Coca-Cola Company, Manpower, UPS and Verizon.
UPS has been recognized by WBENC every year since the award was created twelve years ago. Bank of America and Verizon have won seven times and the Coca-Cola Company has been on the list five times. Alcatel-Lucent has won four times and Manpower made the list three times.
For more information, including the complete list of winning companies, go to www.wbenc.org
SBA announces contract program for small WBEs
Washington, DC Women-owned small businesses can participate in a federal contracting program that began this year. The new women-owned small business (WOSB) federal contract program will be fully implemented over the next few months and the first contracts are expected to be awarded by the fourth quarter.
"Implementing the WOSB contracting rule has been a top priority for the Obama administration and SBA," says SBA administrator Karen Mills. "WBE businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. As we continue to look to small businesses to grow, create jobs and lead America into the future, WBEs will play a key role."
The WOSB federal contract program will give WOSBs and economically-disadvantaged women-owned small businesses (EDWOSBs) greater access to federal contracting opportunities. The program lets contracting officers set aside specific contracts for certified WOSBs and EDWOSBs and will help federal agencies achieve the goal of awarding 5 percent of federal contract dollars to WOSBs.
To qualify, a firm must be at least 51 percent owned and controlled by a woman or women, and primarily managed by one or more women. The women must be U.S. citizens and the firm must be considered small by SBA standards. To be rated economically disadvantaged a firm's owners must meet specific financial requirements set forth in program regs.
WOSBs also need to update their status in the central contractor registration and online representation and do a certification application to show that they are eligible to participate.
More information, applications and instructions are available by going to www.sba.gov/wosb.
Dhana Holley Joy joins California American Water
 San Diego, CA California American Water has appointed Dhana Holley Joy as its new supplier diversity manager. She will be based at the company's Coronado, CA HQ.
Joy brings more than two decades of supply and customer service experience to the job. She will be working to expand outreach to diverse vendors in the state as well as boosting overall procurement from them throughout the company's supply chain.
"I look forward to the positive results Holley's extensive industry experience will bring to our ambitious and diverse procurement program," says California American president Rob MacLean.
California American Water is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Water. It provides water and/or wastewater services to some 600,000 people. To learn more visit www.amwater.com.
GM partners with WEConnect Canada
Toronto, ON WEConnect Canada (www.weconnectcanada.org) has added General Motors of Canada as its latest corporate member. The automotive giant will support the association's efforts to increase supplier diversity and facilitate access to corporate supply chains for women-owned business enterprises across Canada.
"General Motors' membership not only demonstrates a commitment to supplier diversity, but also emphasizes the value to be found in women-owned businesses," says Mary Anderson, executive director of WEConnect Canada. "By joining WEConnect Canada, General Motors is taking a leadership role in supplier diversity in Canada."
General Motors (www.gm.com) has a long history of supporting supplier diversity. In 1968 it was the first automotive OEM to establish a formal supplier diversity program. Bob Socia, GM's VP of global purchasing and supply chain, declares that "General Motors values diversity. We look forward to building stronger business relationships through our membership in WEConnect."
WEConnect Canada offers international certification for WBEs, as well as education, training and mentoring programs.
connXus.com boosts diverse suppliers
Cincinnati, OH connXus.com is a new online service that aims to boost supplier diversity by focusing on corporate purchasing needs. It wants to make it easy and affordable for buyers at companies with RFPs to locate, evaluate and engage performance-rated small-, woman- and minority-owned businesses.
Based on membership profiles, the connXus.com system matches buyers with diverse suppliers; buyers can also search for performance-rated small-, woman- or minority-owned businesses, and even post contract opportunities for suppliers to bid on.
Site founder and MBE Rod Robinson notes that, "Since our trial launch last December, buyer members have posted real bid opportunities totaling more than $10 million."
As a supplier diversity consultant to Fortune 1000 companies, Robinson knew the biggest challenge his clients faced was finding qualified diverse suppliers for the specific products and services they needed to purchase.
At connXus.com corporations register as buyer members and include the product or service categories they need in their profiles. The small, woman- or minority-owned businesses register as supplier members, post their profiles and request performance ratings from prior customers via the proprietary rating system. More and better ratings translate into better search results.
More information is available at www.connXus.com.
February/March 2011
NMSDC honors diversity-friendly companies and the M/WBEs that supply them
Miami, FL At the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) conference and opportunity fair at the end of 2010, reps from corporate supplier diversity programs and the M/WBEs that sell to them were both present in large numbers. AT&T received the corporation of the year award at the awards banquet. In 2009 the company spent more than $5.1 billion with certified minority suppliers, representing an eight percent increase over 2008.
"AT&T's performance in minority supplier development is among the best in corporate America," says NMSDC president Joset B. Wright. "Supplier diversity is firmly embedded in the company's culture and internal processes."
Michael K. Robinson, IBM's director of global supplier diversity, received the award for minority supplier development leader of the year. IBM's spend with minority suppliers is more than $1 billion annually.
Four top minority businesses were recognized as national suppliers of the year. Awards were also presented for leadership in minority supplier development, supplier of the year and regional council of the year. For details check out www.nmsdc.org.
NMSDC execs enjoy business mission to Australia
New York, NY Execs from NMSDC and reps from Cisco Systems, DW Morgan Co, GlaxoSmithKline and Telamon undertook a nine-day mission to Sidney, Australia last fall as part of the NMSDC Global Link program. They enjoyed exposure to the Aussie market and matchmaking ops with indigenous enterprises.
Mission agenda also included meetings with government officials, networking, briefings and participation in the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council's inaugural national conference and business opportunity fair.
WBENC inducted into Women's Business Enterprise second annual hall of fame
Dallas, TX Last fall WBENC was inducted into the Women's Business Enterprise second annual hall of fame. The hall of fame honors outstanding women entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and mentors; the induction took place at the Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future in Dallas, TX.
Pamela Eason, chair of WBENC's board of directors, accepted the induction on behalf of WBENC.
WBENC and other honorees were recognized for years of commitment to fair and ethical business practices, passion for creating opportunities for women to excel in business, and outstanding contributions to their community, city, state and nation.
Corporate inductees included American Airlines, Bank of America, Energy Future Holdings and Texas Instruments. All have pioneered advances in women's business inclusion and diversity.
The other inductees were women: Valerie Freeman, CEO of Imprimis Group and women's business advocate; Debra Jennings-Johnson, director of supplier diversity at BP America and long-time minority and women's business advocate; and Terry Neese, PhD, co-founder and president of the Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women.
Don McKneely, selection committee chair, notes that "WBENC was a pioneer in the foundational years, when women were fighting to be considered legitimate business owners and have an equal opportunity to bid on contracts with corporations. It works to document the successes and contributions of women in the marketplace. And it has advanced diversity and inclusion and fostered many excellent opportunities that both corporations and WBEs now enjoy."
The Women's Business Enterprise Hall of Fame (www.wbehf.org) is a nonprofit organization that recognizes achievement and leadership in business, government, volunteerism
and citizenship.
Ford names Carla Preston director of supplier diversity development as Armando Ojeda retires
Dearborn, MI Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader, has named Carla Preston director of supplier diversity development, succeeding
Armando Ojeda who retired at the end of last year.
"We appreciate Armando's contributions in strengthening Ford's relationships with diverse suppliers, especially during a time when industry turmoil created serious challenges for women- and minority-owned companies," says Tony Brown, group VP, Ford global purchasing. "Armando's work with external organizations has been crucial in Ford being recognized nationally as a leader in supplier diversity."
Preston was previously manager of global product planning and strategy for product development. Her contributions at Ford have focused on quality initiatives, strategy development and communication within product development.
Preston joined Ford in 2000. Before that, she worked in quality and engineering roles at Meritor Automotive (now ArvinMeritor, Troy, MI) and Tenneco Automotive (Lake Forest, IL). She has a bachelors in engineering and a masters in urban planning from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a masters of business administration from the University of Phoenix.
Preston is active in SHPE, the American Society for Quality, HENAAC and other professional organizations. She is chair of the Ford Hispanic Network and a member of the Ford African American Network and Professional Women's Network.
Ford VP Tony Brown notes that "Carla's enthusiasm and passion for Ford's efforts to develop minority and women businesses will be critical as we move forward." In 2009 Ford purchased $2.7 billion worth of goods and services from its tier-one minority- and women-owned businesses in the U.S. Ford's tier one suppliers purchased $1.02 billion from minority- and women-owned businesses in 2009.
WBE Accel Inc launches new high-tech HQ promising
more jobs and greater efficiencies in near and long term
New Albany, OH Accel Inc, a leading WBE in contract packaging, has broken ground for its new 510,000-sq ft state-of-the-art facility, on track for completion this summer. Designed to enhance and accelerate Accel's trademark characteristics of innovation and speed to market, the new facility will create jobs for the region starting immediately, says Tara Abraham, Accel chair and co-CEO.
"Since founding Accel Inc fifteen years ago we have challenged ourselves to anticipate and meet our clients' needs," she explains. "This new HQ will not only upgrade our contract packaging services but also position us to expand our offerings by partnering with suppliers of complementary services in the area."
Accel Inc is considered a catalyst for expansion of its new business park location. "We expect that this move will give us room to grow significantly over the next ten to fifteen years," Abraham adds.
The innovative facility is slated not only to create jobs, but also to bring back jobs: Accel is in negotiations to potentially bring back jobs that were outsourced to other states and countries.
"This facility will let Accel focus on the future direction of our business," says David Abraham, Co-CEO and COO of Accel Inc. "Although contract packaging has been around for quite some time, Accel is leading the way by letting our clients focus on their core competencies."
Tara Abraham is a women's business leader, serving on the board of WBENC and vice-chair of its governing group. She was honored as WBENC business star in 2007. For more information, see www.accel-inc.com.
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