Tristate Minority Supplier Development Council inBusiness Magazine - Volume 8, 2021 by barker-christol

A Nationwide Magazine Reaching Buyers and Sellers Volume 8 2021 www.tsmsdc.net

Designed for Results

TSMSDC Centers of Excellence Initiative Connects 19 MBE Protégés with 9 Corporate Mentors ALSO INSIDE Guest Commentary — John W. Rogers, Jr. Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Ariel Investments

Pillars of Success: Certify, Develop, Connect, Advocate TSMSDC COE results in more than $56 million spent among participants

HCA Healthcare is committed to creating a healthier, more equitable tomorrow. We are proud to partner with TriState Minority Supplier Development Council in its efforts to build business partnerships between ethnic minority businesses and major corporations.

Contents Cover Stories Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) . . . . . . . 8 TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) . . . . . . . . 14 Citizens Savings Bank & Trust Company . . . . . . . . 16 Dr. Herman J. Williams . . . . . 18 MBN USA Helps Pave Way for MBEs, and Corporate Successes . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Sally Molsberger - University of Louisville (UofL) . . . . . . . 23 In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . 28 4 Pillars of Success . . . . . . 64

Departments

Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 From the Editor’s Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 People on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Education Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Faces and Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Ask TSMSDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Features

Guest Commentary: Thriving in the Financial Markets -John W. Rogers, Jr. 10 TSMSDC At-A-Glance . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Designed for Results - Results in Millions 14 TSMSDC Board of Directors . . . . . . 20 Points of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

COE MBE Features Balance: Perry Capital Holdings, Inc. . . 30 Cohesion: Action Facilities Management, Inc. . . . . 32 Commitment: Facility Maintenance & Services Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Connections: Diversified Supply, Inc. . . 36 Discovery: Integrated Management Services . . . . . . 38 Emergence: Guy Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Empowerment: Ward-Edison Professional Cleaning Services, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Envisioning: SealingLife, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 44 Essential: AJ Media Services, LLC . . . . . 46 Innovation: Atlas Management Corporation . . . . . . . 48 Optimism: SourceMark, LLC . . . . . . . . . 50 Purposeful: Cornerstone Engineering, Inc. . . . . . . . . 52 Solutions: Nimbus, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Succession: Wingard Quality Supply, Inc. . . . . . . . . . 56 Technology-Driven: LB Manufacturing, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Uncompromising: Premiere Building Maintenance Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Values: Clint Chemical & Janitorial Supplies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

COE Corporate Features Cracker Barrel: Redefining Supplier Empowerment and Relationships . . . . . 65 Fayette County Public Schools Igniting a Kindred Spark . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Louisville and Jefferson Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD): Scaling Up . . . . . . 68 Nissan: Supplier Diversity Excels Enriching People’s Lives . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): A Performance-Driven Approach . . . . . . 72 Trane Technologies/Ingersoll Rand: Sustainability - A Bold New Strategy . . . 74 Volkswagen: Supplier Diversity Building a Robust Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . 76

On the Cover:

TSMSDC COE - 7 Corporate Mentors and 17 MBE Protégés. For more COE features, flip to pages 30-77.

inBusiness Founder/Managing Editor Cheri Henderson Editorial Advisors Derrick Dowell Susan Marston Regina Prude Contributing Writers Derrick Dowell Susan Marston Regina Prude Guest Commentary John W. Rogers, Jr. Design & Layout Barker & Christol Photography Danna O’Neall Photography Nashville Business Journal Direct all requests to: TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) Headquarter Office The Forum, Plaza 1 Building 220 Athens Way, Suite 105 Nashville, Tennessee 37228 Phone: (615) 259-4699 Fax: (615) 259-9480 E-mail: info@tsmsdc.net Website: www.tsmsdc.net Kentucky Regional Office: (502) 365-9762 inBusiness is published by TSMSDC.

Reproduction of any article in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission of the editor. All rights reserved. TSMSDC reserves the right to edit information before publishing, and to edit all material on the basis of content and space availability.

The freedom of mobility changes everything.

OneToyotaSupplierDiversity.com

Contributors

Contributors Investor, business leader, and philanthropist John W. Rogers Jr., launched Ariel Investments in 1983, after working as a stockbroker for 2.5 years at William Blair & Company, LLC. When he started his investment company, the sole major account he had was the $100,000 worth of Howard University’s endowment fund. In the period from 1983 to 1986, Ariel Capital’s managed assets grew to $45 million. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Sydney, Australia as of January 31, 2021, Ariel’s firm-wide assets under management totaled approximately $15 billion. It is the largest minority-run mutual fund firm. Visit Ariel’s website at arielinvestments.com. Recently, Ariel Investments, LLC (“Ariel”) announced the launch of Ariel Alternatives, LLC (“Ariel Alternatives” or the “firm”), a private asset management firm. This announcement marks Ariel Investments’ first foray into the private investment sphere in its 38-year history. Visit Ariel Alternatives’ website at arielalternatives.com.

Former undergraduate and professional school recruitment veteran, Derrick Dowell maintains his connection to colleges and universities through his work with the TMSDC Education Foundation. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded over $2.1 million in scholarships to 377 graduating high school seniors, made possible from donations from corporations, minority businesses, and individuals. As vice president of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council, Derrick is responsible for the oversight and management of the council’s certification program; and the implementation of standards to meet NMSDC compliance. He currently serves as a member of the NMSDC Certification Task Force Committee.

Susan Marston is the Regional Vice President of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council. In her role, she is responsible for the states of Kentucky and West Virginia, under the umbrella of TSMSDC. With over 32 years of global business and management experience, she works with diverse suppliers by aligning business and procurement opportunities needed by major purchasers. Her prior outreach includes many national and global business relationships in numerous countries, including Hungary, United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, and the USA. It excites her to drive continuous improvement while helping others to take diversity, equity and inclusion to the next level of excellence. Her hope is that others will value differences to foster cultures that minimize bias, and addresses systemic inequities. A native of England, she is quick to point out how important it is for all of us to do our part in shaping the global supplier diversity landscapes.

Regina M. Prude is an Author; SiriusXM Host, Diversity/Inclusion & Supplier Diversity

Consultant/Trainer; Inspirational Speaker; and Syndicated Newspaper Columnist based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a dreamer, a believer, messenger, and a self-proclaimed Chief Evangelist of Joy. She will tell you that her writings are a labor of love and a way of reaching out to others around the globe with words of joy, fearlessness, faith and confidence. Enjoy her power of words in the key COE features of inBusiness as she connects us to one another.

Steve Barker and Brooks Christol head up the Nashville strategic marketing firm, Barker &

Christol, LLC. For more than a decade, the firm has supported the mission of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council as its marketing partner, providing event marketing, crafting publications, messaging, and building and maintaining its website. The 2021 edition of inBusiness Magazine is the firm’s third magazine production for the council. Barker & Christol’s approach to marketing is human first. They realize it’s people who make buying – or in this case, procurement decisions, and they specialize in appealing to decision makers and not the data to define propensity. The agency is Fluent in Human, speaking on behalf of clients with local, regional and international footprints, and it takes great care to work with organizations who align with their mission to better the world. Become Fluent in Human yourself at Barker-Christol.com.

In This Issue

In This Issue Every business seeks to grow and thrive. Every entrepreneur has business aspirations. Every desired outcome is straightforward as one seeks to optimize business improvements for expanded success. To be successful, organizations essentially need six things – a compelling mission that is inspiring; a value proposition that is aspiring; a strategy to help get there; supportive people; a set of values that define core tenets and culture, and a story worth telling.

We celebrate our remarkable success of the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE), an educational platform funded in conjunction with Ingersoll Rand and NMSDC. The outcomes are the results of 24-months of building, strengthening, and diversifying strategic alliances, bringing together 9 major member corporations, and 19 certified minorityowned businesses. A unique and value-add mentor-protégé module was tailored to develop

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business relationships through knowledgesharing, benchmarking, procurement, and modeling the NMSDC Best Practices. The program cycle defined issues, data, monitoring/tracking and established tools to position MBEs to compete regionally, nationally and globally. The outcome signaled enhanced supplier diversity processes of the corporate mentors, and boosted capacity for growth, sustainability and success of the MBE protégés. All throughout, the excitement was contagious! The following pages will reveal notable stories that will provide you with an opportunity to get to know who and what motivated them to successfully reach $56 million during the module cycle. Their stories are distinctive, despite challenges along the way. COE kept its focus on a larger vision to benefit the certified suppliers: proven strategies, best practices, business/procurement opportunities, networking activities, training and education, mentor-protégé relationships, financial support, innovative developments, mutually beneficial development assistance, gap analysis, technology transfer, business infrastructure enhancement, long-term business relationships, expansion of contracting opportunities, and the list goes on. Every life has a story – you will enjoy their profiles, experiences, and what makes them do what they do – for as long as they have. Within these pages, you will read about entrepreneurship which now can leverage the capabilities of the vested MBEs to add to this economy. The takeaway: we all can learn, grow, and fast forward to a transformative future. Since the publication of this edition, the following employment changes have occurred:

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• Terry Deas, former Director of Diversity & Outreach at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is the AVP, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at HCA Healthcare as of October 2020. •Jackie LaJoie, served as Manager of Supplier Diversity at Trane Technologies, retired May 2021. • KeeKee Mathis, former Manager of Supplier Diversity at Volkswagen is the Sr. Leader-Supplier Sustainability & Diversity, at Trane Technologies, effective April 2021. • Verná Goatley, Executive Administrator, Louisville Metro Government Louisville Forward/Department of Economic Development was promoted to Executive Director, Louisville Metro GovernmentHuman Relations Commission July 2020. • Marilyn Clark, Manager, Economic Development and Supplier Diversity for Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) is the Supplier Diversity Manager for the University of Kentucky effective January 2021. Throughout these pages, you will see illustrations of businesses, large and minority, exemplifying core values essential to culture, vision and direction that guides corporate decision-making. And in today’s business climate, core values can either help attract customers who share the same beliefs and motivates employees to reach goals; or experience lost over different ideals. We remain excited, and optimistic about continuing our work with the next module, COE NEXT!, already in progress, as one of the greatest game-changers in the history of TSMSDC. These powerful stories make us think about our own lives. As said before, every life has a story – theirs and ours. Embrace it and keep moving forward.

Not included in magazine: Corporate Representatives: • Verná Goatley, Louisville Metro • Dawn Mason, CoreCivic MBEs: • Charles Barnes, ACTION Janitorial Paper Safety • Sharon Reynolds, DevMar Products

Editor’s Desk

FROM THE

Editor’s Desk Welcome to the newest edition of inBusiness – a seasonal publication packed full of news,

special features, profiles, guest columns, useful information, networking contacts and special advertising. This has been a year like none that we have known. The COVID-19 pandemic, the rise in racial tensions and violence, and an extremely contentious election have combined to disrupt our daily lives, to create new challenges, and to question long-held beliefs. These challenges have given us time for introspection to assess the importance of business and personal relationships in our lives. Fortunately, in many cases, relationships have become stronger as we return to some sense of normalcy. With the imposed constraints of social distancing, this time hasn’t been easy for any of us. Yet, we welcome the silver lining with a renewed focus on our families, friends, businesses, and communities. As we gradually reopen our businesses, we will continue to observe safety protocols as defined by the CDC guidelines. At first glance, our virtual events may look a bit different, but the personalized service you’ve come to know will remain unchanged. We have invested a lot of time in educational initiatives, such as webinars, to help move forward in supplier diversity and business scalability. Our success hinges on lessons learned and give rise to prospects of success in the future. This is best reflected in our own magazine – inBusiness. The publication is both aspirational and inspirational; the result of strategically enlisting the talent of committed people to make it happen as a way to underscore the mission of TSMSDC. This special issue features illustrative stories of 7 dedicated corporate representatives; 17 determined minority suppliers from varying industries; large and small; their noteworthy achievement in the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence module, a blueprint for MBE transformation by bolstering the power of supplier diversity excellence. Such stories are bold and impactful. They are awesome revelations of how to connect the dots for increased business opportunities, resulting in $56 million spent with each other during the 24-months of COE. You’ll appreciate the snapshots of each contributor, and their unique perspectives that keep them on the leading edge with the potential to do more. We encourage you to follow their lead, with the spirited heartbeat of equity, diversity and inclusion for business success. You will be inspired by all whose stories may make us think about our own lives, and whose values resonate with ours. After all, every life has a story, and it is our pleasure to share their stories with you. So, I ask as you read… What’s your story? Our guest commentary from John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, Co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Ariel Capital Management, Chicago (now Ariel Investments, LLC), shares lessons every one of us should know on page 10. If part of your quest is to read about the history of Nashville’s landmark in the milestone of Black history - Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company, the oldest continuous operating minority-owned bank in the country, opening in 1904, turn to page 16. If you are inclined to get a leg-up when looking for benefits to join TSMSDC, see page 12, or ways to invest in the Education Foundation (which has exceeded $2.1 million with donations to 377 graduating high school seniors), see page 7. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! As always, we thank you for your continued interest, and support of TSMSDC. More importantly, we extend a ‘special’ thanks to the TSMSDC COE participants for lending their stories to this edition. As engaged readers, we hope to broaden your understanding of supplier diversity, and to deepen your appreciation for the continued good works, worth and successes of TSMSDC. Stay healthy. Be well. Enjoy the read!

Cheri K. Henderson President & CEO TriState MSDC

ENLIGHTEN

INSPIRE

INFORM

RECOGNIZE

SUPPORT

Cheri K. Henderson

People On The Move

CONSTANCE JONES Senior Director, Network Delivery Services, National Minority Supplier Development Council (Moved as Vice President, Operations at Houston Minority Supplier Development Council)

YVETTE S. PORTER

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Associate Director, Purchasing and Contracts, Information Technology, Vanderbilt Medical Center (Moved from Associate Director, Purchasing and Contracts, Information Technology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

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NORTH CAROLINA KENTUCKY

Supplier Diversity Manager, University of Kentucky (Moved as Supplier Diversity Manager at Fayette County Public Schools)

TENNESSEE

Supplier Diversity Lead for Arkansas and Mississippi Entergy Services (Moved as Supplier Diversity Analyst at Nissan North America, Inc.)

WEST VIRGINIA

MISSISSIPPI

MARILYN CLARK

NEW YORK

DANIEL BOREN

KENTUCKY

People on the Move

TENNESSEE

KIRBY WATSON Principal Program Manager, Supplier Diversity and Citizenship, GE Appliances, A Haier Company (Moved as Director of Corporate Services at Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council)

KEEKEE MATHIS Sr. Leader, Supplier Sustainability & Diversity, Trane Technologies (Moved as Manager, Supplier Diversity, NAR/B, North American Region, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.)

SHERRI L. NEAL Chief Diversity Officer, HCA Healthcare (Moved from Vice President, Cultural Development & Inclusion, HCA Human Resources Group)

TED SVEHLIK Assistant Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Procurement, Contracting & Payment Services, West Virginia University (Moved from Vice President, Strategic Sourcing and Alliances Department, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE))

TMSDC Education Foundation

TMSDC EDUCATION FOUNDATION

“Living Dreams Hoped For” When Martin Luther King, Jr. led the march for equal rights, education was a part of the “I Have a Dream” message. His admonition for citizens of all races, creeds, and cultures -- the dare to dream -- still resonates today. The TMSDC Education Foundation continues to focus on his vision of freedom through education by achieving successful outcomes in education, and helping to open doors to opportunity. Lending financial support to the long-awaited dreams of high school students is the primary mission of the TMSDC Education Foundation. Every gift significantly impacts students who receive scholarships from the TMSDC Education Foundation. The Foundation remains dedicated to providing monetary assistance to help close the financial gap for talented students who aspire to achieve a college education. Contrary to popular belief, students who experience economic hardships

are just as capable and likely to achieve academic success.

Now in its 27th year, the foundation has supported 377 graduate highschool students, and awarded $2.1M in funding, made possible by the generous donations from corporations, minority businesses, and foundation friends. Scholarship recipients have received educational tools, such as laptops, kindle readers, provided by Dell and Pinnacle Financial Partners -- community partners of the foundation. This year, Nissan North America provided two summer internships and Guy Brown, LLC also offered an internship, bringing a wealth of practical benefits to the student participants. The generosity of donors has helped to transform the lives of many. At various stages of its existence, the foundation has worked with a number of

By Derrick Dowell

organizations, among them Jobs for Tennessee Graduates, and the YMCA Achievers Program. Currently, the foundation collaborates with In Full Motion, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides assistance to youth in achieving the goal of empowerment for success through ACT Prep, testing, academic tutoring, and mentoring. Through this alliance, the foundation is able to shine a light on support of students on the rise by providing them with needed funds to help them on their journey.

in scholarships. The recipients gained entrance to first-choice colleges and universities including Washington University, Tennessee State University, Kentucky State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis, Fisk University and others. The student recipients received Amazon Fire HD8 - 10th Generation Fire OS7 tablets from Pinnacle.

With each recurring scholarship cycle, the foundation notices a common thread. The students who apply are filled with ambition, concerned about their future, and are undeterred in striving to reach their goals. Contributing to the TMSDC Education Foundation is one way to make a difference. During the 2021 cycle, the foundation assisted 15 high school graduating seniors by awarding $114,000

Now, more than ever, it is important to continue making a difference in the lives of students who need help. The foundation not only helps students directly, it helps families who face financial obligations, especially in the face of uncertainty. Monetary gifts, whether large or small, will help deserving students live dreams hoped for.

Scholarships just don’t change, they transform.

Notes&Numbers 28 377 Since 1993, the TMSDC Education Foundation has funded scholarships

In scholarships awarded since the inception of the foundation Donor gifts range $500 – $25,000

Students have received scholarships from the foundation

2.1M THIRTY Donor gifts of $500 or more toward student scholarships

FORTY NINE

Colleges and universities have granted admission to foundation scholarship recipients

Volunteer representatives from major corporations and minority-owned businesses interview and select scholarship finalists

For additional information contact: TMSDC Education Foundation | The Forum 220 Athens Way, Suite 105 | Nashville, Tennessee O: C615-726-0586 W W W . 37228 T S M | S D . N E T

The MBEIC

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE INPUT COMMITTEE

THE MBEIC

Tera Vazquez

Chairperson, TSMSDC Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee and President and CEO, Guy Brown www.guybrown.com

Learn More The summer solstice has arrived and with it comes an incredible slate of MBEIC opportunities, programs, webinars, events, and activities. Let me share a little about the MBEIC, and its local focus. In my leadership role, I am focused on reigniting and re-engaging the MBEs in our region to help solidify business efforts for success. To achieve this, your local participation is valuable and important!

About the MBEIC The Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) is comprised of certified businesses from the TSMSDC footprint, consisting of Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The purpose of the MBEIC is to work in conjunction with the leadership of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC), to provide a platform of advice, input and assistance regarding programs, services, and activities to further the TSMSDC’s mission, its value proposition and to enhance minority business economic parity and inclusion. The MBEIC represents the voice of its constituents - certified MBEs – by providing learning opportunities and relevant industry insights on a variety of topics to help MBEs grow and thrive. Each affiliate regional council has an MBEIC for continuous network improvement. It creates value and delivers economic and social impact for all stakeholders.

Local Priorities The MBEIC is comprised of three (3) regional chairs and standing committees to focus on specific areas of opportunities for TSMSDC’s MBEs. Group meeting discussions allow for

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“HELPING MBES

trends, emerging technologies, and potential business and procurement opportunities for MBEs. In addition, the platform is a forum for valuable dialogue and networking relative to economic matters and to collaborate with MBEs across the three (3) states. The strategic objectives also mirror the National MBEIC as follows: • Increase contract opportunities for MBEs • Improve access to capital and help MBEs understand options to seek capital for growth/expansion • Ensure capacity-building initiatives to help MBEs progress from NMSDC Class levels I, II, III and IV • Identify and facilitate MBE2MBE business and networking opportunities, and partner initiatives with corporations

Vice Chair The vice chair of the MBEIC helps the chair in proposing activities and service to further the mission and goals. This includes input for meetings with the regional chairs, communicating policies, and performing responsibilities when the chair is not available. Our local vice chair is Attorney Richard Manson, President, SourceMark USA.

Regional Chairs The three (3) state regional chairs consist of owners/executives of certified minority businesses to serve as the state liaison between the council, corporate members and MBEs. Our MBEIC regional chairs are as follows: • Kentucky - Keith Hamilton, President, L B Manufacturing

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GROW & CONNECT“ • Tennessee - Warren Sawyers President & CEO, Atlas Management Corporation • West Virginia - Diana Lewis Jackson President, Action Facilities Management

Standing Committees • Educate/Empower/Engage To take action to impact team empowerment. • Community Services To not only enlist MBEs to participate, but also to recruit corporations within our region to support the council, provide business opportunities, and to build trust with each other. • Communications To augment the work plan of the council as a way to promote MBE2MBE spend and other business/procurement/ networking opportunities.

Landing Page and Membership Application We have created a new landing page on the TSMSDC website which illustrates the MBEIC mission and objectives. See MBEIC TSMSDC https://tsmsdc.com/mbeic The site includes the membership application for your completion. It lists the qualification, requirements and expectations. See MBEIC APPLICATION - TSMSDC https://tsmsdc.com/mbeic

Vice Chair

LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS: Attorney Richard Manson, President SourceMark, USA www.sourcemarkusa.com

WEST VIRGINIA TENNESSEE

KENTUCKY

Regional Chairs

Keith Hamilton, President LB Manufacturing, LLC www.lbmanufacturing.com

Do you want to support CERTIFIED minority businesses while advancing within our network? Join our local MBEIC. The local MBEIC – part of the National MBEIC, encourages you to help us identify and address the business needs of our MBEs. Please contact Derrick Dowell at ddowell@tsmsdc.net for detailed information on membership, local priorities, the work of the standing committees, and scheduled meetings. The MBEIC needs your voice, and support in representing and promoting the interests of the TSMSDC! Your participation is valuable and important!

Warren Sawyers, President & CEO Atlas Management Corporation www.atlasmanagement.us

Diana Lewis Jackson, President Action Facilities Management, Inc. www.actionfacilities.com

New Member

Guest Commentary

GUEST COMMENTARY

Thriving in the Financial Markets

Founding Ariel Investments in 1983 demanded considerable vision and determination. That was three years after I became the first African American John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, professional Co-CEO, Chief Investment hired by Officer, & Co-Portfolio William Blair Manager, Ariel Investments & Company. Ariel is now the largest African American-owned mutual fund company in the nation. As of December 31, 2020, we manage over $14.6 billion in assets. We serve individual and institutional investors from our headquarters in Chicago and offices in New York and Sydney, Australia, through no-load mutual funds and separate accounts. Since those beginnings, we’ve remained intrinsically disciplined, long-term investors. These defining characteristics are the cornerstone of our investment philosophy, as symbolized by our turtle logo and the firm’s motto, “Slow and steady wins the race.” I’ve observed a disappointing lack of progress in diverse representation within the financial sector across these years. Inclusion remains minuscule.

As guest speaker at TriState Minority Supplier Development Council’s (TSMSDC) Business Marketplace, I shared that Ariel launched a conference with Russell Reynolds Associates. I described the inspiring speakers attending— from Kenneth Chenault at American Express to Jamie Diamon at JPMorgan Chase. Often we’ve had celebrities, from George Lucas to Shonda Rhimes, Ambassador Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte, Spike Lee, and Rev. Jesse Jackson. These are people who believe in the commitment and remind us of our responsibilities. They are the conscious of the conference.

It’s time for impactful change to move the industry forward.

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Private equity firms, venture capital firms, and hedge funds make a scant commitment to requiring any hiring or inclusion practices to narrow the diversity gap. As I’ve watched the large pension funds and university endowments, very few demand racial equity. Entities that could flex their financial muscles do nothing. The financial services industry seems content to remain with its head in the sand.

I was on the board of Exelon, and they did the best job of any corporation I’ve seen regarding accountability. They measured business diversity performance specifics in every category. As director, I received a book each year on Exelon’s dollar spend—how much was with LatinX, African American, and women-owned firms. Exelon held all of the contracted professional services companies accountable for utilizing diverse teams. Corporate boards are obligated to recognize and tackle their role in addressing racism and promoting conscious inclusion as an enduring value. It’s time for impactful change to occur to move the industry forward.

Financial industry insights … The financial industry is, in many ways, a service industry. Major private equity firms and venture capital organizations create significant wealth by managing other people’s money. As African Americans, the financial industry career path is almost comparable to an all-white business fraternity. We miss out on these opportunities. Purposeful wealth creation feeds the connections that help us thrive. We thrive in our impact on those we love and the communities in which we live. Philanthropy greatly enhances that influence. In New York, Michael Bloomberg served as mayor for twelve years; he is also obviously in finance and technology. In 1981, he founded Bloomberg LP and created a personal net worth of $58.4 billion. Why don’t we want to see black people have those kinds of opportunities? We could generate both jobs and the political power associated with wealth. Many people are unaware that the job creation factor is exponentially greater in financial services than product suppliers.

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Stephen Schwarzman is CEO of The Blackstone Group, Inc. This global private equity firm has $584 billion in assets under management (AUM). Across regions and industries, Blackstone controls approximately 600,000 jobs. KKR and Henry Kravis control over 1 million jobs and thousands of contracts, board seats, and executive suite opportunities. Diverse participants remain effectively locked out of that ecosystem.

Why the diversity absence? … While organizations like TSMSDC are at the forefront of inspiring corporate commitments to strengthening inclusive practices, there are four reasons for diversity’s absence in the technology, financial services, and professional service industries. First is both unconscious and implicit bias. When it comes to these areas, decision-makers often don’t think of African Americans as prepared and capable of performing in these roles. That, of course, is wrong. Second, to succeed in professional services— like advertising, law, accounting, consulting, or public relations—or in technological or financial services, you often must generate revenue. To become a partner in an investment bank or a law firm, you must bring in customers. As African Americans, we lack the multi-generational wealth, family contacts, and relationships that can generate business after we get into these firms. Historical discrimination and racism created an environment in which we didn’t have a chance to develop those pipelines. Thus, the challenges of generating revenue are a huge deal. Third, we’ve fallen into this trap of then accepting entrepreneurial supply chain opportunities, which have the lowest profit margins and the thinnest growth rates. We’re getting pennies while others are going after the dollars. The fourth and final thing, even when we arrive in crucial leadership roles, it’s easier to maintain the status quo, forgetting that we validate our purpose when we take action. Many who achieve the positions and power to implement change in the face of inequities don’t do enough to move the needle forward. Qualitatively, we have a purpose.

Thriving in the Financial Markets

And, the metrics seem to move only marginally in a positive direction.

Embodying the terminology … One of the most important things is to transition away from the term “supplier diversity.” Our economy centers on technology, professional services, and financial services—all industry-driven areas creating significant wealth. The University of Chicago uses the term “business diversity.” We are then less likely to limit our thinking to the common fallacy of confining Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) exclusively to providing products. Without this word shift, we narrow our capabilities to playing a single game—seeking supply chain opportunities. If diverse entrepreneurs thrive in the foreseeable future, our focus must be frontward looking, not rearward. The term “supplier” restricts forward-leaning options. Thriving means utilizing our vantage points to fight for one another. As more diversity occurs within leadership roles on nonprofit boards and corporate boards, we must proactively use those positions of authority. We can and must exert our influence on our aligned institutions.

An Obligation … Formative influence happens when we insist that influential institutions live up to the values they espouse. From that vantage point, we give diverse firms entre` into decisive parts of the corporate spend. If we refrain from speaking up consistently and loudly—fighting for our communities— instead of thriving, we’ll regress. The wealth gap will get larger and larger. To thrive, we must defend one another when we have these leadership roles. I tell people all of the time that we wouldn’t have lost Johnson Publishing if people of color, those seated in boardrooms or in executive roles, had insisted that those institutions advertise in Ebony and Jet. Industry by industry, sector by sector, we become comfortable and forget that people fought hard to open doors.

Enterprising solutions … We barely crack the surface in any of the noted service industries. For example, look at the Black Enterprise list of top African American money management firms. One leading

firm on BE’s list had $11.6 billion under management. By contrast, the world’s largest asset management firm, BlackRock, is whiteowned. In less than thirty years, BlackRock’s assets under management reached $7.43 trillion! My alma mater, Princeton University, experienced a 5.6 percent increase in endowment value for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020—reaching $26.6 billion, despite the devastating financial crisis of a pandemic. Research on 270 endowment management firms making over $1 million per year managing money indicated that 30 of those firms were women-owned, one was LatinX, and one was African American. That enormous opportunity gap is just unfortunate for all the cited reasons. It excludes us. What’s the solution? Partly, it’s to create more businesses focused on those three key service areas and direct young people towards related careers. Twenty years ago, we developed a small public school in Chicago, The Ariel Community Academy. We teach young people about investing and the stock market. They see role models like me, Mellody Hobson, and others at Ariel. Essentially, they visualize themselves, realizing that a career in financial services is possible. Additionally, we created The Rogers Scholars at the University of Chicago. Minority students work in the investment offices of major endowments during the summers. These paid internships create an environment to learn about the investment industry. Exposure is essential! More financial service firms should partner with public schools and universities, as Ariel has. Our dream is to inspire other big money management firms to put that same outreach framework into practice.

Mellody Hobson, illuminating our commitment … A terrific example of accelerating strategic change is Mellody Hobson, Ariel’s current Co-CEO. She’s indeed a superstar! Her influence on Ariel is profound. In July 2019, she was elevated to Co-CEO. She was President and Director since 2000. This promotion recognizes her commitment and unparalleled leadership. Mellody’s extraordinary business acumen and energetic, relentless work at Ariel began shortly after she graduated from Princeton. This elevation to Co-CEO recognizes our decades-long shared leadership at Ariel. The

firm and our clients are in terrific hands with Mellody at the helm, alongside me. She is a passionate advocate, destined to take us to the next level. Her impressive board leadership continues at JP Morgan Chase. She was recently named board chair at Starbucks, and was formerly on The Estee Lauder Companies board. Beyond her work here, Mellody is a nationally recognized voice for financial literacy and investor education, regularly contributing on finance and economic trends for CBS News and other media. Mellody is an example of utilizing one’s personal influence to press for profound and perennial progress.

John W. Rogers, Jr. is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Ariel Fund and of Ariel Small Cap Value, Ariel Small/ Mid Cap Value, Ariel Mid Cap Value, and Ariel Appreciation Fund. His investment passion began at age 12 when his father gave him stocks as Christmas and birthday gifts. His interest in equities grew at Princeton University, and over the two-plus years he was a stockbroker for William Blair & Company, LLC. Early on, Rogers’ investment acumen brought him to the forefront of media attention. He was named “Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year” by Sylvia Porter’s Personal Finance magazine and “All-Star Mutual Fund Manager” by USA TODAY. His board roles include Exelon, McDonald’s, NIKE, and The New York Times Company. He is Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Chicago and a member of the Board of Directors for the Barack Obama Foundation. Following President Barack Obama’s election, John was co-chair for the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee. He recently joined the Barack Obama Foundation Board of Directors.

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TSMSDC At-A-Glance

TSMSDC

AT-A-GLANCE WHO IS TRISTATE MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL? TriState MSDC is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization chartered to advance business and procurement opportunities for certified minority business of all sizes, namely Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises and connecting them to member corporations. TriState is one of 23 regional affiliate Councils of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). It has access to over 1,500 corporate members including most of America’s largest publicly owned, privately owned, and foreign owned companies, as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. Collectively, it certifies and matches over 15,000 minority-owned business with member corporations that seek to purchase goods and services.

WHAT WE DO TSMSDC‘s commitment is to bring the highest level of service to all of its stakeholders. The following four (4) pillars of excellence represent its overall foundation:

CERTIFY

SERVICES

Minority-owned businesses and promote the value of certification. TSMSDC adheres to the highest standards of MBE vetting while performing MBE certifications, re-certifications, orientation and subscriptions.

DEVELOP Stakeholders and building capacity and capabilities. TSMSDC provides key insights and information for MBEs to capitalize on marketplace requirements, changes and corporate supply chains for growth.

CONNECT Certified MBEs with local and national corporate members. TSMSDC facilitates essential relationships between major corporations and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) firms.

ADVOCATE MBEs and major purchasers promote the Value Proposition of supplier diversity. TSMSDC serves as an advocate, educator and resource for major corporations, government agencies and MBEs.

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Identify, certify, assist and refer in the scalability of MBEs in a wide range of products and services

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Access the needs of corporate members regarding their supply chain requirements and match appropriate MBE suppliers

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Develop and offer supplier diversity program support

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Measure and track business and networking opportunities

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Assist in RFP/bid opportunities

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Source MBE referrals and introductions

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Deliver education and training opportunities

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Facilitate business relationships

TSMSDC At-A-Glance

OVERVIEW TSMSDC continues to expand and serve in its geographic footprint of Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. The Council maintains a strong commitment to economic parity by bridging the gap among major purchasers and minority suppliers. In addition, TSMSDC looks to promote corporations and entrepreneurs from a wide range of industries to work together, to build trust and business-tobusiness collaborative connections that lead to long term, mutually beneficial economic success.

CERTIFY | DEVELOP | ADVOCATE | CONNECT

VISION

MISSION

VALUE PROPOSITION

TSMSDC is recognized as the model region for the development of Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) as successful suppliers. TriState MSDC facilitates this vision by setting the standard of excellence in bringing corporate members and MBEs together to create mutual value.

TSMSDC ensures the development of mutually beneficial relationships between ethnic minority businesses (suppliers) and major corporations (purchasers), by promoting and expanding business and procurement opportunities as they strive to be the product and service providers of choice.

TSMSDC is committed to being the leading supplier diversity advocate, to facilitate relationships between corporations and MBEs, resulting in improved sales, profits, business performance, consumer image and stakeholder value.

OFFICE LOCATIONS TENNESSEE

KENTUCKY

WEST VIRGINIA

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS MetroCenter, Plaza I Building 220 Athens Way, Suite 105 Nashville, TN 37228 T: 615-259-4699

REGIONAL OFFICE One Riverfront Plaza 401 W. Main St., Suite 1706 Louisville, KY 40202 T: 502-365-9762

REGIONAL OFFICE Coming soon! W: tsmsdc.net E: info@tsmsdc.net An Affiliate of NMSDC www.nmsdc.org

facebook.com/TSMSDC

twitter.com/TriStateMSDC

linkedin.com/company/tristate-msdc

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TSMSDC Centers of Excellence

TSMSDC CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE—

‘Designed for Results’ … COE Initiative Connects MBE Protégés with Corporate Mentors

Even in today’s rapidly changing business environment, three critical factors can improve business performance, sustain competitive advantage, and ensure real-world success. Those factors are (1) ingenuity, (2) advice, and (3) inspiration. In an innovative initiative, 19 protégé businesses and nine corporate mentors recently experienced a successful endeavor. Minority-owned businesses made significant strides toward reaching success and unleashing the full potential of their relationships when the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) encouraged their participation in a unique business mentoring program—the Centers of Excellence (COE). TSMSDC launched this initiative in conjunction with Ingersoll Rand and the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). Designed as an interactive educational platform, COE offered an exceptional, value-added mentor-protégé relationship. Jackie LaJoie (formerly supplier diversity manager at Ingersoll Rand and Trane Technologies) supported TSMSDC’s COE program with grant funding from the Ingersoll Rand Foundation. The program, spanning 24 months, was designed to strengthen corporate supplier diversity processes, and to help minority businesses compete globally. Emphasis focused on best practices, benchmark measurements, thought leadership, and meaningful knowledge-sharing. As a result of these assigned opportunities, each corporate mentor tapped into the existing skillsets of the participating minority businesses. The impact was designed to boost growth, enhance quality, automate processes, share business intelligence, and grow capacity for the smaller businesses. Delivery of these results impacted participants of varying sizes, industries, and experiences. Participants were from Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The COE educational platform improved minority business performance by forging stronger business relationships and equipping firms with reliable ways to navigate challenges. Benefits for the larger corporate protégés

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included enhancing supply chain diversification. Cheri Henderson, President and CEO of TSMSDC evaluated how well the initiative met its targets. “The Centers of Excellence program module became a blueprint for MBE transformation by bolstering the power of supplier diversity excellence,” she says. “I was inspired by the synergy taking place within each session. Impactful business mentoring always requires exceptional skills of both the mentor and the protégé.” Jackie LaJoie marked the results as “very well done” in assessing the partnerships and their impact. “Our MBE protégés and corporate mentors worked in so many creative ways to connect the dots for increased business and procurement opportunities. Both groups accelerated their insights into taking their business relationships to the highest level, and making business diversity and inclusion work.” The desired outcomes for participating MBEs included increased capacity, new growth potential, improved sustainability. For corporate mentors, outcomes included enhancement of their supplier diversity processes and boosted minority spend. Now that the COE program has concluded, TSMSDC envisions both MBE and corporate participants benefitting from ongoing collaborative relationships, ensuring: • MBE competition in a global environment, • MBE alignment of their sales processes with the procurement practices of corporate members, • Development of a portfolio of capacitybuilding models and templates, • Strengthened corporate supplier diversity processes, • Application of TSMSDC/NMSDC “Best Practices,” enhancing minority supplier development, • Corporate benchmarking of successful minority supplier development strategies among their peers, • Increased business opportunities (for both corporate members and MBEs), as they learn each other’s competitive strengths, • Improvement in the economic environment of the 5-state participant business community, reinforcing the concept of buying among and between corporations and MBEs, 2 0 2 1

• Market positioning to help corporations satisfy expectations of an increasingly diverse customer base, and • Measured progress utilizing a continuous scorecard and master timeline. “The TSMSDC COE module recorded many positive connections that count. What started with a blank canvas produced lasting results. The program generated more than $56 million in spending with minority-owned firms, primarily, from domestic spending. Our MBE protégés and corporate mentors were ready to elevate themselves. They truly seized the moment,” concluded Henderson.

Centers of Excellence (COE) A focused mentor-protégé program with a structured environment designed to foster minority supplier development. The initiative defined issues, gathered data on industry best practices, established tools and processes supporting MBE breakthroughs in local, regional, national and global competitiveness.

COE NEXT! The Council is compiling the next chapter of the Centers of Excellence initiative, called, “COE NEXT!” an advanced version of the initial program module, also funded by Ingersoll Rand. Plans are underway to: • Increase next-level growth strategies • Create deeper value-add business relationships • Offer flexible, presenter-lead educational platform • Leverage successes through new contracts directly related to module participation, and • Identify on-target methods of expanding the scope of MBE business strategies. TSMSDC will continue to connect the dots. The desired mutual outcome is that corporate mentors will improve their supplier diversity processes, and the MBE protégés will build capacity for growth, sustainability and success. The subsequent pages will provide a snapshot of each COE participant and their respective industries.

TriState MSDC … “Designed for Results” in Partnership with Ingersoll Rand and NMSDC The TSMSDC COE, launched in August 2016 by the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council, in conjunction with a grant from Ingersoll Rand and NMSDC, is an educational platform to address a unique and value-added mentor-protégé program. It is designed to develop business relationships among 9 member corporations and 20 selected, certified minority businesses through knowledge sharing, benchmarking, procurement, and modeling the NMSDC ‘Best Practices.’ Based on forecasted needs, corporations work with and guide MBEs, as integral advisors to foster their growing success. Additionally, COE provides data, monitoring/tracking, and establishes the tools to position minority businesses to compete for national and global business opportunities. The desired mutual outcome is that corporate mentors will enhance their supplier diversity programs/processes, and their certified MBE protégés will build capacity for growth, sustainability, and success through the 24-month program cycle. Signaling progress through a continuing scorecard, the COE program is experiencing promising results. The COE aggregate scorecard validates that more than $56 million has been spent among the participants. Listed below are the current participating corporate member mentors and their respective certified MBE protégés.

9 Corporate Participating Mentors CoreCivic CoreCivic Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Fayette County Public Schools Fayette County Public Schools Fayette County Public Schools Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Ingersoll Rand Louisville Metro Dept. of Economic Development Louisville & Jefferson County Metro Sewer District (MSD) Louisville & Jefferson County Metro Sewer District (MSD) Nissan North America Nissan North America Nissan North America Tennessee Valley Authority Volkswagen Group of America Volkswagen Group of America

20 Selected Certified MBE Protégés DevMar Products, LLC SourceMark, LLC AJ Media Services, LLC SealingLife, Inc. Cornerstone Engineering, Inc. Facility Maintenance & Services Group Appalachian Regional Manufacturing, Inc. LB Manufacturing Diversified Supply, Inc. Action Facilities Management, Inc. Atlas Management Corporation Clint Chemical & Janitorial Supplies, Inc. Nimbus, Inc. Ward-Edison Professional Cleaning Service Guy Brown Management, LLC Integrated Management Services (IMS) Atlas Management Corporation Action Chemical, Inc. Wingard Quality Supply, LLC Premiere Building Maintenance Corporation

Positioning minority businesses to compete

globally. Enhancing Supplier Diversity programs.

For additional information, please call 615-259-4699, or e-mail info@tsmsdc.net

Citizens Savings Bank

6 AMAZING THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW

About The Oldest Minority-Owned Bank CITIZENS SAVINGS BANK & TRUST COMPANY

When choosing a bank, you undoubtedly search for a financial Attorney Richard Manson institution as Chair of the Board impassioned about your financial goals of Directors, and money decisions as Citizens Bank you are. Whether you conduct banking activities for your family, your business, your organization, or as an individual, that fact remains true. Of 4,700 banks in the nation, holding $20.3 trillion in combined assets, only a small percentage are Black-owned or led. Their combined assets amount to merely $5 billion. Then, there is Citizens Savings Bank and Trust—the first minority-owned bank in Tennessee and the oldest, continuously operating minority-owned financial institution in the United States. Historically, it committed for the long-term to a culture of differential customer care. Citizens established an early tradition of safeguarding depositors’ money and designing a pathway to dreams, despite navigating over a century of obstacles. To understand Citizens’ legacy, one must consider two time horizons—first, the institution’s rich past, and, second, their promising future. “Now” fits somewhere in between those two horizons.

THE ICONIC CHANGEMAKERS: ARCHITECTS OF A RICH PAST Nine prominent Black business leaders chipped in $100 each to form the bank. Accounting for inflation, that’s $2,824 each in current dollars. Among the nine originators was a trio of founders as historically renowned as the bank itself. First in the trio, Richard H. Boyd was born a slave in Mississippi. A civil rights advocate, minister, and denominational leader, Boyd attended Bishop College in Texas and established the National Baptist Publishing Board, providing Black-authored publications T S M S D C

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for Baptist congregations. Second, James Carroll Napier was the son of free parents. He became a prominent businessman, lawyer, politician, and civil rights leader serving as Register of the Treasury (1911-1913). Napier is one of only five African Americans to have their signatures on American currency. Finally, Preston Taylor, the son of slave parents, was an influential business leader, minister, and philanthropist. This incomparable financial institution opened its doors as One Cent Savings Bank & Trust Company on January 16, 1904. The name changed to Citizens in 1920. Their early commitment to serve Black customers was intentional, as captured in the charter stating the original objectives to: “… encourage frugality and systematic savings among our people, to secure the safekeeping and proper investment of such savings, and to set in motion business enterprise.” Its success is a rich testimony of the vision, dedication, and uncompromising commitment to provide superior and competitive products and services. Here are six pluses that set this bank apart across the span of 116 years.

1.CITIZENS WAS AS DURABLE A CENTURY AGO AS THEY ARE TODAY Aiming for best-in-class requires a conscious uphill climb, accomplished in over a century of sustainability. Defined as a missionoriented bank by the National Community Investment Fund, Citizens Bank “enhances its mission by being a local financial nucleus expanding statewide” and “an integrated financial institution guiding the financial desires and philosophies of daily life…” Citizens’ mission is to remain highly regarded and recognized for its commitment, unique leadership, extraordinary customer relations, and targeted array of services and programs. The oldest operating minority bank in the US makes a calculable difference in Tennessee and globally. Media attention on Citizens is perennial, including News Channel 5-Nashville’s profile of them as a “Music City Milestone” during Black History Month, 2020. An in-depth profile in the May 16, 2019 edition of the Nashville Business Journal tells, unflinchingly, the story of Citizen’s trials and 2 0 2 1

Attorney Richard Manson, Chairman of Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company (sitting) and Sergio S. Ora, Chief Executive Officer (standing). Photo Credit: Nashville Business Journal successes—including intervention by federal regulators in 2017 resulting in strict controls. That comprehensive NBJ article by Meg Garner, “The Bank Nashville’s Boom Forgot,” portrayed how a new leadership team took on those challenge in 2018. In the chairman’s seat for Citizens’ Board of Directors is Attorney Richard Manson. Sergio Ora, a veteran banking executive, is President and CEO. Today, Citizens Bank is a full-service financial institution with over $103 million in assets, offering high caliber services to the community and beyond. While it is not the largest Blackowned bank in the nation, it is unquestionably the most durable.

2.CITIZENS IS A HAVEN FOR CUSTOMERS’ HARD-EARNED CASH Citizens Bank is the financial lifeblood of the Tennessee communities in which it operates and the circulatory system for Black capitalism. Its strength lies in a commitment to remain community-focused. Citizens’ leadership is keenly aware that, when a community bank is ailing, the community will suffer also. A high priority is forming strong business relationships with the capacity to generate profits for Citizens. Offering financing and loans is how banks earn income and multiply their capital investment in the community. Even as technology expands options for online banking and vastly reduces the personal touch of banking experiences, Citizens sees its uniqueness as “a human-first bank,” striving to actualize the economic dreams of low-, moderate-, middle-income, and minority banking service consumers. Citizens Bank strives to step in to meet the needs of minority entrepreneurs, families, churches, and organizations—many historically shut out of capital and financial resources. Thus, the bank opens up new opportunities to invest locally, finance a child’s education, purchase a home, acquire investment real estate,

Citizens Savings Bank

build thriving businesses, and transform the highest financial dreams into realities.

3.BUOYED BY THE BOARD CHAIRMAN’S AMBITIOUS MISSION: A FUTURE OF SUSTAINABILITY Forty years ago, Attorney Richard Manson experienced firsthand the bank’s positive influence. As a young lawyer, he borrowed $5,000 from Citizens to establish his law practice on historic Jefferson Street in North Nashville. It is a classic example of the bank’s success in launching a new business when other banks might have refused. Manson calls the bank “a treasure in this city” and an integral part of Nashville’s booming development. From his viewpoint, Manson considers it vitally important for Citizens to maintain a strong commitment to investing in the legacy of minority entrepreneurs. He is adamant in viewing Citizens Bank as an ardent financial advocate for minority households. “After more than a century of endurance, Citizens still positions itself as dependable. It still stands at the forefront of the struggle to reduce America’s devastating race-based wealth gap,” said Manson. That sustainability centers on addressing the implacable fissure between Black and White wealth. The role of a financial institution like Citizens in confronting the prosperity imbalance is central to the book, “The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap” by Mehrsa Baradaran. Manson quickly pulls a copy from his office shelves in a quiet corner of Citizen’s North Nashville corporate headquarters. He agrees with The Atlantic magazine, which calls the book a “deep accounting of how America reached a point where a median White family has thirteen times more wealth than the median Black family.” Then, he makes further emphasis by drawing from his library the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s publication, “Let Us Put Our Money Together: The Founding of America’s First Black Banks.” “Our sustainability cause energizes us because there is still so much work to do,” Manson concluded.

4.CITIZENS BANK: STEADFASTLY ACCELERATING WHAT COMES NEXT Following a year of racial unrest, corporations and investment funders are making renewed commitments to African American- and Latinx-led financial institutions and entrepreneurs as a means of enhancing economic justice. Citizen’s role in positioning

minority communities toward future success is vital to leveling the playing field toward financial security. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, partnering with minority financial institutions like Citizens is trending. Major corporations are injecting capital into Black banks by increasing cash deposits and committing a percentage of cash holdings. Such deposits directed towards Citizens Bank will significantly increase the total capital available for lending opportunities.

Citizens has consistently endured challenges encountered by other small banks. According to an article in the Finance section of the Wall Street Journal on November 7, 2020, entitled “The Battle to Keep America’s Black Banks Alive,” the majority of Black banks disappeared under what the Journal calls “the burden of soured loans, bigger competitors created by mergers, and financial downturns that hit small lenders hard. Fifteen years ago, America had 36 Black-owned banks, government data show. Now there are 18.”

The nation’s oldest black-owned bank story spans Nashville to the Smithsonian Institution, where one can view the historic Citizens Bank clock. This treasured timepiece kept time at Nashville’s Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Co. nearly 100 years ago. As if keeping record with the chain of events which have transpired over time, the clock connects us to the beginnings of Citizens Bank, and with the safeguarded progress the bank has endured. Smithsonian Institution View Concourse 2, C 2052 In June, PayPal Holdings committed $530 million to an economic opportunity fund providing access to capital and financial services in minority communities. At nearly the same time, Netflix committed 2% of its holdings— initially $100 million—to Black-owned banks, like Citizens. Netflix’s outreach supports financial services for low-income residents in the South. Unwaveringly positioned to help meet that need is Citizens Bank.

5.THEY REMAIN A KEY LENDER, ENDURING RADICALLY TROUBLING TIMES Surviving the 1929 stock market crash and the ensuing Great Depression, Citizens Bank remained tenable despite many other banks failing. The founders launched Citizens only four decades following the end of the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery. The Brookings Institute estimates that, following the Civil War African Americans constituted 14% of the American population and owned just 0.5% of the wealth. Not much has changed. The Black population percentage is roughly the same; however, Black Americans own just 2.6% of the wealth.

Nevertheless, Citizens Bank of 2020 has a significant role in fixing the disappointing economic trajectory of minority families.

6.CITIZENS IS PERSISTENTLY COMMUNITY-FOCUSED Financial institutions like Citizens are integral to multiplying wealth and opportunity within communities long deprived of access to capital. Citizens’ customer community extends from two Tennessee locations: Nashville and Memphis. Chairman Manson envisions this systemic approach continuing to make Citizens Bank central to creating and investing in Nashville’s economy, building generational wealth, and lifting families out of poverty. Manson’s leadership profile and vision for Citizens are featured in a recent story celebrating Black philanthropy by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee entitled BPM 2020: Citizens Savings Bank and Trust has been a ‘Steadfast Anchor’ to Black Nashville. (link: https://www.cfmt.org/citizensbank/) Banking relationships must build peoplecentric and community-focused financial connections as a priority. Such relationships are as crucial as any cultural decision or operational one. W W W . T S M S D C . N E T

Dr. Herman J. Williams

DR. HERMAN J. WILLIAMS

Cracking the Code of Triumph and Adaptability communications open—an internal collaboration which, indeed, Presiding over TSMSDC’s Board of Directors forms a core competency. When asked about his role, Dr. Williams savors being the organization’s chief volunteer officer. The challenge, unmistakably, includes facilitating productive board meetings and bringing a stellar level Foundation building is the backbone for of commitment to the table. By injecting the creating the infrastructure needed to support strength of his considerable experiential skills, and grow Minority Business Enterprises the result is Williams’ deep commitment to (MBEs). And, while infrastructure is useful, enhancing certified diverse firms. it also undergirds TriState Minority Supplier Development Council’s (TSMSDC) capacity After facing life-changing challenges, to carry out its pivotal work. Chairman Williams’ intimate story traces the development of his unique leadership through As chairman of the board of directors at TSMSDC for the past six years, Dr. Herman J. a course of personal reinvention. Williams’ leadership springs from a unique set of strengths and rock-solid underpinnings as The unique story a business executive and medical professional. The Council is an extraordinary nonprofit In the medical world, a young, gifted, body, in existence for forty-nine years. future orthopedic surgeon shifted from the As an involved leader, Williams provides expectation of treating sports superstars to oversight and strategic direction—critical rebounding from death—not once but twice. accomplishments all made in concert with Out of the dust of disappointment, how is President and CEO Cheri Henderson. it possible to create a future of hope and career redirection, especially when your heart CEO Henderson paused for a moment ineradicably changes your life? to describe how Williams’ role drives and enhances board-management teamwork. “Dr. To answer those provocative questions, Dr. Williams is instrumental in maintaining a Williams offers insight and more than a sustainable, efficient entity. Our geographic few amazing answers, including a first-hand footprint spans three states — Kentucky, account of the highs and lows of his path. Tennessee, and West Virginia,” she said. The highs: dreams of becoming an “Presiding as chair, he oversees board accomplished orthopedic surgeon. activities and compliance. He capably meets The lows: casting those dreams aside to the challenges of that position. Dr. Williams recreate personal and professional is the liaison between our senior leadership achievement—even survival. and the board, ensuring compliance with TSMSDC’s obligations to our stakeholders The trajectory and NMSDC.” As head executive, Henderson manages the entire organization with As a healthy, 31-year-old African American resilience. In concert with her leadership, male, Williams set his sights on a prestigious Williams guides the board. This tandem surgery residency program in California. team shares power in advancing TSMSDC’s Unexpectedly, a sea change of events vision. The duo recurrently strategizes to keep swallowed everything.

DR. HERMAN J. WILLIAMS

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MY REASON FOR LIVING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE I ENCOUNTER IS BETTER OFF WHEN THEY LEAVE ME.

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“That was my dream. My goal was to finish my orthopedic surgery residency program at the University of Washington postgraduate school, then apply for a fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Sports Clinic. That particular clinic in Los Angeles cared for all the major athletic teams—the Lakers, Angels, Kings, Mets—everyone in sports. My mentor, African American orthopedic surgeon, Clarence Shields, was the Rams’ team doctor,” Williams explained. “My entire story is about overcoming obstacles. There were continual hurdles to overcome. The negative comments amazed me. People told me I’d never become a doctor, certainly never an orthopedic surgeon. Instead, I said: ‘I’m doing it!’” It was his next to the last year of surgical residency training. Within two months, he would become a chief resident. After submitting his application for Kerlan-Jobe’s sports medicine fellowship, Williams left his mentor a message, asking Dr. Shields to watch for his application. Thirty days later: he had a cardiac arrest.

What changes? Well, everything “The cardiac arrest happened on the basketball court. I was on a team of colleagues, all anesthesia residents. The game was the anesthesiologists versus the neurosurgeons. In the middle of the game, I pulled out to sit on the sidelines. Then, I slumped over. When I went down, they jumped into action. I had the best people surrounding me,” said Williams. It was also fortunate that his fiancé (now wife) was present. Seated on the sidelines as scorekeeper, Jeannie saw him collapse. Since the team members were heavily into the game, her yells and screams directed attention to the crisis as Williams lay crumpled on the floor. “Typically, with cardiac arrest, you have severe short-term memory loss. I woke up in the ICU. Caregivers didn’t know if I would wake up, and, if I woke up, in what condition. Thankfully, I woke up with all my capacities but with short-term memory loss. I kept asking Jeannie what happened; I couldn’t remember. She’d tell me, walk away, come back, and I’d say: “Hi, Jeannie. How are you? What happened?”

Dr. Herman J. Williams

A curveball looks like what? In life, a curveball is anything disruptive, unexpected. It’s when factors outside of our control demand devising new pathways. Williams’ first focus was on recovery. In the hospital, a doctor shared news about groundbreaking technology, the implantable defibrillator. This device, surgically embedded, would constantly monitor his heart rhythm. Whenever a rhythm error occurred, it would shock Williams’ heart back into a normal rhythm. “After surgery, I expected a return to normal. But, because we hadn’t figured out the appropriate medication, my heart repeatedly went into bad rhythms. In the first six months, I had over 50 shocks. The defibrillator, intended as a backup, should not be the primary treatment. Because we hadn’t found the right anti-arrhythmic medication, the defibrillator became the primary treatment. That’s why it went off so much,” Williams explained.

After facing life-changing challenges, Chairman Williams’ intimate story traces the development of his unique leadership through a course of personal reinvention.

Those two years provided time and space to recover physically,” Williams added. After obtaining his MBA degree, Williams crafted a career as a healthcare consultant, which he did for seven years. Then, one of his clients hired him as a hospital administrator— corporate vice president of medical affairs. “I’ve been doing that since 2000,” he affirmed. A series of impressive leadership roles culminated with his current position, Managing Director & Chief Physician Executive at BDO USA, LLP. “My residency was in Seattle. I wanted to become a doctor in Los Angeles, where I grew up. Instead, I came to Nashville, Tennessee as chief medical officer for various organizations. The firm which initially brought me here appointed me Vice President of Medical Affairs for their entire organization,” he said. “I’ve had one blessing, one opportunity after another. As you said—life throws this curveball. You think: the worst has happened. I’ll never be the same. My career evaporated. That negative attitude can destroy you. Disappointment is just one of the many curveballs in life. It’s not the first; it won’t be the last,” he concluded. Today, Dr. Williams inspires mentees to ask: “How can I adapt?” He affirms that successful adaptation, at any of life’s critical flashpoints, allows us to be even more flexible in the future, as other things happen.

At TSMSDC, bringing amazing to life Williams is confident that his leadership within TSMSDC as board chair is vital to giving back and living his life’s passion. While this path is fundamentally different than he envisioned, TSMSDC is an integral part of his new journey. “I feel I was on track to become a great surgeon. I believe I’m very good with people. What I’m doing now, however, is my sweet spot. I can make a difference on a larger scale, touching the lives of those I meet,” he said. “For me, it was years before I understood there is an alternative path. I was successful going in one direction, but that was not what I’m supposed to do. It led to my true life’s work. An important part of that work is at TSMSDC,” he concluded.

Authorship becomes him In 2017, Williams published his autobiography CLEAR! The book’s cornerstone is how he traced the four people who constructively shaped his life. “Everyone needs a mentor or coach to guide you. Nobody does it alone,” he said. In Dr. Williams’ book, he shares this mission statement: My reason for living is to make sure that everyone I encounter is better off when they leave me. The book, CLEAR! Living the Life You Didn’t Dream Of is available as an e-book, hardcover, or paperback on Amazon.com or from booksellers everywhere.

Death—Again? Williams experienced constant fear, depression, and loss. These emotions were taxing, debilitating. “I was unable to function. I couldn’t leave the house, afraid I’d be shocked again,” he said.

Your future will see you now When life happens, we pivot. Williams sought out the support he needed to move through these seasons. “The first thing you must realize is that you are depressed, then seek help. With therapy, I began asking—what other skills do I have?”

On May 15, 2017, Herman Williams experienced a second cardiac arrest while waiting to board a flight in BNA airport, Nashville. He describes what happened: “The mistake I made over the years is that, in my mind, healing occurred. I felt healthy and enjoyed the successful transition into a new career. Still, you’re at risk for those curveballs,” said Williams.

“A young man saw me go down. He and a woman jumped into action, resuscitating me. The woman had lost her husband a year earlier. She saw my eyes roll up into my head; they knew I had passed. She turned and said: ‘You’re not dying today. If you do, I’ll make “I wasn’t going to be a surgeon. With my Harvard master’s degree in public health, there sure I’m here with you. But you’re not dying today.’ They worked harder and brought me were other areas to put my medical training back,” he said. to use. Determined to maximize my business skills, I pursued a full-time MBA program.

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TSMSDC Board of Directors

2020-2021

TSMSDC Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Dr. Herman Williams – Chairman BDO USA, LLP (BDO International Limited in UK) Chief Physician Executive Managing Director, Healthcare Advisory

Jackie LaJoie - Former Vice Chairperson Trane Technologies Sr. Manager, Supplier Diversity (Retired)

Attorney Richard Manson – Legal Counsel and Vice Chair MBEIC SourceMark, LLC President

Tera Vazquez – MBEIC Chairperson Guy Brown President & CEO

Keith Hamilton MBEIC-KY LB Manufacturing, LLC President

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Cheri Henderson TriState Minority Supplier Development Council President & CEO

BOARD MEMBERS

Anthony Mathis Norton Healthcare Director, Energy & MWBE

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Stanford T. Williams - Treasurer Messer Construction Co. Vice President/Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer

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Warren Sawyers MBEIC-TN Atlas Management Corporation President & CEO

Attorney Kim Stagg Dickinson Wright, PLLC Attorney

Building a Bridge

MBN USA’S DON MCKNEELY …

Helps Pave Way for MBEs, and Corporate Successes said. “Now, more than ever, we need to support minority business development, supplier diversity, equity, and inclusion. I will continue to do my part to shine the light on all of these issues.”

Don McKneely Don McKneely is a lifelong champion of diversity and inclusion. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of TexCorp Communications Inc., whose flagship magazine is Minority Business News USA, or MBN USA. McKneely is also cofounder of the prestigious Billion Dollar Roundtable Inc. A veteran newspaper, magazine and radio communications leader, McKneely founded MBN USA in 1988 when he recognized the need for a news source to tell the powerful stories about minority business enterprises and the corporations that support them. Today, MBN USA is as relevant as it was nearly 35 years ago. It is the leading and oldest publication focused on promoting the value of minority business development and recognizing corporate supplier diversity success. The Billion Dollar Roundtable, or BDR, was co-launched by McKneely in 2001 along with Sharon Patterson and Shirley Harrison. The organization recognizes and celebrates U.S. companies with a demonstrated commitment of an annual supply-chain diversity spend of $1 billion or more. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, BDR now has 28 member companies. “Minority-owned businesses are the engines that keep our economy running,” McKneely

TexCorp Communications also publishes MBN Texas, Women’s Enterprise USA, or WE USA, and Women’s Enterprise Texas, or WE Texas. McKneely is also co-founder of The Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum Inc., Beacon Diversity Council, and founder of the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce Inc. (AIDC).

visit https://digital.mbnusa. biz/?issueID=46&pageID=108). Other honors are inclusive of McKneely being named by the National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. (NMSDC) as one of the 45 most influential people in the organization’s 48-year history. Moreover, he has earned a multitude of other honors including recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration; named the National Supplier of the Year by the NMSDC; and Supplier of the

Year by the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council; and induction into the Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum. McKneely sits on a variety of boards including the Executive Committee of the Dallas/ Ft. Worth Minority Supplier Development Council. He is also a life member of the National Black MBA association (NBMBAA). Visit new digital daily news platform at mbnusa.biz

Since the inception of MBN USA (35 years standing), McKneely and MBN USA have won more than 130 awards for exemplary work in MBE supplier diversity development and inclusion. In September 2021, McKneely earned the Abe Venable Legacy Award from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency during its annual MED Week. The MED Week awards recognize businesses and organizations for their outstanding commitments as advocates for the minority business community across the country. The MBDA National MED Week Awards are the highest level of national recognition a minority-owned company can receive from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Abe Venable Legacy Award is a lifetime achievement honor that celebrates high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishments over a sustained period. The award is granted to an individual who has played an integral role in the creative, technical or professional progress of minority business development over the course of his/her life. (To learn more,

MBN USA is as relevant as it was nearly 35 years ago. W W W . T S M S D C . N E T

Immovability

IMMOVABILITY: A CONSCIENTIOUS APPROACH TO SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

Mapping the Course for Sally Molsberger Sally Jensen Molsberger counts twenty years of experience in various business and corporate environments in Texas. In terms of work environments, she credits nineteen years in higher Sally Molsberger education and eighteen years in procurement—thirteen of them at the University of Louisville (UofL), where she is Chief Procurement Officer. After college, Molsberger moved with her family to San Juan, Puerto Rico, accepting a position with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In San Juan, where tourism is the primary revenue source, few English speakers worked in procurement. English was advantageous in her position. Following two years in San Juan, Sally’s father transferred to Laredo, bordering Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, a cultural experience she describes as “the complete opposite.”

to call on significant retailers or other clients. In 2006, Molsberger accepted a position at the UofL as a senior buyer, later advancing to chief procurement officer.

Understanding the Vulnerabilities

The UofL has a long history of commitment to minority participation programs, dating back to 1996 Since and the construction of Papa John’s her appointment, Cardinal Stadium. Yet, Kentucky’s Molsberger has worked procurement regulations for the past three years toward make tracking minority the combined participation goal spend a challenge.

Sally began working in procurement at Laredo State University— now Texas A&M International University, a of 25%; 15% for minorities, 10% crossroads of Upset at the transnational lack of minority for women – a goal integrated life and global participation scholars. She during into construction contract describes this construction, experience as organizations picketed boilerplates. “getting to know the football stadium what it’s like to be in the site. Consequently, the minority.” UofL established goals based on area workforce demographics. “The Then, Molsberger became Vice President of University came up with workforce percentage Sales in the aftermarket trade for the automobile goals. All contractors provided proof of industry. In this position, she traveled with the workforce diversity,” Molsberger said. company president and associate vice president

There are virtually no laws or requirements in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to establish percentage goals or allow advantages for minority-owned (MBEs) or womenowned businesses (WBEs). However, cities, municipalities, or school districts could independently institute such requirements; yet, they are not funded or governed by laws at the state level. Molsberger described the “reciprocal preference policy”, instituted five or six years ago, allowing any Kentucky vendor to submit a request for preference over an out-of-state vendor if a procurement determination results in a tie. Not automatic, in-state vendors must adhere to the policy terms. Molsberger’s office cannot establish a percentage goal or preference for in-state or minority vendors since neither is allowable by state law. “Bids awarded by UofL depend on price,” explained Molsberger. “Awards from Requests for Proposals are, of course, determined by various evaluation factors.” Ten years ago, the KFC Yum! Arena expanded. The Louisville Arena Authority incorporated a mandated percentage for hiring diverse employees and for MBE and WBE contractors. “Goal monitoring occurred. A software program provided participation analytics. Consequently, The Urban League, area businesses, and other partners asked: What is

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Immovability

Sally Molsberger, cont. the University doing? Why can’t you do this?” Molsberger said.

Immovability Understanding the challenges to implement a MBE program requires immovability, dependent, in part, on a steady commitment to the future. Molsberger sees her role as directed towards supplier diversity. Since her appointment, Molsberger has worked for the past three years toward the combined participation goal of 25%; 15% for minorities, 10% for women – a goal integrated into construction contract boilerplates. Molsberger anticipates initiatives to increase the dollar spend with MBEs: updating the mission statement and website, creating a viable vendor database, and instituting compatible new plans.

Optimizing MBE Participation Because there is no electronic vendors’ list at UofL, tracking MBEs within the supply chain is challenging. New vendors at UofL must indicate which supplier list best fits their product or service category.

“

WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, VIRTUAL EVENTS ARE NOW AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR STRATEGY

“

Kentucky only requires bidding for contracts over $40,000. Every $20,000-40,000 opportunity has a new 3-quote policy, the University’s largest spend category. Molsberger has drafted a job description for the new position of Assistant Director of Diversity & Inclusion. Molsberger’s office is taking a different approach to participation. “With the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual events are now an integral part of our strategy,” she added. “I continue to educate my staff with twohour seminars and hold weekly meetings for members of my team.”

Reinvigorating the TSMSDC Relationship One goal which Molsberger established is a resilient re-engagement with the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC). Cheri Henderson, President & CEO, is equally committed to solidifying this relationship to increase the UofL’s supplier diversity impact. Both TSMSDC and UofL are committed to establishing a memorandum of understanding affirming this relationship. The long-term impact of future participation in events like COE NEXT! is pivotal to the UofL vision for expanding MBE involvement.

PointsOF View

By Susan Marston

Recently, when talking with a good friend in England, she asked a question that was so thought-provoking that I began to reflect on the 35 years of Supplier Diversity of my experience. I have been fortunate to work with minority and diverse businesses in several countries, including the United Kingdom. I observed that although ethnicities vary from country to country, the business challenges remained the same. I recall time spent in South Africa, at the request of a Government Minister, whom I met at a Global Women’s Business Summit in London. Having heard me speak, she asked if I would be a guest speaker at their

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first Women’s Business Conference in Johannesburg. Although this presented a prime opportunity to share lots of experiences, I knew that I would learn so much by being at the conference.

I have so many wonderful memories from that visit, but this is my ‘claim to fame’ moment. When I stayed with the minister, her house was next door to Nelson Mandela’s, and I remember her saying that he, on occasion, would walk into her home with no announcement. I was so excited when I heard that! To think, I could have the opportunity to meet Nelson Mandala. Well, it was a great notion, as in reality, when I was in Pretoria/

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Johannesburg, he was in Cape Town, and when I was in Cape Town… yes, you guessed … he was in Pretoria/Johannesburg! My work with the Minister presented many choice opportunities to visit numerous socioeconomic development projects. From these experiences, I came to realize, we just don’t know how lucky we are! We have it so good. As my ‘Point of View’ … it’s one that will forever stay with me! Susan Marston is Regional Vice President, Kentucky and West Virginia, TSMSDC.

Faces & Places

FACES & PLACES

OLD & NEW

Golfers Tee-off for TSMSDC and the Education Foundation at The Vanderbilt Legends

Presentation to Althea Jones, TVA by Cheri Henderson and Derrick Dowell, TSMSDC

Greg Fischer, Mayor of Louisville, Elke Suber, Microsoft, Atty. Richard Manson, SourceMark & Cheri Henderson, TSMSDC

Education Foundation student receiving tablet

Impact Awards Corporate Table, Ingersoll Rand guests

Scholarship Recipients

Impact Awards Corporate Table, Messer Construction guests

TSMSDC Business Marketplace Exhibitor, Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission

25th Anniversary Impact Awards Program

Atty. Richard Manson, serving as MC at Impact Awards

Sonya Walton with Messer Construction

TSMSDC COE Participants

In Full Motion, Coach Maurice and Cynthia Fitzgerald, with scholarship recipients

Faces & Places

Tera Vazquez, Guy Brown, presenting two scholarship awards

Cheri Henderson opens the Annual Impact Awards Celebration of Excellence

Cheri Henderson, TSMSDC, Mark Isom, Premiere Building Maintenance, and KeeKee Mathis, VW

Derrick Dowell and Cheri Henderson, TSMSDC present Impact of the Year Award to Jackie LaJoie

Don McKneely, MBNUSA & Susan Marston, TSMSDC

Atty. Kim Stagg, Dickerson Wright, presenting scholarship award

Impact Awards Corporate Table, Toyota guests

Tera Vazquez, Guy Brown, Cheri Henderson, TSMSDC, Machelle Joy Walker, MSD at TSMSDC Louisville Williams, VW-Herndon VA, & KeeKee Mathis, VW-Chattanooga Workshop Luncheon

Impact Awards Décor

Mayor Greg Fischer, Louisville, KY. Welcome at Business Marketplace Luncheon

Matchmaker Kiosk

Impact Awards Corporate Table, Jani-King of Nashville guests

TSMSDC Business Marketplace Workshop Facilitator, Alice Gordon Holloway, CEO & Executive Problem Solver

In Memoriam

In Memoriam...Those We Lost

These five respected individuals played a pivotal role in the continual success of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC). The effects of their passing have been widely felt by family, business colleagues, and friends. They were generous in lending support to various causes and organizations, and the TSMSDC was indeed fortunate to be a beneficiary of their generosity and celebrity status. They left an indelible footprint. We will cherish fond memories. Gone yet not forgotten.

Gale Sayers

Marvin T. Runyon

• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony/ Marketplace Luncheon Speaker • Inaugural Golf Classic • 1994 Honorary Chair, Marketplace • Pitt Boss at Casino NashVegas

• • • • •

NFL Legend, Businessman, Philanthropist September 23, 2020 at 77

Business Executive with Ford, Nissan, TVA Chairman and US Postmaster General May 3, 2004 at 79 Chaired, Corporate Advisory Committee of CEOs Chair, Marketplace of Opportunities Host, Marketplace Reception, General Jackson Host, Marketplace Reception, Renaissance Hotel Host, in partnership with the Nashville Chamber, Marketplace Reception • 1982 Nissan: Lunch Speaker, Marketplace • 1987 Nissan: Chair of Marketplace • 1988 - 1989 TVA: Chair of Marketplace

George “Bill” Bothwell

Frances S. Guess

R. Clayton McWhorter

• Responsible for the move of TSMSDC from Brentwood to Nashville underwriting the rent for 5 years • Provided an automobile monthly for the same period of time • Launched the Mentor/Protégé Program with senior level management at Northern Telecom with 8 MBEs • Served as board chairman of TSMSDC for 3 consecutive terms • Led the launching of the Education Foundation with R. Clayton McWhorter • 1994 - Nortel: Chair of Marketplace of Opportunities

• Introduced Business Executive, Marvin Runyon, to the TSMSDC • Introduced Governor Winfield Dunn to the TSMSDC who served as Governor from 1971-1975 • Served as chair of the Marketplace • Responsible for being an integral part of the local committee to host the first annual NMSDC conference in Nashville at Opryland Hotel • State of Tennessee, General Services: Chair of Marketplace

• Launched the Kick-off Breakfast Meeting, October 19, 1992 for 501(c)(3) TMSDC Education Foundation - now over $2.1M in scholarships to 377 graduating high school students • Chair, Marketplace of Opportunities • Chair, Marketplace 1992 with HealthTrust

Business Executive with Northern Telecom January 17, 2013 at 89

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Public Servant, Business Leader, Civic Leader and humanitarian July 23, 2015 at 69

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Entrepreneur, Investor, Philanthropist HCA, HealthTrust Executive January 23, 2016 at 82

Letters to the Editor

ask TSMSDC Q: Explain the national network of the NMSDC. A: The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 23 Regional Affiliates located across the country. There are 1,500 corporate members which comprise the network, including America’s top public and privately owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The regional affiliate councils certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations which purchase various products, services and solutions. For a listing of Councils visit https://nmsdc.org/nmsdc-regionalaffiliates-list/ Q: Recently, the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council culminated its 24-month Centers of Excellence module. With a focus on supplier development and capacity-building, based on forecasted needs among 9 corporations and 19 MBEs, what was the actual reported spend of the program? A: Good question! TSMSDC documented over $56M in minority spend generated among participants. Contacts led to a sizable number of contracts and POs. The next phase, COE NEXT! is in progress to provide increased procurement and business opportunities among corporate mentors and MBE protégés, for the scalability of at least 15 selected, certified Class 1 MBEs, with revenues between $500,000 - $1,000,000, working with proven business development methods. Q: Share some future facts and figures about the demographics of minorities in the U.S. A: As demographics in the U.S. continue to evolve, minorities will constitute more than 50% of the population by the year 2045. The cause of MBEs endures their presence in American business represents a common interest in its future. To learn fascinating facts about the NMSDC network’s impact and influence on the economy, such as $400 billion in economic output or the 2.2 million jobs created or retained, visit www.nmsdc.org. Q: What are Tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers? A: Tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers. Tier 1 suppliers are companies that supply parts or systems directly to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). These suppliers usually work with a variety of car companies, but they’re often tightly coupled with one or two OEMs, and have more of an arms-length relationship with other OEMs. Tier 2

suppliers sell their product to a company that in turn sells product directly to the major (prime) corporation. In the automotive industry, the term Tier 3 refers to suppliers of raw materials, like metal or plastic. OEMs, Tier 1, and Tier 2 companies all need raw materials, so the Tier 3s supply all levels. Typically, Tier 3 construction suppliers companies work on smaller scale residential and commercial projects, and will take on contracts of around $1M. Q: Why is supplier diversity and inclusion good business? A: No matter the industry, diversity, equity and inclusion are business imperatives to the core of a company’s collective purpose. If leaders successfully drive diversity and inclusion, and establish the workplace environment that allows it to thrive, companies will gain the ability to innovate, grow, and standout among their competitors. Supplier diversity is increasingly driving better business practices. Without question, a company will benefit by cultivating a wider choice of vendors and suppliers, inclusive of minority businesses, which promotes a growing economy and enables everyone in our respective communities to prosper. Q: Is franchising becoming a global success? A: Franchising as a business model has matured over the decades, and with maturity has come its global expansion. Most franchises have been heavily dependent on domestic economies, but today this form of business is found around the world. It is big business, and growing bigger as developing nations increase their middle-class population, and create new opportunities for franchise owners and suppliers of franchise goods and services. Plus, it offers an ideal partnership of integrating franchising and social responsibility to enter new markets, for improving lives and strengthening the global brand. Bottom-line, the need is great around the world with promising opportunities for economic development, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. It provides an opportunity to expand globally, develop a diverse supply chain, provide sustainable employment, and create new revenue sources. Q: Separate from the council’s operations, the TMSDC Education Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) organization. How many scholarships have been generated and how many graduating high school seniors have benefited? A: Since the inception of the TMSDC Education Foundation in 1994, in excess of $2.1 million has been awarded to 377 graduating high school students.

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Balance

BALANCE How Managing Critical Issues Enhanced a Tenured Company Gerald Perry, president and CEO of Appalachian Regional Manufacturing, Incorporated (ARM), charges head-on into any issue, despite the unprecedented speed at which ARM’s Gerald Perry customers’ needs are transforming. What Perry accomplished reveals how emphatically setting priorities and having a clear vision for the future does matter. “I needed a balance between vision and foresight; it grew from lessons learned during the two-year Centers of Excellence (COE) program,” Perry said. As a result, Perry has staged a cadence by effectively combining new skills with his diverse background and business acumen. Gerald Perry, known widely as “Randy,” could well be considered a serial entrepreneur.

members of those corporate teams and tapping into their encyclopedic knowledge and experience. A significant company benefit from the COE program was that ARM consistently utilized the ability to exploit the tools provided to cast a broader spotlight on the business. Consequently, Perry identified operational flaws as well as ARM’s development needs. Applying these tools to ARM was an immediate benefit of program participation. Perry is confident that those tools will be utilized repeatedly in the future. One of ARM’s key advantages gained from participation in the COE program is embracing a purpose-driven strategy. Perry calls it “maximizing the tools that we have at this point.” “In 2017, business was flying high—with no anticipation of a future pandemic. The strategies that we put in place include contingencies for the worst-case and best-case scenarios. We ask the questions: where would we be if all things are best? Or worst? Thus, a business sets itself up for survival and beyond.”

Appalachian, Perry’s original business acquired in 2012, is a contract assembly and packaging company based in Jackson, Kentucky. The firm, which has existed since the mid-1970s, is an outsource supplier meeting the assembly needs of multinational clients. ARM assembles and tests more than 60 versions of electronic, high-security locks. As a federal contractor, ARM builds and sells unique electromechanical locks to the military and other government agencies for use on safes storing classified documents. At its peak, the company employed nearly 100 workers.

Beyond Survival to Capacity-Building

The COE Initiative Pumps Up ARM’s Growth Strategy

to set the company’s

In Perry’s view, the entire experience of being mentored by Jackie LaJoie of Ingersoll Rand during the COE sequence resulted in ARM shifting to a broader range of operational priorities. “My focus is on the work we do at Appalachian Regional Manufacturing and our efforts to turn any disruption into a competitive advantage.” Perry took full advantage of his access to the entire team of COE advisors or mentors, including accessing internal

As a result of the global pandemic, 2020 began with a dramatic shift in ARM’s client businesses’ fortunes. A cascading impact

Growth is the work you do! My primary role, as President and CEO, is strategic direction. The Centers of Excellence initiative allowed me to step beyond… to work “on” our business instead of merely “in” our business. — Gerald Perry

occurred. By spring, the decline hit hard, and ARM experienced a significant decrease in its annual revenue and customer base. Subsequently, the firm furloughed most of its employees. Today, Gerald Perry’s outlook is amplified by his corporate leadership experience and a decade of teaching globalization and entrepreneurship at the University of Kentucky. He is simultaneously honest and insightful. When asked to consider ARM’s ten-year plan, Perry leaned toward the critical component: balance. “That’s remaining steady while navigating the storm. Entrepreneurship is always a leap of faith,” he said. “As business persons, we look out over the horizon. Nobody knows what’s going to happen in ten years or even three years. We are pushing it when we project over the next five years.” “In today’s turbulent world, it is impossible to see the future adeptly. The reality is,” Perry reflected, “we entrepreneurs create a multiyear plan, then hope that we are still around.” Perry sees future success and growth through strategic acquisition. “It is a viable strategy for long-term adaptation of the lessons learned during the COE module. Acquiring a business allows a minority firm to immediately fuel capacity. We gain access to talent, equipment, products, services, markets, space, procedures, and research and development,” he added. While acquisitions require doing the necessary due diligence, Gerald Perry is confident that purchasing available businesses remains a rewarding strategy. He affirms that identifying businesses for sale is often out of reach for many minority business owners. The reason: lack of access to capital. Perry purchased a second business in 2019— Diversified Tool & Development, Inc., a precision components parts manufacturer, existing since the 70s and located in nearby Richmond, Kentucky. His two central Kentucky businesses are geographically an hour and a half apart. Appalachian Regional Manufacturing, Incorporated operates under the corporate umbrella of Perry Capital Holdings, Incorporated.

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Cohesion

COHESION How Balance and Constancy Power Business Durability The problemsolving skills that build a solid, multifaceted, successful business do not come easily to every entrepreneur. When President & CEO Diana Lewis Jackson Diana Lewis Jackson founded Action Facilities Management, Inc. (AFM) in 2001, she relied upon the potentiality of cohesion. Building strong, powerful connections from the beginning enables her to embrace relevant strategies now—nearly two decades later. Lewis gave considerable thought to naming the business. The word “action” stemmed from her desire to be proactive with every customer. Lewis added “facilities management” to the name in her intent to focus on offering all-encompassing, problemsolving services. “The thought process behind naming the business is that AFM has the capability of taking care of client facilities, allowing our customers to focus on their core missions,” Lewis said. “Our primary competencies are in integrated facilities management services— embracing every aspect of building operation and maintenance. Then, we included complete janitorial services, security guard services, and building automation systems management. This company covers the wide spectrum,” she added.

noticed that the government was increasingly downsizing and listened carefully to comments by contracting decision-makers. Lewis often heard, “I wish I had a company capable of providing more than one service. Then, I would not have to write multiple contracts.” The solution was Action Facilities Management. Today, 90 to 95% of AFM’s customers are federal agencies. Commercial and nonprofit entities comprise the remainder.

AFM graduated from the 8(a) program, and received prestigious national recognition from the SBA as “8(a) Graduate of the Year” in 2016. That award celebrates Action’s sustainability beyond their nineyear participation as an 8(a) certified firm. Substantial research documents that within five years of transitioning out of the 8(a) program, there is a 35 percent business failure rate.

Centers of Excellence Initiative = Maturity

Today, AFM, an ISO 9000: 2015 certified company, operates in twelve states and employs 400 individuals. “I celebrate my employees and have met every one of them. Each day, they are the face of AFM to our customers, performing critical client interactions,” she said.

Lewis credits the TSMSDC COE Initiative with helping AFM mature. “The initial assessment helped me to focus on our starting point. From that base, our corporate mentor, Jackie LaJoie and Ingersoll Rand, knew how to work with us throughout the program. We learned, The TSMSDC COE program allowed AFM to take a from the corporate perspective, what hard look at our company and even talk about our Ingersoll expected from a supplier. I shortfalls—those things a business owner really realized I did not know some of the may not want to admit. These things were the focus critical factors for Ingersoll,” she said. of our work. By developing an honest assessment The initial process enlightened Lewis upfront of where our company was, I understood on how to promote the business. “Now, what it would take to get to the next level. when I market to other commercial clients, I — Diana Lewis Jackson put a different spin on things.” AFM obtained two new commercial clients during the two-year COE module.

How the Journey Began

Maximizing Value through 8(a) Certification

Lewis relied upon her experiential roots. “My thought process was that I could provide clients with a solution. Because the company I was working for at the time did security guard services, I already understood that market. And facilities management, janitorial, and maintenance—my father did that work as an employee of Union Carbide. I was confident that I could create a one-stop-shop offering a better remedy with consistent quality across all services,” she said.

One move credited for AFM’s significant success is that the firm applied for and obtained certification under the (8)a business development program administered by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA). That program helps level the playing field for small firms owned by economically disadvantaged individuals.

Another impetus for creating AFM stemmed from administering federal government contracts for her former employer. She T S M S D C

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Sharing the Benefits

Based in West Virginia, Lewis targeted federal clients from her office in Morgantown. Federal agencies in the area became initial clients. From there, the company built upon past performance in seeking federal opportunities in other states. 2 0 2 1

Creating job opportunities is emotionally rewarding for Lewis. “I love it when my employees come to me and say, I am sending my children to college, or we are buying a home because of AFM’s job opportunities.” In 2015 and 2021, AFM was recognized as Class III (annual sales $10 to $50 million) “Minority Supplier of the Year” by the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council. Today, Diana Lewis envisions the business becoming an international operation. While AFM remains committed to the practices and integrity that launched them, Lewis sees global status as entirely achievable.

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Commitment

COMMITMENT It’s All About Ownership Great ideas aren’t enough. Commitment and the ability to recognize customers’ needs formed the foundation upon which Frank Hall and Dwayne Williams Frank Hall built Facility Maintenance & Services Group, LLC (FM&SG). That June 23, 2015 was the start of a new business offering a range of facility management services, including industrial cleaning, janitorial and maintenance services, post-construction cleaning, and demolition cleanup. Hall and Williams drew upon their collective business experiences and shared knowledge of their respective communities. Today, FM&SG operates across twelve states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Texas, and New Jersey.

Innovators As an industrial services firm, FM&SG has created a culture where people enjoy coming to work. The employees focus on Under this organization’s customer satisfaction. leadership, we poised FM&SG “Our to become an industry leader. employees thrive here We provide paramount because they are maintenance services to the eager markets we serve. By enabling to find solutions our employees to perform their that work to our best work and celebrating, customers’ internally, our commitment advantage,” said Hall.

to innovation and world-class services, we embraced a different leadership model. — Frank Hall

FM&SG’s client base includes

corporations like Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK), Georgetown, Kentucky, manufacturing site of the Rav4 hybrid sport utility vehicle. According to TMMK, this is Toyota’s largest global plant -- nine million square feet of floor space. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for the facilities services which FM&SG provides. Services like those offered by FM&SG in cleaning and sanitizing buildings are crucial amidst the crisis.

40 percent of their business. Another brand new offering is coil and duct cleaning service.

COE Participation Hall credits the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) initiative for the support from mentor Marilyn Clark, Fayette County Public Schools in Kentucky. “Marilyn exposed us to opportunities,” said Hall. “She never hesitated about speaking favorably about the quality of our work.”

Change facilitates opportunities. “I welcome change,” Hall said. “You may fail, but there’s a lesson in that. I look forward to learning lessons and bettering this business.”

Meeting other business owners through the COE was an added discovery. “Business fellowship is invaluable. Mark Isom, president of Premier Building Maintenance, is one of the most fascinating persons I’ve ever met. We partnered on the rebuild of the University of Kentucky Student Center,” Hall shared. “I try to model my business practices after Mark’s. He took the time to spend with me as a fellow MBE. There’s a lot we can do to pull one another up. Just like Nelson Mandela or Barack Obama are known for brilliance in what they do or did, I would put Mark in that category.”

Leader Role Models

A Personal View: I See the Mountain

Decisions about employee management is part of the company’s strategic goals. Senior leaders expect the best from each team member, ensuring continual expansion of the customer base.

Hall invests in the tangible by purchasing properties in Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, and Florida. “I am building generational wealth. Wisdom taught me to invest in something I own. I purchased a 100-acre farm in Kentucky. Regardless of what the future holds, I own my land. I acquired 60 acres near the Red River Gorge, and property near the Daniel Boone National Forest.”

Five Ps Frank Hall credits success to the 5 Ps: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance! “Every day, we plan our critical accomplishments, and our team executes those strategies,” Hall explained. “This approach touches the entire organization.”

The owners are unafraid to commit to pay equity. They engage in the right balance between owner salaries and team member pay. “We are not into paying ourselves high salaries. We are in it for the longevity,” Hall said.

Ferreting Out the Next Grand Challenge Hall visits his customers to address their needs. “We followed some of our construction clients across the country,” Hall said. “We’re working on a state-of-the-art research lab for the University of Kentucky. We’re servicing an Amazon plant in Ohio with four million square feet. It’s a construction cleanup project. And we’re servicing a Keurig facility in Moore, SC, outside of Spartan, with one million square feet.” Post-construction cleanup dramatically skyrocketed for FM&SG and represents

Hall discovered that an elderly black gentleman owned 800 acres in that area. Without the man’s knowledge, people squatted on his property. The gentleman lost nearly 500 acres, holding onto 300 acres. Hall purchased 60 acres of that land. Now, the black gentleman’s family cemetery is on Hall’s property. “I plan to build cabins in the mountains. Engineers and architects are designing them now. The acreage is incredibly tranquil. There are currently thirty-four constructed buildings—some at the base of the mountain, some going up the mountain. It’s all about ownership,” Hall said.

Connections

CONNECTIONS Give Credit Where Credit Is Due Diversified Supply is a global distributor of electrical and instrumentation process products, which grew out of a personal and professional connection. Since 1987, Dan Anderson they have serviced customers by providing competitive pricing and superior delivery from their geographically-dispersed offices and their company-owned warehouses.

As a three-decades-old electrical distributor, Diversified is a 100% minority-owned business with five (5) locations in the Midwest and the Southeast. “We employ fifty-eight fulltime associates,” said owner Dan Anderson. “One of the major things we are proud of is that we are a very diverse company. Women constitute 40% of our employee base, and an equal 40% are people of color. We live up to our name by practicing diversity within the confines of our company.”

An Early Collaboration Before his entrepreneurial experience commenced, Anderson worked for Merrill Lynch as a stockbroker. The history of Diversified Supply began with the formation of the company in 1987. Subsequently, eighteen months later—in May 1989—Anderson bought into the company as a full partner. Earlier in his professional career, Anderson was a buyer with the Tennessee Valley Authority. One of the TVA suppliers decided to go out on his own. When Anderson transitioned to Merrill Lynch, that colleague became an investment client, opening a brokerage account at Merrill Lynch. While this collaborator understood the electrical distribution business exceptionally well on the technical side, Anderson’s strength resided in his knowledge and expertise on the marketing side. Anderson came on board to market the company.

Staying Power Anderson credits Diversified’s strategic longevity to its proclivity to pave the course for

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doing business “the right way.” He describes critical pillars as (1) establishing impactful marketing strategies to sell great products, (2) instituting sound accounting practices, and (3) retaining well-qualified legal advisors. Establishing a relationship with the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) also became essential. Diversified applied for certification with TSMSDC in 1991 or 1992, shortly after the company organized. With the relationship building energy, Diversified attributes the council’s strong advocacy for moving diverse businesses forward.

Anderson commented. “The training was exceptional. COE developed and presented extraordinary learning materials. One pillar of learning is curiosity. Business leaders must stay curious about what competitors and others are doing, regardless of their industry. Those are the kinds of connections we experienced during COE, resulting in genuine business success.”

The Road Ahead Despite their glowing accomplishment across decades of growth, Diversified maintains concretized business plans looking towards the next three to five years.

As a byproduct of this relationship, Diversified received a contract with their With annual sales now at $41 million, largest customer, Proctor & Gamble. The Anderson anticipates that, within three introduction came through the Council and years, the company’s revenues will reach its leadership, including Cheri $80 million. One recent contract Henderson, president Diversified received will double and CEO. According Entrepreneurs the company income over to Anderson, the next two years. can ever learn enough. Diversified Within five years, they successfully expect to achieve a Even though we have been in connected compound annual business for thirty-three years, our team with several growth rate of other twenty-five must always stay curious. We have benefitted current and percent. prospective from that curiosity through the COE program. clients Diversified We met with other MBEs and with corporate through established the council participants who, as mentors, were a critical part a corporate affiliation. presence both of TSMSDC’s vision for success. As a result, domestically and Currently, internationally— this engagement will very likely produce Diversified recognizing more additional business down the road. does not and more the necessity do significant to scale the business —Dan Anderson business with through daily decision public entities or making. With a satellite governmental agencies. location in Green Bay, WI, they are Ninety-eight to ninety-nine planning acquisition prospects in Texas, percent of their current clients are major, forMichigan, and Louisiana. profit corporations with shareholders.

COE’s Essential Advantages Anderson is a firm advocate for the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) Program. He credits Diversified’s involvement to what enabled them to build relationships that are just as crucial as cultivating incremental business. During the COE module, Ingersoll Rand awarded Diversified a contract. “COE addressed so many topics that related to the operational gaps of our business,” 2 0 2 1

Never Neglect Gratitude The introspective part of the Diversified story is that the Andersons are, collectively, a very religious family. “I give credit to God for what we accomplished. When you’re in business, no enterprise ever existed that didn’t receive help from someone. I recall the down times we have experienced. There were months when I looked out the window, trying to figure out how to make payroll. We need a rock on which to lean. The Lord has been my Rock.” Anderson acknowledged.

FLUOR & DSI

Discovery

DISCOVERY An Enterprising Trailblazer is Born Integrated Management Services (IMS) was founded on February 6, 1996, by two pioneering prospective entrepreneurs. Genuinely fueling both individuals was the prospect of Derrick Cannon making a pivotal difference through business ownership and job creation. At the IMS launch twenty-five years ago, the two founders—John D. Calhoun, Ph.D., and Rod L. Hill, P.E.—were both public employees. They leveraged the opportunities inherent in establishing a broad-ranging engineering firm, and impacted the sustainable landscape for diverse-owned engineering businesses. The IMS vision statement, “Moving people and communities forward,” succinctly encapsulates the firm’s core ideals. Since its start-up, IMS’s competitive advantage and successful business model offers a breadth of services ranging from planning and engineering to civil, environmental, transportation, and structural engineering. The company’s deep dive into covering every area of their clients’ needs also means offering extensive design engineering and construction-related services.

Accelerating Transformation IMS is more than an engineering firm. The company has evolved from a two-person partnership into one of the nation’s largest African American-owned and operated professional and technical service firms. Co-founder, Dr. John D. Calhoun, is Chief Executive Officer of IMS. Co-founder Rod L. Hill is President and Chief Operating Officer, and Derrick C. Cannon is Vice President of Operations and Administration. This dynamic triad has harnessed significant expansion, with locations in Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans and Shreveport, Louisiana; and their first international office, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Performance at the Speed of Business Over the past two and a half decades, IMS built an infrastructure for driving successful business outcomes. Their clients include government agencies, local, state, federal, and international entities, small locally-owned firms, Fortune 500 powerhouses, and several educational institutions. A sister company, IMS Logistics, formed in 2003, is a Tier 1 supplier to Nissan North America. That firm periodically operates as a Tier 2 supplier to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Nissan suppliers. They continue to provide valueadded, logistical services to Nissan. According to Derrick Cannon, “IMS thrived by being smart at business and by having excellent employees. To God be the glory. Since the day we opened our doors, IMS benefitted by hiring wonderful people. Client retention is also purposeful. Many of our clients today are the same ones we have had for twenty-five years.” “There are also clients we had to fire,” Cannon shared honestly. “Initially, we did not take into consideration that all business is not good business. Some clients emerged because they needed credit for the utilization of a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). They had a government small business subcontracting requirement, but there was not always a conscious effort to ‘do the right thing.’ In some cases, there was no authentic social responsibility.”

TSMSDC COE Engagement and exposure were the COE take-aways for Cannon. With IMS’s certification relationship with the TSMSDC, Cannon committed to participate in the twoyear Centers of Excellence platform. “On a scale of 1 to 10, I give COE a definite 10!” Cannon said. “We are all required to be continual learners. In that regard, each COE segment was right on point.” IMS’s corporate mentor was Marcella McCullough at Nissan North America. “I developed an excellent relationship with Marcella, who came to Nissan from Ford,” said Cannon. “She introduced us to the right

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Opportunity happens when someone opens a door. The Centers of Excellence program was instrumental to IMS’s development because we learned which doors to knock on and how to gain critical exposure. Exposure is the key that made the difference. Marcella McCullough at Nissan was instrumental. She instinctively knew the partners we needed to meet. The Nissan relationship enhanced our outreach to other companies. — Derrick Cannon connections. She literally brought us to the table to expose us to the actual decisionmakers. In many cases, McCullough presented us to other corporate TSMSDC members we could not have approached as effectively on our own.” “Networking is about planting seeds,” said Cannon. “We are still harvesting the seeds planted and still reaping the benefits of COE.”

Global Insights Cannon sees the firm’s potential global expansion as a catalyst for strong growth. He traveled to South Africa to meet with representatives at Nissan South Africa. “At IMS, we can see ourselves involved in the international auto industry,” Cannon said. “ “A lot of the national brands understand that the African continent is the place for growth. The average age of the population is much younger. There is an exploding middle class. Every study tells you this. Perhaps we have not all grasped it yet, but Africa is the next place for exceptional economic growth and opportunity. We must tap into those breakthroughs,” Cannon concluded.

Emergence

EMERGENCE Driving Innovations Forward—One Day at a Time At Guy Brown, sustaining a great company begins with great decisions and understanding why resilience matters. Emerging from the TriState Minority Supplier Development Tera Vazquez Council’s (TSMSDC) Centers of Excellence (COE) program, Guy Brown’s everyday concentration is on long-term flexibility and durability. Leading this dynamic enterprise, amidst the challenges of a shifting future and a new normal, is Tera Vazquez, President, CEO, and Co-founder. This Brentwood, TN based firm, in business since 1997, is a diverse business solutions provider with $200+ million in annual revenue, 80+ employees, and locations in all fifty states.

COE was an incredible effort! I’m thankful and humbled by the dedication of those who put it together, guided by Cheri Henderson, President & CEO of TSMSDC, and Jackie LaJoie, sponsor representative of Ingersoll Rand and Trane Technologies. The level of dedication was overwhelming. — Tera Vazquez #Ifyoucanseeher The year 2020 celebrated the 100th anniversary of the American woman’s right to vote. A hashtag was created, but not just to commemorate the success of the suffragists’ movement. The purpose of #ifyoucanseeher is to communicate the message that seeing women of authority destroys the misconception that females are on the sidelines, doing nothing important. For little girls, young women, and aspiring female entrepreneurs, whatever their aspirations, the message resonates: “If you can see her, you can

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be her.” A native of Peru, Tera Vazquez is a positive portrayal of that woman in business. Guy Brown was certified by TMSDC in 2009 and is a Corporate Plus® Member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. Vazquez credits TSMSDC with playing a significant role in the company’s growth. Vazquez is a TSMSDC board member and chairperson of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee. She was the first female president of the Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The COE Difference Over the two-year program period, Guy Brown recognized the outstanding mentoring received from Marcella McCullough at Nissan. Vazquez views COE as an involved, highly-targeted, comprehensive program— incorporating logistical and educational portions. “Even if we did not walk out with a contract in hand, we left with fresh relationships and new perspectives,” she said. Great networking was particularly significant because it established strong relationships among the MBEs, the corporations they already knew, and the corporations they got to know better. According to Vazquez, one singular positive was how participants wanted to learn more about Guy Brown.

Embracing Technology The COE module dynamics and methodology identified “connectivity” as an area to strengthen. Vazquez embraced the need to ramp up the company’s technical expertise, and to do it now. She turned the company’s focus toward digital transformation. Guy Brown developed mechanisms to sell to new customers—including those outside of their original core base. The firm took an omnichannel approach to business.

Bracing for a Torrent of Change The challenges of 2020 caused most businesses to learn that there are different ways to pivot. Practically overnight, COVID-19 changed the future of business success and performance. Vazquez credits COE for fresh insights to identify potential weaknesses in the company. Guy Brown’s

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ability to transform accelerated. The company braced for a surge of technological changes. “When the pandemic hit, we were in a good place because of our COE preparation,” said Vazquez. Guy Brown immediately retrofitted all of their processes to become 100% virtual. “We prepared, technology-wise, for a smooth transition,” Vazquez explained. “Working virtually can cause morale, productivity, and engagement challenges. Our immediate rollout on an intranet allowed us to focus on the Guy Brown company culture.” More than anything, the firm focused on engagement. They surveyed employees to discern what internal teams wanted to know about what was happening globally and inside the company. Armed with lessons learned from COE, Guy Brown centralized all operations onto one platform. Because the company previously operated in a cloud-based system, the transition to virtual was seamless. Guy Brown committed to being a Microsoft house, utilizing solely Microsoft products, rather than cobbling resources into a hodgepodge. Their intranet relies on SharePoint, and they communicate via Microsoft Teams. Guy Brown took the posture of “doing whatever it takes” to satisfy clients. Customers implemented work from home processes, which quickly changed the demand for office products. Guy Brown determinedly maintained established pricing and stepped up to deliver products to individual locations-wherever employees needed them.

The Focus on Healing Vazquez’s mission at Guy Brown includes giving back. Guy Brown’s philanthropic efforts focus on community and healing. Guy Brown Cares launched in 2015 with the vision of creating positive change and supporting the passions of employees. Recently, the firm donated 85,000 three-ply facial masks and 1,600 N95 masks to frontline caregivers at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. “It is so typical of her generosity, especially during this critical time in the fight of COVID-19,” said Cheri Henderson, President and CEO of TSMSDC.

@guybrownoffice on:

guybrown.com

info@guybrown.com

888.304.6880

Empowerment

EMPOWERMENT Enabling Risk-Taking to Cultivate Agility Located in Louisville, KY, Ward-Edison Professional Cleaning Service, LLC started in 2003. As Vice President, Charles Edison has witnessed this steady Charles Edison trajectory of growth and expansion. He is familiar with the risk-taking demands and continues to feel empowered to sustain Ward-Edison’s progress. Despite the challenges encountered in two decades of entrepreneurship, Ward-Edison evolved into an empowered, resilient, and sustainable enterprise. The company has a clear corporate purpose of providing highquality professional cleaning services to an expanding cadre of customers.

Key Talent Acquisition and Retention Fundamental insight into the company’s needs-led Edison and other leadership team members to manage and value the organization’s people proactively. That strategy encompassed both existing and prospective employees. According to Edison, having the right staff leads to future profitability and growth. Properly assigned team members led WardEdison into new possibilities, streamlining the organization to long-term strategic priorities. The rapid pace of change also contributes to reputation enhancement and client relationship building. “To support our vision and plans for the future, we now have a quality control manager and additional staff, allowing us to achieve operational effectiveness in managing the business and serving our customers,” explained Edison. “We realize the critical importance of adequate staff in just the right places. Thus, we try to remain acutely aware of the infrastructure we need, how to create it, and how that framework becomes the basis for taking the next step.”

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Growth in the Federal Market The year 2020 proved to be an eventful year during which several business shifts abounded. It is easy for small businesses to default to old practices in times of crisis, even when new approaches become most valuable. The federal government is the largest customer in the world. Federal contract awards for fiscal year 2019 totaled $594 billion, a record high. Small businesses received a historic $132.9 billion of that sum, confirming that preparing a company to enter the federal marketplace can prove extremely lucrative. “That is what we’ve been working on recently. We are trying to tap into federal work. This is the path forward for the future. Other owners involved in the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) Centers of Excellence (COE) program spoke highly of pursuing and obtaining federal contracts,” Edison added. In 2020, Ward-Edison submitted the required paperwork to achieve Section 8(a) certification through the U. S. Small Business Administration. “We are starting to look at the 8(a) program’s access to federal work,” said Edison. “With what is a definite uptick in federal contractual opportunities, we observed more COVID-19 cleaning requirements emerging. Achieving 8(a) status is a huge step forward in expanding our customer base.”

TSMSDC and COE Edison appreciates their long-term affiliation with TSMSDC, spanning fifteen years ago. He participated in the two-year COE program with a determination to maximize the advantages of networking and business development. Ward-Edison’s corporate mentor was the Louisville & Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD), guided by Joy Walker. The COE initiative equipped Edison to dive deeper into a forward-thinking perspective. “It is all about timing and logic,” he said. “Our participation provided the opportunity to both take a step backward and to look ahead, pinpointing any emerging vulnerabilities. This business was built in 2003 when, as owners, we were right out of college. Everything, in essence, formed around us.”

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Edison further explained, “COE was beneficial from the standpoint that it allowed us to evaluate our positioning. As COE participants, all company owners could prioritize systems and processes we may not have previously identified and work on them. One of the factors we are studying at WardEdson is transforming the value proposition offered to customers.” Emerging from Edison’s distinctive insight as a corporate leader is an ambitious determination to deliver streamlined efficiencies and operational improvements as observed in some of the other COE companies. “Meeting and affiliating with the other Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) —like Mark Isom of Premiere Building Maintenance—proved indispensable. Isom is in the same business field. He has been a great resource for us; therefore, we remained connected with him. I feel that I can call him at any time to bounce off ideas and get support. On occasion, I also speak with Frank Hall, owner of Facility Maintenance and Services. These connections all occurred because of our participation with the COE group,” Edison said.

The most significant positive impact from our involvement in the COE modules was the help provided for future planning. We identified the most critical elements of our strategic direction. Participation allowed us to take the frontward steps— determining what to do to become a next-level company. It also led to pinpointing our weaknesses, another critical step forward. — Charles Edison

Envisioning

ENVISIONING Launching SealingLife Whenever an idea becomes a business, there is a compelling story behind such success. That is distinctively true for SealingLife, Incorporated. President, CEO, and owner Danette Danette Wilder J. Wilder’s story began at the unceremonial moment when she realized the future needed changing. That decisive thrust into business ownership demanded passion and intense drive. Wilder was adamant; she believed she could nail it. Multiple circumstances prompted her first ascending step toward entrepreneurship. Events of the transition were both personal and impromptu, fueled by conventional corporate views of what constitutes a family. “Everything was distinctive and challenging,” Wilder explained. “We chose to start a business because we needed flexibility. We wanted to prevent the separation of our newly blended family. Then, few large employers embraced unique families.” In 2008, Danette and her sister, Gwendolyn Wilder, created this Lexington, Kentuckybased business. Before the totally immersive start got underway, both were “doing the corporate America thing.” Then, their family dynamics changed: the sisters (who came from a blended family experience themselves) gained custody of a niece and nephew, ages six months and one year and a half. “At home, we managed as a traditional family unit. The corporations we worked for, however, viewed us as two single women. If I had a six-month or year-long overseas assignment, no provision existed to take my family. Ours is an example of how families function when they need to.” Danette said. “Establishing SealingLife solved a family dilemma and created a progressive business.”

Acclaimed + Admired “Award-winning” recognition counts. Regardless of the industry, achieving epic success matters. The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) T S M S D C

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selected businesses for honor as Supplier of the Year for 2020 from a national pool of 12,000 eligible nominees. SealingLife was named Class I Regional Supplier of the Year for: (a) exceptional growth in sales and employment; (b) providing high-quality products, services, and solutions; and (c) significantly contributing to community growth and development. SealingLife is eligible for NMSDC’s National Supplier of the Year award. The TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) recognized SealingLife at the 2019 Impact Awards event as the Class I Minority Supplier of the Year, defined by annual sales of $1 million or less. Nominees were selected and voted on by corporate representatives. The firm’s certification by TSMSDC as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) occurred approximately ten years ago.

Unique Work SealingLife’s niche is the manufacture, distribution, and production of custom non-metallic sealing and packing products. Product capacity includes custom fabricated seals, extrusions, O-rings, molded and composite-based parts, and gaskets. Their AS9100D and IS 9001:2015 quality certification standards substantiates a commitment to product reliability, controlled processes, and customer satisfaction. Only 18,000 businesses globally have those quality certifications. “Simply put, our materials, devices, and systems shield and protect living or nonliving things from disagreeable conditions,” Wilder explains. The business sells primarily in the aerospace industry, nuclear or renewable energy sector, and the safety or protective equipment arena. “We are developing a unique aerospace industry application to filter fuel in the fuselage system. Another distinctive application is the technologybased creation of rubber seals or gaskets containing intelligent materials. By embedding intelligence, our products convey precise environmental information about the products to customers,” she added.

TSMSDC COE SealingLife’s mentor during the Centers of Excellence development strategy was Marilyn Clark, former manager of Economic 2 0 2 1

Development and Supplier Diversity at Kentucky-based Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS). Wilder credits Clark with giving SealingLife an extra lift by her consistent intervention. “Our sponsoring mentor continues as a positive influence,” said Wilder. “Marilyn Clark contributed above and beyond what’s expected. Even now, after the program is over, she connects with proteges, keeping us in the loop concerning opportunities. She finds creative ways to maintain the synergy.” Wilder credits the networking opportunities created by lead sponsors with extending opportunities for MBE protégés. The MBEs presented to corporate mentors that also sponsored additional developmental opportunities by funding travel and participation. She translates the COE vision into how SealingLife supports employees. One challenge Wilder sees is breaking the glass ceiling and reversing the disadvantages of employees who lacked advancement opportunities. “What our customers see in us is a 100% minority- and woman-owned firm. As a company, 98% of our team members are women. Some are single women; all take a strong interest in the community. Many are now working on college degrees. We help other women grow in their careers,” she added.

As a business entity, we have a strong commitment to make our community and our people a high priority. Kentucky, as a state, does not rank as highly as we would like for education. We are committed to improving educational outcomes and strengthening the minority community. We see SealingLife as a model for what a diverse company can do by thinking outside of the box, even in these challenging times. — Danette Wilder

1141 Red Mile Rd Suite 201 lexington, KY uSA 859.977.6640 sales@sealinglife.com

www.sealinglifetechnology.coM

ABOUT US SealingLife Technology, an AS9100D, ISO 9001:2015 certified company, designs, manufactures and assembles devices and systems responsible for sealing, shielding, isolating and protecting living and non-living things from disagreeable conditions. Core competencies include development (R&D), compounding and fabrication of non-metallic materials (i.e., polymers, textiles & composites) into custom parts, reverse engineering of legacy and obsolete parts, sub-system development & integration and support functions (i.e., molding, forming, EMI/RFI shielding, cutting, sewing, bonding, welding, prototyping, testing, etc.). Contact us now to find out how we can help you.

Manufacturing

We specialize in custom design, quality manufacturing, and fabrication using various materials. Utilizing advanced technologies, we perform injection and compression molding, with rapid product development through 3D printing and prototyping, With our advanced cutting technologies, we provide precision solutions capable of cutting material from .001” to 5” thick. We have proven:

• 100% QUALITY RATING • 100% ON-TIME DELIVERY

SHIELD ISOLATE & PROTECT

supply chain / logistics

We work with you to plan, control, and execute logistical product flow. Assuring the highest quality and on-time delivery of your product.

consulting

We offer the knowledge and skill to prepare your business for success and process optimization in the areas of: • • •

Quality Assurance Management Systems System Integration Design & Development (R&D)

Danette wilDer presiDent & ceo

2020 NMSDC ClaSS I RegIoNal SupplIeR of the YeaR awaRD

Essential

ESSENTIAL How A Nimble Media Firm Vividly Shares the Fundamentals

Alba Gonzalez-Nylander

AJ Media Services, LLC launched in 2010. From that point on, owner Alba GonzalezNylander’s firm has guided clients in creating compelling imagery and a cool visual identity.

Today, Gonzalez-Nylander’s big idea of persuasive graphic communications is bigger than ever. This award-winning video production company provides customers whatever they need. AJ Media’s video services might share an optimal launch, generate just the right spin, or create the energetic sound and feel of unique customer experiences. Imagine—you in the cockpit of an experimental aircraft. Like the image greeting you on their home page at www.ajmediaservices.com. By creating messages that stand out, GonzalezNylander and her team bring out visually what clients do. In today’s distinctly digital era, images create an identity. They are the mirror of your creation.

The Beginning As trained video professionals, GonzalezNylander and a partner started a full service professional video production. After the partner left the business in 2015, GonzalezNylander and her team continued to manage many professional visual services for their growing list of customers. Today, the company represents years of success and experience in designing video presentations, music videos, training videos, DVDs, voice-over productions, and multicultural and bi-lingual media.

Finding Her Niche For Gonzalez-Nylander, media is her life-long pursuit. Her career began at age eighteen in her native Venezuela. At the time, she was an oil painter and a church congregation commissioned her to create a painting. Shortly afterward, they invited her to develop

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an educational product for the priest. This was it! She suddenly knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Gender bias was inherent. At the time, television or media work went primarily to males. In pursuing her dream, GonzalezNylander learned about cameras and video equipment. At nineteen, she traveled to Argentina to work for a television station for a month—volunteering. Returning to Venezuela, she was hired at a radio station, becoming the station’s first female DJ. The Venezuelan government began awarding scholarships for educational advancement, and Gonzalez-Nylander enrolled in Columbia College, Los Angeles, California. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she worked in the television industry, including five years at Univision. “Media production is what I have done my entire life,” Gonzalez-Nylander said. Gonzalez-Nylander moved to Tennessee in 2007. It was then that she accelerated working on her own. An early client was a musician; she put together promotional materials that helped launch his career.

Mastering Visual Communications

also provide still photography services. At the beginning of 2020, multiple current and prospective clients craved videos. “All companies have a story to tell, and can use those stories to promote their businesses,” Gonzalez-Nylander said.

TSMSDC COE: Finding the Missing Piece of the Puzzle Regardless of whether they are large or small, minority- or non-minority owned, successful or challenged, every business can have something missing. No matter what that “something” is, it can block success and profits. The two-year Centers of Excellence (COE) module offered by the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) helped fill in what was missing for AJ Media Services. For this company, the ultimate scorecard is how well they create leading-edge solutions for the corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies they serve. According to GonzalezNylander, COE participation made a significant difference. Their mentor during COE was Terry Deas of Cracker Barrel. Gonzalez-Nylander was pleased with the training and considered it helpful.

The Centers of Excellence provided us with a roadmap to identify what is missing in our business. AJ Media, certified by TSMSDC since 2013, is deeply appreciative of that relationship. It has been incredible. The entire TSMSDC organization consists of great people who sincerely help us.

In understanding the evolution During COE, Cracker of AJ Media, Barrel and two protégé Gonzalezcompanies awarded Nylander contracts to AJ. sees three Both protege firms practical were other minoritycustomer owned businesses. levels. The Mark Isom, owner first level is of Premiere Building government Maintenance, awarded clients. AJ them two contracts. “He — Alba Gonzalez-Nylander assists federal wanted to help us more; he agencies, state units, loved our work. That was such and local entities, a wonderful experience,” Gonzalezincluding divisions within Nylander said. municipalities, such as police or fire departments. Federally, the U. S. Department Affiliations of Agriculture awarded them contracts. The second customer tier comprises their Gonzalez-Nylander believes that, in addition small business clients. AJ puts high energy to TSMSDC’s support, connecting with the into creating iconic videos for websites or Latin community was beneficial. The U. S. marketing presentations. Third, for large Hispanic Chamber of Commerce provided corporate clients, AJ meets their needs with connections through both the national and high-impact video, training or e-learning local entities. Those connections helped products, and multi-day event coverage. They AJ Media begin providing expanded e-learning solutions. 2 0 2 1

Innovation

INNOVATION Creating a Winning Paradigm at Atlas With corporate headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee, Atlas Management Corporation is firmly established and committed to stellar performance in providing recruiting, Warren Sawyers staffing, and call center services. In 2020, Sawyers and team celebrated more than 25 years in the industry. The impressive client portfolio ranges from small businesses to high-ranking Fortune 500 corporations. The wisdom and proficiency of president and CEO, Warren A. Sawyers, allow him to calculate a winning formula for continued success and pursue a trajectory that takes Atlas to the top. Today, the company’s focus is on establishing long-term client relationships that will prove beneficial over time. Atlas’ primary business is recruiting and staffing of both temporary and contract personnel. They also recruit and place

Value-Based Focus

COE In Action

Sawyers credits the firm’s staying power to a consistent, relentless work ethic and unprecedented favor. As he puts, “It’s favor. Hard work and favor! Our future is going to be bigger, better, greater … unprecedented!” Atlas primary focus is to exceed the expectations of its clients. “This core value, along with others, are listed on our website at www.atlasmanagement.us, and our team reinforces those values for the benefit of our clients, associates and community,” Sawyers said.

As an MBE cohort in the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) experience, Atlas received bottom-line payoffs. Initially, the COE program matched Atlas with Kiewit, a large business mentor that subsequently ended their brief involvement due to internal changes. Then, both Ingersoll Rand and Nissan adopted Atlas. Sawyers highlighted the exceptional support provided by Jackie LaJoie, former senior manager of supplier diversity at Ingersoll (now Trane Technologies). “Jackie LaJoie was great.

Exaggeration: TSMSDC Certification Matters

“In 2018, we made visits to the corporate headquarters of Ingersoll in Davidson, NC; and met with their purchasing team. The goal was to position Atlas to become a supplier. We learned a lot about how their processes work. In September 2020, we received an invitation to submit an RFP for staffing services. After a few presentations and price submissions, we were awarded a contract to provide staffing for several locations. The diligent Trane team, Jackie LaJoie, Jonathan Kamanns, Greg Young, and Ryan Edwards, have been supportive in creating a ‘win-win’ for Atlas and Trane. We look forward to continuing our relationship, and growing our business to scale,” Sawyers concluded.

Sawyers met Cheri Henderson, President and CEO of TSMSDC in 1993, before his launch of Atlas in 2003. Sawyers was initially in partnership with another staffing firm. Today, he remains committed to certification and appreciates the reciprocal benefits, including the ability to operate across the NMSDC network with other regional affiliates and corporate members. Being a part of the TSMSDC family, has its distinct benefits. Sawyers says, “It is essential, in terms of connecting with prospective clients. We have had multiple opportunities to being a part of the total

We are operating in a new normal. When change occurs, Atlas adapts. We rebalanced through three recessions—this is the fourth. Each time, we saw changes. Each time, we adjusted the infrastructure. Before this crisis, we had already geared to work remotely, and make better use of technology. That adaptation occurred partially because of the technological gaps pointed out in COE module. Staffing is changing. It’s hard to say how we will do things in 2030, except to say that we will remain flexible. — Warren Sawyers

direct hires. Geographically, business operations span multiple states. While the majority of their client base is in the south, Atlas also serves clients on the east coast and west coast. In Sawyer’s view, “We go anywhere that makes good sound business sense.”

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network. Some openings came about because of attending events, and some because of selective engagements,” he said. “TSMSDC will highlight an opportunity and say ‘go talk to this business.’ They have created an incredible networking platform for engaging, strengthening and growing MBEs. We receive invaluable personal attention, and support from the TSMSDC team - Cheri Henderson, Derrick Dowell, and Susan Marston.” 2 0 2 1

Noting immeasurable outcomes from COE, Sawyers applauded a particular result … “Every MBE that had an opportunity to do business with each other did so. I’ve done a lot of networking from being involved with the council over the years. The COE program was among the best networking opportunities. These connections will continue to be valuable resources in our success.”

Management Corporation Experienced-Professional

WHERE GREAT COMPANIES FIND GREAT PEOPLE! Our Mission

For additional information, visit www.atlasmanagement.us Atlas Brands and Affiliates

TALENT

In celebration of over 25 years in the industry, we extend our sincere appreciation to our clients, employees, and stakeholders for their continued support! Warren A. Sawyers, Sr. President and CEO CERTIFIED | NMSDC (TSMSDC) | MBE | DBE | SBA

Serving Clients throughout the United States! Corporate Headquarters 750 Old Hickory Boulevard l Building Two l Suite 150 l Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 Toll Free: 877.669.4520 l Fax: 615.620.0989

Optimism

OPTIMISM Innovating the Clinical Experience Since 2002, SourceMark, LLC has evolved as a notable innovator in patient-centric product solutions for clinical environments. Headquartered in Franklin, TN, SourceMark Richard Manson is a unique product trendsetter. The firm’s specialty includes revolutionary products and solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and physicians’ practices. The company engages approximately 110 employees to drive the company’s established infection protection, anesthesia, and airway management products, as well as clinicallyreviewed medical and surgical products. At the leadership helm, is Richard Manson, President. Manson’s optimistic take on successful business leadership is grounded in the life’s lessons he has amassed. SourceMark’s emphasis on medical manufacturing and physician-preferred devices began in 2005. These supplies, designed to improve patient care and clinician engagement, create easy-to-use efficiencies and affordable cost points. The company currently has contracts to sell its products through GPOs, or group purchasing organizations, including HealthTrust, Vizient, and Premier Inc.

The name “Centers of Excellence” precisely captures what we strive for within our companies. Assuming that we embed excellence as a part of how we do business, this is essential to how one operates. Of course, excellence is critical to success. It results in the benefit provided to our customers. — Richard Manson

Collaborative Investment SourceMark is a founding partner of a new collaboration created in 2020, I Am The

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Healthcare Supply Chain, creatively known for modernizing the supply chain and by the hashtag: #IAmTheHealthcareSupplyChain. Along with SourceMark, this group represents an impressive list of pledged supporters, each member inclusive of over 200 key healthcare stakeholders. Distribution partners with this award-winning business include McKesson, Cardinal Health, Medline, Owens & Minor, and Concordance Healthcare Solutions.

Supplier Diversity Awards In September 2020, SourceMark received recognition from the U. S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency as Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week “Minority Health Products and Services Firm of the Year.” Representing MBE champions and legacy-makers, Manson presented in an MBDA Live! session entitled, “How I Did It: Reimagining Impact.” They were also acknowledged in October 2020, during National Health Care Supply Chain week, as a “Health Care Supply Chain” hero. In recognition of their contributions to supply chain diversity and small businesses, SourceMark received the “2020 Supplier Diversity Award” from Premier, Inc. a healthcare leader which operates in alliance with over 4,100 U.S. hospitals and health systems.

SourceMark’s COE Experience Asked to participate as a diverse supplier in the healthcare space, SourceMark experienced an early change with their original TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) corporate mentor. This did not dampen the company’s enthusiasm for the initiative. “We amplified our efforts to matchup with a corporation where there was the potential to sell goods and services,” said Manson. SourceMark got to know all of the participating corporate mentors which Manson considers one of the most significant benefits of COE. The second benefit was the insight that SourceMark gained from the indepth analysis of their business. “Supply chain processes, financing, product development—all of these things are typical to most businesses. However, that analysis

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allowed us to zero in on our strengths and determine our most significant needs. Working through the COE evaluation helped us build up areas where we needed to focus our attention,” he added. Through the COE, SourceMark developed processes to address several collective areas which many small businesses experience. “The resources available shored up the challenges we faced in the business—that was objective,” according to Manson. TSMSDC’s COE partnered throughout the module with external resources to offer fresh perspectives, proven strategies, analysis tools and techniques to improve overall performance, drive measurable results, utilize MBEs, and boost profits. As a result, SourceMark received an action plan for moving forward. “The assessment results were designed to help enhance our companies so that we could scale-up operations and secure new contracts. I believe that the MBE participants received significant insights, which will lead to new business opportunities,” he said. “Many of the group COE sessions occurred over the 24-month period,” said Manson. “In the after-care program, we were able to assess our progress genuinely. As we advanced, we identified those gaps we needed to address.” A key benefit for SourceMark was interacting with the nine mentoring corporations and the 19 other MBE participants. The other COE leaders got acquainted with SourceMark and other MBEs, exploring perspective collaboration opportunities. As those opportunities presented themselves, the MBEs actively began to do business with one another. “That happened,” said Manson.

Afterword In addition to his executive career, Richard Manson is an author, publisher, educator, and attorney whose distinguished legal career spans over three decades. He serves on the TSMSDC Board of Directors and Executive Committee as secretary and legal counsel. He is chairman of the board of Citizens Savings Bank &Trust Company, the nation’s oldest continuously operating minority financial institution, in the U.S.

INNOVATING THE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Have a clinically impactful medical device idea? SourceMark, a diverse medical device company, offers a platform to all clinical pioneers to take their innovative solutions to the point-of-patient-care. Visit www.sourcemarkusa.com/alliance

Purposeful

PURPOSEFUL Pointing the Compass Towards Growth Cornerstone Engineering, Inc. is a venerable seventeen-yearold structural engineering firm with a core competency of offering engineering, consulting, and construction Chella Subram services. The robust start-up company has grown from a single headquarters location in Louisville, Kentucky, to seven offices extending across Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. The company manages commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. If it is necessary to provide fullscale architectural engineering services, Cornerstone brings on additional partners. Founder and President Chella Subram places a high level of importance on making the right now decisions that shape this differentiating, sustainable firm. When inBusiness interviewed Subram and asked him to describe the motivation for becoming an entrepreneur, he answered: “I felt in my heart that it was what I wanted to do. Then, I jumped out in faith.” From the beginning, Subram’s primary vision and mission centered on building a best-inclass business for the future. To accomplish long term growth, resilience, and profitability, that meant establishing two distinctive time perspectives—forever and right now. Creating a tradition of trust Cornerstone built its client base on relationships. Their first task was the focus placed on establishing initial client trust and maintaining the culture of excellence. “We have a ninety-five percent client retention rate,” said Subram. “That level of repeat business occurs because our clients trust us. They know we take care of them.” Additionally, clients attest to the significance of those lasting relationships. “We proudly place client comments on our corporate website, enabling them to describe their satisfaction in their own words.” One unique niche of Cornerstone’s business is that they design new facilities and work on existing, aging, and historic structures. Often,

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before Cornerstone’s intervention, some structures may have been targeted by clients for abandonment or tear down. Alternatively, Cornerstone has a reputation for restoring life to buildings by utilizing a unique fiber reinforcement polymer or FRP strengthening services. Cornerstone has customized this technology and applied it to 85-90 varied projects, buttressing both portions of buildings and entire facilities.

Maintaining a Legacy with Technology Uniqueness and creativity are critical parts of Cornerstone’s design process. “We are on the cutting edge for delivering cost-effective, time-saving solutions. We save clients tens of millions of dollars—if not in hundreds of millions,” said Subram. A relevant example of this type of technological application is a project completed for the Louisville Water Company. “One of their main filter facilities was a historic 76-year old building. Louisville Water wanted to perform a filter upgrade estimated to cost $30 million, and providing fifty years of upgraded filter technology. However, the building already had structural issues. It was like ‘putting new wine in old wineskins.’ We assessed the building and strengthened it from within, without impacting the historical relevance. Upgrades that Cornerstone provided came in at just under ten percent of the projected costs. We gave the building a fifty-year life extension and completed it for under $3 million,” he explained.

TSMSDC and COE Cornerstone became certified with the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) when the council initially extended its geographic scope to include the states of Kentucky and West Virginia. Subram stated that the relationship with TSMSDC has proven advantageous. Since then, the firm has interacted with other Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and offered opportunities to qualified subcontractors. Subram feels that an impressive level of camaraderie has come from supporting and engaging with other certified businesses. During the two-year program period, Cornerstone’s Centers of Excellence (COE) mentor was Marilyn Clark of Fayette County Public Schools. Subram credits

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Cornerstone has significant staying power because we remain committed to what we’re doing, no matter what transpires externally or internally. There will always be things that happen. You must have the courage to buckle down and ride that wave. — Chella Subram

Clark with extending considerable effort in also introducing the company to other corporations for business opportunities. One of the most impactful features of COE was effective networking. Acknowledging the benefits of COE today, Cornerstone’s culture focuses on meeting every challenge with a sense of urgency.

Resilience One measure of concern is the motivation for the company’s progress during the first half of 2020. Subram affirms, for instance, that no one anticipated the pandemic or its impact on business operations. “COVID-19 caught everyone off guard,” he said. “As a result, one can choose to close down a business or state, now, here we are. How are we going to deal with this reality? It does not help to second guess that decision. As in other challenging situations, whenever a problem arises, you attempt to find an answer, but not by questioning the critical reasons why you are in business. At Cornerstone, we have tried to seek out those transformative issues and continue to bolster, grow, and expand this business.” With a focus on the future, Cornerstone looks toward establishing additional regional offices. “We want to grow additional offices and put in qualified people,” Subram said. “Cornerstone is actively looking for opportunities to expand our physical presence and office locations. We hope to extend our services into areas such as surveying and geotechnical engineering services in the long run. We know that we still have a ‘ways to go’ to make that expansion a reality.”

Solutions

SOLUTIONS Versatility Rising Stacey Wade launched Louisville, Kentuckybased Nimbus, Inc., an agile marketing and communications firm, twenty years ago as a solopreneur. Their website, www. Stacey Wade hellonimbus. com, describes the firm as a cadre of strategic thinkers who use cultural relevance to create brand resonance. One of their first clients: Motown! Nimbus’ coherent strategy discovers cultural opportunities and develops unique tools to enhance client communications. President Stacey Wade describes Nimbus as a critical solutions provider with a knack for seeing enriching nuances. “Pretty much everything we do is relationship-driven,” he said.

Uncovering Their Core Competency Wade was twenty-three years old when he started the business. “My father was an entrepreneur. In growing up, entrepreneurs filled our street,” said Wade. A friend suggested the name; and “nimbus,” which means halo, aura, or radiance, appropriately fits the inspiring, experiential work the firm creates. “Twenty years ago, few organizations had websites. It was a different time,” Wade said. However, rapid technology shifts were not problematic. “At the end of the day, I’m a student who likes to learn. Above all, I am also a servant attempting to find the best way to serve.” Wade’s core focus shifted to what he calls “strategy work.” This equates to uncovering micro levels of cultural insights. Fifteen years into the business, Stacey brought in his wife, Dr. Dawn Wade, as Chief Strategy Officer. “She changed our business considerably by giving us more lift on strategy. Her unique tactical elements elevated us,” he said.

Impactful Leadership Impactful leadership demands unique

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The COE endeavor enhanced our capacity to solve some of the complexities of operating a black-owned business. A translation occurs when Nimbus comes

business skills. To recognize those qualities is why the business journal, Louisville Business First, launched an awards program, presenting Louisville’s “Most Admired CEOs.” They focused on individuals leading the area’s most vibrant companies. In 2019, Wade became one of those top twentyfive CEOs.

in the door—it’s different for a non-minority firm. Our future-focused goal is to elevate our business to the highest level, as we simultaneously help start-up enterprises understand these dynamics and grow. As an agency, we see future opportunities to invest in and support other businesses. That’s “restorative economics”—giving resources back. — Stacey Wade

Innovative Solutions An example of Nimbus’ solutions-based approach is their deft promotion of basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal, and Papa John’s. “We highlighted a nuance with Shaq and his brand.” Nimbus became the multicultural agency of record for Papa John’s, coming on board at a sensitive time. It was right after Forbes magazine reported Founder and Chairman John Schnatter’s use of the “N” word during a conference call. “I give Papa John’s credit,” Wade said. “They had the fortitude to say, ‘We are not just seeking Nimbus as an agency of record. We will infuse intentionality into these campaigns.’ Such insight is rare in the restaurant industry, despite the reality that people of color consume outrageously large percentages of fast food. Wade credits Papa John’s for responding to that negative moment by making an authentic commitment.

The TSMSDC Difference Nimbus was certified with the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) eighteen years ago. “Early on, the council equipped us with knowledge about approaching large clients. Those introductions of Nimbus prepared us for growth,” said Wade. “We were presented to the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), now a client.” Wade was unequivocal in his accolades for Cheri Henderson, TSMSDC President & CEO. “She is nothing like most. The difference she makes is her positive impact. We appreciate having someone like Cheri

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embracing and supporting our companies. Her efforts include setting high expectations for corporate accountability,” Wade said.

Discovering the Power of COE Nimbus is confident that they will continue to thrive in challenging times. “We are a strategy company. Trouble is always happening somewhere. We are custom made for this time!” Wade said. Networking was the most impactful result of Nimbus’ involvement in the Centers of Excellence (COE). He credits COE with creating opportunities to meet MBE protégés and corporate mentors. Nimbus created a new, more dynamic website, sparking a cultural transformation. “The website frames more clearly who we are and what we do. A prospective client asked why we did not promote that we are a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) on the website. Nimbus will speak more directly to our culture, communicating our superpower—our culture. The struggle currently is getting past viewing MBE’s as ‘lesser,’ which we are not,” Wade explained. “We are the ‘A’ team in the room.”

Downtown HQ Recently, the firm purchased a property in downtown Louisville for a new headquarters. Nimbus, Inc. remodeled this expansive space and relocated its Louisville offices to 438 South Third Street earlier this year, according to Wade.

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

W E A RE A G ROUP OF STR ATE G I C THI NK E R S WHO U SE C ULTU R A L RE LE VA NCE TO CR E ATE BR AND R E S ONANC E . We know that the ultimate goal for any brand is to achieve success through its marketing efforts. In order to do that, you need Brand Resonance and an agency that believes, impossible is nothing.

H E L L O N I M B U S . C O M

Succession

SUCCESSION Kindling the Spark for Progressive Ownership Wingard Quality Supply, LLC is an automotive parts supplier headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. James Wingard, Chief Executive Officer, and Jesse Wingard, James’ father, James Wingard developed Wingard Quality Supply into a leader in tirewheel assemblies, having assembled over 25 million tires. Their subsidiary, Wingard Wheel Works, LLC, was established in 2007. Both companies offer logistics management and procurement for automotive manufacturers. Wingard Wheel Works boasts an assembly process of utilizing high manufacturing quality and safety standards.

Inspiring Originality and Entrepreneurship Wingard Quality Supply was established in 2002 by Jesse Wingard. The company performed tire assembly services for Fremont, California-based New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI),

My parents instilled in me “how to work.” Participating in COE caused me to think differently. We may not do everything differently, but I think differently. Business has increased. My COE mentor from VW, KeeKee Mathis, and I met regularly to see where

a groundbreaking joint venture by General Motors and Toyota. Despite this collaboration, NUMMI closed in 2010. Jesse Wingard innovated these family-focused businesses after more than fifty years of industry experience, which undergirded the successful launch of Wingard Quality Supply.

Connecting His Heritage James Wingard’s involvement in the business was not immediate. In 1997, he worked for a firm producing computer hard drives while living in Singapore for seven years, then returned to the U. S. In 2008, James Wingard and his father started with Wingard Quality Supply in late 2008. He describes it as a time when the automotive industry was in turmoil. However, opportunities were opening for Wingard Quality Supply. They effectively negotiated to do business with Volkswagen which brought James to Chattanooga in August 2010. Wingard Quality Supply moved into the Volkswagen Supplier Park. Before long, however, the building became too small. James Wingard was the first supplier to move out of Supplier Park to acquire a larger space.

Linking Three Generations When it comes to staying ahead in a competitive environment, a succession plan is essential. James persistently pursues the inclusion of the next generation into business operations, inspiring his four sons, three of whom work with him. The family’s strong sense of business integrity began with Jesse Wingard, whose first auto industry job expended 24 years on Ford Motor Company’s production floor, ultimately becoming Ford’s first black General Manager. That work ethic runs deep. James Wingard teaches his sons the need to understand the wall between the office and production floor. “You need to know what goes on out there,” James instructs.

things stand. We talked

It’s A Working Relationship

consistently about areas

Building a generational business involves more than hashing out new ways to include family members. James Wingard’s three oldest sons work with him in JWS Auto Matrix, another automotive-related company the family owns.

that might be deficient. That critical exchange occurred at least once a quarter. — James Wingard

Chattanooga-based JWS Auto Matrix involves all three sons over the age of eighteen— Chris, Jordan, and Matthew Wingard. Each owns a different percentage of the business. JWS Auto Matrix also partners with Georgetown Metal Processing in Georgetown, KY. Because clear insight is critical to understanding the uniqueness of new products and services, James Wingard took his sons on a five-hour drive to help them visually understand what Georgetown Metal does. These working sons attend Wingard board meetings, as their schedules permit. The oldest son graduates from college in 2021. “I love the generational transfer of knowledge,” James Wingard said, “particularly maintaining generational wealth.” At age 81, the patriarch, Jesse Wingard remains a member of the Board of Directors but is no longer active in day-to-day operations.

TSMSDC and COE Wingard Quality is certified by the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC). Wingard Wheel Works, LLC, located in Lafayette, Indiana, is certified by the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council. James credits his participation in the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence module with the creation of the firm’s new supplier storage system. “The eye-opener was listening to and talking with other MBEs. As a result of learning what they were doing, I asked: what else can I do? We had space. I was inspired to find a way to utilize it,” he said. Wingard had 105,000 square feet of space for inventory. “We were only using about 65,000 square feet. Now, we utilize 100 percent of our space, resulting in another way of generating revenue,” said James. “This created a cost-savings for the other suppliers as well.” The first supplier he approached was storing inventory in Detroit, MI. Their products came from China to Portland, OR, then by train to Detroit. Transportation took 10 hours on a truck. “Now that firm ships products to the Port of Savannah, and they come directly to Chattanooga.”

James Wingard President/CEO

OVER

YEARS

of Automotive Experience

Automotive Assembly & Just-in-Time Production Redefining Quality through Lean Manufacturing/TPS

Contact info: info@wingard.biz | wingardllc.com

Technology-Driven

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN The Model for Continuous Improvement Located in Springfield, Kentucky, is LB Manufacturing, LLC. The firm is a high-caliber Tier I and Tier II supplier servicing major domestic automotive original equipment Keith Hamilton manufacturers (OEMs) plus several international automotive OEMs operating North American facilities. The business supports automotive and specialty manufacturing with competencies in metal stamping, welded frame sub-assemblies, robotic welding, plastic injection molding, and window or door glass assemblies. The company recently provided the rear windows in all midsized SUVs and all door glass for a truck sold by a major domestic auto manufacturer.

After college, Hamilton began working for an Ohio auto manufacturer, with exposure to every aspect of the industry—accounting, sales, engineering, metal stamping, and beyond. That broad-based experience was the primer for entrepreneurship.

A Successful Business Acquisition Strategy The years of hard work paid off when Hamilton purchased an existing business. He changed the business name, redesigned its brand culture, and revamped the company’s core competencies and proficiencies. Hamilton developed a new business culture. “The business I purchased primarily stuck to basic assembly, welding, and manufacturing. Our changes opened to new ideas, such as robotic welding, metal stamping and injection molding—key areas for us today,” Hamilton explained.

A key advantage was the opportunity to acquire an existing building. “We were able to take out a note with the seller. The note was not enough to cover the whole deal, but it capitalized a major I want to pay particular homage to Cheri Henderson portion of it. By adding traditional (TSMSDC’s President & CEO) and her team for the financing, the acquisition was fantastic job of putting COE together. They are laserpossible,” he said.

focused on helping corporations work with MBEs. Cheri was adamant about getting the commitment to developing MBEs. She continually held corporations accountable and took the lead in making COE work. Accolades for an exceptional outcome! — Keith Hamilton LB does not fabricate the auto glass which they install. Instead, recognized industry leaders supply the glass. LB’s innovation is value-added. Inspection, testing, and quality control are additional aspects increasing customer satisfaction.

Retaining Key Talent and Creating Diversity & Inclusion

A decision Hamilton made was to keep the original employees. LB supplemented the workforce by adding new key employees. “We’ve made an effort to bring in people of color to fill leadership positions. We pushed for diversity and inclusion,” Hamilton said. Hamilton remains committed to the future success of community youth. He regularly uses his leverage as an entrepreneur to support young people.

A Strong Passion for Ownership

Unique Challenges Require Unique Solutions

The individual responsible for launching LB Manufacturing is Keith E. Hamilton, President and owner. Hamilton, a mechanical engineer, developed skills during internships in engineering areas. During his college years, such experiences included other opportunities with an engineering focus.

LB delivers solutions derived from their immersion in lean manufacturing principles coupled with experience in competitive industries.

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“Lean” includes the manufacturing methodologies which reduce waste without sacrificing productivity. “The value-add in lean manufacturing becomes apparent when

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all that does not add value is eliminated or minimized,” Hamilton explained.

Where Survivability Happens Facing challenges, LB thrived even before the pandemic, despite change and uncertainty. Hamilton attributes the company’s growth to operational flexibility. The leadership team implemented a system to scale-up or scaledown the business, according to evolving dynamics and other factors. “Sustainment, through the economic crisis of 2008 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, demanded that type of agility. We adjusted, while also maintaining good customer relationships,” Hamilton said.

TSMSDC and COE LB Manufacturing became a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) with the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) when the business first began. They immediately saw tremendous value in affiliation, allowing access to larger customers and commercial opportunities. Deciding to be active in the council, Hamilton formerly served as chairperson of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) in the Louisville area; and is now a member of the TSMSDC Board of Directors and regional chair of MBEIC. As a result of participation in Centers of Excellence (COE) venture, LB is more adept at marketing organization wide. “COE helped us take a ‘big picture’ approach to the company. I developed skills for how to work ‘on’ my business’ as opposed to just ‘in’ my business.” Utilizing the COE business development tool, he ascertained marketing an area of weakness. “We are clearer on how to reach prospective customers and how to market our business in general,” Hamilton said. LB remains partnered with Ingersoll Rand, now Trane Technologies. LB visited the manufacturing facility to meet with the individuals responsible for relevant sourcing areas. “We also networked with several MBEs during the COE module, and those relationships proved very viable. We anticipate that some of these MBEs will provide services to us in the future,” Hamilton added.

Our leadership in quality, technology and continuous improvement has helped LB Manufacturing earn the respect and trust of our supply partners since 1998. Having a team of experts in metal stamping, specialized welding, plastic injection molding and window glass assemblies positions us to consistently deliver exceptional results to our domestic and international customers in the automotive industry.

KEITH HAMILTON President & CEO

ROBOTIC WELDING. PROGRESSIVE STAMPING. INJECTION MOLDING. GLASS ASSEMBLY. SKILLED PEOPLE WHO CARE. leanbmfg.com Hamiltonk@leanbmfg.com 859.336.0090

Uncompromising

UNCOMPROMISING Unlocking Entrepreneurial Superpowers Making the right moves when creating a start-up business accelerates and positions it towards resiliency. When Mark Isom established Premiere Building Maintenance Mark Isom Corporation in 1996, he built it upon knowledge gained from experiences, commencing in 1984, from positions Isom held as a student and football recruit at Carson-Newman College, in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Isom cleaned buildings at night and trained for football during the day to fit his schedule as a gifted athlete. Then, a cousin convinced him to spend summers working for a large, non-minority business. It was a decision that created a working relationship lasting nine years and a business relationship that birthed Isom’s assurance of an entrepreneurial future. Premiere began in Knoxville, after Isom’s stint working three years at a minority-owned janitorial company. His early experiences fueled his determination to create a strong enterprise. Isom credits his business endurance to his mentor, William Baxter Lee, former owner of SSC Service Solutions. Lee hired Isom, taught him the cleaning business, introduced him to bankers for financing, and referred prospective clients.

No Limits… Just Clear Opportunities Today, Premiere is a value-added partner to an impressive list of clients. As founder, president, and CEO Isom guides Premiere’s services delivered at 400 facilities encompassing 25 million square feet across six states. His 500 direct employees provide janitorial, facilities management, mobile maintenance, and postconstruction cleanup services. Premiere’s success is connected to certification as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) by TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) since 1997. Isom applauds Cheri Henderson, President & CEO, with providing constant encouragement.

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“Cheri Henderson inspired us in our outreach to other diverse businesses,” he said. “Premiere has systematically embraced MBEs that operated in concert with our determination to do things the right way.”

Investing in Optimism Premiere continues to extend contractual opportunities to other companies. Isom demonstrates by the numbers by spending an impressive percentage of revenue with other MBEs. In 2018, the volume of business subcontracted to other diverse businesses totaled $4.7 million.

Later, we won the contract, performing that work for the last seven years. We also won janitorial and grounds contracts, maintenance of the assembly body shop, and assembly area cleaning. Volkswagen is a tremendous mentor and supporter,” Isom said. Isom counsels other MBEs, “As entrepreneurs, we do not ask questions for fear of appearing uninformed. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance,” he shared. For Isom, a significant takeaway from COE was fresh understanding of how corporations select companies for opportunities and their expectations of entrepreneurs.

Following a push to increase contracts with Isom credits the TSMSDC COE for greater minority businesses in the Nashville area, understanding of how MBEs can effectively Premiere extended business opportunities to position themselves to do business with other companies doing the same or similar corporations. “Appropriate positioning won’t work. Armed with public contracts from guarantee we get work. Positioning does help entities such as the Metropolitan us prepare for opportunities! We Nashville Airport Authority need access to opportunities and the Metropolitan Ultimately, and to understand how Government of to align with client Nashville & it’s impossible to guide requirements. We’re Davidson in business to cover employees by merely dispensing County, costs and make Premiere top-down blanket directives. Every a profit,” said subcontracted Isom. with grounds accomplishment at Premiere is because of companies, our employees. No one sees me dumping trash or Isom described window the assessment washers, changing lightbulbs—that’s the role of maintenance. portion of and related COE as a Or cleaning glass—that’s the window cleaners. Or firms. benefit of Premiere’s mowing grass—that’s the grounds crews. When methodology. outreach has He studied significantly our workers bring their best selves to work, Premiere at supported people see Premiere. the beginning other MBEs. and its position at — Mark Isom program completion. The Power of COE “This required truthfully answering questions about Premiere’s mentor in the where we are and to acknowledge Centers of Excellence (COE) weaknesses,” Isom said. “When we first did initiative was Volkswagen Group of America, the assessment, then repeated it, we were Inc., guided by Edkedsha “KeeKee” Mathis, more truthful in acknowledging strengths and Supplier Diversity Manager. “Her support weaknesses. We improved in tenuous areas.” propelled Premiere forward in obtaining work from Volkswagen,” Isom said. Premiere’s accomplishments were summed up with an honest appraisal. “As CEOs, Isom frankly concedes that any path forward we do the least amount of work and make requires tenacity. “When Volkswagen built the most amount of money. I have all of the Chattanooga plant, Premiere bid on the the responsibility, yet I understand that janitorial contract, although unsuccessful. Later, the facilities maintenance opportunity at all credit that comes to me appropriately goes to Premiere’s employees, partners, and Supplier Park came up. Again, not successful. customers,” Isom concluded. 2 0 2 1

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With over 24 years of service excellence, we understand your facility needs more than a cookie-cutter solution. Through the successful implementation of innovative facilities management and maintenance programs, Premiere has successfully helped clients achieve, and often exceed, their facilities maintenance and outsourcing goals. We look forward to offering you our Premiere menu of building and site services. PremiereBuilding.com

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Values

VALUES The Evolutionary Tenets of a Family-Owned Business Change agents are willing to take on entrepreneurship as one means of securing their family’s economic future. Opportunities for business ownership beckon to everyone willing Angela Hinkle to trust an idea or a venture for the sake of creating that dreamed family legacy. Clinton M. Williams launched Clint Chemical & Janitorial Supplies, Inc. (CCJS) in February 1978. For Executive Vice President Angela Hinkle, the foundation of this family business was her father. “Clint”, the image of this multi-generational firm, created the company following his retirement after twenty years in the military at Fort Knox, KY. His mandate to each progeny: “You cannot come to work for me until you’ve earned your college degree.” Applying the same standard that he held up for his children, Clint Williams earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville, an MBA from Bellarmine University, and a master’s degree from Louisville Bible College. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Angela worked for the family business from 1982 to 1987, then worked for Toyota. Her role included teaching quality techniques and focusing on just-in-time manufacturing. After twelve and a half years, she returned to CCJS. The company’s office manager passed away. Her mother, Annette P. Williams, called to ask Angela to return and manage the front office. Following the death of Clint Williams in 2013, Annette is now 100% owner. Angela and her two brothers run the firm.

Supplier of Choice Based in Louisville, KY, CCJS is a provider of quality products and services, including janitorial equipment and supplies, cleaning equipment and supplies, contractor supplies, and related wholesale items. “Our relationship as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) affiliate of TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC)

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is advantageous. Through connections, we secured Norton Healthcare as a client. CCJS fulfills all of their trash bag requirements once per week, sending trucks carrying supplies to all four hospitals,” said Hinkle. “We have also done business with Fort Knox and the Lexington-Fayette County government. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are fulfilling a contract with the State of Kentucky.”

The assessment was Hinkle’s favorite COE feature, benefitting immensely from the progress the company made. “We traveled to various corporate facilities. Guy Brown, another MBE participating in the program, invited us to their facility; three meetings took place at that location,” she added.

TSMSDC Centers of Excellence

Three siblings work at CCJS, including Ronald Williams, Angela’s older brother—a retired military captain who has been with the organization for over ten years. Michael Williams, a retired army reserves lieutenant colonel, has been connected with Clint Chemical, since 1985.

Up-and-Coming Generational Leadership

Hinkle is highly optimistic about the advancements gained through their participation in the Centers of Excellence (COE) module. Their corporate mentors were Joy Walker of the Louisville & Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District; and Verná Cherry-Goatley, then Executive Generations bring another dynamic to the Administrator of the City of Louisville company identity process. As the company Metro Government— Louisville Forward, Department of Economic For the future, the vision is of an expanding familyDevelopment.

owned, and operated, multi-generational business.

CCJS was already In the next five years and beyond, I visualize turning doing business with the Louisville & over responsibilities to the next generation while Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer significantly expanding our sales. Dad did the right District. With Joy Walker’s assistance, thing. He saw the future generations running this. business increased. Through Verná Our most aggressive goals are shifting to how the Goatley, contract opportunities next generations will make them a reality. developed with the — Angela Hinkle City of Louisville. CCJS now has a contract with the Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky evolves, it will inevitably draw upon the Department of Corrections. They fulfill the talents of Clint and Annette Williams’ toilet paper requirements for the jail. nineteen grandchildren (the 3rd generation) and ten great-grandchildren (the 4th “The COE program opened up significant generation). “None are college-age yet,” said opportunities. Mutual respect created Hinkle. “They range from a newborn to one an environment in which each business in high school.” could shine brightly. Every MBE received genuine regard. We were in the room with Given the reality of their long-standing millionaires, yet program leaders equally commitment to excellence, maintaining a recognized each business owner,” said reputation for high quality is what makes the Hinkle. “The love was palpable, thanks business distinctly different. As Hinkle puts to TSMSDC’s President & CEO, Cheri it, “CCJS walks in with quality products, Henderson, and Jackie LaJoie of Ingersoll excellent service, and a deep commitment to Rand. It didn’t matter if you were a smaller customer satisfaction. The bottom line is this: minority and woman-owned company.” our customers repeatedly say, ‘That’s why we buy from Clint.’ “

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Clint Chemicals & Janitorial Supplies, Inc. 2191 Watterson Trail Louisville, KY 40299-2437

Phone (502) 267-5367 Fax (502) 267-4511 Sales@ClintChemicals.com

FACILITY CLEANING & MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS Everything You Need To Keep Your Facility Clean, Safe and Healthy

4 Pillars of Success

THE

4 Pillars of Success The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 23 Regional Affiliates across the country. There are 1,500 Corporate Members throughout the network, including America’s top public and privately owned companies as well as

universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The Regional Affiliates certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their products, services and solutions.

These pillars are in place to help MBEs gain greater resources and opportunities in the marketplace.

TSMSDC continues to develop not only certified MBEs to promote business growth, but also corporate members through delivery channels and expanded learning offerings.

Certification continues to be at the core of what TSMSDC does, ensuring that minority businesses are bona fide.

CERTIFY

DEVELOP

ADVOCATE

CONNECT

TSMSDC advocates for diversity and promotes the value and innovation that minority suppliers provide to corporate supply chains.

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NMSDC’s mission highlights four competencies – certify, develop, connect and advocate.

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TSMSDC connects corporate members with certified MBEs that meet their needs, through a focus on innovative tools and approaches.

Cracker Barrel

CRACKER BARREL: Redefining Supplier Empowerment and Relationships It All Begins with Fluidity Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, is one of the corporate sponsors of the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council’s Centers Terry Deas of Excellence (COE) module. And Terry C. Deas has solid views of the supplier diversity manager’s role. In his eight-year tenure as director of diversity, inclusion, and outreach at Cracker Barrel, he defines supplier empowerment as taking an unequivocal approach towards supporting diverse businesses. The challenge: that approach must be “smart and efficient.” As a result of an inclusive approach, Cracker Barrel’s supplier diversity initiative adapts to changing needs. According to Deas, “Effectively interacting with diverse suppliers requires a different kind of commitment when it leans toward building fluid relationships.” First and foremost, Deas sees his role in managing the supplier diversity initiative as centering on helping create opportunities for minority business owners. “It’s not just saying, ‘here’s one of our buyers.’ Or ‘we have a need; can you fulfill it?’ It’s about taking a step back. The focus is to kindle a spark for lasting business relationships.”

Offering Real-time Insights Terry Deas’ approach also means spending time helping suppliers craft or construct their pitches. This preparation is essential so that, when diverse businesses get in front of the right decision-maker, they know how to sell their products or services confidently. “By talking with me and being around me, I can share a little of the secret sauce,” he added. In supporting their COE protégé firm, A. J. Media Services, LLC, and other diverse suppliers, Deas reminds firms to highlight their abilities to scale up. “It’s essential to showcase the capacity to service 660+ Cracker Barrel stores operating in 45 states. It cannot just begin and end with putting someone in front of a buyer,” he said.

When Results Ripple into Partnerships From the Cracker Barrel perspective, the

primary focus of their participation in the TSMSDC COE program and their broader supplier diversity initiative is on creating alchemy that translates to lasting, resilient, and meaningful business relationships. According to Deas, the best interactions encompass coaching, mentoring, and providing constructive feedback. He regularly invites minority business enterprises (MBEs) to go over their elevator speeches or pitches in front of him. His objective: to see how their presentations fit the Cracker Barrel organization. Deas leads business owners to seek the right answers to essential questions the Cracker Barrel buyers—on either the food or the retail side—might ask during subsequent buyersupplier dialogues. “There are two platforms. We are a franchised retail and restaurant operation with no centralized procurement department. Procurement goes on in each business model,” he explained. “That presents multiple challenges and opportunities.”

The first thing Deas tells a supplier is, “I want you first to understand our business. Don’t just come with ‘I want to sell you xxx.’ Tell me how this is going to advance our business. It must be a pitch that is strategically connected. How will you Cracker Barrel-ize what you’re selling?”

Promoting Resilience Deas’ role is also that of creating organizational readiness within Cracker Barrel. Creating that resilient climate evolves from having the right conversations around the value of supplier diversity, envisioning what success can mean in creating significance within the supply chain, and inviting firms into the supply chain. Training and coaching occur internally with the Cracker Barrel buyer community. “The organization’s design, from a procurement standpoint, gives buyers a lot of empowerment. Because of Cracker Barrel’s processes, buyers do not get pushback when advancing new firms into our supplier base. A buyer does their due diligence, and supplier

diversity remains top-of-mind,” says Deas. Deas keeps his eyes on moving beyond historical growth and keeping the initiative spotlighted among internal procurement personnel. “Business today moves at lightning speed. Because there is constant change in the procurement world, my task is to evolve the narrative. The internal team understands the value-added perspective of supplier diversity,” he explained.

Empowerment through the TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) Endeavor Cracker Barrel was already doing business with A J Media, LLC, before the two-year COE initiative began. As one of the sponsoring companies, Deas’ task was to select a protege within the TSMSDC network, and to create networking opportunities both internally, within Cracker Barrel, and externally. “I saw my role as providing insightful commentary about experiences within Cracker Barrel. By hosting one of the COE gatherings in the corporate office in Lebanon, Tennessee, I wanted to create an environment where our protégé and other participating MBEs could better understand our culture.” Within the COE structure, engagement continued with assisting A J Media in doing business with this retail giant. Throughout the COE program, discussions also occurred with several MBEs. Diverse enterprises directed to the Cracker Barrel vendor portal could upload their information; however, supplier registration is not a requirement for opening the dialogue with purchasing decision-makers. The COE aggregate scorecard reported an impressive $56 million in spending among all participants. When Deas reflected on the COE engagement, he pointed out that the Cracker Barrel portion of that spend was not high. However, throughout COE, business transactions did happen. He described these efforts as vitally important in creating an experience blueprint. Even in the season of change, Deas sees keeping all eyes on the horizon as an integral part of Cracker Barrel’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing supplier diversity.

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Igniting a Kindred Spark

FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (FCPS) Igniting a Kindred Spark Marilyn Clark, Manager of Economic Development and Supplier Diversity at Fayette County Public Marilyn Clark Schools (FCPS) in Lexington, Kentucky, wears an inspiring glow of confidence. which fuels the care and commitment she applies to supplier diversity. Her successes, over the past five years, are evidence that she is right to be confident. Clark’s background prepared her to lead the diversity business program at FCPS, Lexington’s second-largest employer. She performed similar duties for the City of Lexington and is, herself, a small business owner, bringing that background and viewpoint to this work. Empathy and preparation strengthen Clark’s ability to work with other businesses. “I understand the business owner’s perspective, and know the difficulties of entrepreneurship,” she said.

Driving the Fundamentals At FCPS, Clark is responsible for three essential areas. The first is economic development. “The purpose of embracing all businesses is to keep our supply chain sustainable. Our ‘big idea’ is for all businesses to do well. Whenever FCPS sponsors a class or event, we invite everybody,” Clark says. Second is creating long-term profitability and durability among diverse suppliers. Making a tangible difference for minority-, women-owned, and veteranowned businesses put FCPS on track for reshaping the future. In 2017, the District added Veteranowned companies to the policy.

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The third pillar is workforce development. “Businesses can become workforce development sites, and the District is a critical workforce development partner,” Clark explained. “We anticipate workforce needs. Once identified, we meet those needs through academies in our schools, apprenticeships, and matching innovations implemented across the state. I utilize all information to determine how to help our schools, and our businesses.”

Innovation through COE Marilyn Clark’s involvement in the two-year Centers of Excellence (COE) initiative was immediately advantageous for FCPS. “The greatest benefit is that the program is not solely for protègès. As corporate mentors, we received insightful professional development,” she said. “That contrasts with most events attracting supplier diversity leaders. Typically, when attending a conference, I am at our exhibit booth. Except for events sponsored by the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council or the National Minority Supplier Development Council, there are no growth sessions for me to attend,” Clark added. COE’s focus on eight best practices reinforced FCPS’s core competencies. “I based my annual plan on those best practices,” she said. “I assessed our status in each area, then asked: where do our capabilities need strengthening?” By the final COE assessment, FCPS made a sizable upturn in measuring progress against the best practices. The initial and final evaluations identified areas of implementation towards a best-in-class supplier diversity program. Clark was profuse in her appreciation for Jackie LaJoie, Senior Manager of Supplier

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Diversity at Trane Technologies. “Jackie was a great mentor, friend, and encourager to me personally. Her process for maintaining metrics provided a great model to follow,” Clark said.

TSMSDC COE Protégé Outreach Clark purposefully chose not to select, as protègès, firms already doing business with FCPS. Instead, she identified three firms she knew would be successful in working with the District in the future. Those protégés were: Sealing Life, Inc., Cornerstone Engineering, Inc., and Facility Maintenance & Services Group, LLC. Significant synergies developed with the mentored MBEs. Two companies with which FCPS is currently doing business—Guy Brown and Clint Chemical & Janitorial Supplies, Inc. were also MBEs active in COE.

Shaping the Vision People frequently ask Clark why the District is involved in supplier diversity. In response, she explains how the community first saw that need and promoted supplier inclusion. FCPS spends approximately $100 million annually on goods and services, professional services, and construction contracts. Clark credits the District’s first African American superintendent, Emmanuel “Manny” Caulk. He sustained their promise to the community

and recognized the connection between economic development and education. “Solid grounding from the top is so crucial. Our superintendent includes me in policy decisions. I present to the Board of Education, the superintendent’s executive cabinet, and the Board’s Equity Council. Plus, I visited each of the approximately seventy District schools, pushing the supplier diversity message down to the individual school level,” she said.

Looking Through a Progressive Lens FCPS contracted with a Lexington-based, minority-owned firm for an economic opportunity study and committed to implementing new procurement goals. Clark continues to strategize around subgoals for minority-, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. She maintains metrics on how many diverse firms bid on and win opportunities. The District utilizes a cutting-edge diversity management software system, B2GNow, which allows more concise bidding, contracting, and supplier diversity tracking. Clark concluded, “I want to see my legacy, in this arena, as caring about what happens to individuals, and consequently, caring about what happens to businesses. It is rewarding to see diverse businesses receive new contracts and work through that process. I want to connect people in a meaningful and purposeful way.”

GET CONNECTED. JOIN TODAY. W: TSMSDC.NET

WE ARE TSMSDC

Fayette County Public Schools Lexington, Kentucky

43,000+ students

8,000+ employees

$100M

goods & services

$110M

construction

Our MISSION is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students achieve at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society. With a focus on equity and access, we are intentional about diversity and inclusion. As an anchor institution in our community, we are committed to strong partnerships with diverse businesses, because we understand that education and economics are inextricably tied to building a stronger community. Learn more about our supplier diversity program at www.fcps.net/business Register your business at www.fcps.diversitycompliance.com

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Scaling Up

SCALING UP At Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) Meet the Advocate for Building Minority Business Momentum Joy L. Walker is on a mission. As supplier diversity manager at the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) in Joy Walker Louisville, Kentucky, she leads her team, producing equitable supplier diversity solutions across the organization. MSD is an innovative regional public utility providing quality wastewater, stormwater, and flood protection services to protect the public’s health and safety. As part of MSD’s economic inclusion commitment, Walker and her four direct reports form a cadre of thinkers and doers who implement local initiatives and confirm consistent impact on contracted projects. They steadily influence decisions and ensure that opportunities exist for diverse firms. In the fiscal year ending June 2020, contracts awarded to minority- and woman-owned businesses totaled $40 million which translated to job creation, business growth, and enhanced community development.

ONE STRENGTH WE DISCOVERED IS THAT SUPPLIER DIVERSITY COMES INTERWOVEN INTO OUR CULTURE. Solidifying Support from the Top In Walker’s perspective, executive support and decision-making generate from the top. MSD’s executive leadership provides Walker with the freedom to explore the best methods for expanding opportunities. “James A. Parrott, MSD Executive Director, is extremely supportive of the supplier diversity

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program,” Walker said. “Chief Procurement Officer, Rene Lindsay—another member of the executive leadership team—works attentively to hold peers accountable for supplier inclusivity. That internal commitment trickles down to my department, where we identify, recruit, and partner with various organizations, such as the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council, to grow our pool of minority business enterprises (MBEs).”

COE—Empowerment in Practice Walker was impressed by the genius of the Centers of Excellence (COE) program. “COE enabled us to pilot new methods within our supplier diversity focus, and expanded my knowledge base. And, we are delighted at the performance of our mentees in the program, Ward-Edison Professional Cleaning Service and Nimbus,” she said. Walker believes COE afforded her the opportunity to analyze MSD’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats -- a first step in discovering the fresh perspective she sought. “One strength we discovered is that supplier diversity comes interwoven into our culture. It has been there for over 30 years as a board-approved policy. We provide monthly reporting to the MSD board on our utilization of MBEs throughout all business units,” Walker explained.

Grounding Supplier Diversity in Firm Goals According to Walker, MSD’s interim policy went into effect in December 2015. At that time, the agency wanted to perform a disparity study. The MSD percentage goals, set by ethnicity and gender, were established during the assessment phase of that disparity study, completed by Mason Tillman Associates, Ltd., an Oakland, CA consulting firm. After completing the study, MSD committed to an enhanced supplier diversity program which went into effect July 1, 2019 (the beginning of Fiscal year 2020). The disparity study created new goals. For construction, the goal for doing business with African American-owned firms became

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eighteen percent. The second MBE goal set at two percent for Asian-Indian business owners. Both ethnic categories include male and female ownership. The rationale for these percentages is the disparities identified within the two minority groups. A goal of fifteen percent exists for Caucasian female-owned businesses, where the consultants discovered underutilization. Mason Tillman provided a series of recommendations to prevent future disparities.

COE Topics and Focus Areas COE’s topics and focus areas aided Walker and her team in accomplishing many of their goals. In examining the focus areas and best practices, what Walker found to be particularly beneficial and educational are the training, development, and mentoring aspects. That perspective resulted in Walker identifying crucial financial and lending resources that were already available to MBEs. “Our team asked: what could we do to strategically partner with our MBEs? As a public utility, MSD does not provide loans or financial assistance. Our participation in COE inspired us to align with the NMSDC Business Consortium Fund. We partnered on a workshop offering financial solutions that matched MBE funding needs,” Walker said. Additionally, MSD partnered with the U. S. Department of Transportation to access their business development institute and other resources. Walker took a look at MSD’s second-tier subcontracting program. MSD currently had a strong emphasis on Tier 2 with goals based upon set contractual dollar amounts. For example, on construction, if the engineer’s estimate of the contractual total is $50,000 or greater, the subcontracting goal is fifteen percent for MBEs and six percent for womanowned business participation. Walker and her team continue to focus on all aspects of supplier diversity. When she reaches out to procurement decision-makers, it is to communicate her message of how important it is to promote opportunities for doing business with African American-owned and womanowned businesses. COE empowered them to take challenging steps to eliminate any barriers which block desired progress.

A healthier community and

more vibrant local economy

through Supplier Diversity

For more than 30 years, our minority- and woman-owned suppliers have helped MSD protect local waterways. We’re committed to continuously building strategic partnerships with certified MBEs and WBEs sharing our passion for: • Economic equity

• Innovative thinking

• Environmental sustainability

• Quality service

Please contact us at supplierdiversity@louisvillemsd.org for details about our Supplier Diversity Program. Register online at msdbids.com to obtain the most recent bid notifications.

Nissan

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY INITIATIVE Excels at Nissan Putting Corporate Power to Work As a global auto industry leader, Nissan adopted language which focuses on capturing their key vision: “Enriching people’s lives.” Further defining that commitment is Marcella this statement: “Nissan McCullough supports its vision by offering customers unparalleled products and services and by improving the quality of life in the communities where it operates.” As a supportive corporate member, Nissan has a significant presence in Tennessee and is a crucial stakeholder in the TriState Minority Supplier Development Council In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution, and manufacturing. Within the corporate entity, Marcella McCullough offers high-profile leadership in the North American region. McCullough is the senior manager of supplier diversity, purchasing strategy for Nissan North America, Inc. In this role, she articulates the organizational vision and the Nissan commitment to supplier diversity. That keeps the program’s purposeful performance on target. McCullough is responsible for developing supplier diversity strategies and performance indicator processes. Her leadership in the region is impactful, both internally and externally. Additionally, she assures the company presence at national and regional diverse business association meetings, conferences, and events. Marcella is committed to developing a robust supplier program within Nissan, creating economic opportunities for minority-owned enterprises. She joined Nissan North America, Incorporated in 2015, after spending eight years leading a similar initiative at Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan.

Nissan’s Focus on COE The TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) initiative was significant because it allowed Nissan to participate in a blended group of corporations and minority business enterprises (MBEs), leading to mentoring and assistance with mentee business

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growth. It also aligned the MBEs with new opportunities from other Tier 1 suppliers. COE provided the corporations and the MBEs with a network and platform to share best practices and learn from one another.

What Comes to Mind When You Think of Continuous Improvement? Meeting continuous improvement expectations is one way that Nissan integrates best practices into its diverse business relationships. Nissan committed itself to support for MBEs. According to McCullough, Nissan implemented the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council’s (NMSDC’s) specific “Best Practices” as guidelines for continuous improvement within their supplier diversity program. Nissan’s Supplier Diversity program is over 20 years old, yet, in addition to the “Best Practices,” benchmarking allows the corporation to preview different views to remain competitive within its industry. Nissan has maintained a record of accomplishments by demonstrating its commitment to building sustainable relationships with diverse suppliers. McCullough credits Nissan’s success with MBE participants in the COE module to the corporation’s practical hands-on support. “The COE training and networking were effective for MBEs because it was hands-on and led the mentee firms to adopt sustainable benchmarks,” McCullough explained. Some suppliers within the group received additional Nissan business in core areas. Those companies demonstrated their capabilities to meet Nissan’s specifications. The Nissan purchasing team provided other opportunities to enhance the growth and sustainability of mentored businesses.

The TSMSDC Centers of Excellence (COE) Difference The COE program ended with seventeen minority-owned companies completing the program. The research and evaluation firm involved, professionally conducted a post-project survey and assessment. At the initiative’s conclusion, Nissan’s MBE protégés increased in their business and leadership rating scales. The result achieved the overall objective of strengthening these diverse firms’

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management skills, increasing their capacity, and expanding their growth potential. During the entire two-year program, the COE initiative delivered results that showed a definite increase in resources available to diverse suppliers. McCullough made the Nissan commitment clear, while distinctly framing the program’s priorities. According to McCullough, “the COE program was not designed to guarantee increased business, but to provide resources for the suppliers to enhance their capabilities.” To further inspire the suppliers to cascade Nissan’s support throughout their enterprises, the CEO initiative allowed MBE firms to use key performance indicators to improve their businesses. Thus, MBEs were inspired to create and implement personalized growth and sustainability practices.

ENRICHING

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LIVES. Being Creative about the Process Nissan took an aggressive approach in aiding its mentee firms. They were creative about the process and the framing of the mentoring initiative. As a result, the COE program delivered tangible benefits to MBEs, allowing them to become better poised for future development. McCullough’s leadership set the tone and pace for Nissan’s purpose-driven strategy within the COE initiative framework. The entire complement of members met regularly, including listening to presentations from expert speakers invited to lead customized educational sessions. This collaboration moved the MBEs toward a healthier future. By having the resources to take bold actions, mentees pursued strategies that can become permanently incorporated into their business operations. Nissan’s MBE dollar spend contributed to the COE aggregate scorecard, representing $56 million spent among participants.

Fairness. Respect. Inclusion.

With multicultural roots, Nissan is committed to providing an inclusive space that encourages innovative ideas from our diverse workforce and supply base. We not only respect, but eagerly welcome, the varied perspectives of these talented men and women. Nissan believes our commitment to our core principles of diversity - fairness, respect and inclusion is essential to creating quality and innovative products.

Tennessee Valley Authroity

TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY A Performance-Driven Approach Defining Empowerment through Relationships Paul A. Buerkle, Jr., Senior Program Manager, Supplier Diversity & Development, is the face of the three-person supply chain team Paul Buerkle managing business diversity at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in Chattanooga. The group also includes Jan Cable, Manager of Supplier Diversity & Development, and J. W. Cole, Supplier Diversity Program Manager. TVA is a quasi-federal government agency created by Congress in 1933. TVA’s supplier program existed since the agency began, mandated by Small Business Act requirements and contains supplier metrics and tracking. Buerkle is confident that the team approach is an asset. “With more hands-on-deck,” he said, “we can do more. We’re able to educate internally and achieve more external outreach. Building this team is critical to those accomplishments.” The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 19.7) is the guiding document for the subcontracting and supplier diversity program.

Embedding Supplier Diversity at TVA The Tennessee Valley Authority is an agency of the United States, providing electricity for business customers and local power companies, serving 10 million people in portions of seven southeastern states. TVA derives revenue from the sale of electricity. They also provide flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system. Additionally, they assist local power companies, states, and local government entities with economic development and job creation.

Buerkle and his team are motivated by three core measures. “First is our utilization of small businesses. Second is the utilization of diverse businesses, including minority-owned enterprises (MBE), woman-owned, veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned firms, and HUBZone. Historically underutilized businesses (HUBZone) must meet specific geographic priorities. Third, we measure ‘Valley businesses’ inside our service area,” he explained. Valley businesses are defined as either headquartered within TVA’s service territory or meeting a 60% content rule by hiring 60% of their labor or purchasing 60% of their components from inside the service territory. TVA’s power service territory covers 80,000 square miles, encompassing most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. TVA’s supplier targets are 28% for small businesses, 12% for diverse firms, and 75% for Valley businesses.

Embedding Commitment into the Organizational DNA Buerkle focuses mainly on outreach. TVA engages thirteen diversity alliance partners identified through a request for proposal (RFP) process. All are nonprofit advocacy agencies representing various constituency populations. The TriState Minority Supplier Development Council is one of those partners. Working with these partners, Buerkle attends events, performs community outreach, and facilitates conversations with firms interested in doing business with TVA. He also educates firms on TVA’s procurement processes and makes introductions to internal contracting officers. Adhering to federal standards, the qualifications for registering with TVA as a minority business are that a firm must be

According to Buerkle, measuring supplier diversity success at the Authority equates to reaching out across the seven-state region with their supplier diversity team. “Externally, we measure organizational success by the perceptions in the communities we serve. Internally, we rely heavily on metrics to measure our performance,” he said.

By adopting the eight specific Best Practices developed by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), TVA added demonstrable value to their supplier diversity focus.

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51% owned, operated, and controlled by an individual or a group meeting the applicable ethnicity qualifications.

Success within the TSMSDC COE TVA’s supplier diversity team supported the organization’s two-year participation in the COE initiative. Without it, Buerkle believes he would have been unable to devote the required time and effort. “Although TVA previously implemented a business mentorship program, COE advanced our organizational commitment to participate at a higher level. We learned and grew a lot,” Buerkle explained. By adopting the eight specific Best Practices developed by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), TVA added demonstrable value to their supplier diversity focus.

Eliminating the Pitfalls Buerkle described one particular example of success due to the COE module which occurred with an MBE who was not their mentee. TVA solidified an agreement with a COE protégé for office supplies. “The owner and I built enough of a relationship that, when a new request for proposals went to market, the owner pointed out that we were not inclusive in our approach. When the RFP did not include estimated annual usage on the products solicited, it became unintentionally biased toward the incumbent. Buerkle met with the contracting officer to redevelop the solicitation. The TSMSDCcertified MBE won the multi-year contract, matching the technical requirements and offering a lower price. TVA achieved savings and credited significant dollars to their COE spend.

The Future Buerkle believes that TVA is on a new journey with President and CEO, Jeffrey J. Lyash, appointed in February, 2019. “Our supplier diversity initiative will continue to develop over time. One of the first things the CEO did was redraft the formal supplier diversity policy. TVA is developing a more inclusive program. In five years, I envision TVA creating its in-house diverse business mentoring platform,” Buerkle said.

TVA Supplier Diversity

Energizing Partnerships in the Communities We Serve TVA is committed to maintaining a supplier base that is truly reflective of the Tennessee Valley region. Maximizing the utilization of businesses that are small, minority-owned, womenowned, veteran-owned, and located in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZone) strengthens TVA’s mission of service and our efforts to promote prosperity across the Valley. Learn more about TVA’s commitment to Supplier Diversity at www.tva.com (Doing Business with TVA).

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Sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY A Bold New Strategy for Supplier Diversity Jackie LaJoie’s Futurefocused Leadership Sustainability fits perfectly into any game-changing supplier diversity initiative. Building a business ecosystem is essential to initiatives centered Jackie LaJoie on growing minority (Retired) business capacity when it comes to a sustainable future. Just ask Jackie LaJoie to share her vision for a world that is inclusive, healthy, and resilient. For eight years, LaJoie was senior manager of supplier diversity at Ingersoll Rand, headquartered in Davidson, North Carolina. On March 1, 2020, Ingersoll Rand split and created Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator. Now leading the Trane program, LaJoie serves as senior manager of supplier diversity and sustainability. Her responsibilities include developing a worldclass process, driving results, and integrating supplier diversity and sustainability into a corporate strategy. LaJoie’s concept of a diverse business ecosystem encompasses a network of suppliers, customers, and competitors. She guides minority business enterprises (MBEs) in understanding how to do business with major corporations and how to thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.

COE—Crafting a Winning Advantage The TriState Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) partnered with Ingersoll Rand to spearhead the Centers of Excellence (COE) program. Funding came from a $50,000 grant from the Ingersoll Rand Foundation. Ingersoll’s presence in Clarksville, Tennessee; Campbellsville, Kentucky; and Charleston, West Virginia, are within TSMSDC’s multi-state region. Funding from the Ingersoll Rand Foundation centers on the project’s ability to improve corporate programs. Supporting the TSMSDC COE paralleled desired growth in diverse supplier contracts and a stronger supplier diversity program. The original concept was to identify ten T S M S D C

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corporations to mentor twenty MBEs. Ideally, the MBEs would have one primary partner exposed to all ten mentors. While the total number of participants evolved, growth opportunities were successfully shared.

The Assessment Advantage During the TSMSDC COE initiative, valueadded guidance came from a third-party consultant who specialized in supply chain strategies. According to LaJoie, “I’ve managed supplier diversity projects for more than thirty years. In my experience, other programs lacked a supplier assessment to pinpoint gaps. Through the additional resources, we were able to identify specifically the support each MBE required. With the assessment tool, each mentor could work on definite opportunity gaps”, she said. We were able to perform a group analysis targeting the corporate group, using a private, blind survey with scoring on a scale of 0-5. Over the two years, corporate programs improved significantly, calculated at over twenty-five percent. LaJoie concluded that COE directly impacted the effectiveness of their supplier diversity program. “Our program improved by eighteen percent and the overall group improvement was twenty-six percent. We utilized the NMSDC Best Practices Assessment, which has eight best practices and over seventy-six sub-practices.”

Supplier Growth thru COE The COE platform has three prongs: dollar spend, internal awareness, and increased utilization. In measuring ROI, the first factor is spend—winning business. Another is helping the MBEs improve their processes. “Developing our suppliers is an essential component. Otherwise, we have a difficult time going into business with them,” LaJoie said. “Ideally, supplier partners grow with us.”

The Power of Mentoring and Networking As a team of one, LaJoie favors the approach of group mentoring. While she views business mentoring as a high-intensity undertaking requiring a substantial investment in people and financial resources, she saw great potential in the COE outcomes.

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“Mentoring programs can be a challenge,” LaJoie explained. “As supplier diversity leaders, we do not create procurement opportunities. We run the programs; we are the change agents. Often, we must wait for the opportunities to arise to create linkages.” LaJoie had initial apprehensions was during the ‘Spotlight’ sessions when corporations and MBEs shared experiences each time the group met. LaJoie admits that her perception soon changed. “It was purely amazing how much more I learned about the MBEs by allowing them to showcase capabilities. The MBEs learned more about our companies and our expectations. I hope they learned as much about our companies as we learned about theirs,” said LaJoie.

Corporate Agility Drives Change LaJoie is proud that Trane’s corporate annual report highlights their supplier diversity program. That level of exposure helps everyone understand how diversity impacts business sustainability and communities. Diversity commitment also makes businesses more attractive to investors. Thrilled with TSMSDC as a partner, she credits the leadership of Cheri Henderson, President & CEO for the initiative’s success, and is excited about the prospects of ‘COE NEXT!’. “We will begin to see the goals of increased spend with diverse businesses come into fruition,” LaJoie said. “We are driving positive change, we are putting our stake in the ground, setting big targets, and making some bold, audacious moves on our diversity numbers. It’s exciting! Trane is leading by example and changing the way we do business. We truly believe that if we can change an industry, we can change the world.”

Together we can inspire change. We believe mutual respect, cross collaboration and inclusion drive growth and innovation. When you partner with us you join a team that’s equally committed to progressing business and securing a sustainable future. For everyone. Learn more about Supplier Diversity at www.tranetechnologies.com/supplier

Supplier Diversity

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AT VOLKSWAGEN Building a Robust Strategy

Edkedsha Mathis As Supplier Diversity Manager for the past twelve years at the Volkswagen Group of America plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Edkedsha Mathis relies on the concept of the three A’s: “Aim high, Apply yourself, and Achieve your goals.” The supplier diversity focus operates within the company’s purchasing department at the Chattanooga location, which employs approximately 3,800 workers as of March, 2020, including contractors. Mathis—affectionately called “KeeKee” by colleagues and family members—engages her supportive skillset by mentoring and advising young women, minorities, and other diverse groups to ensure that Volkswagen’s supplier diversity program remains innovative and one of the most successful.

Competency-based Leadership Mathis’ guidance at Volkswagen thrives in its efficiency. “As a supplier diversity leader, road maps and goals are essential milestones—set at one-year, three-year, five-year, and tenyear intervals,” she said. “I recommend this approach to everyone. Essentially, it means establishing two versions of such targets, a personal one and a professional one to present to leadership, translated as the path you plan to follow.” These goal-setting platforms and concepts are rooted in the philosophy that credibility evolves from results, and leaders achieve by doing—not merely advising.

Outreach Focused Much of Mathis’ efforts are connect and engage with diverse suppliers, ensuring their identification and positioning to compete. Executive leaders at Volkswagen participate in an annual diversity strategy conference to help

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shape the initiative. Through their Supplier Diversity Outreach initiative, Volkswagen continuously seeks external partnership opportunities with economic development entities and diverse community-based organizations, including the TriState Minority Supplier Diversity Council (TSMSDC), the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the National Urban League, the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Out and Equal, the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD), and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

Formulating the Path to Progress “Internal coordination with buyers and purchasing managers ensures the inclusion of diverse suppliers in Volkswagen’s purchasing processes,” said Mathis. “Diversity represents a range of groups, including minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned, and LGBTQowned firms.” The corporation’s ten percent target for diverse supplier participation applies to both production and non-production purchasing areas. In 2019, they surpassed that goal in both categories. Opportunities exist for diverse suppliers with the necessary capacity. According to Mathis, the expectation is that minority business enterprises (MBEs) will be competitive, registered, and properly certified. Ultimately, at the core of Volkswagen’s dynamic supplier diversity program is the information provided to suppliers. The corporation’s intrinsic commitment to supplier diversity, underscored by assistance, helps MBEs gain experience and build capacity. This support infrastructure is the backbone of how opportunities grow. “My responsibility is to provide the needed support,” Mathis said. “Our partnership does not end with the identification of suppliers. It extends to mentoring and development, ensuring that the capabilities of diverse businesses match Volkswagen’s needs.” Thus, diverse suppliers receive the tools and feedback needed to be productive Volkswagen suppliers and community members. Imbedded into the supplier diversity initiative are specific tools, including one-on-one mentoring, training, feedback, networking, and individualized meetings matched with the appropriate buyers or business units. When Requests for Quotations (RFQs) are released, very small businesses often aspire

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to participate in the bidding process. As an advocate, Mathis may recommend that the firms go through the process to better understand the scope of the work. In the future, these firms will know how to expand their capacity, technologies, services, and goods then submit a competitive proposal meeting all requirements.

TSMSDC COE and Core Competencies Volkswagen’s participation in TSMSDC’s Centers of Excellence initiative created a winning formula for diverse suppliers that improved services and identified key strengths and weaknesses. As areas of opportunity became visible, Volkswagen worked with suppliers to implement development plans for thriving and growing—not just in doing business with their company but also with other Fortune 500 enterprises. During the COE initiative, Volkswagen’s two proteges were Premiere Building Maintenance Corporation, and Wingard Quality Supply. Both received acclaimed “Supplier of the Year” recognition from TSMSDC, with nominations for the National Supplier Development Council’s “Supplier of the Year” award. Premiere, headed by owner Mark Isom, was the recipient of that honor. COE was transformative in supporting Mathis’ work in building strategic partnerships and alliances. “When I can help suppliers, it often means leveraging connections with a larger business that is amenable to working with a smaller MBE. A larger business can be a collaborative mentor,” said Mathis. “We look for partnership opportunities throughout the year, and there’s no cut off on identifying applicable suppliers, which is why I have consistently attended national trade shows and trade fairs.” Mathis’ ongoing commitment to best practices includes increasing awareness of the supplier diversity program within Volkswagen, keeping top leadership committed and informed about the program’s importance, mentoring suppliers, and training new and current suppliers. “Volkswagen works hard to keep diversity and inclusion soundly embedded into our dayto-day business,” Mathis said. “Our goal is to be recognized as a top company for diversity and inclusion practices, an important element when combined with our being a top employer in the city.”

We welcome all backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. We have always been a company that makes cars for everyone, and would never have been able to achieve this if we didn’t also strive to be a company that includes everyone. So, that’s exactly what we do; in fact, inclusion is our corporate policy.

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