AM BAS SADORS CHAM PI ONI NG EX CELL E NC E IN MIN ORIT Y SU PPLIE R D E VELOP MENT
PASSING THE TORCH TO PARITY
Dear MMSDC Corporate Members, Certified MBEs, Sponsors, and Participants, On behalf of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council and our Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to this year’s virtual event. Tonight is special as we take time to look back while moving forward. By reflecting on the accomplishments of this year’s Hall of Fame Honorees, we are tracing the threads of leadership that have created the success that is truly brand Michigan. This year’s class features new inductees as well as a few past inductees that laid the foundation and supported MBE firms that remain amongst the nation’s top certified MBEs today. 2021 marks a changing of the guard for the MMSDC, and it is appropriate that we take a moment to recognize the leadership of our outgoing Board Chair Scott Thiele. His consistency and steadfastness in leading our board through one of the most challenging times in our collective history is to be commended. He has been a courageous leader placing the mission of the organization above all else, and we are grateful for his service. Likewise, we are excited to welcome our incoming Chair, Robert Young, the first nonDetroit-based OEM executive to lead our board.
MMSDC President & CEO
Michelle Sourie Robinson
In addition, tonight we look to what’s next with the announcement of our Chairman’s Scholarship recipients. These young people are our future business and STEM leaders and we are pleased to support them in their educational attainment. The question before us now is how we go about building a future that delivers growth, sustainability, and inclusion for all businesses. The MMSDC has spent this year dissecting what it will take to bring revenues of minority-owned businesses to parity with their counterparts. According to our research, released this May, it will take 333 years to attain that goal on our current trajectory all while dealing with these added challenges. Yet, with deliberate and intentional commitment to growth, we can reduce those centuries to just 15 years. By increasing minority spend by just one percent per year, sourcing opportunities through certified MBEs and providing access to capital and scaling that access as businesses grow, we can achieve our goals. There is a lot at stake, and while I realize that the challenges are large, our capacity to affect change is equal to the task. It is appropriate that we take this moment for celebration, recognition, and commemoration. The work continues because of your commitment and concerted actions. Thank you for joining us tonight and please enjoy this amazing celebration of entrepreneurial and corporate excellence! Sincerely, Michelle Sourie Robinson President & CEO
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