MMSDC Gazette March Issue

A WELCOME FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO

CONTENTS BUSINESS FUNDING & RESOURCES Providing you with the resources, information and tools necessary for business development and success.

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MAGNIFY MASTERMIND Celebrating the 2020-2021 inaugural class of this program that, in partnership with EY, is designed to accelerate the growth of Black and Latina women entrepreneurs.

MMSDC DREAM TEAM At the MMSDC, and Detroit MBDA and AMP Centers, we like to say that we have built the “MMSDC Dream Team”, who drive the programs that lead to the progression of our constituents.

WOMEN’S FIRSTS Take a visual journey through women’s impact in American HERstory

PRESIDENT’S CORNER The future is female! Let’s explore the real economic heft behind this statement.

CORPORATE & MBE SPOTLIGHT

POWERED BY

Recognizing Corporate members and MBE women in honor of Women’s History Month

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Thank you to everyone that continues to play a role in driving our shared mission of minority supplier development. Without you, none of this would be possible.

2021 SIGNATURE EVENTS MMSDC’s Signature Events programming showcases our commitment to delivering value, innovation and delight to our customers.

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BUSINESS FUNDING & RESOURCES FUNDING RESOURCES FOR M/WMBES THE EILEEN FISHER GRANT PROGRAM As of 2020, the Eileen Fisher Grant Program’s sole focus is its Supporting Women in Environmental Justice, a grant program that provides support to women taking action for environmental justice. Beginning in 2019, the Supporting Women in Environmental Justice Grant awarded $200,000 annually in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $40,000. This year, the grant committee will accept applications from April 1 through April 30, 2020.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

THE GIRLBOSS FOUNDATION GRANT In 2014, Girlboss launched a bi-annual grant, awarding winners $15,000 in project funding, as well as the added bonus of exposure through the Girlboss platform and newly launched community. Meet the most recent Girlboss Foundation Grant winner, LULAH, here.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

THE HALSTEAD GRANT The Halstead Grant is especially for the women who are in love with the jewelry and have plans to start a business in the same field. The grants awarded by this program are in large numbers.

Every year a winner who is selected will be receiving $7500 and another $1000 in supplies. The program also offers other perks for these minority women.

The finalists will be receiving $250 for the top ten placements and $500 for the top-five placements.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

FLUIDREVIEW Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund Overview With the generous support of MEDC, Michigan-based foundations, corporate partners, individual donors, and in collaboration with the SBA, the Michigan Entrepreneur Resilience Fund has secured funds to provide recovery grants and loans to diverse entrepreneurs and small businesses from underrepresented groups in Michigan.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

THE AMBER GRANT FOR WOMEN WomensNet awards one winner with $10,000 each month of the year, and one of those 12 monthly winners will receive an additional $25,000 by the end of the year. The grant has been awarding women with entrepreneurial dreams since first launching in 1998.

The Amber Grant was created to help minority women achieve their dreams to start entrepreneurship. This was an initiative by the government in which every month a winner is selected and given $500. At the end of the year, one of the twelve monthly winners will be given $1000.

These enhanced grants for minority women enabled them to get their lucky angels in the form of investors and mentors. The lucky part is that you don’t need any form of capital. The application only demands an introduction of the idea you have in your mind.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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CONGRATULATIONS TO DETROIT VOLTAGE; WINNER OF THE $20,000 SIEMENS GRANT. In a partnership with Siemens and the Minority Business Development Agency, the Detroit MBDA Center was asked to identify MBEs in the Detroit area specializing in manufacturing, logistics, electrical, and infrastructure to compete for a $20,000 grant. Siemens developed this opportunity to provide resources necessary to empower MBEs to qualify for contract opportunities with them. The competition was open to 7 major metropolitan cities including Detroit, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, New York, Orlando and Pasadena.

APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

DEENA NEELY

Detroit Voltage, owned by Deena Neely, was one of 7 recipients chosen by Siemens to receive the grant to help support the growth and sustainability of the company. In addition to getting the opportunity to work on Siemens projects, when asked what being a grant recipient meant to her business, Ms. Neely responded, “It means everything to me, I will now be able to hire some administrative support/ project manager which will ultimately help to grow and scale my business.”

MMSDC, Detroit MBDA Center and Advanced Manufacturing Center thank the Siemens team for this tremendous opportunity!

MMSDC supports NMSDC’s commitment to support future leaders through a uniquely designed year-long program for the next generation of minority entrepreneurs ages 19-35.

The Emerging Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) program was created to support a commitment by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) to advance business opportunities for certified and non-certified minority business enterprises, and connect them to corporate members.

Through this program, NMSDC will provide pathways to certification, along with a highly interactive virtual learning experience with business development workshops and education courses taught by some of the world’s most sought after thought leaders, business professionals and university professors that are personally invested in the growth and expansion of each EYE cohort participant.

The EYE program will focus on the following Key Objectives:

SEE MORE ABOUT DEENA NEELY:

Learn the five key areas of operating a successful business.

Develop strategies to anticipate the needs of organizations and build innovative solutions.

Receive professional development and access to business leaders and corporate executives.

Gain knowledge to supply chain processes and the benefits of building those relationships.

Apply by March 12, 2021 for this free program.

Apply Now

Accelerating the Growth of Black and Latina Entrepreneurs

CONNECT – BUILD – GROW Minority women entrepreneurs face barriers to business growth distinct from their counterparts and deserve a program that centers their unique experiences.

Magnify Mastermind provides Latina and Black women business owners with the best-in-class tools necessary for advancement in business, regardless of industry. Participants gain the infrastructure, community, development, and support to scale their businesses.

Participants meet monthly for a onehour Master class and are curated into dynamic peer learning groups. Peer groups meet weekly for 6 months to discuss challenges, devise solutions, and gain resources and insight to drive market leadership and growth.

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WHAT ARE THE PROGRAM BENEFITS? • An instant support network of valuable connections with a sense of shared endeavor • Direct access to the top subject matter experts for programs like EY Velocity 7 Drivers for Growth • Constructive brainstorming sessions leading to fresh ideas and business solutions • Confidence that you are taking the right actions to achie ve your goals • Accountability and real progress in your business

WHO CAN JOIN THE PROGRAM? Latina and Black women entrepreneurs based in the United States, in business 2–10 years and grossing at least $2M in annual revenue. Larger M/WBEs grossing $5–20M annually may apply to serve as Group Leaders.

Please note that the (5) Millennial participants (ages 25–39) do NOT have to meet requirements for minimum revenue or years in business.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? Visit our site to learn more & apply for the upcoming session.

APPLY NOW

Capacity is limited to 25 women per group. Each group is then curated into 5 peer groups with 5 members each, including at least one millennial participant. Participants will pay only $200 for the six-month program. Note that comparable programs start at $995.

Questions? Please contact Dorthy Huddleston, CBSP – Program Manager Dhuddleston@detroitmbdabusinesscenter.com / 313.873.3202

Congratulations to Magnify Mastermind’s Inaugural Cohort Graduating in May 2021!

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JOHNTE ARCHERADOTAMA J. Archer Insurance Group, LLC

STEPHANIE BURNLEY Devon Industrial Group

TERRA CARTER ORB Girls Enterprises

EUNICE COFIE-OBENG Nuekie

JASMINE CURTIS Avocurl

CHANEL DAVIS Davis Davis & Harmon, LLC

DENISE EVERETT Global Technology Associates, LTD

COURTNEY HOFMANN MCM Staffing

SHAZA IBRAHIM Mind the GAHP

TOWAN ISOM Isom Global Strategies (IGS)

HAITH JOHNSON Le’Host Hair & Wigs

W. ANDRELLA KENNER CI² Aviation Inc.

JASMINE LAWRENCE EDEN BodyWorks

LASENTA LEWIS-ELLIS LLE Construction Group, LLC

NIEVES LONGORDO Disenos Ornamental Iron

MONICA MALDONADO Fuentes Enterprises DBA IPCOMM

LESLIE MCNEAL McNeal Professional Services, Inc.

JACQUELINE MUNSONGAINES JMG Connects

YVETTE ROBINSON Robinson General Contractors

TANYA SALDIVAR-ALI AGI Construction, LLC

COURTNEY SANDERS CLS Training International

PAULINA SANDOVAL Assured Quality Systems, LLC (AQS)

BRITTANY STOVALL Assured Quality Systems, LLC (AQS)

ARTURA TAYLOR Taylor Distribution Group, LLC

MARIA VALDES Strategic Solutions Cleaning Services

Special Thanks to Theresa Harrison, Director at EY THERESA HARRISON Director EY

THANK YOU to Magnify’s Group Facilitator and Leaders!

TRACEY GRACE President & CEO IBEX IT Business Experts, LLC

TERESA LAWRENCE President & Owner Delta Personnel

VICKIE LEWIS President & CEO VMX International

BETTY MANETTA President & CEO Argent Associates, Inc

AVIS YATES CEO Technology Concepts Group Intl, LLC

DEE MARSHALL Facilitator CEO Diverse & Engaged

This March, we recognize Women’s History Month by highlighting the amazing cohort of women graduating Magnify Mastermind. Participants discussed technology, people, operations, financing, transactions, and risk. So invested in their growth, the cohort requested bonus programming sessions on Saturdays to create 12 Week Year Work Plans, and to learn about 8(a) Certification, PPP Resources, and Workforce Development resources. In addition, participants received access to grants and loans, pitch competitions, and the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Program. They also attended the coveted invitation only EY Strategic Growth Forum Conference.

Thank you to our sponsor, EY Velocity, for Magnify Mastermind. For over 30 years, EY teams have worked alongside many of the world’s most ambitious entrepreneurs to help them accelerate their journey to market leadership. Having learned a great deal from their successes and failures, EY distilled these insights to create the EY 7 Drivers of Growth, a tested and trusted framework that helps participants unlock their full potential and realize their ambition faster.

UPCOMING DATES

• TBD – Open Enrollment closes for Magnify Mastermind Cohort #2 • May 6 at 8:30am – Watch the Magnify Mastermind Graduation at MMPC 2021

SIGN UP NOW TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE NEXT COHORT

FEATURED PROGRAMS DID YOU KNOW? The MMSDC team is as diverse as the constituency we serve.

We are proud to feature a wide variety of ethnicities, backgrounds, educations, certifications, and areas of expertise!

SO, WHAT'S THE DEAL? At the MMSDC and Detroit MBDA & AMP Centers, we like to say that we have built the "MMSDC Dream Team"!

In our effort to do so, we have curated our employees and placed them into their roles based on their diverse backgrounds, strengths, and passions, and we have given them the room to grow and make an indelible impact on our consistuency.

INTRODUCING OUR PROGRAMS Nowadays, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't experienced some sort of disruption to their normal workplace environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With workplaces world wide shutting down and observing social distancing, we think it is important to recognize that our constituents may not have as many opportunities to meet our staff and learn about their service offerings, areas of expertise, and the programs that they lead and/or serve upon.

Each edition, we will feature selected staff member(s) so you can learn about the programs that they have helped to create, lead, and serve upon. In addition to that, we will include information about their other service offerings, notable achievements with the MMSDC, and why we consider them to be part of our MMSDC Dream Team!

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Nearly 40 percent of employers say they cannot find people with the skills they need, even for entry-level jobs. Roughly 60 percent complain of a lack of preparation, even for entry-level jobs. Therefore, this “skills gap” represents a substantial pool of untapped talent.

Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council’s Workforce Development Campaign for Inclusive has partnered with the local universities and community colleges, supportive wraparound service providers and the Michigan Works! Agencies across the state to support minority businesses with their workforce development needs. Recognizing that COVID-19 made our work more important than ever we created innovative ways to address the workforce needs for our MBE companies.

The workforce development campaign for Inclusive Growth team provides support with the following resources such as Community Ventures Program – an innovative economic development initiative that promotes employment and social enterprise in the state’s most distressed urban areas.

Going PRO Talent Fund Program – Provides funds to companies for short-term in-demand training, for companies of all sizes. The training is not limited to “skilled Trade” occupations.

On The Job Training (OJT) – Reimburse employers for the costs associated with training new employees which are usually calculated at up to half the pay rate for the agreed-upon training period.

Fidelity Bonding – The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) offers free-of-charge Fidelity Bonding to help high-risk job seekers obtain employment. This is a business insurance policy of the Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit – This is a federal credit available to private-for-profit employers who hire from specific targeted groups of people that have in the past experienced difficulty insuring employment in the past.

To learn about these programs and much more please join us for the upcoming webinars for April 12, May 10th, June 14th, July 26, August 23rd, September 20th, October 11th, November 8th, and December 13th.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR WEBINARS

Magnify Mastermind provides Latina and Black women business owners with the best-in-class tools necessary for advancement in business, regardless of industry. Participants gain the infrastructure, community, development, and support to scale their businesses.

DREAM TEAM

PIVOT QUEEN ALIAS: Dorthy Huddleston SECRET IDENTITY: Certified Business Solution Professional (CBSP) SUPER POWERS: Project Management, Business Development Consultant, and Magnify Mastermind Women's Program Lead SPECIAL SKILLS: Multi-tasking, thinking outside of the box, and creating solutions that maximize resources and minimize start up time and program costs

SUPER HERO STATS $3.2M+

Workforce Development Grants that go directly to MBE firms

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1st Cohort Magnify Mastermind Graduates

100+

Veterans & Formerly Incarcerated Individuals assisted with work opportunities

1st

ever Virtual MMSDC Career Fair

$999k+

Community Venture Awards

Triple Threat Talent: Project Manager Business Dev. Consultant Magnify Mastermind Program Lead

WOMEN’S FIR July 19-20, 1848

June 10, 1963

1979

In the first women’s rights convention organized by women, the Seneca Falls Convention is held in New York, sparking decades of activism, eventually leading to the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

President John F. Kennedy signs into law the Equal Pay Act, prohibiting sex-based wage discrimination between men and women performing the same job in the same workplace.

Sheila Starghile named as the MMSDC’s first woman CEO.

January 23, 1849

Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to graduate from medical school and become a fully accredited doctor in the United States.

Born in Bristol, England, she graduated from Geneva College in New York with the highest grades in her entire class.

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1964

American railroad finance expert Isabel Benham becomes the first female partner at any Wall Street bond house.

RSTS 1975

Chinese-born Chien-Shiung Wu, trailblazing nuclear physicist also known as the “first lady of physics” became the first female president of the American Physical Society.

August 8, 2009

2019

Sonya Sotomayor was nominated by President Barack Obama and became the first Latina member of the Supreme Court.

Rashida Tlaib makes history as the first Muslim woman in Congress, serving as U.S. Representative for Michigan's 13th congressional district.

January 20, 2021

2003 2009

Media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey becomes the first black woman billionaire.

Ursula Burns - First Black Woman to Run A Fortune 500 Company, serving as CEO of Xerox 2009 – 2016.

Kamala Harris is sworn in as the first woman and first woman of color Vice President of the United States. "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," Harris said after getting elected in November.

PRESI

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IDENT’S CORNER The future is female! More than just a slogan on a t-shirt, this statement packs real economic heft.

In fact, results from S&P Global’s research Women, Work and Wealth posits that the world’s financial future is female. The 2019 study projected that an increase in American female labor force participation alone could add $5.87 trillion to global market capitalization over the next 10 years. As we know, 2020 created seismic shifts in such progress, which negatively impacted women in the workplace as well as women entrepreneurs. We must all take steps to ensure prior progress is not fully eroded because we all win when women win.

According to Boston Consulting Group women control $72 trillion worldwide of the world’s investible wealth and 77 percent of women business owners expect their business to survive through the COVID-19 pandemic. Women are transforming our economy so rest assured that our organization is poised to provide them the tools and resources necessary for success.

Does that mean MBE businesses owned by men no longer matter?

Absolutely not. We firmly believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. Whether a particular MBE program is focused on a specific gender, race or ethnicity, we firmly believe all MBEs ultimately benefit when we drive great programming and uphold our certification standards for all.

So, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, I hope you will join the global campaign Choose to Challenge (#choosetochallenge) and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world because with challenge comes change, and that truly benefits us all.

Warmest Regards, Michelle

CORPORATE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

SHERRY DICCION SENIOR MANAGER OF GLOBAL SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

JACQUELYN (JACKIE) JACKSON ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

Sherry Diccion is responsible for Adient’s diverse supplier portfolio worldwide, which averages more than $1 billion in diverse spending annually. She has helped position Adient to receive numerous awards and recognition for its supplier diversity achievements, including the 2020 Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) Corporation of the Year, and many others. In addition to Adient being recognized, Sherry has won numerous awards and recognitions for her efforts in supplier diversity.

Jackie Jackson’s responsibility at Walbridge is to provide assistance for the inclusion of diverse subcontractors and suppliers.

Walbridge is a privately held construction firm that specializes in construction management, designbuild, general contracting and related services for customers in a broad range of fields including automotive, aviation, commercial, education, industrial manufacturing, and others.

Jackie is also an active Corporate member who participates in several committees and serves on the Board of Directors for the MMSDC. She is also active with other councils and chambers of commerce.

CARLA HENDON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY DIRECTOR

BRENDA MARSHALL PRINCIPAL OF GLOBAL DIVERSITY SOLUTIONS

POWERED BY

Carla Hendon has over 30 years of experience as a Supply Chain professional. Since 2009, Carla has been devoted to developing and sustaining an indirect procurement organization that is indispensable to Meijer. This has involved leading two procurement organization restructures, including a March 2017 launch of SAP Ariba, a transformation of supplier management practices, best in class procurement and sourcing processes, and the on-going focus of growing and sustaining talent. As a result of these efforts, Carla’s team is relied upon for sourcing 80% of the company’s indirect spend.

Brenda Marshall is responsible for developing strategies, designing processes, and building alliances that support the overall strategic direction for Supplier Diversity & Inclusion at Kelly Services. Brenda joined Kelly in 1997 and brings over 23 years of business leadership, management, and consulting experience in workforce strategies, with 19 years as a diversity specialist. Brenda is president of the Board for Diversity Information Resources and the Council of Supplier Diversity Professionals. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, and Blended Collective Multi-Cultural Advisory Board.

TAMMI HART SENIOR PURCHASING MANAGER, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY Tammi Hart serves as the Senior Purchasing Manager, Supplier Diversity, Global Conflict Minerals and Supplier Financial Risk Management for Federal-Mogul Powertrain (A Tenneco Group Company). As Senior Purchasing Manager Tammi is responsible for educating, engaging, assisting, and advocating for underrepresented vendor groups. Tammi has been advocating for underrepresented vendor groups since her introduction to Supplier Diversity in 2006. Tammi’s dedication to the inclusion of underrepresented vendor groups in automotive and state government supply chains has resulted in recognition by customer’s, and advocacy organizations.

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MBE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

LAURA HOPSON PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Laura Hopson is the President and CEO of EM Services, LLC. As a minority business owner, she is excited to embrace the true meaning of minority business development. Laura brings to the Michigan business community nearly 30 years of expertise stretching across manufacturing, sales, marketing, and management.

Professionally, her focus on transforming brands, marketing, and people, have resulted in a number of great accomplishments over her career. Her background includes various positions at Herman Miller, VanerumStelter, Steelcase and Kentwood Office Furniture.

HAITH L. JOHNSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

FOUNDER, CHAIR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rush Group specializes in largescale component manufacturing, complex assembly and sequencing, supply chain management, logistics and land transportation for global brands, and employs 3,000 team members. It is one of the largest Native American-owned and womanowned enterprises in the U.S. Rush’s mission is to create profitable and sustainable career opportunities in underrepresented communities across the U.S. and Canada, including Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Ontario.

The heart of Haith can be found at the core of her successful business and brand, Le’ Host. She has a fiery passion, electric persona and roar to fight and advocate for “women.”

Le’ Host Hair & Wig hair care product line was developed and is a perfect solution for retail outlets and big box stores. Currently in Meijer, a large retail store, there are expansion plans to land into other retail stores.

Andra Rush is founder, chair and CEO of the Rush Group of Companies, including Dakkota Integrated Systems, Rush Trucking Corporation and Rush Supply Chain Management.

ANDRA RUSH

Haith L. Johnson is CEO of Le’ Host, LLC. With over 35 years of proven experience in the beauty industry and one of the most sought-after celebrity cosmetologists in the country, her handprint has shown up in movies, award shows, videos and on billboards and across other media streams.

ASHLEY M. WILLIAMS FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ashley M. Williams is the founder and CEO of RIZZARR, a tech-enabled content marketplace in which brands can find and work with Millennial and Gen Z content creators from around the world. Ashley is the leading Millennial and Gen Z content marketing strategist, spokesperson, consultant, and global speaker for brands that want to reach younger generations — helping brands to create the right content, craft the right messages, and produce transformational experiences. She is excited to use her love of journalism, social media, and live experiences to inform and inspire Millennials and Gen Z.

CHRISTIE WONG BARRETT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Ms. Wong Barrett is the Chief Executive Officer of MacArthur Corporation, a manufacturing company headquartered in Michigan with operations in the U.S., China, Mexico and Poland. MacArthur is a world class manufacturer of innovative labels, tags, decals and functional film components for automotive, mobility, electronics, health technology, industrial and consumer goods sectors. For over 50 years, MacArthur Corporation (www.macarthurcorp.com) has engineered flexible solutions for some of the largest global brands. MacArthur Corporation is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), and a certified Women Owned Small Business (WOSB).

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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May 4 - 6, 2021 A Fully Immersive Virtual Conference

REGISTER NOW

SIGNATUREE MMSDC GOLF TOURNAMENT INVITATIONAL JULY 26, 2021 OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

MICHIGAN MINORITY PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE MAY 4, 2021 – MAY 6, 2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE The Michigan Minority Procurement Conference (MMPC), annually attended by thousands, is a three-tiered, fully virtual summit providing attendees access to all the components of our traditional conference and tradeshow, via the integration of a variety of tech platforms.

The 3-day conference features live and on-demand speakers and discussions including the Innovation Summit, Dealmaker Sessions, Meet the Candidate series, in addition to dynamic keynote speakers, professional development, a virtual trade show, marketplace, and more. We look forward to you joining us virtually on May 4th, 5th and 6th for this year’s MMPC!

REGISTER NOW

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Join us on Monday, July 26, 2021, for our annual golf outing at Oakland University’s prestigious R&S Sharf and Katke-Cousins Golf Courses, located in Rochester, Michigan. This year’s event continues our strong legacy of connecting our members, supporters, and guests for a fun-filled day of golf while making valuable business connections.

There’s something for everyone! Whether you’re a scratch or avid golfer, play a round or two each season or are new to golf, you can enjoy a four-ball format using your handicap or play in a traditional scramble with a foursome of your choosing.

The event proceeds support our efforts in minority supplier development as we develop programs for MBEs and corporate members alike.

EVENTS 2021

ACE AWARDS & CHAIRMAN’S SCHOLARSHIP GALA FALL/WINTER 2021 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021 The 2021 ACE Awards and Chairman’s Scholarship Gala will join forces this year to celebrate both Ambassadors Championing Excellence in supplier diversity, and the scholars representing the future of a continued harmonious business relationship between corporate and minority enterprises.

ONE MMSDC SEPTEMBER 2021 TBD ONE MMSDC is designed to assist corporate personnel and community stakeholders in learning the keys to building sustainable minority supplier development programming.

This event works to explain the value and impact that supplier diversity has on its community. The intended goal is to connect-the-dots and explain how working together can assist communities with the greatest needs. The program also ensures that our constituency is aware and knowledgeable of current and future initiatives supporting sustainable MBE growth and scale opportunities.

The event is tentatively scheduled for September 2021, however, in the coming months, please be on the lookout for the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council to announce the official date, time and location of 2021 ONE MMSDC. We look forward to seeing you there!

As we look toward the future, strong partnerships remain a pillar in our shared success as a community.

As such, the MMSDC is dedicated to helping the economic growth of minority business enterprises (MBEs) through the facilitation of successful business partnerships with multinational corporations. This commitment is directly in-line with the spirit of the ACE Awards and the Chairman’s Scholarship Gala, which continue to act as force multipliers for disruptors and change agents relentlessly raising the bar within supplier diversity.

So please join us this year for a very special event, as we celebrate our supplier diversity champions and future scholars, while also saying thank you to our outgoing Board Chair and welcoming our incoming Chair with the ceremonial Passing of the Gavel.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES STILL AVAILABLE! If you’re interested in becoming a Sponsor of the MMSDC Gazette, please contact Biko Smith at eventcoordinator@minoritysupplier.org for all your sponsorship inquires and requests.

“D.E.S.I.G.N. SERIES HIGHLIGHTS” SPONSOR

“NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS & CERTIFIED MBES SPOTLIGHT”SPONSOR

1 AVAILABLE/MONTH

2 AVAILABLE/MONTH

A monthly message from our President & CEO, Michelle Sourie Robinson highlighting the most significant news and information. This section may also include best practices and other features from Chief Procurement Officers, as well as programming updates from grant sources like MBDA and private foundations with growth programs. Finally, this section may include tools and tips for Corporate Members and MBEs, new initiatives, industry highlights, etc.

A dedicated section highlighting new MBEs and Corporate members. This section may also include success stories or accomplishments in the growth and development of MBEs, etc. In addition, RFPs and other sourcing and Matchmaker365 opportunities may be included.

Sponsorship Amount: $1,750/month OR $17,500 for 1 Year exclusivity for all of 2021 you will get: • Section will acknowledge sponsor(s) - for example: “...brought to you by XYZ Sponsor” dedicated section of Eblast • Sponsor recognition (LOGO) will also be included on our website

Sponsorship Amount: $1,000/month OR $10,000 for 1 Year of section Sponsorship rights for all of 2021 • Section will acknowledge sponsor(s) - for example: “...brought to you by XYZ Sponsor” dedicated section of Eblast • Sponsor recognition (LOGO) will also be included on our website