December 27, 2010

Jesse Jackson, Sr. To Be GNEMSDC Keynote Speaker at 2011 Gala
	My holiday present came a week early when I learned last Friday evening that Rev. Jesse Jackson accepted my invitation to be the Keynote Speaker at the GNEMSDC Awards Gala on April 28, 2011. Rev. Jackson has been a witness to the evolution of American society from a racially closed and oppressive one to one that has made possible a President Barack Obama. His work in social change has always had an economic focus and continues today in the form of the Rainbow Push Wall Street Project. Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 28, 2011 for what will be one of the most important events in New England in 2011. Visit our website to view Rev. Jackson's full bio.

Sign Up Today for 2011 Annual Sponsorships
	Our work here at the GNEMSDC is not possible without the support of our corporate members and our certified MBEs. We need your support to bring the high quality events and activities whose primary objective is to develop stronger more profitable MBEs. As you can see from today's announcement, 2011 already promises to be an exciting and special year. Annual Sponsors guarantee their participation in our major events and preferred seating and other accommodations. Please consider becoming a 2011 Corporate Annual Sponsor or a 2011 MBE Annual Sponsor, it will help you as well as the Council. For more information the various sponsorship levels, go to www.gnemsdc.org and click on Annual Sponsorships on the home page. Or, you are also welcome to call us at 888-874-7114.

2011 Nominations - It's Time Again
	As we close out the old and bring in the new, it is time for MBEs and corporate members to nominate outstanding MBEs, corporate buyers, supplier diversity advocates, and corporations for award recognitions that will be presented at the 2011 GNEMSDC Awards Gala on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the Aqua Turf in Southington, CT. Each year, at our Annual Awards Banquet, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (GNEMSDC) recognizes those certified minority suppliers (MBEs) who have distinguished themselves and their businesses by: Successfully demonstrating growth in sales and employment while overcoming significant obstacles; Consistently providing high quality products and services at competitive prices and offering innovative approaches and cost saving ideas: Continuously growing MBE to MBE purchases; and Significantly contributing to the growth and development of society and their community. All corporate members are invited to nominate MBEs in each of the following categories: Class 1 MBEs - Annual Sales Less Than $1 million Class 2 MBEs - Annual Sales between $1 million and less than $10 million Class 3 MBEs - Annual Sales between $10 million and less than $50 million Class 4 MBEs - Annual Sales greater than $50 million Reciprocal MBE - MBEs with their primary office outside CT, MA, RI, NH, ME or VT and must be reciprocally certified with GNEMSDC By the end of the first week of 2011 all corporate members will receive a form that should be completed by February 28, 2011 with the names of their nominees. Give the office a call if you have any questions about the appropriate category of your nominees. The important thing is to get your nominees in. MBEs will also be making nominations for the following awards: Advocate of the Year - This Award is presented to a supplier diversity manager/director who has done an outstanding job of assisting MBEs for the benefit of both their employer and the MBE Buyer of the Year - This award is presented to a buyer from our corporate membership that has gone far and beyond the call of duty to assist MBEs with procurement opportunities and feedback MBE Empowerment Award - This award is presented to an MBE who has worked to assist other MBEs Corporation of the Year (National Member) - This award is presented to the corporate member who has demonstrated commitment and has delivered results in the area of minority business procurement and development Corporation of the Year (Local Member) - This award is presented to the corporate member who has demonstrated commitment and has delivered results in the area of minority business procurement and development Certified MBEs will be provided with nomination forms in the first week of 2011 in an email attachment. We are requesting that the nominations by MBEs also be back by February 28, 2011. The staff is here to assist MBEs with any questions they have about the process or the categories. It is appropriate for companies, corporate representatives and MBEs to ask their supporters to consider nominating them for these prestigious awards. Although you cannot nominate yourself, sometimes you have to toot your own horn with a gentle reminder to your friends who you have supported throughout the year.
	Connecticut Lottery Corporation and MBE Participation The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) is a quasi public corporation that sells lottery tickets to the public. Last year the CLC sold more than $900 million in lottery tickets and returned over $250 million to the state of Connecticut. The CLC spends close to $50 million a year on its operations and the marketing and advertising of its games of chance. Last year the CLC spent less than $20,000 with Black, Hispanic and Asian owned companies certified by the State of Connecticut. Academic studies show conclusively that state lotteries are played disproportionately by ethnic and racial minority players and the poor. These and other studies also show that state lotteries are a regressive way to pay for state expenditures because of where the money comes from and for the types of expenditures that are supported by these gambling derived resources. The image above is a billboard that will be on display at two locations in the Greater Hartford area. There are several targeted audiences of this message and several desired outcomes. First the desired audiences: The general public is a targeted consumer of the information in this ad. I do not think many people think about the CLC as a source of taxation that has regressive effects. It is unlikely that states will kill this goose that lays golden eggs, but the public needs to be aware of where the money from the lottery comes from and where it goes. The minority community is also a targeted consumer of this information. Urban communities in Connecticut are some of the lowest income urban areas in the country. Any activity that extracts resources out of these communities that could have gone to economic development is something that needs to be addressed. Governor Elect Dan Malloy is also someone who needs to be aware of the connection between the lottery, minority community savings and capital formation and MBE spend. The General Assembly is targeted to view this information, because our elected officials are responsible for the use of the money the CLC provides the state. MBEs are a targeted audience for this ad, because I want you to spend some time calling the CLC and asking to be included in bid opportunities. The CLC should be inundated with your calls. And the CLC is the primary targeted audience this campaign is attempting to reach. And make no mistake, this is not simply an attempt to publicly embarrass the CLC. This effort is designed to bring about measurable and sustainable change in the utilization of MBEs by this quasi public institution. The desired outcomes are the following: The utilization of MBEs at rates commensurate with the percentage of money ethnic and racial minorities play these games. A change in the leadership of the CLC to reflect the minority business interests in the state of Connecticut The creation of line item in the state budget for minority business development that utilizes funds generated by the CLC. We will see in coming weeks, if not days, if the CLC gets the message that the status quo is not acceptable.

And Finally,

This week I went back to look at my New Year's resolution from last year. I have decided that I did not do so well. I resolved to be more tolerant of the opinions of others. I am, except for opinions that do not make any sense. But I guess I should show some respect for the person with the ignorant opinion even if I do not respect the opinion. As you can see, I am still struggling with this. But as I work on this, this year I resolve to delegate more and do more by doing less. Perhaps the most influential book I read this year was the Four Hour Work Week. If I am ever to get to a better work life balance, I have to be more efficient in my use of time and energy. This does not mean that I want to serve you less. Nor am I under the delusion that I can work four hours a week. But I am committed to working smarter and getting more accomplished personally and professionally in 2011. What is your New Year's resolution? In your service Dr. Fred