August 1, 2011

The mission of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council is to significantly increase business relationships between our corporate members and our certified MBEs. We believe that minority business development is a key component of reducing poverty, unemployment, increasing wealth, and integrating American society. You are receiving this email in order to keep you abreast of developments with the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Supplier Diversity Issues and Minority Business Development. If you like what you read please share internally and externally. GNEMSDC 3rd Quarter Meeting - August 11, 2011 On August 11, the EMC Corporation will host the GNEMSDC Quarterly meeting at their main office located in 55 Constitution Boulevard, Franklin, MA from 1 pm to 5 pm. This meeting will feature opportunities for certified MBEs with EMC one of the largest technology companies in the country. We have a limited number of seats available for MBEs, so if you are interested, please register immediately. Register now! 3rd Quarter Meeting Agenda GNEMSDC Business Opportunity Expo Date Changed! - New Dates October 3 through October 5 The GNEMSDC Expo that was originally planned and advertised for September 26 to September 28 has been changed to Monday October 3 through October 5 at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods. The reason for the change was a number of conflicts on the originally scheduled dates between our show and the Federal Government's Minority Enterprise Development Week program in Washington, DC from September 27 through September 30. Many of our corporate members and certified MBEs attend MED Week either because the Federal Government is often their largest customer and this is the premier Federal government event focusing on supplier diversity. The MED Week event is also an event that the GNEMSDC may have a role in this year. So for these reasons, we have moved the dates. I apologize for any inconvenience this change may have caused. We look forward to seeing you at perhaps both programs now instead of neither. Hotel Reservation Volunteer opportunity available - Contact Volunteer Coordinator BCF Initiates New Direct Loan Program The Business Consortium Fund ("BCF") has initiated a new Direct Lending Program for NMSDC certified MBEs. The new BCF program can provide loans to MBEs in the range of $75,000 to $1,125,000 with the maximum term of any loan being 7 years. The BCF now has the capability to address many of the working capital needs of a MBE with this new loan program, its Loan Guaranty/Participation Program and its Factoring Finance Program. BCF loan pricing will be based on an overall assessment of the MBE and will seek to be competitive with rates offered by banks and other lenders. MBEs seeking a BCF loan should: Be seeking to grow their business to the next level; Have a solid financial condition and credit history (able to explain any credit blemishes); Be near or above break-even the last 3 fiscal years; Be able to clearly demonstrate its ability to pay back the loan. There is a non-refundable $250 application fee for the Direct Lending Program. MBEs must be NMSDC certified and doing business with a NMSDC national or local corporate member to apply. To find out more about the program or to request an application for potential funding, please contact the BCF at 212-243-7360 or at info@bcfcapital.com. You may also download the BCF Financing Programs Application the BCF website at www.bcfcapital.com. BCF Program overview. MBE Announcement - J Kristensen Announces Strategic Alliance At J Kristensen Associates LLC, we are dedicated to providing the best professional services to organizations and individuals in all areas of business development. Therefore, we are proud to announce that we have joined forces with New Haven Consulting Group, Inc. Through this strategic alliance, our two firms combine to form an even more versatile and diverse company that uses our shared extensive experience in the consulting industry to provide the highest quality services to which our clients are so accustomed. Learn more about J Kristensen Associates, LLC MBE of the Week -Johnson Financial Group, LLC Bill Johnson, Owner/Founder of Johnson Financial Group, LLC From his corporate offices on the Cigna campus in Bloomfield, Bill Johnson tells the story of how his financial planning firm, the Johnson Financial Group, came to be. As is often the case, the story of this MBE business owner's journey begins with his father. Read more about Bill Johnson... NMSDC/GNEMSDC Upcoming Events, Activities and Information Please take a close look at the events listed below. The links will take you to detailed information about the events. We will have more information for those events that do not currently have live links, but please mark your calendars and call the office. Events and Activities: NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Fair at Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta Georgia on October 30 - November 2. Information: View NMSDC Quarterly Meeting in Boston pictures on Facebook View 2011 GNEMSDC Supplier Golf Classic pictures on Facebook Ten Tips for Benefiting from the Expanded Economy - Video Links Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 View 2011 Annual Gala pictures on Facebook Over 400 Photos that captured this special event. Copy and download your photos and share with your friends. Capital and Minority Business Capacity Building Summit Video Opportunities with Corporate Members Open position in the procurement organization at United Rentals and five opportunities for contracts with submission dates ranging from August 1 through September 8, 2011 BMMHS Invitation to Bid - State D.O.E Project If you are a corporate member, and want the Council to spread the word about your opportunity we would be happy to do that for you anonymously and for free!

Buy from Other MBEs In 1925 Louis Armstrong while playing dropped his sheet music with the words to the song he was singing. Instead of fumbling for the fallen words, Armstrong started to scat, a form of singing using one syllable sounds like "be", "bop", "de" "da", "bo", etc. And a new form of jazz was created made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and others. Creativity turns lemons into lemonade. Perhaps the most underutilized business driver we have in our network is the potential of MBE to MBE purchasing. While our primary goal of an organization is to link certified MBEs with corporate members, the reality of the long sales cycle, the cut-throat competition for corporate business, shrinking supply bases and globalization make it imperative for MBEs to supplement their corporate sales strategy with something to fill in the down time and excess capacity. In my humble opinion, where ever possible, no certified MBE should buy anything except from another certified MBE. And this does not harm the fragile sensibilities of some large corporate members. Corporate member can participate in this MBE to MBE spend by being suppliers and strategic partners to MBEs selling to other MBEs. The last count of total sales of MBEs located in the GNEMSDC geographical area is over $4 billion. If MBEs could capture just 10 percent of MBE total sales, that would represent an additional $400 million in business. So over the next few weeks, I want to feature the types of businesses and products that MBEs can purchase from each other. If you are interested in selling to other MBEs and BUYING from other MBEs, please let me know and we will provide you the names and contacts of MBEs who can meet your needs. It is long overdue that MBEs spend a little time taking care of themselves and as they grow by supplying this internally sustainable market, they will develop the capacity and expertise to be better global suppliers to Corporate America. Everyone wins. And, we can make some sweet music along the way.

And Finally... Editorial for Diversity Plus Magazine and the Boston Banner July 28, 2011 By Dr. Fred McKinney I am not sure who said it first in public debate, but it holds truer today than ever and that is "everyone is entitled to their opinion, but there is only one set of facts". As I write this editorial, the clock is about to click midnight on the extension of the federal debt limit as Congress fights with itself and the President on this important topic that if left unresolved takes the United States into uncharted territory in the modern age. This flirting with the unknown disaster is likely to be resolved one way or another before this editorial goes to print, but I think it is important for some light to be shed on the debt crisis and the related federal budget crisis. There is also a need to connect the dots between the resolution of these twin problems and what it means for minority business development and the general health of the U.S. and global economy. Read on... In your service, Dr. Fred