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.
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2013 GNEMSDC 1st Quarterly Meeting
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The first Quarterly Meeting of the year is on Tuesday, February 19, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at City Hall Annex, 999 State Street, Bridgeport, CT
We are inviting buyers and leaders from some of Fairfield County's largest public and private sector buying organizations. We will also conduct a tour of our brand new offices at 333 State Street, right across the street from City Hall.
Please note: There is a public parking garage directly across the street from our office here at 333 State Street. This garage does not take credit cards, it is cash only. Street parking is also available.
Please do not park in Housatonic's parking garage because they are very strict and they tow unmarked cars.
To RSVP contact Jerilynn Clarke at 203-288-9744 or jclarke @gnemsdc.org
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| It's Time to Make Your Corporate Awards Nominations! |
If you are a GNEMSDC-certified MBE and you want to acknowledge the outstanding efforts a Corporate member (and their staff) who have exhibited outstanding efforts in developing business opportunities within their companies for council-certified MBEs, now is the time. The winners of these prestigious awards will be announced at our Annual Awards Banquet on Thursday April 25, 2013 at the Sheraton Framingham, Framingham, Massachusetts.
We want to make sure the entire network of certified MBEs and Corporate members participate in this important process. The Council staff does not select the nominees or the winners. Please participate. Self nominations are also accepted. We only ask that if you self nominate, please have a nominator ready to support your nomination. Self nomination is appropriate for both MBE and corporate members. Here's everything you need to know to make your nominations:
The awards open for MBE nominations are:
- Corporation of the Year (NMSDC National Member)
- Corporation of the Year (GNEMSDC Regional/Local Member)
- (Corporate) Buyer of the Year
- (Corporate) Advocate of the Year
- MBE Empowerment Award
Who is eligible for a nomination?
Only active GNEMSDC Corporate Members (and their staff) are eligible for nomination.
What MBEs must do to submit a nomination:
- Complete one Award Nomination form for each nomination
- Write a Letter of Recommendation on your company's letterhead for each nomination
- Submit both your Award Nomination form and Letter of Recommendation for each nominee by email to Gary Stiffler, MBE Input Committee Chair (gstiffler@thematletgroup.com) no later than 5 pm EST, Thursday, Feb 15. Late submissions will not be included in the selection process.
The selection of a winner in each category will be made by the GNEMSDC MBE Input Committee (MBEIC)
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| Requesting Supplier of the Year Nominations! |
It is time for corporate members to nominate outstanding MBEs for award recognition that will be presented at the 2013 GNEMSDC Awards Gala on April 25, 2013 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center, Framingham MA.
Each year, at our Annual Awards Gala, 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.
Greater New England MSDC is 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 head quarters outside CT, MA, RI, NH, ME or VT and must be reciprocally certified with GNEMSDC
Nominations received after Friday, February 15, 2013 will not be accepted and will be returned to the sender unopened, there will be no exceptions.
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| Welcome to Our New Corporate Members |
On behalf of the board and the entire GNEMSDC family, we are pleased to welcome four new Corporate Members:
Masspot: Whether you are flying for business or pleasure, connecting with friends, family or clients, shipping products cross-country or across the globe, or simply commuting to work each morning, Massport is here to serve you.
Over the past decade, Massport and its transportation partners have invested more than $4 billion to improve and modernize our facilities and equip them with the latest time-saving and customer service amenities to give you a safe, comfortable and convenient travel experience whatever your transportation needs. Read more...
Prince Lobel: Prince Lobel Tye LLP is a midsized, full-service law firm located in downtown Boston. Founded in 1988 with about five lawyers, we are now home to 60 lawyers, many of whom previously practiced at some of the largest, most well-known Boston law firms. Our attorneys have chosen Prince Lobel because of the firm's ongoing and steadfast commitment to providing clients with value and unwavering service and support. Read more...
 Associated Construction Company: Associated Construction is an old line firm based out of Hartford CT providing top shelf Design / Build services and Construction Management services since 1942. The success of your project requires a construction team leader who will assure that your goals are met. Associated's close working team tailors our comprehensive range of services to your needs, providing you with budget development, design monitoring, value engineering, computerized cost control and construction supervision. Read more...
City of Boston: Boston, first incorporated as a town in 1630, and as a city in 1822, is one of America's oldest cities, with a rich economic and social history. What began as a homesteading community eventually evolved into a center for social and political change. Boston has since become the economic and cultural hub of New England.
As the region's hub, Boston is home to over 617,000 residents, many institutions of higher education, some of the world's finest inpatient hospitals, and numerous cultural and professional sports organizations. Boston-based jobs, primarily within the finance, health care, educational, and service areas, numbered nearly 660,000 in 2002. Millions of people visit Boston to take in its historic neighborhoods, attend cultural or sporting events, and conduct business.
We encourage our MBEs and corporate members to visit their websites to learn more about our new members.
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Special hotel rate available now for 2013 Awards Gala
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 Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, in Framingham is offering a special rate for those who wish to stay overnight for the Awards Gala.
Registration and invitation to follow.
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| The University of Hartford Entrepreneurial Center is hosting a free series:
Learn to Promote Your Business through Social Media
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 All programs will be held at: Butterworth Hall 1265 Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT
Power of Email Marketing Tuesday, February 12, 2013 (Storm date: 2/19/13) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Master email communications with this comprehensive look at best practices and winning strategies for getting and keeping quality subscribers, increasing deliverability and open rates, writing good headlines and content, saving time, getting readers to take action, and more! Register here
Getting Started with Constant Contact
Tuesday, February 26, 2013 (Storm date: 3/5/13) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Constant Contact's Email Marketing tool makes it easy for you to stay in touch with the people who matter to your business and stay top-of-mind by providing meaningful content. In this demo you will learn how to easily build an email marketing campaign, branding it to your business, and publishing it your social networks. Register here. |
Attend a
US Small Business Administration & Boston MBDA Business Center Training Session
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Date: February 14, Time: 10:00 am - 11:15 am
Place: SBA, 10 Causeway Street, Room 265, Boston, MA 02222
Federal Contract Certifications:
Small business certifications are like professional certifications; they document a special capability or status that will help you compete in the marketplace. Unlike permits and licenses, you do not need to obtain certifications to legally operate. However, in order to take advantage of business opportunities, such as government contracts, you may need to obtain some certifications. Learn about these certifications: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women Owned Small Business, Veteran and Service Disabled, 8(a) Business Development Program, and HUBZone Program.
For reservations, contact Sarah James at 617-578-8900 or sjames@gnemsdc.org by February 8th.
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| Attend a US Small Business Administration & Boston MBDA Business Center Training Session |
Date: February 28, Time: 10:00am - 11:15am
Place: SBA, 10 Causeway Street, Room 265, Boston, MA 02222
8(a) Workshop The 8(a) Program is intended for business development purposes to help socially and economically disadvantaged business owners grow their businesses, gain a preference for federal contracts, and access sole source contracts
Join us and learn:
* Certification requirements * Program benefits * Application procedures
For reservations, contact Sarah James at 617-578-8900 or sjames@gnemsdc.org by February 22nd.
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Save the Date: MBE Capital Summit
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 Date: March 14th, 2013 1:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Eastern Bank 195 Market St Lynn, MA
The GNEMSDC 3rd Annual MBE Capital Summit is hosted by Eastern Bank on March 14th starting at 1pm. This year our Keynote speaker will be John W. Rogers, Jr. Chairman, CEO & Chief Investment Officer at Ariel Investments, Chicago IL.
John W. Rogers, Jr. started Ariel in 1983 at age 24. His original business plan was elegantly simple - buy undervalued small and medium-sized stocks with a proven ability to grow over the long-term, and hold them until they reach full value. The seeds of this philosophy were planted at age 12 when John started to receive gifts of stock from his father on Christmas. Initially unimpressed by the envelopes under the tree - until the dividend checks started coming in - John's fascination with stocks and investing was born. When he launched Ariel, he started a newsletter as a way to advertise his young firm. It was called The Patient Investor, and its masthead featured a turtle.
Much has changed since those early days, yet much has stayed the same. More than 29 years later, we still spend every day searching for undervalued stocks that have demonstrated an ability to grow. Our quarterly report to our shareholders is called The Patient Investor, the masthead turtle is now the firm logo and "slow and steady wins the race, the timeless lesson from Aesop's fable, is our motto.
From our host organization, opening remarks will be made by Bob Rivers, President & Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Bank and a presentation by Charles M. Smith, Vice President, SBA Specialist Business Banking at Eastern Bank.
Eastern Bank understands how vital small businesses are to helping our local economy grow and flourish. We also know that securing capital is one of the biggest challenges for early stage businesses. Our commitment to SBA lending has helped us earn the distinction as the #1 SBA lender in Massachusetts for four consecutive years. In addition, Eastern Bank was also named the #1 SBA lender in New England for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
"Eastern Bank is focused on helping businesses and consumers succeed - that's our role in the market and it should be the role of every bank" said Richard Holbrook, Chariman and CEO of Eastern Bank.
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Upcoming Events
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There are several events coming up on our calendar that are designed specifically for MBEs to learn about corporate opportunities. We know how busy everyone's schedule is, but these are events often hosted by our corporate members with the expressed purpose of finding out more about you and your business with the ultimate aim, to make you a valuable supplier to their companies. Here are some events you should consider:
- February 11 - MBE Orientation CT - Open to any MBE but specifically designed for any MBE certified in the last 12 months. Please rsvp to jlittle-greer@gnemsdc.org
- February 14 - SBA & Boston MBDA Business Center Federal Contract Certifications Workshop
- February 19 - 1st GNEMSDC Quarterly Meeting - City Hall Annex 999 State Street, Bridgeport, CT 1:00 - 4:00 PM
- February 28 - SBA & Boston MBDA Business Center 8(a) Workshop
- March 11-14 - National RES Expo (Las Vegas)
- March 14th -MBE Capital Summit, Eastern Bank 195 Market Street Lynn, MA 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
- March 19 - Business Finance and Accounting Basics- 3/19 at the Central Library in Copley Square, 6-8pm, co-sponsored by the Kirstein Business Library
- March 21 - Getting Started in Business- 3/21 in Quincy (location is to be determined) 6-8 pm, co-sponsored by the Quincy Chamber of Commerce
- April 11, 2013- MBDA Business Center Boston- CEO Round-table
- April 25, 2013 - Annual Awards Gala - Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center, MA
- June 10, 2013- MA Golf Outing- Ferncroft Golf Club, Middleton MA
- June 27, 2013- Virtual MED Day
- July 12, 2013- CT Golf Outing- Lyman Orchards Golf Club, Middlefield CT
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Bridgeport and the Surrounding Environment -
The Case for MBE Development
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 We have moved into Bridgeport at 333 State Street. It is a great corporate and public sector neighborhood. The Mayor's office is across the street. Congressman Himes' office is one block away. The Connecticut Post is on the opposite corner. The Federal Courthouse is on another corner. Housatonic Community College and the Bridgeport Public Library are next door. We are on the street level and have the advantage of viewing and being viewed by the community. It is a great place to do business.
We have much work to accomplish. I recently attended a meeting where Peter Hurst, the President and CEO of the The Community's Bank presented some numbers related to the market surrounding his bank. (The Community's Bank is the only minority bank in the state and the only Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Bank in the state.) The economic data for towns in the Greater Bridgeport area is shocking.
| Town | Median Household Income | Poverty Rate | Unemployment Rate |
| Bridgeport | $36,250 | 2.0% | 12.1 % |
| Fairfield | $103,754 | 3.30% | 7.3% |
| Darien | $185,619 | 2.9% | 6.1% |
| Greenwich | $130,498 | 3.6% | 6.2% |
| Ridgefield | $131,677 | 1.8% | 6.0% |
| New Canaan | $180,434 | 2.3% | 5.8% |
| Westport | $160,451 | 2.8% | 6,2% |
| Wilton | $170,711 | 2.2% | 6.0% |
| State of CT | $65,686 | 8.7% | 8.2% |
Being in a such an affluent part of the state and the country can offer tremendous value to minority businesses. However, it does not happen by osmosis. We have an opportunity to connect minority businesses to the businesses that are creating this amazing amount of wealth in the region. But we also know that these wide wealth and income gaps are unlikely to close without a concerted effort on the part of corporate leaders to build minority businesses in the region. This is why we are here.
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GNEMSDC Partners with Integrated Wellness Group to offer Relationship Management Seminar Series for MBEs
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 In our on-going effort to improve relationships between MBEs and corporate members we are offering a free three session series by Dr. Maysa Akbar of the Integrated Wellness Group. Dr. Akbar is a certified MBE with the GNEMSDC and a licensed psychologist. Everyone who has been to my CT office knows that I have a couch there where I conduct one-on-one sessions for both MBEs and corporate members. I have been practicing without a license for 12 years (although with great effectiveness - I have never lost a patient). Now we can offer real professional help. Dr. Akbar's observation of MBE and corporate interaction at our trade expo led to some interesting hypotheses. One of those is that MBEs and corporate members can be more successful with each other if we can improve some basic communication skills. Participants in this first set of sessions in Bridgeport and then Boston will target our MBEs. After these sessions we will have some sessions for corporate members. This is going to be fun, interactive, productive and possibly life changing. Sign up for the sessions early. Space is limited. Please e-mail Jerilynn Clarke if interested in attending,
jclarke@gnemsdc.org.
Dr. Maysa Akbar is the Founder and Executive Director of Integrated Wellness Group, an MBE practice located in the heart of New Haven, CT. In addition to her work as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Akbar provides motivational coaching, leadership development, and trainings on organizational growth and strategy to both small and large businesses around the nation.
Seminar Schedule - All Sessions are from 12 Noon to 3 PM - Lunch is Included?
This series is FREE to all certified GNEMSDC MBEs.
Bridgeport: March 1st, March 8th, and March 15
Boston: March 21th, March 28th, and April 4th.
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On behalf of the GNEMSDC Board of Directors we are appealing to GNEMSDC corporate members and MBEs to consider becoming 2013 Annual Sponsors. Annual sponsorship provides companies with a cost effective way to participate in the major events of 2013. Annual sponsorships also are the most important source of financial support for the GNEMSDC and allows us to better plan all of our events. Please take the time to review the packages below. You can charge your sponsorship to all major credit cards. Also we have a package for MBEs that will allow you to pay semi-annually or quarterly. Thank you for your consideration and support. Call 202-288-9744 for more information or to make your pledge. 
