May 28, 2013

GNEMSDC  Massachusetts & Connecticut Supplier Diversity Golf Classic
golf
The GNEMSDC Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Golf Outing is coming to 
Ferncroft Country Club on Monday, June 10.   The Connecticut Supplier Diversity Golf Outing is at the Lyman Orchards Golf Club on Friday, July 12.  Annual Sponsors have the choice of participating in either the Ferncroft Country Club MA outing or the Lyman Orchards Golf Club CT outing or both. 

We are asking for sponsors to provide us with the names of their guests by May 15. Due to the limited space, we will not be able to hold your slots if you do not send your names to the office by June 1.  One of the main attractions of this event is getting MBEs and Corporate members together.

If you are interested in a fun morning of golf, networking, food, drinks and relationship building please fill out the registration form and email it to Jerilynn Clarke at jclarke@gnemsdc.org

GNEMSDC MA Golf Classic June 10, 2013
We have reserved a block of rooms at the rate of $139.00 a night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923.
To Reserve your room please click here or you can call : 978-750-7987
Group Name: GREATER NE MINORITY SUPPLIER COUNCIL
Group Code:  GNE
Deadline to reserve your room: May 10, 2013
 
GNEMSDC CT Golf Classic July 12, 2013
We have reserved a block of rooms at the rate of $89.00 a night at the Fairfield Inn Wallingford -
100 Miles Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
 To reserve a room please call (203) 284-0001 Reference Group Name: GNEMSDC
Deadline to reserve your room: June 20, 2013

 If you would like to donate any items for our very popular raffle, please contact the office (888-874-7114).                                              
 ***Volunteer  Opportunity  available for July 12, CT  - Contact Office***
Upcoming Events
 
2013 GNEMSDC Expo Date and Location Set
September 24-25 at Connecticut Convention Center,  Hartford, CT
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:   
  • May 29, 9-11am MBE Orientation (Massachusetts), GNEMSDC Office, 4 Copley Place, Suite 100 Boston, MA rsvp to Andie Kim   MBE Orientation Agenda
  • May 29 9am -12pm MBTA Procurement Open House Boston, MA  additional information
  • June 6 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM GNEMSDC and National Black MBA Association - "Spring Fling" at 333 State Street Bridgeport - Champagne and hors d'oeuvres Networking Event FREE,  Please RSVP at jclarke@gnemsdc.org
  • June 6, 9:00am - 4:00pm   CT Business Expo at the Connecticut Convention Center  Hartford, CTadditional information
  • June 10, 6:30 -2:30pm, GNEMSDC Supplier Diversity Golf Classic - MA, Ferncroft Country Club, 10 Village Rd, Middleton, MA 01949
  • June 11,9:00am - 11:00am "What Government Can Do for Small Business" Seminar from NW CT Chamber of Commerce -  additional information
  • July 12, 6:30-3:00pm, GNEMSDC Supplier Diversity Golf Classic: CT, Lyman Orchards Golf Club- Middlefield, CT
  • July 25, How to do business with Stop and Shop, MA
  • August 14, 1-4:30pm, GNEMSDC 3rd Quarterly Meeting, CVS Caremark, 200 Highland Corporate Drive, Cumberland, RI 02864
  • August 19, 9-11:00am , MBE Orientation (CT),GNEMSDC Office, Bridgeport, CT
  • August 21, 8:30 -11:00am, MBE Orientation (Massachusetts), GNEMSDC Office, 100 Huntington Ave, Copley Place
  • September 24-25, GNEMSDC Business Opportunity Expo, Hartford Convention Center, 100 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, Connecticut 06103
  • October 4 - Promising Scholars Golf Classic Laurel View Country Club, Hamden, CT (to benefit inner city New Haven high school graduates matriculating into 4-year colleges and universities.)
    October 27, - November 31,  NMSDC Business Opportunity Fair and Conference, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX   
FYI
Attend the GNEMSDC and the National Black MBA Association WGC Spring Fling Networking Session
National Black MBA AssociationThursday June 6, 2013 5:30pm - 9:00pm  at the GNEMSDC CT office  333 State Street Bridgeport, CT 06604
 
Enjoy some champagne & hors d'oeuvres while you network!
 
The first fifty people to register will be entered to win a prize of up to 50,000 
5th Annual MBE Economic Survey
Here is the link for the 5th Annual MBE Economic and Business Performance Survey (http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e6mylk7wh9hcky0t/start)  We encourage all of our MBEs to complete the questionnaire.  It will take only 10 minutes.  Your answers are anonymous and confidential.  We report the summary data only.  The information you provide helps us to design programs that better meet your needs.   Thank you for your support.
MBE KJB Associates Receives Honor
Karen J. Bellamy Founder and Owner of  KJB Associates, LLC was honored by the African-American Affairs Commission as the 2013 Business and Economic Development honoree on Friday, May 17,2013 at the Capital in Hartford CT.  Congratulations Karen!

You can learn more about KJB Associates at www.kjbinsuranceagency.com
MBE Capability Statements
It is very important for MBEs, or for that matter any company, to have a current capability statement.  We often get asked by corporate members and some MBEs: "who do we know who can perform some task?"   We are asking that all certified MBEs write a capability statement and provide it to the GNEMSDC so we can share this with corporate members when they call for recommendations.  Those that provide the capability statement will have an advantage over those that do not provide a statement because this is something corporations are asking for.  And it is to your advantage to be responsive to these types of requests.  And make no mistake, they ask the Council all the time for recommendations.

The capability statement should be short and crystal clear on what your company brings to the market and why a potential buyer of your goods and services should consider you above all others as the one for the job.  You can think of it as your corporate resume.  You would not go looking for a job without a resume. Why would you look for a corporate contract without a capability statement?

MBEs can email their capability statements to Jennifer Little-Greer (jlittle-greer@gnemsdc.org) who manages our certification process and maintains the MBE database.  Your capability statements will be kept confidential, and will only be shared with corporations upon request.  We will also begin to ask MBEs on their certification anniversary to update their capability statements.  Like a resume, you want to review and update your statements regularly to  reflect new capabilities and successes.  

Below is a sample capability statement format.  Feel free to borrow from this model.  And I would personally be happy to review any capability statement to give you some unbiased feedback and suggestions to possibly make it more effective.  Sample Capability Statement
Opportunities
Are You Looking for a Business Loan or a Line of Credit?    
loanAre you a MBE looking to purchase large assets and/or increase long-term liquidity at flexible terms, or manage cash flow and prepare for long-term success by purchasing short-term assets, such as inventory and accounts receivable, or funds to help you finance a contract?

The GNEMSDC and the Boston MBDA Business Center can help!  
We have relationships with numerous banks and non-bank lenders who can help you get the financing you need.   Even if you have been turned down, we can help.   Contact the  office at 888-874-7114.  

One of our banking partners - Webster Bank  - saw this note and contacted the Council last week and sweetened the pot!  Any MBE who successfully gets a loan with Webster Bank will receive a $5,000 credit on the loan repayment. 
Do You Need to Reach 2,000 MBEs and Corporate Buyers a Week?
ad
One of the great things about this newsletter technology is that we can track readership, clicks on links and forwards.  I am pleased to report that this newsletter is reaching over 2,000 readers a week.  If you are an MBE or a corporate member, this is an excellent vehicle to get your message out.  If you are interested in becoming a GNEMSDC e-newsletter sponsor, send an email to Sarah James at sjames@gnemsdc.org.  We would like to hear from you.  This ad space will be limited to no more than five MBEs and five corporate members. 
And Finally...
Fred in ohio
 The New York Time Sunday Business Section this week did a story on diversity and corporate boards.  One example they used of a company not doing it right was Urban Outfitters (URBN).  Apparently, for some time, some institutional shareholders of the company have been demanding that the company add a woman or a minority, or both to their board.  The CEO and the existing all male, all non-minority board recommended against this until recently when the CEO and founder, Richard Hayne and the board addressed this shortcoming by appointing his wife to the board!  To the credit of the NY Times writer, Gretchen Morgensen, she correctly identified this as the board "poking your shareholders in the eye." Mrs. Haynes is an executive in the company, but she is an insider in the most fundamental meaning of the term. Urban Outfitters may have urban in its name, but this action and the fact that they are not national members of the NMSDC, nor does their website say anything about supplier diversity is something that a little light on the company might go a long way to  help them continue to grow in an increasingly diverse consumer market.  No one is calling for a boycott, and I hesitate to even use the word, however, minority consumers and others interested in diversity need to pay more attention to where they spend their money, if they have any desire to have wealth and access to resources available to minority communities on a more equitable basis.  The actions of this company are on a larger scale what unfortunately is done in the small business world all too often, where a non-minority male "appoints" their wife to the position of leadership so that the firm can benefit from WBE status.  This practice in the small business world hurts legitimate WBEs as much as it hurts legitimate MBEs.  Both actions are wrong.  And as is often the case, light and air are the best disinfectants.  

In your service,
   
Dr. Fred    
Dr Fred QR