| GNEMSDC Trade Expo and Conference REGISTRATION IS OPEN! |
 The GNEMSDC Business Opportunity Expo and Conference is coming. This year the event will take place on Tuesday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 1 at the Mohegan Sun Casino and resort. Please mark your calendar. It is time for MBEs and corporate members to start preparing for the event. One of the biggest attractions is the very successful One-on-One sessions. These allow corporate members to schedule 15 minute appointments with specific MBEs for specific commodity/service opportunities. This year we will once again employ some great technology that will allow us to efficiently make these matches between corporate members and MBEs. We encourage all of our corporate members to participate in the Expo and the One-on-One program. This year we have some very important editions to the program. Stay tuned. (Photo is of CT Governor Dannel Malloy with Dr. Fred at last year's Expo.)
Here is the preliminary program:
Monday, September 29
6:30 PM GNEMSDC Board of Directors and Senior Advisory Dinner
Tuesday, September 30
7:00 AM Registration Opens
7:15 AM Breakfast
8:45 AM Industry Opportunity Sessions - Part 1
10:30 AM Industry Opportunity Sessions - Part 2
12:00 Noon MBE Sponsors Lunch
2:00 PM - MBE "Shark Tank" ($5,000 in total prizes for the top 3 sales performances by an MBE)
4:30 PM Break
5:30 PM Shining Star Reception
9:00 Expo Booth Set Up
Wednesday, October 1
7:15 AM Breakfast
8:55 AM Expo Ribbon Cutting
9:00 AM Morning Expo Session
12:45 PM Corporate Sponsors Lunch
2:00 PM Expo Afternoon Session
2:00 PM One-on-One Meetings between MBEs and Corporate Members
4:00 PM Expo Closes
5:00 PM One-on-One Meetings End
Here is the link for the Expo Registration. From this site you can also sign up to participate in the One-on-One program. You will need to register for the event before you register for the One-on-Ones.
Hotel Reservations
Single & Double Occupancy Rooms are available for $159/night
For online reservations: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/GNEMS14
To make a reservation by phone please call 1-866-708 1340 and reference the group code: GNEMS14
Reservations must be made by Tuesday September 9 any reservations made after this date will be based on room availability and regular hotel rates |
| GNEMSDC "Shark Tank" at the Trade Expo September 30 |
 Before there was a "Shark Tank" program, the GNEMSDC had a "Speed Presentation" program as part of our Trade Expo. This was one of the most popular and fun parts of the Expo, and for some inexplicable reason, we dropped it. Well it is back for the 2014 GNEMSDC Trade Expo with a revised focus and structure.
This year on Tuesday, September 30 after the MBE Sponsors' Luncheon, we will feature a program that gives MBEs a chance to compete for $5,000 in cash that will be awarded to the best presentations on your "Value Proposition". That's right; $5,000 in cash. Here are the rules. You must be a certified MBE or DBE or MBDA client. You will have 10 minutes to state you value proposition. A panel of senior procurement officers from the GNEMSDC corporate membership will make the call on who made the best value proposition presentations.
All interested MBEs, DBEs and MBDA clients, must be registered or the entire Expo and must contact Jennifer Little-Greer by email, indicating your interest to participate in the program. Space and time are limited. So get your emails in early.
The goal here is not simply to have a good time. The goal is to have MBEs work on presenting their value proposition concisely and effectively. There will be no power point presentations or props allowed. It is just you, your brain and your mouth. If we are over subscribed we may contact all of the interested parties and hold a preliminary qualifying competition. Get ready!
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| GNEMSDC 2014 Shining Stars |
Jill Davis Kone
Ms. Davis Kone has 20 years experience as a marketing professional working in a variety of industries at companies such as 1-800-Flowers, World Color, Columbia Business School, and most recently, The MATLET Group, a certified minority business enterprise.
During her time with The MATLET Group, she has been active with the Greater New England MSDC, serving as chair of the MBEIC Education sub-committee and assisting at New MBE orientations.
In June of this year, Jill joined the team at The New York and New Jersey MSDC as Director of Corporate Services. In this role, Ms. Davis Kone will be expanding the Council's outreach to develop relationships with corporations and agencies in New York and New Jersey that are looking to hire and work with certified minority-owned businesses. Jill lives with her husband, Jack in New York City.
 Lawrence Wooten is now the President and CEO of the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council. Earlier this year and for the previous three years, Mr. Wooten served as the Chairman of the Board for the GNEMSDC while working as the Supplier Diversity Leader at Pitney Bowes. I have known and worked with Lawrence for over 12 years, and over that time I came to respect his passion and dedication to Supplier Diversity. Lawrence is being recognized as a Shining Star because of long service to the GNEMSDC. Mr. and Mrs. Wooten will come back to Connecticut for the Expo. Lawrence and Janice now live in Oakland, California. |
| Volunteers Needed for the GNEMSDC Trade Expo |
If you are interested in volunteering to work at the GNEMSDC EXPO this year. Please email Jerilynn Clarke for Additional Information.
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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:
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Boston MBDA Business Center CEO Roundtable
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 GSA SCHEDULES BASICS
August 27, 2014 * 8:00am -10:00am
The Palladium Room * 2 Copley Place, 4th Floor * Boston, MA 02116
Featuring:
Len Green, Procurement Advisor with
Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Learn about the following services offered by PTAC:
GSA Schedules:
Benefits
Process for application
Pitfalls
Marketing
Competition
Space is limited!
Please RSVP to Joanne Wang by 8/22: jwang@bostonmbdacenter.com
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The GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program (GALP)
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We are pleased to announce the second year of the GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program (GALP). The program consists of 5 full-day sessions led by outstanding business professors and writers. The professors in this program represent the best executive educators in the world, and are from the top business schools in the world. The GALP faculty includes, Steven Rogers of the Harvard Business School, David Hinson, former National Director of the MBDA. Olav Sorensen of Yale School of Management, and Jeffrey Fox, best-selling author of "How to Become a Rainmaker" and other top selling business books.
At lunch during each day of the program, we will have corporate CEOs and other C-Level executives speak to the program participants. Last year the CEO faculty included Anne Noble, President and CEO of the CT Lottery, Kevin Kelleher, President and CEO of Cartus, William Jennings, President and CEO of Bridgeport Hospital, Rodney Powell, President and COO of Yankee Gas, Carlton Highsmith, Retired Chairman of Specialized Packaging Group and Joseph Black, Chief Procurement Officer of Aetna. The program begins on Friday October 17, 2014 and ending on Friday, November 14.
The program is geared to the owner/entrepreneurs of firms with $1 million in annual sales or more who are looking to significantly grow their business's top and bottom lines. Participants will not only experience the wisdom of the assembled professors, participants will benefit greatly by learning from the other high powered MBE owners in attendance. Space is limited to 25 MBEs. Think of the value of simply making the connections that being part of this program can do for your business; that alone is worth the investment of your time and resources.
Participants will receive a certificate signed by all professors in the program. This will be a valuable reminder of the time invested in this innovative program. Here is what Ron Williams, a participant last year had to say about his experience:
"As a participant of the Inaugural Session of GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program (GALP), who also attended (AMEP/Kellogg in 2005), I was most impressed with the program content, as well as, the presentations of several quality Speakers, such as Steven Rogers, who was a Professor instructing at my Kellogg session.
I would encourage any MBE Supplier who is able to attend this years' GALP to do so. Please let me know your impression of the program as well."
This year we are proud to have the generous support of the Fairfield County Community Foundation. Call the office if you are interested in being participant in this MBE educational program.
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Corporate Member of the Week: FoodSource Plus
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FoodSource Plus and SupplySource is the preeminent solution for human service agencies, mostly non-profits, for their food and supply purchases. Our goal is to consistently reduce costs associated with the purchase of food and supplies. Our typical customer reduces their expenses by 15-35%, and often exceeding that number.
We are now endorsed by more than 25 state and national nonprofit membership associations, have thousands of customers nationwide, and include national distribution in our network of vendors. Our staff has 100+ combined years of food service experience that we parlay into helping our customers save money, improve efficiencies and develop a more proficient purchasing platform.
Suppliers interested in doing business with the FoodSource Plus companies should email us atinfo@foodsourceplus.com . We are always looking to add diverse companies to our portfolio of suppliers. Supplier can be both regional and national in scope.
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| MBE of the Week: AI Engineers Inc. |
 AI Engineers Inc. was founded in 1991, the firm provides comprehensive planning civil engineering and survey, bridges, transportation, building systems, including sustainable design, construction inspection/contract administration, construction management and program management services to several federal, state, municipal and private clients throughout New England and the Northeastern US.Consistent with our history of delivering high quality services within budget and on-time, we continue to earn repeat business and build solid relationships with our clients. Our project managers constantly strive to pass the benefits of effective project management, teamwork, open communication and quality control to our clients, resulting in complete success in attaining project goals. The firm has transformed from handling many small projects to a healthy mix of small, medium and large scale complex projects being worked on simultaneously. This has resulted in the highest utilization of technical personnel and administrative resources.
AI Engineers headquarters is located at: 919 Middle Street, Middletown, CT 06457. To learn more information on AI Engineers services visit the website at: http://www.aiengineers.com/index.html.
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| Supplier Diversity Online Course |
 
BENEFITS:
* With self-study online course, participants can purchase/view online course at any time (24/7).
* Participants earn 18 Continuing Education Units (ISM) and gain valuable new skills at their own pace.
* Self-paced
* Participants who complete and pass a final assessment earn a completion certificate of 18 credits in Supplier Diversity from NMSDC/Rutgers University.
The course is open to NMSDC Affiliate Council Presidents.
Questions? Send questions to SDOnline@nmsdc.org or contact Maggie.Chaparro@NMSDC.org. |
Invitations for Bid and Opportunities
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Prequalification forms icon can be found on the left corner of the page.
Invitation for Subcontractors can be found in the Prequal Library which provides a good summary of the bidding process and bidding packages (ranging $20,000 to $15,900.00)
More information will be provided for the next outreach program in West Hartford in the next newsletter.
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| And Finally... |
This past week I spent time in Toronto, Canada. While I said that I had "gone fishin" last week, the truth is I did not do any fishing, but I did do plenty of shopping, which is now a modern day version of fishing. One of the things I enjoy doing while visiting other countries and cultures is talking to complete strangers in an attempt to better understand how they live their lives. I think working for the GNEMSDC prepares me for this type of open communication with strangers. One thing that is particularly interesting to me about our northern neighbors is how they treat health insurance and health care in general.
I had the opportunity to engage a saleswoman at a small retail store. I asked the young woman if she worried about health care cost. In this country, we call young adults, "the invincibles" because they believe that catastrophic health events cannot happen to them because they are - young. So as a result, this is one of the populations most difficult to convince that they should purchase health insurance, or participate in the Affordable Care Act. The saleswoman I spoke to would have fit nicely in this category of invincibles had she been an American.
She was initially a little shocked that I was more interested in health care finance than in French cuff designer shirts. But after getting over that realization, she informed me that she is insured by OHIP, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, which is a public insurance plan. She also stated that she was Aboriginal Canadian, that entitled her to an even richer form of OHIP. But in any case, she said health care is not something she worries about. It is not tied to her job, her income, her family status, or her employment status. She then stated that she cannot understand why we Americans are so averse to national health insurance, despite the recent implementation of Obama- care. I had to admit to her that we Americans are not as evolved as we sometimes think we are.
In your service,
Dr. Fred
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