September 15, 2011

Special Edition - GNEMSDC Receives MBDA Grant to Open Minority Business Center in Boston

September 15 2011

Greetings! 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 Receives MBDA Grant to Open Minority Business Center in Boston WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 14, 2011) - The U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) today announced approximately $4.3 million in funding over the next five years for three new MBDA Business Centers (MBC) in Boston, Mass., Minneapolis, MN, and Riverside, CA to stimulate job creation and support the economic growth of minority firms across the United States. By investing in local communities across the nation, the Obama Administration continues to demonstrate its commitment to take actions designed to put more Americans to work and foster economic growth. The new centers will join a nationwide network of MBDA Business Centers that provide assistance to local minority entrepreneurs and business owners by offering strategic business consulting services focusing on large public and private contracts, financing, and access to global markets. With help from the new MBCs, minority-owned businesses can learn how to boost their exports in support of global competitiveness and the overall growth of the national economy. "Minority-owned businesses are an integral part of the local, national and global business communities," said MBDA National Director David Hinson. "The services they provide and the jobs they create generate trillions of dollars in economic output. By investing in our Business Centers, we are ensuring that minority-owned businesses get the direct assistance they need to be successful and vital contributors to the U.S. economy." The MBC program is a key component of the overall portfolio of minority business development services offered by MBDA and was recently restructured to extend cooperative agreements from three to five years and expand the MBC nationwide network. "The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) is excited to be the Project Operator for the new MBDA Business Center in Boston," said Dr. Fred McKinney, CEO and President of the GNEMSDC. "We believe that the Center will lead to minority business enterprise growth, greater employment and more economically vibrant and diverse communities." About the MBDA MBDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, promotes the growth and global competitiveness of the minority business community, making them better equipped to create jobs, impact local economies and compete successfully in domestic and global marketplaces. With a nationwide network of more than 45 business centers and strategic partners, MBDA assists minority entrepreneurs and business owners with consulting services, contract and financing opportunities, bonding and certification services, building business-to-business alliances and executive training.

And Finally... Every once in a while something big happens. This is BIG. We are excited and optimistic about the very aggressive goals we have agreed to in making the MBDA Business Center in Boston and New England a success. I have to acknowledge and recognize the support of our primary partner in this effort, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, particularly Ron Marlow and Reggie Nunnally for their tireless work and commitment to the project. I also must recognize the GNEMSDC staff, particularly Andie Kim for her support during the application process. We have a great deal of work to do in coming weeks, but I know we are building a team that will be up to the task. I also want to let our certified MBEs and corporate members know in coming days and weeks how they can participate in the MBDA Business Center while simultaneously supporting the work of the GNEMSDC, and this is for all certified MBEs and corporate members regardless of where they are located. Enjoy the rest of your week and more on this on Monday! But if you cannot wait to learn more, feel free to call or email me. In your service, Dr. Fred

September 12, 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 Expo Rooms and Booths SOLD OUT We are very pleased to announce that once again we have sold out the booths and rooms at the MGM Grand for the GNEMSDC Expo. The program book once again is over 100 pages and all of the ads space was also sold. We are month out from the event (October 3-5), so this is a very encouraging sign of things to come. It is not too late for corporate members to sign up to talk about their companies, or too late for MBEs to sign up for showcases. It is not too late to donate an item to raffle off at the show. Once again we have some fantastic items to raffle off at the show. All of the proceeds from the raffle go to support our MBE education and development program. It is also not too late to register for the event. If you are a certified MBE with the Council, this program is not only a great way to spend productive time meeting with current and prospective customers, it is a great way to support the organization that supports you. Look forward to seeing you there. Also check out our billboard in downtown Hartford across from the State Capitol building highlighting the Expo! Corporate and MBE Showcases On Tuesday afternoon, October 4 we will have the MBE and Corporate Showcases. These showcases are 15-20 minute presentations by corporate members and MBEs that highlight their businesses. For corporate members, we are asking for your representative to talk about the keys to successfully becoming a supplier to your company. Corporate members can also use the time to highlight opportunities coming up with their companies. This is an excellent and efficient way to get an unfiltered uninterrupted message out to a large number of certified MBEs. The showcase program should be exciting because we will have up to 40 corporate members presenting over a 3 hour period and up to 4 corporate showcases taking place simultaneously. And if that is not enough, we will also have MBE showcases taking place over the same period as the corporate showcases. The MBE showcases are down to two remaining spots! Corporate members who have completed their presentation are encouraged to visit the MBE showcases. We will have plenty of "traffic cops" to direct our guests to the right rooms. It is going to be hectic, fun, and informative. We need more corporate members to sign up for these. Please call Jerilynn Clarke at 888-874-7114 to reserve your space. Preparing for the GNEMSDC Expo - Corporate Members & MBEs Please review this document below that outlines some key changes in the 2011 GNEMSDC Business Opportunity Fair and Expo. This information will assist you to make the most out of your Expo experience. Understanding the 2011 GNEMSDC Trade Expo Exhibitors list How to Register GNEMSDC Expo 2011 Online MBE of the Week -Distributed Technology Associates, Inc DTA is a full-service Database and Systems Service Provider (DSSP) offering a wide range of Database and System Administration and Consulting Services. Our primary service is to provide expert consulting and managed services for criticaldatabase (Oracle and SQL Server) and systems (Windows, Linux and Solaris) related projects. Founded in 1997, the DTA team has extensive experience working with databases and systems. Our customers include Fortune 500 companies as well as smaller companies - all of whom have come to rely upon our database and systems expert Consulting Services and our 24 x 7 x 365 Managed Services for database environments. We provide on-demand, expert consulting for critical projects and additional expertise and/or bandwidth when necessary. DTA is an Oracle Gold Partner and is one of very few partner companies in the country to be certified by Oracle with dual specialization - in Oracle databases and in Oracle Data Warehouses. Click here for DTA Corporate profile and more information on DTA and its offerings visit: http://www.dtainc.us/services Opportunities with Corporate Members A GNEMSDC corporate member is looking for a certified MBE that can provide all of the services listed below: Mailroom Copy Center Switchboard Shipping and Receiving Records Management, and Supply Order Monitoring "Sounds like a great opportunity. Need to respond before 9/23/11. If you can provide ALL of these services, please contact the GNEMSDC office for more details and ask for Dr. Fred." Opportunity to provide Security Services for a GNEMSDC Corporate Member - for more information contact office. UCHC/UCONN SMALL & MINORITY BUSINESS OUTREACH EXPO with NFIB & GNEMSDC education committee - Wednesday, Sept 14, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm, Edmund & Arlene Grossman Auditorium, UConn Health Center, 400 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT Democratic National Convention Committee intends RFQ for Construction Manager/Event Architect Request for Proposals 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! 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: Attached is the official declaration for federal disaster assistance for the entire State of Connecticut Education Committee/NFIB joint event with UConn - Sept 14th, 1:00 to 3:30 pm. Edmund & Arlene Grossman Auditorium UConn Health Center, 400 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT The MSBDC Boston Regional Office & Minority Business Center conducts seminars and workshops: Sept 20 & Oct 25 (Boston), Oct 26 (Quincy) SDP FY 2012 Annual Kick off & Networking Event - Sept.20 6TH Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week Conference (MED Week) - Sept 23 NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Fair at Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta Georgia - Oct 30 - Nov 2. Information: NMSDC Quarterly Meeting in Boston Pictures are available to view -By Photographer Tom Ficklin View 2011 Supplier Golf Classic & NMSDC Quarterly Meeting in Boston pictures on Facebook Ten Tips for Benefiting from the Expanded Economy Video by Dr Fred Non-GNEMSDC Events Most of these activities our corporate members, MBEs and Council staff have been invited to attend. The links will take you to detailed information about the events The Initiative for a New Economy 4th Annual Supplier Diversity Best Practices Forum, Sept 22, Fenway Park 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. The 9th Annual Promising Scholars Golf Classic at Laurel View Country Club - Sept 30 If you have events and activities that you want to share with our network send us a PDF file at least two weeks before the event. We reserve the right to publish or not publish events and activities.

And Finally... Nine Eleven is seared into our collective consciousness. We all remember where we were and what we were doing when we learned of the attack ten short years ago. For me, I was attending my first CMSDC Board of Directors Meeting in our Hamden office. It seems like only yesterday; such a hopeful beautiful late summer morning that quickly and unbelievable turned into a nightmare beyond comprehension. I never had the urge to visit ground zero. I did not need the visual reminder of what was there in that spectacular structure, or the lives that were lost. As we grieve for those whose existence was abruptly cut short on that terrible day, we should honor them with our commitment to each other, here in this country and around the world. Humanity. In your service, Dr. Fred