Firms partner for succeess

The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council has created jobs and stimulated the economy of Georgia since 1975. The Council – one of 24 local affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) scattered across the nation – celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

The Council facilitates supply chain relationships between Minority Business Enterprise firms (MBEs) and major corporations all across the state. In 2014, council business partners transacted more than $6 billion in business together, a major economic impact by any measure.

The council is focused on four pillars that support the building of win-win partnerships:

• Certify: Small businesses submit to a nationally standardized documentation and evaluation process that validates the firm's corporate structure and minority ownership status.

• Develop: Minority business enterprise firms have access to a suite of services, including classes, seminars, mentoring programs, conferences and workshops that increase their capacity and competitiveness.

• Connect: The Council facilitates networking opportunities throughout the year and hosts matchmaking events and forums that put corporate procurement executives and supplier candidates together.

• Advocate: The Council is a clearinghouse for practices in supplier diversity and an advocate on behalf of small business in government, media and other circles.

The Council’s corporate membership reads like a Who’s Who of corporate America, including such global brands as the Coca-Cola Co., UPS, Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, Accenture, IBM, AT&T, Wells Fargo and Aflac among 400 corporate partners. Some 700 minority business enterprise firms are certified through the Council, which makes them eligible to compete for contracts and opportunities.

One of the council’s minority firm titans, Worldwide Technologies, was ranked No. 1 on the 2014 Black Enterprise magazine listing of the Top 100 companies. Over the four decades it has served Georgia’s business community, the Council’s relationships have exceeded $30 billion dollars in revenues.

Recently, the council held its annual conference, the Business Opportunity Conference and Expo (BOE), the largest and longest running small business expo event in the Southeast. The conference brought together small business advocates, corporate executives, commodity buyers, governmental entities, business owners and supplier diversity champions for events designed to put corporate supply chains in touch with vendors and suppliers they need to achieve their goals. The council is committed to ushering its constituents into the marketplace of tomorrow through innovative programs and strategic partnerships.

The council continues to blaze new trails on behalf of Georgia’s business community. The organization collaborates with partners, from government to lenders to other business organizations, in order to marshal the resources necessary to assist minority business enterprise firms in building sustainable enterprises. It is a legacy born out of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s that’s still bearing fruit after 40 years.