Agavé Awards Nominations Accepted Through October 14. Help TSMSDC recognize excellence and superior performance by nominating our region’s top certified MBEs and Corporate Members for our annual Agavé Awards. The TSMSDC Agavé Awards include the Cornerstone Awards honoring Suppliers of the Year as well as the Keystone Awards commending Corporations of the Year. There are also several additional award categories that recognize individuals and companies for exceptional Supplier Diversity achievement. Agavé Keystone and Cornerstone Award nominations are being accepted through October 25. Keystone Corporation of the Year Awards The Keystone Awards recognize Corporate Members for their outstanding results and progress in supporting Supplier Diversity at their companies as well as helping other firms build better programs. Companies competing for Corporation of the Year Awards are classified depending on size and function with awards presented in these categories: • Public Corporations o Under 1,000 employees o 1,000 – 5,000 employees
o Over 5,000 employees • Public Sector (utilities, educational institutions and government) The judging panel reviews not only what a firm has accomplished in their Supplier Diversity programs, but the processes by which they have achieved their results. Nominees are asked to provide details about their MBE supplier purchases and utilizations; supplier diversity goals, implementation plans and training programs; involvement by their senior management; and participation in TSMSDC events. National members of NMSDC, who receive the TSMSDC Keystone Corporation of the Year go on to compete at a national level where the winner is announced at the National Minority Supplier Development Council annual convention in October 2012. Nominated Corporate Members are also eligible for Keystone Awards in these special categories: • Most Improved MBE Spend • Most Improved Supplier Diversity Program • Best New Supplier Diversity Program. All NMSDC Corporate Members are eligible and self-nominations are welcomed. MBE Supplier of the Year Cornerstone Awards Nominated MBEs compete in four Supplier of the Year categories based on annual sales volume. • Class 1:Sales less than $1 Million • Class 2:Sales between $1 Million and $10 Million Continued on next page»
Continued.. • Class 3: Sales between $10 Million and $50 Million • Class 4: Sales greater than $50 Million. Certified MBE companies can only be nominated by a TSMSDC Corporate Member. Once nominated, the MBE is asked to submit an application packet outlining their company’s performance excellence. Judges review applications and make award decisions based on factors including: MBE-to-MBE spend; business growth and development; operations; community involvement; and accomplishments. MBEs who win Supplier of the year are also submitted to the National Minority Supplier Development Council to compete with other MBE winners in their class from other U.S. regions. This year, two local TSMSDC certified MBE companies, TKT & Associates, Inc. and Superior Maintenance Co., are finalists for the National Supplier of the Year Award. Individual Awards • The Ferda C. Porter Award: presented to an individual from TSMSDC membership or the community-at-large who has demonstrated outstanding civic leadership, taken extra steps to devote personal time to minority business development initiatives,and has*the ability to “make it happen.” • The Agavé Impact Award: recognizes a corporate buyer or minority business program manager who best symbolizes the spirit and intent of minority economic development. • Corporations Spending More Than $1 Million with MBEs. • Chairman’s Challenge Award: special presentation made at the discretion of TSMSDC Chair to an individual or * organization deserving special recognition for their commitment to diversity.
Make your nominations today! All TSMSDC corporate members should have received a nomination packet for Supplier of the Year Awards by mail in September. In addition, you may go to www.tsmsdc.com and enter your nominations for Corporation of the Year and Individual Awards online with our new, userfriendly nomination system. *
Kentucky and Indiana Offer Certification
Indiana and Kentucky initiated an MBE certification reciprocity agreement in January 2011. The State of Kentucky
may now choose to offer certification credentials to MBE and WBE firms that are first certified by the State of Indiana and Indiana may do the same for Kentucky firms. Important note: certification in either state is a courtesy and not guaranteed just because certification has been granted in the home state. Through the reciprocity agreement, both states have agreed to consider the home state’s certification information/decision when rendering a decision to certify or not certify. For details, please contact the appropriate MWBE offices: Indiana Online: www.in.gov/idoa/2492.htm Phone: Luther Taylor, Jr., Indiana MWBE Director of Certification, (317) 234-3424 Kentucky Online: www.mwbe.ky.gov
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NMSDC Conference in Atlanta – October 30 – November 2 The annual National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference and Business Opportunity Fair is scheduled for October 30 through November 2 in Atlanta. The annual event brings together more than 7,000 corporate executives, minority business owners and government officials to promote stronger Supplier Diversity processes.
will deliver the most up-to-date information on minority business development through seminars and presentations from America’s top diversity experts and leaders. In addition, a Business Opportunity Fair will feature 700 exhibitors and ample networking opportunities. TSMSDC encourages our MBEs and Corporate Members to make the trip to Atlanta and join us in experiencing this one-of-a-kind event. Registration details are available online at www.nmsdc.org.
The 2011 conference theme is “Raising the Bar through Sustainable Strategies” and the event
Annual West Virginia Minority Business Inclusion Events on November 10th. TSMSDC, in conjunction with the Western Virginia SBDC and the West Pennsylvania Minority Supplier Development Council, invites you to attend the Annual West Virginia Business Inclusion Event on Thursday, November 10. Hosted in Wheeling, WV, the event will include an invitation-only roundtable discussion, a brief presentation by Tri-State MSDC and a networking session for corporate members and MBEs. West Virginia is one of the three states in the Tri-State Council—the others being Kentucky and South Central Indiana—and it is important to the board and staff to host at least one event in the state annually. TSMSDC Corporate Members are also demonstrating their commitment to the Council’s presence in West Virginia, with UPS signing on as the event’s primary sponsor and 4TH QUARTER NEWSLETTER
other top regional corporations such as BB&T slated to attend. “While the minority population is relatively low in West Virginia, the significance of diversity —especially in regards to a corporation’s supply chain—is even more relevant for the state to compete economically and culturally,” commented Sonya Brown, TSMSDC’s Director of Minority Business Certification. TSMSDC currently has eleven MBEs and one local and two national Corporate Members located in West Virginia. When including the immediate surrounding areas in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the count increases to twenty-six MBEs, two local corporate members and eight national members. This will be the third annual event TSMSDC has held in West Virginia. For more information on the event and sponsorship, please contact TSMSDC at (502) 625-0147.
TSMSDC Congratulates 2011 MBE Scholarship As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the strength and viability of our region’s minority business community, TSMSDC is proud to provide scholarships for several MBE leaders to attend advanced management courses. TSMSDC strives to send two to four MBEs to attend classes each year at either the NMSDC Advanced Management Education program at Kellogg School at Northwestern University or the Tuck Executive Education Program at Dartmouth University.
Scholarship funds are provided through the support of Corporate Members as well as through money raised by TSMSDC at a silent auction during our Agavé Awards celebration, held this year on December 8 at the Olmstead. Congratulations to our 2011 MBE Scholarship Recipients: Alice Houston, President of Houston-Johnson, Inc., Louisville (KY) Alice utilized her scholarship, received through the support of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., to attend to the Advanced Management Education program at Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Houston-Johnson, Inc. provides distribution, logistics, materials management and warehousing services, has been a certified MBE for over ten years.
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Lisa Jeff, President of L’Acquis Consulting Engineers, Indianapolis (IN) Lisa chose to apply her scholarship to the Tuck Executive Education Program at Dartmouth University, attending a session focused on
business growth. L’Aquis Consulting Engineers, a mechanical, electrical and civil engineering design firm, has been a reciprocal MBE since 2006. Diane Lewis, owner of Action Facilities Management, Morgantown (WV)
Diane applied her scholarship to attend the Advanced Management Education program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School. She was beneficiary of scholarship funds provided by The Brown-Forman Corporation.
Action Facilities Management has been certified by TSMSDC since 2006 and offers services including security, facility support and ground maintenance. D. McGinnis Mitchell, CEO of National Diversity Solutions LLC, Lexington (KY) D. McGinnis attended the Tuck Executive Education Program at Dartmouth University with his scholarship. National Diversity Solutions became an MBE in 2007 and focuses on diversity consulting with an emphasis on general and commercial construction. About the Kellogg and Tuck Educational Programs Both the Kellogg and Tuck programs are designed for minority business CEOs/owners who have demonstrated sustained levels of solid performance and are ready and interested in accelerating their growth. The NMSDC Advanced Management Education Program at Kellogg is designed to provide certified, established, expansionoriented MBEs with the tools and skills needed to achieve and sustain accelerated growth. The program’s curriculum focuses on the most managerially relevant topics to MBEs. In the tradition that made Kellogg a world-renowned
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business school, this curriculum uses interactive, team-based study. Businesses selected for the Kellogg Program are at least three years old, with sales of over $5 Million for manufacturing and distribution firms, and at least $3 Million for service firms. Firms must also be endorsed by an NMSDC National Corporate Member to be considered for the limited seats in each Kellogg class. Dartmouth University’s Tuck Executive Education Program was the first business school to design and offer programming unique to minority entrepreneur and has continued to do so for over 25 years. Their “Growing the Minority Business to Scale” session trains attendees in the three pathways for achieving scale: organic growth, growth through mergers and acquisitions, and growth through strategic alliances. Tuck attendees are required to be business owners and executives with five to 10 years of senior management experience, who have attended Tuck’s MBEP program (or gained equivalent educational experience), and whose minority businesses are poised for growth. If you are interested in contributing to or participating in TSMSDC’s MBE Scholarship program, please contact TSMSDC. *
TSMSDC Centers of Excellence Program Makes Strides in its First Year As a Regional Council of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), helping MBE firms grow, develop and become sustainable is at the heart of TSMSDC’s mission. Although a straightforward objective, it isn’t always an easy task as it requires financial and educational resources, time commitments and proven formal processes. However, through our NMSDC affiliation, we are able to participate in their prestigious Centers of Excellence (COE) program. Set up regionally in conjunction with a Regional Council, the COE program supports MBE business development by working together with corporate members in dedicated education sessions. Hosted bi-monthly at either a Corporate Member or MBE site, the day-long seminars help MBE owners/ CEO’s better understand corporate procurement processes and gain insight on establishing or growing their supplier relationships. COE also affords participating Corporate Members a distinctive forum for enhancing their own business knowledge. Through discussions with fellow Corporate Members and NMSDC representatives, participants expand their understanding of how to implement stronger supplier diversity programs and practices within their companies. Centers of Excellence participation require a two-year commitment from Corporate Members and an 18-month commitment from the CEO of a participating MBE firm. Corporate Members make a financial investment to participate and then select two or three MBE firms to sponsor as COE attendees. There is no charge for MBEs to participate. The formal developmental work done in the structured COE environment is restricted to Corporate Members and the MBE CEOs. In addition, separate ‘capacity building’ COE exercises are open to other members of the MBE firms.
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TSMSDC Corporate Members participating in the 2011-2012 COE are:
DIVERSITY
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14 MBE firms are currently being sponsored for COE by the participating Corporate Members: • America’s Finest Filters, Inc. • D&D Consulting Services • HDDS, Inc. • L’Acquis Consulting Engineers • LB Manufacturing • MagnaTex, Inc. • Manufacturing Consultants International, LLC • The Mardrian Group • Martin Construction Co. • Nimbus, Inc. • Plastikon Industries, Inc. • T.E.M. Group, Inc. • The Reynolds Group • Shelby Industries The corporate leader for the current COE module is Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). NMSDC provides its Vice President of Programs, Kanita D. Sandidge, to facilitate each COE session. * 4TH QUARTER NEWSLETTER
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Be Inspired! 2011 Business Opportunity Fair
The 2011 TSMSDC Business Opportunity Fair (BOF), held July 14 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, experienced a tremendous increase in participation this year. Companies from twelve states attended the show with attendance increasing by 44% and corporate participation up 10% from 2010. Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America and Omnisource Integrated Supply served as Premier Sponsors of the 2011 BOF. In order to keep the event fresh and relevant, the BOF committee introduced several new changes for 2011, all of which contributed to stronger participation levels. The most significant changes were the date and venue. “We were constantly trying to work around the National WBENC Convention in previous years, so we decided a move from June to July was in order for 2011, “ stated Terry Atwell, a longtime BOF committee member. “Also, moving the event from the Fairgrounds to KICC allowed many corporate members who work in the
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downtown Louisville area to attend more easily.” The 2011 BOF also featured changes to the event’s overall format and agenda. For example, the committee opted for the keynote speaker, Mayor Greg Fischer, to address the crowd before the trade show floor opening rather than during the traditional formal luncheon. Lunch was served at locations throughout the trade show floor, encouraging visitors to work the floor and network with Exhibitors. The revised formate also allowed many corporate leaders to stay and mingle with exhibitors and guests on the show floor. “While one or two individuals indicated they preferred the traditional format, overall attendee response to holding an informal lunch on the show floor was very positive,” commented Suzanne Ruark, TSMSDC’s Director of Events. “We were pleased to see so many MBEs and corporate decision-makers roaming and networking while they enjoyed lunch.” According to a post-event survey, the most popular BOF activity was Wednesday evening’s opening reception held in the Kentucky Bar and East Room at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.
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2011 Business Opportunity Fair
Attendance Up 44%
Sponsored by the Brown-Forman Corporation, guests enjoyed music and hors d’oeuvres while networking amongst the artwork. The BOF kicked off Thursday morning with the highest attended workshop of the day featuring renowned author, futurist, teacher and commentator, Dr. Nat Irvin. He informed and entertained with crowd with his presentation identifying eight major trends that will shape the way we live and work in the world of 2030 and beyond. Dr. Irvin is the Strickler Executivein-Residence and professor of management at the University of Louisville College of Business as well as founder of Future Focus 2020, a non-profit think-tank dedicated to examining the significant social, political, economic,
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technological and environmental trends and events of the future and their impact on urban communities. As in the past, MBEs attending the BOF could choose from a variety of workshops as well as one-on-one “matchmaking sessions” with corporations. Planning for the 2012 Business Opportunity Fair is already underway. The BOF committee and TSMSDC staff are happy to announce that BOF will be returning to the Kentucky International Convention Center, Downtown Louisville, on Thursday July 12, 2012. Watch for updates and alerts via Facebook, Twitter and www.tsmsdc.com. *
Casino Night at the Agavé Awards December 8th December 8th, TSMSDC will not only recognize Supplier Diversity excellence in the Tri-State region with the presentation of the Agavé Awards – they will also host a celebratory casino night reception afterward. Heralded as one of TSMSDC’s most popular networking activities, the casino night will feature black jack, poker, slots, roulette and other games of chance. Players use “fun money” for games, trading their winnings for door prize tickets, which can then be placed in drawing for a variety of great prizes.The Agavé Awards and Casino Night will be held at The Olmsted, 3701 Frankfort Avenue, in Louisville. Tickets are $60 for MBEs, $100 for Corporate Members and $120 for the general public. Online registration will open on October 20, 2011 at www.tsmsdc.com. “We are expecting a packed house at The Olmsted to join us in honoring those who truly made a difference in supplier diversity, especially in these challenging economic times,” noted Ty Gettis, TSMSDC President & CEO. “Guests will enjoy an evening filled with celebration, fantastic food, live entertainment, exceptional networking, and plenty of chances to play and win great prizes.”
2011
Sponsors* for the 2011 Annual Meeting and Agavé Awards: Title
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Silver
Bronze
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Sponsorships for the Agavé Awards and Casino Night are still available for all TSMSDC Corporate Members and MBEs. For more information contact Suzanne Ruark at (502) 625-0147 or sruark@tsmsdc.com *as of newsletter publication date.
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TSMSDC WELCOMES OUR NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS AND NEW MBES: TSMSDC welcomes our new corporate members:
Integral Development LLC
Abednego Environmental Services, LLC
Island Electric LLC
Akebono Brake Corporation
LaCosta Facility Services
BB&T
LMH Accountin & Consulting LLC
Green Metals, Inc.
Matthews Enterprises LLC
Jefferson Community and Technical College
MAXimum Results dba Urban Lifestylez
Kenton County Airport Board
Mechanical Jobbers
Konecranes
MS Inspection & Logistics, Inc.
Integrated Supply Chain Solutions (ISC)
MacLellan Integrated Services
Mtani Catering, LLC
Mubea North America
National Contracting Services, LLC
NGK Spark Plugs (USA), Inc.
Optical Innovations LLC
Plant Services Inc.
Oriental Wok Foods, LLC
Sky Steel, Inc.
Paramount Safety
Southern Graphic Systems, Inc.
Paul I Cripe, Inc. dba Cripe Architects & Engineers
Tape Industrial Sales
Piston Automotive
The Robertson Mechanical and Electrical Co., Inc.
Pride Insulation LLC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED // 2009 // TRI-STATE MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
Printcore Inc.
TSMSDC welcomes our new MBEs:
Professional Management Enterprises Inc.
Akko Fastener, Inc.
Quality Custodial Services, Inc.
All This & That Cleaning Service, LLC
RED Global Consulting Services
Awaken-To, LLC
Resurgens Risk Management, Inc.
C&L Courier Systems
Rosado Barrow Engineering, PLLC
Cardinal Chrysler Jeep Dodge Inc.
Sci-Tek Consultants, Inc.
Chatham Parkway Toyota/Lexus/Subaru
Sterling Print Solutions, LLC
Cherokee Construction & Excavating, LLC
The Integral Group, LLC
Cornerstone Engineering, Inc.
Thompson Hospitality Services
Elma Construction Company
U S Lawns of Lexington
EPS Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a CertaPro
Vertex Computer Systems
Painters of Kentuckiana
Westside Photography
Experts in Growth Leadership Consulting, LLC Fayette Window Cleaning, LLC G2 Engineering & Management, Inc. Growth Development Marketing, Inc. HRS Hotels Group, Inc. Intec Building Services, Inc.
614 WEST MAIN STREET SUITE 5500 LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 • 502.625.0159 OFFICE 502.625.0082 FAX 330 EAST MAIN STREET, SUITE 200 LEXINGTON, KY 40507 • 859.226.1636 OFFICE
The Tri-State Minority Supplier Development Council (TSMSDC) is one of 37 councils nationwide that link corporations with certified minority-owned businesses. Locally, we serve more than 100 major corporations and approximately 300 minority businesses in South Central Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. TSMSDC is an authorized regional council of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). TSMSDC offers its members and clients an extensive integrated network of resources. Our organization certifies minority-owned companies and functions as a crossroads between majority and minority-owned businesses. We assist member corporations by identifying certified minority business enterprises that ALL RIGHTS RESERVED // 2009 // TRI-STATE MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
fit the corporation’s purchasing needs. In addition, we provide assistance in developing and implementing minority supplier development programs. TSMSDC assists minority business enterprises (MBEs) in establishing valuable business contacts and offer a wide range of services to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. www.tsmsdc.com
614 WEST MAIN STREET SUITE 5500 LOUISVILLE, KY 40202 • 502.625.0159 OFFICE 502.625.0082 FAX 330 EAST MAIN STREET, SUITE 200 LEXINGTON, KY 40507 • 859.226.1636 OFFICE