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»