CONNECTIONS
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
www.scmsdc.org
June 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Count down to SOTY awards
Nominees are in for SOTY awards
The 38 minority business enterprises (MBEs) nominated for SCMSDC’s 2014 Supplier of the Year Awards are a diverse group 2014 both in ethnicity and by industry, representing a wide variety of industries, specialties and skills. But they have one thing THE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARDS in common – they have achieved outstanding results in their contracts with corporate members.
Serving as ‘the voice’ for MBEs MBE smart tips: Improve your social media IQ News briefs
UPCOMING EVENTS
All nominees will be honored at SCMSDC’s Supplier of the Year Awards luncheon on July 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, located at 111 East Ocean Boulevard, but only one winner from four categories will move on to regional, then national competition, if selected at regional. American Honda Motor Co. will serve as the event's title sponsor for the 24th consecutive year.
Toastmaster Club Meeting July 3, 17 - 9 to 11 a.m. SCMSDC Headquarters
Participants will hone speaking and leadership skills in a friendly and non-threatening atmosphere. The SCMSDC chapter caters to business owners and their employees. Contact: Natalie Masiello, nmasiello@scmsdc.org or 213-689-6963.
2014
THE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
2014 Supplier of the Year Awards July 10 - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Renaissance Hotel Long Beach Join us as we celebrate outstanding suppliers and their partnerships with corporate members at our annual Supplier of the Year Awards. For more information visit www.scmsdc.org.
2014 Keynote speaker Myles Kovacs President & Co-Founder DUB Magazine
This year’s keynote speaker, Myles Kovacs, a leading voice of the influential, trend-setting youth segment who propelled his DUB Publishing, Inc. and family of companies into a $50 million-plus business, is a much sought-after advisor by companies such as Best Buy, Chrysler, Microsoft, Pepsi, Wal-Mart, NASCAR and Pepsi, among many others, for advice and leadership on products and innovations that connect with youth. "Our 2014 award nominees are an impressive and remarkable group," according to SCMSDC President Virginia Gomez. "They employ nearly 60,000 people, of which approximately 24,000 are minorities, and have gross annual sales of about $16.1 billion.” According to SCMSDC Director of Events, Lauren Knight, “The SOTY awards grows in popularity each year and with our largest number of nominees yet, as well as our keynote and a new venue, 2014 will likely be a ‘sold out’ event.” This year's nominees include (nominators are in parentheses):
USC Bridges to Business Success Veteran-Owned Business *Registration deadline: June 30 July 19 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 10 Consecutive Saturdays USC Campus, Los Angeles This program provides procurement training to build the capacity of small veteran and minority owned businesses through developing business technical skills in order to improve their ability to gain access to capital and procurement opportunities. Targeted for businesses in the Real Estate Asset Management industry (i.e. construction contractors, engineers, plumbers, electricians, landscape architects, and/or businesses in related fields). Company must have minimum 2 years in business. Cost is $499. This round of classes is dedicated to veteran-owned businesses only. For information contact MBDA Business Center at 213.821.2542 or at info@uscbridgesprogram.com.
MBE Orientation July 31 - 2 to 4 p.m. SCMSDC Headquarters
Take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to best leverage your MBE certification and how the council can help. Great for newly-certified, those who are pending certification and others who have been certified but would like to get connected. Free event Parking is not validated.
Class I: Cho Estrada Communications (Southern California Gas Co., Southern California Edison), based in Valencia, provides public relations consulting, writing and editorial services; Décor Interior Design, Inc. (Metropolitan Water District of Southern California), a Los Angeles facility resource company specializing in tenant improvements, design, planning, janitorial and grounds maintenance; DHS Creative (The Walt Disney Company), a San Diego firm with expertise in entertainment and special events; and San Gabriel-based Earl Security (Turner Construction), an alarm and electrical contractor focused on building safety and security. Class II: Alameda Construction Services (Southern California Gas Co., Southern California Edison, Turner Construction), headquartered in Compton, provides site concrete, asphalt, paving, demolition and grading services; Andry Specialty Vehicles (Toyota) in Torrance formulates and executes special events marketing programs; Avery Group (Metropolitan Water District), a full food, facility attendant and janitorial services company in El Segundo; BeyondCurious (Toyota), a Los Angeles firm that provides digital consulting services for the web, mobile and tablet; Blair, Church and Flynn (Southern California Edison), a professional consulting engineering firm in Clovis offering land surveying, planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture and construction management; Glow Electric Co. (Los Angeles World Airports) provides electrical, voice/data, energy management and preventive maintenance services from its Torrance office; ICE Safety Solutions (Toyota), headquartered in Fremont, specializes in safety training; Icon Blue (Macy’s, American Honda Motor Co.), based in Los Angeles, designs, manufactures, packages and distributes promotional merchandise; Kambrian Corporation (Los Angeles World Airports) offers IT/Telecom products and services from its West Covina base; Kanemura Marketing Affiliates (Toyota), a Torrance-based distributor of promotional items; Marrs Services, Inc. (Metropolitan Water District), headquartered in Fullerton, provides construction and project management, engineering, environmental, GIS, drafting and remediation services; SuperbTech, Inc. (Southern California Gas Co.), based in Culver City, specializes in contract and staffing services; Think Ink (Toyota) provides printing, promotion and design services from its headquarters in Corona; Urbanracer.com (Toyota), a Bayside, New York-based firm provides automotive marketing, events and publishing services; Vobecky Enterprises (Metropolitan Water District) offers nationwide trucking, construction, tenant improvement, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, demolition, masonry, concrete, painting and wall coverings, flooring installations from its Glendora base; and Zeesman Communications, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company), a marketing and consulting company in Los Angeles.
2013 Supplier of the Year , networking reception
MBE2MBE Open House August 14 - 5 to 7 p.m.
The SCMSDC MBEIC invites you to enjoy an evening of premier business networking. Don't miss this opportunity to make new contacts, raise your profile and "work" your certification with other MBEs, members of the MBEIC and select corporate members. More details to follow.
Class III: Advantage Mailing, Inc. (Southern California Gas Co.), a printing and direct mailing company in Anaheim; GDM (Southern California Gas Co.), a Chino-based provider of construction equipment, tools and materials; IW Group (Southern California Edison), based in West Hollywood, offers advertising production, public relations, event coordination, community outreach and media buying services; PromoShop, Inc. (Nestle North America), a Los Angeles firm provides promotional and marketing services; RMI International (American Honda Motor Co.), based in Paramount, offers security services; and Trinity Sterile Systems (Kaiser Permanente), a Salisbury, Md., company that manufactures, sources and distributes medical equipment. Class IV: Agile Sourcing Partners (Southern California Gas Co.), based in Corona, is a sourcing and supply chain solutions
supporting utilities, suppliers, and manufacturers in the gas and electric industries; APR Consulting (Kaiser Permanente), a staffing solutions provider headquartered in Diamond Bar, offers talent acquisition, payroll, vendor managed services, recruitment process optimization and business process outsourcing; Collabera (Southern California Edison), a Morristown, New Jersey firm that offers IT staffing, consulting and solutions services; GKK Corporation (Kaiser Permanente), based in Irvine, is an architecture and construction firm focusing on healthcare, education, government/civic and hospitality/mixed-use projects; Rose International, Inc. (Kaiser Permanente) provides workforce services and information technology solutions, staffing, vendor management, payroll processing, application development, operations support and project management from its headquarters in Chesterfield, Mo.; SBM Management Services (WellPoint), a McClellan, Calif.-based company that offers facilities and janitorial services; SHI International (Kaiser Permanente, IBM); based in Somerset, New Jersey, a global provider of computer software, hardware, peripherals, networking products, accessories and a broad range of IT lifecycle services; Technology Integration Group (Johnson Controls, Inc.), system integrator, professional service provider and value-added reseller of computer systems, supplies, accessories and peripherals, headquartered in San Diego; The Matlet Group (Kaiser Permanente), a Pawtuckett, Rhode Island-headquartered printing, packaging and fulfillment company; Walton Isaacson (Toyota) of Los Angeles implements corporate marketing and media campaigns; World Wide Technology (Kaiser Permanente) based in St. Louis, Mo., provides technology and supply chain solutions; and ZeroChaos (Toyota) of Orlando, Fla., offers contingent workforce solutions. One winner is selected in each class category, based on annual sales of less than $1 million (Class I), $1 million and under $10 million (Class II), $10 million and under $50 million (Class III), and $50 million and greater (Class IV). Local winners receive business scholarships and special recognition, move on to compete in the regional competition, and if selected as regional winners, compete for the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Supplier of the Year Award. Established by NMSDC, corporate members nominate certified MBEs in good standing with the council. The Supplier of the Year Award Selection Committee, comprised of corporate members, judge and evaluate the nominees on their demonstrated growth and development; employment and job creation; consistent high quality operations, products/services and business performance; procurement/purchasing spend with MBEs; mentoring and other forms of assistance to MBEs and regional council involvement. In addition to recognizing outstanding nominees, the Supplier of the Year Awards luncheon is an excellent opportunity to network with corporate members and other MBEs. For information or sponsorship opportunities, contact events@scmsdc.org. To register, go to http://www.scmsdc.org/Events/SOTY/Registration-
Board's commitment guides SCMSDC activities Editor’s note: In the last issue of Connections, we looked at the role of the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee, or MBEIC, and its members. In this issue, we provide an overview of SCMSDC board members. They are either employed at major corporations who are leaders in supplier diversity or they are highly successful minority business enterprises (MBEs) who understand the challenges and complexities of running a business. Whether corporate representatives or entrepreneurs, SCMSDC board members are
JOIN SCMSDC Visit www.scmsdc.org to find out about Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification, the MBE Health Insurance program, major networking events, business development programs and more!
passionate about supplier diversity and want to make a difference in the minority business community. The 11-member board guides the council’s activities, working closely with SCMSDC staff to oversee programs and services, monitoring SCMSDC goals and supporting council President Virginia Gomez, among other things. Members serve on various board committees such as the Corporate Growth Initiative, MBE Growth Initiative, Special Events Committee, and Finance Committee. “Our board is committed to advancing supplier diversity and ensuring that our council remains the premier minority business advocacy organization in the region,” says Gomez. “Their diverse backgrounds and commitment to the council and increasing procurement opportunities with MBEs have been nothing short of remarkable.” Here’s a look at SCMSDC board members: SCMSDC Board Chair Joe Alderete is director of Supplier Diversity and Development at Southern California Edison where his leadership has helped SCE achieve a record 41 percent of total purchases with diverse suppliers in 2013. During his career at SCE, which spans more than 30 years, he has worked in Procurement, Material Management, Human Resources and Transmission and Distribution. He is on the board of the National Council of Minorities in Energy, past chairman of the Edison Electric Institute’s Minority Business Development Committee and a member of several ethnic business organizations. SCMSDC President Virginia Gomez is responsible for leading council activities. She previously served as SCMSDC vice president, deputy executive director and interim executive director. Prior to SCMSDC, she held several management positions at LA Department of Water and Power. Gomez serves on various committees of the LA County Business Federation (BizFed), is a member of the Institute of Supply Management and has served on the boards of several ethnic business organizations. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of La Verne. SCMSDC Treasurer Derek Johnson is vice president, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, Media Networks, New Media & Technology, Marketing and Advertising for The Walt Disney Company. Prior to joining Disney in 2005, he held leadership roles in new product development, finance, marketing, indirect and direct material sourcing and supplier quality at General Motors and Saturn. He earned his bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University and an MBA in marketing from Vanderbilt University. SCMSDC Secretary Robert Dyer is Divisional Merchandise director at Wal-Mart, where he oversees store merchandising and merchandising-focused strategic initiatives for its 300-plus stores on the west coast. A 40-plus year retail industry veteran, he previously worked at Center Store for Save Mart Supermarkets, Save Mart, Lucky and Food Maxx. He spent nine years as an industry consultant and worked with retailers and suppliers in the U.S., Asia and Canada. Dyer has a bachelor's degree in business administration from USC and is a graduate of the USC Food Industry Management program.
Joe Blackstone is founder/president of Blackstone Consulting, Inc., which provides food, janitorial, facilities maintenance, security, staffing and grounds and maintenance services. BCI is a Corporate Plus member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), a membership program for minority businesses with proven capability for national contracts. He has served on several boards, including USC Board of Governors, Los Angeles County Private Industry Council and Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles. Blackstone received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from USC and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Charles Harmon manages Corporate Procurement and Corporate Services for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and has administrative responsibility for directing $1-plus billion of the company’s corporate spend. He is also steering committee co-chair of the Honda North American Procurement Strategic Sourcing Committee. He serves on the boards of the Institute of Supply Management – Supplier Diversity Group and the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Harmon, who joined Honda in 1983, attended Cal State Fullerton and holds a bachelor's degree in business management. Vicky Harper-Hall is sector manager, Socio-Economic Business Programs and Government Relations at Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector, where she oversees programs related to small, disadvantaged, women-, veteran- and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, among other areas. She has held several positions at the company and has served on the boards of ethnic business chambers and organizations. She has a bachelor's degree from Cal State Long Beach and an MBA in marketing and management from West Coast University. Albert Louis is the director of Supplier Diversity and Business Development for Johnson Controls, Inc.’s Automotive Experience group. He has held several leadership positions at the company and previously worked in the aerospace, furniture and lighting industries. He is a member of Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council’s certification committee, executive board member of the Canadian Aboriginal Supplier Development Council and global strategic committee member of WEConnect International. He has a bachelor’s degree in science management and is a Certified Purchasing Supply Chain Manager (CPSM). Ying McGuire is vice president of International Operations and Business Development at Technology Integration Group, a minority-owned IT products, solutions and services provider based in San Diego. She previously worked at Dell Inc. in marketing, procurement and operations. She is on the International Trade Center’s advisory board and Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce’s board. She was board chair of the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council, a global committee member of the Woman Business Enterprise National Council, an International Committee member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council and a board member of the Billion Dollar Round Table.
Mario Munoz is staff vice president of Procurement and Accounts Payable at WellPoint, Inc. He joined the company in 2003 and held various positions including Sourcing Manager and Sourcing Director. He previously was a manager at Accenture’s supply chain practice and worked in Southern California Edison’s Procurement and Marketing departments. In addition to SCMSDC’s board, he is a member of the Ariba Technology Advisory Council. Munoz has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Cal State Long Beach and an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University. Monetta Stephens is supplier diversity manager at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., where she is responsible for developing and implementing the company’s comprehensive supplier diversity plan. She also developed and implemented the company's metrics for tracking minority dollars spent. Stephens previously held positions in financial reporting and fixed asset accounting. She has an associate’s degree in accounting from Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia, and a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Redlands. MBEIC Chair Bonnie Nijst is president and CEO of Zeesman Communications, Inc., an award-winning brand strategy, marketing and design firm. Active in the business and nonprofit communities, she is past president of the National Association of Women Business Owners – Los Angeles and past vice chair of the NAWBO-LA Foundation. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the USC and is a graduate of the Management Development for Entrepreneurs Program at UCLA Anderson School of Management.
MBE smart tips Creating strategic alliances "Businesses once grew by one of two ways; grass roots up, or by acquisition... Today businesses grow through alliances - all kinds of dangerous alliances. Joint ventures and customer partnerings which, by the way, very few people understand." -- Peter F. Drucker Most successful entrepreneurs know that if you want to grow your business, you need to join forces with another firm. Having a strategic partner achieves many objectives, including providing capital, offering a broader scope of expertise, building up areas where you’re weak and gaining exposure in new markets, among others. But many partnerships fail because they lack structure, accountability and collaboration or have unrealistic expectations. If you’re looking for a strategic partner to collaborate on a potential business opportunity, keep the following in mind: • Find the right partner. Do your research and take time to identify a partner who shares your vision, values and
work ethic. Think of it as hiring an employee – you’re going to be working closely with this person so make sure it’s a good fit. • Establish clear objectives and expectations. Determine targeted revenues, benefits and metrics and discuss roles and responsibilities. Both sides should have a thorough understanding of what they’re bringing into and getting out of the partnership. • Provide required resources. In a business partnership, both sides need to dedicate time, energy and capital. If one partner isn’t as committed as the other, resentment will build and the partnership will fail. Make sure you can fulfill these obligations. • Keep lines of communications open. Once you’ve found a partner, meet regularly and keep in constant contact to address any challenges or problems. Both parties should work seamlessly and in tandem. Also consider regular reports and updates to the client so they can see your activities and results. • Take it slow. As you begin your strategic partnership, don’t try to do too much too soon. Be thoughtful and strategic and determine early objectives, then start slowly and build momentum. Like any relationship, a new partnership requires time and patience. • Leverage your partnership to build credibility. Let others know you have a strategic partner and promote your work. This can help you gain new customers and markets and allow others to see you in a new light, with capabilities and expertise in a whole new area. It’s only natural for business owners to want to retain control of their operations and shy away from partnerships. But the right partner can help your business grow, enter new markets and become more successful than going at it alone. Editor’s note: Many minority business enterprises (MBEs) have had strategic alliances with other MBEs as a result of SCMSDC networking events. If you have a partnership that resulted from a council connection and you’d like to share your story, send an email to vicki@choestrada.com. We’ll highlight some of these partnerships in future issues of Connections.
News briefs Networking, one-on-ones at MBE Open House The MBE 2 MBE Open House hosted by Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) on June 12 had a unique twist. It was the usual after hours, relaxed MBE 2 MBE networking, but this open house provided attendees an in-depth learning opportunity about JCI’s supplier diversity program and one-on-one discussion with JCI executives and procurement team in attendance. The event, held at Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s headquarters, attracted more than 100 people, including corporate representatives from The Walt Disney
Company, Ricoh USA and Southern California Edison Shelly Brown, JCI’s supplier diversity manager, provided valuable information on how to effectively engage with the company and other corporations. He stressed and explained the importance of suppliers getting MBE certified, asked MBEs to understand that JCI and other corporations want suppliers to know as much about which products and services they offer, and how they as suppliers can add value in their corporate clients’ supply chain.
Brown also emphasized that corporations cannot do business with all suppliers, and presented JCI’s ‘hot list ‘of products and services and its ‘not so hot list.’ He introduced JCI executives and procurement staff in attendance (which included the local procurement regional manager, and Albert BW Louis, JCI’s global supplier diversity director, and SCMSDC board member) and told suppliers to speak to them about their products and services.
“Shelly Brown has already contacted each open house attendee and asked the council to work with JCI to determine next steps to ensure those who attended the open house and can be potential suppliers are afforded follow up meetings with its procurement team,” according to SCMSDC Director of Business Development and Certification, Marlene Gomez. Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) Chair Bonnie Nijst had this to say about the event: “The Johnson Controls-sponsored MBE 2 MBE Open House was the perfect example of everything SCMSDC and the MBEIC do best. We showcase our corporate members, educate our MBEs and connect them with corporate procurement opportunities, all while building a dynamic community of certified minority businesses that support and provide resources to each other.” Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and
industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Its 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. The next MBE 2 MBE Open House will be held August 14, hosted by Sanders Roberts & Jewett in downtown Los Angeles. The cost is $30. Register here: http://www. e ve nt b r i te . co m /e / m b e - 2 - m b e - o p e n - h o u s e - ti c k ets-10915481499
A new name and look -- City Toastmasters Four years ago, SCMSDC launched its Toastmasters Club, aimed at catering to business owners and their employees and encouraging networking and business-focused presentations. The club has attracted many regular attendees at biweekly meetings at SCMSDC’s office in downtown Los Angeles to hone their public speaking and presentation skills. To reflect a more metropolitan look, the club recently changed its name to City Toastmasters and created a new logo. It also launched a new website, www.citytoastmasters.org. “We wanted the club and brand to better reflect who we are,” says Natalie Masiello, who oversees the Toastmasters program at the council. “It’s located in downtown Los Angeles and we cater to professionals and business owners. We feel the new brand is a more sophisticated yet progressive presentation, which embodies our club culture.” SCMSDC’s Toastmasters program offers learn-by-doing workshops where participants, both seasoned and novices, improve their speaking and leadership skills in a friendly, non-threatening atmosphere. Attendees learn to effectively communicate strengths of product/service, present dynamically with and without visual aids, engage audiences with vocal variety and gestures, speak with purpose to inform and persuade, communicate "off the cuff," and develop confidence while speaking in front of a group or one-on-one. Attendees also have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers and network with other business owners from various industries and organizations. Meetings are held bi-weekly on Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. All visitors are welcome with no obligation to join. The cost is $36 per 6 months + $21.75 one-time fee for new member kit. For information on the program, visit www.citytoastmasters.org or contact Natalie Masiello, nmasiello@scmsdc.org or 213.689.6963.
BE HEARD! Do you have a story idea or would you like to author an article for Connections? We'd love to hear from you! Contact Vicki Cho Estrada at vicki@choestrada.com.