The Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (ChicagoMSDC) has been named National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Council of the Year. The announcement was made at the NMSDC Conference + Business
Opportunity Exchange Awards Banquet in Detroit, Michigan on October 25, 2017. rThe Council of the Year Award recognizes the top organization within the NMSDC network of 23 regional affiliates across the country. ChicagoMSDC was honored for its exemplary programming and services and its contributions to the advancement of minority business. Accepting the award on behalf of ChicagoMSDC were its President & CEO, Shelia Morgan; Chair, Ruby McCleary; and Executive Vice President, Phillip Barreda. Shelia Morgan stated, “I am so very proud and honored to receive this recognition on behalf of all of our stakeholders. ChicagoMSDC exists to serve our minority entrepreneurs and the corporations who do business with them. We are committed to the cause of supplier diversity and we know much work remains!”
ChicagoMSDC has been leading the way in the supplier diversity movement for fifty years. In 1967, a group of 19 progressive Chicago-area corporations came together to host the first Chicago Business Opportunity Day at Western Electric (now AT&T). The purpose was to encourage economic and social parity by creating inroads for minority businesses. The event was a huge success and grew into the annual Chicago Business Opportunity Fair (CBOF) which now draws participation from thousands of corporations and Minority Business Enterprises each year and serves as a model for similar events throughout the country. From CBOF grew the Chicago Regional Purchasing Council (now ChicagoMSDC) which was incorporated in 1968, and the National Minority Purchasing Council (now NMSDC) which was established in 1972.
In 2017, ChicagoMSDC celebrated its 50th anniversary at CBOF50. Held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, the two-day event featured the signature trade show, workshops, over 600 one-on-one meetings between corporate buyers and MBE suppliers, and a commemorative awards gala. Throughout the year, the council hosted the MBE Procurement Luncheon Series where officers from Amazon Prime, BMO Harris, CTA, Discover Financial, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago shared opportunities and strategies for doing business with their corporations. Our 38th annual Scholarship Classic raised enough money to fund college assistance scholarships for six budding entrepreneurs. ChicagoMSDC continues to provide comprehensive technical support to MBEs through its MBDA Export center, MBDA Business Centers in Chicago and St. Louis, and Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Center.
ChicagoMSDC has a long history of thought leadership in supplier diversity and is proud to accept this recognition on behalf of its staff, board of directors, MBEs, corporate members and strategic partners.
