During National Hispanic Heritage Month, The Council celebrates with intense vigor and respect, the numerous contributions and achievements made by Hispanic and Latin American business owners. They continue to profoundly and positively influence our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service. For centuries those of Hispanic heritage have made a difference to our nation’s cultural, social, and economic prosperity.

Nearly 60-million people, or 18 percent of the American population, are of Hispanic or Latin origin.   With five-point-five million Hispanics living in the New York and New Jersey region, Hispanic Americans are the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. And, Hispanic and Latin entrepreneurs are an ever-growing and integral part of our economy. With close to five million Hispanic-owned businesses throughout the U.S., these firms account for more than $709 billion in sales revenues. U.S. Hispanic entrepreneurs have been starting businesses at a pace 15 times the national average over the last decade.  According to the 2019 Bank of America Hispanic Small Business Owner Spotlight, 87 percent of Hispanic entrepreneurs plan to expand their business this year; 20 percent higher than non-Hispanic business owners.

The activity of our certified Hispanic-owned minority-business enterprise is indicative of the national trend. The Council serves more than 360,000 firms in the New York and New Jersey region, which generate nearly $38 billion in sales revenues. Since we began our work in 1973, we have seen the number of Hispanic suppliers increase exponentially. Click below to view a list of our Council-certified Hispanic business owners and join us in celebrating their success.

The ongoing growth and development of our Hispanic MBEs reaffirm our mission and fuels The Council’s drive to continuously offer effective and innovative business-building tools, programs, and technical assistance resources that help them thrive.

Angela M. Guzman is the Director of Supplier Diversity at NBCUniversal. As the director of this important initiative, she develops partnerships that promote the use of minority-, women-, veteran-, LGBT-, and disabled-owned businesses company-wide. Angela serves as a lead liaison between NBCUniversal, the diverse supplier community and diverse supplier-advocacy groups. She brings over 16 years of media-industry experience to the role and has worked on all sides of the business, including financial planning and analysis, risk management and diversity for on-air and behind-the-camera programming.

In 2017, Angela launched the NBCUniversal EDGE Accelerator program; the industry’s first-ever business accelerator geared toward the development of and investment in diverse-owned companies specializing in the media and entertainment industry. She is the Executive Producer for two National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) content projects, including “Billion Dollar Buzz” and the recently released “Access-to-Capital” series.

She is a leading advocate for inclusion serving as co-leader for  NBCUniversal’s Women’s Network, Vice-Chair of the NY&NJ MSDC’s Board of Directors and a member of the Aspen Institutes Latinos & Society program. Angela served as Chairman of the NMSDC’s Advertising Entertainment Media and Sports Industry group and believes that “learning is a lifelong journey and inclusion is a life-long mission.”

Angela studied Business Administration at the City University of New York and earned a B.B.A in Finance from Queens College. She is currently a graduate student at Harvard University, working toward a certificate in data science. Angela resides in Queens with her two sons.

Gabriel Gonzalez developed an interest in business and culture from a very young age. As the son of immigrant parents, he experienced the realities of making it in a country with no extended family, while being unfamiliar with the culture and language. Determined to honor his parents’ sacrifices, Gabriel dedicated himself to his studies and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers Business School. While attending school, his cultural curiosity led him to study abroad at Kingston University, London, England. It was during his time abroad that Gabriel sharpened his ability to adapt to people’s diverse backgrounds and actively seek out different perspectives.

Leveraging his background in sales management coupled with his newly refined global mindset, Gabriel founded Strategic Business Development. The company’s mission is to grow small to medium-sized businesses by identifying new opportunities that reach underserved markets which leads to the acquisition of new accounts built on a strong customer relationship. Gabriel joined Nova Services Group, a regional janitorial company in 2006 as their VP of Business Development. By implementing strategic processes and coaching leaders on how to ensure exceptional customer service, Gabriel grew sales more than 100% year over year and became a partner in 2013.

In 2019, Gabriel formed DexandCo. As president, Gabriel leads a staff of seven providing janitorial, painting, plumbing, and HVAC services. He is also the Chairperson of the NY & NJ MSDC Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee.

New York – September 10, 2019 – The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council is proud to announce the Minority Supplier of the Year award winners for 2019.

The winning minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) are:

CLASS I Division Winner (Annual revenues less than $1M)

McPherson, Berry & Associates headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, is a human-resources consulting services and organizational development firm with offices in Atlanta, the Carolinas, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

CLASS III Division Winner (Annual revenues between $10M and $50M)

Aequor Technologies is a Piscataway, New Jersey-based CMMI-certified global world-class IT solutions and consulting company, serving businesses of all sizes across a broad spectrum of industries and sectors.

CLASS IV Division Winner (Annual revenues over $50M)

Bravo! Building Services is located in East Bridgewater, NJ. Ms. Karen J. Martinez, President & CEO

Each year, corporate members nominate Council-certified MBEs with which they do business. Nominees are then considered by a committee composed of corporate members, representatives of business organizations, and Council staff.  The Supplier of the Year winners have distinguished themselves and their companies by demonstrating substantive growth in sales and employment while overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.  The winners consistently provide high-quality products and services at competitive prices while offering innovative approaches and cost-saving ideas.  They also continuously grow MBE-to-MBE purchases, and significantly contribute to the economic stability of their communities.

“This award affirms that we are on the right path of success and motivates us to keep moving forward without wavering,” said McPherson, Berry & Associates President and CEO LaSonya Berry. “As a certified woman-owned minority-business-enterprise owner, I have faced many challenges and met them head-on because of the support I’ve received from The Council.  Its resources, such as educational programs, networking events, and access to expert mentoring, have made a big difference in whether McPherson, Berry & Associates grows or languishes.”

“Hard work, perseverance, and keen listening have brought Aequor Technologies Inc. this far,” said President and CEO Mr. Kamalpreet S. Virdi.  “The Council’s encouragement helped bolster our unyielding belief in the work that we do. This Supplier of the Year Award removes all doubt that we are providing the best quality IT services, products, and solutions. Upward and onward!”

“We’re overwhelmed by this recognition from The Council,” said Bravo! Building Services, Inc., President and CEO Karen J. Martinez.  “Of all of the awards we could receive, The Council’s MBE Supplier of the Year Class IV award is one of the most cherished.  It means that we’re not only respected by our peers but also by the major corporations that have become our supplier diversity partners.”

Winners of the Supplier of the Year awards are provided a local, and potentially, national showcase as they move on to compete regionally and ultimately nationally. They will be formally recognized at The Council’s Annual Partnership Awards Gala on October 30, 2019, at Cipriani, 25 Broadway, New York City.

Congratulations to all 2019 Supplier of the Year winners

About the New York and New Jersey MSDC
The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (The Council), established in 1973, is a vital link between major corporations and minority business enterprises (MBEs). Each year, member corporations report billions of dollars spent with Council-certified Minority Business Enterprises. Serving the New York and New Jersey region, The Council is one of the 23 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.