Month: February 2021

Keep up-to-date with what’s happening in the supply chain diversity space both nationally, regionally, and locally as well as get the latest NYNJMSDC news.

2020 Quarter 4 Newsletter


MBE Spotlight

Mirtes Lobaito is a successful business owner and entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience in the IT Staffing Industry. She founded her IT staffing company, AGM Tech Solutions, less than 2 years ago and closed 2020 with revenues of approximately $20 million.

At the age of 20 Mirtes left her family and friends behind in Brazil and moved to the United States to pursue her American dream with just $1,000 in her pocket. Not completely fluent in English, Mirtes’ earnest desire to build a brand-new life led to her success.


Calling all MBEs! We need your help.

Do you want to support minority businesses while advancing the network? Join The Council’s Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC).

The committee is now under the leadership of our new chairperson, Cheryl McCants, president and CEO of Impact Consulting Enterprises.

We invite you to join us in guiding The Council’s initiatives; providing insight to advance the roles of Class I, II, III, and IV MBEs in our economy’s success; and developing innovative business development opportunities for MBEs and corporate members alike. 

Read More Here


The Council Around The Web

The Council continues to provide meaningful webinars and resources for our certified MBEs and corporate members. Although our work remains remote, business opportunities abound, and connections remain to be made. Thank you to all who attended our 2020 sessions. 

Be sure to check our calendar for upcoming online events.

Here’s a look back at some of the webinars we hosted in Q4 of 2020. 


2020 Business Opportunity Exchange

The Council’s paramount virtual event of 2020 was our November Business Opportunity Exchange. For two days, corporate and MBE sponsors and minority business owners came together for unparalleled business opportunities, educational webinars, and pivotal networking sessions.

We would like to thank our sponsors, participants, and everyone who made this event a massive success. Although we were physically distant, we came together in the virtual convention halls to advance our goals and make lasting connections that uplift our entire economy.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE PERFECT PITCH WINNERS!

First Place:
Cheryl McCants – Impact Consulting Enterprises

Second Place:
Tamekia Flowers-Ball – Epiphany Blue

Third Place:
Elly Roman – Brookside Painting


2020 Corporate Awards

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

National Corporation of the Year: New York Life

Annually, The Council recognizes exemplary achievement in the area of minority supplier development. The National Corporation of the Year award is regarded as the most significant honor a national corporate member can achieve for the utilization of Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American certified businesses. We are proud to bestow 2020’s honor on New York Life. 

Advocate of the Year: Joy Wong

New York Life won The Council’s 2020 National Corporation of the Year Award in no small part due to Joy Wong’s leadership as head of Supplier Diversity. Joy leads the program with a clear focus on adding value and opportunities for MBEs. She promotes supplier diversity both internally and externally, and organizes the program to facilitate connections with diverse suppliers. We applaud Joy’s groundbreaking strategies to reach, support, and include diverse suppliers in New York Life’s supply chain. 

Local Corporation of the Year: NY Power Authority

Each year The Council selects a Local Corporate Member of the Year. The winner must demonstrate exceptional strength in all areas critical to maintaining a solid, minority supplier development process – policies; procurement, particularly growth in dollars and percent; MBE development; and leadership and engagement. We are proud to bestow 2020’s honor upon New York Power Authority. 


2021 Networking for Scholarships


Mark Your Calendars

Can anything be harder than running a business? YES! Running a business during a pandemic. Luckily, Vistage is here to help. As the world’s largest CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize business leaders, Vistage has a winning approach to coaching businesses. Whether you are climbing Mount Everest or looking to grow your business, experts agree that you need a guide, a trusted team of peers, and world-class resources that keep everyone on course despite obstacles.

Vistage has coached more than 100,000 CEOs and business owners since 1957 with excellent results: on average, member businesses grow 2.2 times faster than other small and midsize U.S. businesses, according to a study of Dun & Bradstreet data. Each Vistage member is part of a local group of peers from non-competitive organizations, led by an experienced mentor, who support and challenge each other’s thinking with the goal of everyone’s success.

If you want a glimpse of how and why this works, join Vistage and the Council on February 3, 2021, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET. You will gain insight into what gives some of the world’s top-performing CEOs a tremendous competitive advantage.

Watch your inbox for event registration details. 


On The Horizon


Thank You To Our 2020 Annual Sponsors

During these difficult times, The Council would like to acknowledge and thank our corporate and MBE champions. We appreciate your dedication to helping our mission of bringing opportunities to minority suppliers and advocating on their behalf.

Thank You To Our 2020 Supporters & Donors

2021 Black History Month

During Black History Month, we celebrate the contributions of Black Americans to this country, while we acknowledge the obstacles that they overcame along the way. Although the journey toward equality started centuries ago, Black Americans and communities of color still face ongoing challenges. Minority business owners have been hit harder economically than non-minority business owners due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council recognizes the unique burdens of Black-owned businesses and commits to creating a better future for them, our Black and brown communities, and our nation. As set forth by President Biden, Black History Month’s 2021 theme focuses on “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” The Council supports this call to action by providing meaningful and actionable opportunities for our MBE family to financially and economically advance our communities, while we continue to work on diversifying our nation’s supply chains.

According to McKinsey, the racial wealth gap is estimated to cost the U.S. economy up to $1.5 trillion (in 2018 dollars) per year by 2028. Experts agree that minority entrepreneurship and business ownership play a crucial role in developing community wealth and closing this gap. Additionally, Black-owned businesses frequently hire employees of color. These facts prove that the prosperity of MBEs significantly impacts minority communities. Here at The Council, we know the potential within Black businesses to overcome adversity, and we stand firm to bolster their success.

The Council offers meaningful business development opportunities to minority businesses, including regular webinars, networking sessions, and exclusive mentoring opportunities. We give Black and minority business owners the tools needed to succeed. Then, we forge lasting connections, both among MBEs and corporate members, as well as between MBEs. Black History Month offers us a chance to reflect on our progress, assess our challenges, and continue making strides toward a powerful minority business community that benefits every member of our diverse nation.

Sincerely,

Terrence Clark

Corporate Spotlight: National Grid

Carla Hunter Ramsey serves as Global Senior Director of Supply Chain Corporate Social Responsibility for National Grid. National Grid, one of the largest publicly owned energy companies in the world, is also one of the nation’s largest electricity and gas delivery companies. In her role, she leads the coordination, integration, and implementation of all supply chain diversity and sustainability strategies across the global footprint. Hunter Ramsey joined National Grid after more than 20 years in procurement, leading purchasing departments in higher education.

Hunter Ramsey is committed to helping change the business world to level the playing field for diverse companies across the U.S, as well as setting National Grid’s ambition to transform the way we do business and provide a sustainable legacy. She aids National Grid’s long-term growth objectives by effectively expanding business opportunities through the creation of powerful partnerships with minority and women-owned businesses.

She leads National Grid’s Supply Chain Corporate Social Responsibility team with a commitment to:

  • Raise awareness around the existence and capabilities of MWBE’s
  • Increase MWBE supplier participation in sourcing opportunities
  • Identify subcontracting opportunities for MWBE suppliers
  • Track and support spend with MWBE suppliers
  • Mentor and strategize with MWBE suppliers
  • Invest in skills training to prepare MWBE suppliers to support and participate in today’s and tomorrow’s energy and utility sector

National Grid’s supplier diversity program has received dozens of awards for its efforts to build and develop opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. Mrs. Hunter Ramsey has been recognized as one of the top supplier diversity executives in the nation and one of the top 25 Most Influential Black Women in business from The Network Journal. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Queens College, an Executive master’s degree in public administration from Baruch College, and a master’s in divinity degree from New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Hunter Ramsey is married with 3 children and resides in Queens, New York.

MBE Spotlight: Skyline Connections

Over 26 years ago, Rodney Evans founded Skyline Connections, Inc. (SCI) after attending The Million Man March. SCI is an IT solutions firm serving the financial industry as well as municipal and state governments. SCI’s services are designed to help clients plan and maximize their technology investments.

SCI’s most recent offering is Epiphany cyber software. SCI partnered with Digitalware of NYC to develop a cyber software solution that lets clients know when and where a cyber breach will take place, as well as what business units would be affected. This agentless cyber solution deploys easily. The Council’s support resulted in SCI introducing Epiphany to one of the largest banks in America.

SCI’s most recent offering is Epiphany cyber software. SCI partnered with Digitalware of NYC to develop a cyber software solution that lets clients know when and where a cyber breach will take place, as well as what business units would be affected. This agentless cyber solution deploys easily. The Council’s support resulted in SCI introducing Epiphany to one of the largest banks in America.

SCI’s most recent offering is Epiphany cyber software. SCI partnered with Digitalware of NYC to develop a cyber software solution that lets clients know when and where a cyber breach will take place, as well as what business units would be affected. This agentless cyber solution deploys easily. The Council’s support resulted in SCI introducing Epiphany to one of the largest banks in America.