The Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council recently expanded its team at the start of the new year in January 2022, announcing Lesley Hughes as the new Certification Specialist. Her duties will include supporting the four pillars of the Council’s work to Advocate, Connect, Develop and Certify Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) for opportunities with Corporate Partners seeking to fulfill supplier development initiatives.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Individuals, minority business professionals and corporate representatives in supplier diversity & supplier development roles were honored with awards for excellence during the 2020 Annual Meeting for Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council. The two-day event consisted of an awards reception and a daylong series of workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities. Additionally, the new CVMSDC Board of Directors Chairman Jeff Conley – along with a new board slate – was officially announced and installed. More than 140 people registered to attend the event, which was held at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jan. 28-29.

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GREENVILLE, S.C. – “Is Your Business Fit?” is the question on the minds of speakers and presenters for the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council’s 13th annual MBE Summit on Monday, Dec. 2 at the Michelin campus in Greenville, South Carolina. The MBE Summit is a business development event for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to assess and strengthen business skills and to connect one-on-one with corporate purchasing representatives seeking new business partners and service providers. MBE Summit 2019 is being hosted by Michelin.

The daylong event will feature a series of workshops and breakout sessions highlighting important business topics such as: Understanding the RFP Process with representatives from Wells Fargo and Duke Energy; and Access to Capital with representatives from Bank of America, Charleston LDC, M&F Bank, and the NMSDC Business Consortium Fund. There also will be an MBE-focused panel discussion on Business Fitness, along with afternoon breakout sessions on Effectively Using Technology to Acquire New Business; Business Owner Success Tools; Access to Capital; and North Carolina Department of Commerce Opportunities.

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Adrienne Trimble, President and CEO of NMSDC, will testify Wednesday before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, on a panel of three diversity professionals discussing “Good for the Bottom Line: A Review of the Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion.”

The testimony is scheduled to be televised live Wednesday on CSPAN from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM (EDT).

A part of the House Financial Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), the Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH).

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Cathy Williams of Ferguson and CVMSDC President Dominique Milton discuss Supplier Development and BOC 2019 on the WHOV 88.1 FM “Black Wall Street Today” program.

CVMSDC is grateful for the continued support of BOC 2019 sponsors Ferguson and the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development. During a recent radio interview on Black Wall Street Today, CVMSDC President & CEO Dominique Milton talked about the importance of supplier development and the upcoming opportunities at the 2019 Business Opportunity Conference.

The theme of BOC 2019 is “Embracing the Future of Our Economy,” and the two-day event, scheduled for Aug. 5-6 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, will feature presentations, seminars, workshops and networking events that provide additional insights on how companies can successfully participate in the technology marketplace of the future.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In September 2018, the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council will name Marjilette Brown as its new Director of Certification, a promotion from her current role as manager of certification, which she has held since 2015. Brown’s previous management and supervision duties include serving on the National Minority Supplier Development Council Technical Advisory Certification Committee; training NMSDC affiliate presidents and certification staffers on certification best practices; and managing the certification process for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and corporate end-users throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

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Our CVMSDC Virginia team, along with Virginia MBEs, supported Altria in its Community Day of Sharing event. This is an annual opportunity for our certified MBEs to work alongside Altria’s procurement buyers while giving back to the community.

This year we worked at Maymont Park preserving historical trees and popular woodland trails. Volunteers also prepared kits for homeless men in need, Richmond Behavioral Health patients, and helped prepare for Easter events to benefit kids in the community.

MBEs had lunch meetings with prospective buyers in their industry – making connections and talking about opportunities at Altria. This event is always a great success and supports the CVMSDC mission by providing value to our MBEs through connecting and advocating. We hope you can join us next year!

CVMSDC: 43 Years and Counting

Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC) is one of 23 regional affiliate councils of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The Council is a membership organization of major corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, and universities that operate within North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Carolinas-Virginia MSDC is a non-profit corporation chartered to enhance business opportunities for minority-owned companies by providing support through developing mutually beneficial networking opportunities with corporate partners and promoting minority business development.

The CVMSDC Mission:

To expand business opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and create mutually beneficial links between Corporate Partners and MBEs. The ultimate outcome is to add economic value to the supply chain, while increasing economic opportunities in the business community.

Core CVMSDC Work Streams:

• Certification–Setting the standard for verification;
• Development–Providing leading training resources;
• Connecting–Creating opportunities for engagement and growth;
• Advocacy –Driving for national, regional, and local support.

View the 2019 Economic Impact Report here: