“Business is Personal: Build Your Network, Build Your Future” Expo Attracts Major Corporations, Minority Suppliers, & National Organizations
Minority Supplier Development Council Expo Paves the Way to a Brighter Business Future
American LED and Energy Corporation (also known as AL&E or PL&E), a certified MBE, traveled from Hawaii to attend the Expo making several connections with major corporations. Also during their visit in California AL&E visited with APPLE.
OAKLAND, Calif., August 17, 2010-- The Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council (NCMSDC) hosted Northern California’s largest and most successful annual minority business opportunity expo on August 5 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. This year, NCMSDC’s expo theme of “Business is Personal” challenged attendees to make business more about cultivating meaningful business relationships, trust, and mutual respect than the impersonal interactions often encouraged in today’s technology-driven society of emails over handshakes.
The Expo attracted Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBEs) from many states across the nation, including Hawaii, Missouri, and New Jersey, and national strategic alliance partners like the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California, Astra Women’s Business Alliance, the California Alliance Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley. Councilmember Rose Herrera was also in attendance to present a City of San Jose Commendation from Chuck Reed, Mayor of San Jose, and Councilmember Herrera congratulating NCMSDC on its extraordinary business practices to create diversity in the work place in California, Hawaii, and the City of San Jose. Additionally, NCMSDC received letters of support from United States Senator Barbara Boxer and Assemblymember Sandré R. Swanson recognizing the Council for its efforts to grow MBEs through certification, training, and events.
Present at the Expo were some of the most prominent corporations not only in Northern California but nationwide, including NCMSDC sponsors Union Bank, Brocade, Chevron Corporation, Cisco Systems, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Kaiser Permanente, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Apple Inc, AT&T, Hewlett-Packard Company, Robert Half International, Virgin America, and Wells Fargo. Corporate supplier diversity professionals, as well as procurement and sourcing managers utilized the Expo as a forum to connect with MBEs and explore their compatibility with current, ongoing, and future business opportunities.
NCMSDC President Scott A. Vowels commented, “Our 2010 Expo marks the start of a better, brighter business future where minority businesses can turn to each other for MBE-to-MBE Spend, subcontracting, and joint venturing opportunities, as well as continue to do business with Corporate America. I honestly believe in the power of our expos to bring great companies and great minds together to generate the opportunities and new ideas that will carry us through the challenges of 2010 and into a bright new year.”
About the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council
Founded in 1978, the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council (NCMSDC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting minority supplier development in the workplace. NCMSDC’s mission is to provide MBEs in Northern California and Hawaii with nationally-recognized certification and to connect corporate members with NCMSDC-certified minority suppliers. Please visit them online at www.ncmsdc.org.
Visit AL&E Corp and PL&E Corp at the following websites:
http://www.pacificledenergy.com/
http://www.al-e.com/