SCMBDC to Honor Minority Entrepreneurs

Business Wire,  July 9, 2008  

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24th Annual Supplier of the Year Awards Luncheon to Be Held July 10

LOS ANGELES -- Southern California Minority Business Development Council, the region's leading minority business advocacy organization, will be honoring outstanding minority entrepreneurs at its 24th Annual Supplier of the Year Awards luncheon on July 10 at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel, located at 251 S. Olive St.

The event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., celebrates the outstanding performance of minority business enterprises (MBEs) in their contracts with SCMBDC corporate members. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Charles Steinberg, executive vice president of marketing and public relations and chief marketing officer for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This year, there are 43 award nominees employing nearly 8,000 people with gross annual sales of more than $6 billion, according to John W. Murray, Jr., president of the council.

Under the program, MBEs are judged on their demonstrated growth, development and ability to create jobs; utilization of other MBEs; business performance in their contracts, including providing quality products and services, cost savings and innovative solutions; overcoming major obstacles and adversities, and community involvement.

Only one winner is selected in each class category, based on annual sales of less than $1 million (Class I), between $1 million and $10 million (Class II), between $10 million and $50 million (Class III), and $50 million and greater (Class IV). To be considered for an award, a minority business must be nominated by an SCMBDC corporate member and certified as a minority business by the council.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. is this year's title sponsor. Other sponsors to date include: (platinum) AEG; BP; Hilton Hotels Corp.; Southern California Edison; Southern California Gas Co.; Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and Wells Fargo; (gold) WellPoint, Inc.; (silver) A.M. Ortega Construction; Acto1 Personnel Services; Apex Computer Systems, Inc.; APR Consulting, Inc.; AT&T, Inc.; Chevron Corp.; Countrywide Financial Corp.; FCI Management Consultants, Inc.; IW Group, Inc.; Kaiser Permanente; Los Angeles Department of Water & Power; Los Angeles World Airports; Macy's West; Metropolitan Water District; Northrop Grumman Corp.; Software House International; Technology Integration Group; The Walt Disney Company, and U.S. Bank.

The following corporate members provided 2008 award nominations: AEG; American Honda; AT&T Chevron; Countrywide; Hilton Hotels; Hyundai Motor America; Kaiser Permanente; Los Angeles Department of Water & Power; Nissan North America, Inc.; Northrop Grumman; Southern California Edison; Southern California Gas; The Walt Disney Company; US Bank; Wells Fargo Bank, and WellPoint.

This year's nominees include: Act 1 Group; Ad Pro; AM Ortega Construction; APR Consulting; Anahau Energy, LLC; Apex Computer Systems, Inc.; Aquent, LLC; Artcraft Bedding & Draperies; Ayala Boring; Beacon Management Consultant; Clarity Digital Imaging Supplies, Inc.; Coast Aerospace; Code PreCast; Coseree's Kitchen; CrestPoint Solutions, Inc.; Diverse Staffing Solutions; DOD Construction; EnPointe Technologies; FCI Management Consultants; Icon Blue, Inc.; Industry Color Printing; IW Group, Inc.; Johnson-Peltier Electric; Kaleidoscope Consulting Group; Kenig Aerospace; Liberty Paper & Printing; Madruga Electric, Inc.; Mandaree Enterprise Corp.; Morrow Cable Construction; Muse Communications; One Source Distributors; Petros Energy Products, Inc.; Prava Construction Services; Project View, Inc.; ProTool Services, Inc.; RMI Inc.; SC Anderson, Inc.; Sherwood Florist; Software House International; Technology Integration Group; The Baker Group, Inc.; US Metro Group, Inc., and V.R. & Associates.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) introduced the Supplier of the Year program in 1981 as a way of measuring the success of circulating corporate dollars into the minority business community. As an affiliate of the national council, SCMBDC has participated in the program since 1985.

For information, tickets or sponsorship opportunities for the 2008 Supplier of the Year awards luncheon, contact Shawn Smith at (213) 689-6940, or visit www.scmbdc.org. Tickets will not be sold at the event.

Southern California Minority Business Development Council, the region's leading minority business advocacy organization, serves more than 1,000 minority business enterprises and 200 corporate members throughout 13 counties. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Los Angeles with chapters in Orange County and the Central Valley, it is one of 39 regional councils in the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

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