Minority Supplier Development Council Back In FL

 NEW YORK -- The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) returns toMiami Beach October 24-27 for its annual Conference and Business Opportunity Fair — the nation's benchmark forum on minority supplier development. More than 6,000 people will attend the four-day event at the Miami Beach Convention Center, including Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business owners, as well as corporate minority supplier development professionals, purchasing executives and corporate decision-makers, and representatives from international NMSDC counterpart organizations.

The Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council, one of NMSDC's 37 regional councils, will co-host the event which was last held in Miami Beach in 2007.

"We are pleased to bring our signature event back to Miami Beach," said NMSDC President Joset B. Wright.  "South Florida has a strong, vibrant minority business community. It is our hope that the conference and business opportunity fair will have a positive economic impact on the minority business community there, and expose our corporate members to outstanding minority suppliers from Florida and across the country."

"Minority Businesses and Corporate America — Partnership: The Engine for a Global Economy" is the theme of this year's conference. The conference schedule begins on Monday, October 25th with a one-day Business Opportunity Fair that will feature more than 660 corporate and minority business exhibit booths. Tuesday and Wednesday are packed with a full slate of 32 targeted workshops and plenary sessions led by chief executive officers from the nation's leading corporations; subject matter experts on minority supplier development; government officials and corporate purchasing professionals.

The conference culminates on Wednesday evening with an Awards Banquet to honor the Corporation of the Year, Suppliers of the Year, Minority Supplier Development Leader of the Year and Council of the Year.  

About NMSDC

Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations.  It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes. 

The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 37 Regional Councils across the country.  There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including America's top publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions.  The Regional Councils certify and match more than 16,000 Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their products and services.