Fred W. McKinney

Fred W. McKinney

Fred W. McKinney, president and CEO of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, has been named the 2012 U.S. Small Business Administration Massachusetts Minority Small Business Champion award winner.

The Minority Small Business Champion Award is presented annually to an individual who has fulfilled a commitment to support minority entrepreneurship.  Specific nomination criteria include: volunteer efforts to advance minority small business interests; demonstrated efforts to improve conditions in the minority small business community as a whole; voluntary provision of professional services to the minority small business community; and demonstrated accomplishments in advising minority small business groups of opportunities within the overall business community.

McKinney leads the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, a nonprofit organization based in Hamden, Connecticut with an office in Boston. The organization’s mission is to significantly increase procurement opportunities for certified minority business enterprises. Under McKinney’s leadership, the council budget has grown fivefold and now covers the six New England states.

“Dr. McKinney is a very effective advocate for minority business owners,” said SBA Massachusetts District Director Robert H. Nelson. “His ability to engage strategic partners from both the public and private sectors to improve the status of minority businesses is unparalleled.”