Corporations & Businesses of Color Convene at Gillette Stadium to Fuel Economic Growth

The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) will host its annual Business Opportunity Conference and Expo on September 27th at the Gillette Stadium Putnam Club West in Foxborough, MA. The theme of this year’s Conference and Expo is “Fueling Economic Growth for Minority Business Development.” Quincy Miller, President Eastern Bank, is the keynote speaker.

Peter Hurst, President & CEO of GNEMSDC, says, “Economic inclusion and minority business development are more important than ever for our region and our nation. This event enables our MBEs to connect with our corporation partners, and our smaller MBEs to market their goods and services to our larger MBEs. Our panels and expo will provide the intellectual capital and strategies to help transform our aspirations for minority business development into reality.” For more details on the expo go to expo.gnemsdc.org

The agenda for the day:

7:30 – 8:15 am: Registration

7:30 am – 8:15 am: Continental Breakfast & Welcome, Peter Hurst, GNEMSDC President & CEO, kicks off the opening of the Business Opportunity Conference and Expo

8:30 am – 10:15 am: Workshops (Concurrent)

Growing Your Business Organic vs. Inorganic Growth Workshop:

This panel will discuss how MBEs can use inorganic growth (also called mergers and acquisitions) to accelerate the time period required to achieve the scale necessary to meet the needs of corporate partners.

Presenting companies include:

Keith Greenaway, GNEMSDC, Moderator

Sean Cogdell, The Panther Group

Anthony Samuels, Done Right Building Services

Steve Wright, Holland & Knight LLP

Stephen DiPrete, Eastern Bank

Best Practices/ Success Stories Workshop:

Hear how effective supplier diversity strategies can help to fuel economic growth. Presenting companies include:

Dr. Fred McKinney, Moderator, Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth

Ingrid Beckles, Partners HealthCare

Tony Dolphin, Westnet, Inc.

Kenn Turner, The Massachusetts Port Authority

Larry Smith, The Taylor Smith Group, LLC

Jere Eaton, Printabilitees

Raul Suarez-Rodriguez, CVS Health

Targeted Business Matchmaking by Prior Appointment

Pre-registration online is required. These sessions will allow corporations, subscribers and SDOs to meet with MBEs to discuss potential business opportunities.

10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Business Expo Opens

12:45 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch

Luncheon Keynote: Quincy Miller, President of Eastern Bank

2:15 pm – 4:30 pm: Business Expo Resumes

4:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Hospitality Lounge

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Shining Star Reception honoring William Witcher of Minuteman Trucks, Inc. and Glynn Lloyd, Eastern Bank

GNEMSDC

For more than 42 years GNEMSDC and our predecessor organizations have provided opportunities for MBEs to grow and prosper by selling goods and services to our corporate members. Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) that certify with GNEMSDC receive valuable resources to help their businesses grow and succeed. Benefits include private events, matchmaking and programs where MBEs can learn about state and local opportunities, expand state and local opportunities and meet with corporate buyers who are interested in working with qualified MBEs. The GNEMSDC certification is honored nationwide and recognized by major corporations, public agencies and non-profit organizations. www.gnemsdc.org.

GNEMSDC has offices in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts.