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Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
e-Newsletter |
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Dear Thomas,
The
mission of the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development
Council is to significantly increase business relationships between our
corporate members and our certified MBEs. We believe that minority
business development is a key component of reducing poverty,
unemployment, increasing wealth, and integrating American society. You
are receiving this email in order to keep you abreast of developments
with the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council,
Supplier Diversity Issues and Minority Business Development. If you
like what you read please share internally and externally.
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| Denise Nappier, Treasurer State of Connecticut to Speak at GNEMSDC Luncheon at The Hartford Club - October 16 |
Connecticut
Treasurer Denise Nappier will be the lead panelist at a luncheon at The
Hartford Club on Wednesday, October 16, Treasurer Nappier is a
four-term Treasurer of the State of Connecticut and a leading proponent
of public sector investors for corporate diversity. Treasurer Nappier
will talk about her efforts to nudge corporations towards greater
diversity by using the leverage and influence of the State's billion
investment fund
This luncheon is open to Corporate Members of the GNEMSDC and certified MBEs in financial services. The luncheon is free, but space is limited. We are asking our corporate members to see if there is interest by their CFOs and Treasurers to attend this informative and interesting luncheon. Please contact jclarke@gnemsdc.org if you are interested in attending. Space is limited. Additional Information
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GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program (GALP) Professors
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 Professor Olav Sorenson
is the Frederick Frank '54 and Mary C. Tanner Chair Professor of
Management at the Yale School of Management. Professor Sorenson is
leading off the GNEMSDC Advanced Leadership Program on Friday, October 4
at the GNEMSDC offices in Bridgeport, CT. Professor Sorenson will talk
about the importance of marketing positioning as a strategy for success.
This topic is very important for MBEs who are trying to become "top of
mind" for corporate procurement executives. How many of our readers
started their companies with a good idea based on a variation of someone
else's great idea. This might get you some success, but it will not
help you make profits that can sustain you. Strategy and positioning is
all about how you fit in the market in ways that help you maximize your
goals. This session is the first of five in the series.
Professor Sorenson
has taught at UCLA School of Management, the University of Chicago
School of Management and the London School of Economics.
 Jeffrey Fox, Best Selling New York Times and Wall Street Journal author, (How to Become Rainmaker and How to Become a Fierce Competitor)
For over 25 years,
Jeffrey Fox has been helping clients grow revenues and increase gross
margins. Jeffrey is founder of Fox and Company, a management consulting
firm that shows clients how to dollarize their value proposition to
overcome the price objection and to shorten the sales cycle. Fox has
written eleven best-selling business books that have been translated
into over thirty languages.
Jeff is the author
of "How to Become CEO," which was on the NY Times, Business Week, Wall
Street Journal, Knight-Ridder, Amazon.com, best seller lists. His books
have been best sellers in France, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong and
Russia. His book, "How to Become a Rainmaker," was selected as one of
the 100 best business books ever written. His "Dollarization
Discipline" was selected as one off the top thirty business books of
2006. He is a popular speaker, appearing regularly before senior
management groups and sales forces. Jeff is a graduate of Harvard
Business School. Fox and Company is in Chester, Conn.
 Professor Steven Rogers
is a Senior Lecturer in General Management and teaches the
Entrepreneurial Finance Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development
(FIELD and Entrepreneurial Finance) course in the MBA program. A 1985
graduate of the school, Professor Rogers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree
from Williams College. Prior to teaching at HBS, Professor Rogers
taught in the MBA program at the Kellogg School of Management in
addition to Kellogg executive programs in the U.S., Toronto and Hong
Kong, including the Northwestern University PhD program. He received
the Outstanding Professor Award for the Executive Program 26 times.
Before joining the
Kellogg Faculty, he owned and operated two manufacturing firms and one
retail operation. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Professor Rogers
worked at Bain and Company Consulting firm, Cummins Engine Company and
UNC Ventures, a venture capital firm.
In 2000, he
received the 'Bicentennial Medal for Distinguished Achievement' by an
alum from Williams College. In 2005, he received the 'Bert King Award
for Service' from the African American Student Union at Harvard Business
School. In 2006, he was selected as one of the "100 Men Impacting
Supplier Diversity." In 2009, Ebony Magazine named him one of the top
150 influential people in America. In 2011, he joined Chicago Mayor
Emmanuel's Supplier Diversity Task Force.
 Fred McKinney
is the President and CEO of the Greater New England Minority Supplier
Development Council. The GNEMSDC's mission is to advance business
opportunities for certified MBEs and connect them to corporate members.
Prior to coming to the GNEMSDC, Dr. McKinney was a professor of
business at the University of Connecticut School of Business where he
taught economics, forecasting and entrepreneurship. Dr. McKinney has
published three books on minority business development and has over 25
articles published on the subject of minority business development. Dr.
McKinney served on the White House Council of Economic Advisors in
1978-79. Dr. McKinney has extensive board experience in the for-profit
and non-profit sectors. Dr. McKinney received his Ph.D. in economics
from Yale University.
Participants will receive a
certificate signed by all professors in the program. This will be a
valuable reminder of the time invested in this innovative program. Program Details
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Corporate Member of the Week: The Metropolitan District Commission
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 The
Metropolitan District (MDC) is a municipal corporation chartered by the
State of Connecticut in 1929. The MDC provides water and sewer services
to approximately 400,000 people in the municipalities of Hartford,
Bloomfield, East Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford,
Wethersfield and Windsor. In addition, under a series of special
agreements, the MDC provides treated water to portions of Glastonbury,
South Windsor, Farmington, East Granby, Unionville and Portland.
The MDC is
governed by a board of 29 commissioners. Seventeen are appointed by the
legislative bodies of the eight member municipalities, eight by the
Governor of the State of Connecticut, and four by the leadership of the
Connecticut General Assembly. The MDC employs approximately 550 full
time personnel. The MDC recently completed a comprehensive
organizational re-engineering process. Under the present structure there
are two functional divisions: Operations & Engineering and Business
Services.
The funding of sewer services is through taxation on member
municipalities and a sewer user charge. The funding of water services
and related operations is principally through a direct use charge to
customers. Major capital improvements in excess of $5 million for a
single project must be approved by the electorate of the member
municipalities and are financed through bonding. The 2012 operating
combined budgets for all MDC operations total approximately $140 million
Learn more about the Metropolitan District Commission at their website.
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MBE of the Week: GSR Global
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GSR
Global is a leading manufacturer and supplier of fiber optic &
copper components for the past 33 years. GSR manufactures miniature to
complex components that are utilized, but are not limited to
telecommunication,
data
center, renewable energy, broadband and wireless industries. These
products range from ferrules to cable assemblies, modules and loaded
fiber enclosures for Head-end Sub Systems and Data Centers. GSR
Global's manufacturing facility can terminate 15,000 terminations daily.
Whether you need one piece or demand high volume, GSR can accommodate
your requests with a quick turn around. These products include
but are not limited to: Connectors, Cable Assemblies/ Patchcords, Multi
Fiber Assemblies, Attenuators, Fan Out Kits, Splitters, Transceivers,
SFPs, Enclosures/Cable Management Solutions, Fiber Optic Cleaning
Products, Splice Trays and Accessories. GSR has over 1 million dollars
in stock in our MA Headquarters, and will stock your products with
blanket P.O.s or for any up-coming projects. Headquarters / QC -
Boston, MA - 5,000 sq ft 7 Total Staff. This office not limited to
receiving inbound goods, provides quality control and ships to North
American customers. JDSU endface testing equipment / 400X Microscopes to
inspect the finish of connectivity products. Light manufacturing
capability. GSR's management and engineering team has served
Fortune 100 companies and has a combined 87 years in the
Telecommunication Industry. Our customer oriented staff, specializes in
custom, high volume assemblies and products that vary with different
colors, lengths and connectivity.
Learn more about GSR Global at their website.
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Kevin Brown, Former GNEMSDC Employee Elected Chairman of the Mohegan Nation
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Congratulations to former GNEMSDC employee, Kevin Brown, on being
elected chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council! We look forward to
working with him in his new role.
Learn more here. |
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Upcoming Events
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There
are several events coming up on our calendar that are designed
specifically for MBEs to learn about corporate opportunities. We know
how busy everyone's schedule is, but these are events often hosted by
our corporate members with the expressed purpose of finding out more
about you and your business with the ultimate aim, to make you a
valuable supplier to their companies. Here are some events you should
consider:
- October 16 - Denise Nappier, State of Connecticut Treasurer to speak at GNEMSDC luncheon
- October 23
- 5:30-7:30 Celebrating Diversity in the Greater Bridgeport Business
Community at People's United Bank Lobby. (850 Main St. Bridgeport)
- October 27-30, - NMSDC Business Opportunity Fair and Conference, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX Registration Brochure
- October 30 - St. Francis Hospital in Hartford is holding an Open House
to discuss the Impact of the Affordable Care Act on "Real People". The
event is taking place at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
from 7PM to 9PM.
- Thursday, November 21, 2013 - GNEMSDC/MBDA Supplier Diversity Forum at Fenway Park, Boston MA
- Thursday, December 5
- GNEMSDC Quarterly Meeting, SAI Systems is the host, 3 Corporate
Drive, Shelton, CT. This Quarterly is the MBE Quarterly and as such, the
format will be reversed. There will be three corporate showcases at
this event. Please sign up by contacting Jerilynn Clarke at jclarke@gnemsdc.org.
- May 6, 2014 - GNEMSDC Annual Awards Gala, Aqua Turf, Southington CT
- June 9, 2014- GNEMSDC MA Golf Outing, Ferncroft Country Club, Danvers MA
- July 11, 2014- GNEMSDC CT Golf Outing, Lyman Orchards, Middleton, CT
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| Celebrating Diversity in the Greater Bridgeport Business Community |
October 23, 2013 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
People's United Bank Lobby
850 Main Street, Bridgeport
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served
R.S.V.P.
We look forward to seeing you!
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Jobs and Contracting Opportunities Community Forum:
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 You are invited to attend The Housing Authority of the City of Bridgeport's Jobs and Contracting Opportunities Community Forum. Who should attend: General Contractors, Subcontractors, Municipal,
State, and Public, Housing Agencies, Small Business and Local Business
Enterprises, Minority, Women, and Section 3 Business Enterprises. The
event will be hosted on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Testo's Restaurant at 1775 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Learn more here. |
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And Finally...
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Last
week I noted that the Federal government shutdown will have significant
effects on the economy in general and minority businesses in
particular. Now we are two days away from a default on U.S. government
debt. Once again, this is an effort on the part of radical Republicans
to change the direction of fiscal policy and the Affordable Health Care
plan. A Federal government default would worsen an already bad economic
environment.
But
one hopeful thing that might come out of this impasse is that a saner
Congress (sometime in the future - I have no hope for this one) may
change the law that eliminates the need to raise the debt ceiling.
There was a time when Congress voted on every new debt issue. The
current seemingly insane approach is a reform of that tedious and time
wasting activity. There really is no need to have the debt ceiling
voted on at all, since it only reflects prior government fiscal policy.
People are quick to forget that raising the debt ceiling is not a
commitment to spend more future money, it is only a commitment to pay
for the things that Congress already agreed to pay for. It would be
like you agreeing to lease a car, paying for that car directly from an
account at your bank and then deciding not to fund that account with
your income. We could avoid these damaging dramas by simply taking the
debt ceiling decision away from Congress, after all, they voted to spend
this money once already.
In
the meantime, and in the real world, a default will damage our credit
rating around the world, lower the value of the dollar, increase
domestic interest rates in order to factor in the greater risk
associated with our debt, and make everyone around the world a little
more nervous about the future. And why you ask are we being forced to
endure this? Because a small minority of legislators from gerrymandered
districts who have no practical economic intelligence are hell-bent on
destroying a health care law that was passed by this very same body,
signed into law by a re-elected President, and upheld by the Supreme
Court. In the meantime, MBEs need to hold onto their seats. There is
economic turbulence ahead and it might get a little bumpy.
And
P.S. I was very pleased to see that United Technologies Corporation
cancelled a furlough of 2,000 employees that was announced about a week
ago, and I mentioned in this space last week. This is great news and a
demonstration of corporate leadership that political leaders could learn
from.
In your service,
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Copyright © 2013
by Dr. Fred McKinney, President & CEO of The Greater New England
Minority Supplier Development Council. All rights reserved. No part of
this online publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written
permission from Dr. Fred McKinney. The graphics, forms and structure
contained within this site are copyright of Dr Fred McKinney.
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Dr. Fred McKinney, President & CEO
Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council
203-288-9744
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