The 21st Annual Michigan Minority
Business Development Council’s Awards Dinner, held in October, hosted more
than 2,500 of Michigan’s business leaders for local and global companies
engaged in the business of building wealth in minority communities.
Keynote speaker Earvin "Magic" Johnson,
who oversees Magic Johnson Enterprises, doled out advice about his transition
from professional basketball star to CEO.
"There is someone in this audience who I
idolized as a kid. I wanted to copy his jump shot. But the real reason he
became my idol is because he showed me that I didn’t have to just be a
professional basketball player forever. I could break out of that box and be a
successful businessman too. That person is Dave Bing."
Johnson went on to advise business
owners that the real heroes are the ordinary men and women in their
neighborhoods who are building business, overcoming obstacles and recycling
that money into other minority businesses and into their communities to build
wealth among minority people.
Johnson says these insights have allowed
him to grow his wealth, controlling over $1 billion in real estate and
employing 15,000 people in 70 cities.
To corporate buyers, Johnson said,
"Believe in minority businesses because they can get the job done. Minorities
have tremendous buying power. Your growth is in urban America and in
minorities."
Tony Brown, senior vice president,
global purchasing for Ford Motor Company and chairman of the board for the
Michigan Minority Business Development Council (MMBDC), also spoke of
‘building wealth’ among minority communities as the mark of a successful
supplier diversity program.
Said Brown, "You see, when I’m asked
what MMBDC does, I say, ‘We create wealth in communities.’ And you might say,
‘Wait a minute, you’re here for my business’…and you’re right. But we are here
for your business with a purpose. That purpose is to use your business, and
businesses like yours, and businesses that deal with you, as a conduit to
place wealth in, and empower, communities where wealth and power have been
strangers for far too long.
Johnathan Line
of Ford Motor Company won the Corporate Buyer of the Year Award,
presented to an individual directly responsible for purchasing activity and
consistently including certified minority suppliers in the bid process;
demonstrating growth in actual spend with minority business enterprises and
advancing the cause of supplier diversity and minority economic development.
The MMBDC Corporation of the Year:
OEM category was awarded to General Motors. In 2003, General Motors
spent $7.2 billion with minority suppliers, an increase of more than $1
billion in spending over 2002. Corporation of the Year, awarded in eight
industries, recognizes a corporation who actively includes minority suppliers
in their procurement opportunities, assists in the development of minority
suppliers; promotes supplier diversity and business development within their
corporation and to their vendors, other businesses and organizations.
Bo Andersson, GM Vice President of
Worldwide Purchasing, Production Control and Logistics, said, "The MMBDC honor
is exceptional because GM is being recognized as a leader in mentoring and
growing minority suppliers." He went on to say, "For GM, being the best means
having a minority supply base that can perform well, even in a challenging
market."
Building on the challenges the economic
environment has created for minority owned businesses, E. Delbert Gray,
president and CEO of the MMBDC, said, "Minority businesses have to come
together to compete. Today, we’re strongly encouraging joint ventures and
we’re encouraging minority businesses to buy from other minority businesses.
We are driving our corporate members to mentor minority suppliers so they can
build their capabilities and be part of the solution. And we’re recognizing
those who are making outstanding efforts to drive wealth into those businesses
who in turn drive it into their communities. It’s those minority communities
who return with the earnings to buy the products and services our corporate
members offer."
The Diamond Award,
which recognizes a minority business owner who exemplifies the spirit of
minority entrepreneurs conducting business with other minority business
enterprises, was awarded to Roderick Rickman of the MPS Group.
Other MMBDC Corporation of the Year
Awardees were: (Education) Michigan State University; (Finance)
Comerica Incorporated; (Industrial Purchasing Tier I) Johnson Controls,
Inc.; (Commercial Products) Robert Bosch Corporation;
(Construction) Walbridge Aldinger Company; (Health care) Henry Ford
Health Systems; and (Professional/Commercial Services)
MGM Grand Detroit, L.L.C.
Margaret Hails,
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, received the Corporate Minority Business
Advocate of the Year Award. Minority Supplier of the Year
was awarded to: Cam-Tre Innovations, Class I (<$1 Million); Chemico
Systems, Class II ($1 M - $10M); Roy Smith Company, Class III ($10M
- $30M); and The Ideal Group, Class IV ($30 M plus).
