CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Wednesday, May 17, the 2017 National Minority Supplier Development Council Leadership Awards recognized corporate executives, minority business owners and NMSDC affiliate council presidents for outstanding leadership that has a positive impact on their companies and resonates throughout the NMSDC network. Eric Watson, president of the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council, received the Vanguard Award, which is presented to an NMSDC affiliate council president who has exhibited leadership in driving the value proposition for minority supplier development among corporate and MBE constituents throughout the NMSDC network.
The black-tie gala was held at the New York Hilton and included a dinner and awards ceremony for the honorees. MSNBC anchorman Richard Lui served as the Master of Ceremonies. The Corporate Co-Chairs for the 2017 Leadership Awards were Toyota and MetLife; and Black Enterprise was the media partner for the event.
Watson said, “I am honored to be recognized by NMSDC as President of the Year. Our collective work between individual councils, corporate members and minority business enterprises to elevate diversity and inclusion is changing the business landscape. Receiving the Vanguard Award is a validation of the work we all do every day and the impact that it has on supporting supplier development for corporations and business development for MBEs.”
In May 2017, an article on rollout.com cited the following: “If you are thinking of starting a business or looking to compare your own city, check out the top 20 places for Black businesses to thrive per NerdWallet.” Of the 20 cities listed, five are located within the regional influence of the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council, including: Durham, N.C.; Richmond, Va.; Virginia Beach, Va.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Columbia, S.C. Watson said, “The fact that 25 percent of the top cities listed for black businesses and start-ups are within our council’s area of influence highlights the important contributions of CVMSDC and the support provided by the council and its partners.”
NMSDC advances business opportunities for certified MBEs and connects them to corporate members. To meet the growing need for supplier diversity, NMSDC matches its more than 12,000 certified minority-owned businesses to a network of more than 1,750 corporate members that desire to purchase their products, services and solutions. The Carolinas-Virginia MSDC is a non-profit corporation chartered to enhance business opportunities for minority-owned companies by providing support through developing mutually beneficial networking opportunities with corporate members and promoting minority business development. To learn more about CVMSDC, visit online at www.cvmsdc.org.
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