By Special to the Daily World
On Oct. 30, the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC) welcomed the 2011 National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Annual Conference and Business Opportunity Fair to Atlanta. The four-day national conference, at the Georgia World Conference Center, began on Oct. 30 and brought together minority small businesses, corporate America, and diverse suppliers from around the world. The conference offered a full slate of workshops, seminars, keynotes and new business opportunities for small business owners and corporate procurement officers alike.
This year’s theme was “Raising the Bar Through Sustainable Strategies.” The focus was on preparing minority business enterprises (MBEs) to thrive in a challenging economy, as they develop additional capacity and sought out new and innovative ways to provide value-added solutions to their clients. Atlanta’s status as a national leader in entrepreneurial small business development makes it the perfect destination for NMSDC’s annual gathering.
“The city of Atlanta has a long tradition of encouraging economic development opportunities for minorities, women and small business owners,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “I want to thank the NMSDC and our local council for allowing our city the opportunity to host the thousands of participants who will convene in Atlanta for this important business growth conference.”
With attendance over 7,000, the NMSDC national conference recognized as the premiere supplier diversity and minority business development forum in the country. “It’s the only event of its kind that attracts corporate executives, procurement professionals, governmental entities and minority business enterprises (MBEs) from across the nation, all in one place, at one time,” says Stacey Key, the CEO of the GMSDC. “This conference is a big win for Georgia.”
The conference kicked off on Saturday, Oct. 29, with a community service opportunity called Day of Caring. The GMSDC has partnered with the City of Atlanta and the National Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) to provide conference attendees an opportunity to give back through service projects in the local community.
GMSDC an affiliate of NMSDC, planned a series of signature events that showcased the warm hospitality the region is known for. The first of these was a Chairman’s Welcome Reception on Saturday evening, to welcome everyone to Atlanta.
There was also a late-night reception billed as GMSDC After Dark.
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