Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council Articles RSS Feed

MMSDC FALL NEWSLETTER

Wanda Harper - noemail@mmbdc.com — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:00:00 GMT

To access MMSDCs "premier" newsletter click on the following link:

/attachments/wysiwyg/10/MMSDC%20Fall%20Newsletter2011.pdf

17-Oct-11 3:00 PM

MMSDC one of the winners of the $37 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:00:00 GMT

"This cluster concept is so important… When you get a group of people together, and industries together, and institutions like universities together around particular industries, then the synergies that develop from all those different facets coming together can make the whole the greater than the sum of its parts." - President Barack Obama

Please click on the following link for full article: /attachments/wysiwyg/10/New%20Obama%20Administration%20Initiative%20Announces%20winners%20of%20the.pdf

23-Sep-11 4:00 PM

Louis Green: Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Award

MELANIE D. SCOTT SCOTT - noemail@mmbdc.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:00:00 GMT

2011 Shining Light Regional Cooperation Awards

Louis Green, President and CEO of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council

stands in a skywalk to the Fisher Building in Detroit.

Colleagues praise his ability to stay focused and flexible.

Louis Green was one in a group of 12 children who lived in a south-central Los Angeles neighborhood during the rise of gang violence.

"Out of them, there are seven who are dead, two sentenced to life in jail, one serving 86 years, and I don't know where one is," Green said.

But Green, president and CEO of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC), said the tough circumstances of his childhood allowed him to excel.

"It drives me all the time," he said.

That drive has helped him change lives by getting corporations throughout the state and minority business leaders to work together.

It's also one of the reasons Green was selected to receive the Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Award.

Off to Ohio

Green, 50, escaped the streets of Los Angeles when he accepted a full scholarship to Oberlin College in Ohio. There, he received bachelor's degrees in political science and communications.

Green later attended the University of Michigan, where he received a master's degree in public policy.

From there, Green worked in the state economic development office under then-Gov. Jim Blanchard and was hired as an economic adviser for then-Gov. John Engler.

Green has been a chief deputy director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, served as a national director of supplier diversity at NBC TV and was on New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's minority business team.

Six years ago, Green joined the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. In the past four years, it has twice won the Council of the Year award.

The privately funded nonprofit is one of 37 Minority Supplier Development affiliates in the country. The organization offers programs and services for its corporate members and minority-owned business owners, as well as networking opportunities.

Each year, the 1,500-member organization facilitates more than $16 billion in purchases from minority businesses.

"The thing I like most is we get to make a connection with talented business owners and help them make their dream a reality," Green said.

Focused and flexible

Mable Jones, public affairs director for AAA Michigan, said she nominated Green for the award because of his ability to stay focused and flexible, come up with strategic plans and advocate for the membership.

"Mr. Green works with our program, and I got to observe his behavior and I was very impressed," said Jones, who also nominated him last year.

Jones said Green offers encouragement and often works quietly behind the scenes. "He knows how to work cooperatively," she said.

Green acknowledged he believes in working behind the scenes to make things happen. He said he thinks the connections in his organization happen because he and his staff try to reach out to the members and corporations.

Helen Ford, director of supplier diversity with AAA Michigan, said Green's ability and dedication to connecting members and corporations from the eastern and western parts of the state makes him essential to building economic growth.

Last year, the council was part of a group that put on a job fair for 5,000 people. And although that's not what the organization typically does, Green said the event helped build more connections.

"I never believe in staying in my lane," Green said.

29-Aug-11 8:00 AM

Guest commentary: Detroit can win by using genius of the Internet

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Guest commentary: Detroit can win by using genius of the Internet

BY ERIC SCHMIDT
DETROIT FREE PRESS GUEST WRITER

Aug 14, 2011|

Throughout history, the American economy has been invigorated through giant leaps forward in technological vision and genius.

Today, most of us imagine the proverbial Silicon Valley garage when we think of innovators at work on the next big idea. But a century ago, the workshops of Detroit gave birth to the innovations that lifted society up.

The auto industry created new economic growth and jobs for middle class Americans. Detroit became a world-class manufacturing center -- the American dream made real.

In the 21st Century, the Internet plays a similar role. Like the auto industry before it, inventions that began in spare rooms and college dorms are generating a new wave of prosperity and opportunity. And that's true right here in Michigan.

Embracing online opportunities

Recently, I visited Ideal Group, a construction services and manufacturing firm in Detroit. Frank Venegas founded the company in 1979. Today it employs 250 people and generates revenues of $170 million. It's the sort of company that is a bedrock of the local economy in communities nationwide. A classic American success story.

But it's also an Internet success story. For more than a decade, one of the company's divisions has used online advertising to grow its business by up to 40% annually, earning $19 in return for each $1 spent on online advertising.

This is what happens when companies embrace opportunities online. And across Michigan, small businesses are reaping the rewards. In Hartland, patriotic entrepreneur Donna Nakagiri started
Cards4Heroes, specializing in greeting cards for troops, veterans and their families. Thanks to online advertising, she now has a successful business with national reach. In Ann Arbor, gourmet food supplier Zingerman's saw increased revenue and holiday sales online, allowing continued expansion.

In 2010, 43,500 Michigan businesses, Web site publishers and nonprofits made use of Google advertising products, which provided nearly $1.3 billion in economic benefits.

Of course, the Internet has a broader impact on business. Cloud computing enables powerful, affordable applications, like video conferencing and automatic translation. Geo and mobile services allow businesses to find new customers, local and global. As for search -- helping people find things online -- the economic impact is vast and often unquantifiable. A recent McKinsey study conservatively estimated its value for U.S. retailers as $57 billion to $67 billion.

Changing -- and doing more with less

For some businesses, new technology is unwelcome. Progress is disruptive for incumbents. Some will be unable or unwilling to adapt.

But research shows that for every job lost to the Internet economy, 2.6 jobs are created. And the Internet doesn't just displace old industries. It helps renew them.

In 2008, when the economic downturn hit, the U.S. auto industry was in grave danger. Automakers faced complex and costly restructurings, and needed better, more cost-effective ways to engage with

consumers.

The Internet helped manufacturers do more with less. When TV spots were too expensive, digital advertising proved a lifeline for companies. As automakers rebuilt, the Web provided innovative new
ways to regain consumer confidence.

Last year, Buick ran marketing experiments with Google Goggles, our smartphone camera app. Timed with this year's Super Bowl, Chrysler took to YouTube with its "Imported from Detroit" ad featuring Eminem -- attracting more than 12 million views with a tribute to a revitalized city.
And Ford is partnering with Google to develop smarter cars, which learn from their drivers to optimize performance.

Detroit is a testament to American ingenuity and innovation. These qualities are needed now more than ever. If Detroit can fully embrace the opportunities presented by the Internet, it will usher in a new age of growth and opportunity.

18-Aug-11 11:00 AM

MINORITY MANUFACTURER LAUNCHES "ON-DEMAND" WEBINAR SERIES

Kim Rushing - noemail@mmbdc.com — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Flint, Michigan June 8, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

..........

Genesee Packaging, Inc. (GPI), a MMSDC-certified MBE, serving the diverse packaging and corrugated needs of various industries and government agencies for more than 30 years, has rolled out a newly revised website and informational campaign in conjunction with the release of a series of complementary OnDemand Webinars.

"We wanted potential customers to be well informed about our wide variety of products and services," says GPI President Willie Artis. "We’re excited about our GSA (U.S. General Services Administration) contract awarded last year, and we’re reaching out to governmental agencies at all levels, as well as broadening our private sector marketing."

GPI’s GSA Advantage contract (# GS-02F-0083W, Schedule #81 I B) covers shipping, packaging, and packaging supplies. In addition, GPI is approved to provide a wide range of commodity management, sequencing, warehousing and packaging services as a direct contractor or as a sub contractor to the government. The GSA contract enables GPI to sell not only to federal government buyers, but also to state and local municipalities.

"The OnDemand webinars are targeted to specific topics including government essentials, corrugated design & manufacturing sequencing, and contract packaging," says GPI Executive Vice-President Veronica Artis. "The advantage is viewers don’t have to watch areas that don’t pertain to them."

GPI is also providing special incentives for a limited time. The Complementary OnDemand Webinar roll-out is part of a comprehensive marketing strategy thanks to a grant from GLTAAC (The Great Lakes Trade Adjustment Assistance Center). The project is a collaboration with another MMSDC-certified MBE, Gallant– Stokes Productions (GSP), who produced the webinars. "We were proud to have been selected." says GSP President Trudy Gallant-Stokes. "I have long admired Mr. & Mrs. Artis, their business acumen, as well as their commitment to their employees and the Flint community," says Gallant-Stokes. "We make a great team!", says Multi-media Producer Tracey Talkington. "Media has evolved into something that is so versatile. We now can take almost any size budget and customize a project so the world can see your company. GPI can now market to anyone, anywhere," says Tracey. She and Editor Tony Mottley were also part of the GSP team. For inquires regarding videos, webinars & multi-media marketing please contact GSP at gallantstokesproduction@gmail.com.

The webinars a can be viewed at www.genpackaging.com , via the "media" button. For more information please contact, Kim Rushing at (810) 235-6120 or krushing@genpackaging.com.

8-Aug-11 2:00 PM

SET Enterprises.........thrives, diversifies after recession

David Sedgwick - noemail@mmbdc.com — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Minority Supplier SET Enterprises thrives, diversifies after recession

By DAVID SEDGWICK, Automotive News

Warren-based steel processor SET Enterprises Inc. expects to generate sales of $300 million this year.

DETROIT — Although the recession thinned the ranks of minority-owned automotive suppliers, there is a silver lining: Some of the survivors are getting bigger and are starting to diversify.

"These suppliers are highly competitive," said Louis Green, president of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, whose number of affiliated companies declined from 1,600 before the recession to 1,132 this year.

Those surviving suppliers' customers, Green said, "are sometimes surprised at how competitive they are."

A case in point: SET Enterprises Inc., a steel processing company in Warren, expects to generate sales of $300 million this year, up from $222 million in 2010.

The company recently launched construction of a plant in Jackson, Ala., to process steel produced by ThyssenKrupp AG. And now company CEO Sid Taylor is looking for more expansion opportunities.

"We went to our customers and let them know that we want to be a billion-dollar supplier," Taylor said.

Bold words, but Taylor already has come a long way from his roots in Vicksburg, Miss. In the 1960s, the young teenager worked in the cotton fields for $3.50 a day.

When Taylor was 17, he moved to Detroit and got a job as a clerk at General Motors, where he worked his way up the ladder at GM's Truck and Bus division.

In the 1970s, he studied statistical process control, then taught GM suppliers how to monitor their parts quality.

And that's when he caught the entrepreneurial bug. "When I saw what (the suppliers) were doing, I said 'I could do this,' " Taylor said. "That's when the fire ignited."

In 1989, Taylor entered the steel business. He raised $3 million by cashing in his GM stock, getting a loan from the state of Michigan and supplementing that with a bank loan.

He bought a building in suburban Detroit, installed a slitter — a machine that cuts sheet metal into smaller sizes — and opened for business.

In his first year, Taylor generated only $90,000 in sales, but his first customer was Ford Motor Co. And that proved to be his big break.

The automaker subsequently gave Taylor more orders, and Ford's business gave Taylor enough credibility to line up other customers. Next, Taylor started looking for acquisitions. "Ford legitimized me," Taylor said. "But my customers wanted to see size and scale. I knew if I was going to be a player, I had to be in the game."

First he bought a 51 percent share of Winston Steel, a Detroit company that owned a couple of slitters and a truck fleet. Then he formed a partnership with Warren-based Noble International Ltd., a deal that got him into laser welding.

By then, Taylor had 200 employees and was generating more than $110 million in sales. The next big step was a partnership with Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd., Japan's third-largest steelmaker. Sumitomo acquired Noble's 49 percent share of SET Enterprises and put Taylor in charge of its steel processing plant in suburban Detroit. Taylor subsequently bought out Sumitomo's stake.

The recession forced Taylor to pause his expansion plans. After the auto industry tanked, Taylor shut down a plant in Ohio, moved the equipment to his Illinois plant and laid off 25 employees.

"We right-sized the company to withstand the impact of the downturn," Taylor said.

Taylor also stayed on good terms with his lenders, and Bank of America subsequently extended a line of credit and helped him finance his new plant in Alabama.

Now, Taylor is working to secure the support of his clients for SET Enterprises' expansion into a billion-dollar company.

And who are those clients? The rolls of sheet metal on the floor of SET's suburban Detroit plant offers a good indication of Taylor's niche in the auto industry.

The plant, just off I-275, converts steel from Severstal North America, ArcelorMittal and other mills into blanks and rolls of sheet steel.

Every day, trucks transport those steel products to Ford, Chrysler, Honda and others.

"They want companies that have scale," Taylor said. And that most likely means more acquisitions are in the works. Taylor explains why: "If I grew the company organically, I'd still be a $50 million company."

Click on the following link to view video - http://http://hendricksonvideo.com/Manufacturing.aspx

12-Jul-11 10:00 AM

REAL LIFE 101 SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARDS CEREMONY

Thu, 19 May 2011 16:15:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE– For Immediate Release

Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund

30500 Van Dyke Ave., Ste. 701A

Warren, MI 48093

REAL LIFE 101 SCHOLARSHIP FUND

AWARDS CEREMONY

WARREN, Mich., April 20, 2011 – The Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund is pleased to announce that its 12^thAnnual Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund Awards ceremonywill take place on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center at 11 a.m. The program will feature guest speaker Stedman Graham, CEO of S. Graham & Associates (SGA), a management and marketing consulting company and will be co-hosted by Rhonda Walker from WDIV-TV Detroit and Bankole Thompson from the Michigan Chronicle.

This year’s ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the 27 Real Life 101 students who have received their degrees. It will also recognize Real Life 101 students from four states and 16 high schools who will be awarded 160 scholarships, laptop computers and personal mentors.

The 2011 new financial commitment to this group of recipients represents more than $240,000 annually. The total 5-year commitment to these 160 students plus, current program participants, exceeds $1 million. These 160 students, and all Real Life 101 program student participants, are given five years to earn a degree of their choice at an institution of their choice.

Since it’s inception in 2000, the Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund has solicited corporations, local businesses and residents to invest in and mentor “at-risk” students through their post-secondary educational programs. This has led to the awarding of more than $650,000in scholarships, 650 laptop computers and mentoring support of these students while in college.

The 2011-12 school year will mark the sixth year the Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund has awarded at least $100,000in scholarship funds to a select group of high school graduates from Detroit with additional scholarship monies awarded to students in Flint, Mich., Pontiac, Mich., Saginaw, Mich., Cleveland, Chicago Heights, Ill and Milwaukee. The Real Life 101 program has now expanded into a nationalorganization with a plan to sponsor at least one inner-city school in every state by December of this year. It is the mission of the Real Life 101 program to invest in students on the front end, thereby avoiding a potentially negative investment on the back end.

The awards ceremony also serves to recognize the Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund’s distinguished board members, mentors and its many major sponsors and donors including: Sam’s Club, Johnson Controls, Inc., DTE Energy, Comerica Bank, Ford Motor Company Fund, Bank of America, Delphi Corporation, EDS, SET Enterprises, Inc., Chrysler LLC., 3M Inc., Comer Holdings, Rickman Enterprise Group. Others are listed at www.reallife101.org

For more information or to provide financial support to the Real Life 101 Scholarship Fund, please visit our web site at www.RealLife101.orgor contact our office at 586-574-2000.

19-May-11 11:15 AM

The Ideal Group Presents “Building a Lasting Business”

Linzie Venegas - noemail@mmbdc.com — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:00:00 GMT

The Ideal Group Presents “Building a Lasting Business”

DETROIT, Mich, April 09, 2011 - The Ideal Group is pleased to announce it will be presenting a seminar for aspiring entrepreneur MMSDC members entitled “Building a Lasting Business.” This interactive seminar will be held April 20, 2011 from 3:00pm – 6:00pm in the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation (DHDC) Tech Hub, located at 1211 Trumbull, Detroit, Michigan.

The seminar will be presented in two parts by Ideal Group founder Frank Venegas Jr. and The Ideal Group marketing department, led by Linzie Venegas.

During the first part of the seminar, “Experiences and insights from a successful business owner “Frank Venegas Jr. will share lessons he has learned starting and growing a business for over 30 years. The presentation will discuss what it takes to start, and keep, a relevant business, the important role marketing plays in a new and lasting business and how the marketing methods and mediums have changed during his tenure as a business owner. “Over the past 30 years I have seen and experienced it all,” says Venegas. “I look forward to the opportunity to share a few words of wisdom with other Detroit Area minority business owners as they are building their own companies.”

The second part of the seminar, “Marketing 101 – the importance of a website” is the first of a series of interactive educational marketing seminars. This installment of this series will be an interactive workshop taught by The Ideal Group marketing department, led by Ideal Shield Sales and Marketing Manager Linzie Venegas. Venegas and the team will discuss the fundamental principles of a strong marketing plan including the importance of a website, the components of a successful website and what attendees can do to start marketing their business. “Marketing mediums have, and continue to change rapidly,” Says Venegas. “It’s important to know what these mediums are and how to use them effectively to be competitive in today’s market place.”

This event is available exclusively to members of MMSDC. Space is limited to 25 people and the cost is $50 with all proceeds benefiting the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation. Interested attendees can register for this seminar through the DHDC at www.DHDC1.org or via MMSDC website at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1546743351

About the Ideal Group: The Ideal Group, headquartered in Southwest Detroit, was founded in 1979 by Frank Venegas. Today the Ideal Group consists of five companies: Ideal Contracting, Ideal Shield, Ideal Setech, Ideal Surplus Sales and Ideal Setech Share the Spare. For more information on the Ideal Group and its companies please visit www.weareideal.com.

###

Erica Eischeid

Marketing Coordinator

2525 Clark St. Detroit, MI 48209

Ideal Group

PH: 313-551-2295

12-Apr-11 12:00 PM

DETROIT MEDICAL CENTER Pediatric Specialty Building-Informational Forum

Ted Adams - noemail@mmbdc.com — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 GMT

/attachments/wysiwyg/2445/DMCFlyer.pdf

18-Nov-10 3:00 PM

DECISIVE MEDIA NAMES FORD'S TONY BROWN "EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR"

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 20:00:00 GMT

5-Nov-10 3:00 PM

REVVING UP THE MOTOR CITY CAREER FAIR

Tim Devaney - noemail@mmbdc.com — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:00:00 GMT

DETROIT NEWS

October 8, 2010

Job expo organizer cites ‘positive’ development

TIM DEVANEY
The Detroit News

Richard Harris has filled out hundreds of job applications since he was laid off in February. But he hasn't had any luck getting back into the automotive industry.

"It's been real tough," said Harris, 34, from Detroit. "I've put out a lot of applications, but nothing really came back."

He sought to change his luck Thursday at the Revving Up the Motor City career fair in Detroit.

About 2,000 job-seekers showed up, hoping to land one of more than 1,000 openings from among some 30 local companies. Kelly Services, a Troy-based consulting, outsourcing and staffing firm that co-sponsored the event, was pleased with the turnout.

"It's much more positive this year," said Chris Stark, Kelly Services territory leader. "We've been able to persevere through it."

Brittney Davis, a 22-year-old from Detroit, has been out of work for three years. She was hoping to find a job at the career fair Thursday.

Garrick Foxhall, a self-employed home remodeler, lost his job as a trainer for a manufacturing company seven years ago. He has been trying to get back into the industry and is considering volunteering to teach to get his training skills up-to-date.

According to a Bloomberg News survey released Thursday, employers nationwide hired 75,000 workers in September and 67,000 in August.

Michigan, in particular, has fared quite well, leading the nation in job growth from June to July with 27,800 additional jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There is also a growing number of job openings. The Labor Department announced Thursday that job openings nationally have increased by 60,000, or nearly 2 percent, to 3.2 million.

Many openings are "revenue jobs," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com, another co-sponsor of the career fair event. Her company tracked job listings in Metro Detroit from January through August and found sales, customer service, health care and technology are the fastest growing areas for employment — jobs that can be directly tied to revenue.

"It's very tough to commit to positions when you can't tie it to a dollar figure or a new source of revenue," said Michael LaFaive, director of fiscal policy at the Mackinac Center, a public policy think tank. "You have to ask yourself, 'Will adding this position generate as much revenue as it's going to cost me?'"

Kelly Services Career Fair**

Approximately 1,000 Local Positions Available

Updated: Thursday, 07 Oct 2010, 5:57 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 05 Oct 2010, 6:27 AM EDT

myFOXDetroit.com Staff

myFOX Job Shop - Five organizations have joined forces to present the " Revving Up the Motor City Career Fair ". The Career Fair is designed to help southeastern Michigan residents find local employment. Sponsored by Focus: HOPE, the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council(MMSDC) , Kelly Services, Fox 2 Job Shop and CareerBuilder, the day-long event was held at the Masonic Temple.

FOR A LIST OF THE COMPANIES HIRING, CLICK HERE

Twenty-five employers, representing industries ranging from healthcare and academics to retail and finance, were on hand to meet with attendees and discuss local employment opportunities. Some of the employers include DTE, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, Continental Automotive Systems, Bank of America, and Asset Acceptance Capital Corporation.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano were honorary chairs of the Career Fair. Mr. Ficano gave welcoming remarks this morning. Executives from Focus: HOPE, MMSDC, CareerBuilder and Kelly Services also presented remarks this morning.

CareerBuilder tracked job listings in the Detroit area from January through August 2010 and identified sales, customer service, healthcare and technology as growing areas. "Many companies are focused on hiring in those areas that have a direct impact on company revenue," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. Detroit-area job seekers should be honing their skills development and job search strategy to meet these needs."

The career fair was divided into three sections, Ready, Set and Go.

In Ready, organizations will help job seekers become job-ready; covering topics from preparing a resume to dressing for interview success.
In Set, job seekers will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with a recruiter, job counselor, or coach to review qualifications for strengths and learn about job opportunities with participating employers on-site.
In the Go area, employers will be talking to job seekers about available jobs... including seasonal, part-time, temporary, or full-time openings.

8-Oct-10 12:00 PM

2010 Diversity Champions by Diversity Plus Magazine

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:00:00 GMT

24-Sep-10 12:00 PM

SET Enterprise, Inc. - Grand Opening Ceremony

Bonita Gaston - noemail@mmbdc.com — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:00:00 GMT

On August 6th, Sid E. Taylor, Founder & Chairman of SET Enterprises, Inc. (certified MBE) conducted the grand opening ceremony for two new divisions: SET Duct Manufacturing, Inc. and SET Construction, Inc. Both locations are in the City of Detroit.

SET Duct Manufacturing, Inc. - Manufacturers HVAC duct work and is the first and only minority/veteran owned HVAC duct work business in the City of Detroit. They produce various sizes of round, spiral, and rectangular duck work. Website www.setductmanufacturing.com

SET Construction, Inc. - Provides complete general contract and construction services from start to finish in the commercial sector. SET Construction, Inc. will manage your construction project needs while you focus on running your business. Website www.setconstructioninc.com

Photos from ceremony:

CONGRATULATIONS.......SID E. TAYLOR!

9-Sep-10 10:00 AM

Lear Corp., Comer Holdings to open new assembly plant in Detroit

David Phillips - noemail@mmbdc.com — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:45:00 GMT

Southfield-based Lear Corp. and Comer Holdings LLC in Southfield said today (August 4th) they plan to open a new assembly plant in the city of Detroit, creating more than 200 manufacturing jobs as early as next year.

The two companies will establish the assembly plant through an existing joint venture — Integrated Manufacturing and Assembly, Lear spokesman Mel Stephens said.

The joint venture produces seating parts, exterior mirrors and other vehicle components at five plants in Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. Comer owns 51 percent of the joint venture.

No other details about the plant were disclosed because the companies are still working on a plan, Stephens said. Lear has not operated a plant in Detroit for several years but is committed to manufacturing in the city again, Stephens said.

Lear and Comer executives disclosed plans for the new factory while Lear executives pledged to commit $5 million to help revitalize Detroit over the next 10 years.

Lear said the donation is aimed at critical community needs such as nutrition, health, recreation and education.

“We want to give back to the city, and intend to create jobs there,” Stephens said. “If everyone did something, it could really have a lasting impact on the city and region.”

The $5 million will be invested over the next ten years, and used to fund specific infrastructure improvement projects, including parks as well neighborhood programs that support children and families, Lear said.

4-Aug-10 4:45 PM

Seeking Innovative Healthcare Suppliers

Laura Schrubb - noemail@mmbdc.com — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:00:00 GMT

MedAssets Seeks Ground-breaking Products & Services for the 2010 Technology & Innovation Forum

Atlanta, June 1, 2010—MedAssets, Inc.(NASDAQ: MDAS) is once again connecting leading healthcare providers and suppliers to help quickly bring critical innovations to the group purchasing organization (GPO) market through its ninth annual Technology & Innovation Forum. Today, MedAssets is calling for Technology & Innovation Forum nominations to help these healthcare providers easily identify and review innovative medical supplies and technology from suppliers across the country.

Suppliers can nominate their products and services for inclusion in the MedAssets Technology & Innovation Forum, which are then evaluated on their capabilities to improve patient care, add efficiency to the healthcare delivery process and fulfill a need to the healthcare industry. Suppliers chosen through the nomination process will have an opportunity to solicit advice and valuable feedback from healthcare supply chain professionals. Solutions receiving a high score will be evaluated for possible inclusion in the MedAssets GPO contract portfolio and made available to more than 40,000 MedAssets healthcare provider customers in the acute and non-acute care markets.

Suppliers wishing to participate in the Technology & Innovation Forum should complete the online entry form. MedAssets welcomes submissions from any supplier who can add innovation, increase efficiency or improve patient safety, including companies that specialize in green technologies or companies that are certified minority, woman or small-disadvantaged businesses as well as service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

“The Technology & Innovation Forum is a great venue for suppliers to gain feedback directly from the healthcare providers who will use them,” said John Kelsey, Vice President, Healthcare at Clean Harbors, who took part in the Technology & Innovation Forum in 2009 and was selected for inclusion in the contract portfolio. “MedAssets places a lot of emphasis on connecting suppliers and healthcare providers so that we can work together to develop the best-practice solutions that will improve care and lower costs at their facilities. The interactive discussions are invaluable to our product development process, and help us provide them more quickly to a ready market.”

About MedAssets
MedAssets (NASDAQ: MDAS) partners with healthcare providers to improve their financial strength by implementing spend management and revenue cycle solutions that help control cost, improve margins and cash flow, increase regulatory compliance, and optimize operational efficiency. MedAssets serves more than 125 health systems, 3,300 hospitals and 40,000 non-acute healthcare providers. For more information, visit www.medassets.com.

About Clean Harbors
Clean Harbors is the leading provider of environmental services and largest hazardous waste disposal company in North America. Since 1980, Clean Harbors has been providing comprehensive waste management services to hospitals and healthcare institutions. The Company also serves over 50,000 customers, including a majority of the Fortune 500 companies, thousands of smaller private entities and numerous federal, state, provincial and local governmental agencies. Headquartered in Norwell, Massachusetts, Clean Harbors has more than 175 locations, including over 50 waste management facilities, throughout North America in 36 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The Company also operates international locations in Bulgaria, China, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.cleanharbors.com.

8-Jun-10 11:00 AM

How to Get Certified as a Minority-Owned Business

Fri, 21 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT

For more information on this article, please click the following link:

Minority Owned-Business Article

21-May-10 10:00 AM

NMSDC Names New President

Kim Brown - noemail@mmbdc.com — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:00:00 GMT

To read more about Joset B. Wright being named President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, click on the following link:

NMSDC News Release

20-May-10 3:00 PM

Most Supplier Diversity Programs Simply Fail To Deliver

Thu, 20 May 2010 15:00:00 GMT

May 14, 2010

Hackett: Most Supplier Diversity Programs Simply Fail To Deliver

Few Companies Even Measure Whether Supplier Diversity Programs Achieve Company Objectives, Hackett Research Finds

ATLANTA & LONDON, May 14, 2010 - While world-class procurement organizations continue to outperform their peers in driving supplier diversity spending, a new study by The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT) identifies several critical ways that most companies fail in their supplier diversity programs.

Hackett's latest research found that companies with world-class procurement organizations commit 33% more of their spend to diverse suppliers (13.3% of total spend for world-class versus 10.0% for typical companies).

But according to Hackett's research, most companies still make major errors in how they operate and measure the performance of their supplier diversity efforts. Most rely on overly simplistic measures to evaluate the progress of supplier diversity programs, and never truly assess whether programs are meeting corporate objectives. Most companies also fail to consider whether a few large suppliers or many smaller suppliers best supports their corporate goals. Hackett's research also quantified the positive and negative impact that globalization is having on supplier diversity efforts.

"What we see here is serious misalignment," said Hackett's North American Procurement Advisory Program Lead Kurt Albertson. "Many companies are taking the easy way out, and as a result aren't driving real supplier diversity benefits. They are focused on making the numbers they need to meet government requirements, or getting recognition from their customers or industry. But they aren't showing the attention to detail required to create programs that have real impact."

The Hackett study, which included results from nearly 40 Global 1000 companies, found that there are two primary drivers of supplier diversity efforts. While business-to-business companies are frequently focused on meeting supplier diversity requirements of customers and/or government contracts, business-to-consumer companies generally focus on the market value supplier diversity offers, in the form of increasing market penetration in diversity markets, driving social and economic benefits in targeted communities, and improving corporate image.

But while supplier diversity programs are generally aligned with high-level corporate objectives, most companies use relatively simplistic performance metrics to measure progress, and do little to ensure alignment at an operational level. About 90 percent of all companies in the study rely on metrics such as "Percent Spend with Diverse Suppliers" or "Recognition by Industry". But less than half of the companies in the study track the percentage of their suppliers that diverse suppliers represent, and only about 10 percent of all companies assess the impact of supplier diversity efforts on revenue or market share.

Another key mistake companies make, according to the Hackett study, is failing to align program objectives with decisions regarding the number of diverse suppliers with whom they work. Hackett's research found that nearly 70 percent of diverse suppliers have less than $100,000 in annual diversity spending with a particular company, and this collectively represents less than 6 percent of the total supplier diversity spend. According to Hackett, while the objectives of business-to-business companies might be best served by focusing on a few larger contracts to satisfy government regulations, business-to-consumer companies seeking to drive market awareness and penetration should consider focusing their supplier diversity efforts on developing a larger group of suppliers and smaller individual contracts.

Finally, Hackett's research found that globalization of business services presents both obstacles and opportunities for supplier diversity programs. While nearly 80 percent of all companies studied were global businesses, over 90 percent tracked metrics only for U.S. suppliers. But more than two thirds of the companies said globalization of supplier diversity programs is either very important or critical. About half of the companies in the Hackett study said they expect globalization to have a negative impact on their smaller suppliers, while nearly 20 percent said they expect the impact to be positive.

Overall, Hackett sees an opportunity for companies to align supplier diversity programs with global sourcing initiatives. Hackett believes that most diversity programs will eventually have to address the challenges involved in tracking non-US diverse supplier spend and certification; many will be forced to rethink their definition of diversity to take into account responsible supply, localization and other factors.

About The Hackett Group, Inc.

The Hackett Group (NASDAQ: HCKT), a global strategic advisory firm, is a leader in best practice advisory, benchmarking, and transformation consulting services including strategy and operations, working capital management, and globalization advice. Utilizing best practices and implementation insights from more than 4,000 benchmarking engagements, executives use The Hackett Group's empirically-based approach to quickly define and implement initiatives to enable world-class performance.

Through its REL group, The Hackett Group offers working capital solutions focused on delivering significant cash flow improvements. Through its Archstone Consulting group, The Hackett Group offers Strategy & Operations in the Consumer and Industrial Products, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and Financial Services industry sectors. Through its Hackett Technology Solutions group, The Hackett Group offers business application consulting services that help maximize returns on IT investments. The Hackett Group has worked with 2,700 major corporations and government agencies, including 97% of the Dow Jones Industrials, 73% of the Fortune 100, 73% of the DAX 30 and 50% of the FTSE 100. Founded in 1991, The Hackett Group was acquired by Answerthink, Inc. in 1997. Answerthink was renamed The Hackett Group, Inc. in 2008. The Hackett Group has global offices in the United States, Europe and Asia/Pacific.

More information on The Hackett Group is available: by phone at (770) 225-7300; by e-mail at info@thehackettgroup.com.

20-May-10 10:00 AM

Kelly Services Develops Low- Cost Insurance Program for Key Suppliers

Chris Lewis - noemail@mmbdc.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:00:00 GMT

/attachments/wysiwyg/2445/KellyServicesArticle.pdf

4-Mar-10 7:00 AM

BUY Michigan Products

Bonita Gaston - noemail@mmbdc.com — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

This campaign, highlights Pure Michigan branding, encouraging purchases of Michigan-made products by using a host of local celebrities for 30-and 15-second Public Service Announcements.
Click on the link to watch PSA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tusp77o74ac

17-Feb-10 9:00 AM