NMSDC Annual Conference and Exchange 2023

Close the Equity Gap

Act Now. Accelerate Growth. Achieve Equity.

After disrupting our own status quo at our 50th Anniversary Conference & Exchange last year, we must now gather and focus our attention on the equity gap that has persisted in this country for far too long and expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and our country's recovery.

What will it take to close the equity gap? How will you contribute to the solution?

As part of our efforts to accelerate minority business growth and advance economic equity NMSDC and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) are collaborating to bring this year’s NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange and MBDA National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week to Baltimore.

We are collaborating to identify the barriers facing our community. It will take a coalition of organizations, industry leaders, business owners, and changes in policy to reach economic equity. We need innovative and transformative solutions, and that's where you come in!

Join us in Baltimore for the 2023 NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange and MBDA National MED Week!

A Brief Recap

2023 NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange and MBDA National MED Week

Featured Speakers

Rosie Allen-Herring president and CEOUnited Way of the National Capital Area

Dr. Heather Boushey chief economist for the Invest in America Cabinet at the White HouseWhite House

Calvin Butler president and chief executive officerExelon

Donald R. Cravins, Jr. under secretary of commerce for minority business developmentMBDA

Joseph Dominguez president and CEOConstellation Energy

Dr. Faye Gerard senior federal government affairs directorBP

Ed Gordon Emmy Award-winning broadcasterEd Gordon Media

Kindle Goodson vice president, chief operating and procurement officerTIAA

Eamon Javers senior Washington correspondentCNBC

Josetta Jones chief diversity officerChevron

Soo Kim managing partner and founderStandard General

Ying McGuire CEO and presidentNMSDC

Sandra M. Moore managing director and chief impact officerAdvantage Capital

Wes Moore governorMaryland

Jason Mudd director, operations and transformationIBM

Brian Pieninck president and CEOCareFirst Bluecross Blueshield

Sharon Pinder president/CEOCapital Region Minority Supplier Development Council

Ann Ramakumaran CEOAmpcus

Margaret Smith senior managing director and executive director of corporate services and sustainability and business operationsAccenture

Cynthia Williams global director of sustainability, homologation, and complianceFord

Pete Buttigieg U.S. secretary of transportationU.S. Department of Transportation

Jessica Cavazos deputy under secretaryMBDA

Donald R. Cravins, Jr. under secretary of commerce for minority business developmentMBDA

Donna Ennis director, community engagement and program developmentGeorgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute/Georgia MBDA Business Center

Don Graves deputy secretaryU.S. Department of Commerce

Isabel Guzman administratorU.S. Small Business Administration

Orestes Hubbard operatorSan Antonio MBDA Export Center

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Reta Jo Lewis president and chair of the board of directorsEXIM Bank

Ying McGuire CEO and presidentNMSDC

N. Scott Philips project directorBaltimore MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center

Les Brun founder, chairman, and CEOAriel Alternatives, LLC

Donald R. Cravins, Jr. under secretary of commerce for minority business developmentMBDA

Alphonso David CEO and presidentGlobal Black Economic Forum

Cachavious English managing counsel and policy strategistFord

Kala Gibson chief enterprise corporate responsibility officerFifth Third

Wayne Hamilton vice president, specialty taxWalmart Stores Inc.

Barbara Kubicki chief procurement officerWells Fargo

Leslie Lewis founder and CEOMultigenerational.Black, Inc

Loida Lewis author and chair and CEOTLC Beatrice, LLC

Sally Macaluso chief procurement officer, indirect services procurementJohnson & Johnson

Ivy McGregor executive directorBeyGOOD Foundation

Ying McGuire CEO and presidentNMSDC

Michelle Miller national correspondent, CBS News, co-hostCBS Saturday Morning

ReNika Moore director, racial justice programACLU

Tarrus Richardson founder and CEOIMB Partners

Anthony Robinson presidentMinority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.

April Ryan reporter, author, and White House correspondentThe Grio

Arian Simone CEOFearless Fund

Susanna Webber chief procurement officerMerck

Nasra Abdi CEOACI Solutions

Stephen Benjamin senior advisor and director of the office of public engagementWhite House

Ron Busby CEO and presidentU.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

Ashley Campbell responsible purchasing and supplier diversity managerVolvo Group

Sean Cogdell CEOThe Panther Group

Marianne De Aguiar head of ESG procurementInternational Paper

Hebrew Dixon director of supplier diversityARCO Design/Build Companies

Shekinah Fountain senior DEI associate

The Weitz Company

Sahra Halpern president and CEOBusiness Consortium Fund

John Henderson chairman and CEO,AEL Holdings

Taydra Mitchell-Jackson chief marketing officerUnilever

Carlton L. Oneal National MBE Input Committee chair and presidentLightSpeedEdu

Kris Oswold hybrid certification implementationNMSDC

Maria Prince global procurement ESG leaderDuPont

Germaine Reece business diversity market leader – centralCDW

Leon Richardson president and CEOThe Chemico Group, LLC

Larry Stubblefield acting associate administratorU.S. Small Business Administration

Nicole Van Valen procurement supplier diversity senior managementCVS Health

Sarah Von Der Lippe pro bono chief legal counselMinority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.

Celebrating 40 Years of MBDA's National MED Week

“MBDA and NMSDC share a mission to create an equitable business ecosystem in order to unlock our Nation’s economic potential. With historic investments across sectors and industries, the opportunity is here. MBDA and NMSDC have the tools and the reach to make this moment count by expanding access to capital, contracts, networks, and opportunities that every American entrepreneur deserves.”

- Donald R. Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development.

OA23: Igniting Growth

Each year, prior to the official opening of the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange, the National MBE Input Committee presents the Opportunity Accelerator, a special event created by MBEs for MBEs. The event is FREE and open to all minority businesses, NMSDC corporate members, and regional affiliate council staff.

Agenda Highlights

More voices. More choices.

Baltimore has a depth of American history and unspoiled charm tucked away across the city. And this year, we are bringing the charm to the Baltimore Convention Center with four days filled to the brim with inspirational and innovative content that will give our MBEs and corporate members the access, knowledge/skills, and relationships they need to succeed and grow.

Connect ⇒ Partner ⇒ Grow

We are focused on facilitating connections with new markets and emerging businesses primed for certification and the capacity and capability for growth.

Join us for our Matchamker event to connect with buyers and MBEs with business opportunities, receive consultation, or get access to capital.

Increase Engagement and ROI

As a sponsor of the NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange, you stand at the flashpoint of an economic equity revolution. One fueled not just by public statements of support, but by an exponential acceleration toward $1 trillion in revenue, wealth, and opportunity.