SOTY Awards Venue (Photo Credit SCMSDC)
Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council (SCMSDC) is a non-profit known for its advocacy for minority businesses. SCMSDC certifies, develops and celebrates minority businesses through certification and professional development workshops, as well as networking and awardee events.
SCMSDC hosted the Supplier of the Year Awards (SOTY) luncheon on July 25, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach. The celebratory luncheon was created to recognize exemplary minority businesses certified as Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), who were nominated by corporate representatives. Awards are presented to suppliers in four major categories, determined by the minority business’ gross annual revenue and the business’ impact on their community. The event consisted of a reception along with networking, welcome greeting, keynote address and SOTY awardee announcements.
SOTY 2018 Welcome Reception
SOTY 2018 Inspiration wall
Reception and Networking
Events hosted by SCMSDC bring together minority businesses from across Southern California, giving members the opportunity to connect and build life-long relationships with other fellow minority business suppliers. It is through events, like SOTY, where diverse suppliers build networks and curate relationships where they can share their visions and have a greater opportunity to thrive in their business endeavors. Attendees also enjoyed of entertainment throughout the reception with activities on the power of dreams and inspiration.
Lindy Huang Werges at Dream Wall
Reception Networking
Welcome Greeting
Shortly after a productive reception, attendees were welcomed to the Awards ceremony by SCMSDC President Virginia Gomez, Master of Ceremonies Farzana Nayani of Intercultural Development Inventory and SCMSDC Board Chair, Charles Harmon. Virginia and Charles stressed to attendees the importance of minority presence in corporate America, reassuring all nominees were winners for their great achievements as minority suppliers. A special thanks was given to corporate and Minority Business Enterprise sponsors; American Honda Motor Co., Inc, The Walt Disney Company, Southern California Edison, Comcast NBCUniversal and many more, all who truly believe in the importance of diversity inclusion and the efforts of SCMSDC.
SOTY Luncheon
SOTY Awards Welcome
Keynote Address
The award luncheon was then followed by keynote speaker Debra Langford of USC Marshall School of Business. Debra shared with attendees on the ever present theme of transformation, which she’s always felt applies to any industry, especially among minority owned businesses. She explained the greatest example of transformation today stems from minority efforts. For instance, the entertainment industry has seen the most transformation as minorities bring forward their experience to their work. As seen in films like Coco, Black Panther and Wonder Woman, all had a significant impact in the industry. Debra assured attendees took with them the awareness that they are the producers of their own destiny and must be intentional in all they do as representatives of diversity in business.
Class I SOTY 2018 Winner- Integritas Resources Inc.
SOTY Winner Announcement
Following the inspirational keynote address, the luncheon wound down to recognizing the Supplier of the Year award-winning businesses of 2018. Awards were presented in four major categories with Class I nominees comprised of those with a revenue of up to $1 Million; Class II including businesses between $1 Million and $10 Million in revenue; Class III for those ranging between $10 Million to $50 Million and finally those in the Class IV category with revenues exceeding $50 million. Integritas Resources Inc. was incredibly honored to receive the SCMSDC Class I Supplier of the Year award of 2018, nominated by The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Nominated by The Walt Disney Company, Athena Engineering was awarded as Class II winner of the SOTY Award. Next, the SOTY Award for Class III nominees was awarded to Muse Communications, nominated by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Finally, the Class IV SOTY Awardee was Hal Hays Construction Inc. nominated by Southern California Edison. All awardees will move forward in the Regional Supplier of the Year Awards, culminating in the National awardee at the national conference in Austin, Texas between October 14-17, 2018.
The Supplier of the Year Awards ceremony celebrated all minority owned businesses, while assuring all nominees were winners for their efforts and resilience as minority owned businesses.
SCMSDC 2018 SOTY Class Winners
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