About Us

Purpose and Scope

The Council's role is to support and develop minority-owned businesses by facilitating important connections between corporations and minority suppliers.

Our regional Council operates under the umbrella of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations. It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.

The NMSDC network includes a national office in New York and 39 regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including most of America's largest publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies, as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions.

As a regional Council, we certify and match minority-owned businesses (Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American) with member corporations that want to purchase goods and services. Through our events we are able to provide opportunities of exchange and partnership to both supplier and corporate members.

Our territory includes the state of Wisconsin, Central Illinois and Iowa. Council leadership is provided by President, Floyd Rose, Ph.D.

Mission

Council Enterprises, Inc., is a nonprofit organization consisting of companies and public agencies from throughout the state. Members work together (with the assistance of the Council's staff and Board of Directors) to increase the amount and quality of business transacted with minority-owned firms. Membership in the Council is a voluntary effort that demonstrates the initiative of the private sector concerning minority business opportunities.

Council Enterprises, Inc., is a freestanding supplier development council. It is an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, and one of 39 regional Councils operating in the United States. Council Enterprises, Inc., was created by the Wisconsin business community to address the means available to support minority business development.

Often, bringing together corporate and minority business is a problem of communication. Membership in the Council solves that problem by providing the vehicle for effective communication. Council Enterprises, Inc., works in cooperation with the national network to bring about the development of a sound economic base within the minority business community, and provide corporate members with an expanded base of qualified, competitive suppliers.

Many activities and programs of the Council are designed to bring buyers and sellers together to discuss business problems and share knowledge. The Council shares its collective knowledge through a quarterly newsletter, monthly general membership meetings, ongoing membership mailings and activities.

Council Enterprises, Inc., endeavors to meet the challenge of fostering minority business development, while increasing the quantity and quality of viable minority suppliers.

Quick Facts

Purpose
Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations. It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.

National Network
The NMSDC network includes a national office in New York and 39 regional Councils across the country. There are 3,500 corporate members throughout the network, including Fortune 500 companies. The regional Councils certify and match more than 15,000 minority-owned businesses with member corporations, which want to purchase goods and services.

Leadership
The Chairman's Advisory Council and Board of Directors include top corporate representatives, minority business and other civic leaders. Board committees involving corporate members, minority entrepreneurs and regional and national staff are fully operational.

Harriet R. Michel, a noted administrator and public policy expert on minority issues, is the President of the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

Programs and Services

• Certification of minority business enterprises after screening, interviews, site visits and capability studies;
   

• MBISYS, a national computerized database of nearly 15,000 certified minority suppliers;
   

• Referrals to corporate buyers of minority suppliers, suppliers capable of providing quality goods and services at competitive prices and in a timely fashion;
   

• Support in developing, expanding or promoting corporate minority business purchasing programs;
   

• Working capital loans to certified minority businesses, which have contracts with NMSDC national and regional corporate members, through the Business Consortium Fund, as well as longer-term financing through the BCF's Specialized Small Business Investment Company (SSBIC);
   

• Dissemination, through the Minority Business Information Center, of vital statistics and information pertinent to the changing picture of minority business development;
   

• Educational seminars, training and technical assistance for buyers and suppliers to assist in personal and professional growth;
   

• Business Opportunity Fairs, which allow minority entrepreneurs to present themselves to many prospective buyers in a short time;
   

• Networking opportunities, organized purchasing categories, at which vendors speak directly to appropriate purchasing agents;
   

• Corporate or vendor directories and other publications;
   

• NMSDC Annual Conference - the nation's benchmark forum on minority business development;
   

• Awards and special recognition for outstanding corporate programs in support of minority business development, as well as awards for excellent minority businesses and other citations;
   

• And a variety of other activities to bring corporate purchasing agents together with representatives of minority businesses, in both formal and informal settings, to foster the development of long-term, mutually beneficial business relationships.

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