SPECIAL EDITION - MBEConnect

Helzberg Diamonds, Southwestern
Bell Telephone Company, Alpha
Plastics, United-Telecom and other key
companies were recruited to become
part of the first KCMSDC Board
of Directors.
Utilizing these key decision makers
ensured that the new purchasing
patterns and policies would be driven
through companies from the topdown
as well as hold purchasing
directors accountable for results.
CEOs worked with KCMSDC’s highly
trained staff to learn how to conduct
business with minority suppliers and
make calls to area businesses asking
them to use minority firms. CEO board
members helped close the loop and
secured deals with minority suppliers.
As a result of the CEOs’ efforts, more
doors were opened, more business
was conducted, and a database was
developed pairing those from the
corporate community willing to
engage in business exchange with
minority suppliers.
During KCMSDC’s first 13 years, it
held the unique distinction of being
the only council in the United States
with a Board of Directors composed
of CEOs. Serving on the Board
required more than the traditional
governance and oversight associated
with a nonprofit organization, but
also lots of work creating initiatives
and making deals happen. Programs
launched by the organization in its
early years included: The annual
awards luncheon, monthly spotlight
luncheons, Adopt-a-Vendor, Video
Vendor, dues investment, joint
venture promotion, business
counseling, business investment
1995: $303 million
worth of business
was conducted with
minority suppliers.
8 MBEConnect Profiles | MAMSDC SPECIAL EDITION
expo, certification site visits and
referrals.
In addition to the CEOs, the original
KCMSDC Board adopted the “one
member” concept established by
NMSDC, in which a single member
of the minority business community
serves on the Board. To ensure the
single minority business member
accurately reflected the needs and
wants of the larger MBE community,
the Minority Input Committee was
formed. Likewise, the Purchasing
Advisory Committee was created
to represent the views of over 750
local purchasers who had agreed
to do more business with minority
firms and was the first of its kind.
These committees conducted broad
research on how to best create a
new organization and included best
practices on identifying existing
minority suppliers, detecting the
best qualified suppliers, finding
corporations willing to participate
in the campaign, establishing a
certification process and determining
basic organizational functions and
programs.
Together, the committees and
board members helped KCMSDC
achieve a great deal of success. In
just 6 months, 80 minority members
and 41 corporate members helped 19
minority firms obtain more than $1.2
million.
In 1995, KCMSDC changed its name
to the Minority Supplier Council (MSC)
and held their first annual business
expo later that year. MAMSDC first
became an affiliate of the NMSDC
in 1990 and became a 501(c)3
organization under the umbrella of
1997: $425 million worth of
business reported among 170
minority businesses and 163
mainstream corporations
certified with the council.
NMSDC in 1998.
2000: 203 minority
business owners and
185 corporations are
certified with the council.
Today
Almost 30 years later, MAMSDC
remains a business community that
continues to grow stronger through
increased diversity. Six staff members
ensure that the needs of members
are met and that the mission of the
organization is properly executed. The
council is funded through corporate
dues, MBE certification, program and
event fees, sponsorships and grants.
Beyond Kansas City
Though initially focused solely on
the Kansas City metropolitan area,
geographic responsibility for the
MAMSDC now includes Western
Missouri and the entire state of
Kansas. In 2006, MAMSDC opened
a second office in Wichita to better
serve minority businesses throughout
the state of Kansas.
Vice President Donna Wright
serves as the director of the Wichita
satellite office and brings a wealth
of experience across the corporate
and small business spectrum to this
position. Ms. Wright has extensive
experience as a senior purchasing
agent and assisting with supplier
diversity initiatives from the Boeing
Company’s Wichita operations. She
is also a former local business owner,
consultant, and community business
supporter. Her experience, paired with
the strategic organizational expansion
to Wichita, gives the satellite office a
valuable local resource for corporate
sourcing opportunities.
In just a few years, the Wichita office
has been able to bring minority
business participation to the forefront
2009: 240 minority firms
and 121 mainstream firms
are certified through the
council.