Ying McGuire’s Post

A powerful and courageous perspective from the president of our affiliate in Florida, and a leader in the Haitian community, Beatrice Louissaint. Her words remind us that unity is our strength, and there is far more that binds us together than divides us. As an immigrant myself, I stand in solidarity with her and against hate in all its forms, recognizing the invaluable contributions immigrants, including Haitians, make to our communities. Harriet Michel #stopthehate

Last month I participated in an international delegation of MBEs and corporate members to New Zealand and Australia to create greater economic opportunity for MBEs globally. Below is my reflections on the trip. #economicinclusion National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Supply Nation Amotai - Supplier Diversity NZ WEConnect International Kate Russell Chris Rees FAICD Elizabeth Vazquez Anna-jane edwards Cassandra Dorrington Chris James Amanda Smith, MBA

This morning we conducted the very first NMSDC workshop at the Latitude conference, led by our Entrepreneur-in-Residence Mark L. Madrid and Lorena Valencia, the leader of our Corporate Plus Program and an entrepreneur herself,. We shared the power of NMSDC certification and the services National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and 23 affiliates offer to creat connections and opportunities for MBEs. It was thrilling to meet entrepreneurs like Cesar Malaga, the founder of Muller Construction and Rodolfo "Rudy" Rucoba, the founder of RUCOBA AND MAYA CONSTRUCTION, LLC who are eager to start their certification journey. They’re now planning to join us at NMSDC’s annual conference in Atlanta on October 20-23, where we'll redefine the norms for creating opportunities and scaling MBEs. A special thank you to Mark and Lorena for deepening my understanding of the Hispanic business community, and immense gratitude to Sol Trujillo and Gary Acosta for their visionary leadership in creating a powerful platform (Latitude Conference) for elevating economic opportunities for the Hispanic cohort. Together, we are pushing forward the shared mission of making minority businesses a cornerstone of our economy. #NMSDC #Partnerships #MBEs #HispanicBusiness #CorporateContracting #LatitudeConference

Today as I flew American Airlines from Philly to San Diego for my first participation at the L'ATTITUDE conference, I reflected on 9/11 and vividly remembered how the world rallied around America during that time. President George W. Bush’s words still resonate: “Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” Today, we honor the resilience, unity, and spirit that brought us together then, and we need to restore the same unity and strength and move us forward. #NeverForget #911

In a statement earlier this week, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) stood with business and civil rights leaders across the country to applaud the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBC) report, “What Good Looks Like” and call on companies to stand firm in their dedication to diverse and inclusive business practices.  As a former MBE, former corporate member, and now CEO of NMSDC, an organization committed to creating greater economic opportunity for MBEs, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact diverse businesses have in driving better economic outcomes for their corporate partners. I’m deeply grateful to the Congressional Black Caucus for championing diverse and inclusive business practice in Corporate America, and to every coalition member who stood with NMSDC in supporting the Caucus's vital work. With a network of 23 affiliates, over 17,000 MBEs, 1,500+ corporate members, and numerous strategic partners, we know that true, lasting change requires unity. I urge you to explore the CBC report and leverage its insights to advance business diversity within your organization and the communities you serve. Because one thing is clear: growth for diverse businesses is growth for all. https://lnkd.in/dW5HN2eY  Ron Busby, Sr., US BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INC (USBC)  Ramiro Cavazos, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)  Angela Dingle, WOMEN IMPACTING PUBLIC POLICY INTERNATIONAL INC (WIPP)  Tammy H., Reimagine Main Street  Derrick L. Johnson, NAACP Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies  Eason, Pamela (Prince-Eason), WBENC Samantha Tweedy, Black Economic Alliance  Rhett Buttle, Public Private Strategies Institute (PPSI)  Alphonso David, Global Black Economic Forum  Jen Earle, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)  Jill Houghton, Disability:IN: IN  Keith King, National Veteran Business Development Council - NVBDC  MARC MORIAL, National Urban League  Justin Nelson, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)  Chiling Tong, National ACE Eboni Wimbush, Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) 

Excited to be part of the AAPI Strong Conference this week in Santa Clara— a premier AANHPI small business event in the country! Honored to moderate and speak on the "Enhancing Equity & Opportunity through Supplier Diversity" panel alongside incredible leaders like Norman Chen of The Asian American Foundation. Congratulations to all the honorees, including acclaimed film director Jon M. Chu and businessman and philanthropist James S.C. Chao. Secretary Elaine Chao delivered an inspiring keynote on leadership and her new book is truly captivating. It was a privilege to share celebratory moments with both the past and current leader of MBDA: Donald Cravins, Jr., Esq. and Eric Morrissette. Special thanks to Chiling Tong, Bill Imada and Jimmy Ferguson for their visionary leadership in empowering the AAPI business community. Together, we’re driving economic opportunity and equity forward!

Completed an incredible mission trip to Australia and New Zealand with National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) corporate members, MBEs, and partners. This trip was filled with impactful moments: 1 transformative mission 2 MOUs signed 3 enriching conferences celebrating 15 year anniversary with Supply Nation and 5 year anniversary with Amotai - Supplier Diversity NZ 4 impactful speaking engagements Countless trade and business opportunity discussions, cultural experiences, and friendships formed. I am especially proud to see two MBEs on this trip inspired to set their sights on becoming $100M companies. The energy and potential I witnessed are truly remarkable. Deeply grateful to our international partners (Amotai - Supplier Diversity NZ, Supply Nation of Australia, WEConnect International), our corporate members (Amazon Business, EY, and Accenture) for hosting the conferences and our visits. A heartfelt thank you to Chevron for sponsoring my trip and making this experience possible. Stay tuned for my full trip reflection coming soon on NMSDC's website and social media page—there's so much more to share! Chris Rees FAICD #GlobalBusiness #MBEGrowth #NMSDC #CulturalExchange #TradeOpportunities