Leaders of Country's Top Minority & Diverse Business Organizations Gather at CelebrASIAN 2021

WASHINGTON - Nov. 15, 2021 - PRLog -- The 9 leaders representing the country's top minority and diverse business organizations gathered at the virtual Synergy Forward panel on November 8 to discuss key issues on supplier diversity, inclusion, and certification.

Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Office of Entrepreneurial Development at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), opened the panel, praising its diversity. He also called for a level playing field and breaking down barriers for small, minority and diverse businesses to grow and prosper, especially those hardest-hit by the pandemic and those unable to join in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Hosted by the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation (USPAACC), the Synergy Forward Panel included:

• Jill Houghton, President & CEO, Disability:IN;
• Justin Nelson, Co-Founder & President, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC);
• Ying McGuire, President & CEO, National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC);
• Matthew Pavelek, President & CEO, National Veteran-Owned Business Associations (NaVOBA);
• Keith King, Founder & CEO, The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC);
• Ron Busby, President & CEO, US Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC);
• Raul Salinas, Board Member and General Counsel of United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), representing Ramiro Cavazos, CEO of USHCC;
• Susan Au Allen, National President & CEO, US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation (USPAACC); and
• Pamela Prince-Eason, President & CEO, The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

"It can't get any better than this," said host and moderator, USPAACC National President and CEO Susan Au Allen. "We're proud to have gathered 9 independent organizations for a candid and substantive exchange of views on supplier diversity, the importance of certification, and especially on how we could all work together, harness the power of synergy, and move forward to help our unique constituents grow and thrive in the post-pandemic marketplace."

Allen said that certification of minority-owned business is more important than ever after President Biden's Executive Order 13985 instructed all federal agencies to increase their purchase from minority businesses from 5% to 15% in the next five years.

Eight of the nine organizations have an established certification program that validates businesses are at least 51% owned, controlled, and managed on a day-to-day basis by one or more Asian American, Black American or Hispanic American (minorities) or a combination of any of them; people with disabilities, LGBT, disabled veterans, and women.

The panelists discussed the value to corporations of partnering with their respective organizations, measuring supplier diversity impact, the importance of certification, and creating synergy among the organizations.

The panel is part of the second line-up of programs presented at CelebrASIAN Business Development Conference, which held its first part in early June.

To learn more, visit http://www.uspaacc.com or http://www.celebrasianconference.com