Much has been said about the power of the Latino community in the United States, but little about the role that diversity and inclusion programs for minority businesses have played in building that power.
For more than a decade, Negocios Now has been highlighting Latino-owned companies that are garnering millions in contracts due in large part to their certifications to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Negocios Now publishes this special edition to recognize public and private organizations, as well as government agencies, which have had a positive impact on Illinois’ Latino business community.
According to the National Minority Supplier Development Council, or NMSDC, the nearly 12,000 diverse businesses certified by NMSDC as of August 2014 had a total economic output of more than $400 billion.
These minority-owned small businesses drove the creation and preservation of more than 2.2 million jobs for people who find themselves directly or indirectly employed by NMSDC-certified MBEs.
For this edition, Negocios Now celebrates the contribution of these organizations to our business community with a series of exclusive interviews that include a conversation with Comed’s Chief Executive Officer, Joe Dominguez; a talk with the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation, Jamie Rhee; a discussion with Commissioner of the Department of Commerce of Illinois, Martha Sadzi Oliva and a profile of Neli Vazquez Rowland, an Illinois Tollway Authority Board member.
Once again, with this Supplier Diversity edition we take the opportunity to point out the importance of being certified in opening the doors of opportunity, with an interview of Rico Martinez, founder of Water Integrated Treatment Systems, LLC and Jorge Perez, Executive Director of HACIA.
This extra edition of Negocios Now also brings you an exclusive interview with President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Ramiro Cavazos, held during the chamber’s annual convention in Philadelphia, as well as a report on the national award for the best small camera in the country to the Little Village Chamber of Commerce.
