Philadelphia, PA – On November 22, 6-10pm, the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) will host its annual Choice Awards at Vie, 600 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130. The ceremony will bring together more than 400 corporate representatives and MBEs from throughout Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Delaware to shine a light on the enterprising minority entrepreneurs who fuel the region’s economy; community leaders who are staunch advocates for diversity and inclusion; and corporations who value the innovative solutions diverse businesses bring to their supply chains.
“The Choice Awards give us an opportunity to come together and celebrate the countless successes of our members, our organization and, on a larger scale, supplier diversity,” said Valarie Cofield, President & CEO of EMSDC. “The evening allows us to not only reflect on what we’ve accomplished thus far, but also to look toward the future at how much more we can move the needle, and the importance continued support and advocacy from both sides.”
Award recipients are selected via an extensive nomination and review process, and ultimately affirm the Council’s mission of developing minority business enterprises to better align them with corporations for business growth and opportunities through Supplier Diversity channels. A total of nine awards will be presented in the following categories:
• Corporation of the Year (National and Regional): Honors corporations committed to diverse suppliers in their supply chain, and creating substantial business opportunities for MBEs
• Supplier of the Year (Classes I, II, III and IV): Recognizes outstanding performance among EMSDC’s MBE suppliers; classes are based on annual gross revenues
• Emmett T. Vaughn Corporate Advocate of the Year: Presented to an individual who champions efforts across the region and beyond, providing opportunities to advance the success of MBEs
• MBE Advocate of the Year: Honors an MBE representative in dedication and contribution of personal time to support EMSDC’s programs that help to advance the Council’s mission
• James Brown Award: Presented to a business leader or government representative in honor of Mr. James Brown, a visionary entrepreneur who demonstrated a tenacity for business excellence and community leadership
This year’s ceremony will be led by Tech-Life expert Stephanie Humphrey, a former engineer and current technology contributor for ABC News, where she serves as part of the nationally-syndicated Strahan Sara & Keke team. Entertainment will be provided by the King of Hearts Band.
“The entire UPMC Supplier Diversity team supports EMSDC’s efforts to champion diverse businesses and to create new opportunities for them,” said George Robinson II, Manager of Supplier Diversity, UPMC.
“Attending the Choice Awards gives us all a chance to celebrate our accomplishments as a collective congress of minority business progress in the PA-NJ-DE area and to continue striving for even greater achievements in the years to come.”
The Choice Awards is one of three Signature Events that EMSDC hosts each year, all in accordance with its mission of stimulating and supporting economic development with minority-owned businesses. The Council fosters the development of minority business enterprises to better align them with corporations to initiate growth and opportunity through Supplier Diversity channels.