Citigroup, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and others receive national awards for minority supplier development

Both individuals and businesses of all sizes were honored on May 18 at the 2016 National Minority Supplier Development Council Leadership Awards in New York. The awards, presented by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), recognize corporate executives, minority business owners, and NMSDC affiliates for their leadership in developing opportunities for minority business enterprises (MBE) in corporate supply chains.

This year's honorees included:

• Corporate Catalyst Award, for leadership while engaging internal and external peers in support of NMSDC's mission—Shaleta Dunn, director of diverse talent and supplier programs for ManpowerGroup
• MBE Catalyst Award, for an MBE owner who has been actively engaged in the NMSDC network for five to 10 years—Azra Khalfan, chief executive officer of Signs & Lucite Products
• Corporate Trailblazer Award, for leadership in creating supplier diversity processes—I. Javette Hines, senior vice president, supplier diversity and sustainability for Citigroup Inc.
• MBE Trailblazer Award, for the owner of an MBE who has helped other MBEs in the NMSDC network succeed—Bonnie Nijst, president and CEO of Zeesman Communications
• The Corporate Clarion Award, for a corporate leader who promotes full support of and engagement in minority supplier development as a business imperative in global supply chains—George Ehrgott, senior manager, strategic sourcing, sustainability, and supplier diversity, Communications Test Design Inc.
• MBE Clarion Award, for an inspirational minority business leader with an established record of success for more than 20 years—John W. Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments LLC
• Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) of the Year Award, for leadership that impacts the CPO's corporation as well as the larger supplier diversity community—Farryn Melton, senior vice president and chief procurement officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
• Robert M. Stuart Leadership Award, for advancing opportunities for MBEs in corporate America—Harriet R. Michel, NMSDC's former president, who has worked for 50 years in the public sector developing and managing programs that address social concerns

The National Minority Supplier Development Council matches certified minority-owned businesses with more than 1,750 corporate members who wish to purchase their products, services, and solutions.