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Diversity at the Border Event
Regional Task Force Virtual Workshop
MBEIC Lunch & Learn Virtual Event
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Upcoming Community Events | |
2023 Bexar County Business Conference - Event Information & Registration
Please email your events to Mayra Pena at mayra@smsdc.org.
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Visit our gallery to view & download past event images. See what you may have missed and why you want to get engaged. |
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SMSDC's Diversity at the Border takes place next week! Have you registered?
Our final in-person conference of the year is coming up on September 28th in El Paso, TX. Registration is still open! Visit www.smsdc.org and click on Events to register now.
In partnership with the University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso Makes, El Paso Chamber, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CommUNITY en Accion, we have an exciting event for you. UTEP's Aerospace Center will be joining Diversity at the Border to discuss opportunities within their space.
"Future of Energy" panel discussion with speakers from El Paso Electric, El Paso Water Utilities and Texas Gas Services will present industry trends, innovations, and economic impacts within the local & regional community.
Ruben Hernandez, Market Executive at JPMorgan Chase will present a session on "Access to Capital". Mr. Hernandez has over 31 years of commercial banking experience in both domestic and international banking focusing on business customers in El Paso and New Mexico.
SMSDC's World Class Buyers Breakfast Roundtable - a series of interactive sessions led by our corporate members and buyers will provide an opportunity for suppliers to meet with APTIV, the City of El Paso Purchasing, Dell, El Paso Electric, Johnson Controls, Southwest Research Institute, The University of Texas at El Paso Purchasing and the Department of Information Resources.
Thank you to our event sponsors: UTEP Aerospace Center, El Paso Makes, EDC Transportation, The El Paso Electric Company, Russell Transport, Oveana, and CommUnity en Accion!
The SMSDC is pleased to announce our newest Local Corporate Member, Tesla. We are so excited to welcome Tesla and look forward to their active participation. I have often said, “your value-add council” when I am describing the benefits of the SMSDC. We are always championing the interests of our MBEs. We remain vigilant in our efforts to increase our corporate members and have them share with us any opportunities that would be beneficial to their bottom line while enabling our MBEs to move from subs to primes.
We are very excited to work with Tesla and invite them to engage in our events in 2024!
See you next week in El Paso, TX!
Sincerely,
Karen Box
SMSDC President
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Valued MBE’s,
I hope all of you are starting to feel a break from the heat and transitioning into fall. In August, the SMSDC and I had the pleasure of hosting the SBA of the El Paso District for our MBEIC Lunch and Learn session. Many of you inquired about doing business with the government, 8(a) programs and how to gain government contracts during our opening session at the FaceTime Expo in San Antonio and I believe we had a great session with about 30 very engaged participants.
You have also seen reminders regarding Diversity at the Border in El Paso and I hope you have already registered and are planning on attending. At this event, there will be developmental classes, cutting edge speakers, roundtable sessions, matchmaking sessions and meet and greet networking opportunities. You don’t want to miss it!
In October, NMSDC National Conference & Exchange to be held in Baltimore, Maryland October 22nd-25th! Hailed as the largest minority business conference in the world, the NMSDC’s Annual Conference & Exchange includes four days of education and networking with over 5,000 corporate CEOs, procurement executives, supplier diversity professionals, and leading minority business owners from across the nation.
For more information, agenda, registration as well as sponsorship, exhibition, and advertising information on this event, see link below.
https://www.nmsdcconference.org/2023/
If you plan on attending NMSDC, please note there is an opportunity to meet with Congress at Capitol Hill for a Day on the Hill. Leaders and advocates of over 15,000 certified minority businesses across the country, your regional affiliates are going to Capitol Hill on Thursday, October 26th to meet with Congress and address the issues and attacks on minority businesses, and affirmative action. We encourage anyone who is interested to please join this event in Washington, DC. Additional information is forthcoming. If you should have any interest in attending on behalf of SMSDC, please contact the SMSDC staff with your interest.
Our MBEs provide significant economic value directly impacting the employment and labor income in our service area and in the communities where they reside. BUT the ability of these businesses to continue to grow our local economy is at risk of being destroyed because of the challenges that are being brought through legislation and in the courts. In our service area alone, the SMSDC certified over 668 historically underutilized businesses, and realized an increase of 8.4% in the aggregate MBE spend reported from $11.89B in 2021 to $12.94B in 2022.
Looking forward to hearing from each of you and seeing you soon!
Respectfully,
Nicole Navarro Velesiotis
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ByVerTek, LLC
www.byvertek.com
ByVerTek, LLC is an experienced project management firm supporting those clients who need to build, upgrade, and maintain the physical infrastructure that delivers high-speed Internet, video, voice, and wireless services.
CLJ Ventures, LLC
www.pureskinrepair.com
Pure Skin Repair handcrafts natural skin, hair and home goods to include, body butter, moisturizing sprays, face scrubs, lip scrubs, foot scrubs, body scrubs, lip balms, beard care, cold processed soaps, face masks, facial serums, bath bombs, bath soaks, wax melts, candles, and car fresheners, and custom ordered products
Custom Crates & Pallets, LTD
www.ccptx.com
We manufacture wooden pallets and crates for our customers.
Gault, Nye & Quintana, LLP
https://www.gnqlawyers.com/
Gault, Nye & Quintana L.L.P defends businesses and professionals in civil litigation, with both trial and appellate expertise, in South Texas and surrounding areas from its offices in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Nueces Counties. South Texas is regarded as a difficult venue.
Latino Media Network, LLC
https://latinomedianetwork.com/
Latino Media Network is a media company serving the Latino community by helping us make sense of the world and their place in it. We will inspire, inform and celebrate Latinos through an audio focused multimedia network, owned and operated
by members of our community.
Oatmeal & Company, LLC
https://oatmealandcompany.com
Oatmeal & Company manufactures dry prepackaged breakfast oatmeal.
Robertson and Associates Consulting, LLC
www.DrRobertson.org
Robertson and Associates Consulting LLC is a management consulting firm created to help companies succeed in managing organization change and improving operational efficiencies. We offer customized consulting and training solutions and provide on-site and virtual support to a company on traditional topics as well as in management areas such as organizational change, strategic change management, culture transformation, total quality management, communication, leadership, team development, diversity, and operational process improvement.
Sendero Power Line Construction
www.senderopowerline.com
We provide transmission and distribution power line services. We also provide underground power distribution services.
Vida Bars, LLC
www.thevidabars.com
Vida Bars, LLC manufactures shampoo and conditioner bars in small batches.
Wyoming GP Distributors USA, LLC
https://www.gpdistributorsusa.com
We are a master distributor for Polyethylene and PVC pipe and fitting manufactures. Most of the manufacturers we represent are based in Mexico. Our company buys the products ex-works and once the pipe is manufactured, we handle the logistics from origin in Mexico to a stocking facility in Laredo, TX. From there, we move our products via trucks to our clients throughout the contingent United States.
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Aguirre Plumbing Systems, Inc.
American Factory Direct
Amerimex Air Charters, LLC
Anthem Property Ventures, LLC
Bright Lighting, Inc.
Brush Unlimited LLC
Business Assets Enterprises, LP
C&A Chavez, Inc.
CAMTECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Can-Am Wireless LLC
Commodities Integrated Logistics LLC
Dependable Business Solutions
Diana M. De Montemayor, LLC
Dispatch Tree, LLC
Enhanced Production Technologies
Enigma Advisory
ESC Consultants, Inc.
ESCOTO CUSTOMS BROKERS INC
Fast Transfers Inc
Funk and Company
Garza Food Ventures
GRT Transportation LLC
Gustavo Jimenez, Inc
High End Luxury Cannabis, LLC.
HR Legal Search, LLC
Industrial Supplier Larey, Inc.
JAMCO International, Inc.
JAT ENERGY SERVICES, LLC
KOI DISTRIBUTION LLC
Maldonado Nursery & Landscaping, Inc.
Marc A. Rodriguez
Metrica, Inc.
Moore Intellectual Property Law, PLLC
Mountain Air Helicopters, Inc.
Native Roofing Company, LLC
NextDeavor, Inc.
Operational Technologies Corporation
Paulson Plumbing & Mechanical, LLC
Pristine Building Maintenanace
PROD Design & Analysis, Inc.
Ramon Franklin, LLC.
RRC Power & Energy LLC
Sage And Elm Apothecary LLC
Seco Spice Company, Ltd. Co.
Sky Transportation Services, Inc.
SLG Millennium Group, LLC
Somnio Solutions, Inc.
SYOXSA, Inc.
TeleSpace, LLC
The Construction Initiative LLC
The Pump & Motor Works, Inc.
VMW Maintenance Solutions, Inc
VU Plastics LLC
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New MBE Applicants: Register for
Pre-Certification Sessions
Participation in the information session should take place prior to the submittal of your application to SMSDC.
All new MBE's must attend Pre-Certification & Post-Certification sessions to assist with the application process. Applicants can now schedule an appointment for One-On-One Information Sessions. The sessions are held by scheduled appointment only every Wednesday from 10am-12pm.
We will discuss:
- Criteria for Certification
- Review of the Application Process
- Answer most common application questions
To get certified you will need to meet the criteria set forth by NMSDC, complete the online application and upload all required documentation.
Please email Alana Ortega at alana@smsdc.org to register for the Pre-Certification Session to complete the first step in the certification process.
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SMSDC and State of Texas HUB Certification
As of March 15, 2023, an MOU was signed between Southwest MSDC and HUB to continue the partnership between both organizations.
SMSDC will submit basic MBE profile information to the State of Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office. As a result, if accepted the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) will now gain the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) designation. As long as your certification is maintained current by SMSDC, your certification with the State will be current.
SMSDC DOES NOT PROVIDE A COPY OF YOUR HUB CERTIFICATE
For questions regarding your HUB Certification opportunities or to obtain your certificate, please contact the Texas Comptroller’s Office. Their online services are available at: https://texashub.gob2g.com scroll to the top of the page (above the picture) then click on the contact support button. A box will open where you will click on the line entitled Customer Service. A form will open, and you must fill it out to request a HUB Certificate.
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Question/comments:
Alana Ortega,
Certification Manager
alana@smsdc.org
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Dr. Sylvia Acosta Leaves NMSDC to Helm New Mexico State University Foundation | |
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Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Dr. Sylvia Acosta is leaving NMSDC to join the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Foundation as its next CEO. The NMSU Foundation works to foster long-term relationships with alumni, supporters, and the community to secure, manage, steward, and protect a sustainable source of private resources that will enhance the ability of NMSU to fulfill its land-grant mission. In her new role, Dr. Acosta will advance systemwide fundraising priorities to build long-term support for that mission. She will also serve on the NMSU Foundation board of directors.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to lead an organization that is so important to the continued success of our country. While I’m sad to leave NMSDC, I look forward to helping advance its vision of a more equitable and inclusive economy by helping more students realize their American dreams,” said Dr. Acosta.
Since coming to NMSDC, Dr. Acosta has spearheaded NMSDC’s efforts to diversify its funding to achieve its mission of accelerating MBE growth. One of her most recent and high-profile accomplishments was helping win a multi-year, $3 million Capital Readiness Program grant from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to launch the MBE Center for Accelerated Growth and Innovation.
Dr. Acosta has also served as a leading thought leader and valuable liaison to the Hispanic minority business community strengthening NMSDC’s ties to this important constituency.
“We’re grateful for Dr. Acosta’s contributions to NMSDC, which have been instrumental in diversifying our funding and advancing our mission,” commented NMSDC CEO and President Ying McGuire. “We look forward to her leadership benefiting the NMSU Foundation and its students,” she added.
Dr. Acosta’s last day at NMSDC is September 22. She will begin her new role with NMSU on October 1. You can learn more about the NMSU Foundation here. Inquiries related to NMSDC’s resource development and diversification can be directed to NMSDC Development Manager Dannie Kyle at dannie.kyle@nmsdc.org.
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Thank you to all of our sponsors! | | | | | |
