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March 24, 2022

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Chicago MSDC helps MBEs connect the dots for success

By Genny Hom-Franzen 

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council is working harder than ever to continue its legacy as a premier organization when it comes to diverse suppliers in the Midwest.

Like many organizations, the Council has had to pivot in the new normal. Rona Fourté, Chicago MSDC board chair, said the inability to gather in person during the pandemic has been a challenge, along with maintaining the team’s momentum.

“In the past, the execution of our mission relied heavily upon in-person networking events to establish and grow relationships among our corporate members, [minority business enterprises] and community stakeholders,” she said. “In addition, for the internal team, maintaining team spirit and that collaborative culture is something all organizations are facing in a remote work environment. Having the opportunity to safely meet and work in person to foster team cohesiveness is always top-of-mind.”

Looking back on 2021, navigating virtual platforms and events now has become easier, and the Council is continuing to “adapt to this ever-changing environment,” Fourté added. 

She was glad that, although last year’s Chicago Business Opportunity Fair — one of its signature events — was 100% virtual, the board’s strategy to maximize virtual participation was successful because it was intentional in its outreach and engagement efforts. In addition, the Council was able to hold its annual scholarship golf outing in August 2021. It attracted 260 participants. The event was renamed the Jim Osborne Scholarship Classic in honor of a longstanding Council supporter and provided scholarships to 18 well-deserving Chicago public high school seniors.

“That in-person event was just what we all needed to recharge our batteries and restore our hope for future in-person events,” Fourté said.

She added that the Council was able to have critical hybrid events in both September and December last year — its board retreat and annual meeting, respectively. 

“Despite the continuing impact of the pandemic on our normal meeting practices, we were still able to engage our corporate sponsors, highlight programs that support supplier diversity and broaden our corporate base of support,” Fourté said. “Looking ahead, we will continually seek and provide ways for our stakeholders to network with each other, learn and offer 

opportunities to build their businesses in a sustainable fashion.”

One thing that has not changed is the Council’s steadfast focus on supporting minority business enterprises. She said she wants to ensure the Council is responsive in the primary areas MBEs need the most — funding, capital and finding opportunities for doing business.

“Managing through change is always challenging, but the Council is up for this challenge and has enjoyed heightened engagement from our board and the community,” Fourté said. “We have — as have our corporate partners and MBEs — adopted some new technologies to facilitate more effective remote collaboration when in-person meetings were not possible. We also took this time to better align our operations to meet the evolving needs of our members and MBEs.”

Looking ahead, she said the Council plans to assist MBEs, reengage them and restore business declines due to the pandemic. The Chicago SDC continues to certify MBEs and provide opportunities for education and development. 

“Managing through change, the continual need for capital investment, the growth of the gaming industry in Chicago and cybersecurity are some of the areas that we are providing education and information [about] to our MBEs in 2022,” Fourté said. 

She said CBOF is the Council’s biggest event of this year. This year’s theme is “Creating Our Future.” It will be a hybrid event that can be attended virtually or in-person at the Hyatt Regency Chicago on May 10.  More information about CBOF55 will be available in the coming weeks and months.

 “As the board chair of Chicago MSDC, my role is to work with the board to set the direction and strategy of the organization, to ensure it is in alignment with [the National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.] NMSDC and support the CEO in his or her execution of this vision,” Fourté said. “I view CBOF55 as an opportunity to cultivate the vision through effective networking and programming that demonstrates the value we are adding to our MBEs and corporate members in ‘Creating Our Future’ [the event’s theme] in 2022 and beyond.”  

To learn more about the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council, visit chicagomsdc.org.