Adrienne Trimble, president and CEO
National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc.

For many organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the best-laid plans for most of 2020 — and, possibly, 2021. For National Minority Supplier Development Council Inc. that meant making a quick, monumental shift in planning its annual Conference + Business Opportunity Exchange from a destination to a virtual event.

It meant all hands on deck to deliver a successful online experience for conference and expo participants — quite a feat for an event that annually attracts some 6,000 attendees. But those challenges didn’t prevent the organization’s flagship event from being a “tremendous success,” said NMSDC President and CEO Adrienne Trimble. “While we were not together face to face,” she added, “All attendees had access to the same — and perhaps even more — high-caliber speakers, learning sessions and networking opportunities they’ve come to expect from NMSDC, just through a different platform.” 

The NMSDC annual Conference + Business Opportunity Exchange is the nation’s largest forum for minority supplier development, with a 48-year history of attracting thousands of corporate executives, minority business enterprises and government officials each year. NMSDC’s commitment to advance minority business economic inclusion was reflected in the National Conference + Business Opportunity Exchange’s “In This Together” theme and reinforced by sessions featuring speakers with expert insight about how to pivot during today’s extraordinarily challenging conditions.

For this year’s virtual conference, NMSDC embraced new technologies that enabled the organization to continue accomplishing its objectives without sacrificing quality, service or health, Trimble said. The virtual conference platform showcased those changes — from vibrant sessions and informative workshops to an awards celebration and lively entertainment, she said. By introducing a virtual version of its Business Opportunity Exchange component
of the conference, corporations and MBEs again made meaningful connections and continued to build their professional networks.
“Now more than ever, our corporate partners and MBEs need us to push forward and find new ways to get around every obstacle,” Trimble said. “NMSDC, our 23 affiliate regional councils throughout the United States, five international partners and the Business Consortium Fund Inc. represent an oasis of support for MBEs through our mission to certify, develop, connect and advocate for their economic sustainability.”

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