MBN USA

June 25, 2024

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These leaders paved the way for generations of minority-owned businesses

The Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (Chicago-MSDC) and its Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) recently held its Sharing Success Awards & Legends Program and Reception.

The event recognized the year’s outstanding buyers, successful suppliers and community advocates as well as the Chicago MBE Legends who paved the way for generations of minority-owned businesses.

The Corporation of the Year award went to ComED, an Exelon Company. The company’s CEO is Gil C. Quiniones.

The MBE Legends honorees were:

• John (Sonny) Andrews, Andrews Printing, LLC

• Alvin J. Boutte*, Independence Bank

• George Brokemond*, Highland Community Bank

• Tom Burrell, Burrell Communications

• Jim Cabrera, United Building Maintenance, Inc.

• Nelson Carlo*, Carlo Steel Company

• Ramona Castillo, Monarch Marketing Group, Inc

• Varghese Chacko, Metro Warehousing

• Ernest Collins*, Seaway National Bank

• Vince Cullers*, Cullers Advertising

• Robert J. Dale*, RJ Dale Advertising

• Ronald Damper, Damron Corporation

• Jacoby Dickens*, Seaway National Bank

• Earl B. Dickerson*, Supreme Life Insurance

• Jackie Dyess, Inter-City Supply Co., Inc.

• Leon Finney Sr.*, Leon’s BBQ

• Edward & Bettiann Gardner*, Soft Sheen Products

• Sue Linn Gin*, Flying Food Fare

• Darryl Grisham*, Parker House Sausage

• James Hill Jr.*, Hill Taylor And Company

• Lawrence Hollins*, The Hollins Group

• Don Jackson, Central City

Productions

• Leon Jackson*, Bills Shades And Blinds

• Eunice Johnson*, Fashion Fair Cosmetics

• George Johnson*, Johnson

Products Co.

• John Johnson*, Johnson Publishing

• Al Johnson Sr.*, Al Johnson Cadillac

• James Lowry, James Lowry & Associates, Inc.

• Fred Luster Sr.*, Luster Products Inc.

• Melody McDowell, MELODY’service

• Lester McKeever Washington, Pittman & McKeever, LLC

• Don McKneely, MBN USA

• Thomas McLeary, Endow, Inc.

• Cirilo McSween*, McDonald’s Operator

• Ralph Moore, RGMA

• Victor Powell, Powell

Photography, Inc.

• Barbara Proctor*, Proctor And Gardner Advertising

• Thomas Rand*, Midway Wholesalers

• Herman Roberts*, Roberts Motel

• Joseph & Jolyn Robichaux*, Baldwin Richardson Foods Co.

• Dolores Saxton-Walker*, Al Paco

• John Sengstacke*, Daily Defender

• Edwin Smiling*, Eztech

Manufacturing Inc.

• Pervis Spann*, WVON 1690AM

• Dempsey Travis*, Sivart Realty

• Angelo Velasquez*, A&R Janitorial Service, Inc.

• Joseph A. Williams, Target Group

• Norma Williams, The NJW Group

The Sharing Success Awards went to:

• Rona Fourte, vice president and global head of supplier diversity, CBRE Group Inc., Anders C. Rasmussen Jr. Award

• Carol Attak, senior manager, global supplier diversity, BMO Bank

The Supplier of the Year award winners were:

• Class II: ($1 million to $10 million in annual sales): Damron Corp., Ronald E. Damper, founder, president and CEO

• Class III: ($10 million to $50 million in annual sales): A&R Janitorial Service Inc., Deborah Pintor, president and CEO

• Class IV: (more than $50 million in annual sales): Creospan Inc., Prajakti Shah, CEO

• Class IV: (more than $50 million in annual sales):  SDI Presence LLC, David A Gupta, founder, chairman and CEO

(No Class I awards)

The Outstanding Buyers/Contracting Executives honorees were:

• Amy Eng, senior global category manager – professional and financial, Abbott

• Edgar Harima, vice president, procurement, Northern Trust Corp.

• Kenneth King, senior manager, supplier diversity and vendor management, Aetna Inc.

• Gregorio Salinas, business diversity manager, Great Lakes Region, Burns & McDonnell

To learn more about the Chicago MSDC, visit chicagomsdc.org