As a participating supplier in Share 2015, long time businessman Don Williams, vice president of Weatherspoon and Williams, LLC considered the event one of the top supplier diversity events in quite some time. “It was well organized and the right matches seemed to have been taking place,” he pointed out.
Williams is referring to the March 12 supplier diversity event held at the Rivers Casino coordinated by UPMC, PNC, CONSOL Energy, the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, Allegheny County’s MWDBE Department, and the Rivers Casino. “Most people I communicated with had positive feedback concerning the corporations or organizations they spoke with during the matchmaking segment. Now the challenge is assuring that business is obtained as a result of their participation. It’s about getting paid because the bottom line is how many contracts will be received as a result,” said Williams.
Share 2015, labeled as the first of its kind event held in Pittsburgh, according to Rob DeMichiei, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer of UPMC gathered the region’s top corporations, institutions and minority-owned, woman-owned and other diverse businesses in the region to expand opportunities and increase growth among area MWDBEs.
More than 60 potential customers and suppliers with mutual interests were matched with 22 companies or institutions during brief, pre-arranged meetings at the invitation-only event.
“We are thrilled that the Pittsburgh business community came together in a huge way to support this event. Through communication, collaboration and commerce, the region is working to improve the economic development of diverse businesses. What a triumphant and powerful initiative. Our goal is to make it even larger next year,” said Toni Y. Silva, director, supplier relations, at UPMC.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald commended the Share 2015 community partners and corporations for collaborating to assure that area MWDBE suppliers receive an equal share of contracts.
He pointed out that during his tenure as County Executive he has been striving to guarantee that county boards, authorities and the workforce reflect the population of the region through minority participation. He also mentioned that the Allegheny County Department of M/W/DBE headed by Ruth Byrd-Smith in 2013 has certified 524 firms. “It takes all of us working together to achieve the goal of expanding opportunities and increasing growth among our area MWDBEs.”
DeMichiei credits Share 2015 and last year’s Collaboration for Growth event as a result of the Corporate Equity Roundtable initiated by Tim Stevens and the Black Political Empowerment Project. “This year’s event shows the commitment of the six collaborating groups and the 24 corporations that have invited their top diverse suppliers to this event.” He explained that Share 2015 themed, Communication—Collaboration—Commerce provided exposure to buyers from the region’s top firms. “Pittsburgh businesses need a bigger share of the pie through their revenue and new customers. We want MWDBEs to walk away today with business. And aim for next year’s event to be even more valuable.”
The 56 pre-selected MWDBE suppliers had the opportunity to meet with buyers from corporations and organizations in a 20-minute business-to- business matchmaking style setting as well as hear presentations from the events community partners. In addition to the organizing partners community partners included; the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, California University of Pennsylvania GACO-PTAC, the City of Pittsburgh, the Diversity Business Resource Center at Riverside, the Duquesne University Small Business Development Center, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, NaVOBA, the Small Business Administration, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Appreciative of the opportunity to have been selected as one of the MWDBE suppliers, Williams as an experienced entrepreneur views follow up as a significant next step. “My suggestion for future events such as this is to have learning sessions conducted by seasoned business people like me to demonstrate how to proceed afterwards. What I have learned from participating in activities like this is to be softly persistent,” he said. “It is good to follow-up with an email or telephone call but not to be overwhelming.”
Weatherspoon and Williams, LLC is a company that focuses on the manufacturing and delivery of fabricated steel and product distribution as well as completes material chain management and procurement.
Share 2015, the half-day event was kicked off by Lynne Hayes Freeland of KDKA-TV 2 who served as the Mistress of Ceremony and Rivers Casino Chief Financial Officer Mary Cheeks welcomed participants.
Supplier diversity event plays matchmaker
