The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council 2009 Partnership Awards

NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council (The Council) honored outstanding business partnerships between minority entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies at the Partnership Awards Gala on November 13 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

The "National Corporation of the Year Award" was presented to Turner Construction Corporation. Bank of New York Mellon was honored with the "Regional Corporation of the Year Award." Susan Hogan, manager, Supplier Diversity, Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) received the "Coordinator of the Year Award." The Council's first "Agency of the Year Award" went to The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.  Jonah Cooper, Jr., president, Worldwide Virtual Academy Inc. and director, Business Development, Rutgers University, earned the first "Chairman's Award."

"Turner accepts the award not for personal aggrandizement, but as a vote of confidence to expand our Minority Women Business Enterprise program to higher heights," said Hilton O. Smith, senior vice president, Corporate and Community Affairs, Turner Construction Company, and The Council's chairman.  

"Although we are now living in a challenging economic period, there are opportunities for small business to excel and grow -- as witnessed by our minority business winners," said Lynda Ireland, president and CEO, The Council. "We would like to congratulate all our corporate members.  Even in this difficult economy, they understand the bottom line value and quality of utilizing minority businesses."

The "Supplier of the Year" awards went to two accomplished New Jersey minority women-owned businesses. The "Class II" winner was Beverly White, founder and president, BKW Transformation Group, a management-consulting firm. The "Class IV" winner was Ranjini Poddar, co-founder and president, Artech Information Systems, the nation's second largest minority-owned IT staffing company.  

DeMarco Morgan, anchor/reporter, WNBC-TV NY hosted the gala.  The corporate chair was Tina Motley, manager, Purchasing and Supplier Diversity, Bloomingdale's and the MBE chair was Daniel Sung Park, president and CEO, eclaro International Inc. and chairman of The Council's MBEIC. Gold sponsors were Con Edison, PepsiCo, Prudential and Public Service Enterprise Group.

The Council, NMSDC's 2008 "Council of the Year," has approximately 200 corporate members and 1,300 certified minority businesses. Its jurisdiction spans Albany, New York to Trenton, New Jersey.

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Lynda Ireland

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SOURCE New York & New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.