Twelve Business Leaders Honored during National Minority Development Week

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) proudly announces the professional achievements of 12 leaders of minority business enterprises (MBEs). The recipients will be honored at the National Minority Business Awards Ceremony on October 16, 2018 in Austin, TX during the National Minority Enterprise Development Week.

"This week, we honor exceptional minority business enterprises (MBEs), their leaders, and the important role in maintaining a strong and healthy American economy," said MBDA National Director Henry Childs, II. "I am honored to recognize the 2018 National MED Week award winners who excel in business and entrepreneurship. Their stories and successes are an inspiration for all Americans."

The National Minority Business Award is the highest level of national recognition that a U.S. minority-owned firm can receive from the Department of Commerce. These prestigious awards, presented during National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week October 14 - 20, celebrate the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs, as well as the individuals and organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to advancing minority business enterprises.

The 2018 National Minority Business Award recipients include:

• The Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement celebrates high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment over a sustained period of time. This year's award recipient is Dr. Leonard Greenhalgh, Faculty Director and Professor at Dartmouth College. As Director of the Tuck School of Business minority business initiative, Dr. Greenhalgh has grown it into the largest minority business program of its kind in the world. For more than three decades, the program has maximized the potential of minority-owned businesses with more than 5,000 graduates from all 50 states.
• The Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award, inspired by the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership and achieved significant success in supporting diversity in the public or private sector. This year's award recipient is Margo K. Cargill, founder and CEO of Titanium Linx Consulting Inc., and president of the Uniondale New York Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Cargill is best described as a partnership architect with the proven ability of bringing together stakeholders with varied interests and developing strategies for them to work together for the common good. Coining the phrase "A Global Community for a Global Economy" to describe Uniondale, her leadership helped reunite a divided community to become one of the most influential organizations in Nassau County.

CHAMPIONS OF MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• The Access to Capital Award is presented to MBE Capital Partners, LLC, the largest independent finance provider for small- to middle-market minority- and women-owned business enterprises in the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico. With more than 30 years of industry experience, MBECP focuses on producing capital solutions that allow MBEs to grow by managing cash flow effectively; reporting 31 percent as the average growth of their MBE clients. In 2017, MBECP financed $970 million in accounts receivable.
• The Advocate of the Year Award is presented to Natalie Cofield, founder of Walker's Legacy, a global platform for the professional and entrepreneurial multicultural woman. Today, Walker's Legacy equips multicultural women-led micro-enterprises through entrepreneurship training and business development programming and works to improve the livelihood and economic equality of low-income women and girls.
• The Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award is presented to The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company is committed to ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to opportunities throughout all of the tiers of the supply chain in every industry imaginable. In 2017, the company spent $675 million with diverse suppliers.

MINORITY-OWNED FIRMS

• Minority Construction Firm of the Year is presented to DAP Construction Management, LLC. Established in 2009, DAP got its start as a residential property renovation and swimming pool service company. Today, DAP is a fast-growing general contractor and construction management firm licensed in Arizona, Arkansas and Texas with an emphasis on government and commercial contracts.
• Minority Export Firm of the Year is McWong Environmental Technology. Since its inception, McWong Environmental Technology has been a U.S. export champion, completing numerous projects in China and the United States, while investing more than $600 million in global and local communities on labor, goods and services.
• Minority Health Products and Services Firm of the Year is presented Anpac Bio-Medical Science Company. Co-founded in 2010 by Chinese-American Scientists Dr. Chris Yu and Dr. Herbert Yu, Anpac Bio is the only liquid biopsy services company fully-commercialized and earning revenue worldwide. Today, the company has more than 150 employees, maintains nine operation sites worldwide and is conservatively valued at approximately $200 million.
• Minority Manufacturing Firm of the Year is presented to Champion Controls, Inc. Since its inception, Champion has experienced substantial growth, averaging 40% in the first 10 years and a steady growth rate of 5% for the last three years. Champion has customers throughout Florida, Louisiana, the Caribbean, the northeast United States and Canada. In 2017, Champion reported nearly $12 million in revenue.
• Minority Marketing and Communication Firm of the Year is presented to Sensis, a cross?cultural marketing agency driving behavior change. Started in Los Angeles in 1998 as a website development company with one employee. Today Sensis has 60 employees in four offices located in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington and Austin, while reporting revenues of more than $24 million.
• Minority Professional Services Firm of the Year is presented to Resource Management, Inc. Established in 1995 as a family-owned human resource, benefits and insurance solutions provider. Today, RMI is one of the largest Hispanic-owned HR businesses in the country, last year reporting revenue of $174.5 million.
• Minority Veteran-owned Firm of the Year is presented to IMR Development Corp. Established in 2009, IMR is a service-disabled veteran-owned company that was formed to serve a niche market for smaller businesses in the construction management and infrastructure sectors. Since opening its doors, IMR's income has increased from $500,000, to a consistent $3 million in the past several years.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week

MBDA, www.mbda.gov, is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses through the mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs, policy, and research. Our services provide greater access to capital, contracts, and markets and better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally, nationally and internationally.

Since 1983, every U.S. president has issued a Presidential Proclamation designating National MED Week to recognize the contributions of the minority business community to the U.S. economy. MBDA has hosted the National MED Week celebration since its inception.  This year, the National Minority Business Awards Ceremony is supported by corporate partners: Facebook, IBM, and Raytheon.

Contact: Velicia D. Woods
Phone: (202) 482-0491
Fax: (202) 482-5117 
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mbda.gov

SOURCE Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)