FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Mayor’s Office: Karissa Braxton
Senior Communications Advisor
Karissa.Braxton2@seattle.gov
Contact NMSDC: Jered Weber
Communications and Engagement Manager
jered.weber@nmsdc.org
National Business Forum to bring 500 of the nation’s most influential policymakers, academics, business, and community leaders to downtown Seattle to advance efforts supporting Women and Minority Business Enterprises (WMBEs).
Seattle—Today, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, NMSDC CEO and President Ying McGuire announced Seattle, Washington as the 2024 host city of the NMSDC Minority Business Economic Forum, May 14 – 16. Mayor Harrell, Zones CEO Firoz Lalji and ASRC Industrial CEO Steve Ennis will serve as co-chairs of this year’s conference along with University of Washington’s president Ana Marie Cauce as the official academic partner of this year’s forum.
“Greater Seattle’s blend of cutting-edge tech and green initiatives, led by giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and pioneers like Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy, creates an unparalleled ecosystem. This synergy exemplifies the ideal environment our Forum seeks to leverage for MBEs, offering them unparalleled opportunities to engage with and benefit from emerging technologies and the green economy,” said NMSDC CEO and President Ying McGuire.
Joined by Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC) President and CEO Karla Malacon, and Tanya Jimale, CEO of Jimale Technical Services, the mayor and NMSDC made the announcement from Jimale Technical Services, a local NMSDC-certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). The event will bring together 500 of the nation’s most influential corporate c-suite leaders, high growth minority business enterprise founders, policymakers, academics, business, and community leaders. Modeled after Davos’ World Economic Forum, leaders attending this event will focus on advancing supplier and business diversity and opportunities to eliminate the barriers preventing MBEs from fully engaging in the emerging markets and technologies of today and tomorrow. Seattle was chosen as the newest host city due to its pivotal role in technological and green economic innovation.
“We are unapologetic in our efforts to advance a One Seattle vision for a city that is inclusive, equitable, and robust with opportunity for entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes and industry sectors,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell. “From our Executive Order expanding contracting equity and access for WMBEs to launching the Liberty Project to help WMBEs grow their revenues—we are committed to fostering a business ecosystem that drives innovation, is home to emerging markets, and creates pathways for substantial economic growth for our WMBE communities. We are thrilled to be chosen as the next host city for the NMSDC Business Economic Forum.”
The theme of this year’s conference is Be Next, Now and acknowledges that technologies like AI and clean energy are revolutionizing how we interact with the world. Under the theme Be Next, Now, attendees will focus on ways to better support WMBEs ability to explore, adapt, and take advantage of opportunities that already exist and will emerge in the economy as they grow and scale their businesses. Additionally, the programming will provide unique opportunities for business and academic leaders in the Seattle community to join national efforts with their peers from across the country.
Founded in 1972, NMSDC is the longest-operating business growth engine for the broadest group of systematically excluded communities of color. Currently, NMSDC is working toward an audacious goal of $1 trillion in annual revenue for NMSDC-certified MBEs — businesses that are 51% owned and operated by individuals from the Black, Asian-India, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic, or Native American communities. Increasing the revenue of these MBEs is essential to creating a more resilient, inclusive economy in the region and across the country.
Businesses and organizations interested in learning more about the 2024 Minority Business Economic Forum can contact NMSDC Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Program Lisa Morris at lisa.morris@nmsdc.org.
What People Are Saying
Jimale Technical Services CEO Tanya Jimale.
“NMSDC-certification and support from the City of Seattle has allowed my business to grow and thrive. That’s why I’m very excited this year’s Minority Business Economic Forum is coming to Seattle. Women and minority-owned businesses like Jimale Technical Services, the City of Seattle, NMSDC, and the Northwest Mountain MSDC — we all must all be accountable and come together like we are here today. We must commit to action for minority business growth.”
Northwest Mountain MSDC President and CEO Karla Malacon
“The economic impact of MBEs in Seattle, King County, and the state of Washington cannot be overstated. The Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council supports 41 MBEs in Seattle alone, generating over $1.2 billion in annual revenues with a median of $1.4 million. These businesses collectively employ over 2,000 individuals, nearly half of whom are from minority backgrounds.”
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