Nashville Minority Enterprise Development Week (MED WEEK) is the second week of December. Join the Nashville Minority Business Center in celebrating and exploring business practices and opportunities to benefit minority businesses and business persons in the middle Tennessee area. This year’s theme is “Connecting the Dots through Public Policy.” You are cordially invited to their three Lunch and Learn events, Tuesday through Thursday, and a prime time celebration Friday evening. All four events are held at Nashville City Club, 20th Floor, atop the ServiceSource Building at 201 – 4th Avenue North, Nashville 37219. Register online at: http://nashvillemedweek.org/. Parking is available for a fee in the Service Source Parking Garage. 2019 Nashville Minority Enterprise Development Week is powered by Regions Bank.
First up, Tuesday, December 10, hear from representatives of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury and the City of Nashville, Department of Finance. Tennessee Small Business Advocate John D. Cressman, Esq. and Tennessee Procurement Commission and Advisory Council representative Bryan Chriske will share insights on Tennessee’s approach to contracting equity and minority business contracting. Metro Nashville Chief Procurement Officer Michelle Hernandez-Lane will provide info on Nashville’s updated approach to public contracting equity through its Equal Business Opportunity Program and the new Small Business Reserve Program. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m. and the program starts at Noon; Cressman and Chriske speak at 12:10 p.m.; Hernandez-Lane speaks at 1:10 pm; the program concludes at 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, December 11, hear from national minority business development expert Franklin M. Lee, a partner at Tydings & Rosenberg, LLP, one of the country’s leading authorities on socio-economic policies that promote the use of small, minority-owned, and woman-owned businesses in government contracting. He will share his insights on how governments can leverage economic inclusion to drive a robust economy that allows for minority businesses to thrive. Equity strategist Ashford Hughes will share steps local governments can take to promote economic equity. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.; the program starts at Noon; Lee speaks at 12:05 p.m.; Hughes speaks at 1:40 p.m.; the program concludes at 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 12, hear from Janice Montague, former director of Minority Business Enterprise Compliance for the State of Maryland’s Office of Minority Affairs. Montague will share the history, lessons learned, and programmatic outcomes for Maryland’s successful Small Business Reserve Program. Also hear from Ashley Northington, Director, DENOR Public Relations, and Marilyn Robinson, Director, Nashville Minority Business Center, who will unveil their legislative agenda to create a Small Business Reserve program for small and minority business owners statewide. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.; the program starts at Noon; Montague speaks at 12:05 p.m.; Northington and Robinson speak at 1:30 p.m.; and the program concludes at 2:15 p.m.
Celebrate with the 37th Annual Minority Business Honors and Awards powered by Regions Bank on Friday, December 13, 7:00 until 11:00 p.m. Awardees are minority individuals and companies that have made significant economic contributions in their industry and the community. Green Book Legacy Award recipients are those enterprises that have outlasted segregation, Jim Crow, and other discriminatory events to create thriving companies that are still around today. Awards Categories and Recipients are: Corporate Partner Award — JE Dunn Construction, Drew Emerson, VP; Minority Business Commitment Award — Michelle Hernandez-Lane; Minority Business Advocate Award — Ashford Hughes; Minority Business of the Year — Archangel Protective Services, Inc., Ken Thomas, CEO; Minority Business of the Year — Excel Facility Management Group, LLC, Caryn Clopton; Business Legacy Award — R & R Liquor Store, Inc., Kenneth Christman and Patricia Bailey; and Business Legacy Award — Swett’s Restaurant, David Swett.
