After 45 Years, ChicagoMSDC hits another home-run with Chicago Business Opportunity Fair (CBOF45)

April 24, 2012 - PRLog -- Chicago, IL (April 23, 2012) – CBOF45 rolled-out stronger than ever with a line-up of relevant workshops, unprecedented networking opportunities with Power Meals and the experience of access to living legends Jeff Taylor, Founder of Monster.com, John Rogers, Founder of Ariel Investments and Mary Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes.

Another encore for Allstate, as the presenting sponsor of CBOF45.  Kraft Foods’, W. Anthony Vernon, President Kraft Foods, NA served as the honorary chair of CBOF45.  

Even after 45 years, CBOF maintained its’ relevancy in the marketplace and scored high
according to conference evaluations and exit polls. Co-Chair, Emmett Vaughn addressed the packed event with a call to action for new ideas and different approaches:

“The time is better than ever to affect change. The talent and intellect available to ChicagoMSDC in this CBOF arena is abundant. If we continue with familiar approaches to MBE development, we will have missed a tremendous opportunity to author the tactical changes that are absolutely needed for minority businesses to advance and positively impact the economy,” stated Emmett Vaughn of Exelon Corporation & Co-Chair, ChicagoMSDC Board of Directors.

Maintaining an edge in the competitive trade fair arena CBOF (Chicago Business Opportunity Fair) has consistently delivered the substance coupled with the creative aesthetic that keeps it on top of the “must be there” list.

CBOF45 “firsts” included:

1.   Sponsor Breakfast featured an insightful conversation between two dynamic founders of multi-million dollar enterprises, Jeff Taylor, Founder of Monster.com and MBE John Rogers, Founder of Ariel Investments.
2.   Standing Room Only workshops that included Access To Capital In The Digital Age by Fundwell, Keys to Mergers and Acquisitions with Reznick Group, New Strategies for the New Economy with Ralph Moore & Associates. and LinkedIn: Who Are You and Why Should I Care? with CEI Media Group.
3.   Expansive new layout and wider aisles at trade fair.
4.   Return of auto industry giants: Toyota and Ford Motors
5.   CMBR: Chicago Minority Business Report was launched
6.   CBOF45 App was launched
7.   Three new media sponsors: Crain’s Business Chicago, Smooth Jazz 87.7 FM and
MBE Connect.  
8.   Inaugural ChicagoMSDC Champion Media Awards went to long time media sponsors NBC 5 Chicago and Clear Channel.
9.   A Motown legend, Mary Wilson of The Supremes, performed for the CBOF45 Gala
10.   Power-Meal Auction: Win a meal with a Chief Procurement Officer from United Airlines, Allstate or Kraft Foods
11.   Joyce Johnson, Founder/President/CEO of Anchor Staffing elected MBEIC Chair.
     
“Access provides the opportunity to contribute to the economy through job creation and of course as jobs are created, revenue is generated to support the overall economy. CBOF45 is the vessel which links qualified businesses to corporate America and governmental agencies,” said Shelia Hill Morgan, President/CEO of ChicagoMSDC,
the parent organization of CBOF.


Access to Fortune 500 companies would not be possible if not for ChicagoMSDC corporate members who support the importance of supplier diversity to the nation and the world.

Corporation of the Year: W. Anthony Vernon, Executive Vice President & President,                
                                       KRAFT FOODS NORTH AMERICA

Transformational Leader: Steve Pemberton, Divisional Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer
                                         WALGREEN COMPANY

Trailblazer Award:  Allen Gray, Corporate Supplier Diversity Director, Purchasing & Logistics
                                NAVISTAR

Pathfinder Award:   Timothy Hughes, Director of real estate, Facilities & Security
                                COMED/EXELON

Presidential Special Recognition Award: John Hooker, Executive Vice President, Legislative &
                                External Affairs, COMED        


CMBR: Chicago Minority Business Report launched with a CBOF 45 edition packed with 38 pages of profiles and stories of MBE firms, collaborations and Fortune 500 supplier diversity endeavors. The next issue of CMBR will be in August.

Arthur Zayas Miller, ChicagoMSDC Co-Chair & President/CEO of MZI Group, Inc., had this to say, “As minority firms, we need to engage other MBE firms. CBOF should be a (strategic) vehicle to engage minority firms to do business with each other as well as non-minority firms.”

CBOF 46 starts April 17, 2013 at Navy Pier. Early reservations are recommended. Save the date! Visit www.chicagomsdc.org for updates.

About ChicagoMSDC (Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council:
ChicagoMSDC is a thought leader in minority business since 1968. Its mission is to be the premier organization for increasing value-added business opportunities between major buying organizations and minority-owned businesses. ChicagoMSDC is the founding Council of NMSDC, a network of 37 regional councils. For over four decades, serving both minority suppliers and corporate buyers, ChicagoMSDC has been Chicago’s central network where trading partners have been able to meet and develop sustainable business linkages. Today, the ChicagoMSDC partnership includes over 200 private and public sector buying organizations and more than 1300 minority-owned businesses.
Corporate members of ChicagoMSDC have reported over $3.5 billion in annual purchases from minority firms. MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) members have reported the employment of more than 90,000 workers annually.

For more information about CHICAGOMSDC call 312-755-8880 or visit the web sites at: www.chicagomsdc.org,