The 48th Annual Chicago Business Opportunity Fair Reaches for Higher Heights
On April 23 through 24, the 48th Annual Chicago Business Opportunity Fair (CBOF) hosted by the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. (Chicago MSDC) will once again commence in Chicago.
The event, to be held at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., highlights the accomplishments of minority business enterprises, corporate buyers, government agencies, and community stakeholders in the Chicagoland area and is sponsored by AllState.
On April 24, political strategist and author, Donna Brazile, will serve as keynote speaker for a Sponsor's Breakfast. Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner will also speak at the breakfast about supplier diversity, inclusion, job creation and entrepreneurship, on the state level.
"Donna Brazile has a lot to say about business development in general,” said Sheila Morgan, president and CEO, Chicago MSDC. “Frankly, politics drive the World, as our political environment goes so does the World and she certainly brings great perspective to politics and diversity. She’s very connected in that domain so both from a business perspective and a political perspective and additionally she is an entrepreneur so she has a variety of different perspective that will be very interesting and important to this specific audience.”
The Chicago MSDC aims to increase business opportunities between major buying organizations and minority-owned businesses according to its website.
“A first time business will be amazed at the volume and the number of businesses that they will be introduced to [at the CBOF],” Morgan. “We have many Fortune 500 companies that will be on our tradeshow floor ready with the doors open ready to meet diverse businesses.”
Morgan has over 20 years of experience working with the Chicago MSDC. Currently, Morgan creates partnerships between Chicago MSDC’s membership and its collection of certified minority businesses through creative initiatives and outreach efforts. Morgan is the former executive director of the Chicago Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC). During her tenure, the MBOC produced over $200 million in contracting opportunities to minority entrepreneurs.
The MBOC is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency.
“At the end of the day this council, this fair, we can track job creation, we know that over 98,000 people are employed as a result of this council, we know about $5.5 million of business happens collectively because of the council, all driven as a result of the establishment of this fair,” said Morgan.
The CBOF kicks-off April 23 with the Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC) Award reception and dinner. The MBEIC Awards acknowledges scholarship recipients, outstanding buyers, successful suppliers, and supplier diversity advocates with a featured presentation for the Corporation of the Year award. The MBEIC is a selected group of certified minority business enterprise representatives that provide advice and guidance regarding programs, public policies, and Council initiatives to enhance minority economic development according to the Chicago MSDC website.
Morgan estimates that 200 businesses and over 3,000 visitors participated in the CBOF last year and anticipates similar attendance this year.
For more information about The Chicago Business Opportunity Fair visit http://www.chicagomsdc.org/index.
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