Establishing Value

Since its 1976 formation, the Northwest Minority Business Council has maintained a steadfast focus on consistently creating added value for its current members and certified MBEs. Like all councils, the NMBC has faced obstacles along the way — the most recent has been the absence of a president for the majority of 2007. Temporarily without a leader, it lost some momentum; yet the team did not let the challenges stop them from looking ahead.
“Obviously, we had to be diligent in re-engaging stakeholders,” said NMBC President Kenneth Jones. “This is the first step in moving forward; with the second step [to expand] into the remainder of our service area, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.”

Carrying on tradition
Currently entering into its 32nd year, the NMBC was initially founded as the Puget Sound Minority Supplier Development Council by Robert L. Ryan, Boeing corporate administrator for small disadvantaged business development programs. During the next 12 years, the council utilized volunteer management to achieve numerous successes including being named the National Minority Supplier Development Council small council of the year, having one of its corporate members named to the NMSDC board in 1985 and being honored as the Professional Organization of the Year at the King County “Celebrate Success” in 1989. Simultaneously, the NMBC continued to advance diverse business opportunities throughout the area. As the council continued to grow, the name was changed to the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council to better reflect its vast five-state service area.
In February of 2000, the council’s name was changed again to the Northwest Minority Business Council in order to recognize the council as a business organization working with corporate, public agencies and minority business communities. Today, in serving its 300 certified MBEs and 85 corporate members, the NMBC’s mission is “to identify and develop educational and business opportunities for MBEs, corporations and public agencies that result in stakeholder revenue growth.”

Best foot forward
Jones told MBN USA that as he and his team prepare for the future, they thoroughly understand that no council can be successful without support of its corporate and agency members.“Nor can it be successful without quality MBEs. We are fortunate to have both, and this has been

the major reason that the Kenneth Jones council has continued to grow throughout the years,” Jones said. In addition, having strong leadership from the council’s board of directors and board chair has greatly contributed to the success of the council. “The council has also been successful at creating growth opportunities for its stakeholders through networking events, educational programs and matchmaking between corporations, public agencies and MBEs.
As one of 39 councils affiliated with NMSDC, Jones said NMBC is highly dedicated to adding value to its stakeholders. As an example, the council is partnering with the Business & Economic Development Center at the University of Washington Foster School of Business to create the Minority Business Executive Program. “This is an accelerated one-week intensive program designed to assist minority business leaders in facing potential business challenges,” Jones said. “Participants learn to utilize financial tools to make more effective decisions, develop and understand long-term strategic plans for growth and sustainability, market their products and services more effectively, manage their

The council has been successful at creating growth opportunities for its stakeholders through networking events, educational programs and matchmaking between corporations, public agencies and MBEs.
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— Kenneth Jones NMBC president
processes and projects more efficiently and develop their leadership skills in order to grow their business.”
Looking forward, the council is excited about creating more opportunities for its stakeholders regionally. For instance, the council will hold networking and educational meetings in Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Oregon, as well as continue to provide improved services in the State of Washington. The council recently held a networking session at the Tiger Woods Center, on the Nike campus in Portland, Oregon. “It was very well attended and created additional momentum for the council,” Jones said.