NCSDC AWARDS WINNERS PRESS RELEASE
NCSDC Awards Gala Applauds Minority Business Alliances
April 5, 2001
Bay Area business leaders celebrated in style at this year's Northern California Supplier Development Council (NCSDC) Annual Awards Gala 2001, held Friday, March 23rd at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. The evening's theme, "Celebrating
Champions in Diversity" honored the heroes of minority business development and their goals of creating powerful, diverse, economically strong communities. The mission of the NCSDC is to promote increased procurement and business opportunities for minority enterprises and to develop mutually beneficial relationships between public and private sectors and minority business enterprises.
An opening reception and silent auction kicked the evening off with some energetic bidding. The $20,000 raised during the silent auction will help to further the work of the NCSDC. Mistress of Ceremonies, ABC-7 news reporter Carolyn Tyler moderated the awards program throughout the evening. Honored for her work by the National Association of Black Journalists and by American Women in Radio and Television, Ms. Tyler has produced a special reports series tracing the Civil Rights trail of the 1960s, and has provided
in-depth coverage of Silicon Valley's Digital Divide.
Software engineering company DELTA Computer Solutions was named as Supplier of the Year, Class 1. President Steve Ike accepted the award, and was justifiably excited: "This is wonderful. I've never won anything in my life!" Steve exclaimed. "I'm so jazzed about this. I've been a member of the NCSDC since I started my business more than 3 years ago. The NCSDC has been very supportive, their events are great, and they allow you access to a lot of corporate big wigs. Through normal channels, it might take 20 phone calls to reach executives in positions of power, but when you come to an NCSDC event, the people you want to make deals with are right there, in one room. The NCSDC gives you the opportunity to meet them and talk with them. I'd like to give a big thank you to the NCSDC and to the people who put this
event together."
For the first time in the history of the NCSDC, three Chairman's Hall of Fame awards were presented. The winners were Chevron, Hewlett-Packard and SBC Communications. The winners will be recognized for:
- Support for the NCSDC.
- Recognized supplier development program.
- Proven commitment to minority supplier education, development and mentoring
The final Hall of Fame award was given to SBC Communications and accepted by Pacific Bell Regional President Bay Area Joyce Taylor and Executive Director, SBC Supplier Diversity Program Joan Kerr. This dynamic duo has been working together for the past 4 years, though both have been with the company much longer. "We feel honored to receive this very special, first-time award, acknowledged Joan Kerr. "It reinforces the commitment that we have and the efforts that we have made. It's nice to have our long-term
contributions recognized, not just what we do year-to-year. SBC Communications has committed itself to promoting diversity for a long period of time".
About the NCSDC
The Northern California Supplier Development Council (NCSDC) promotes increased procurement and business opportunities for minority enterprises and develops mutually beneficial relationships between public and private sectors and minority businesses. For more information about the Northern California Supplier Development Council, call NCSDC Programs Manager Brad Erickson at 510.687.0636, or Publicist Ave Montague at 415.346.1099.
