Carolinas-Virginia MSDC Announces New Board Members and 7 New Corporate Partners in 2021

Charlotte, NC, April 15, 2021 --(PR.com)-- Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council opened the first quarter of 2021 by adding seven new Community and Corporate Partners to its roster. The new members will be introduced during the 2021 virtual Annual Meeting and ProForum (AMP21) event on April 13-14. The most recent corporations to join the CVMSDC network during the opening quarter include:
· Cristo Rey (Richmond) – A high school Catholic learning community that serves students from families of limited economic means;
· Pinnacle Financial Partners – Located in 12 major markets in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia
· Smithfield Foods (National Partner) – A global food company headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®”;
· South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) – Chartered by the state of South Carolina, a public, non-profit corporation that fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy;
· South State Bank – A financial services provider based in Florida, with locations throughout the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama and Florida;
· Truist – A historic bank merger between SunTrust and BB&T to create the sixth largest U.S. bank holding company;
· Durham Black Chamber of Commerce (Community Partner) – A non-profit organization that invests in the growth and development of black entrepreneurs and black businesses.

CVMSDC President & CEO Dominique Milton said: “We are continuing to experience record growth and commitments from corporations this year. The potential to change the landscape of supplier development is within our reach through our collective work and dedication to providing opportunities for partnership and collaboration between Corporate Partners and Minority Business Enterprises.” The theme for Annual Meeting and ProForum (AMP21) is R.E.A.L. Growth – highlighting the significance for attendees to Relate Elevate Align and Leverage their professional relationships and strengthen their business development strategies.

During the AMP21 conference, CVMSDC also will announce the newly elected members of the Board of Directors. New board members for the 2021-2022 slate include:
· Karen Bacon, Sr. Manager Supply Chain Systems – Hubbell Incorporated
· Lisa Blake, Supplier Diversity Manager – Altria Client Services LLC
· Michelle Clatterbuck, Contract Specialist – Sentara Healthcare
· Jerry Knighton Jr., AVP for Access & Equity Executive Director of Supplier Diversity – Clemson University
· L. Richard Love, Senior Director Technology – Cox Communications

CVMSDC Board Chair Jeff Conley said, “I am excited about the value and expertise that this newest group of board members will bring to the already established and highly regarded professionals that make up the CVMSDC Board.”

The Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council is one of 23 regional affiliate councils of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). The Council is a membership organization of major corporations, financial institutions, government agencies and universities that operate within North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The Carolinas-Virginia MSDC is a non-profit corporation chartered to enhance business opportunities for minority-owned companies by providing support through developing mutually beneficial networking opportunities with corporate members and promoting minority business development.