HispanicBusiness

NEW YORK, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Three Hispanic businesses are among the fifteen winners of the coveted designation of "Regional Supplier of the Year" from the National Minority Supplier Development Council, says Harriet R. Michel, NMSDC president.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-c )

The Hispanic-owned companies include The Ideal Group, Mr. Frank Venegas, Jr., chairman and CEO, (design-build construction services, industrial, institutional and residential), Detroit, Michigan; Adorno & Yoss LLP, Mr. Henry Adorno, president (full service law firm), Coral Gables, Florida; and MarkMaster, Inc., Mr. Mark Govin, president (manufacturer of identification, office supply products), Tampa, Florida.

"Successful minority-owned firms meet, and often exceed the most exacting standards of corporate America. A highlight of our national conference, held in Dallas, Texas, this year is the ability to celebrate these high-performing firms that compete for business opportunities based on performance and value," said Ms. Michel.

The fifteen regional winners are divided into four classes according to annual sales and are nominated by their corporate customers. They include Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American businesses. They are evaluated on the basis of business growth, development and performance, community service and obstacles overcome as a result of heritage or background.

One current regional winner from each of the four classes will be named a National Winner at the NMSDC Conference Awards Banquet on Wednesday, October 26, 2005, at the Dallas Convention Center.

More than 7,000 people are expected October 23-26 for the NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Fair at the Dallas Convention Center. The Conference theme is "Minority Businesses and Corporate America: Strengthening the Global Economy Through Diversity."

The fifteen NMSDC regional winners include:

Class IV, sales greater than $50 million: Cook Inlet Energy Supply, Mr. Gregory Craig, CEO (marketer of natural gas products), Los Angeles, California; Ideal Group, Mr. Frank Venegas, Jr., chairman and CEO, (design- build construction services, industrial, institutional and residential), Detroit, Michigan; Manufacturers Industrial Group, Mr. Andre Gist, president and CEO, (automotive seating components), Lexington, Tennessee; Software House International, Ms. Thai Lee, president and CEO, (corporate reseller computer- related products), Somerset, New Jersey.

Class III, sales between $10 million and $50 million: Adorno & Yoss LLP, Mr. Henry Adorno, president (full service law firm), Coral Gables, Florida; Coat-It, Mr. George Hill, chairman and CEO, (adhesive manufacturing), Detroit, Michigan; Superior Maintenance Company, Mr. Kevin Shurn, president (janitorial, maintenance services and facilities support), Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Universal Display & Fixture Company, Mr. David Parker, president and CEO (design and manufacture of steel wire, tubing, sheet metal, wood and plastic products ), Lewisville, Texas.

Class II, sales between $1 million and $10 million: Keystone Computer Solutions, Ms. Dorothy Richburg, president (IT consulting, training, and technical support), Maplewood, Minnesota; J.Y. Legner Associates, Josephine Legner, president and CEO (engineering and acquisition services), Louisville, Kentucky; MarkMaster Inc., Mr. Mark Govin, president (manufacturer of identification, office supply products), Tampa, Florida; Minority Business News, Mr. Don McKneely, president and publisher (newspaper publishing), Dallas, Texas.

Class I, sales less than $1 million: HR Now!, Ms. Gwendolyn Thomas, president and CEO (human resources consulting), Atlanta, Georgia; Oscar's Ltd, Mr. Oscar Worthy, president (corporate gifts, advertising specialties and custom products), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Q2 Communications, Ms. Terri Quinton, president (commercial printing, graphic design), Dallas, Texas.

The National Minority Supplier Development Council Conference and Business Opportunity Fair, October 23-26, at the Dallas Convention Center-the only event of its kind-delivers the most up-to-date information on minority business development. Speakers at more than 24 targeted plenary sessions and workshops share information on successful approaches and strategies for winning corporate contracts for Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American businesses. The Business Opportunity Fair on Monday, October 24, is a national trade show for corporations and minority businesses and the place to meet exhibitors in more than 750 booths in all product and service areas.

Providing a direct link between corporate America and minority-owned businesses is the primary objective of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, one of the country's leading business membership organizations. It was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes. http://www.nmsdc.org/ Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-ahttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-bhttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050928/NYW166-cAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.comThe National Minority Supplier Development Council

Web site: http://www.nmsdcus.org/