Northwest Aerospace News Issue No. 25 February | March 2022 | Page 21

Certify : A Minority Business Enterprise ’ s first step to working with the Council is completing the rigorous certification process , which establishes them as a recognized business with majority ethnic minority ownership . Upon certification , MBEs gain access to the wealth of resources the Northwest Mountain MSDC provides , as well as a national network of suppliers . This certification establishes an MBE as a trusted minority-owned company and benefits members by creating a database of suppliers already vetted by the Council .
Develop : Once certified , the Northwest Mountain MSDC continually develops its certified MBEs ’ capacity for successful enterprise through educational programming and Council events . Through development workshops offered throughout the year by the Council , MBEs grow their acumen in business strategy , marketing , financial analysis , and leadership . The Council delivers executive education through its strategic partnerships with the University of Washington ’ s Foster School of Business and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth . To members , the Council provides a wide range of supplier diversity program development , benchmarking , consulting , and best practices . Whether a member is looking to grow a young supplier diversity program or bolster an established program to make a greater impact , the Northwest Mountain MSDC offers guidance and innovative ideas informed by industry expertise .

From humble beginnings as an all-volunteer run organization , the Northwest Mountain MSDC has grown to create $ 14.6 billion dollars in regional economic growth and supports over 90,000 jobs and over $ 5 billion dollars in wages .

Unifying and guiding the Council ’ s work with MBEs , corporate / public agency members , government , and community are the four core pillars of the organization : certify , develop , connect , and advocate .

Certify : A Minority Business Enterprise ’ s first step to working with the Council is completing the rigorous certification process , which establishes them as a recognized business with majority ethnic minority ownership . Upon certification , MBEs gain access to the wealth of resources the Northwest Mountain MSDC provides , as well as a national network of suppliers . This certification establishes an MBE as a trusted minority-owned company and benefits members by creating a database of suppliers already vetted by the Council .

The Council was founded in 1978 and is made up today of over 40 corporate and public agency members and over 375 certified Minority Business Enterprises .

Develop : Once certified , the Northwest Mountain MSDC continually develops its certified MBEs ’ capacity for successful enterprise through educational programming and Council events . Through development workshops offered throughout the year by the Council , MBEs grow their acumen in business strategy , marketing , financial analysis , and leadership . The Council delivers executive education through its strategic partnerships with the University of Washington ’ s Foster School of Business and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth . To members , the Council provides a wide range of supplier diversity program development , benchmarking , consulting , and best practices . Whether a member is looking to grow a young supplier diversity program or bolster an established program to make a greater impact , the Northwest Mountain MSDC offers guidance and innovative ideas informed by industry expertise .

The Council works diligently to match potential MBEs to member opportunities and facilitate strategic partnerships .
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2021 ISSUE NO . 25 21