MBDA is looking ahead to CommitCLE in 2024

More than 100 minority business owners and leaders gathered at the MBDA Annual Event at the Rock Hall in December to celebrate a successful year – and to usher in new goals and collaborations for 2024.

“Our annual event was titled ‘Stronger Together’ for a reason,” says Marco Grgurevic, Ohio MBDA Director. “We have had some amazing success in 2023 – thanks to businesses working together with one another, and us, for growth. Looking forward at 2024, ‘together’ remains a key word as we place new emphasis on collaboration and the CommitCLE initiative.”

The event – part networking, part party and part “speed dating for businesses” – has already made an impact on some regional businesses.

The night also included an appearance by Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development, Jessica Cavazos.

Post-event feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Said one attendee: “Thank you again for inviting us to the MBDA Annual Event, we had a great time and made some meaningful connections.

Franco Kraiselburd, a senior at Case Western Reserve University from Argentina, and CEO of Asclepii, a U.S. based medical device company, found the networking and collaborative potential of MBDA so inspiring that he joined a few days before the event. He is looking forward to working with MBDA towards growth in 2024.

Big successes in 2023

Keynote speaker Greg Harris, Rock Hall President and CEO and member of GCP’s Equity and Inclusion board (pictured above), punctuated his remarks with the stories of some high-profile successes from MBDA members in 2023.

Notably, one of those involves the museum: Robert P. Madison International, led by CEO Sandra Madison, was chosen as the architect of record for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s $135 million expansion that broke ground last month.

Another inspiring success was the direct result of two business meeting at the 2022 MBDA Annual Event, and working with the organization to earn a nearly half-billion dollar project: Ohio minority-owned construction firms awarded $495 million contract from U.S. Army - Greater Cleveland Partnership

Another regional success story was shared by both Harris and the business owners involved in a panel discussion with GCP’s Patrice Blakemore,  Senior Vice President, Equity and Inclusion (pictured above): Road to success: Cleveland minority-owned firms awarded major ODOT EV contract - Greater Cleveland Partnership

Committing to Cle in 2024

The Annual Event began with “speed dating” in the lower level of the Hall, where MBDA members and business owners could connect with participants in GCP’s CommitCLE program, a region-wide initiative to establish a cohort of buying organizations with a goal of increasing the representation of minority owned businesses within their supply chain and their level of minority spend locally and beyond. 

Those committed to the program who participated included the Rock Hall, MetroHealth System, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Cleveland Cavaliers, Westfield Insurance, the Cleveland Clinic, the Federal Reserve Bank, Gilbane and Oatey Company.

Want to get involved with CommitCLE? Contact the Ohio MBDA.