Legacy 2015 South Florida: Top Black Educators Issue | Page 10

10BB

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL

BUSINESS REPORT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

The Business of Education:

Local Colleges and Universities Are Vital to the Growth of Minority Businesses
By Beatrice Louissaint

An institution of higher learning’s
main focus is to educate students and
prepare them for successful careers. In a
region where small and minority-owned
businesses comprise the majority of
enterprises, South Florida’s universities
have another major responsibility ─ to
provide opportunities for minority
businesses to do business with their
institutions.

Beatrice Louissaint,
President and CEO, Southern FloridaMinority Supplier Development Council
South Florida has four major universities
and colleges: the University of Miami,
Florida International University, Miami Dade
College and Broward College. Combined,
their impact on the region’s economy is
more than $7 billion.

Some local colleges and universities
do that very well. Their procurement
opportunities are open to minority
businesses, and they understand the
importance of minority businesses to the
region’s overall economy. The University of
Miami, Broward College and Miami Dade
College each have full-time staff members
whose responsibility is to help minority
businesses do business with their
institutions and navigate their
procurement process. Over the past 10
years, the University of Miami, Broward
College and Miami Dade College have

opened their doors for outreach meetings
so minority businesses can meet with their
procurement decision makers.
Broward College, which spotlights
vendors on their website, recently hosted
a free workshop on building a
million-dollar business, and spent more
than $50 million with minority businesses
in the past four years.
The University of Miami has had a
mentor protégé program for minority
businesses for the past four years and
holds industry-specific business
opportunity meetings on campus for
minority businesses year-round.
UM also spent $74 million with
minority businesses during its last fiscal
year. Miami Dade College spent more than
$91 million with minority businesses over
the past four years.
FIU spent approximately $58 million
with MBEs last fiscal year. I am pleased to
share that FIU has adopted

10 recommendations to develop a
world-class supplier diversity program. The
university is committed to being more
inclusive of minority businesses in its current
procurement opportunities and plans for
future growth. We applaud FIU for making
this commitment. FIU hosted a Vendor
Procurement Matchmaker in partnership
with the Southern Florida Minority
Development Council (SFMSDC) on August
18, and hundreds of business owners
attended and learned about current and
future business opportunities with the
university.
Beatrice Louissaint is President and CEO
of the Southern Florida Minority Supplier
Development Council. The vision of the
SFMSDC is a diverse and inclusive
environment where economic success is
achieved. Join the SFMSDC at its 40th
Anniversary Awards Gala on September 25,
and to learn more about the event and the
SFMSDC, visit sfmsdc.org or call
[phone].

Effectively Marketing the Promise of Higher Education
By Richard McCulloch

Richard McCulloch,
VP Client Services,
Tribeca Marketing Group, LLC
In the wake of Reconstruction, a debate
raged as to the best educational and career
oppor [