Award nominees will be recognized at the SCMDC Supplier of the Year awards luncheon

For Immediate Release

Excellence links Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council's Supplier of the Year 2012 nominees

26 award nominees to be honored July 12

            LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2012 -- The 26 minority business enterprises (MBEs) that have been nominated for Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council's (SCMSDC) 2012 Supplier of the Year awards come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, with revenues ranging from under $1 million to over $4 billion. But these MBEs have at least one thing in common -- they have achieved exceptional performance in their contracts with SCMSDC corporate members.

            Award nominees will be recognized at the Supplier of the Year awards luncheon, which will be held July 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, located at 200 S. Pine Avenue. American Honda Motor Co. will serve as the event's title sponsor for the 22nd consecutive year.

            Michele Ruiz, an entrepreneur with two companies, including “Michele Ruiz, My Life as a Latina Entrepreneur," which is focused on educating, inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs, will be a speaker at the luncheon. 

            Under the program established by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), corporate members nominate certified MBEs in good standing with the council for an award. Nominees are judged by a committee made up of SCMSDC corporate members and evaluated on their demonstrated growth and development; employment and job creation; consistent high quality operations, products/services and business performance; procurement/purchasing spend with MBEs; mentoring and other forms of assistance to MBEs; regional council involvement; and more.

            This year's nominees include (nominators are in parentheses):

            Class I: Ad Pro (Hilton Worldwide), headquartered in Huntington Beach, provides advertising, graphic design, printing, promotional items, and silk screening and embroidery services; Cho Estrada Communications (Hilton Worldwide), based in Valencia, offers public relations consulting and writing and editorial services; and Infinity Business Solutions (Southern California Gas Company, Los Angeles World Airports) of Buena Park specializes in management consulting.

            Class II: Alameda Construction Services (Southern California Gas), based in Compton, offers site concrete and asphalt-paving services; CR&A Custom (USC) of Los Angeles offers large format digital printing, banners, billboards, car wraps, and display services; Diego & Son Printing (Southern California Edison) is a San Diego-based company that provides printing services; Icon Blue (American Honda, Hilton Worldwide) is