The Leadership Excellence Awards dinner gala (LEA) is one of the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council’s (SCMSDC) signature events, honoring individuals and corporations that have taken on leadership roles in the field of supplier diversity. Attended by corporate executives and business owners, seven prestigious awards are presented during this dinner:
Purchasing Heavyweight Award
Awarded to a company that spends big with diverse businesses
Sustainability Trendsetter Award
Awarded to a company that sets trends in diversity – and others follow
Community Visionary Award
Awarded to a company that champions inclusivity and ensures the mission of the company supports and promotes the communities that it serves
Hollis Smith Advocate Award
Presented to an individual who provides SCMSDC with unwavering transformational leadership
Spirit of Diversity Award
Presented to an individual who is indisputably known for being hands-on in helping diverse suppliers develop, grow and become sustainable. This individual fully understands the importance of inclusion and access for diverse businesses and supports numerous diverse advocacy groups, recognizing that such groups are critical for non-profit organizations to continue their work.
Leadership Excellence Award
Presented to an outstanding individual who has advanced diversity efforts within the Southern California community and beyond. This visionary has gone against the mold to create, promote and implement progressive supplier diversity initiatives that support the growth of African-, Asian-, Native-, and Hispanic-American entrepreneurs.
Corporation of the Year Award
Presented to an SCMSDC corporate member that has consistently provided tangible offerings to diverse entrepreneurs through training, development and the awarding of contracts. This company serves as an advocate, innovator and model within the field of supplier diversity. This award is presented by SCMSDC and its Minority Business Enterprise Input Committee (MBEIC), a committee that serves as the voice of SCMSDC’s 1,400 certified minority business enterprises. The award winner is announced during the Leadership Excellence Awards dinner.