GSD&M is excited to announce that Vendor Partner Diversity Director/SBLO Max Rutherford has been awarded the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council’s (SMSDC) Advocate of the Year Award for 2014. The award is presented to an individual who puts forth exceptional efforts to advance minority business interests, and who has provided voluntary professional services to the minority business community. The SMSDC Annual Awards Gala was held in San Antonio on December 4.
Max leads development and implementation of GSD&M’s Vendor Supplier Diversity initiative, which is the first of its kind in the advertising industry. The program aims to ensure that small, disadvantaged, minority-and women-owned firms are provided equitable purchasing opportunities.
About the Advocate of the Year Award
Advocate of the Year Award is presented to an individual whose volunteer efforts go beyond business and professional responsibilities to advance minority business interests within the community state and/or nation. An individual who has demonstrated efforts to improve conditions in the minority business community as a whole, not solely for the individual personal advancement. In addition, someone who has provided voluntary professional services to the minority business community and demonstrated accomplishments in advising minority business groups of opportunities with the overall business community.
About the SMSDC
The Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SMSDC) is the minority business owner’s direct link to corporate America.
In 2007, the largest US corporations purchased more than $100 BILLION in goods and services supplied by minority-owned enterprises (MBEs) certified by the 24 regionally-affiliated councils of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. Over $301 MILLION was spent in the SMSDC service area alone!
SMSDC has offices in Austin, San Antonio, Harlingen, El Paso and Oklahoma City. Our service area in Southwest Texas extends from Austin, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas / Mexican border toward Laredo / Eagle Pass-Del Rio, Midland / Odessa, and back to El Paso. SMSDC also services the entire states of Oklahoma and New Mexico.
“We do 4 things…Certify. Connect. Develop. Advocate.”
