OCTOBER 2019
Newsletter | Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA
Advanced Manufacturing Center - Baltimore
"Connections"
From the Director | Manufacturing Grant Award Announced at 2019 Baltimore
Minority Enterprise Development Week
October has been an extremely busy month. We are excited to announce our new initiative. The City of Baltimore has been awarded a $300,000 supplemental funding grant to enable our Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center - Baltimore to develop a Manufacturing Cooperative, MiHUB , that will create an ecosystem based on the needs of minority manufacturers. The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to the Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Development (SMWB), will place emphasis on small scale manufacturers in the urban core.

The announcement was made by MBDA National Director Henry Childs at a press conference held by Baltimore City Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young to kick off the 2019 Minority Enterprise Development (MED) / Supplier Diversity and Inclusion (SDI) Week.
On behalf of Mayor Young and our center operator, SMWBD, sincerest thanks to our MED/SDI Week attendees, sponsors, partnering organizations, speakers, and those on the planning and operations team. Please let us hear from you in conversation, by email , and in response to our MED/SDI Week participation surveys.

We are excited about the possibilities that the new grant award presents for Baltimore and the Mid-Atlantic Region. Learn more about the grant project, and revisit Baltimore MED/SDI Week in pictures below.

N. Scott Philips
Project Director
Supplemental Funding Grant Supports Development of the MiHUB Collaborative
The City of Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Development (SMWBD) will develop the Manufacturing Innovation Hub (MiHUB). MiHUB will create a cooperative focused on developing an ecosystem based on the needs of minority manufacturers, with an emphasis on Small Scale Manufacturers in the urban core. The project will create a self-sustaining member based cooperative. The cooperative will be a social enterprise working for the benefit of its members with the profits reinvested back into the cooperative and its members. The objectives of the cooperative are to: 
 
 Match minority manufacturers with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) 
 Provide Technical Assistance and Training
 Develop Group Purchasing Agreements
 Provide Bid Development Assistance 
 Create Joint Marketing Programs
 Provide Legal Assistance
 Provide Financial Assistance
 Provide Product Design and Production Services  

MiHUB is on a fast track for establishment over the coming months. The cooperative will host the MiHUB symposium to officially launch MiHUB and highlight the cooperative members. The symposium will focus on minority firms engaged in Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing and IoT (Internet of Things). The conference will be held at Morgan State University and feature speakers from industry and academia highlighting opportunities for minority owned business.   
Baltimore 2019 MEDWeek Highlights
October 7-11
Baltimore MEDWeek
Kickoff | October 7
Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young proclaims October 7-11, 2019, Minority Enterprises Development / Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Week.
U.S. Department of Commerce MBDA National Director Henry L. Childs announces an award to Baltimore City for the Baltimore Advanced Manufacturing Center to develop MiHUB. (See MiHUB feature above.)
Enjoy More MED/SDI Week
Minority Business Enterprise Tours | October 8 | Click Here
Minority Manufacturing Symposium | October 10 | Click Here
Federal Procurement Fair | October 11 | Click Here
Thank You!
Nearly 400 Participate in
2019 Baltimore MED/SDI Week Events

On Behalf of Our MED/SDI Week Hosts & Partnering Organizations
Thank You Attendees, Sponsors, Speakers


In addition to the press conference kickoff and tours of Center client manufacturing facilities, Baltimore MED/SDI Week included a Minority Manufacturing Symposium and a Federal Procurement Fair attracting more nearly 400 participants and 61 exhibitors.

The theme of the week was Inform, Instruct, Inspire. Baltimore MED/SDI Week 2019 was created to raise awareness about the critical role minority and women-owned businesses play in Baltimore at a time when area minority-owned companies need support the most. The event was also developed to offer business owners an opportunity to network and learn about new trends in the industry.
"Inform, Instruct & Inspire"
MEDWeek Hosts

Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young

Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Small, Minority & Women-Owned Business Development

Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center - Baltimore

In Collaboration With

U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin's Office

Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland

Special Thanks to MEDWeek Sponsors

Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Trinity Sterile

Meridian Management Group

Maryland Governor's Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs

Maryland Department of Commerce

In Appreciation...
On Tour at Baked In Baltimore | Myra Blanchard, CTA, Marketing Manager, Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Development

Allan Hirsh, CEO, Allan Hirsh Advisors, Host, AHA Radio & Facilitator, Advanced Manufacturing Center CEO Advisory Roundtable
At Federal Procurement Fair | Shelonda Stokes, President & CEO, grieBo

Baltimore City Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young
"From the Mid-Atlantic Region MBDA Advanced Manufacturing Center - Baltimore team, I want to express our endless gratitude for the tireless work and leadership that Myra Blanchard, Shelonda Stokes of greiBO, and their teams exhibited in making our clients' and guests' participation in 2019 Baltimore MED/SDI Week a meaningful and successful experience."

N. Scott Phillips
Project Director
Interlink
"Yes, We Blog."
Connecting is the official blog of the Mid-Atlantic Region Minority Business Development Agency Advanced Manufacturing Center - Baltimore. Yes, we blog, including features about MED\SDI Week, and in coming months, we will blog more often to bring industry information to stakeholders in the minority manufacturing supply chain.

MID-ATLANTIC REGION MBDA ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CENTER - BALTIMORE
baltimorembda.com | www.baltimorembda.com | 443-401-0242