ACCESS 2015 SIGNATURE MBE SPONSORSHIP – EVENT CONNECTS NORTH TEXAS MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES WITH BUYING ENTITIES

TSP (Technology Service Professionals), a leading provider of information technology services to Fortune 500 companies, served as the signature minority business enterprise (MBE) sponsor of ACCESS 2015, hosted by the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council, May 11-12 at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas. TSP is a minority business enterprise and member of the DFW MSDC. Over 1,000 minority-owned businesses in North Texas participated in the largest regional business expo connecting corporations and public sector agencies with certified minority-owned businesses.

“We enjoyed the events and networking at ACCESS 2015, and we were proud to sponsor, along with our friends at Texas Instruments. We made great connections with other minority-owned businesses and buying entities,” said Rick Skaggs, co-founder and president of TSP.

“Texas Instruments signed on as our first customer 13 years ago, three months after we were founded. Texas Instruments’ procurement is friendly toward local and diverse suppliers, which helped get our foot in the door. We now have hundreds of TSP team members onsite at TI, largely due to our ability to listen to the customer and provide tailored solutions. We’re thankful to the DFW MSDC for giving us the opportunity to sponsor this event, and providing a great venue for making real-time connections,” said Frank Gonzalez, co-founder and vice president of TSP.

The two-day expo hosted over 70 confirmed State of Texas agencies recruited by State Senator Royce West. The attending agencies conducted on-the-spot bid opportunities. New to ACCESS 2015 was an Opportunity Board designed to maximize the real-time connections experience, a Business Solutions Pavilion, offering small business solutions and product demonstrations, and a Media Lounge, featuring interactive video interviews.

Rick Skaggs, TSP’s co-founder and president, was interviewed by the DFW MSDC team as part of ACCESS’ Media Lounge.

The two-day expo also featured corporate and MBE roundtables and one-on-one business matchmaking between corporations, public sector entities, and minority business suppliers looking to discuss immediate and near term opportunities.

About Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council (D/FW MSDC)
The Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council (D/FW MSDC) is a 501 (C) (3) privately funded, nonprofit, business organization, formed in 1973 by major corporations committed to fostering a business environment which promotes access and opportunity for minority-owned businesses. The Council currently comprises 174 private and public sector buying entities and 800 plus diverse certified minority-owned businesses.

D/FW MSDC is one of 24 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), the certification body of choice by corporate America and the recognized business link for over 3,500 buying organizations and 14,000 certified minority-owned businesses nationally.

Relationships remain fundamental to sustainable business in the marketplace. People do business with people they know and trust. The D/FW MSDC CONNECTS buying entities to D/FW MSDC certified, qualified suppliers. D/FW MSDC buying entity partners report over $5.20 billion dollars in spending annually with minority-owned businesses.  D/FW MSDC certified suppliers report over $23 million annually in spending with minority-owned businesses (MBE-to-MBE transactions).  The Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council is the credible recognized conduit for buyers and end-users sourcing certified minority-owned businesses in North Texas.