OpenWork: The Future of Black Talent with J. Vincent Williams
In this episode of OpenWork, we speak with Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council (ChicagoMSDC) President and CEO J. Vincent Williams about what’s next for the ChicagoMSDC, legacy building, and the future of Black talent.
Watch this exclusive interview between Kyle Evangelista, President and Group Publisher, Guerrero Media and J. Vincent Williams, President and CEO, CMSDC.
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OpenWork is a video series that highlights some of the world’s most inspiring and minds in business. Presented by Guerrero Media, each live interview scales great lessons that you can take back to your company and community, exposing you to inspiring stories and relevant insights from top inclusive leaders you may or may not know about.
About J. Vincent Williams
J. Vincent Williams, Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council Photo by Victor Powell
Vincent Williams is the 5th President and Chief Executive Officer for the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council. Created in Chicago, and at 52 years young, The ChicagoMSDC is the premier organization for the development of minority businesses and works succinctly with the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The organization is responsible for certifying, advocating, developing and connecting minority businesses with major buying organizations and government entities and operates the Northwest Indiana MSDC, MBDA Business Center – Chicago, MBDA Business Center – St. Louis, Chicago MBDA Export Center/Discover Africa program and is an Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Center.
His prior position as Vice President of Economic Empowerment and the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago involved facilitating and coordinating the services of the Illinois SBDC and its initiatives of encouraging economic
growth and development while creating, identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships within the communities around Chicagoland, particularly on the South and West Sides that have been historically marginalized and disinvested in, helping to eliminate racism and empower communities.
As a small business owner himself, he also provides subject matter expertise, webinars, resources, programs and one-on-one advising to aid small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to start, scale/grow or retire their business. He is a business mentor at University of Chicago’s Polsky Entrepreneurship Center as well as a mentor at Loyola University Chicago’s Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility.
He was recently named by Black Enterprise Magazine as a “Black Enterprise Modern Man” and serves on several boards including the Associated Colleges of Illinois, Illinois Diversity Council, First Women’s Bank of Illinois and Partners in Community Building Illinois. He also was nominated to Diversity MBA Magazine’s Elite List of Top 100 Emerging Executive Leaders Under the age of 50, is a native South-Sider and comes from a family of entrepreneurs. He received a dual MBA in Finance and Management at The Morris Graduate School of Management in Chicago and holds the prestigious Non-Profit Executive Leadership Certification from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.
Read more with J. Vincent Williams in Profile.