CHICAGO – The Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council (IUBDC) awarded corporate-sponsored scholarships to two Illinois minority business leaders to attend the Advanced Management Education Program (AMEP) at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. AMEP is a custom executive education program created by the National Minority Supplier Development Council to provide CEOs of certified minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) with the tools and skills they need to achieve and sustain accelerated growth.
“The IUBDC is committed to supplier diversity and investing in minority business owners to help accelerate their growth through education,” said Bruce Hauk, chairman of the IUBDC board of directors, and president of Illinois American Water. “Doing business with minority-owned companies is vital to our culture and supply chain, which is why the IUBDC provides access to the tools, resources and networking opportunities to help business owners succeed.
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The 2019 scholarship recipients are:
Regine Jeune, president, DB Sterlin Consultants, Inc.
DB Sterlin Consultants, Inc. is an engineering and consulting firm comprised of professional civil and structural engineers, planners and surveyors. DB Sterlin Consultants, Inc. is a certified MBE and women-owned business enterprise (WBE).
“It’s not how to grow your business but to be prepared for the growth,” said Jeune, who attended the five-day program in June. She said the conversation among program participants of shared challenges and solutions was beneficial, and believes every minority entrepreneur should attend the program.
Joshua Davis, president, Lyons View Manufacturing & Supply, A Will Group Company
Lyons View Manufacturing & Supply is an electrical product assembler and supplier that specializes in LED lighting. Lyons View Manufacturing & Supply, A Will Group Company, is a certified MBE and certified disadvantaged business enterprise
“The instructors offered expert advice on issues we deal with every day and provided a helpful framework for envisioning the future of our organizations. I appreciate the prior efforts of these trailblazers who came before us and have given so much to see other minorities live out their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Davis.
Scholarship recipients were selected based on the requirements of AMEP at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, as well as their strategic relationships and success in providing services to the IUBDC utilities, including Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Illinois American Water, Nicor Gas, and Peoples Gas.
Since 2018, the IUBDC has awarded three business scholarships to diverse-owned businesses. In addition, each year the IUBDC invites hundreds of entrepreneurs and diverse businesses to attend outreach events where participants can network and learn about procurement opportunities from IUBDC member utilities.
A study commissioned by the IUBDC revealed that the collective $1.05 billion that member utilities spent on goods and services provided by minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned and small business enterprises added more than $2 billion to the state gross domestic product in 2017.
For more information about the IUBDC, visit iubdc.com.
About the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council
The Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council (IUBDC) members include Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Illinois American Water, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas. The mission of the IUBDC is to serve the Illinois utilities as a forum for best practice sharing and information exchange with the focus on advancing the growth and utilization of utility-based diverse businesses in the state of Illinois.
