About

ABOUT OUR HOLIDAY CELEBRATION & FUN-RAISER

We've made some courageous tackles and powerful plays this year, strengthened supply chains, fostered many impressive connections, and scored a few touchdowns! Join us for our Annual Holiday Celebration & Fun-Raiser as we bring together the BEST of the BEST to celebrate incredible corporations, MBEs, and community partners advancing Supplier Diversity.

We will also highlight the tremendous 8-year contributions of Cecil Plummer and spotlight our new Council President Donna Ruff

ABOUT WRMSDC

The best way to make sure children have access to food, safety, and education is to ensure that parents and caregivers have good jobs. As a family’s income increases, their exposure to violence, poverty, and the likelihood of incarceration decreases. WRMSDC’s programs drive the job and wealth creation essential to thriving underserved communities. Visit us at wrmsdc.org.

DATE & TIME
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
3:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. PT
LOCATION
HyperX Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor
3900 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89119
THEME
Football, Big Game, MVPs
WEATHER
In Las Vegas early November experiences high temperatures between 61-74 degrees and lows between 42-52. The event will be held completely indoors in air-conditioned space; plan your attire accordingly.
ATTIRE
  • Football Jerseys (iconic legends a plus); Show your team spirit!
  • Gameday Style – Denim and Diamonds
  • Business Casual – anything that makes you feel your best, most authentic self and the version of you that you want to proudly share with the world.
Suggested Hotel Accommodations

HyperX Arena is located inside of the Luxor Las Vegas. The following hotels are nearby the Holiday Celebration venue.

Luxor Las Vegas
3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(HyperX Arena is located inside of the Luxor)

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(~15-20 minute walk to HyperX Arena)

Delano Las Vegas
3940 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(~.4 miles to HyperX Arena)

Paris Hotel
3655 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(~1.7 miles to HyperX Arena)

MGM Grand
3799 S Las Vegs Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(~2.5 miles to HyperX Arena)

TICKETS

Thank You!
Registration Powered by

If you don't know how to use the discount code, please email events@wrmsdc.org for help!
ALL SALES ARE FINAL; NO REFUNDS!
Please *do not* purchase a ticket and ask for a refund, as we will not be able to accommodate you.

MBEs and Diverse Businesses: Use promo code MBE-HB23 to attend for $50 off.
Corporates: Use promo code CORP-HB23 for $25 off

As this event is a fundraiser, we are asking all guests to please purchase a ticket. Your contribution will help us work to end poverty in communities of color by helping minority entrepreneurs create intergenerational wealth and good paying jobs.

SPEAKERS

Donna Ruff
President & CEO
Donna Ruff is an accomplished corporate leader with more than 20 years of management experience and a solid background in Supplier Diversity, executive leadership, and business development. Her expertise in program direction, contract negotiations, and sustainability initiatives has enabled her to develop and implement metrics, analyses, improvements, timelines, budgets, and processes that drive cost-saving innovations. Donna's vision for empowering minority-owned businesses will drive positive impacts in Northern California, Nevada, and Hawai'i. Recognized with accolades like the 2020 WRMSDC MBEIC People's Choice, the 2022 Supplier Diversity Leader of the Year, and the 2023 Top 5 Most Influential Women in D&I by CIO Views, Donna is a powerful advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Tanya Nixon
Director, Supplier Diversity | Strategic Sourcing & Procurement - Corporate Services
In her current role, Ms. Nixon is the Director, Supplier Diversity for Aflac. Nixon is responsible for the overall strategy for supplier diversity to include company-wide programs to ensure opportunities for minority-owned vendors to participate in procurement activities; manages relationships with contracted minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ, and service-disabled veterans and the tracking and reporting of the diverse spend. Identifies, evaluates, and develops sourcing and purchasing practices meant to promote diversity among the organization’s suppliers and contractors. Ms. Nixon is just two weeks into her new role and excited about the opportunities before her. Prior to joining Aflac, for two years, Nixon was Director, Supplier Diversity & Responsible Sourcing at Visa Inc. Prior to joining Visa, Nixon served for over ten years as a Manager, for the National Supplier Diversity/Impact Spending at Kaiser Permanente, the $80-plus billion Oakland, California-based healthcare organization.
Rahul Kuruvilla
CEO
Rahul is the Founder and CEO of Triune Infomatics, an IT staffing company based in Fremont, California. With a nationwide presence, Triune offers staffing solutions to clients in the education, government, and commercial sectors, and has been recognized multiple times by Inc Magazine as one of the fastest-growing IT staffing companies. Rahul is also a Certified Executive Coach. He also Volunteers as the Chair of MBEIC for WRMSDC and is , a board member for IT Serve, USPAACC and an Alumni Board member for Cal State East Bay. What sets Triune apart from other staffing companies is its unwavering commitment to People, Quality, Cost, and Delivery. Triune’s goal is to provide its clients with a comprehensive staffing solution, whether they are looking to hire contract, contract-to-hire, or full-time employees. Rahul, resides in San Ramon, California with his wife and two children. He enjoys playing tennis and golf in his spare time.
Kenyatta Lewis
Executive Director of Supplier Diversity & Sustainable Procurement
Kenyatta Lewis is the Executive Director of Supplier Diversity & Sustainable Procurement at MGM Resorts International. From her start in procurement at New York-New York in 2000, Kenyatta designed, implemented, and expanded the company’s robust supplier diversity program. She is responsible for defining innovative strategies for supplier diversity and providing leadership direction to advance ESG priorities in the supply chain. She also oversees training and development programs for 80+ procurement professionals. Kenyatta was recently named a 2022 Women of Distinction in Hospitality, Retail & Conventions by NAWBO-Southern Nevada. She leads MGM Resorts’ executive Supplier Inclusion Task Force and is a member of the Institute for Supply Management’s Sustainability Committee; the Advertising, Entertainment Media & Sports Industry Group; and the Houston Minority Business Council’s Business Development Advisory Council. Kenyatta earned her degree in Business Management and served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Cecil Plummer
Chief Executive Officer
In October of 2023, Cecil Plummer began serving as the CEO of MojoHire AI, a minority-owned company that uses the power of intuitive artificial intelligence to plug into and turbocharge all of the most popular talent acquisition systems resulting in reduced time to hire, reduced cost to recruit, and is equipped with state-of-the-art bias filters available to help companies achieve their inclusion goals in their hiring practices.

For eight years, Cecil served as the President and CEO of the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council (WRMSDC), one of the 23 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). During his tenure, the Council reached record levels of revenue, profitability, and increased customers. Under Plummer’s leadership the organization won three national titles for excellence and launched several innovative programs.
Richard Chacon
Director
Richard Chacon serves is a Director at US Bank. US Bancorp completed the acquisition of MUFG Union Bank in December 2022. Richard served as the Director of Supplier Diversity & Development for MUFG Union Bank, N.A. He joined Union Bank in 1998 and was the driving force behind an increase in DBE spend from $26MM in 1998 to $250MM in 2020. Richard served 10 years in the U.S. Army, and 13 years with Pacific Bell.
Eric Dickey
Senior Vice President Operations
Eric Dickey started with McCarthy in 2002 as a project engineer. He worked at the jobsites until 2017 after being promoted to Project Director. In 2020, Eric was promoted to Vice President of Operations and a year after he was promoted to his current position as Senior Vice President, San Francisco Business Unit Leader. In Eric’s spare time he loves to spend time with his nieces and nephews. Spending time outdoors is very important to him and a random fact is he has ridden his bike 132 miles in one day!

Supporters

Support our Fundraiser!

Support This Event

WRMSDC deeply appreciates the following companies for their support. Their contributions ensure our ability to advocate for and impact diverse communities.

Event Supporters

Make a Difference Supporters

Due to the generosity of our Make a Difference Supporters,
many of our 2023 events have been FREE for MBEs and diverse businesses.

Premier Members

MBE Platinum Partners

Annual Video Production Supporter

Game Plan

All time listed are in Pacific Time and activities & times subject to change

Time Activity
3:00 pm 1st Quarter
⭐ Event Opens
        ⭐ Check-in
        ⭐ Networking Reception
        ⭐ Food Stations
        ⭐ Step & Repeat
        ⭐ Silent Auction
4:15 PM 2nd Quarter
Program ⭐ Recognitions ⭐ Celebrating Success Awards
5:15 PM Halftime Show:
Mario Kart for Charity
5:35 PM 3rd Quarter
⭐ Afterglow
        ⭐ More Networking
        ⭐ Holiday Fun
        ⭐ Video Gaming
        ⭐ Photos
6:10 PM 4th Quarter
Announce Silent Auction Winners
6:30 PM Holiday Celebration Ends

Halftime Show

Celebrating Success Awards

Thank You!
Awards Supporter

We are pleased to applaud and celebrate these Corporate, MBE, and Community “MVPs” making bold moves to advance supplier diversity, increase minority business success, and build economic wealth in communities of color.

Honorees

🏆 Winner

MICHELLE PICARD
SIEMENS MOBILITY, INC.
2023 IGNITER AWARD
View Honoree Profile
🏆 Winner

JENNIFER A. AQUINO
MCCARTHY HOLDINGS, INC.
2023 SKYROCKET AWARD
View Honoree Profile
🏆 Winner

⭐ CERTIFIED MBE
CHRISTINE MADDELA
STORYVILLE RD
2023 ENGAGEMENT AWARD
View Honoree Profile
🏆 Winner

AUTUMN SPICER
MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
2023 EXEMPLAR AWARD
View Honoree Profile
🏆 Winner

SHARLA J. SULLIVAN
WEBCOR
2023 SKYROCKET AWARD
View Honoree Profile
🏆 Winner

⭐ CERTIFIED MBE
HEMAN CHAND
S+B JAMES CONSTRUCTION
2023 ADVOCACY AWARD
View Honoree Profile

Silent Auction

⭐ EXCITING GETAWAYS, SPORTING EVENTS, UNIQUE OUTINGS, & MORE! ⭐

Here’s a sneak peek of some of our auction items. All monies go towards programming for continuing our mission to support the growth of MBEs and to impact communities of color.

Access

Please contact rose@wrmsdc.org if you have access questions or require accommodations to fully enjoy the Holiday Celebration. We will also ask each attendee during the registration process for any accommodations they may need, including: materials provided in formats like large print, text-only, electronic files, etc.; communication aids like American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, other interpreting, etc.; and other needs. The Holiday Celebration will have limited tables with seats available throughout the full event, should any guests need access. Please notify rose@wrmsdc.org ahead of time if you need a seat so our team can reserve a place for you and show you the location of your reserved seats during various parts of the program.

Share

Invite others to help support our Holiday Celebration & Fun-Raiser!

Contact

WRMSDC supports the growth and welfare of minority communities by championing the use of minority-owned businesses in Northern California, Nevada, and Hawai‘i. Our parent organization, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, helps over 12,000 minority businesses connect with major Fortune 500 corporations and their buyers every year. Please visit us online at www.wrmsdc.org.

WRMSDC Nevada Office
500 N. Rainbow, Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89107

Please contact rose@wrmsdc.org
for questions about this event.

Contact Us
(702) 996-6158

Know Before
You Go

Coming Soon!