Building diversity: connecting with Indiana's minority business enterprises.

• Author: Hromadka, Erik
• Position: DIVERSITY IN BUSINESS

THERE'S NO QUESTION that the face of Indiana business is changing in an increasingly global and multi-cultural world. However, those changes are not just about exporting to foreign markets but also serving diverse communities here at home.

According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau this summer, minorities now make up roughly one-third of the country's population and are expected to create a combined majority in 2042. In just 15 years, the bureau estimates that minorities will comprise more than half of all children.

Such demographic changes impact both the workforce and consumer base of Indiana companies. And they also serve to highlight the importance of minority-owned business enterprises in the state.

The Indiana Minority Supplier Development Council is one of 39 regional bodies that work to promote and support minority business development. The council, which was created in the 1970s, certifies minority business enterprises as for-profit enterprises that are owned, operated and controlled by U.S. citizens who are 25 percent African-American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian-Pacific American or Asian-Indian American.

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"A key part of what we do is create opportunities for networking," says president and CEO Michelle Howell. She explains that making connections is especially important for minority business owners who often come from different social backgrounds and need to expand their circle of contacts. The council organizes two business opportunity fairs each year in Indianapolis and Evansville that bring together hundreds of companies seeking to make such connections.

"It gives them a chance to get together in a face-to-face meeting," Howell says, noting such personal contact can me a good way to bridge gaps between different ethnic communities. "You do business with people that you know and feel comfortable with," she says.

Expanding beyond Indiana, Although many minority business enterprises are small operations seeking to expand their local businesses, Indiana also has a number of such companies that have already grown into regional and national companies. The council's Corporate Plus membership program recognizes such companies that have successfully demonstrated performance on large contracts and serve as a model and mentor for other minority business development.

Consider the Harmon Group, a family of companies that includes Harmon Construction in North Vernon, which is celebrating 50...