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The GMSDC Announces the 2020 Spirit of Alliance Award Winners

Staff Report

Thursday, October 1st, 2020

The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council announced the recipients of its 2020 Spirit of Alliance Awards at the conclusion of the annual Business Opportunity Exchange conference on September 18th. The announcement of the recipients who will be honored at the 38th edition of the Spirit of Alliance Awards, scheduled for December 3rd.

Every year the GMSDC, Georgia’s leading supplier diversity and small business development organization, hosts the Spirit of Alliance Awards, a gala honoring the corporations, Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and supplier diversity professionals that are setting the standard for minority small business development in Georgia. The Spirit of Alliance award is one of the most prestigious honors in the state, recognizing the best of the best in minority business development and supplier diversity.

To protect the health of its community of stakeholders, the Spirit of Alliance Awards will be presented virtually. The Council will plan a series of virtual events and activities this fall to share the stories of the winners with Georgia’s business community in advance of the actual presentation.

“While this year’s presentation will be a little different, the spirit of the event remains the same. We are proud to honor the amazing corporate partners, executives and small business owners who set the standard of excellence in supplier diversity,” said Stacey Key, GMSDC President and CEO. “These companies and individuals are strengthening Georgia’s economy and empowering communities, as they create jobs, change lives and build legacies for the future. It is truly rewarding to be a part of that.”

The recipients of the 2020 Spirit of Alliance Awards include:

  • Corporation of the Year - Accenture

  • Local Corporation of the Year – Fifth Third Bank

  • Crystal Award – UPS

  • George Lottier Rising Star Award – Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

  • Executive of the Year - George Richter, Cox Communications and Pedro Cherry, Georgia

    Power/Southern Company

  • Advocate of the Year – Vanessa Lane, Cox Enterprises

  • Supply Chain Advocate of the Year – Crystal King – Grady Health System

  • MBE Advocate of the Year – Sidd Ahmed, VDart

  • Eagle Award – Karun Asireddy, InfoSmart Technologies

  • Buyer of the Year, Staffing – Jason Jannett, Southern Company

  • Buyer of the Year, Information Technology – Beverly Brown, Grady Health System

  • Buyer of the Year, Construction – Demetrious Ward, Southern Company Gas

  • Buyer of the Year, Professional Services – Stacy Walker, Southern Company

  • Supplier of the Year, Class I – EventEssentials

  • Supplier of the Year, Class II – The Gathering Spot

  • Supplier of the Year, Class III – B&S Electric Supply Co.

  • Supplier of the Year, Class IV - VDart

For more information, please visit gmsdc.org.