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Black Business Month Spotlight: Connecting and Maximizing MBE Certification to Generate New Biz

The mission of the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) is to stimulate and support economic development with minority-owned businesses in Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware through certification and facilitating connections with member corporations. Certification with EMSDC holds great value, but it is also critical to stay active and engaged to maximize the many benefits, including national recognition, access to professional development and networking events, exposure to profitable business opportunities, and more. In celebration of National Black Business Month, we are shining a spotlight on Marketing and Business Integration (MBI), an EMSDC-certified minority business enterprise (MBE) headquartered in Dover, Delaware, for inspiration.

An EMSDC Success Story

As a “comprehensive technology solutions provider” with a long list of services, MBI is “uniquely qualified to integrate partners, people, and solutions.” Founded by CEO Michael Maupin in 2002, this certified MBE invests the time necessary to fully understand the needs of its customers to develop “a holistic approach to problem-solving.” MBI also invests in its employees “with professional development opportunities to support their growth and fully develop their potential.” Therefore, it’s no surprise that MBI also understands the importance of engagement and connecting with our team at EMSDC.

In addition to attending in-person and virtual EMSDC events to network and build successful relationships, EMSDC facilitated an e-introduction which led to an amazing opportunity with the University of Delaware (UD), an EMSDC Corporate Member. Read on to hear MBI’s incredible success story, in the company’s own words.

From MBI

“The EMSDC membership team has been instrumental in making direct outreach and providing warm introductions. Our certification led to an invitation by Vicki Daniels (UD’s Chief of Supplier Diversity) to exhibit at UD’s Supplier Diversity Conference. We were later able to present our ideas to help.”

As the new fiscal year approached on July 1, departments were tasked with identifying opportunities to optimize their operating costs. This presented MBI with a unique opportunity to evaluate how it could contribute to streamlining expenses across the university.

“With our partner ComTec, we presented an analysis and discussed ongoing cellular cost reduction strategies to save UD money without adding equipment, without changing cellular carriers — all while reducing operating expenses. We were able to uncover 37% savings on UD’s annual cellular costs across the board. As the fees associated with the service are contingency-based, UD incurred zero out-of-pocket expenses, benefiting all departments.”

From The University of Delaware

The University of Delaware’s Chief Supplier Diversity Officer, Victoria Daniels, commented that, ‘The success of our annual Supplier Diversity Conference relies on the active engagement of both our members and suppliers. As a valued supplier member of EMSDC, MBI was invited to participate, allowing them to connect with buyers interested in their services—most notably, the University itself.”

Providing Valuable Resources to Help Your Business Grow and Succeed

MBIs mutually beneficial partnership with the University of Delaware was made possible by being actively engaged and taking advantage of the benefits of MBE certification (as a UD certified vendor) through EMSDC. This is why connecting and maximizing your certification is so important! With over 50 years of experience as an industry expert in MBE enrichment, development, and impact, EMSDC offers certified minority suppliers valuable resources to help your business grow and succeed. Contact information for our team can be found here, and be sure to attend our events and stay connected on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. To make a donation to The Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council and help us in our mission, click here.  


The mission of the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) is to stimulate and support economic development with minority-owned businesses throughout Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware, in an effort to initiate growth and opportunity through Supplier Diversity channels. As an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), we certify and connect MBEs with member corporations that are committed to supplier development and want to purchase their products, services, and solutions.