At its annual gala awards dinner on November 8, the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC) recognized Citizens Energy Group for having the highest indirect (second-tier) spend with minority suppliers among its member firms in calendar year 2018.
Citizens’ second-tier spend was over $23 million during that time period. A second-tier firm is one that works under a prime contractor as a sub-contractor to provide certain goods or services related to a project.
“Mark Jacob has championed the second-tier supplier diversity effort for Citizens,” said Mary Owen, Director of Supply Chain. “As Vice President of Capital Programs & Engineering/Quality, he is well-positioned to advocate for inclusive teams to be used by our majority-owned prime contractors as they work on Citizens’ capital projects. Mark and his team are behind supplier diversity 100 percent.”
“Sometimes, for smaller firms, our project requirements are out of reach, as they might require significant capital equipment.” Owen said. “Other examples might be bonding or insurance requirements. By using a larger company as a prime contractor, they can take on these requirements, yet still extend opportunities for diverse firms to participate as subcontractors. Through this participation, diverse businesses can grow.”
Richard Wise, Supplier Diversity Program Administrator, accepted the award for Citizens. Wise’s role includes serving as Board Chairman for the Mid-States MSDC, as well as supplier diversity advocacy within Citizens.
This is the third recognition Citizens has received from the Mid-States MSDC. To learn more, see the January 2016 (page 7) and January 2017 (page 10) issues of Engauge.
.jpg?width=600&name=Mid-states%20award%20group%20(3).jpg)
Supply Chain and CP&E team members celebrate the recent award from the Mid-States Minority Supplier
Development Council for indirect (subcontractor) minority spend in 2018. Pictured left to right are
John Trypus, Matt Thomas, Mary Owen, Mark Jacob, Rebecca Reddick, and Mike Miller.
