Thirty years ago, Shell was one of 13 founding corporations that realized the need to bring minority business entrepreneurs into the mainstream of corporate America. These efforts led to the formation of the Houston Minority Business Council. HMBC now boasts over 230 corporate members and 1,039 MBEs (Minority Business Enterprises) with annual sales revenues of $4,767,376,922. As one of the founding corporate members, Shell sponsored the HMBC’s 2004 MBE Showcase and Scholarship Awards Networking Luncheon on July 15th in Houston. The MBE Showcase provided corporate buyers, purchasing agents, prime suppliers, financial and educational institutions as well as other MBEs the opportunity to visit MBE companies all under one roof, all in one day. This was the first time in nearly 20 years that MBEs exhibited their products and services in a tradeshow setting, offering exposure, face-to-face networking opportunities, business growth potential and the ability to increase prospective client databases. Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, President and Country Chair of Shell Oil Company and President and CEO of Shell Oil Products US, was the first woman CEO to address a HMBC Networking Luncheon. She discussed “Growth Strategies: Meeting Customer Needs,” and shared her insights on Shell’s long-standing commitment to diversity and how MBEs can develop new models for business growth. Lupe Fraga, president, Tejas Office Products, Inc. who introduced Ms. Elsenhans, said, “Getting in the door was half the battle, and Shell gave my company the opportunity to be a part of the corporate environment. I will always credit Shell as the first corporation that contributed to my company’s immense success and HMBC as the agency that gave me the educational tools to enhance my professional skills.” “Shell embraces a position of inclusiveness for minority- and women-owned businesses in our community, and therefore, is proud to be the sponsor of this important milestone for the HMBC,” said Elsenhans. “This approach is rooted in the belief that when these businesses share in the rewards of our economic progress, their growth and success cascades throughout the community,” added Elsenhans. “The MBE Showcase helped raise awareness of the broad capabilities of today’s MBEs to meet and exceed customer expectations,” said HMBC Executive Director Richard A. Huebner. Other activities for the year-long commemoration will include EXPO 2004 on September 9th at the George R. Brown Convention Center; the Emerging Ten (E-10) Awards, scheduled for November 10th at the J. W. Marriott Hotel; and the 30th Anniversary Gala in December, an optional black-tie affair that will bring together both corporate and minority founding partners. For more information, visit the HMBC web site.
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