Exploring Joint Ventures
(T8)

As one of the fastest vehicles for growth, joint ventures are a lucrative opportunity for minority business enterprises and majority-owned corporations to achieve their business goals.

This two-part session will first, explore the guidelines recently developed by a national cross-functional task force of key thought leaders assembled by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council. These guidelines define best practices for strong, certifiable joint ventures. The resulting guidelines define how to create legitimate joint ventures that mutually benefit both the MBE and the non-diverse partner. The second session will feature MBEs and corporate members sharing how they’ve leveraged well-structured JVs to drive billions of dollars in business.

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM

Introducing the Joint Venture Best Practice Guidelines
Presenting task force findings, definitions and recommendations on the right way to leverages joint ventures for growth.

Presenters:
Leonard Greenhalgh, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
Director, Programs for Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
Director, Native American Business Programs
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Hanover

Ralph Moore
President
RGMA & Associates

Leamon Sowell
President and Managing Partner
Sowell Law Partners

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Strong JVs: Corporate and MBE Perspectives: Learning from the corporate members and MBEs that have created strong mutually-beneficial partnerships to achieve corporate business goals, and the MBEs who leveraged the opportunity to grow their businesses.

Moderator:
Leonard Greenhalgh, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
Director, Programs for Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
Director, Native American Business Programs
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth Hanover

Presenters:
Byron Foster
Executive Vice President
Adient

Ron Hall, Jr.
President and CEO
Bridgewater Interiors

Burt Jordan
Vice President, Global Vehicle Purchasing and Supplier Diversity
Ford Motor Company

Andra M. Rush
Chief Executive Officer
Detroit Manufacturing Systems, LLC.