2020 MARKETPLACE Community Economic Development Awards recognize notable business and community leaders
WEDC provides recognition to top supporters of minority-, woman- and veteran-owned businesses
MADISON, WI. DEC. 4, 2020 – At MARKETPLACE: The 39th Governor’s Conference on Diverse Business Development, individuals will be recognized on Dec. 9, 2020 at the Community Award Recognition Program for their decades-long leadership and distinguished service in business and community development to support minority-, woman- and veteran-owned businesses in Wisconsin.
The following four individuals will be recognized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC):
State Business Diversity Development Award – Michele Carter of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (formerly of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation)
For the last 16 years, as an experienced program manager and skilled coaching, government contracting and conflict resolution manager, Carter has demonstrated her skill in working within government to diversify the transportation construction industry, improving the efficiency of the state’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification Program and increasing the participation of disadvantaged businesses through access to state contracts.
Carter was recently appointed as administrator of the Division of Employment and Training at the Department of Workforce Development and has more than two decades of past service as an enlisted and commissioned member of the Army Reserve and National Guard.
Community Economic Development Award – Lee Shirey of the U.S. Economic Development Administration
Shirey served as Wisconsin economic development representative for the Chicago regional office of the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). Shirey has been with EDA for over 10 years and has worked with local units of government, economic development districts and nonprofit organizations in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Shirey assists applicants with packaging competitive economic development projects that will help to create high-skill, high-wage jobs and leverage private sector investment.
Prior to joining EDA, Shirey devoted 10 years to leading economic development efforts for communities in northern Michigan and in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Diverse Business Development Award – Marjorie Rucker – The Business Council
This award recognizes Rucker’s dedicated service to the diverse business communities in Wisconsin. For over a decade, Rucker has been a true advocate and tireless worker serving diverse businesses and the lead chambers of commerce that represent them. In her role as the executive director of The Business Council Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to ethnic and diverse business development in southeastern Wisconsin, Marjorie has helped these businesses grow by enabling them to better access corporate supply chains.
An effective community leader, Rucker led the coalition’s efforts to partner with government and private sectors to ensure the diverse business community is informed about the different aid grants being provided to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was instrumental in the coalition’s promotion of WEDC’s Ethnic Minority Emergency Grant, We’re All In Small Business Grant, and federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Secuirty Act grant funding, as well as managing the disbursement of grants provided by financial institutions to support diverse businesses.
Minority Business Development Award – Larry Glusman of Davis & Kuelthau
Glusman has represented small and midsize entities in their commercial lending, real estate and business transactions for 25 years. As a founding board member of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, Glusman represented the chamber for a decade in its effort to help Hmong and Asian American business owners. He also works with the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin. Both organizations are minority- based nonprofit lenders that invest in businesses statewide. Glusman has documented and closed dozens of chamber business loans, helping owners achieve their growth goals.
These awards are a part of the larger MARKETPLACE conference Dec. 8-10, which will be held virtually for the first time in its 39-year history. This event provides an opportunity to celebrate Wisconsin’s minority-, woman-, veteran- and LGBTQ-owned businesses, as well as connecting these businesses with new opportunities through networking, buyer meetings and workshops. For more information, visit marketplacewisconsin.com
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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