NBCUniversal and Women’s Business Development Council to Host Supplier Diversity Webinar for Diverse-Owned Businesses in Connecticut

March 02, 2023

Stamford, CT— March 2, 2023 —NBCUniversal and the Women’s Business Development Council will host a Supplier Diversity Business Connections webinar on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 2:00-3:00 PM EST. Connecticut businesses interested in learning how to become a certified diverse-owned business and work with NBCUniversal are invited to join the information session by registering here.  

Businesses will hear from leaders at Comcast NBCUniversal and the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council on the importance of certification and how to become a diverse vendor for a leading media and entertainment company. Speakers include:  

• Ajamu Johnson, Vice President of Procurement, Comcast NBCUniversal 

• Aura McCracken-Byrd, Director of Supplier Diversity, NBCUniversal 

• Jonathan Valtier, Vice President of Group Procurement, NBCUniversal  

• Peter F. Hurst, President and CEO, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council  

“WBDC is grateful to NBCUniversal for including us in this important event. Often, success is all about access. The information shared and connections made during this event will provide diverse-owned businesses in Connecticut access to incredible opportunities with NBCUniversal that they might not otherwise be aware of.” Fran Pastore, Founder and CEO of the Women's Business Development Council 

"I am thrilled that NBCUniversal is providing this webinar as it will help open doors for women-owned and minority-owned businesses looking to participate in our growing digital media and entertainment sector,” said Alexandra Daum, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. “These are the types of resources that support growth in our thriving community of diverse small businesses.” 

“Making an impact in the communities where we do business is an important priority for NBCUniversal and supplier diversity is fundamental to that commitment,” said Craig Robinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for NBCUniversal. “We’re grateful to our partners at the Women’s Business Development Council for partnering with us on this opportunity and we look forward to using this model in the communities we serve nationwide.”  

“The City of Stamford is a vibrant hub for media and entertainment in the tri-state region and we are proud to have NBCUniversal in our community,” said Loren Nadres, the City of Stamford’s Director of Economic Development. “We are grateful to the NBCU team as well as the Women’s Business Development Council for hosting this important conversation and their commitment to expanding access and opportunity to diverse vendors across the state of Connecticut.” 

NBCUniversal, including Stamford Studios, NBC Sports, NBC, and Telemundo Hartford (WVIT and WRDM), annually purchase goods and services from over 400 Connecticut Suppliers located in over 180 communities across the state. The suppliers cover a wide range of both large and small businesses from a range of sectors and industries.  

Comcast NBCUniversal’s supplier diversity program is designed to promote, increase and improve the participation of diverse businesses within our corporate supply chain — including companies owned by women, people of color, veterans, individuals with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. NBCUniversal believes diversity in all facets of our company and the communities we serve is good for business.

About the Women’s Business Development Council  

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained more than 17,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain and scale over 12,750 businesses, create and maintain over 27,500 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $63 million in capital. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information. 

About the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council 

The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council’s (GNEMSDC) mission is to expand business opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), and create mutually beneficial links between Corporate Companies and Minority Business Enterprises.  The GNEMSDC advances business opportunities for certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises and connects them to corporate members. One of the region’s leading corporate membership organizations, GNEMSDC was incorporated in 1975 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.  GNEMSDC is an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council. GNEMSDC is one of the 24 regional councils represented across the US territories. GNEMSDC serves the six (6) New England States: MA, CT, RI, ME, NH, and VT. https://gnemsdc.org/ 

About NBCUniversal   

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a premium ad-supported streaming service. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.