
We are the vehicle that will help take your business to the next level!
The Competitive Edge is a committee made up of City and State agency professionals who assist in building and enhancing the small business sector. It has strengthened the Competitive Edge Conference by providing dynamic business leaders with vital information and networking opportunities since 1993.
We look forward to welcoming you on June 29, 2021.
Competitive Edge SDVOB Summit AGENDA
Agency / Business name: Battery Park City Authority
Panelist
Name / Title: Jahmeliah Nathan, Vice President of Administration
Instagram: @bpcparks
Twitter: @bpca_ny
Facebook: @bpca.ny
URL: http://bpca.ny.gov
Agency / Business name: State of NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Panelist Name / Title: Michael J. Garner, MBA - Chief Diversity &
Inclusion Officer
Michael J. Garner is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), State of New York. Since arriving at the MTA in 2009, he’s been a champion in the diversity market, making it his personal and professional mission to create a more diverse and inclusive industry. Leading programs at three government organizations, including the NYC Housing Authority, NYC School Construction Authority (SCA) and now the MTA, Mr. Garner, and his teams have been responsible for more than $12 billion in contracts and payments to NYC/NYS, certified MWBEs. In addition, Mr. Garner has designed the country’s leading MWDBE Business Development Program based on dollars paid. To date, the program has awarded 465 contracts totaling $493.6 million to the program participants. The MTA is committed to the maximization of contracts awarded to New York State SDVOBs. Out of the MTA 70k+ employees, under Mr. Garner’s leadership ethnic minority and women hiring has increased by 20%.
Instagram: @Michael.garner12
Twitter:
@Michael.garner12@verizon.net
Facebook: @Michael.garner7334
Agency / Business name:
Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’
Business Development New York State Office of General Services
Panelist Name / Title:
Ken Williams/Executive Director
Ken Williams is the Executive Director of the NYS Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development. The Division is tasked with implementing the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act, which establishes a NYS contract participation goal of 6% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs). Prior to being appointed by Governor Cuomo, Ken’s career, in addition to high level management positions, has involved consulting for companies such as BMW of North America, creating and building entrepreneurial ventures, teaching at colleges such as Clarkson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and being sent to Ukraine by USAID to assist business development. Ken is a Vietnam era veteran and is passionate about the NYS SDVOB Program and the positive impact it is having on veterans of all generations.
Instagram: @NYSGeneralservices
Twitter: @NYS_OGS
Facebook: @NewYorkStateOGS
Agency / Business name: Port Authority New York and New Jersey
Panelist Name / Title: Anthony Miller, CSCMP, Senior MWSDBE Compliance Representative, Office of Diversity & Inclusion - Business Diversity and Civil Rights
I have over twenty years of experience as a Supplier Diversity Professional, Certification
Officer, and Compliance Manager within several industries in the Tri-state area. Transportation,
General Construction, & Construction Management are the key industries where Anthony has
entrenched himself and emerged as the leader he is today. He started his career as an intern on
the first public sector Design Build Operate and Maintain (DBOM) project in the United States
named the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System with a small woman-owned firm that provided Project
Management services in his hometown of Jersey City, NJ.
New to the construction
industry and the profession of construction management, Anthony began to educate himself about
the industry and adapted to various roles such as Quality Control/Quality Assurance Monitor,
Document Control Assistant, Supplier Chain Manager, Training Program Development Coordinator,
and Technical Assistance Coordinator for small businesses.
To date, Anthony has
managed over three billion dollars of public and private commercial assets and transportation
infrastructure for such entities as NJ Transit, Lend Lease (formerly Bovis Lend Lease) and now
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. These assets include Citi Field the home field
for the NY Mets, Barclays Center the home court for the Brooklyn Nets, the Hudson-Bergen Light
Rail System, The World Trade Center Memorial, and the Newark Terminal One Redevelopment Program
to name a few.
Anthony identifies himself as a small business advocate and ally
within the communities he serves. As a Sentinel for small business opportunities, Anthony
acknowledges that his performance in his role on behalf of the small business community creates
an opportunity for entrepreneurs that didn’t exist before.
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @panynj:
Agency / Business Name: New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) Department of Administration
Panelist Name / Title: Jessica Alber, Contract Management Specialist 1
Jessica Alber (SUNY Albany, B.A.) - Currently a Contract Management Specialist 1 with the New York State Insurance Fund, she began her career with NYS in The Division of Budget as Executive Assistant to the Director, First Deputy Director and Deputy Director of the New York State Division of Budget. Since joining NYSIF in 2019, Jessica has executed of a wide variety of contracts with subjects ranging from Legal, Investments, Real Estate, Administrative and Insurance.
Instagram: @NYSIF Twitter: @ @NYSIF_1914 Facebook: @NewYorkStateInsuranceFund URL: http://www.nysif.com/
Procurement Opportunities at New York Power Authority
Agency / Business name: New York Power Authority
Panelist Name / Title: Anne O’Malley, Supplier Diversity Specialist
Anne O’Malley is a Supplier Diversity Specialist with the NY Power Authority. In this role, she is focused on increasing the participation of Small Businesses into Government procurement programs. She concentrates her outreach efforts towards New York State certified Minority and Women-Owned Businesses (MWBE) and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB). She is passionate about Supplier Diversity Programs. They promote innovation and bring-forth companies with new products, services and solutions. Diversity Contracting provides multiple channels in which to procure goods and services. It also drives competition on price and service between existing and potential vendors.
Instagram: @nypaenergy
Twitter: @NYPAenergy
Facebook: @NYPAEnergy
URL: www.nypa.gov
Agency / Business name: State of NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Panelist Name / Title: Zenaida Rodriguez, Deputy Chief Diversity
Instagram: @mta
Twitter: @mta
Facebook: @mta
URL: www.new.mta.info
Engage with Competitive Edge committee members from various agencies, authorities, organizations and corporations across New York State. Attendees are encouraged to visit the exhibit booths for an opportunity to one-on-one networking.