Council incorporates site visits to their Gold Standard certification process.
In the 1980s, the Council began to make its mark in the Metroplex. Corporations like Frito-Lay, Texas Instruments, Southland Corporation and Southwestern Bell established the benchmark for successful supplier diversity programs.
In 1982 Joe Walker, with The JwE Group, was hired as a consultant by the board to help build a budget for a two-person, full-time staff. Recognizing talent, the Board then hired their consultant, Walker, as the first fulltime Executive Director. Leaders like Don Lawhorne, Richard Knight, Tom Wooten, Joyce Foreman, Gene Bloomfield, Tom Lazo, Frank Morales and others would help usher the Council into a meaningful direction. A Vendor Guide would be produced and recognized as the “Bible” for doing business and finding minority-owned businesses.
A certification process incorporated site visits to minority-owned businesses. It would become the “Gold Standard” for certification and one of the life-blood offerings of the Council.