February 28, 2025 at the FAMAN Media Center

What does it mean to be minority business certified? It means access—access to corporate contracts, supplier diversity programs, and new growth opportunities that recognize and elevate your identity as an asset. It’s not just a title; it’s a tool for leveling the playing field.

At the recent Minority Business Certification Workshop co-hosted by FACCGN and FAMAN, Donna Ruff, CEO of the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council—and proudly part Filipina—broke it all down. Her powerful, no-fluff presentation walked 30 attendees through the steps of getting certified, demystifying the process and highlighting how certification can open doors to long-term business success. The room was filled with local entrepreneurs, small business owners, and startup founders eager to learn—and they did. And when the presentation wrapped, the conversation kept going. What started as a workshop turned into a lively after-hours exchange of ideas, strategies, and merienda, proving once again that when our community comes together, we don’t just learn—we build.

Yes, there’s a woman on top, and she’s half-Filipina. How did we find out?We had a starter conversation on Bagoong.  

And Christine Maddela,  of Fox 5  and StoryVille RD, she’s Filipina too!

Photo below: L, Donna Ruff, CEO, R, Christine Maddela, StoryVille RD

The Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council (WRMSDC) is a nonprofit business organization that promotes the growth of minority-owned companies by connecting them with major corporate buyers in Northern California, Nevada, and Hawai‘i.

What WRMSDC Is

WRMSDC is one of 23 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), a national organization focused on increasing procurement opportunities for minority-owned businesses with large corporations. It is headquartered in Oakland, California, and operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission centers on community improvement and capacity building for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

History and Mission

WRMSDC was founded on September 9, 1977, in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement and growing awareness of discrimination against minority-owned firms. Its mission is to eliminate discrimination in business supply chains by championing the use of certified minority-owned suppliers and advocating for under‑resourced business communities in its three‑state region.

What the Council Does

WRMSDC’s core work includes certifying minority business enterprises (MBEs), developing them through training, and connecting them to corporate members seeking diverse suppliers. It maintains a database of certified firms that are at least 51% ethnic‑minority‑owned, operated, and controlled, and then facilitates introductions and matchmaking with corporations such as Fortune 500 companies.​

Who It Serves

The council serves for‑profit U.S. businesses located in Northern California, Nevada, or Hawai‘i that meet its ethnic‑minority ownership and control standards. It also serves corporate members and public agencies that want to expand supplier diversity, helping them identify qualified providers and measure the impact of their diverse‑spend programs.

Impact and Recognition

WRMSDC reports that MBEs in its network collectively generate significant employment, tax revenue, and economic activity across its region each year, reflecting the broader economic importance of supplier diversity. In recognition of its performance and impact among NMSDC’s affiliate councils, WRMSDC was named “Council of the Year” by NMSDC in 2023.

And how it impacts Filipino american minority small business

WRMSDC can open real contracting doors for Filipino American small businesses because Filipino Americans are part of the Asian American/Asian Pacific Islander minority group that the council is specifically designed to support.

Why Filipino American businesses qualify

  • NMSDC (and WRMSDC as its regional affiliate) recognizes Asian American/Asian Pacific Islander entrepreneurs as eligible minority business owners, which includes Filipino Americans.

  • Any for‑profit business in Northern California, Nevada, or Hawai‘i that is at least 51% ethnic‑minority‑owned, operated, and controlled by U.S. citizens can pursue certification, so a Filipino‑owned LLC or corporation in Las Vegas or the Bay Area would qualify if it meets those standards.​

Specific benefits for Filipino American small businesses

  • Certification as a minority business enterprise (MBE) gives Filipino‑owned companies access to WRMSDC’s regional supplier database that Fortune‑level corporations and public agencies use to find diverse vendors.

  • WRMSDC offers training, matchmaking events, and one‑on‑one support that help under‑resourced firms compete for corporate and government contracts, which is especially valuable for first‑generation or family‑run Filipino businesses that may lack networks in large procurement organizations.

  • In Las Vegas specifically, the city’s Supplier Diversity Program points local minority‑owned firms toward NMSDC and related certifications, so Filipino American owners can stack local (city), state (ESB), and WRMSDC/NMSDC credentials to become more visible and credible in procurement.​

Evidence of direct Filipino community impact

  • The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada has already partnered with WRMSDC: a recent chamber update notes that WRMSDC’s CEO led a certification workshop to help Filipino‑owned firms access national corporate and government procurement pipelines.​

  • That type of collaboration shows how WRMSDC interacts with Filipino American business groups on the ground, turning supplier diversity and certification into practical tools: learning how to price, package, and position offerings for large buyers, then using WRMSDC connections to pursue real contracts.

Broader economic impact (including Filipino Americans)

  • Across Northern California, Nevada, and Hawai‘i, WRMSDC reports supporting over 1,300 under‑resourced businesses, which collectively generate billions in revenue and hundreds of thousands of jobs; Filipino‑owned firms are part of this broader Asian American/AAPI impact footprint.

  • Network‑wide data from NMSDC shows strong performance among Asian Pacific MBEs, with continued growth in revenue and jobs, indicating that certification and supplier diversity programs are helping AAPI firms—including Filipino‑owned businesses—scale beyond micro‑business status.​

If you tell me more about a specific Filipino American business (industry, size, Nevada vs. California vs. Hawai‘i), I can outline concrete next steps for using WRMSDC to get certified and start targeting contracts.

Summary

The Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council (WRMSDC) helps Filipino American small businesses by certifying them as minority business enterprises and connecting them to large corporate and government buyers. It recognizes Filipino Americans under its Asian/AAPI minority category, so Filipino‑owned firms in Northern California, Nevada, and Hawai‘i can qualify if they are at least 51% minority‑owned, operated, and controlled. Through certification, matchmaking events, training, and partnerships with Filipino business groups (like Filipino chambers of commerce), WRMSDC gives these businesses better access to contracts, technical assistance, and growth opportunities that they might not reach on their own.

For more information: go to https://wrmsdc.org/