About Our Program

A minority or women owned private or public Business is at least 51 percent owned by a woman or women, a minority person or group who are United States citizens or permanent residents, and who also control and run the business.

Male or female Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans or any other members whom the U.S. Small Business Administration designates as disadvantaged/minority.

A business which has a principal office located within a HUBzone, which includes lands on federally recognized Indian reservations and is owned and controlled by one or more U.S. citizens. A Hubzone business has at least 35% of its employees that reside in a HUBzone. A HUBzone Owner is certified by the Small Business Administration as approved for the HUBzone Program.

A business concern at least 51% owned by one or more qualified disabled veterans whose disability is service related, and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more qualified service disabled veterans.

Dominion is on the advisory board of the MBL.

The MBL is a not-for-profit business membership organization dedicated to minority business development. The MBL promotes business opportunities for its membership through its various programs and services, and serves as an advocate, providing tracking of issues and legislation affecting minorities and minority owned businesses.

The MBL works to ensure minority business participation in mainstream business activity at the local and State levels. The MBL promotes and encourages small business ownership and assist existing as well as newly developing business owners.

Dominion is a member of the Board of Directors of the VMSDC.

The VMSDC is a minority business advocacy organization affiliated with the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The VMSDC has branch offices in Norfolk, Staunton and Fairfax, Virginia. Its headquarters are located in Richmond, Virginia.

The Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (VMSDC) fosters relationships between minority suppliers and their potential clients: Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies and universities.

Dominion has also been invited to serve on the Advisory Board for the CVBCA.

The CVBCA is the leading organization in the Commonwealth representing minority contractors. The CVBCA promotes and inculcates the values of economic parity between and among businesses owned by people of color.

Dominion serves a Vice Chair of the Advisory Board of the VACC.

Created in June 2004, and then known as the "Asian American Business Assistance Center or AABAC", the mission of the VACC is to foster, increase, and maximize the economic potential of Virginia's Asian American businesses by supporting their domestic and international business development efforts in the global economy.

The Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce is Virginia's leading authority on Asian business, economic development, and workforce development. With more than 300 individual and organizational supporters and members, VACC advances learning, knowledge exchange, and domestic and international economic development activities to help Asian entrepreneurs and professionals better themselves and to create better communities worldwide.

The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was founded in May 2000 as the first statewide organization to empower Hispanics in the Virginia business community by building economic, social, and cultural bridges between Virginia and its growing Hispanic community. Since its inception, the Chamber has worked to foster an environment that is conducive to business growth and benefits people with business acumen, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic, through cultural, social, and business activities. Goals include:

• Growth and success of the VAHCC membership and Virginia Hispanic businesses
• Linking to the Hispanic community
• Advocacy, awareness and interest in the Virginia Hispanic community

The Chamber works with Hispanics and all interested in Hispanic business: the Virginia Hispanic business community; Virginia businesses and corporations; local, state, federal, and international entities; and non-profit organizations, as well as individuals.

Dominion has been a member of the NOMBC (formerly the Cleveland Regional Purchasing Council - CRMPC) since its inception in the 1980s. Currently, Dominion serves on the NOMBC's Board of Directors.

The NOMBC is a minority business advocacy organization affiliated with the National Minority Supplier Development Council. The NOMBC fosters relationships between minority suppliers and their potential clients: Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies and universities.

Their primary focus is to:

• Promote supplier diversity as a corporate management imperative.
• Facilitate corporate and minority business enterprises(MBE) relationships.
• Assist minority businesses of all sizes in Northern Ohio to meet challenges and seize opportunities. 
• Provide access to educational, managerial and technical assistance.

Dominion has served on EEI's Supplier Diversity Committee for more than ten years. The Supplier Diversity Committee has been a primary source of information addressing contractual obligations with the Federal Government and changing regulations affecting Federal prime contractors. Dominion participates in EEI's Annual Meeting with the U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Small Business Administration, and participates in the Annual Supplier Diversity Conference held in various locations across the nation.

EEI and its members (electric utilities) aim to establish long-term relationships with suppliers who provide products and services which help our industry succeed in a highly competitive environment. EEI members are dedicated to including minority and women-owned businesses among our list of suppliers. By building close alliances with diverse suppliers, member companies support their growth - and our expanded business relationships today will impact our business development tomorrow. Using diverse suppliers develops business opportunities through better visibility, shared goals, and a chance to prove the value of their products and services.

Dominion has participated on this committee since its inception in 2005.  The Gate Council consists of representatives from the utility industry, business councils and the Public Utility Commission of Ohio staff who focus on the inclusion of diverse suppliers in the marketplace.  Ohio GATE works to be a resource for diverse suppliers to do business with utility companies by forging effective working relationships that promote and enhance business opportunities between diverse businesses and regulated utilities in the State of Ohio. 

Dominion began its relationship with the WPEO in 2008.  Women Presidents' Educational Organization is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that acts as the regional partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). They are a coalition of corporations, regionally focused women's business organizations and certified women business owners.  The WPEO administers the certification program for the states of: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

• EEI Best Practices Workshop, San Antonio, TX
• MBL - "Women Who Mean Business Summit", Richmond, VA

• WPEO Annual Corporate Roundtable, Fairfax, VA
• NAWBO Annual Awards Dinner, Richmond, VA

• NOMSDC, Networking Luncheon, Toledo, OH
• NAWBO Awards Dinner, Richmond, VA

• Ohio Gate Year In Review
• Virginia Hispanic Chamber Gala

• VMSDC, Virginia Business Opportunity Fair, Richmond, VA
• SBA Matchmaker, OH
• EEI Supplier Diversity National Conference, Seattle, WA
• Ohio Business Opportunity Fair

• University of Richmond, VMSDC Executive Education, first session begins
• WBENC National Conference, Las Vegas, NV

No events are scheduled at this time.

• WBENC Conference in Pittsburgh, PA for PA, NJ & Delaware Councils

• NOMSDC Toledo Chamber Networking Luncheon
• VA Asian Chamber, Procurecon, Central Virginia

• NMSDC National Conference, Atlanta, GA

• Energizing Powerful Connections Conference, Columbia, SC
• Native American Business Alliance
• Hispanic Business Chamber Awards
• WPMSDC

• VA Asian Chamber Awards Gala, Richmond
• VMSDC MIC Awards Luncheon, Richmond