The 10th Annual OhioMBE Awards was an unforgettable celebration of Ohio’s small businesses, honoring their innovation, resilience, and impact on the community. Held at Huntington Park in Columbus, the event brought together business leaders, advocates, and supporters to recognize top businesses and exceptional individuals for their contributions.

Honorees:

• Business Legends: Peggy Jenkins (Peggy’s Monogramming & Embroidery) and Dr. Iris Cooper (JustAskIris!)
• Frank W. Watson Advocacy Award Honorees: DaWanna Allen and Duane Park
• Economic Empowerment Award Honorees: Shaundretta Boykins and Adelphi Bank
• Community Engagement Award Honorees: Black Girl Rising and Ubuntu Leadership Institute
• Publisher’s Award: Terri Wise, former Outreach Coordinator for Columbus City Schools, was honored for over 30 years of dedicated service to Black-owned businesses.

Top Business Award Winners:

• Top MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) (Presented by Elford, Inc.): Net Auto Glass, Corporate Cleaning Inc., and Rath Builders Supply, Inc.
• Top FBE (Female Business Enterprise): Sylvia A. Garrett & Associates and Ncrease Financial Services, LLC
• Top Veteran Business: GOFS
• Top Family Business: Accelerated Laboratory Logistics and Hubert Farms

People’s Choice Winners:

• Top Family Business: 1st Place: Hubert Farms; 2nd Place: Sylvia Garrett & Associates
• Top MBE: 1st Place: Serene’s Sweet Spot; 2nd Place: Rath Builders Supply
• Top FBE: 1st Place: Serene’s Sweet Spot; 2nd Place: Sylvia Garrett & Associates

Special Highlights:

We were also treated to a powerful keynote speech by Franklin County Chief Diversity Officer Damika Withers and inspiring words from OSU Basketball Legend Dennis Hopson, who shared reflections on success. His Havanna & Rye Mobile Cigar Bar brought an exclusive VIP experience for our attendees.

The event also raised funds for the Ohio Business Development Center (OBDC), which provides critical resources and support to small businesses across Ohio.

Did you attend? Share your memories and photos with us on our Facebook page, OhioMBE, or use the hashtag #OhioMBEAwards24 on social media! Thank you to everyone who made this year’s OhioMBE Awards a success, and congratulations again to all the outstanding businesses and honorees!

The 10th Annual OhioMBE Awards are just around the corner, and we’re excited to spotlight Ohio’s outstanding small businesses. The People’s Choice Awards are now open, and you have the power to help your favorite businesses win! Vote daily in the following categories: Top MBE (Minority Business Enterprise), Top FBE (Female Business Enterprise), and Top Family Business.

Your vote will celebrate the hard work, innovation, and success of these businesses. Let’s take a closer look at the nominees:

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Top MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Nominees:

• Net Auto Glass
• Serene’s Sweet Spot
• Corporate Cleaning
• Sylvia A. Garrett & Associates
• Rath Builders Supply, Inc.
• Peak Electric, Inc.
• Alley Burger & Fries The R&B Joint
• Somersault General Contractors
• NCREASE Financial Services

These businesses have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their industries, helping to pave the way for other minority-owned enterprises.

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Top FBE (Female Business Enterprise) Nominees:

• Serene’s Sweet Spot
• Sylvia A. Garrett & Associates
• NCREASE Financial Services

These women-led businesses have shown remarkable dedication and innovation, serving as role models for female entrepreneurs across Ohio.

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Top Family Business Nominees:

• Sylvia A. Garrett & Associates
• Hubert Farms
• Truckco
• Rath Builders Supply, Inc.
• Accelerated Laboratory Logistics

These family-owned businesses exemplify the spirit of collaboration, legacy, and community building, making a lasting impact on Ohio’s business landscape.

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🗳️ Cast your vote daily from October 11 to October 17 at OhioMBEAwards.com and help your favorite businesses take home the win! Every vote counts, so don’t miss your chance to support these remarkable entrepreneurs.

🎟️ Haven’t purchased your tickets yet? A limited number of tickets for the OhioMBE Awards are still available! Get yours at OHBDC.org. 100 Percent of ticket sales benefit OBDC.

Let’s come together to recognize and celebrate the best in Ohio business!

#OhioMBEAwards2024 #PeoplesChoiceAwards #TopMBE #TopFBE #TopFamilyBusiness #SupportSmallBusiness

Contribute Your Insights to Create a More Equitable Marketplace

Columbus, Ohio – The State of Ohio is inviting minority-owned, women-owned, and Veteran-friendly businesses to participate in a series of virtual information sessions as part of an ongoing Disparity Study. This initiative, led by MGT Consulting Group, seeks to gather valuable insights from Ohio businesses to help identify challenges faced when engaging with the State and other entities, ultimately working to foster a more equitable and inclusive business environment.

The Disparity Study is designed to connect entrepreneurs with vital resources that can promote business growth, create jobs, and spur economic development. The insights gathered will contribute to building a fairer marketplace for all businesses across Ohio.

All businesses, whether certified or not, are encouraged to take part in this important study. Your input will help shape the future of Ohio’s business landscape, ensuring that every enterprise has the opportunity to succeed.

Session 1
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
 Register for Session 1

Session 2
Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Register for Session 2

Tax season is right around the corner, and we want to help small business owners get ready! OBDC is hosting the Year-End Tax Planning for Small Business Owners workshop, presented by Tenesha Hartgrove, CPA, of Ncrease Financial Services, LLC. This 1-hour webinar will provide valuable strategies to prepare your financial records, maximize deductions, and reduce your tax liability.

Key Topics:

• How to organize your financial records
• Essential tax deductions and credits for small business owners
• Documents your tax preparer will need
• Year-end strategies to minimize your tax burden

Session Dates:

• Thursday, October 31st, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Friday, November 8th, Noon – 1:00 PM

Cost: Free
Register: OHBDC.org

Don’t miss out on expert advice to help you save during tax season. Register now and get ready to optimize your tax strategy!

Check out bid notices from Columbus Airports, Franklin County, Kokosing, Kokosing Industrial, and Setterlin. Plus, don’t miss the SBLA @ OBDC October legal clinics, offering no-cost consultations! ⚖️

Special highlight: Damika Withers is the keynote speaker for the 10th Annual OhioMBE Awards! 🌟

📩 Read the latest issue and get your FREE subscription at OhioMBE.com. Please share with other business owners!

#OhioMBE #BidBoard #ContractingOpportunities #SmallBusiness #MinorityBusiness #LegalClinics #OhioMBEAwards

This letter was emailed to City of Columbus Vendors regarding the cybersecurity breach

To our respected vendor and supplier contacts: 

The City of Columbus (the “City”), recently discovered that it was the victim of a criminal cybersecurity incident that may trigger contractual notification obligations. Please note that an investigation is still ongoing to determine the full scope of this incident. For that reason, this notice is being provided as a courtesy in a good-faith effort to alert our vendors and suppliers. If during the continuing investigation it is discovered that your vendor data was accessed, we will provide an additional notice directly to you, pursuant to the notice obligations described in the agreements related to your services. 

What Happened?
On July 18, 2024, the City discovered that it had experienced a cybersecurity incident, in which a foreign cyber threat actor attempted to disrupt the City’s IT infrastructure, in a possible effort to deploy ransomware and solicit a ransom payment from the City. The City’s continuing investigation of the cyber security incident has determined that the threat actor gained unauthorized access to the City’s technology infrastructure. Further discovery indicated the incident allowed the threat actor to view and access certain personal information, which may, or may not, include data in connection with certain vendor services. The incident was discovered expeditiously, cyber security experts were promptly retained, federal law enforcement was engaged, and proper security measures were conducted to contain the incident. 

What Information Was Involved?
The information accessed by the threat actor included personal information of City employees, former City employees, residents of the City or other individuals including minors who may have interacted with the City, such as their first and last name, date of birth, address, bank account information, driver’s licenses,  Social Security number, and other identifying information. More specifically, if you handle, store, or access any data in connection with the City, there is the potential those documents were accessed by the criminal threat actors and you may have legal duties to notify individuals whose information resided in documents of this ransomware attack.

What Are We Doing?
We take the protection of the data and information that we retain seriously and are taking steps to prevent a similar occurrence. Upon learning of the incident, the City’s Department of Technology quickly identified the threat and took action to limit potential exposure by severing internet connectivity and mobilizing a response team. The City engaged cyber security experts to provide expertise and guidance in navigating the incident, and while the threat actor’s activity was disrupted, an investigation is still ongoing to determine the full extent of the incident. 

For More Information.
Vendors who believe they may have data impacted by this incident should go to www.columbus.gov/Services/Cybersecurity and access the Vendor tab for more information. For further questions or concerns, please email databreachteam@dinsmore.com.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this situation, as well as your understanding in the short-term. Please be assured that the security, safety and stability of our vendors, suppliers, employees, residents, and visitors, is of the utmost importance to us and is our top priority. While the investigation is still ongoing, we wanted to keep you informed and assure you that we will provide further updates as soon as more details are available. If we determine that your data or system has been affected in connection with this incident, or your organization has proprietary reporting requirements regarding incidents of this nature, we will follow up with you as necessary.

Regards,

Don’t miss your chance to attend the 10th Annual OhioMBE Awards on October 24, 2024 at Huntington Park! This exciting event brings together Ohio’s top business leaders, entrepreneurs, and advocates to celebrate diversity and business excellence.

🎉 Why Attend?

• Network with Ohio’s business leaders and key decision-makers.
• Celebrate the 2024 honorees across various categories: Top MBE, Top FBE, Top Veteran Business, and Top Family-Owned Business.
• Support the Ohio Business Development Center with 100% of ticket sales benefiting small businesses in our community.

This is a once-a-year opportunity to be a part of Ohio’s premier small business event! Don’t wait until it’s too late—tickets are selling fast!

🎟️ Get your tickets now at OHBDC.org

📅 Event Date: October 24, 2024
📍 Location: Huntington Park, Columbus, Ohio

Bid Notice: RFP # 2024-46-31 Mediation Services

The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch, is seeking proposals from qualified mediator vendors to assist the Court’s Dispute Resolution Department with its caseload.

Proposal Opening Date:
November 6, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.

Project Summary:
The Domestic Relations Division handles cases involving domestic relations and juvenile citizens. It aims to provide equitable resolutions in matters involving families and children, such as divorce, legal separation, child support, parenting time, and domestic violence protection orders.

Additional Information:
All amendments and clarifications will be posted on the Purchasing Department website:
Franklin County Bid Opportunities
Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the website.

Written Question Deadline:
October 16, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST

Contact Information:
Email: smhernandez@franklincountyohio.gov
Phone: 614.525.3750

Franklin County Board of Commissioners:
Kevin L. Boyce, President
John O’Grady, Commissioner
Erica C. Crawley, Commissioner

Visit OhioMBE.com for more details.

🚨 FREE Promotion Alert! 🚨

Don’t miss out on a FREE opportunity to promote your business at the 10th Annual OhioMBE Awards! We’re offering you the chance to add your branded items to our 325 swag bags, which will be given to Ohio’s top entrepreneurs, business leaders, and decision-makers. 🎁

🔑 What to Include: Samples, promotional items, branded products – anything that showcases your business!

📅 Deadline: October 5, 2024
📍 Get involved today and reserve your spot at OhioMBEAwards.com

This is your chance to make your business stand out at Ohio’s biggest celebration of minority-owned, female-owned, veteran-owned, and family-owned businesses! 🌟

#OhioMBEAwards2024 #FreePromotion #SwagBagOpportunity #SupportSmallBusiness #CelebrateDiversity