Agenda

08:30 AM - 09:00 AM

Registration & Networking Breakfast

 

09:00 AM

Welcome/Opening Remarks & Annual Meeting

Natalie McGrady, Board Chair

Main Floor — NCMSDC welcome · presenting sponsor remarks · frame the day's theme: The Next Chapter Starts Here
 

09:20 AM

Fireside Chat with Donald Cravins, Jr., Esq. — The Next Chapter Starts Here

Donald Cravins, Jr., Esq., Brad Pomerleau

Donald Cravins, President & CEO, NMSDC, participates in a moderated fireside conversation with a corporate executive discussing the national landscape, business case that's still winning, and where NMSDC is leading in the current environment. This session will be moderated by Brad Pomerleau, Vice President, Procurement for Target.
 

10:15 AM

Networking Break

 

10:30 AM

What's Actually Happening in Washington: Fed. Contracting/Supplier Development

Nigel Stephens

Single consolidated session for both small businesses and corporate supplier development teams. Plain-language read on federal procurement shifts, Capitol Hill activity, and what both sides need to know right now. Speaker: Nigel Stephens, Phoenix Strategies Group.
 

11:45 AM

Transition & Networking

 

12:00 PM

Lunch Panel — The Next Chapter Is Already Being Written

Natalie McGrady, Moderator

This discussion explores how organizations are navigating an increasingly complex and uncertain business environment through agility, innovation, and digital transformation. Panelists discuss the importance of building strong, diverse supplier networks, leveraging emerging technologies, and creating strategies that support long-term growth and competitiveness. As industries continue to evolve, organizations that embrace change, invest in technology, and foster collaborative partnerships are better positioned to capitalize on opportunities, address challenges, and lead in a rapidly changing marketplace. Panelists to be announced.

01:00 PM

Transition & Networking Break

 

01:15 PM

Going Beyond the Pitch

A thoughtful discussion on future-focused best practices on how suppliers and clients can leverage strategic conversations to enhance relationship-building opportunities to go "beyond the pitch".
 

02:30 PM

Networking Break

 

02:45 PM

Next Chapter Roundtables

Continue the conversation through facilitated, industry-focused roundtables led by corporate and MBE leaders. Participants rotate between tables every 15–20 minutes, engaging in discussions on trends, opportunities, challenges, and partnerships across industries. Guided conversation prompts help attendees apply insights from the Strategic Conversations session while building strong business connections.
 

04:00 PM

Closing Plenary — What I'm Taking Into the Next Chapter

Armetha Pihlstrom, Moderator, Pihlstrom Consulting Group

Small business owners share their learnings and next-chapter growth, mixing indirect services and retail products on the same stage, and pairing recently certified businesses with longtime certified veterans. Closes with each attendee writing their own one-line next chapter commitment on a card to take home.
 

05:30 PM

Reception & Happy Hour

LaSalle Club (across the street from Target) — Offsite reception & happy hour (cash bar) · open networking · sponsor recognition