Definition of Minority Business Owner

A minority-owned business is a for-profit enterprise, regardless of size, physically located in the United States or its trust territories, which is owned, operated and controlled by minority group members. "Minority group members" are United States citizens who are Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American. Ownership by minority individuals means the business is at least 51% owned by such individuals or, in the case of a publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock is owned by one or more such individuals. Further, the management and daily operations are controlled by those minority group members.

Ethnic Minority Descriptions
We recognize the following Ethnic Minority Classifications:

Asian-American
A U.S. citizen whose origins are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific or the Northern Marianas.

African-American
A U.S. citizen having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.

Hispanic-American
A U.S. citizen of true-born Hispanic heritage, from any of the Spanish-speaking areas of Latin America or the following regions: Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean Basin only.

Native-American
A person who is an American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut or Native Hawaiian, and regarded as such by the community of which the person claims to be a part. Native Americans must be documented members of a North American tribe, band or otherwise organized group of native people who are indigenous to the continental United States and proof can be provided through a Native American Blood Degree Certificate (i.e., tribal registry letter, tribal roll register number).

Our supplier diversity initiative targets certified minority owned businesses. If you are not currently certified, please contact the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) at 212-944-2430 or visit their website at www.nmsdc.org. You can also obtain certification through your local government economic development office.