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Wireless Industry, Entrepreneurs Embrace Upcoming Supplier Diversity Summit in Dallas
[May 12, 2016]

Wireless Industry, Entrepreneurs Embrace Upcoming Supplier Diversity Summit in Dallas


Leaders of the wireless industry will convene on May 25 in Dallas for the inaugural Supplier Diversity Summit at the Wireless Infrastructure Show, the annual conference and trade show hosted by PCIA - The Wireless Infrastructure Association. Hundreds of participants have already registered for the Summit, which will offer up practical initiatives for the wireless industry as it prepares for 5G and the Internet of Things. In additional to a full day of programming, the Summit will host matchmaking meetings between small businesses and major wireless carriers and wireless infrastructure companies.

"We launched the Supplier Diversity Summit to shine a spotlight on the important role diversity plays in the future of wireless communications in this country and to create real business opportunities for small, women-, minority- and veteran-owned businesses," said Tim House, Executive Vice President of PCIA, which hosts the annual show. "The outpouring of support for this type of engagement was incredible. This event will connect a diverse group of businesses with the companies that invest tens of billions of dollars into deploying and maintaining wireless infrastructure each year."

Procurement officials from major wireless companies including Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, AT&T (News - Alert), American Tower, Crown Castle, and SBA Communications will be onsite at the event for pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with attendees. Registered participants will be able to access an online meeting scheduling poral to connect with representatives from major telecommunications companies to set up exclusive meetings at the Supplier Diversity Summit.



Keynote Address

In addition to the one-on-one meetings, the Supplier Diversity Summit will feature a keynote address from Jose Mas, CEO of Miami-based MasTec, one of the largest infrastructure services providers in North America. Under his leadership, the company grew from $930 million in sales in 2007 to $4.5 billion in sales in 2014.


Supplier Diversity: An Untapped Opportunity

Following the keynote address, a collection of industry experts will participate on a panel titled "Supplier Diversity: An Untapped Opportunity." Panelists include:

  • Flavio Rossi, Senior Vice President of Procurement and Supply Chain Operations for T-Mobile USA;
  • Barbara Meserole, Global Diversity and Inclusion/Supplier Diversity for Verizon (News - Alert);
  • Oliver Turman, Director of AT&T Supplier Diversity for AT&T Services;
  • Michael Dennis, Chief Executive Officer of The Big Green Company; and
  • Tim Dunnigan, President of Talon Aerolytics.

The panel will discuss the real-world impact supplier diversity is having on the wireless industry as well as the affect diversity will have on the future of wireless communications. The panel will be moderated by Maurita Coley, Chief Operating Officer of the Multicultural Media, Telecom & Internet Council (MMTC (News - Alert)).

The Wireless Infrastructure Show, which will take place May 23-May 26 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, attracts more than 150 exhibitors and nearly 3,000 thought leaders and industry innovators from across the wireless infrastructure ecosystem. The annual event serves as the premier forum for infrastructure owners and operators, carriers, investment community representatives, government officials, equipment manufacturers and service providers, and others integrally involved in shaping the future of the industry.

To register for the Wireless Infrastructure Show, please visit the show's website.

About PCIA - The Wireless Infrastructure Association

PCIA - The Wireless Infrastructure Association represents the companies that build, design, own and manage telecommunications facilities throughout the world. Its more than 230 members include infrastructure providers, wireless carriers, equipment manufacturers, and professional services firms. The association produces the Wireless Infrastructure Show and HetNet Expo each year.


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