Himanshu Bhatia, CEO of Rose International

Two firms owned by Indian-Americans are among 12 businesses from across the United States that were named ‘Regional Suppliers of the Year’ by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) on Sept. 20, according to a press release.

Chesterfield, MO-based Rose International, which specializes in IT solutions, staff augmentation, project management and strategic consulting, is among the firms that have been awarded in Class III, which comprises companies that have logged sales of over $10 million.

Rose International CEO Himanshu Bhatia has grown the company in 11 years from a local, five-employee entity to more than 600 employees, nearly 60 active clients and projected 2004 sales approaching $100 million. Today, Rose International, which is a Corporate Plus member of NMSDC, handles national contracts for several major corporations.

Bhatia, who came to the United States from India as a young woman, is focused on advancing women in the field of technology, student mentoring and charitable relief for the victims of 9/11, the release said. Her constant efforts to help other minority-owned businesses has led to the tripling of Rose International’s spend with Minority Business Entrepreneurs (MBEs) since 2002, bringing its projections above $3 million in 2004.

Norcross, GA-based Pyramid Consulting, an IT consulting and staffing, software development, systems integration, offshore and custom computer programming services company, has been selected an NMSDC Regional Supplier in Class II, which comprises entities with sales between $1 million and $10 million.

Sanjeev Tirath, CEO of Pyramid Consulting

Sanjeev Tirath, currently the president and CEO of the company, launched Pyramid Consulting in 1996. The revenues of Pyramid in 2004 is likely to rise to $22 million, Tirath was quoted as saying in the release.

Pyramid has established a second tier initiative for minority subcontractors and also makes the effort to partner, mentor and procure goods and services from other MBEs. It supports through donations and matching gifts a wide range of humanitarian and charitable agencies including the American Red Cross, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, and Vibha, a child development agency for underprivileged children in India.

Earlier, naming the Regional Suppliers of the Year, NMSDC president Harriet R. Michel acknowledged that minority-owned firms that are succeeding in the marketplace meet, and often exceed, the most exacting standards of corporate America. “One of the highlights of our national conference is the ability to celebrate these high performing minority firms. They are economic powerhouses, providing jobs and value-added benefits to their corporate customers and their communities,” Michel said.

More than 7,000 people are expected to attend the NMSDC Conference and Business Opportunity Fair at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 17-20, which will have as its theme, ‘Minority Business and Corporate Alliances: Capitalizing on Opportunities.’

The award winners are divided into three classes according to annual sales and are nominated by their corporate customers. They are evaluated on the basis of company history, growth in sales and employment, product quality, service delivery, competitiveness, community involvement and obstacles overcome as a result of heritage or background.

One regional winner from each class will be named a National Winner at the NMSDC Conference Awards Banquet on Oct. 20, at the Washington Convention Center.