Press Release: 6/27/2023

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Announces 2023 Annual Pacesetters Awards Honorees

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Announces 2023 Annual Pacesetters Awards Honorees



BOSTON, MA -



The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the honorees of the second annual Pacesetters Awards. The Chamber’s Pacesetters Awards celebrate the intense commitment, action, and extraordinary results of companies and individuals leading in corporate supplier diversity. Honorees are recognized in the categories of Company of the Year, Champion of the Year, and Partnership of the Year.  



 



“Congratulations to the Chamber’s 2023 Pacesetters Awards Honorees! These business leaders and companies represent the best of the Commonwealth’s supplier diversity community. Incorporating equity into procurement best practices is one of the important and meaningful ways that we can build a more inclusive business community. Successful partnerships between businesses of color and large corporations means that we are championing equity and closing the region’s racial wealth gap. It is our responsibility to ensure that Massachusetts is a place where every business of color can succeed, and our honorees exemplify how to champion equitable commerce every day,” said James E. Rooney, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.



 



2023 Pacesetters Awards Honorees



Company of the Year: Manulife/John Hancock




  • Manulife / John Hancock created a multi-year strategy to advance supplier diversity into their company’s global procurement operations, including adding KPIs and RFP requirements that center supplier diversity.



Champion of the Year: Rosanna Molinaro, Director of Procurement and Contracts Management, Department of Planning, Real Estate, and Facilities, Northeastern University




  • Rosanna Molinaro is an expert and thought leader in supplier diversity best practices, and at Northeastern University, Rosanna leads the bidding and contract management for the Planning, Real Estate, and Facilities Department while advancing supplier diversity in procurement.



Partnership of the Year: Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) and Casablanca Services




  • The BPDA and Casablanca Services, a minority-owned landscaping company, developed their partnership over the years, beginning with a multi-year contract for downtown waterfront landscaping and most recently partnering for a multi-year snow removal contract.



 



About the Chamber’s Pacesetters Supplier Diversity Initiative



The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce founded the Pacesetters initiative in 2018 and expanded statewide in 2020. Pacesetters are large and mid-sized companies and anchor institutions that use equitable supplier diversity to close the racial wealth gap by intentionally increasing spend with businesses of color. Learn more about Pacesetters. 



 



About the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce



We are the convener, voice, and advocate of our region's business community, committed to making Greater Boston the best place for all businesses and all people to thrive. We help our members and Greater Boston succeed by convening and connecting the business community; researching, developing, and advocating for public policies that contribute to our region’s economic success; and providing comprehensive learning and development programs designed to grow strong business and civic leaders. Learn more at BostonChamber.com.